Ready for 2012

Well, here it is New Year's eve.  I'm ready for the new beginning of a new year.  This year has been wonderful and full.  This  next year already promises wonderful things to come.  Our youngest son is engaged and we will be having a wedding in March.  And not to be too materialistic, but this week my sweet husband is going on an adventure with me.  For a couple of years now I've been wanting a new vehicle.  I would go online and research different SUV's and read about them.  Well we found one online this past week in Pennsylvania.  So we will be flying out there on Thursday night and then having a road-trip home hoping to make it home Saturday before my youngest daughter leaves for the Senior Hop (The Senior Prom).  So if the rest of the year is anything like the beginning - look out because we're in for some fun!!

Happy New Year's to Everyone!!

Christmas blessings

Christmas is a wonderful time of year.  I love how you see the caring, giving, loving, kind side of people.  As the Relief Society President in our ward I'm blessed to be a part of the giving and sharing that people do.  I often get calls asking me to deliver gifts to families that are struggling from those who wish to remain anonymous.  It really touches my life.  It is incredible to see the love given and the gratitude from those that receive.  This is truly one of the blessings of my calling and for that I am so grateful. 

I hope you all are blessed with a very blessed Christmas!!

Failed at Being Superwoman

Here it is 3 days before Christmas and I feel like the biggest failure.  This is the time of year when you're supposed to be happy and cheerful and I just can't do it today.  I had to tell my son's that I couldn't be their secretary anymore.  I just can't do a 40-hour a week job with the other jobs that I have.  I feel like I've totally let them down.  They were so gracious about it, but as a mom I guess I feel like I should be able to do it all and I just can't.  I've failed at being superwoman!  I can no longer stake a claim to that name.  I guess I'm getting old or something!!

Mindy Gledhill and my Sweetheart an evening to remember!

So all this last week my husband has been planning and scheming.  He wouldn't tell me what we were doing or where we were going.  He just told me that Thursday night was our date night and to be prepared to leave at 4:00 p.m.  Well, I was set and ready to go when he got here from work.

We headed north up into Idaho, (which isn't really very far from our home), but I was totally shocked because we usually head to Salt Lake or Ogden.  So he told me that we were headed to Pocatello.  That's only an hour from where we live and I've really never been there and so my adventure began.

Sam took me to dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  That's one place I can eat gluten-free and that my sweetheart enjoys.  It was fun and gave us time to wind down and talk.  After dinner, he told me that we needed to go to Idaho State University.  The campus is located in South Pocatello.  I could not for the life of me guess where we were going.  I had made several guesses, but they were all wrong.  So when we walked into the Jensen Proformance Hall on campus, (which by the way is beautiful) I saw the sign pointing to the Mindy Gledhill concert with the Teton Orchestra and I was elated!!  I can't tell you how excited I was.  And then to top it all off, Sam had gotten tickets for 3rd row seats right in the middle.  I felt like I could have reached out and touched Mindy!  I've loved her music for a long time and couldn't wait for the concert to begin!!

Mindy came out in her famous red dress that was refurbished and you can read about that here.  I couldn't believe it.  I'd read about her dress and was so excited to see it in real life.  Sometimes it seems like the things we read about online are just that online and not real.  But here she was in real life.  And she looked so cute! 

She sang several of her new Chrismas songs off her new album Wintermoon.  I love that CD.  I've listened to it over and over.  I don't tell my husband how often I listen to her music, because her already thinks I'm crazy. 

I love that she talked about the songs she sang and the people behind them.  She told how she'd been writing "It's all about your heart" when she heard about Stephanie Nielson of the Nienie dialogs and her accident.  Being friends with Stephanie made it easy for Mindy to finish this song.  When she started to sing it, I got teary eyed. 

Mindy sings a song that one of my dear friends played while her son was in the hospital battling cancer and when she sang it - again I got tears in my eyes.  Her songs touch a cord with me.  They hold a place in my heart because I listen to them so often that I relate them to times in my life that have special meaning.  I know this sounds stupid but I felt like one of those screaming, crying teenagers you see in videos when the beatles used to come out of a building!  I didn't cry or scream, but I don't usually get emotional when I see someone I like perform and it was a strange sensation.  It was a fun, enjoyable night! 

The Teton orchestra did an amazing job playing for Mindy.  They sounded beautiful and added to the great sounds of the evening.  Her band members were cute too.  They had all dressed in retro outfits and they were good at what they did. 

Some things I found out at the concert  - Mindy is married and has 3 little boys.  I didn't know this and had always secretly harbored the fantasy that she would someday meet my son that is single and marry him! (Well that dream is dashed for two reasons - (1) Mindy is married and (2) my son just got engaged to a beautiful girl from Arizona)  I couldn't be happier on both accounts!  Life always seems to workout how it should.  I also found out that Mindy is older than I always supposed she was.  I thought she was this young teenage girl - thus the above fantasy.  However, I think she's in her late 20's, but to her credit she is so vivacious that she still seems young and carefree!!

Now to end this post, because I think it's the longest one I've ever written, I must state that I was with the most amazing companion on earth!!  I am so grateful for a loving husband that would make secret plans to do something that I would so totally love doing, even though it wasn't his thing.  Though he did enjoy it too, he was willing to do that for me!  I fell even further in love (if that's even possible) with him for his thoughtfulness and caring!  I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful husband!!  I Love him dearly!!  It was a beautiful and thoughtful early Christmas present for me!!

My Life Gone Crazy

This past week, my life has taken a crazy turn.  A couple of weeks ago here in Utah we had a horrible wind storm.  It wreaked havoc for many people, damaging their homes.  

My son owns a roofing company called Cornaby Brothers Roofing.  His brother lived in Arizona and was thinking about doing some work for his brother down there.  Well, when this storm hit our son moved back from Arizona to help his brother here.  After a week I got a call asking if I would help them out and do their scheduling and answering phones as they were both extremely busy and couldn't keep up.  So I told them I'd love to be a part of their world. 

Not only am I now processing loans for a mortgage company (Summit Lending Associates), I am doing secretarial work for Cornaby Brothers Roofing.  So I have gone from a very part-time job to doing a job and a half.  The processing work has been picking up also and soon I expect I'll be working more like two pretty busy jobs.  Needless to say I really need to get my act together and get very organized.  And one of my goals doing this job is to answer the phone with a smile so that people know that we really care and are here to help.

The first day I took phone calls for my son; I'd be on a call and I'd get 2 while I was on that one.  There are so many people who's lives have been touched by this.  Granted there are many people out there scamming and trying to take advantage of people and that makes my heart ache.  But then there are great people like my son's out doing whatever it takes to get roofs back over the heads of people at a minimal cost.  I'm proud to be a part of my son's team.  It will be a challenge for awhile, but it will be so worth the effort. I'm glad we can make a difference in the lives of people.  That is what this season is all about!!

Wonderful Weekends

This weekend has been so enjoyable.  Although it seems to be passing way to quick.  Saturday began with my helping out at my daughter's school.  Our school's Madrigal group does a Christmas program each year where they do a renaissance dinner.  They do so much work  putting so much  effort into the acting and singing and they have a lot of fun doing it.  So I was able to help in the kitchen and enjoy the spirit of the day. 

Then I went to the baptism of my sweet niece Kennan.  She is such a sweet girl.  I talked on the gift of the Holy Ghost that we receive after our baptism.  We then had a family dinner and had time to talk and enjoy each other.  I love family.  There is nothing like the support that we have and I totally enjoy being with my family.  We got to hold and snuggle our grand baby there.  I am so totally besotted by that little cherub.  She has taken my heart and wrapped it about her little fist.

Today we will go to church and enjoy the sweet spirit of our Savior there.  Then later this evening we will enjoy the message that our Prophet has to give us about this wonderful time of year.  I love weekends like this.  I love that I am so blessed and am able to enjoy these times!

Gearing Up for Christmas

Picture by Liz Lemon Swindle

I know the title suggests that I am not really ready.  And to tell you the truth, shopping wise I haven't even started.  However, spiritually I am so totally ready for Christmas.  I love that Christmas is all about the birth of our Savior, His life and the gift He has so freely give us.  I am so truly blessed and love that at this time of year I can show my gratitude to Him in serving others in a more focused way.  I guess that is why I'm not really in a panic about all of the shopping and commercialization.  I know the gift buying will happen and I really do enjoy that part too.  But for me it's more about the gift of giving that I really like to focus on. 

We will put our Christmas decorations up this Saturday as a family.  We've already started enjoying all of the Christmas music that we've accumulated over the years and then we will plan how and who we will be serving this year.  We will begin the baking and making and I can't wait!  I love the feelings that come with celebrating the birth and life of my Savior!

Picture by Liz Lemon Swindle



Snow

Softly falling

Clouds of white,

Quiet continual silence,

Drifting,

Piling,

Days of whitness,

Winter has begun!

A Celiac's Night Out

Last night was our daughter's High school girl's soccer banquet.  I did the decorations for the tables and they turned out way better than I expected.  I will post pictures when I learn how to download them from my phone. 

But on to the subject at hand.  When my husband and I usually go out to dinner, it is at the same old place eating the same old thing.  I do this to ensure that I don't get gluten, or glutenized as we say around here.  So imagine my surprise when the manager of the "Lodge" at Maddox in Brigham City, Utah told me that they were prepared to offer me a gluten-free substitute for most of the dinner items. 

We had arrived early to decorate and the manager gave me a sampling of the rolls that were gluten-free.  They were great.  So when the rest of the team arrived and they started serving dinner, I got rolls just like everyone else.  I even got cornbread muffins.  Then they made me a turkey-steak dinner (Gluten-free of course) with all the trimmings.  I was so stuffed, no pun intended.  Then, one of the waiters asked if I wanted just a scoop of ice-cream for dessert and I told him "No" that I was okay with the meal I had eaten.   Well, shortly after the manager brought me a cinnamon roll covered in a caramel sauce with whipped cream (all gluten-free!!).  So of course I had to eat it.  It was truly delightful and I felt so stuffed but wonderfully so!!  It was so nice to go out for a special occasion and to be able to be treated so kindly!  I can't say enough about this place.  I can't wait to go back there again, it was wonderful!!

Oh, and my daughter was honored as an all region academic at the banquet.  She was one of three girls that had high enough grades to get this award.  She also lettered (this is her 3rd year lettering) and has done well this year and I'm proud of her.  She has loved playing soccer with the Bear River Girl's soccer team.  It has been a wonderful experience for her.

Today I went crazy!  It was a fun day!!  I called a friend on Sunday and asked if she wanted to go to some quilting shops in Salt Lake with me today.  I've got the bug.  I did a quilt for Hannah and now am beginning another one.  My son asked me to do one for him, so I was on the hunt for some lovely fabric. 

As we entered our first quilt shop, I had no idea that there were such beautiful, vibrant colors!  I was in heaven.  I just wanted to stand and soak all of that color in.  I want to do so many quilts and do them right now.  I think it's called quilter's fever.  However, I know that I am just a beginner and that I need to go slow.  Being who I am if I make one that I don't like it will kill this desire and I don't want to do that.  I tend to want perfection, but I am determined to make at least one quilt for each of my children.  That way they will have something of me!  Something that I made specifically for them.  So that they will know how special they are to me.  Not that they don't know that they are special to me, but it's just one of those mom things.  Anywho, once I found the fabric for the new quilt, I started seeing lovely fabrics that would make darling, little girl clothes for my grandbaby.  I had to get out of there quick! 

Okay is it normal to want a room in your house just dedicated to fabric.  I wish I had room to have it all layed out just like in the stores.  Where all of the colors match and are arranged by color.  I'm also on the hunt for a great deal on a quilting machine.  I think I've found my new hobby!  I'll let you know how it goes and post pictures as I do these quilts!!

I appreciated having a good friend want to spend the day doing this with me!  We had so much fun just talking and laughing.  I think everyone needs a friend to laugh with.  We even planned what projects we needed to get done so that we can go on another outing together.  I loved today!!  Thank you my friend for spending time with me and being the inspiration for my next few projects!!

I'm No Granola

So all my life I've made fun of people that were really naturalists.  I'm now eating crow.  No, I'm no tree hugger, but I do think there are things that we can do to help the environment.  But even more so, I'm really getting into doing things that are better for me.  I've gone to making my own laundry detergent.  I started this about 6 months ago and we really like it.  My whites are whiter and I feel like there aren't as many chemicals around.  We stopped using dryer sheets and I use dryer balls that work great and we don't have grease spots all over our clothes anymore.  (Thank heavens!! I got tired of throwing away perfectly good clothes because of the grease spots we couldn't get rid of.)

I was diagnosed with Celiac disease almost 4 years ago.  I have been trying to be healthier since then.  I am eating better.  However, I do still like my sugar, but try not to eat it as much.  I have decided that it's okay to indulge once in awhile with the family but I am trying not to have it in my diet as much.  I think that since I am trying we are all doing better with how we eat.

Lastly, I went to a doterra essential oils meeting a month ago.  I have always wanted to use essential oils as I think they have a place in helping us feel better mentally as well as their healing abilities.  No I am not selling doterra, that was just my introduction to the oils.  I think that there are many great companies out there and I will continue to do my research until I am satisfied that I have found the one I want to go with.  However, at one of the meetings that I attended,  they taught us to make a basic body cream.  I've been using it and have loved it.  However, the other day I ran out.  So on Saturday night I tried making my own batch.  I really botched it up!!  It didn't blend together and was just a runny mess.  I was determined to try it yet again.  In my first batch I had substituted shea butter in the place of beeswax.  So today I picked up some beeswax bars and tried again.  It worked!!  I was so excited.  This body cream has helped my skin look and feel so much better and it's all natural.  I can add essential oils if I want, but I don't have to if I don't feel its necessary. 

So today I made my laundry detergent and my body cream as well as getting my other goals accomplished.  I started working out today on my treadmill (the weather has been a little cold to go walk in the mornings here).  I ran 3/4 of a mile and walked 1 and 1/4 miles.  I also spent time on my weight lifting.  It has been a good day and I feel like a success!!  I like days like today!

Fall Hiking

On Friday we took a day off and went hiking together as a family.  We haven't had many days to do this, but with school out for UEA we took advantage.  Here are some of the pictures that I took while we were out.  The beauty that was in this area was fabulous!  We went to Tony Grove up Logan canyon.  Sam came here with some guys snowmobiling last winter and he was surprised to see it without everything being covered by snow.  What a beautiful area!!

 

One of the First Lasts

Hannah at warm-up's



So this last Saturday we drove to Cedar City to watch our daughter's High School soccer team play in a state play-off game.  It was a five-hour drive and we were happy to do it to support her and the team.  She has played with this team for the past 3 years.  It has been a blessing in her life.  She started playing soccer with the Bear River High girl's soccer team when we decided to move to Garland.  She hadn't even started going to school there and had already made friends.  It was so cool!  Those girls took her in and she has had them as friends ever since. 

Supporting the Team

Our team was not ranked as we were not in the top 5 in the state.  However, we had won our first game against Payson High School and the girls were doing well.  When we got there Hannah told us that the coach had decided that he wouldn't play her unless they were ahead by 2 points.  (I knew she was a little disappointed in this, but was gracious about that decision.) 



Watching Second Half and cheering them on!



Earlier in the season Hannah had received a concussion.  This after her brain injury last year.  So the coach didn't start her at all after that.  He would let her play the second half of each game.  I'm not sure of his logic as she had been his starting keeper for the past 2 years.  However, we all tried to support him in this decision.  

Well, in the game against Cedar Hills our team played beautifully!  As a parent you couldn't have asked for more.  They played their hearts out and  it showed.  We went in to the first over time.  It lasted 10 minutes, and we held them.  Then we went into the second over time and the clock was set for 10 minutes. 

(So after the second over time the game would go to a shoot-out if it went that far and Hannah would then get to play.  Coach had told her she was his go-to gal because he knew she would defend our goal against one-on-one shots because of her experience.) 

We were into the second OT by 5 minutes when one of the girls on our team was called on a hand-ball (the ball bounced up and hit her hand.)  Cedar Hill's got a kick at our goal from where the call was made and ....  Yep, it skipped around our goalie and that was the end of the game.  The crowd hushed!  Hannah had been warming up and as I looked at her, her face fell and it was hard as a mom not to cry.  She realized it was over.  No more soccer.  She didn't even get to play in her last soccer game as a senior.  I felt so bad for her, but she was a wonderful sport about it.  She cried for a minute, but then she was hugging everyone and trying to make them feel okay about how they had played.  I was proud of her, very proud of her!!

Showing Great Sportsmanship!

\



Hannah thanking her coach for a great season!

She is a wonderful daughter and it has been wonderful following her for the past 12 years watching her skills grow and her mature into the beautiful youngwoman she is today.  

My First Quilt

Here in the small town where my daughter attends High School, they have a tradition.  It is for the senior girls on the Girl's Soccer team.  They have a recognition dinner at the end of the season and honor the seniors.  It is fun and Hannah has looked forward to it since the beginning of the season.  At that dinner the girls are given a quilt by their moms.  A lot of the time it is a black, red and white quilt (the colors of the school).  However when I asked my daughter what she wanted, she stated that she didn't want it the colors of the school because then it wouldn't match her room when she went to college.  (She's so logical!)  So knowing my daughter I began gathering bright materials.  Here is the start of it.  I will put borders on it and a bright back and show those pictures later.  But today I finished sewing the last block of squares on it and I'm so excited I had to post.  I can't wait to see her face when she sees it.  I really hope she loves it!!

It really hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be.  I used the technique of the disappearing 9 that I learned here.  It has gone pretty fast.  I have really only had to sew about 4 days on it to get it to this point.

Simple Pleasures

So this is how I love spending some of my Fall days.  Today was a wonderful day.  I felt like I accomplished alot.  At the time of this post my last batch of peaches was in the water bath.  I canned a bushel and a half, that makes a total of 42 quarts and 5 pints (I ran out of quart bottles).  They looked so beautiful and colorful sitting on my cupboard cooling.   I will give some of them to my children and keep the rest.  I like eating peaches and toast on Sunday evenings.  It is one of my favorite things.  It's simple, but that's how I like things.  There's also a cricket somewhere behind those bottles.  He snuck in with the peaches, but that didn't even seem to throw me.  He's nice and cozy warm amongst those bottles tonight.  I hope he enjoys his Fall day, because tomorrow I'll have to vacuum him up.   I love these simple pleasures.

Rewards of a Mother

I have a son that is living in another state.  He has struggled in getting a job and getting on his feet.  He is finally working for a company that he likes and is doing okay.  He and I talk a couple of times a week and I'm glad that we have the relationship that we have. 

So, today when he called we were talking and he said, "Mom I want to tell you about an experience that I had yesterday."  He then proceeded to tell me about how while he was out doing sales he was approached by a woman.  She asked him for some money and told him how she was struggling.  He took her to a nearby store and bought diapers and wipes for her children.  During their conversation, she told him that she had been to a funeral in the city in which he lives,but she needed to get back to her home in another city.   He left her with food for her and the kids and then went on his way.  He said he went and got himself some dinner and while he was eating he couldn't get this lady out of his mind.  He said he thought to himself, "I've done enough."  Then the story of the Good Samaritan came to his mind as well as the thought "When can we say we've done enough?"  So he went back and gave her enough money to get her and her children back to their home.  He told me how good he felt that he had been able to help her out.   He is getting by okay, but not totally on top of his finances yet, but he was able to lift another's burden.  I am proud of the man he has become. 

I have wonderful children that think of others.  This is one of the rewards that I've been able to enjoy and I feel blessed that Heavenly Father sent these children to my home for me to raise and love.  It is so rewarding knowing that they listen to the Spirit.  That the things that they were taught in our home have been kept in their hearts to be acted upon when they are inspired to do so!  As a Mom I am truly blessed! 

Boundries

Yesterday and the day before were crazy!  I am still trying to learn my job and it has been rather frustrating as the trainer has decided that he has trained enough and I am now on my own.  However, I think this has been a blessing as I am turning to others and finding friends as well as people that are willing to help and make the going easier.  But it's still hard. 

As I reflected on yesterday, I smile.  I worked hard in the morning, got my work done (now I'm waiting on others).  I started on my daughters senior quilt, I attended a friend's mom's viewing, I got to attend my daughter's soccer game and then I went to a class with a dear friend.  It was a busy day, but one that I totally enjoyed!  I felt like I had accomplished something and then I was rewarded by being able to enjoy the talents of others.  What a blessing!

I feel like I'm growing.  It's hard to push the boundries that I'm comfortable in, but I'm growing and when I look back on how hard the beginnings were I will smile to see how I've grown!!   It's all worth the struggle!!

Simple Truths

Today I read something that made sense to me!  You can also read it "here".  You know when you read a simple truth and it just makes sense.  It touches you heart and it becomes a part of you.  That is how I felt when I read this daily thought.  I've been in turmoil lately with some things going on in my family and this small thought spoke to my spirit.  As I read it I felt a peace come over me that hadn't been mine for a time.  I am grateful that I found this small bit of inspiration.  I hope it helps someone else out there and gives them the peace I was able to attain today!

Sugar Free

Okay so I'm at it again!  I don't know if I'm a glutton for punishment or what, but I'm trying to go sugar-free again.  It's day 3 and I'm dying!!  I did okay the first day, yesterday was a little harder, but today I tell you the cravings are horrible!  I could eat a whole cookie jar full of cookies, but then I'd feel guilty and my knees would ache and I'd be back in the same boat of starting over.  I've been eating good, healthy stuff - mostly fruits, veggies, meats and nuts.  But come afternoon around NOW, I get hit with cravings for sugary stuff.  Hopefully it won't last too long, because if I have another day like today I think I may just cave.

So a few months ago a lady in our area gave me some guidelines to follow - okay it was a strict diet.  My question is, who makes these things up?  I mean for a liver cleanse it says to eat only veggies (no corn), meat (no red or pork), nuts (no peanuts, those come at level 3), and I can have almond milk for 2 weeks.  Does this really cleanse your liver?  What if I only went on it for a week and then moved to the next step which is adding fruit?  Would that be bad?  It just makes me wonder how they know that this will really cleanse my liver and help me get off sugar?  Have they done studies?  If so where are they, I'd like to read them.

Anyway, this is my dilemma.  I really wonder if this will really work.  I know I need to eat healthy and get off so much sugar, but to what extent?  Do I miss out now on family dinners and birthday parties?  Is this really worth it?  I want to be healthy, but I also want to be normal (as normal as a person can be that has celiac).  I want to enjoy family gatherings as much as the next person.  So I ask you, what is a person to do?  Do I follow the diet or do I fudge just a smidge here and there?  Is that even healthy?  It's a conundrum! 

My Oh My

Goodness gracious!! I tell you it has been a frantic couple of weeks.  I finally got my mlo license and started working and I forgot what it's like to do that full-time.  With the economy going south and interest rates dropping like a rock we have been totally overloaded, and I love it!  I thought I'd like it when I began, but I so love doing this.  It's alot of fun.  And, I've been blessed with a sweet daughter that is so willing to help around the house.  So it didn't even go to the dogs while I've been working.  As time goes by I hope I can get better organized so that I have some more time to spend with my family and not so much time in front  of the computer screen and reading files.  But until then I know I have help and that's a wonderful feeling.

So my sweet daughter that has been helping around the house had another accident this week.  She has started soccer at the High School.  She's the varsity girl's soccer goalie and loves every minute of it.  At her game on Tuesday night she had defended against a PK (Penalty Kick) and had done a good job.  She was then diving for the rebound when a player on the opposing team kicked her in the head.  She was kicked on the same side where she had a concussion with 5 small bleeds last year.  Needless to say, she was knocked out for a minute and we were a bit worried. I took her to the doctor today and he said she can begin playing again on the 30th of this month.  He wanted to make sure that she didn't play for at least 2 weeks.  I've also ordered her soccer head gear.  Hopefully this will help ensure that something like this won't happen again, or at least if it does that it won't cause further head trauma.  We feel blessed that it wasn't worse that it was. 

So that is how my last few weeks have been spent.  I will try and blog more often so that at least I have a record of how my life is flying by!!

A Day of Reflection

This week has been a blessed week.  I've had the chance of passing my test so that i can begin work.  I was able to see all of my children but the one that lives in AZ (and I talked to him several times on the phone).  I got to hold my granddaughter and tell her how much I love her.  I was able to sew and be a bit creative.  I've been able to take time a read a book.  I was blessed to go on a date with my husband to the Temple on Saturday morning.  We were able to visit my in-laws.  I visited my parents.  I ate pizza (which for a celiac isn't very often) it was gluten-free.  I had time to visit with neighbors and friends and as I thought on all of these things that I was able to do, I feel blessed.  I've loved this week!

Tests and Blessings

For the past few months I have been studying and studying and studying as well as taking tests and taking more tests.  It has been a hard thing, but today I passed my final test for my Mortgage Loan Originator license.  I am so delighted it is over.  Once you take a test and fail, you have to wait a whole month before you can even sign up to take the test again.  The waiting is a killer and the test is not easy!  It took a whole lot of praying and studying to get this far, but I'm excited.  Such a burden has been lifted off my shoulders.  I feel very blessed today!

So now I can move forward in one of the things that I want to do with my life.  I am going to work for my neighbor at Summit Lending Associates as a loan processor.  I'm excited to be looking at working again.  I've missed the sense of purpose it gives me.  And with my children (all but one and she'll be going next year) gone, I feel like I can still accomplish so much.    I want to contribute to the community and I feel like this is one way I can do that, by helping others.  So today I am blessed in this way and hope to be a blessing to others in return.

I'm so Happy and Excited!!  It's a beautiful day, life is good!!

Get Away

We visited Cedar Breaks National Monument while we were away.  I don't remember ever visitng there before and enjoyed the picturesque beauty that surrounded us there.  In St. George the temperature was close to 100 degrees and when we got to Cedar Breaks it was 65.   

We didn't have time to hike much as we needed to return to Cedar City for the Shakespearian plays that we had tickets for. 

There were wild flowers everywhere and I totally loved seeing them.  I think it's usually like this in early June, but with all of the water we got in Utah this year we were able to see them this far into July! 

I don't know the name of this one, but they were everywhere and so pretty!

Then there were all of the yellow meadows!  I really liked them too!

We weren't able to take pictures of the plays that we saw in Cedar City.   We saw Richard the III on Tuesday night.  On Wednesday we saw A Mid-Summer's Night Dream and Romeo and Juliette.  The actor's did an incredible job in all of the plays.  I think my favorite was A Mid-Summer's Night Dream.  The actor's were totally hilarious and it made for a really fun time!  I had a fabulous time and spent it all with my best friend (my husband)!  We always seem to be able to have a good time together.  Thanks Sweetheart for all that you do for me!  I Love you Dearly!!

Friendship and Bookclubs

I'm sneaking a post in before I leave on a short trip.  I hadn't planned on posting until I returned, but I just had to get this one in.  

In our area we have some ladies that have decided to get together once a month and read a book.  It was my turn and we read the Hour Glass Door by Lisa Mangum.  I chose this book because it was one of my daughters favorites and to tell you the truth I really enjoyed it too (enough so that I bought the other 2 books in the series just to see how it ended.)  It is a fun read and we had Italian Ice as a treat to celebrate the nationality of one of the main characters.   

Even more than the books, I'm getting to know these other ladies in the book club and I am having a ball.  They are so thoughtful and sweet.  We can chat and tell why we liked a book or disagree and not like a book, but the friendship is there and that is what it is all about for me.  I love when we can sit and laugh and just visit and deepen these relationships.  I haven't always had  opportunities like this, so while I have this chance I'm grabbing on with both hands and enjoying it for all it is worth.  The books are just the icing on the top of my cake and I'm loving this wonderful, rich cake that I am able to partake of at this moment in my life!

Summer is Flyng By!

I can't believe how summer is flying by!  I don't want it to.  I want it to slow down.  I feel like it only just began and I want it to stay longer!  This week has been crazy and I think weeks like this make my summer go faster.  I remember when I was little and we were able to sit and watch the clouds and how summer seemed like it would never end.  Now with being a mom and doing all that I do it is gone in a moment.  We had a wedding this week with 2 receptions for a nephew, a surprise 80th birthday party for my aunt, and then on Monday my mom had a total knee replacement.  It has been a little on the wild side.  But my dear sweet husband is taking me away for a small break and for my birthday.  We are going to enjoy the Shakespearean festival in Cedar City Utah.  It will be our first time doing this and I am excited to go and have some fun.  I really am looking forward to time alone with the handsome man I married and to get re-acquainted.  So I probably won't blog for awhile but when I do, I will try and have some pictures!!


Enjoy your summers!!

July 4th!

I've got to tell you that this is my F.A.V.O.R.I.T.E. Holiday ever!! I like it better than Christmas, than my birthday (I don't know if you can count that as a holiday), than Thanksgiving, and even better than Halloween!  I love that it is in the summer.  I love that the sun is usually shining and that everybody is happy.  I love that you can all get together without worrying about presents or stressing about if the weather will be good enough that everyone can make it.  I love that it's a time to remember those that sacraficed that we could live in this free, wonderful country!  I love the fireworks and bbq's, I love running into old friends at the parks.  For me this is one of the times that I would say "BEST DAY EVER!".   I just love it.

Anywho, I just wanted to get that out there!  I hope that everyone have a fabulous Fourth!!

Service to Others

The last couple of weeks have been really crazy in our neck of the woods.  We've had 3 people die this past week and our ward has been done 2 of the funerals.  We had a salad social with about 30 sisters and tomorrow I am baking 12 dozen cookies for Father's day!  But as I came home from doing the luncheon for the funeral we had today, I couldn't help but feel like we've lifted the burden off of the family's shoulders and it makes me feel like I accomplished something great!  No, I didn't do it alone and have so many to Thank!!  We have wonderful people in our ward that are always so wonderful to donate food and help in the kitchen.   We had people even offer to help in the kitchen that hadn't been asked to do so. 

As I reflected on what has been done in our ward, I couldn't help but think that this is how our Heavenly Father wants us to be, serving others!  It helps us to get outside of ourselves and also helps us to make new friends and visit with old friends as we work together. 

Yes, it's been a bit hectic, but so well worth every minute!!!

Hardest Day on Diet (so far)!

Now that I'm on my Liver Detox Diet along with a diet to cleanse the Candida out of my system I am feeling like I have more energy.  I'm kind of shocked.  However, I must say that yesterday was my hardest day so far!  I was craving sugar so badly.  I hope that now I'm over that bump in the road that I can continue without anymore harsh cravings.  I was really good and didn't eat any sugar or anything with sugar in it, but I tell you I could have eaten a whole bag of tootsie rolls.  But the thing that kept me from doing it was that I knew that I would only be hurting myself.  I put some lime juice in water and drank that and it seemed to get me through.  I am looking forward to being healthier and it seems to be happening.  There will be more info to come.....

Iridology

I went to an iridologist on Wednesday morning.  I must say it was a very interesting meeting.  This woman looked into my eyes with a magnifying glass and a bright light.  She told me many things about my health.  I had decided not to tell her any of my medical history to see what she would say.  She mentioned each of the problems I hadn't told her about.  I was amazed. 

So this week I am starting on a new road.  I am taking control of my health and will be making changes in the way I eat as well as things I do.  We talked about how I needed to dry brush my skin to get my lymphatic system working again.  She told me so many things that make sense when it comes to being healthier.  We talked about breathing the right way.  We talked about water intake and foods that are healthy and those that aren't. 

I thought she would want to sell me vitamins and herbs, and that she'd want me back in a month.  However, she didn't do any of that.  She told me what herbs and minerals will help me and that I needed to find what brands would make me feel the best.   She said that the people at the health food store would be able to help me do this.  She also suggested that I do a liver detox diet and repeat it 3 times.  That means I will be eating a very strigent diet for 6 months as it is an 8 week cycle.  Then I am to drop to a maintenance type diet with minerals and herbs for another 5 months.  Then after that if I need so see her, she said, "come back".  She was so knowledgable about how the body works and what would help.   To her, none of it was about the money or selling me something.  I felt like she truly cared about me and what would help me become healthier.  

I know some people don't believe in these types of things.  I however believe that there are many natural ways to make our bodies feel better.  I want to try and get my life more balanced, physically, mentally and spiritually.  I believe that this is a step in that direction. 

I am excited and scared all at the same time.  I hope this works and will let you know as time goes on...