The WINNER for

Sister McLay's most recent cooking contest

will be decided partially by number of views.

You can help by clicking her to watch

(then spreading the news via your address book):

I Love My Parents

My parents are in town! We love when they come to visit—especially when they are BOTH able to come. Our children have been looking forward to it for weeks. And, honestly, so have I.

You see, to borrow a phrase from Nephi, I was ‘born of goodly parents.’ My dad and mom love Jesus Christ and they live according to His gospel. When I was a child, I did not fully appreciate their goodness. Even as an adult, I’m not sure I fully comprehend the blessing of having such wonderful parents. But, my heart swells whenever I consider that God sent me to them. I do not know what I did to deserve such a blessing, but I am eternally grateful.

~Brother McLay

Daily McLay

Looking for more McLay?

Brooke (aka Sis. McLay) will now be blogging at

ConversationsWithACupcake.blogspot.com

Come on over to discover all the

latest happenings at Chez McLay.

Hot Date Friday

Our First Date

At EFY, it's inevitable. Someone is going to ask how we met. Or how we fell in love. Or about our first kiss. Well, we may not be the type to kiss and tell...

For those of you hopeless romantics {or the scientific few who enjoy learning about love stories in an effort to construct some understanding of that hazy phenomena called marriage} here is the story of the first time Sir John and Lady Brooke went on an official first date:

Christmas vacation had just begun at BYU. A fine chap had stopped by one evening to meet a fair maiden. The night went well. Conversation was smooth. There was more to talk about. So, he stopped by her humble abode (read: nappy off-campuse housing) the next morningand asked if she'd enjoy an ice skating session that eve. She thought that sounded like a very handsome way to spend her twilight hours. However, two of her little sisters (love you, Britt and Mugs) were visiting. It would be unmannerly to leave them along. She tried to turn down the offer. He persisted. The sisters could come. She sighed {happily} and gave in to his mesmerizing ways. The entire group of them John, Brooke, and little tagalongs enjoyed a black, chilly skate under the stars.

Truth be told, it was rough going for the lady. {She was born sans coordination.} But, the gentleman John skated circles around her {literally} and in no time at all, she'd determined--frozen fingers or no--it was dizzying admiration for this boy.

He held her hand. She held it back. He smiled. She batted eyelashes. He asked if she'd like to go out again the next night. She replied, "Why yes. Why yes indeed," trying not to sound too anxious.

And that next night? Well, it may have something to do with a dainty smooch.

But we'll never tell.

To Do: Get a Date Tonight

Late Date Friday

So sorry for the massive delay in postings! It's been a busy week at the McLay home.

We didn't want to miss out on an opportunity to celebrate Hot Date Friday. So...though it's Tuesday, here is a recent Q&A from one of our WONDERFUL readers...


I love my friends. Not bragging, but I have alot of them, and alot of them tend to be boys. They say they feel comfortable around me. Fantastic. I've had feelings for this friend for a time now, but as of late we have become the best of friends. I have never had a friendship like this, where we are both completely honest with our feelings and talk about everything under the sun. We have both expressed that we have had interest in eachother at one time or another, and even talked about the possibility of dating. We go on dates and spend alot of time together, until he announced that he feels even though we were never "officially" dating, he wants to date other people.He actually said he wanted to see me dating someone else to see how it made him feel. I don't know what to do! He still wants to spend time with me as a best friend and relies on me for alot, but I have outsiders telling me that I need to cut the cord- take a break-not even talk for a spell. The thought of that almost KILLS me, seeing as how he is my best friend right now. We are both at a "marriage-worthy" age and I see great potential with him, and we have even talked about how we are both convinced it is a timing issue. Great. When all is said and done, he is wonderful. But is it worth all of this drama?!

Timing is such a peculiar thing. Isn’t it? I think many young adult men (and gals) use timing as the gentle way to say, “I’m just not interested.” Now. There are certainly times when a bit of a delay changes a relationship for the better. But, more often than not, it’s just a soft way to encourage a break up.
In my professional {read: experience from the long-ago dating years} opinion, I would suggest that you take his cue as an invitation to go looking for someone who is more interested in seeing you as marriage material than just someone to pal around with. You want to get married. So you’ve got to stop wasting your time with someone who is playing games, and start seriously searching for the gem of a guy who is interested in playing house.

It will hurt. Yes. You’ll be lonely without his companionship and listening ear. But, it will hurt more to look back on the time together as lost time you could have spent searching for an eternal companion. That said, I may I suggest that you just raise the stakes by anteing up everything you have in a high-honesty conversation with your chum. Just put it out there to him. Say, “I get that you want to be friends. I was hoping for more. So, if you’re ever interested in wooing me—really wooing me—you have my number. Otherwise, I’m off on my merry way to find Mr. Right.” And, while your at it, find a few good girlfriends to keep you company during your search. You’ll never have to lose them, even after you marry your hunka-hunka burning love. ~Sis. M

Any Thoughts?

We'd love to hear. Post a comment, or email us at

mclayfamily@msn.com

Also...

Rhyme Time

One evening, while lounging in bed, I began thinking upon the morrow. Tomorrow stood before me, bright and beautiful. Wide open and full of promise. I began to imagine all I could do with that empty space that lay before me. Then, I sighed. I'd woken up just that morning with a vast "today" before me. I'd not used it to make immense, lasting changes. I'd not broken out of my box of habitual security, shyness, or worry. I'd been just who I was, rather than rising to who I knew I could be...who I want to be. That night, I penned this prose to remind myself: Today. After all, it is what I do today that determines my tomorrow.

The Diet Starts Tomorrow

How that
Tomorrow
Means so much?
Making plans
For the Woman I will be
When today
I won’t even try

How that
Evening
Brings such hope?
Making plans
For the Woman I will be
In the morning
When the sun
Melts her away

How that
Morning
Comes with forgetting?
Making plans
For who I am today
Rather than
Who I knew I could be
Yesterday