Chris hosted our 3rd annual murder mystery dinner which took place on a cruise to the Bermuda Triangle. The dinner was fabulous (Chris baked a dinner inside a pumpkin), plus salads, artichoke dip, bacon muffins, and trifle to top it off. Mary or actually Marilyn Moore ended up getting murdered by the devious Zyra aka Tonya and we all laughed our heads off and the antics and accent of the European treasure hunter Hans, otherwise known as Jon. But the accent was quite authentic. Thanks Chris for a wonderful evening!!
there's nothing more fun than some girl time! mom, chris and i went up to jen's for some scrapbooking, talking, eating out, talking, movie watching and we even made christmas gifts. yeah, i'm feeling sooo on top of my game about that. we got in a morning run and talked until 3 in the morning. jen, you're the best!! thanks for the fun!
one of the best parts of life is being a mother. and the best part of mother's day is hearing from all her kids. thanks guys...for the calls and notes. you have a habit of blessing my life over and over and over!
i love conference weekend. i love hearing the talks, i love the music, i love being able to take notes while listening in comfy clothes, and i love the girl's night out while the guys go to the priesthood session. girls-thanks for everyone taking the time to make dinner even though you are all busy with moving-either unpacking, cleaning or hunting for a house. we definitely need to do an over- nighter. so check your calendars and let's make a plan! i just wish tonya and val could have joined us. love you all!
Welcome to the world Emma Jean! We're all so glad you've arrived safely. Although there is something wrong with this picture....wrong grandma!! (Sorry mamma Lou) but it's going to be a whole month until we get to go out to Memphis (yeah....work really gets in the way of life sometimes!) But we're thrilled you're here.
it was 50 degrees today and there was sunshine and it's march and it feels like SPRING! i put away my snow pictures and put out my tulips. there's something invigorating about spring being here- or at least in hoping that spring is here. either way go celebrate!
last night we went to the banff film festival. we saw some films on people who were passionate about doing things that just blow me away. one man rode a tandem bike from alaska to argentina (it took him over 2 years), a group that kayaked down african rivers where the safest places were the waterfalls and rapids (the real danger was the hippos and crocodiles), another woman rowed a sailboat alone across the altlantic, and of course there was skiers and snowboards doing amazing things. now i'm not motivated to do any of that but i am moved by their passion... their passion to squeeze life to it's fullest, to push themselves beyond what they ever believed they could do and to experience things i only read or watch. so it's made me think about my passions. yes, teaching is a big passion of mine (now there's adventure at it's peak) but do i seek to really push myself to a different level? do i seek out new things at all? i'd love to hear what your passions are!
it's been a wonderful birthday...full of family and friends and phone calls...which is exactly what makes it wonderful. thank you all for making me feel so loved...there is no greater gift.
i've been contemplating for the last week about my life, where i am, who i am and where i want to be going. it seems that to really 'keep living' we need to constantly be growing, progressing, moving in some direction. hopefully it's a direction that leads to eternal joy but that doesn't necessarily mean it's an easy direction. growth seldom is easy, and true celestial glory comes at a price. but life is good and i'm embracing getting older. i am grateful for the abundance of blessings i have been given. my life's like the song that says 'i'm sipping my plate cuz my cup's overflowing'. i want this blog to reflect my blessings and the things i hope to learn this year. i'm planning on an adventure and am glad i have all of you to take the ride with.
one thing that's wonderful about winter is it gives me time to nest at home. i love coming home after work and just reveling in the 'home-iness'. whether it's sitting in front of the tv with my laptop and scrapbooking, or finding a spot of sun on the couch after church and curling up with a book and an afternoon to read. the walls are full of memories and each view has a bit of something i love. it's all a bit of heaven of which i am so grateful for.
valentine's day and sunday....what a nice combination. it started with breakfast made by shawn. blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, juice and strawberries. thank you shawn, what a sweetheart you are. oh, and did i mention the sweet card? yeah, that completed the meal. so thoughtful. then calls and texts, a great church service and dinner at my oma's. allen got home from grand junction just in time for all of us to watch amazing race. what a great way to finish off the day. oh and another gift from allen (along with the beautiful flowers i received at school) chips and pop! yeah the way to my heart is definitely food...especially food i don't have to cook! thank you family, you make my life full of goodness and blessings. mmmm....another magic day.
today was a doing day. i cleaned closets, organized bins, ironed, sealed the countertops, scrapbooked my school beach pictures, had chris, rob and kids over for lunch (they brought pizza-thanks guys) did laundry, cleaned bathrooms and vacuumed. i feel a little tired but realized during the day how much i enjoyed working. i agree with Pres. McKay who said "work is a blessing". and what a great feeling it is to accomplish something. there is great joy and a replenishing of spirit in finishing projects. such magic in a day.
well LOST started and it's now week 2 and i'm as lost as ever in that show. i usually work on my computer while i watch a show and i've decided there's no way i can do that. if i miss one little comment i'm even more lost and then dad has to clue me in...which he's getting kind of tired of doing. so if anyone has any insights as to what's going on, bring it on, I'd LOVE to hear them!
One of the wonderful things about family is that you can share happy times, tough times, sad times and in sharing those experiences you not only become closer and stronger, but that those memories take on more meaning because you went through them together. Thank you all for adjusting your schedules to be at grandpa's funeral. I know Val and Tonya would also have been there in a heartbeat and I love you all for the role you took. Whether saying a prayer, sharing a memory, or staying home to take care of children. You all are amazing people and I feel blessed to know that whatever may come our way, we are all in this together. I love you all!
well mary and i are doing a deal that we won't eat any sugar except for one day a week. whoever messes up has to pay up $10. i think chis is joining us too. anyone else want to join? so i'll have to chronicle this journey. the goal is to become healthier, have more energy and look dang good. i'm usually only good for 2 weeks, ok maybe that's an exaggeration....maybe 2 days. but i'm a woman of great faith so i'm expecting great things.
it's sunday and i want you to know how much i love this day. i think sundays are one of the great blessings the Lord gave us. it's a day that nourishes me, gives me time to reflect, sometimes a day to heal but most of all a day to be fed by the spirit. this week grandpa died and it has all the more caused me to reflect on life and what it's all about. why we have to go through the things we do, how do we go through hard things and what we learn from those things. elder scott said this: "as you walk to the boundary of your understanding into the twilight of uncertainty, exercising faith, you will be led to find solutions to the challenges of life you would not obtain otherwise. no matter how strong your faith is, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. rather He will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you. your exercise of faith will forge strength of character available to you in times of critical need. such character is not developed in moments of great challenge or temptation. that is when it is used."
in section 24 of the d&c the Lord tells joseph to be patient in his afflictions because he would have many. not exactly great news to joseph, but the next lines says "but endure them for I am with thee." that's a little more comforting, but there's no there's no promise of ease. apparently those afflictions are our training ground, our boot camp, the way we get strong. an opportunity to prove ourselves to ourselves. elder scott says: strong moral character results from consistent correct choices in the trials and testing of life. such choices are made with trust in things that are believed and, when acted upon, will be confirmed as true. God uses your faith to mold your character.
so family....carry on, endure well. we are all learning together...and we are all learning from each other.
If you're looking for a fun evening have i got news for you. yes, it's called 'cootie'! bekah and kyle had game night last night with gamma and gamps and talk about having FUN! forget about wii's, forget about disneyland...cootie has it all. action, creativity, and most of all, lots of small plastic pieces. i know you're all thinking, i can't wait to go to gamma and gamps so i can play too. and what i say to you is: it's definitely not for the weak in heart, but if you want the ride of your life, bring your trash talking and we're on!
"To shorten winter, borrow some money due in Spring."this morning as i was looking outside, even though it's snowing i could imagine all the happy times we've had out there. summer meals where we're talking and laughing and the little kids are squealing as jared swings them around. picking raspberries and grapes for my breakfast. reading under the canopy of grape leaves in the gazebo while bees are humming. you know, life is good.... even if the memories are covered with a blanket of snow right now. waiting to make more memories together is a wonderful anticipation.
it's been snowing all morning but hey, it's going to get rid of all the goop we've been breathing so i don't mind at all. but i saw this picture and just had to send it along, because sometimes winter just feels like this!
I'm not sure if anyone will read this since i know no one expects me to be writing, but my new goal is to step up keeping in touch with everyone this year. i was reading some other blogs today and thought it was a shame not to be participating instead of just spectating. so this is my beginning effort. we're about 1/2 through with the first month of the year. i hope everyone is working on reading the Book of Mormon together. my beginning is a bit dismal...i'm only on 1 Nephi 14, but it's a start. anyone else joining in? well i'm going to figure out how to add a picture and hopefully next time i'll have one. love you all. mom
