Um, I've become a Mormon...

This past weekend was spent up in Steamboat for our annual IIDA Board Retreat. (I have to add that it was PRIME leaf changing weekend...which made for a beautiful and scenic drive...I'm trying to track down a few pics of that). I'm on the board and our chapter encompasses the Rocky Mountain Region which means Salt Lake City is a big part of our territory. This retreat in Steamboat is the only time the entire board is together since our board is split between Denver and Salt Lake people. As expected a lot of the Salt Lake board members are Mormon, or LDS as they refer to themselves. This was my 4th year attending the board retreat - at this point we've gotten accustomed to the fact that us from Denver live our lives differently than our Salt Lake counterparts but honestly we get along really well, and have a lot to learn from each other.

However, this year, I realized my life isn't so different anymore...

In the evenings after a day full of meetings and "business" the board cuts loose. I think we all know that Mormons don't drink. I'm not sure I really understand the reasons behind this "rule" within their religion, but they don't touch the stuff (their loss, right?). In past years I've been part of the Denver group drinking while the LDS people sit by and watch us. Boy oh boy how the tables have turned. This year, I found myself serving people glasses of wine and cleaning up after the drinkers, while I stood by with the LDS people, just watching. I even went to bed before the "party was over" 2 nights in a row -

which has been against my own personal religion.

Another big no-no in the Mormon religion is drinking caffeine... and as we all know, pregnant women have to limit their intake. So the LDS members weren't the only one skipping the morning coffee at this retreat. I will say - as a total sidebar - LDS people have some loose rules around this caffeine thing.... coffee and tea are big no's but for some reason they don't have as much a problem with slipping a coke or 2 into their daily intake. I'd like to pretend that diet coke doesn't have caffeine either, that's some bs.

I am happy to report that while I feel closely aligned with the morals of Mormons these days, I can still break it down when an impromptu dance party breaks out in the kitchen....

yah, yah... the babe and I can back it up!