Merry Christmas 2012

I haven't been very good about posting this year.  It seems that other things have become much more important - my family!  I've been taking the time to enjoy this experience of being a grandma and still have children to parent.  So, forgive the lack of posts but know that I am enjoying life! 

I want to wish all of my friends and family a wonderful Christmas this year!  I have felt the love of my Savior in my life more this year than in years past.  I am trying more and more to incorporate His admonition to go and do good and I can tell it's making a difference in my life and the life of others.  I have been so blessed by being able to serve others this year. 

In a lesson that was given in our Relief Society meeting (a women's church group) at church yesterday we were admonished to be an influence for good in the world.  To make our presence known by the good we do.  I hope that I can do this more this year and that is one of my goals.  I believe that as Christians we need to show the world the way our Savior would have us live and treat others.  I am also hoping to do more with the genealogy in finding ancestors and learning about them.  I am planning on attending the Temple more so that I can be lead in the things I need to do.  So please forgive me if my posts become less frequent than they already are.  I just feel that these things need to take precedence in my life right now and that they will be a blessing to me and my family and hopefully to you my friends also.

So for now, I am wishing you all a very blessed Christmas and an wonderful New Year!!

Christmas Project of the Day

Today I made myself set down and finally get a project done.  I've been really enjoying this Christmas season.  I haven't really done anything much, I've just enjoyed it all.  So now we are at crunch time and here is what I accomplished today.  I listened to Christmas music and just enjoyed the Spirit of it all while I had fun and relaxed making these cute Aprons.  I'm an apron fanatic.  When I find a pattern I like, I just have to make it.  And these didn't even take a pattern.  So simple and fun!!

(Please pardon the fact that they are tied to one of my bar stools.  I couldn't find anyone to model them.)  I made for my Relief Society Presidency.   I got the idea from (where else) Pinterest.  Here is the Link that will take you to the website where I found them.  I think I will make a few more before Christmas.  I also think they will make a fun auction item for our Family Reunion this summer.

So tomorrow I guess I'm off to begin my shopping.  I am dreading this part and would much rather stay home and make fun projects.  I think my next fun item to make for friends is another idea from Pinterest.  They are these cute necklaces.  I will post pictures when they are done.

This the Season. . . .

Thanksgiving 2012

It's been awhile since I posted last.  I've been trying new things and staying busy.  It seems like on the days I don't plan to have anything to do, I have plenty and on the days I have plans, everything falls through.  So I've decided to just take it a day at a time. 

One of the new things I've been trying for the past 6 weeks is eating a Paleo diet.  I've read a lot about people with Celiac Disease and some studying.  One of the things that I've learned is that even though a person with CD may go off gluten for years, they still don't heal their guts.  So in an attempt to begin the healing, due to some of the research and reading, I decided to go off all dairy, all grain, all sugar that isn't natural, and all oils that aren't natural.  And during the past weeks I have begun to feel better.  My head is much clearer.  I can tell when I get something that I shouldn't.  One day I got some sugar and let me tell you - it wasn't pretty.  I was in tears all the next day.  I haven't had mood swings like this since I had my first child and went through post partum.  It is crazy.  There are days that I still go out with my husband and enjoy a normal gluten-free meal, but I am trying really hard to eat so much healthier.  A typical gluten-free diet, and this I know from experience, is filled with more sugar and starches than a normal healthy person's diet.  It's because of the flours and also companies trying to make things taste better.  And don't we all know that sugar makes everything taste better.  So I've been going through withdrawals.  I have lost 12 pounds and plan on continuing to eat better, but I will also add in exercise to get even healthier.  This is a new lifestyle for me.  And my sweet husband is willing to eat what I cook to support me.  I am one lucky girl!

My children all came up for Thanksgiving and they were all great sports about it.  My daughter brought rolls so I didn't have to have gluten around.  Each daughter brough pies, and I made some Paleo pies (which I must admit the crust I didn't like), the filling was wonderful.  Everything else was pretty much healthy.  I did eat potatoes, but I figure once a year is ok.  It was so wonderful to have everyone hear together.  I just wanted to sit and absorb each and every moment with them. 

I will probably have to do a detox in a month, but it won't be nearly as bad as the first few weeks were, because I plan on not partaking  of sugary sweets.  It was funny I even made it through Halloween without eating any sugar.  It was crazy, but I didn't have any cravings for it.  So if I continue to do this I feel like I should be ok and the first of the year should be a lot easier. 

I will continue to post, though I promise that it won't all be about Paleo, but I might mention it now and then.  I hope all of those who read this had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.

Family Home Evening Sunday at Our House

Today is my turn to have Family Home Evening at our home.  Our family and extended family on my side do this once a month.  Once in a while we miss it, but we try to get together to continue to be close to one another.  As I've been thinking on what subject I should teach, because we have a short lesson at these gatherings, I keep coming back to the subject of Service to Others. 

I've had some great opportunities this past week that will continue this week for service in our area.  It has been a blessing in my life.  I have become closer to people that I never had the chance of getting to know before this. 

A week or so ago, I was giving the announcements in our Relief Society meeting at church and I felt like I needed to encourage each sister to seek out and find service opportunities to do over the next few months.  Strangly enough that weeks lesson in Relief Society was on Service and how our Heavenly Father wants us to serve one another and that by doing this we can have His Spirit dwell closer with us.  I can say that I've had this blessing this week and I really want it to continue because it has been such a wonderful feeling.

I think at this time of year when we focus on Gratitude and all that we are given, we also need to focus more diligently on how we can bless the lives of those we come in to contact with.  I feel so blessed, that it seems I would truly be selfish and ungrateful not to help those that don't have as much or relieve the suffering of those that are in need.  I think it's wonderful to count our blessings, but I also feel there is so much more to Gratitude that just stating what we are grateful for.  I hope and pray that I can become an instrument in Heavenly Father's hands to do his work and serve my fellowman while I have the chance and the abillity. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving Season this year and that we will all take the opportunity to bless the life of someone we know, or don't know so that we can feel more fully of our Heavenly Father's blessings in our lives.

Family Additions

Today was such a wonderful day!  We ended up going to the hospital (which usually isn't a fun thing) at 1:15 this afternoon.  But it was for a blessed event.  We welcomed this sweet little man into our famiy.

He is such a good baby.  Even with all of the passing around he didn't make a fuss.  He just opened his little eyes and looked all around. 

 

What a precious gift!  He is the son of our oldest son and reminds me of his father.  He weighed almost the exact same as his dad when he was born.  I'm so excited to have this little guy here.  His mom had some struggles and so it is good that he is here and they are both healthy!  I love my family and the fact that it is growing!  Huge THANK YOU to these guys for making it such a wonderful day!

South Carolina ~

Sam had the opportunity of taking classes for his PE in South Carolina - Charleston to be specific, so I decided to tag along.  I've never been to the Carolina's so it was a real treat for me.  The weather in Utah has been on the cool side and so I was looking forward to this trip to extend my Summer a bit.  Holy cow, I didn't realize that it was so warm there.  However, I totally absorbed every bit of it that I could because I know all too soon it will be in the 20's here and I will be missing the warmth of the Summer sun.

We arrived in Charleston on Sunday, Sept. 23.  We stayed in an older hotel called the Francis Marion Hotel.  It was on the edge of the main drag called "King Street" there in Charleston.  I loved it.  It added to the atmosphere.  The elevators were slow, but it had an old-time elegance about it.  Here is a picture of our room.

We had a whole kitchen in our room.  It was nice since I took protien for my breakfasts there.  Having Celiac I usually do this just in case there aren't places to get breakfast.  It helps on saving money too.  Sam ate at the conference he was at so I just took my time in the mornings and had my protien.

I went on a walking tour of the City a couple days on my own while Sam was in his classes.  I loved all of the old buildings and architecture there.  I took tons of pictures of doors, windows and gates there.  It was a real treat!

Here are a couple of the one's that I liked the most.

We took a tour of a couple of the plantations there.  I loved those.  I couldn't imagine what it would have been like living on one in the early days, let alone now.  They were beautiful.  I'm glad the south wasn't able to succeed from the Union.  Imagine not having the South as part of our history.  We would really be missing out.





 These picture are from the Boone Hall plantation and the Middleton Plantation.  We ran out of time and were not able to get to the Magnolia Plantation.  I hope to go back someday and see this one.

This was Boone Hall.  The owners sometimes still come and stay in the upstairs of this plantation home.

 

 These were part of the gardens at the Middleton Plantation.  We even saw aligators sunning themselves next to the ponds there.  It was stunning to see such beautiful gardens in this day and age.

We were able to go to Patriot's point and tour the Carrier, Destroyer and Submarine.  This was the guy day (when we did whatever Sam wanted).  It was fun, but oh so hot that day!  It was in the high 80's and the humidity was killer.  However, we both totally enjoyed our time together.  Here are some pics I took while there.

These were the marshes that were at Patriot's point.  I loved the bridge in the background.

 This was the Aircraft carrier that we toured.  It made me so grateful to the men and women that are fighting for our freedom.  They sacrafice so much so that I can enjoy my time here in this beautiful country!

This was Sam in front of a cannon there at Patriot's point.  He was such a good sport letting me take pictures of him. 

It was a wonderful trip and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the South.  The people there were gracious and very hospitiable.  I really loved their accents too!

 

 

Chances to Serve

I got up this morning bright and early.  I was so excited.  It was my second chance to serve at the Brigham City Temple Open House.  I had to be there by 6:30 and it is a half hour away.  I took my friend Suzanne.  We went to the Tabernacle and sat waiting for our instructions.  They asked my friend and I to drive over to the Autoliv Building there in town so that we could work in the parking area there.  Neither of us minded this.  In fact, we were both excited just to be able to serve.  As luck would have it, I think we had the best jobs ever.

Suzanne would check and see if those showing up had their reservations.  I loaded the buses with people.  I got to talk to so many people.  They were from all over, just coming to see the Temple.  There were older folks, some I worried about because they were so feeble.  There were little children and there were children that their families had kept them out of school so that they could have this experience as a family.  We sang "Happy Birthday" to a little boy named Will.  It was his fifth birthday and hopefully that made it a little more memorable.  I just had a really good time being there and having fun with the people. 

I've decided that you can make the most of the opportunities you are given or you can be miserable.  Today I hope I made the most out of it.  I know I sure had a great time!!  I always feel better when I'm serving others!

Brigham City Temple

Even with the crazy events of this past week and moving my youngest daughter out, I had the opportunity to serve at the Brigham City Temple Open House.  We live in the area that is assigned to attend this Temple, therefore we had this wonderful opportunity opened up to us.  My youngest daughter also has had this opportunity.   What a choice experience it has been.  My husband and I served on the grounds this time.  We will be able to serve 2 more times also, but they will be in different places.  I think one is helping with the parking and the other will be inside this beautiful House of the Lord. 

On Friday evening when I was there, I was at the fountain in front of the Temple where people came out after having been able to tour the Temple.  I took pictures of single people, children, and families in front of the Temple and the fountain there. It was great that people wanted photos to remember what they felt and of time spent together. (I'm a people watcher anyway) But it was so interesting seeing how the Spirit of our Heavenly touched different people.  Some came out and you could tell that their hearts were full; that they had had a wonderful moving experience, while others let their children run unsupervised.  Most hung around for a bit feeling the sweetness there and conversing one with another.  I love being on the grounds and feeling the Spirit of the Temple.  Even though it has not been dedicated yet there is still a presence there.

Our family will have the opportunity to go together on a tour of the inside on Sept 12, and I can't wait.  I will write more then and let you know how it was.  But for now I will enjoy the opportunity to serve and enjoy the people that come and go. 

Crazy Day!

My youngest daughter has been living at home since she graduated from High School this Spring and had decided that she was going to stay at home during her first semester of college.  Her father and I were totally on board with this.  Until we talked to a neighbor that has lived here in our new area for years.  He told us that part of the area that she would be traveling through from work each night gets really bad during the winter and that several people have lost their lives in that area.  We decided that we should all discuss this and make a decision as college begins this Monday (late time to make this type of decision, I know). 

So after much discussion and prayer, Hannah decided that it would probably be best for her to move to the town her college was located in (20 to 30 min away) so as not to have to travel late at night through the dangerous area this winter.  So, she and I began our search on the internet this morning.  We carefully made a list of the ones we had called that still had openings and that looked clean and fairly well-kept.  We drove past a couple and they weren't what they had looked like on the internet. They were a little sketchy to say the least.  We went to the third one on the list.  Talked to the on-site manager and he took us to look at the room.  There was a girl there that wouldn't let us look at the bedroom that she would share with my daughter.  She said it was because she had just gotten up. (I think there was someone else in the room.)  Anyway, the apartment was a disaster and so we moved on.  At the next apartments we went to, there was a very uplifting feeling.  They were very clean and well kept.  My daughter decided that this was the place for her.  We signed a contract and she began moving her things out this evening.  She is so excited! 

It happened so fast.  I thought I was really ready for this, but I have to admit, I'm a little sad and I'm going to miss having her around to talk to and do things with.  She has kind of been my buddy for many years.  She and I have had a lot of time together.  She is six years younger than her closest siblings (my twins), and so while they are married and gone she and I have been able to do so many things together.  I'm starting to feel a little like I'm lost.  I'm happy for her, but I'm so sad at the same time.  I guess I knew this time was not far off, but wow this happend way to fast!! 

I'm happy to see my children grow up and move on with their lives.  I mean isn't that what we raise them for.  When my first son left home, it was on a 2-year mission for our church.  I missed him dearly and I cried each time I'd go into his room for  a week.  But then I had 3 other children at home and we moved on and got busy.  When my twins left home, my daughter to Moab to be a river guide and my other son on a 2-year mission I had 3 gone at once, but I still had Hannah that needed me to care for her and I kept busy.  Now Hannah is leaving and I have time - oodles of time.  I think I need to look for a way to be a force for good in our community.  Maybe I need to go read to the children at the local elementary.  I will have to let you all know what I decide to do - it'll be an exciting change and hopefully a challenge!!

Summer

This has been a very different summer.  Having all of our children now pretty much grown and adults has left me with the opportunity of making changes and new decisions. 

Hannah has been busy with a new job.  She is getting ready for college and so my time has been my own.

I have had grandma time with my little granddaughter and I've been able to spend time with my oldest daughter Maddi.  They came and lived with us for a week while Maddi's husband was a scout camp.  We all had a really fun time.  Little "L" is growing so much.  She is now walking and trying out new words. 

She really is learning to love books and loves to have them read to her.  I cherish this time with her.

Then Hannah's new employment changed her starting date from July 2 to July 17.  That gave us a week to spend together that we hadn't planned on so we spur-of-the-moment took a family trip.  We also told Hannah that this could count for a Graduation trip.  We had a ball together.  We went to Seattle, Washington.  We had never been there and wanted to see what was there. 

This was taken from the top of the Space Needle.  I know that is a tourist thing to do, but hey, we were tourists.  

The next day we were able to go to Port Townsend and went whale watching.  It was wonderful.  We went up to the San Juan Islands and spent the afternoon in Friday Harbor.  It was an incredibly beautiful island.  We also did see whales.



We also hiked to Lena Lake.  It's a lake that is not accessible by car and it was truly beautiful.  The hike was 3 miles up and 3 miles down.  I didn't think I would make it, but was really proud of myself for making the climb. 

These pictures were taken with my Iphone, so they aren't spectacular, but hey they are memories of our trip and I'm glad I have them. 

We made it home safely and are all back to our daily routine.  Now that I have some extra time, I am training to do more Loan  Originating on Mortgages.  I've been processing, but want to continue to grow in this industry.  So things are busy but I am enjoying this summer. 

We are also expecting our 2nd grand child this fall and I am getting so excited for that.  We are blessed!



Graduation Week

This week our youngest daughter will graduate from Bear River High School.  She has decided to go to Utah State University.  She and a few of her friends went to USU for a day of orientation.  They had alot of fun and took this picture together.  She has had a wonderful time at Bear River High School.  She has made wonderful friends and had wonderful opportunities.  She was on the Varsity soccer team, the track team and also on the Seminary council.  She had the opportunity to attend all of the dances except one this year.  She has had so much to do.  She was able to take several college courses and will be quite a ways ahead when she has to sign up for classes.  As her parents, we are so happy and proud of her and all she has accomplished this year!  She is our last child to graduate from high school. 

It will now be getting quieter at our house.  I will miss having the school activities to go to.  It has been 22 years that we have had children in school and now we will begin a new chapter in our lives.  We have been blessed as parents with lovely children that have a love of their Savior and a desire to be great adults!  We will enjoy this last graduation!  We truly love our children and are so grateful for the blessings they have been in our lives!!

Bedroom Project

For the past few days, I've been working on a project that I've wanted to do for awhile now. But everytime I wanted to start it, something came up from the holidays to a daughter having surgery. So I finally took the time to do this project and I'm so glad I did. I needed to do something that I've wanted to do. I've felt like I haven't been too productive lately. So here is what I started with.

This is the wall that I painted when we first moved into our house a couple of years ago. I guess I was going through a dark time, because I hated this wall shortly after, but didn't find the time to change it until now. So here are the steps that I took to create my new wall.

I started by priming over the red and then started with a blue wall. I glazed over that with tan.

Then I added a light blue.

At this point I felt like I needed some depth. So I added black to the original blue color and painted that on, which really looked like a dark gray, but it gave me the depth that I wanted.

I then added a celeron color. At that point I felt like I'd ruined the wall. But once a few years ago when I was working on another wall, I told my husband, "don't judge a wall until it's finished."

That is the attitude I should have taken. I then softened the wall by adding more light blue again. I finished by washing the wall with the original color and here is the end result.

I like this top picture the best because it really shows the blues. This has lightened my room a great deal. My husband even likes it.

So my next project is a dresser. I will be posting pictures as soon as I get it done and show the whole effect. It's so nice to check this project off my list!! ;0)

Too Intouch

So the past month I've been playing with my new I-phone. And I've come to the conclusion that I am now way too intouch. It seems like I'm never away or can catch a break. I now know when I get emails (both work and personal). I know anytime anyone I know posts on facebook. I get messages if people don't want to call. I actually have my whole church ward directory at my fingertips.

The directory isn't a bad thing. There are many times I need a phone number and it's right there. But sometimes I think that I liked my life a little less complicated. I liked leaving work at work. I liked not knowing everything everyone was doing on FB. I've even become less of a blog reader. I used to read the blogs I like each day, but now I'm lucky if I read them once a week - because I want a break from knowing what people are doing. I hope that isn't a bad thing.

But I've decided that I will be taking a break. I don't know for how long, but I've lost the desire to be here. I will be back, but for now know that I appreciate your friendship but it will be awhile before I post again.

Gratitude To My Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

This weekend is a special weekend for those who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons. We get to listen to our Prophet and learn what our Heavenly Father desires for us, that we can better our lives and one day return again to Him.

I am grateful to a Loving Heavenly Father that continues to speak to a living Prophet in our day and time, to help me understand His will. For His direction in my life. I am grateful to have a testimony of this. To know that my Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers. That He has a plan for me. That He is aware of me and my struggles in this life and that He loves me as his child. That He wants me to return to Him.

As a parent I think it is easier to understand His love and concern for me, as I have love and concern for my children. I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is my Lord and Savior. I am grateful for His loving atonement. He has made it possible to return to my Father in Heaven through His love and sacrafice if I will only repent and live the life that He asks me to live. I do try to live a life that my Savior would be proud of. I know there are many times that I fall way short of this, but each day is a new opportunity to try again. For this I am grateful.

I love conference weekend! I am grateful for the opportunity to have the teachings of Jesus Christ in my life!

Youngest Daughter Update

We got our yougest home and began talking about how her trip to Iowa went...

She began to tell us of the fun night they had on Friday when she got there. They took the girls out to dinner and then to a movie.

Saturday morning after the girls got up, they were showed the campus they would be at. It was very small. Smaller than my daughter's Jr. High School was. It was in Spencer Iowa. The main college campus was 45 minutes away in Estherville Iowa. (The campus she would be at was composed of just the girl's and boy's soccer teams. They were the only college students that she would be associating with each and every day - all day long as well as practices and games.) This was disappointing to her as she thought she would have a real college experience.

The girls then played scrimmage games all day just to see how they fit in. She had a good time playing soccer (she loves it). After they had cleaned up and eaten some dinner the older girls that were there invited them to a party. This is where things took a turn for her. She had been listening to the music for about a 1/2 hour when someone put on some rather offensive music and alot of the kids started doing the dirty-dancing thing. She decided that wasn't the environment she wanted to be around and left. She was told that after she left the alcohol came out in force. I was glad she had the standards that she did and that she left.

Well, on Monday after a day to think about it, her mind was made up. When the coach called, she quietly went into her room and talked to him. She came out and said, "I can't believe I did that." I asked her what she was talking about and she said she had turned the scholarship down. She told the coach that it was just not the environment that she wanted to live in for 2 years.

She then went into her room, rummaged around for a minute and then showed me some scholarships that she had been offered by Utah State University, just over the hill from where we live. With those 2 scholarships and the one she can get from her father's work she can go there with her friends.

She is a totally different girl this week. She is more confident and happy. It seems like the weight of the world has been lifted off her shoulders.

I must say that I am proud of her for making such a difficult decision and all on her own. We told her that whatever decision she made, we would stand by her. I'm proud that she stands by what she believes in and lives it. I know it can be really hard at her age, but she doesn't seem to be bothered by trying to live with higher standards than the worldly ones that we are constantly surrounded by. As a mom I feel blessed to have such a wonderful daughter that is such an example to me!!