Walk Tall

Dec. 15, 2010

Well...this month has been somewhat bloggless...or at least me trying every day to play catch up...I just need to get over my OCD and let it go. December is hard. Sometimes it down right sucks. Dec. 7th three years ago someone started ripping my heart out of my chest when I learned that a mass was growning in my mother's colon. As the days ticked on to Christmas we learned she would not recover and that Christmas was really more of a hellish nightmare. So putting on the happy face and getting through the day is all I could do the last couple of days! Sorry if you read and have missed the cheerful me LOL...

So today I wanted to share the words to a lovely girls camp, church song we sang when I was a kid. I loved to sing it to my mom. She and my dad would come up to camp every year and bring things for the girls...they were the best!

Walk tall you're a daughter of God

Right now I have a prayer deep within my heart

A prayer for each of you there is a special part

That you remember who you are and He who lives above

Please seek for Him and live His way you'll feel His love

Chorus

Walk tall you're a daughter, a child of God

Be strong, please remember who you are

Try to understand, you're part of His great plan

He's closer than you know, reach up He'll take your hand

Long before the time you can remember

Our Father held you in His arms so tender

Those loving arms released you as He send you here to earth

He said my child I love you don't forget your great worth

Chorus

Walk tall you're a daughter, a child of God

Be strong, please remember who you are

Try to understand, you're part of His great plan

He's closer than you know, reach up He'll take your hand

This life on earth we knew would not be easy

At times we lose our way His path we may not see

But please remember always please that you are not alone

He'll take your hand He loves you, He will guide you home

Chorus

Walk tall you're a daughter, a child of God

Be strong, please remember who you are

Try to understand, you're part of His great plan

He's closer than you know, reach up He'll take your hand

Thank you all for the blessings of your presence in my life...they are my greatest presents!

Walk Tall!!!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Dec 12...

Dec. 11

Dec 10

Lighting a candle for loved ones...

My friend EN sent this request after losing her son this year in a tragic car accident, and her son losing his friend prior to that.

Sunday, Dec. 12, is the "Worldwide Candle Lighting" in rememberance of all children who have died - "that their light may always shine". It creates a virtual 24 hour wave of light as it moves from time zone to time zone around the world. In honor of Jason, please light a candle for 1 hour from 7pm to 8pm on that evening.

It would make Jason and I very happy and grateful if you could also remember his good friend, John, who was killed by a drunk driver on March 25, 2010. John was a talented actor and film producer. The lives of these two kind-hearted and gentle men were snuffed out too soon; but may their lights shine on forever!

Thank you,

EN

You can check out the link for compassion friends and

"Worldwide Candle Lighting" just click on the link.

I want to take the time to honor those family or friends my family have lost in this life, not forever...but for this earth life. They are missed and their light will never go out...it burns...it burns in my heart.

My Angel Mother

Joshua

Leslie (Sr.)

Shane (Sr.)

Britt

Don

Chuck

Jimmy

Martin

Aunt Bessie

Uncle Terry

All my grandparents

3 of Ryan's grandparents

Uncle Dale

Aunt Lois

Uncle Mel

Aunt Pearl

Uncle Don

Cousin Jerry

"Grandpa" Bill

Uncle Ronnie

Julianna

Kole

Abe

"Grandma" Ahlmann

and sweet little Hailey...

Never let their light go out...I know we all have loved ones that have crossed the veil... Please join me in remembering them this Sunday from 7-8pm by lighting a candle. Some of you have flameless candles, that is fine too...just light one up...for someone you love, or for support of others loss.

May your Christmas be filled with love, compassion and giving of self.

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Tis the season

Tis the season for

smiling

singing

loving

helping

giving

thanking

receiving

wrapping

sharing

kissing

hoping

praying

dreaming

wishing

believing...

Tis the Season!

Peace and Sympathy...

Today I learned of the passing of Elizabeth Edwards. My heart just ached. I having been striving not to cuss. But the words of a little nephew came to mind from when we lost my mom, his grandma... "D@#% Cancer!"

I am at least grateful for the time they got with her, to love and hug and say goodbye. But having been a child that survived her mother who was only 63 my heart aches for them. May the Lord bless and keep them. May he comfort them through the Holy Spirit. Nothing makes losing a parent, a child, a spouse ok...NOTHING! But love, and comfort from loved ones and those sent (I believe) by God... makes it bareable...almost!

May we all reflect on this blessed season...that there are down trodden, heart broken, poor in spirit among us. Let us be aware, let us lift, let us love, let us pray for them.

Make it a great day FOR SOMEONE ELSE! Only YOU can!

Dec. 6

Long Walk Part of the gift...

Dec. 5, 2010

This weekend was full of driving. We drove to and from my older brother's house almost 11 hours away. The total time gone from home was 60 hours. This was a quick trip...if 60 hours can be considered quick. But usually we stay for a week or more. The trip had duel purpose. My #2 son and I had originally planned to fly. My twin niece and nephew his age were being baptized and it was going to be his turn to fly with mom to see them. But then DH's wonderful cousin called last month to let us know they finally had a wedding date and it was the same day! Not only was it the same day, but the buildings for both events shared a parking lot. Divine intervention, tender mercy...I say both! So we altered plans, called to see if my brother could accommodate 7 instead of 2 and packed. A joyous time was had by my whole family. The small sacrifices and sometimes large ones made by family to be together are worth it. There have been times we couldn't go...work, babies, life prevented it...but when we can it is a joy.

Our mom used to relate a story, a legend I suppose. I found it in many forms online...this version was closest to mom's version. Whenever she or any of us did something that took a lot of care, time, sacrifice or giving of self... Mom would always say, "Long Walk part of the GIFT!"

I hope this time of year and always the Long Walk is a good reminder to you. The Road to Golgotha,the site of Christ's crucifiction was strewn with stones and dirt. It was not an easy walk. Especially after he had already suffered so intensely in the Garden of Gethsemane for you and I. But he continued, he walked it...because He loved us...and he knew what freeing us from death and potentially from sin would mean eternally. LONG WALK, Part of the gift. I am so thankful for Him this blessed time of year. I am so thankful that through Him and by Him and of Him...we are free from the chains of death and will live again....

Enjoy...

There is a story about a foreign person who was working in Central Africa. This man had taught a group of native people about the Christmas story and about the wise men. He told them the story of how the wise men had travelled hundreds of miles on foot from ‘the east’ and how they had searched and walked for more than two years in their search for the baby Jesus. He told them about the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, but he explained that the real gift was the walking for hundreds of miles for two years. One young boy heard the story. One day, this boy disappeared from his tribe and was gone for more than two weeks. He finally returned with a gift for the foreign man. His special gift was a beautiful shell. The man asked the boy where he found that shell. “I have never seen such a shell my whole life.” The boy replied, “I have walked to the Great Sea, and it is only in the Great Sea that this shell is found. Long walk part of the gift.”

Our journey was long, we came home late and tired...long drive part of the gift...but like all gifts giving freely, we received as much or more than we gave.

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Life...precious life!

December 4, 2010

This weekend commemorated a year without the life of my husband's dear uncle. We were able to be with much of the family during a tender wedding which was a day apart from his death. His sweet and beautiful daughter was married. He was tragically killed by a driver who did not see him in a cross walk. As I hugged family and shed tears both of loss and of joy for our cousin, I could not help but reflect on how precious life is. We get but a few short moments on this earth. We have a life that lasts sometimes hours or minutes or sometimes spans a century. Yet the life of the one is as valuable as the life of the other. Why? Because...can't you feel it? This life...our mortal earth life is not the end any more than it was the beginning. We came from a loving God, we will return to Him. Our tragedies are not a sign that he does not know, hear or love us. But in the midst of them, if we turn to Him we can surely see that through them, because in an earthly and imperfect world there will be tragedy...but we can see that the sorrow can bring us closer to the master of our souls. And with that, closer to each other. He never leaves us without love. Some might lose the love they want most, but He fills those holes. Our sweet aunt has a broken heart. But a loving family that surround her make the grief bearable. I believe that blessing comes straight from the heavens, straight from God. Many a time I have felt the healing influence and strength of my mother's support from the "other side" as some call it. Stop, reflect, listen with your heart. This life is not the beginning or the end. Of this I am quite positive. I am grateful that you are on the journey with me.

Make it a great day! ONLY YOU CAN!

POST # 100!!! :) Opps...counted wrong #98!

December 3, 2010

A good friend of mine sent this and I thought it bore repeating...

For all the times I was blind...I thank my family and friends for being the bell.

For all the times I got the chance to be the bell, I thank God and promise Him I will always look for fields to serve in.

Two Horses
Author Unknown

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it.


From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse.
But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite
Amazing....

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind.
His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for
Him.

This alone is amazing.

If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell.
Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from
The smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell.
It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.

As you stand and watch these two friends,
You'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind
Horse,
And that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk
To where the other horse is,
Trusting that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns
To the shelter of the barn each evening,
It stops occasionally and looks back,
Making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.


Like the owners of these two horses,
God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect
Or because we have problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives
To help us when we are in need..

Sometimes we are the blind horse
Being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our
Lives.

Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way....

Good friends are like that...
You may not always see them, but you know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

And remember...

Be kinder than necessary-
Everyone you meet is fighting
Some kind of battle.
Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly.......

~A bend in the road is not the end of the road
Unless you fail to make the turn~

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

I believe

DECEMBER 2, 2010

I believe...

I believe in Christ

I believe a smile can change a mind...

A heart

A life

A world

I believe in fairies (I DO I DO I DO)

I believe in Santa and I think he works for Jesus ;)

I believe in giving

I believe in graciously receiving

I believe in love

I believe in forever

I believe in magic

I believe in miracles

I believe there are things that are true that we can not see

I believe there are things we can see that are not true

I believe, I believe, I believe...

Go out and do something about what you believe!

Make a dream come true

Give a gift

Give your time

Give your love

Give your heart

Give a smile

Change a life

React Out

Lift up

You can do it! I know you can!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

DECEMBER!!! YEAH! I LOVE YOU DECEMBER...FINALLY YOU'RE HERE!

Ummm...If you can't tell, December is my FAVORITE time of year. I love the music. I love the smells. I love the treats. I love the smiles on peoples faces. I even love the crowded shopping malls. But MOSTLY I love the change in people this time of year. I love that they reflect on Christ. I love that they reflect on giving. I love that they share and bake and give. I LOVE DECEMBER...Because it means CHRISTMAS is just around the corner! My mother made CHRISTmas magical. Our house was steeped with tradition. There were always homemade ornaments on the trees. She baked cookies and treats to share and to eat. Our packages literally were wrapped with "brown paper" and "tied up with strings"...we each had different colors. There was magic in the air. Barbara Streisand singing carols and Bing Crosby singing White Christmas. Apple Cider on the stove...I know, I know...it all sounds to cliche to be true...but trust me it was like that.

We did find out one year it isn't that easy to string cranberries. Evidently you are supposed to soak them first. So mom got out the pliers to pull the needle through...we all got stuck at least once that night...but all of us kids and our friends that came...thought it was the best time. Mom made homemade popcorn...the kind you cook on the stove in a cast iron pan...none of this microwave stuff. It had real butter and was loaded with salt. She made the best popcorn. We ate most of it, and strung some of it.

I remember Christmas caroling with family and church friends. I love the music and the message of love, of hope. "Christmas makes you feel emotional..." Yep! That is it! It does. The last couple Christmases have been pretty painful. We lost mom right after Christmas and by Christmas things were pretty bad. It was bitter sweet. But the other day I found a note from her. It said remember the traditions of Christmas. And remember the Savior and the reason we celebrate. I hope you will never forget. I love you. Mom. It was a note from when I was 10 or 11...but it felt like a message from heaven. So I LOVE CHRISTmas. I am so excited to celebrate this wonderful season.

Merry Christmas!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!!!

Gratitude Day 30...

A wonderful Month of gratitude. Thank those of you that stuck with me and read. Sorry that I got behind.

Today was a wonderful day...and a perfect way to end the month. Earlier this year my family participated in the give a day go to Disneyland program. They had an overwhelming response. I don't want my kids to think we only do things to get things...and I don't think they do...because we try to share a lot. But I applaud Disneyland for bringing so much attention to volunteering. We had a great time making quilts and a fabulous trip as well!

What a wonderful day...We were so tired (still am!) But let me share all that we did...

We road the train and visited Mickey, Road the rollercoaster in Toon Town, Small World (decked out for Christmas), Dumbo, Merry Go Round, Santa (got that done early for the year ;), Splash Mountain for Darling Daughter and DH, Pirates for the boys and I, Tree house, Tiki Room, Buzz, Autopia, and the Train back to Main Street.... Quite a day!

I miss having passes but at this point in our lives they don't seem realistic. This day was long and hard, but the joy on little faces made it all worth it! I am grateful for opportunities to serve others. I am grateful for the growth and in this case even tangible blessings that can come from service.

Go out and serve someone!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 29...

Today I hit the gym at 5:30am... Then I came home and my sweet husband let me sleep awhile. We got some things done but the day flew by and I often wonder at the end of it...where did it go and what do I have to show for it. Today was no different.

But tonight we had family night. We try to have it every Monday night. We have some Moral or Spiritual lesson (usually short...remember 9, 7, 5, 3, and 1 year olds) ;) We sing and pray together. We laugh and have the best of times. Lately our dear friends have been joining us for family nights and that makes them all the better to be able to share them. I am so blessed with this amazing family of mine. I am so grateful for them!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 28...

A beautiful Sabbath.

The talks today in church were very good. I needed to hear the one on forgiveness...it is always a good reminder!

My lesson was on how we spend our leisure time. It made me think...I do not want my children to remember me unaccessible and at the computer...so I will work on being in that chair a lot less this month ;)

Dinner...we were invited over to our wonderful friends' home. We had a great time, the dinner was fabulous and visiting with them is always wonderful! They bless our lives so much.

Life is so sweet and good. I am so grateful!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 27...

What a wonderful day we had today!

I am thankful for family reunions. My husband is one of 8!!! Wow, that can be overwhelming at times. This was our year to plan and we had a great time. We whittled the reunion down to an all day event instead of a weekend event. But we packed in a lot. There was a small brunch, "Fresh" a family originated game...I would explain it but I remain somewhat confused...even after 12 years LOL, Scavenger Hunt, Soccer Game, Pizza Party, Cheeseburger BarBQ, Minute to win it games, Package for our nephew that is deployed, Short movies my nephew made and family videos that cracked us up. What a tremendous day...and to think we packed so much into it. I owe it to my amazing husband. We have different planning styles. I over heard him on the phone say..."She likes to plan 5 months in advance and 5 days before the activity I say...honey it is fine...we have PLENTY OF TIME! But it all works out." It is true it all does. He is a miracle worker when it comes to bringing things together. Although our darling daughter said to me when I apologized for going ballistic when things were running late... "Mommy, it is ok. I think if daddy wasn't married to you , he would NEVER be on time." We laughed...It is true we are like ying and yang...and I guess ultimately we balance each other. I guess he truly completes me. What a great day!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 26...

Thankful for Black Friday internet sales and NO LINES!

Didn't get everything I wanted...but didn't get trampled, pushed, shoved...or disappointed that I went in the cold to come home empty handed.

Bless the internet...made life so much easier today!!!

Make it a great day! ONLY YOU CAN!

Gratitude Day 25...

Thanksgiving put me a little behind...sometimes first things have to be first... And family took precedence over everything this weekend...including blogging.

Today was Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful day! Our little family ate early and four of our friends joined us. The meal was lovely and we enjoyed the conversation.

I am grateful for many things:

I am grateful for my faith in and blessings from a loving Heavenly Father. I don't always get what I want...like the saying goes...but I get what I need.

I am grateful for the Savior Jesus Christ...he has taught me about love, understanding, patience, brotherly kindness, faith, hope, charity, forgiveness, and redemption...just to name a few things.

I am thankful for my family of origin and the family DH and I "originated"...actually we just gave them bodies that all look somewhat similar...God gave them their amazing spirits before they ever came to earth. They are so amazing, unique and different that you can't convince me otherwise.

I am thankful for a loving, faithful, true, hardworking, honest, clown of a husband. He always makes me laugh, even when I am angry. Which can be annoying, but also is a great blessing.

I am thankful for my education. There are times I think about revisiting that and getting a Master's Degree. But for now I am just grateful I made it through 4 years of college (It only took me 16 years to graduate LOL...But in the end I did it, and lots of work, dating, friends, family and fun were had along the way. I learned a tremendous amount and not just in the classroom.

I am thankful for our warm and lovely home. I would have never chosen to live in a city, but it has grown on me over the years to not live next to horses ;)

I am thankful for my health. I have my hitches, but overall my body has been blessed with tremendous health for which I am eternally grateful.

I am grateful for the gym workouts the past month...THERE I SAID IT! Oh brother, I never thought this would be the case, but my body is feeling much better. I hate to admit my husband was right all these years. I am just grateful he didn't dump my gym membership the years I wasn't using it.

I am grateful to know that I am a daughter of God and that He loves me. I am grateful to know this even though at almost 40 I have experienced an unusually large amount of loss and death of loved ones. Still, I KNOW HE LOVES ME! I feel it, I see it...in the smiles of children, the affection of a true husband, the love and concern of faithful friends.

I am blessed...what else could I want for, what else could I need.

Make it a great day! ONLY YOU CAN!

Gratitude Day 24...

Today Ryan took child #3 for his wellness check. He got some shots...two...and he was a trooper. I think that it bothers me more than my children these days and Ryan is very calm. I am thankful for all the little and big things he does for the children. He has always been a hands on dad. I am very fortunate. I was pretty sure I was marrying a wonderful man when I said yes to the proposal...but you never really know how a man will be with children until they arrive. He has been over the moon with each one. I wasn't sure. He used to only want 2...but each of the five has won over his heart again and again. I am thankful to be married to a man that loves our children so very much. He tells them so often how much he loves them and how wonderful, beautiful, handsome they are. He is a great father and daddy and they are so fortunate. They may not know until he is gone. If you haven't had it rough, how can you really understand how good you have it? I am grateful they don't ever have to "realize" how good they have it by seeing the other side of the coin. I am grateful for men that love children...grandfathers, uncles, brothers, cousins and daddies...they make the world a better place.

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 23...

Grateful for the rain. Do you know how long water levels have been low in California? Everytime I hear someone complain about rain here I want to slap them...not really but you get the idea ;) It is raining. Praise the heavens, what a blessing, we have begged, pleaded, prayed for it. We should be overjoyed. I am thankful for the rain. Thankful that things can grow and be nourished because of the rain!

There is a great song that I love called Sometimes he lets it rain. You can listen to a clip of it on itunes...the link is below just click it. It is well worth the $.99!

Here are the lyrics:

She sees the storm clouds gather
The sky is turning cold and gray
She knows that somethings coming
when she starts to feel this way

She pleads for intervention
But heaven offers no relief
she would understand if she could only see

Sometimes He lets it rain
He lets the fierce winds blow
Sometimes it takes a storm
to lead a heart where it can grow

He can move mountains of grief
and oceans of pain.
But sometimes he lets it rain.

When her heart surrenders
to the master in control
Her spirit learns the lessons
and the tempest in her soul

when it's no longer raging
She can see how far she's come
through the wisdom and
the mercy of the son

Sometimes He lets it rain
He lets the fierce winds blow
Sometimes it takes a storm to
lead a heart where it can grow

he can move mountains of grief
and oceans of pain
but sometimes He lets it rain.

There is no joy without the pain

Sometimes He has to let it rain.

By Katherine Nelson

Link for the itunes song: Sometimes he lets it rain...Check out the sound clip.

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 22...

The last few days have been unusual. My siblings and I all have very busy schedules and many young children. So it is not often we get the time to just chat. And though the conversations were not long I had the chance in the past few days to talk to three of my siblings. They brighten my life so much. Each is unique with their own marvelous strengths. Each lifts and helps build me in different ways. I love all of them. (even the ones I didn't chat with ;) I am grateful for their service and devotion to God and Family. They are the kind of individuals I would seek as friends...lucky me God saw fit to give them to me as family and friends! I feel blessed when I hear of some little event of a niece or nephew...new glasses, dance production, plays, school testing, a little joke they tell, an act of kindness they render. It brings me great joy to love them and to be loved in return. Love is one of God's greatest gifts. Even death can not conquer love!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 21...

We had such a lovely day! Church was wonderful. The meeting was so good. My friend's daughter sang a beautiful song...Keeper of the Faith by Mindy Gledhill. It touched my heart so deeply. Our friends came with us today to church and we are so happy they joined us. I felt the love and peace of worship. It isn't always that way with four little boys climbing on and over me...but today was just a blessed Sabbath. I am grateful. The youth lesson (I am a youth leader) was on having an attitude of gratitude. I loved it and really needed to hear the message. I have so much to be grateful for. This time of year is difficult because it is when we knew my mother was getting bad...and somedays the memories flow even when I don't want them to. But when I think of all she instilled in me...I am filled with gratitude!

Another nice thing happened Sunday. Our good friends were in town and we had the chance to bread bread together...a lot of bread since Ryan always prepares for an army. We enjoyed their visit and sitting around the table together chatting and laughing. Our children all get along and it was just a lovely time! I am so grateful for the many friends that the Lord has brought into our lives from different walks of life. I feel rich!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can! (Go be grateful! Happiness is a grateful heart...that was what we learned Sunday and I heartily agree!)

Gratitude Day 20...

Thankful for the power of prayer

In all its forms

In all its ways

With all my heart

I know He hears!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 19...

I am wondering where the month has gone. Time just seems to fly by. I look forward to Thanksgiving next week. I love the yummy aroma of a turkey in the oven and I can't wait for some cranberry sauce. We are eatting early, DH has to work. It will be nice. My perfect Thanksgiving will be when I can sit around the table with all my siblings and remember...that might not be in this life... But something to look forward to none the less.

I just checked out a wonderful website this morning. My cousin by marriage shared it. He and his partner are amazing and I loved watching the clips. One of my favorite was Scarborough Fair Duet. I hope if you have time to browse you can go enjoy some of them. The bells are beautiful and the organ accompany is so nice. I love beautiful music.

Here is the Link! or for future reference... http://www.crescendopodcast.com/

My darling daughter has been reading about Helen Keller in her biography class. I helped her with her report this morning. I am so grateful for my sight and my ability to hear. Sometimes we don't realize what we have until we lose it, or we know someone who does not have it. I appreciate and find myself feeling deep compassion when someone loses a parent, because I understand the magnitude of the grief. I think it is that way with many things in life. We can have true empathy for those things we understand. May we at this roling in of holidays be both grateful and compassionate, may we find needs, and meet them, causes to serve and give to them...out stretched hands and reach for them. And may the Lord bless us to do so.

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 18...

If I were rich I might get all kinds of fun things for family and friends for Christmas. But I am not convinced that my financial prosperity would make their lives any richer in the ways that really matter. Instead we are...well not poor...BUT NOT RICH for sure. Well, I am rich in marriage, rich in motherhood, rich in love, rich in family, rich in friends, rich spiritually...but when it comes to the worldly definition...I must admit our checking account has...Yes...Gasp...overdrawn...once or twice in our marriage. We have enough and we are grateful. We have some extra and we share. Yesterday I was getting off the freeway on my way to meet our wonderful friend EN...

There was a man on the off ramp holding a sign. As a rule I almost never have cash and it was no exception this time either. I did have something strange. At Halloween I had purchased 4 booklets of Wendy's frosties...(5 small frosties in each booklet). I said I was sorry I had no money. He was so GRATEFUL! Later I stopped at Kohl's to get some small presents for extended family (trying to keep Christmas reasonable this year...no debt!) and Kohl's was having a 50% sale and I had a 30% coupon...which made things...well, what they should have cost to begin with ;) A man was taking donations for a recovery mission. I had no money but I told him maybe he could use these for someone and handed out another booklet. It was a small nothing really, but maybe it will make someone's day a little brighter. I think I will get some $3 gift cards to keep in the car. I want to help and this is a way I could be prepared to at least put food in their tummies. Food can make a lot of difference.

All this started me thinking how grateful I am for my life. So often we are glass half empty kind of people. We want what we don't have and we live in a society that wants MORE AND MORE and there seems no end to some children's Santa lists. With all this wanting...I am grateful for GIVING.

I am grateful my parents GAVE me life! They could have been selfish and not kept me, or had no children and traveled. But NO they gave me life...and then my brother...and then the brothers and sisters that followed they loved life into them, hugged and encouraged each of us...Thank you for my BODY MOM AND DAD.

I am grateful for the faith they GAVE me. Now you can't permanantely give a person faith...but you can foster it in a child. It is their choice as they grow what they will do with it! Thank you for nurturing my faith.

I am grateful for the home my husband GAVE our family. We still owe the bank, but he works hard so we have a good roof over our heads, and I am grateful.

And as we fast approach CHRISTmas...I always think about how celebrating Christ's birth would really hold no significance if there had not been a glorious resurrection. If he had not overcome sin and then death it would just be "another birth"...but because he did, Christmas holds a very special meaning in my heart...

The gift of the wisemen is not the significant gift. But the Gift Christ GAVE, the gift of the resurrection I will forever be grateful for. The opportunity to one day be reunited with loved ones, to wrap my arms around them, could there be a better CHRISTmas present. To the stores and shops I would say... keep your game consoles, your new TVs, your gift baskets, and pajamas...I am going to hug my mommy again, you have nothing on sale that comes close!

Make it a great day. GIVE...the best gifts we can give come from our time. Only YOU can do what Father has given YOU to do...another can try, but they will never do IT quite as good as YOU!

Gratitude Day 17...

Today was a lovely day!

I am grateful for my wonderful time with EP! Thank you for the yummy homemade Hot Chocolate...Ohhhh...just thinking about it makes me want to lick my lips. And the convo was even better than the chocolate. I am so thankful for homeschool so we can get away when we want and when our friends are home. I love you my friend! And the prayers...I am up-ing them! :)

I am grateful for the time I got with you too EN! I know the boys can be crazy...hopefully they didn't drive you crazy! :) I so enjoyed being with you. Thank you for lunch...NEXT TIME...well, you know! :) Thank you for the goodies for the children, they loved them all, they are excited about the books.

Mommy, I love you! I hope that you enjoyed the show the kids put on at the cemetary. It is not easy to go there and know that your body is dust...but I love the feeling of you knowing we celebrate you (we do that every day)...but you always respected your parents by visiting the graveside, so I know it is important to you. The children put quite a show on for you today. I hope you got to watch and know how very much you are missed! While we were there you would have been proud of us. We saw a man just sitting by a grave. We went and asked if we could all hug him. He just loved it! Hugged each child...ate up the love. He told us it had been exactly 3 years since he lost his sweet wife of 57 years! He said, I told the preacher I know about heaven and hell...I lived in heaven 57 years, and now I live in hell without her. I asked if he had children, 2 of his 4 boys are living. I said, they need you. He said that she made him promise her to take care of the boys, go to church and stay out of the bars and he was doing all three. It was a sweet experience...something you would have done! You taught me well Mama!

Grateful to be able to share a funny homeschool story with one of my sisters on my way home and to also reflect on our faith and the love that mom has instilled in us all.

Loved sharing jokes back and forth with my oldest sister tonight on facebook. I could just see her little one laughing :) It made my heart really happy.

I am so grateful for so many wonderful women in my life!!! I am so blessed!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 16...

I am grateful today for realistic goals.

I just posted a new ticker at the top of my blog.

When I had baby #5 I started out weighing 173 pounds and reached 225...I waddled when I walked...so uncomfortable.

My new ticker will tract losing Darling #5's baby weight.

When I reach that goal I will change my ticker and try to losing the 33 pounds between baby #1 and baby #5 ;)

My mom used to say, "How do you eat an Elephant??? A bite at a time!" What was I thinking...I never updated the other ticker because it felt like I wasn't making much progress. Be gentle with yourself. I am thankful for realistic goals!

Love you...go make realistic goals...whatever they are!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 15...

Honestly...

Just grateful that I made it through the day...

On to tomorrow...

Make it a grea day! Only YOU can!

(some days just AREN'T so make them the best you can ;)

Gratitude Day 14...

I am thankful for my faith...

I lost my great aunt age 8(I think...I was little)

An uncle a couple years later

A grandpa at age 14

An aunt at age 19

A grandpa at age 20

A nephew at 22

A best friend at 22

An uncle at 22

A grandma at 22

A friend at 23

then another, and another, and another, and another, and another

A grandma at 30

My husband's best friend at 31

My husband's grandpa at 31

My mommy at 35...

I have faced a lot of loss. I could not have gotten through it without my abiding faith in my Savior Jesus Christ and his father...My Heavenly Father, that loves us all. I am grateful for my faith.

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 13...

DATE NIGHT!!!

It was date night tonight. I love date nights with my husband. Some of the best advice we ever received when we were getting married was from my brother in law. He told us to always make time to continue dating. We have always done that. When the baby is new they come along, until they can be left with a sitter. We have also been blessed with some of the most wonderful people to care for our children which makes it feel safe and peaceful to go out.

Sometimes our date is a Starbucks hot chocolate. Sometimes it is Claim Jumper. There are times we don't even leave the house...we just put the kids in bed a bit early, and my darling husband grabs take out. We sit and talk and talk. I still love talking to him about everything and nothing and our love affair has not gotten dull. We take time, time for each other and really that time away from our children blesses them so much. They have parents that love one another. And when there are bad days, I have told you there are, we can get through them, because our bank accounts are full. Stephen R. Covey a popular motivational speaker says that we need to fill up the emotional bank account of another before we can make a withdrawl. So when things are a little off, it is ok because we try to keep our emotional accounts full most of the time. We can tell if we haven't been out for a couple weeks, things get a little tense. So we get a sitter and off we go. Recently we went to Costco on a date, we sat on the couch and talked for almost an hour, grabbed some things we needed, then hit Golden Spoon for dessert on the way home. Our babysitter laughed...COSTCO? DATE NIGHT? But it worked for us. Don't ever let love slip away because you didn't take the time to nourish it!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 12...

Running a little behind this week.

Today I am thankful for wonderful friends. I am so blessed with so many of them. I have friends that I have known a lifetime and those I have only known a short time. But they bless my life in so many ways. Some of my closest friends are my family. And some of friends have become so much a part of my life they are like family. Some of them are church friends, some are from work, and some friends have blessed my life by sharing "their" friends and blessing me with even more friends. I am so grateful for friends! They don't judge me. They don't talk about me. I feel safe with them. I trust them. I love them! Friends. What a blessing they are to me!

Make it a great day. Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 11...

Today we celebrate Veterans. I am so thankful for all the men and women who have served in the armed forces to protect our freedoms and our very lives. We have the freedom to spout off our mouths, to stand for our religion, to bare arms...thoses are just a few.

There are even Americans (although I wouldn't call them that) that have the freedom to ridicule our soldiers...why do they have that freedom...BECAUSE OUR SOLDIERS provide it for them everyday! If you are one of them, you can stop reading my blog now and turn around. I am a tolerant woman but I have NO tolerance for anyone that disrespects our service men and women. They give it all, they put it all on the line. They don't just line up and VOTE, they line up and say "I will give my life" if that is what it takes. And many of them do. And yet, some sit in their fancy houses, with their plenty of food and things and have the audacity to criticize the very source of their freedoms. Well, don't do it here, don't do it on my watch. I thank them, every one of them from the men in the front lines and fox holes to the Commander in Chief (I may not like his politics...but don't let me hear you complain about his supports for freedom! Don't send me tacky comic strips, don't ridicule him. And I am pretty certain you couldn't do much better.) God bless America. BE AN AMERICAN! A REAL ONE! Stand up for what they fight for. Honor them. Pray for them. BUT DON'T YOU DARE BAD MOUTH THEM.

My Great Uncle, My second cousin gave their lives so that countries like Germany would not be telling YOU what to do. I have a father that was a Navy man. My husband's Grandpa a Navy man as well. Brothers and a Brother in law that served. Friends serving us as I write this. God bless those men and women that fight for us, even when some aren't fighting for them! God bless them, every second of every day! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. YOU ARE THE REASON I CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT!

My Country Tis of Thee

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 10...

This blog is dedicated to three amazing women in my life! KB, AM, and DL... Yes you know who you are. This world is so "here today gone tomorrow." So many people lack the courage to act, to stand for what is right, especially if it means getting hurt or standing alone. Today I applaude the three of you. This life is not easy. Sometimes the choices or problems of others weigh us down or even hurt our spirit or our lives. But if we take courage, we can wrangle our own destiny. NOTHING...I say nothing about our future is set in stone. So we control us...every word, choice or action that we produce. WAY TO GO girls! I love each of you so much! I want to make up cheers, jump around, scream and chant Go KB!!! Go AM!!! Go DL!!! Way to go ladies, way to go! Now don't lose the momentum...OUR mantra...WE CAN DO THIS, WE CAN DO THIS, WE CAN DO THIS!!! Together we can ;) Love you!

Now ladies (all of you reading this) go support someone you love who needs an extra boost, hug, encouraging word! Go...DO GOOD! You know it will make you feel good when you have! I love you all and believe in your power to make things happen and to change things for the good! GO! GO! GO!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 9...

GNO

or for those unfamiliar with this GNO stuff...

Girls Night OUT!!!

Thank you to wonderful friends that I have shared these nights with over the years...both friends and family (family that are some of my dearest friends!) The chance to get away is such a blessing! Tonight it was Claim Jumper...Yum! I have so many happy memories there...

I have memories with most of my siblings at Claim Jumper...My mom loved their food...and it is a popular date choice for my husband and I. So going there is like a retreat and the memories all flood in.

Thank you to some of my wonderful friends tonight for the chance to get away from home and have great food and visit. I love you and appreciate that time together.

Make it a great day. Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 8...

I am grateful for the gym...

I went at 5:30 am this morning.

Ok...REALLY, I AM NOT THANKFUL FOR THE GYM...

But I am hoping to make this a habit...then when I have lost the additional 50 pounds that are holding me down and making me feel sluggish and depressed many days... THEN I will be thankful for the gym...

Dear Gym,

Your gratitude is coming.

It has not arrived yet, maybe it

got lost in shipping. But we

hope it will be there in the next

6 months. Wait patiently!

Thank you,

Sincerely,

Me

Make it a great day. Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 7...

I am thankful for strong women...

If you are reading this you are probably one of the strong women in my life. When I set up this blog I set it up so that it would be open. I set it up hoping to share REAL life. Not the "Oh, my life is frosted cupcakes every day of the week...(yeah right!)" But the life where I live most of the time...on some days that is more like "Oh, crud...my whole tray of chocolate cupcakes just fell face down on the kitchen floor." Remember when this happens I have said before and it is worth repeating...We only have control of two things: How we act, How we react...

I am thankful for women who's example makes me want to react better. Some times I have already acted poorly and I find myself in the kitchen, on the floor, hand mopping up tomatoe sauce after banishing child #1 to their room and telling them "YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO MAKE YOUR OWN MINI PIZZAS AGAIN....DO YOU THINK I LIKE CLEANING UP MESSES?" You know...just a figurative example ;) (P.S. thanks HH for making me feel like I wasn't the worst mom in the world when that happened the other day!)

So If you know me well and are close to me then you know some of my intitials references...if you don't know me, I hope you still get something out of this blog if you are reading it. But for today I want to thank some women. So thank you in no particular order:

TDB (for loving me and teaching me to be patient, even when the Lord doesn't deal the exact hand we want, at the exact time we want it.)

HH(thank you for sharing so much of you with me and making me feel normal and oh so loved. For long talks, hot chocolate and constant encouragement.)

SN (aka the mom...Thank you for your love of the Lord and being a constant part of my life for the past 21 years...I know we have never called each other this...but you need to know...I love you like a sister!)

DP(thank you for keeping it real with me and reminding me that I can love my husband even on the days I don't necessarily totally like him ;) Your strength keeps me going).

DL(Thank you for the course in being a more laid back and fun mom, you have made me a better mom. I know this year has been full of its own stresses for you, plus the help you endlessly give others, but never forget why we homeschool...you taught me...HAVE FUN! :)

AW(Thank you for being someone I know I can count on, who loves everyone, and is without guile. I feel my name is ALWAYS safe with you. I love that about you.)

JW and KB (Thanks for lunch the other day...I am going to read the BOOKS! I love you both, you bring me so much happiness and smiles and joy!!!)

NPM(I don't care what you say, you are feeling and loving and caring and after 28 years YOU WON'T convince me of any less...I think you are wonderful. You inspire me! Thank you for caring about me! I love you!)

PC(Opps...almost called you PH...Thank you for Thirty years of friendship. You are a wonderful example to me. I love you. You are a great wife and mother. Thank you for loving me all these years.)

CL(My Carebear friend, Thank you for being there always, and even though time and distance often separate us, I love that we can always pick up where we leave off).

WV(Strength does not sound like a strong enough word to me to describe you...you are a rock and your faith and testimony have helped mine grow this year...A million thank yous...Oh and a million congrats too)

VF(Thank you for loving me and believing in me. We have been friends for so many years, I am grateful FB brought us back together...your love for your boys strengthens me on my rough mommy days!)

EP(Your little man is one of the luckiest I know...there isn't a child out there more loved. You radiate it in all you have given up to make his world so great. I love you and your example!)

TM(Thank you for loving me always, consistently and unconditionally. You are a true and dear friend. And when your last name is called I will always report as part of the family...honored to be loved and considered such ;)

CC(David's CC)(Thank you for blogging, you inspired me...I have done it for many years, but not until I followed your faithful example of it did I really embrace it. You have been making me a better person like a second mom for 30 years...I LOVE YOU.)

TR (your love for your husband and children keeps me going more days than you would ever know. Though we are "cyber" friends, your support and friendship are a very real blessing in my life and I love and appreciate you and your wonderful example of a good Christlike life! And I think you have a great hubby too!)

HMA(Thank you for your friendship the past 18 months. You bring out the best in people. You make me smile. I love you!)

LAM(You know who you are...I LOVE YOUR GUTS GIRL! My only regret was it took us all the way to the forth grade to find each other!)

KTM(Girl I LOVE YOU AND Your drama ;) Never forget we all have it...the day the drama stops I am 6 ft under...I will take the drama. I love you and love that you love me through everything. You are the best!)

CC(My Italy traveling wonder, your strength and courage amaze me. I wish for every wonderful thing for you).

AR(way on the other side of the US...I don't know how you do it all, to me you are a super hero...someday we will finally be in the same place...brace yourself for a big hug!)

EN(Saving one of the best new friends in my life for last. Remember, there is hope, there is love, he is close, you are being watched over and he left you so much love here! I love you! May you always feel the peace of his spirit close and know that there is a big plan and when it all unfolds it will heal these hurts when we can see him again. I LOVE YOU!!!)

I have so many wonderful ladies in my life I could go on and on...forgive me if I didn't include you this time...My fingers are just tired ;) Love you all for the strength and example you are to me.

Make it a great day. Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day 6...

If you have been reading my facebook status for the month...you know that I am highlighting the many reasons I am grateful for my husband. But it merits repeating. I want you to know that if you have days you think...

What was I thinking getting married?

Or What was I thinking having 5 kids (or however many kids you have...)

Or if you homeschool and you think, "What would I do if I sent 3 of my children off to school and only kept the two home that take a nap..."

If you have thought any of these things...you are not alone...and maybe we were separated at birth. Well, the birth part is unlikely since my birth certificate reads "single birth" but in this crazy world...anything is possible ;)

Anyway, I have my days and I don't want any one to read my status updates or my blog and think...perfect husband, perfect life... we are so far from that. I have even been known on occasion to shout some shameful thing at my spouse and then in the after shock of realization pray that my children never repeat me.

I came from a loud and boisterous home. I love my parents, but there was a lot of contention. I remember getting so sick once from it that I went in the bathroom and threw up. So I was choosy about a spouse. When I was 25 and going away to college after an Associates Degree, and a mission for my church...most of my friends were married. Mind you some were already getting divorced at that point. I remember thinking... NOT ME! When I get to the point I am ready to settle down and I find the right one...it is forever! I will always feel that way. Even when my hot temper finds me sleeping on the couch because I refuse to surrender my will. With all that said...I am grateful for a man that stands beside me. I like the song that continues... "Not in front of or behind me. I want a man who wants to hold me...not own me...and I'll give all the love in my heart...stand beside me." He does just that. Last night he hurt my feelings. This morning I was awaken to breakfast in bed. Well, first to the fire alarm, but breakfast in bed shortly followed. I am not perfect, and he is not perfect and we are not even a perfect match. But together in this world, we have beat all odds and we make sense now, after more than a decade and 5 children. I love him. Even on days I don't like him, and there are a few of those, I love him. Don't worry, I am pretty sure he has some days he doesn't like me either so it all evens out. The good news is MOST of the time...we LIKE and LOVE each other... The Love part isn't optional...the like part is flexible ;)

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day Five...

I am thankful for my children...

Each little face so full of love...

Each little hug

Each little kiss

They are my greatest accomplishment...

I got my B.S. Degree after having 3 of them...and it pails in comparision!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day Four...

I am thankful for the little things. . .

My warm bed

Hot Cocoa in the fall and winter

Peppermint Candy cans that Santa hands out (Yes...I still believe)

Books shared by friends

Journal entries

Old Journals

That funny scrunched up look #5 gives me that melts my heart

Kisses from my puppy that is already too big to be a lap dog, but I can't resist holding

Thank you notes (given and received)

Little get aways with my husband

Hearing my childrens' heartbeats

Chili on rainy days

Mom's Butterfly Promise...Kept!

The grass in our front yard (you should have seen it before we lived here!)

Cars (not such a little thing...but so under appreciated)

Scissors...I use them so often, where would I be without them

MY CAMERA...If you know me you know there are very few places that my trusty cameras (one or the other) and I are apart.

I am thankful for gratitude. It makes me realize on very bad, sad, cold, or difficult days that life really isn't that bad, and that some people have it a lot harder, sadder, or more difficult than me.

Thank Thee Heavenly Father, for every blessing...the big ones...and the almost unnoticeable ones. I am grateful for them all.

Song of the day ;) Click here: Thank Thee for everything

Make it a great day. Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day Three..

Grateful for my eyes.

Darling Daughter is studying a biography about Helen Keller right now. How grateful I am for my eyes. She was such an amazing woman and found joy in every gift from God and made such an amazing life with the hand dealt to her. What excuse to I have. I have none of the physical limitations or struggles she does!

Thank you to my daughter for sharing your studies with me.

Thank you AW and KW for inspiring my daughter. (Her 3, 4 comb class is doing 8 weeks of Biographies...and guess why she picked this one ;)

I am so grateful for my eyes!

I LOVE THIS SONG...CLICK HERE

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day Two...

Grateful for the right to vote! And the free country I live in!!!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Gratitude Day One...

November is the month of Gratitude...Thanksgiving.

My mother used to say, "We should have an Attitude of Gratitude." And would remind us that not being grateful for what we have is a sin, the sin of ingratitude. She said, "Your attitude determines your altitude. Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it."

I always tell my daughter you only have control of two things...

1) How you act

2) How you react

So This month of being Thankful, I want to express my gratitude for my many blessings.

First and foremost...I am thankful for God and His Son Jesus Christ. I believe they are the source of my blessings and the strength in my trials. I will be counting off some of those tremendous blessings with you this week. But for now I express my deep and abiding love in a loving Father in Heaven who loves us ALL so much that He provided a beautiful plan and a way back to Him. The plan can be painful as I have learned through experience. But the LOVE and the JOY are forever offered to us...and I rejoice to have all of you in my life NOW and FOREVER!

This is one of my mom's favorite songs...if I did it right, this will take you to an interactive player. :) I am also grateful for music.

Song: Count your many blessings (interactive player)

...Ok...tried it and it works. But if you want to hear the words, you have to click on the button at the top left that says Recorded: Music and words...Love this song! It has helped me through some hard times.

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

People can be so mean...

I have had a rough week. I was chatting today with one of my dear friends and we were discussing the world and the people in it. There was a bumper sticker when I was a youth that said, "I hate mean people." I grew up in a home where they taught us not to hate. My daughter will attest to that since she still remembers being 3 and getting her mouth washed out for saying she "hated" me. She never did that again. She won't even say "I hate brussel sprouts..." actually that is because she loves them...but you get the idea.

There just isn't room in my life for hate. What I do with mean people is feel sorry for them. A lot of time, and energy is expended being mean or hateful by some people. I am a busy lady and I just don't have time for it. Also, mean people...have you ever noticed...they wrinkle much sooner...I think it might be that they are souring from the inside out. Isn't that sad? Again, I feel sorry for them. So even if I did have enough time to be mean, I couldn't walk away feeling good about it, so I try to be nice and uplifting to those in my life. That means I will even try to smile and be nice to people that are blatently and down right rude or even hurtful to me. I guess like my friend and I were discussing today, I subscribe to that theory of turning the other cheek. Recently a "well meaning" "Christian" told me that I was going to hell. It shook me since I believe in Jesus, love him and couldn't get through a day without him. But it did not take long for me to remember he is my judge and relief set in again. Let us be kind to each other. Let us be forgiving one another. Let us lift each other. Let us help each other. This life is short. I still mourn the loss of my mother daily. I still miss my dear and true friend that I lost in 1995 and still cry over her physical absence. And there is a whole left in my heart from a friend I just recently lost this year. Life is too short for the bitterness of unkind words, of hatred and judgment. Let us only jugde ourselves and our actions and reflect on whether we could do better to love others and reflect the light of Christ better. I recently saw a saying that went something like this...The best way to measure a man's footsteps is by how closely they follow the Savior. To those I love that love me back...Thank you! What a priceless gift you are in my life.

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Happy Happy Birthday T.D.B.

(sorry, yesterday I had a bad headache so this is a day late)...

October 28, 2010

If you scroll down to my birthday wishes for another of my sisters this month you will learn (if you don't know already) that our family was a little less than traditional. We joke at times that our parents (unlike some parents) preferred teenagers and became teenager collectors. Our family grew and grew and I am grateful for each of those siblings that continue to bless our life.

When I was almost 14 years old my sister TDB came to be with us. We shared clothes, secrets and lots of laughter. We also had an occasional sister spat you know the things that let you know you are REAL sisters ;) We had movie nights and sister talks and to this day she is a rock and source of strength in my life. This life is NOT easy and boy does she know it. She has been dished her share of trials and sometimes I think she got a double portion. I have an opinion of why that is though...I think the Lord was preparing her to be strong, courageous and stalward. This is how she has been such a rock for all the rest of us.

I could not have gotten through the loss of our mom without her. She drove many hundred miles each way, 4 different times. My sweet brother in law took off work, to help make that happen and they held me up. At mom's funeral she talked about how though some of us came "federal express" and others came "parcel post...(and a little banged up like parcel post packages sometimes are)"... Mom and Dad loved us all. Sis had an amazing way of brightening mom's worst day, or anyone's for that matter.

Like our mom and another brother and sister that share the same birthday month, she LOVES halloween. There are great pictures I have seen of her over the years dressed up with their cute boys. She makes life fun. I know she gets frustrated at times, raising 3 boys and wonders what she was thinking ;) But she is making amazing and lasting memories, like mom made for us. Like mom she also loves FALL. They loved going to general conference together...two of mom's favorite trips.

Mom had her special things that she did for each of us...those are the things that sometimes make us sad. Sis could come home for a weekend, and count on frozen pineapple from the can awaiting her, and Mountain Cherry Juice (they don't make it anymore but it was a yummy Dole treat). Thinking of those things brings a smile to my face.

Humor is one of her strong suits. Many a time I have gone to the mail and found some funny crack you up card that made everything seem ok. She actually left me a pile of these kind of cards when mom died and instructions to open as NEEDED. We love hallmark, it is something all the girls in our family share. Mom was known to take us there to search for funny cards, cute stickers or just read them and laugh in the isles together.

My sister has a beautiful voice. She sang How Great Thou Art at my mission farewell and I don't think there was a dry eye. Her musical talents are only shadowed by her talent to love and reach people. Friendship is paramount to her, and she is loyal and true. I love her and am grateful for her love in my life the past 25 years and look forward to another eternity of the same stuff!

Happy Happy Happy Birthday TDB. I love you!! SO MUCH!!!

Potato Soup...

Today was one of those Blustery Winnie the Pooh days! I love it when there are leaves swirling around and the air is a little crisp. Later in the day it got rather warm, California for you...can't just let Fall arrive...

Anyway, I thought, I am going to make soup. Now you need to know that I am not an "I am going to make anything" person. When we had Darling #3 I told my husband that with three small children and homeschooling something was going to have to give...and gave him a choice, the budget, night time routine, laundry...He chose cooking. My meals and cooking style wasn't his favorite and I admit I should have paid more attention in the kitchen when my mom was here, like some of my sibblings did. I have sibblings that are fabulous at FOOD! My food was edible...but really not much to speak of... I could make a mean batch of chocolate chips cookies or a perfectly moist cake... I say, let them eat cake! But evidently, the pediatrician thought they needed more than that...

Well, obviously, I am not the best cook in the world. But I thought, oh it is getting chilly, definitely a soup day...I think I will make Potato Cheese Soup...

Of course our mom made everything with a little of this and a pinch of that. The recipes we have are her mother's...but she never really followed them. She didn't need to, her food always turned out yummy. (except pancakes...only pancakes I would eat before my husband was in the picture were D.R.'s pancakes, one of my "second" moms...but shhhh, don't tell my mom I ate pancakes at all ;)

So needless to say, with no famous recipe from my mom in hand I googled Potato Soup. I found a simple recipe and made modifications as I went. And I am please to say it was a CROWD PLEASER...even the baby gobbled it up. Picky #4 only ate half of his bowl, but second rounds were even had by some. I just ate the last bowl of it before writing this. It was a good day. D.L., D.P. and A.W. you three need to know that you inspired me with your Potato, Tortilla and Taco Soup respectively! Thanks for the inspiriation ladies. I just pulled up some Crock Pot recipes I can't wait to try. Wait...Did I say that? Someone has taken over my brain! But I confess I enjoyed it...The process and the results :)

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

CHILLY RAIN...

Today actually was NOT a chilly rain...but it was a CHILI rain!

Our mother was a wonderful chili maker. I say was because she is in heaven. Her birthday was this month. She loved fall and Halloween...Funny two of my sisters and one brother have October birthdays like her...THEY ALL LOVE HALLOWEEN and FALL! Anyway...Mom started a tradition many years ago. It was so many years ago that I actually can't remember when it began. I am 38 and it is probably 30 or so years old! Maybe more...I don't have perfect recollect before age 8! The tradition was this: The first rainy day after school started (not a sparce sprinkle...BUT RAIN!!!), mom ALWAYS made chili. We could count on this tradition like we counted on the sun rising in the morning, or the north star leading sailors home. It was a constant. Many of us came home from school anxious and sure to smell the beautiful scents of her homemade chili. Of course it always was partnered with CornBread...something I didn't like until a good friend S.O. made me some and WOOO!!! Her's is fabulous...I will have to post her recipe. Sorry to diverge. Mom's chili was wonderful. But even more wonderful than the chili was that we could count on her. We knew that mom was a sure thing! She was there for us...cooking up that love in the kitchen and in her heart. I finished my bowl tonight and just sat at the table lost in thought. I am sure every time one of our families cooks up Mom's old Rainy Day Tradition she smiles. I miss her. But she left us a circle of love, we have each other...and the precious memories of sitting around the table scarfing mom's chili, laughing and being together! Thanks mom!!!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Happy Birthday HH

OCTOBER 18, 2010

A long time ago when I was 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10...I prayed for a sister. I loved my little brother but I just knew Heavenly Father had a sister out there for me. After years of the same prayers my mother (I think more out of exhaustion and a desire not to feel bad any more...) finally told me...that was NO longer possible. She couldn't have been more wrong. It was still several more years but we joke that my parents were "Teenager" collectors. One after another the children came into the home. Each had their own reasons. I watched my parents love them all, fill the base of the Christmas tree with presents, give all their boy friends or girl friends the "What for" scare tactics talks...and love each of us in an amazing way that blessed our lives.

After graduation from High School one of my dear and kindred friends came to live with us. But in that year and the years that followed I got so much more than a roommate...I gained another sister. All my brothers and sisters have blessed my life. Some of us are closer than others, but I love them all dearly. They are the ingredients of my life that make it so sweet. Today is HH's birthday. I remember seeing her for the first time. No one would have paired us as friends. I was a bookworm and she was the life of any event going on. Bold and Beautiful and the center of attentions. She has brought out so much good in me. Her example has lifted me. I remember once she told mom she didn't have any talents. Mom was quick to tell her otherwise...but she didn't see it then. I know she sees it now though. Well...more than she did then, but sometimes not as much as she could ;)

Crafty beyong imagination, a natural at photography, a story teller, public speaker and the list of talents she continues to develop goes on and on...

She is wise. She seems to be one of those old souls. From a very young age she sought the truth and that knowledge of her stalward young spirit inspires me. She is beautiful...she is lovely but more importantly, she has an inner beauty. She is smart. Funny that there was a time she didn't think so...but 100% SAT scores and Mrs. C. thought otherwise! Her natural talent to love people of any age made her loveable to the most elderly and the smallest child. She was/is teachable...an incredible talent that we would all do well to cultivate. For awhile I remember her tending a special needs child in some kind of group home...she just eminated love. I always knew after that she would be an incredible mother. A pillar of courage, she remained faithful to God and her covenants, even when her angel boy was not permitted to live on the earth. He was followed by four beautiful daughters. I doubt they know yet the extent of magnificent that their mother is...looking back they will. I love her dearly, but I admit that 21 years ago, I didn't realize the precious gem stone that I stumbled upon. She has blessed me again and again. I am so proud of her and the woman she has become. I am so proud to call her my sister. Again and again she has saved me from myself. Literally, and spiritually! Thank you HH! And Happy Birthday!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

My Wonderful Assignment...

Last week I received a new church assignment. I will be serving the 14 and 15 year old girls in our young women's program. I am thrilled to work with them. I only have three girls currently attending and I know all of them well and love them dearly. It will be a challenge to serve with my 5 little ones demanding of me as well. But I feel I am up to the challenge and grateful to serve with and learn from these wonderful young ladies.

Tonight the church provided a youth speaker, pizza dinner and dance. I could not attend because DH was working. But my new found friend who is over the 12 and 13 year olds said she thought she could attend. When she called and told me she could attend and that I didn't need to, I wanted to be part of the service tonight. So, I offered to watch her children so neither of us would have the expense of babysitting for the night, but both of us would be participating in our way.

It worked out great for my children since she has four children that are close to my children's ages. We made pizza, devoured pizza, devoured cookies and watched MOVIES..Yes plural! They were all so well behaved and I think they had a lot of fun. In no way am I signing up for 9 children! But I sure enjoyed the evening! What a wonderful blessing to have a chance to serve!

I AM WOMAN!!! Hear me ROAR!!!

Ok ladies...Today was an excellent day.

No the laundry is not done.

No the kitchen is not clean.

Yes, the children strung toys from one end of the house to the other...

BUT...

Last night when the washer went out I got online. I typed in the problem. Then I watched an instructional video on how to fix it. This morning I disassembled the washing machine. We (me and the gang ;) drove to Sears and secured the part for $18.88 (beats the repair man at $100+++). I came home and followed all instructions. Viola!!!

My washing machine is working. If anyone has broken couplings call me...for the price of parts and a yummy lunch I will come fix it for you! Ok, you're right, I would fix it even if you didn't make me lunch. Oh, you must be in Southern California... ;)

I am woman! Hear that? It is ME ROARING!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!!!

Busy October...

Evidently October is the busiest month of my life...

Either that or the "sick" in my house stole my momentum...

Today I resolved to do better... (hope I can be more consistent with that than I have been with my blog the last two weeks.)

We started the day with a green drink...I had been feeling yucky ever since I got sick. I feel much better after my drink. Here is what I used... 3 Brocolli pieces, 1 whole banana, about 10 red seedless grapes, 6 ounces frozen pineapple juice drained from the pineapple can, one small (mini) yellow pepper...top off, seeds left in, half a celery stalk (top part with leaves intact), 6-7 romaine lettuce leaves, ice and a little water so the blender would work. I drank around 20 ounces and Darlings #3 and #4 drank about 4 ounces each...I should say Gobbled 4 ounces each, they LOVED it. I diluted it by half water and gave the baby three ounces but so far he only drank one...that is ok, he got a little green in there. When ever I do GREEN DRINKS...I feel so much better.

This leads me to my question. Why do we do that to ourselves? When we know something is good for us (even in this case, tastes good), why do we deprive ourselves? I don't know, but I am resolved to try and do better.

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

P.S.

:) Zoey is in the love Zone again. And sorry I detoured any of you from doggy world. I am not really a Roll with the punches kind of girl...so poo on my foot at 5 am didn't go well. But it all cleaned up just fine and in 7 months this is only the second poo inside and the pee has been easily cleaned up and only happened 4 times. My children make 10 times that many bodily fluid messes for me and I am keeping all of them ;) And none of them give me the constant and faithful love Zoey does! :)

Oh Crap!!!

October 09, 2010 (Middle of the night/morning ;)

Can someone remind me why I got a dog? Because at 5 am when I woke up to make the baby a bottle and stepped in one of FOUR piles left in the night on the 15 square feet of carpet in the main part of the house (OF COURSE the tile or laminate floor weren't pooping options...) I am wondering, pondering WHY DID I GET A DOG?

Since her inception into our family this "Rescue" dog has been more expensive than a full bred by far. Don't get me wrong, I love her. But at 5:36 am after cleaning up all the poop and let me tell you with OCD that is a chore (not your usual scoop and scrub a little)...I am just a little more than a little miffed.

The vet says he thinks her hives (battling them for months) are not from the grass after all but from the kennel...which she hasn't had to sleep in since he said that. But guess what? HIVES...WELCOME HOME! ERG!!!! I want to scream, but I can't even do that since the house all slept through, both the crying baby, and the poopy dog mess being cleaned with my little green machine...ODDS are in my favorite that any noise would tip the quiet balance in my home...so here I VENT! It reminds me of the lyrics to the country song...WHAT WAS I THINKING? I am sure a couple more hours of sleep and the carpet drying and vinegar wearing off will shed new light onto the situation. Well, I am not SURE, but I hope so. If it doesn't...anyone want a dog?

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

My Blog got the stomach virus...

First of all...

First things first...to clear up any confusion that anyone (AW...not that I am pointing fingers) had...I AM NOT PREGO!!! They make stuff to prevent that now ;) Ok, actually, I would totally have a baby right now...but DH is the hold out and he is an important factor in that process. He will tell you he is THEE important factor in that process. If you lend your ear, he may even tell you that he and I quote "Does all the hard work..." and I "just have the baby and take all the credit!" LOL... Maybe you can't laugh out loud because you know me and are still trying to wrap your brain around the idea of my family adding one more blessing to our plate...Don't worry...It isn't you and I ASSURE YOU...It will be fine! But regardless, that isn't on the menu this week anyway...

With that said, STOMACH FLU is a real drag...especially the kind that has a 48 hour gestation and only hits one or two family members at a time so you find yourself cleaning up bodily yuck for days and days... My poor Blog suffered immensely from the stomach flu the past week! So much for that desire I had to write EVERY SINGLE DAY! My streak is gone... I will have to start from scratch. For those of you with OCD...or CDO as I like to call it (alphabetical...if you have it...you understand)... Anyway, for those of you with it, you know what a frustrating stress it is to have missed blog days and have to start a new running streak...

Since I not only have OCD but and intensely AR husband (that is anal retentive incase you didn't know)...I don't really say "I'm on VACATION", until I get home...funny guy thinks someone wants the "hand me down" clothes, the dirty sheets, and the closet full of diapers (well, actually the diapers are worth a lot of money). Anyway, I did speak a little of my trip on my OPEN (gasp) blog...but not enough to get our sheets, towels and silverware ($.99/6 packs from Walmart) mugged.

Now that I am home...permission to speak freely!

What a wonderful trip (of course sans the vomit and other end unmentionables!)

The Z00

A hike

The Pumpkin Patch

Park Days (Several)

School Times

Art Journaling

Cookies

Making Pizza

Concrete Creations in DL's Back yard

Friends and Family visits

Grandma/pa M's house

Mission Reunion

Temple visit

General Conference

Discovery Museum

ER (one of these last two I am sure gave us the FLU!!!)

What a great trip. Thank you to the L. Family for putting us up and putting up with us! We had such a wonderful time, so did "Z" our Darling Dog! She is now depressed and missing her new friend I think! I am grateful for my many blessings. I am grateful for hail and lightning. I am grateful for rain and Subway sandwiches....and KNEADERS! What a wonderful way to end September. To all my family and friends, I miss you already!

Shout out to DL...Happy Birthday My Friend, I hope you had a great one!!! :)

Halloween is around the corner!!! I can't wait!!!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

What do you get when???

What do you get when you cross one ER visit, with two mothers, 8 children and a week long sleepover? No sleep and a lot of puking!

It has been an interesting week! We have been battling the stomach flu and I will be glad when it is gone for good. Last night DH and I and my friend we were visiting with were up with Darlings #2 and #3... (thank you to her for all the help!!!)

That still leaves Darling #1 and Darling #4...not looking forward to more of this...UGH!

Today, however I was grateful for the rain I was able to witness!
I was grateful to hear thunder.
I was grateful for baby hugs.
I was grateful for a yummy turkey and cranberry sauce sandwich for dinner....
Even in the midst of the stomach virus...
I am blessed!
Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2010

A Day of Rest...

Today was our semi-annual general conference. We had a wonderful time with one of my brothers' family...big breakfast, great messages, and later a huge family dinner with another brother's family too. I love family so much. I am so blessed with so much wonderful family and it was such a good day. One of the favorite things I heard was Forgiveness is Forgiveness! It is so important to really forgive when we do...which some can do easily and others struggle with...but the hardest of all is forgiving ourselves and one of the talks I loved talked about the importance of forgiving ourselves! Another talk I loved addressed how important it is to have real conversations not just texts and emails...I love that the counsel is so applicable to the time we live in! :)
Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2010

Run like the wind!

Our darling dog spent the day with us today. She had to stay outside because Gma-M has kitties...but she loved running and playing with us and it was so fun to watch her get excited. We enjoyed the day...
The night was filled with fun times too...Petting Zoo, Corn Maze, Pony Ride, slides and MORE! Cousins, Aunties, Best Friends and Gma-W. What a great day! But the gang was in desperate need of baths!
Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010

A LONG NIGHT...

We had a busy and eventful day. Then Friday night Darling Grandma M. took our four oldest children for a sleepover. My DH and I went to a reunion with our Darling #5 for my DH's mission. It was a lovely night until the puking ensued. I just wanted to cry. AND UtOh...guess what that means...you guessed it...more to come!
Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

A Better Day...

I hadn't seen my sweet heart for a few days and we were reunited today. So happy to be together. We took the kids to an amazing Science museum! They were crying when we left 3 hours later! Tired tonight. Guess I didn't fully recover yet from the stomach flu that affected my south side! Now I have a headache too. But I did have a delightful day! So I am grateful for that and being back together with my sweetheart.

Happy Birthday Grandma Goudy/Nash (She would have been 90 this year...I miss her!)

P.S. A.W. & D.P. thanks for the love! I miss you and hope I can see each of you soon!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Oh NO!!!

Sick, Sick, Sick..
Bleh!!!
Hope I feel better soon!
Make it a great day! Only YOU can!

Orange is in the air...

Yesterday (Sept 27, 2010) was a funny school day...
We started art journals...
We listened to spooky music...
The children did a "spook house" for us...
And we learned about the life cycle of the pumpkin...
My kind of day!!!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!


HAPPY FALL!!! (TODAY...SEPT. 28, 2010)
Fall was my mother's favorite time of year. She loved California but missed having seasons (she grew up in Kansas). She was most in her element when she could go to the East Coast to see her brother (My Unlce Tommy), enjoy the fall leaves, bask in the crisp evenings and hug her niece. Things are slower where he moved to, and people actually do sit on back porches and chop wood, string peas and chat. The Piggly Wiggly serves nothing healthy, but it is so yummy and there is a sense of community. Neighbors know one another and care about one another. I have enjoyed the visits there so much and hope someday to take my children to visit. Mother loved each of us kids (for those who don't know our family well, many she acquired as teenagers...but her love was endless and knew no boundaries.)

This is naturally why fall and the change (which hasn't happened yet in California) of weather and leaves always takes me back to mom. I think of hot chocolate, which we never ran short on, mom kept boxes of it in the pantry. The smell of halloween, cinnamon, pumpkins comes to mind. She threw some of the best halloween parties. Pumpkin carving, Bobbing for apples, witches brew, and ghoulish treats where the menu of the day. Laughter and spooky music. Even the year before her death she dressed up for, and amazingly got my father too as well. Then they took grandchildren trick or treating. What a fun memory. And when I look at the pictures of my two pirate parents I smile.

This time of year is when our church does something called General Conference. We are instructed by church leaders about matters like coming closer to Christ, being better mothers and fathers, wives and husbands. We are taught to be aware of our behaviors and to be the kind of friend we want others to be to us. The simple truths of the scriptures are expounded to us every 6 months, OCTOBER, and APRIL..and then of course every week at church as well. But October conference was especially close to mom's heart. She loved times with my oldest sister, going to conference instead of just watching the satelite broadcast. Her Cedar Breaks trip with my sister and brother in law and the times she had traveling with one of her best friends, LP, were found memories to her.

I hope my children will be able to remember the happy halloween, Thanksgiving and fall memories that their grandmother established for them and I hope that they will continue in the festivities and make new ones as well. Happy Fall everyone!

What reaches you?

The human is such an interesting creature...

Unlike the rest of the animal kingdom, our array of emotions is so wide spread. We feel love, hate, sorrow, gratitude, exhaustion, exilaration, happiness, sadness...and so on. Sometimes we clog up, close off and don't allow ourselves to feel anything. Other times we feel so much that we can't control it...it just bubbles over and out of us...anger, laughter, tears...both the sad and the joyful kind.

When I think of my mother I often experience this bubbling over of emotions. The tears still flow and this January she will have been gone from this earth 3 years. But usually I am not crying because I am depressed, or falling apart. Usually the tears follow something wonderful, like my daughter's baptism, a son's birthday party or some memorable event that she would have been to, were she physically present. I miss her. I miss her tender hugs and just cuddling up to her...which YES I still did at 35. Sometimes when Darling husband worked late and she stayed over we would lay in bed and hold hands and talk. I love those times, and when I think of them now a tear forms. It forms because of the gratitude that wells up in me that I had those opportunities, and it forms because I know it will be a long time before she and I are together again, at least I HOPE that my time on this earth is much longer to raise my own children.

Thinking and feeling, acting and reacting can separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom. And then there are the times we lose control and act like nothing more than animals. We degrade and tear down and we might as well be beasts, fighting in the jungle in the survival of the fittest. As I look at my life, the older I get, the more determined I am that I want to do better, be better. And though I am a "back slider" at times, I am trying. Even if it is two steps forward, one step back, at least I am making some ground.

Today I had the bubbling over emotion. We were sitting in Sunday School and discussing Isaiah. For those familiar with the Old Testament, he is no easy read. But I love Isaiah. I love the metaphors and descriptions that he uses. I love his passion for testifying of Christ. As we spoke of this my eyes welled up with tears. Do I have that kind of passion for my testimony? Am I willing to shout it from the house tops and not worry whom I offend? Well, I don't want to offend anyone, but I do hope my friends and loved ones know, I am firm in my faith that God our Heavenly Father, and his Beloved Son Jesus Christ love us...ALL OF US...Yes, that is right, the Muslim and the Christian, Black and White, Bond and Free...ALL ALIKE UNTO GOD. I love that. I am not perfect, but I do love freely and without reservation. I hope my friends will always feel that love, and not just the friends that share my faith, but all my friends. I love that bubbling over emotion, which I believe often is a fruit of the Spirit (Holy Ghost) that reminds us, we are human, this experience is real, and we are God's children and he is very close. I am so grateful for those deep feelings, even the ones that make me cry...because they remind me who I am, where I came from and where I hope to go after this life.

For those reading this that know me...KNOW THIS...you are loved so much! On my love you can rely!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!