Daydreams and Reality

Biology and Valentine's Day.....

2012-02-14T10:21:00.007-05:00

Since being at Eric and Alena's in December I have wanted to make my own yogurt. Okay, that may sound weird, but Alena makes her own and I thought it would be great to give it a try. I use Greek yogurt everyday in my smoothie (recipe for yogurt and my smoothie can be found on my blog: http://sharingtheyums.blogspot.com ) and frankly, I think it's pretty expensive. If I could make my own at a significant savings I would be thrilled. That brings me to the biology part of this post; yesterday I started the yogurt making process. It just takes 1 gallon of milk (I used skim) and 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt (you've got to get the active cultures from somewhere). It takes the whole day, though your actual work time is only 30 minutes. Last night before going to bed I put the yogurt in the fridge to drain.

Now on to the rest of the story....I have developed sort of an obsession with trying to keep one step ahead of Kenneth. I have discovered that it is impossible...I keep trying...and so far...he's always been ahead of me! This Valentine's Day is no exception! We both agree this holiday is pretty overrated, I mean, it's sort of a "forced" day to be nice to your sweetheart. People who may ignore their spouse all year long suddenly rush out to buy flowers, chocolates and a card...all in an attempt to make up for the other 364 days. In our case I feel like every day is Valentine's Day. I am with the most wonderful man whom I adore and feel completely loved and cherished by. We spend tons of time together; dining, watching movies while snuggled on the sofa, hours are spent talking and planning our future, we laugh and play and simply enjoy this wonderful gift we have been given. Every day he makes me feel special and hopefully I am doing the same for him. So how in the world could Valentine's Day top what I already have?

While shopping on Saturday I bought a card for Kenneth! I was ahead of the game! Last night just as we were going to bed I placed the card on Kenneth's desk so he would see it first thing this morning. I went to sleep "knowing" I would surprise him and...and I "knew" he had done nothing...victory was mine! As we woke up this morning we wished each other a happy Valentine's Day and then Kenneth said he wanted to go see the yogurt. What? Why? I knew I was curious to test it, but him??? So we headed to the kitchen where this beautiful pot of azaleas and a very sweet card awaited me! He won! While I was sleeping he had gotten up and not only put my gift out, but also had seen the card for him the night before! I am already plotting to surprise him for his birthday!!! Will I succeed???

After our exchanging of gifts we did check on the yogurt! As if by magic there was thick, rich Greek-style yogurt in my fridge. I compared it to my store bought yogurt and it looks and tastes exactly same....yippee for science...for biology...I have a new skill that I will use over and over.

A weekend of fun and adventure.....

2012-02-07T09:17:00.043-05:00

Ron and Jan (Kenneth's brother and sister-in-law) came from Utah for a long weekend with us. This trip was a surprise for Jan. Ron is so creative; each day there was a little clue, written as a poem, left on Jan's mirror. One of the clues told her to pack for warm weather....I'm afraid she was thinking they were going to Hawaii. It wasn't until an hour before they left for the airport that it was announced they would be traveling to Arizona to be with us. I didn't want her to be disappointed so when we picked them up I had a fake flower leis to put around her neck...I figured that along with the palm trees that are here would make her feel like she was close to Hawaii....! Friday evening we had dinner at home and watched the first in the Bourne movie series. Saturday morning Ron and Jan made breakfast for us: yummy Swedish pancakes and bacon. We then drove onto Sedona. Ron and Jan had never been there. What follows are those pictures. I was using the "good" camera this day...having lots of fun playing around and taking tons of pictures. This is one of my goals for this year to be able to take good quality pictures. This was lots of fun for me!

Ron impressing us with his muscles that are shaped like the mountains....

Jan capturing Ron's muscles on her camera!!

A cactus in bloom..

I love this bridge...

Artwork inside the Catholic church...

I thought these candles inside the church were fun to photograph...

Brothers! It is so wonderful to see Kenneth with his family. They are so happy to see each other and have a genuine love for each other. It was fun to listen to them talk about growing up together and the many fun stories.

Ron and Jan...what a sweet and wonderful couple.

Rock stairs we climbed up....

That evening we ate leftovers and watched the 2nd and 3rd Bourne movies. We were all tired from the long day......

Before they every arrived Ron planned that he and Kenneth would make Sunday dinner...and they did! We had delicious Rice Krispy Chicken, mashed potatoes and salad. Dessert was a Swedish recipe that they now call vacuum cleaner cookies. There is a story that goes with the recipe. These are supposed to be a shaped cookie and their mom would use the vacuum cleaner tube to shape the cookies because it had the right curve to it.

Here are the guys in action: Ron peeling potatoes...

Jan patiently waiting at the table....

Ron modeling my apron...

Kenneth ready to cut the potatoes...

The potatoes now going into the pan to boil....

Salt and pepper in hand....ready to season the chicken..

Our dinner was so good. It was fun watching the boys cook together and nice not having to cook. Monday we slept in and I made smoothies for our breakfast. We next walked around our neighborhood and played a little basketball together. It was sad to take them to the airport and send them home. I am so blessed to be part of this wonderful family. Thank you Ron and Jan for coming to see us....we are blessed to have had this time with you both!

December 2011: Christmas in Utah....

2012-02-07T08:59:00.015-05:00

I now have a few more pictures from our time in Utah. This is Ron and Clifford, Kenneth's dad.
Kenneth's mom, Els-Marie...

Jan and her son, Matt with me on Christmas Eve.

Lars with his little girls.

Yvonne in her traditional Swedish clothing....

Sonja in her traditional clothing....

Finishing up dinner...

Joel and Laila at their home...where we had Christmas Eve dinner. It was a fun night getting to know everyone better and learning some Swedish traditions.

Welcome to our world.....

2012-02-07T08:41:00.005-05:00

The newest addition to our family is little Eve Shalice, born January 30th. She weighed 5 pounds 13 ounces . She is tiny, tiny, tiny!!!

Eve with her Papa...
Eve with me...

The Snowflake, Arizona Temple...

2012-02-01T00:14:00.010-05:00

This year our ward's theme is: Focus on the Temple. This is in prepartion for the completion of the Gilbert Arizona Temple (which is about a year away). I have set a goal to attend the temple each week of this year. Today we were at the Snowflake Temple. It is about 3 1/2 hours from our home. We went again with Ron and Jill. This temple sets up on a hill and looks lovely as you drive up towards it.

We took this picture after our session...it was a little windy...

Ron and Jill.

On the east side of the temple there is this arbor. It beautifully frames the view of the valley.

Each time I enter the temple I am touched by the Spirit. I am so thankful that I live close to a temple and have the opportunity to serve others within those sacred walls. I am reminded of what the temple is ~

"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.." ~ D& C 88: 119

December 2011: A sweet message...

2012-02-01T00:10:00.003-05:00

Due to an accident Kenneth's dad had we were in Utah for several weeks to help his parents. While there it snow, a little, and it was fun to wake up and see white covering the ground.

I was also touched by this message Kenneth left for me.....

Thanksgiving 2011: Dinner and cookies....

2012-01-31T23:12:00.013-05:00

Thanksgiving; what can I say, except it is a whole lot of work and a lot of family fun. We had a housefull again this year. Three of Kenneth's kids where here with their families....that made 8 adults and 9 children for dinner. The star of the night was our 24 pound turkey. It took three men to lift the bird out of the baking pan and onto a platter!

While adults slaved away in the kitchen three cousins were having fun. Here are Matthew, Ethan and Joshua who were caught on camera while watching a movie!
I believe dinners should be special events...memorable...a dining experience..not just a meal. I found various quotes on gratitude and thanksgiving and put them around the table. Candle light was created with assorted glass containers filled with wheat and topped off with a candle.

After dinner we all told what we were grateful for and took turns reading the quotes. It helped me remember that gratitude is more important than wants!

I made place-cards for everyone.

In Arizona it is warm enough to have dinner on the patio. Here we are after filling our plates and getting ready to devour our meal.

Karley loooovvees her papa!

A little candle light after the sun has set.

The next day was cookie making day with Alyssa, Ethan, Karley and Haley!

Haley really enjoyed her cookie!

Yum-O!

We might as well all have one! This was so much fun with the kids!

November 2011: A baby shower for Courtney...

2012-01-28T23:18:00.010-05:00

Just before Thanksgiving we had a shower for Courtney at my house. Everything for Carson's room is about sports. So I made a cake to celebrate.

Ashley made this cute "B" for Carson's room.
Courtney got lots of night gifts....Carson won't need clothes for a long time!

The proud parents-to-be!

November 2011: A dam, vegas and two temples....

2012-01-28T22:42:00.020-05:00

Our friends, Ron and Jill, invited us to go with them on a temple trip. Jill is one of the first friends I had in Arizona. Before Kenneth and I met face-to-face he had me call and talk to Jill. Kenneth had home taught them for years and Jill was one who could confirm that Kenneth was NOT the Texas-chainsaw-massacre guy...she could confirm that he was truly the wonderful man he presented himself to be....and that he really did his home teaching!

Us, somewhere near the Arizona/Nevada border. What a view!
The Hoover Dam...we spent several hours there. What an engineering marvel.

This is the new bridge that crosses over the river. It has only been open for a little over a year.

This is picture doesn't do justice to how high up this bridge really is. We walked all the way across. I think it was about a quarter of a mile across...maybe even more.

A view of the Hoover Dam from the bridge.

Our first stop was Las Vegas....Sin City. After cooking dinner in our condo we drove down to the "Strip." It was flashy and showy, but has ZERO appeal to me. In fact, I didn't like being there. Talk about a worldly place?...this is it!

The next morning we headed across town to the Las Vegas Temple. What a contrast to the Strip. Holiness and worldliness only miles apart.

Ron and Jill outside the Las Vegas Temple.

We drove onto St George, Utah where we spent the second night. The next morning we attended the temple at 6:30 am. Much to our surprise Kenneth's nephew, Travis, was in the same session. How random. He had been at our house two weeks earlier. Our trip to go the second night to St George was a last minute decision so we did not let Travis know we would be there. We knew we would not have time to visit with him. It was great to see him.

Brigham Young's summer home in St George.

On our drive home we drove through Jacob's Lake in northern Arizona and found beautiful wintry scenes! We covered a lot of ground in three days and it was so worth it!

October 2011: Flagstaff and Lowell Observatory...

2012-01-28T22:16:00.015-05:00

We left home on Halloween morning for Flagstaff. It is about a 3 hour drive north of us. It was a perfect fall day. Our destination was Lowell Observatory. This is historic place is actually where the planet Pluto was discovered. It is a research institution founded in 1894 by Percival Lowell. After dark there were telescopes and tour guides helping you with observing various objects. We saw Jupiter and four of its moon. Amazing! Every time we do stargazing my testimony of Heavenly Father's creations is expanded and deepened. We spent a few days in the Flagstaff area and stayed in a friend's cabin. What a great little getaway.

For more information you can go to their website:

http://www.lowell.edu/

As we were walking around I heard a woodpecker...

and here he is.

This is the actual telescope used by Percival Lowell.

Looking down onto Flagstaff.

The burial tomb of Percival Lowell.

September 2011: Camping again....

2012-01-28T22:08:00.007-05:00

We had had a few stressful weeks and on the spur of the minute decided that an overnight in the desert would be just the thing we needed. We were out the door in a couple hours. Kenneth made a quick trip to WalMart and came home with this "luxury" item for me! I was actually really happy he bought this....really happy!!!

Getting the telescope ready for the night.

Absolutely beautiful scenery as the sun goes down!

New birthday tradition...

2012-01-27T21:45:00.004-05:00

Within the next two months Kenneth and I will have 22 grandchildren. Only half of them live near us. It will be a challenge to have a relationship with each of them, especially the ones that we aren't able to see very often. With that in mind, as each child has a birthday we will do a personal interview with each of them. Obviously the littlest ones will have their questions answered by their parents. The results of the interview and a current picture will be posted on this blog. We will also make a cute copy of the interview and send it to the parents to keep forever. This will be a great way for aunts, uncles and cousins to get to know each other.

We plan to continue this process until....well...until we are too old to blog!

So here's the first birthday for 2012.

Anya is the princess for the day.....

2012-01-27T21:28:00.009-05:00

Anya Addison just turned four years old.

Today she spent the afternoon with Papa Kenneth and me. I told her for her birthday she got to be Princess for the day. She was excited and even wore her princess dress from Halloween. There was a little tiara to go with the special occasion.

I picked her up and she was ready to go.

We made a little birthday cake and somehow frosting ended up on her face!
She was thrilled with the results.

We also spent time coloring and going to our playground.

Here is her birthday interview:

How old are you: 4

What is your favorite...

color: purple & pink

smell: chicken

food: chicken nuggets

drink: water

thing to do with dad: wrestle

thing to do with mom: watch a movie

movie: Little Mermaid

game: Memory game

Primary song: Jesus wants me for a sun-BEEP

treat: cookies

vegetable: green ones

What do you love about Cara: she shares with me

What do you love about Harrison: I like to play with him

What do you want to be when you grow up: a mommy

Who is your best friend: Cara

What makes you happy: my dad

Five important things about you: I am happy, helpful, a good sister, cute and silly

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANYA!

September 2011: The Hee-La Valley Temple....

2012-01-27T08:44:00.005-05:00

I have to explain something....I'm not from Arizona and I don't speak Spanish. Here's a question: when you see the word "Gila" what does your brain think? Does it say, "oh, that says Hee-la!" or does it say "Gill-A?" Well, until I got educated, my brain said "Gill-A." (Sorry...G doesn't make an H sound where I'm from.) Now for the real story... We took a little overnight trip to The Gila Valley Temple. This is just about a 3 hour drive for us. The Gila Valley is beautiful and filled with agriculture. Have you heard of Pima cotton?...well they grow a lot of cotton in these parts. Below is a view of the temple from a cotton field. This valley is also where President Spencer W. Kimball grew up and established his career before being called as an Apostle. This little temple is absolutely lovely and we really enjoyed our time there.

August 2011: Casa Grande Ruins....

2012-01-27T08:29:00.011-05:00

Casa Grande is located about 40 minutes south of our home. This was a great Saturday adventure. The following description is from the official website. For more info: www.nps.gov/cagr/index.htm
An Ancient Sonoran Desert People's farming community and "Great House" is preserved at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. Created as the nation's first archeological reserve in 1892, the site was declared a National Monument in 1918. The Casa Grande was abandoned around 1450. Since the ancient Sonoran Desert people who built it left no written language behind, written historic accounts of the Casa Grande begin with the journal entries of Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino when he visited the ruins in 1694.

July 2011: Harrison turns ONE.....

2012-01-27T08:18:00.003-05:00

This is Harrison, Ashley and Brian's son. In July he turned one and we attended his birthday party. As is typical, a one-year old is given their own little cake. Most babies will touch it, poke it, play with it and maybe taste it, but Harrison devoured his. This little guy planted his face into the side and all we could see were his big brown eyes looking over the top. He wouldn't stop. Ashley would just turn the cake once in awhile so that he had a fresh spot to chew on. We as adults stood there watching and laughing so hard that our faces hurt the next day. I have never seen anything this funny at a first birthday. This will always be one of my favorite pictures of Harrison!

July 2011: The great wasp hunter....

2012-01-27T08:08:00.007-05:00

Kenneth reads this blog from time to time and I'm sure he will not appreciate this post....but it's MY blog and I wanted to include this. I hope he adds his comments after reading!!!

Arizona has things called 'paper wasps'. They are annoying little things that live in our landscaping and buzz around everywhere. Kenneth asked me if I could make a 'net' and I did. Once armed with a net he went on the hunt. Let me just say he was successful!

Final score: Kenneth: 100, Wasps: ZERO!

(Well, this isn't the exact score, but it's close)

June 2011: Oklahoma City Memorial....

2012-01-27T07:56:00.012-05:00

Our drive home from KC took us through Oklahoma City. We spent Father's Day evening here at the Oklahoma City National Memorial. It was just blocks from our hotel. What a sombering experience to walk through and remember the day so many lost their lives. There is nothing more for me to say. The empty chairs say it all.

June 2011: My dad's funeral....

2012-01-26T13:13:00.013-05:00

Not long after Kenneth and I were married my dad's health took a turn for the worse. He had had a few problems in the past year, but nothing that wasn't manageable. By March of 2011 he had nearly quit eating and spent his days sleeping off and on. This is why he and my mom came to Arizona in March; it was with the hope that the trip would 'perk' him up. The trip did. While at our home he ate well, enjoyed conversation and the little activities we did. We could tell he was struggling to have energy, but he really was trying. Once back in Kansas City he went right back to not eating and sleeping for hours upon hours. Memorial Day weekend he was admitted to the hospital. He had gotten up twice during the night, disoriented and the second time he was wondering through the house and fell. My mom called paramedics and it was determined he needed help. CJ and Adam went to see him that Sunday afternoon and on their way home they both called to let me know that 'grandpa wasn't doing well' and they were concerned he might not make it. Kenneth and I discussed the situation and decided I needed to be there. The next morning I was on a flight home. The following 17 days were a blur of hours spent in the hospital and helping my mom. Kenneth followed a few days later. I could not have gotten through all of this without his support. Multiple tests were run all without any conclusion of what was wrong with my dad. He wouldn't eat, he slept for long periods of time, he was confused and with it all he became weaker and weaker. A feeding tube was placed to provide nutrition and he was moved to a nursing home. In just over 24-hours after being moved to the nursing home he peacefully left this earth life while CJ and Adam were giving him a blessing. My mom and I were there too. It was the most peaceful experience. He simply left. I remember commenting to my mom at that moment, "think of the reunion that is happening right now. Dad's parents and the grandmother whom he loved so dearly were there to greet him." My mom said, "when you put it that way we should all want to go with him." I miss my dad, but I know with complete confidence that all is well. I know I will see him again and that families are eternal. It will be a tremedous experience when his CJ and Adam can do his temple work for him this summer in the Kansas City Temple.

What a blessing that will be.

The color-guards were from the Kansas City Missouri Fire Department. My dad retired as a captian with the KC fire department.

We had a military service. My dad had served in the Army during the Korean War. After the flag was folded properly a young soldier got down on one knee in front of my mom, handed her the flag and said something like, "a great nation thanks you for his service." This young man was so humble and respectful. Those of us sitting close to my mom were touched to the point of tears. It was one of the most sincere expressions I have seen.

June 2011: Des Moines and cute faces....

2012-01-26T11:00:00.012-05:00

Our time in Kansas City afforded us a two-day trip to Des Moines. Karl and Jessica are living there while Karl is in medical school. We had a great time especially being able to see how much the girls have grown and changed since seeing them in early November. We spent time playing with the girls, had a great Mexican dinner in downtown Des Moines and spent the next day playing darts (that was fun) and went for a long walk and played in the park. We are so lucky we had the time to do this.
This is Camille.

This is Shaylee.

We were entertained by dancing and various gymnatics!

There was time for book reading with their papa!

This is Adalyn. She was just three months old the last time we saw her, now she is a little girl. A few months really makes a big differnece.

Karl and Jessica!

June 2011: While in Missouri.....

2012-01-26T10:53:00.007-05:00

While in Kansas City to be with my father we were able to do a little traveling. On our way to Des Moines we stopped by Adam-Ondi-Ahman. Kenneth loves church history and had never been here before. It was a great experience for both of us.

May 2011: Kenneth's birthday...Kitt Peak...

2012-01-25T18:57:00.018-05:00

Kenneth loves to learn about the solar system, the universe and all that goes with it. For his birthday I wanted to plan something he would really enjoy. He had taken the day off work because he knew I was planning an overnight trip for us. It wasn't until that morning that I told him where we were going. He seemed to be happy when I announced that Kitt Peak was our destination. Kitt Peak is located about 45 minutes south and east of Tucson. It is a world famous observatory located high on a mountain away from city lights. In fact, Tucson has minimal night lighting because of Kitt Peak. As you drive up the mountain you start to see various shapes of observatories rising up.Our adventure began around 6pm. The guides taught us all about the sunset and other details. Kenneth knew what they were talking about...he speaks their intelluctual language. Me, on the other hand, was taking it all in....learning things for the first time.

Many of the observatories are operated by universities who are doing research.

The one below is a solar telescope. I believe one of a few in the world.

As the sun began to set we stood and watched the event, having details pointed out as the sun descended below the horizon. It was amazing.

What I cannot show pictures of, but will try to explain, is that the remainder of the evening was spent learning and observing through these amazing telescopes. We saw star clusters, twin stars, jupiter, and much, much more. We looked at objects hundreds of lightyears away. We were there, on what the guides called, a "perfect observing" night. There was no moon, no clouds, no weather to interfer....only the spectacular sky. We were taken outside, in pitch-blackness, as guides used lasers to point out constellation and the Milky Way. I have never seen so many stars. It was humbling to see the handiwork of God and try to realize all that He has created. We had the best experience and it was so worth the drive. Most of all, Kenneth loved every minute. I wanted his birthday to be special...all about him and what he loves.

June 2011: Fish aren't the only thing that gets filleted....

2012-01-25T17:25:00.007-05:00

You might ask; what is filleting? Well, in simple terms it is when a papa grabs a grandchild, pins them to the ground, holds their legs between his, arms are stretched overhead and held tightly and papa's hand cuts them down the middle of their belly. Sounds very much like torture, but for these kids it is a fun time and a much requested activity. "Fillet me papa" is often heard in our home.

Sometimes I worry papa might get hurt, but so far only his hearing has been damaged by the shrill screams of little kids.

June 2011: Cake decorating and birthdays....

2012-01-25T17:07:00.009-05:00

To everything there is a season and for us May, June and July seem to be the birthday season. Ashley, Mark and Tiffany's birthdays were celebrated together and I thought it would be a fun idea to have their children decorate the birthday cakes for their parents.
There was a lot of frosting used, but even more in the sprinkle department.

Here are the results.....

Finally, the birthday event where each parent was surprised by their deluxe,

personalized creation. The kids were excited and proud of what they had made.

May 2011: KC Temple 5K....

2012-01-25T15:20:00.006-05:00

It still is amazing to me that Kansas City will soon have a temple. Who would have ever thought that would be a reality! I was able to participate with my dear friend and faithful walking partner, Cheryl. We had been in-training for a year...not like 5K is much of a distance, but we were ready!
On our route missionaries and others lined the road passing out water and cheering everyone on to the finish line! I must say Cheryl and I were awesome...we even ran part of the way and pushed ourselves to pass whoever was in front of us.

March 2011: Dribble or am I seeing Double?...

2012-01-25T15:13:00.005-05:00

Joshua (in black) and Matthew (in red) began their first year of basketball. As the way things look now (they are 7 1/2 in these pictures) they should have the right height for the sport.

What a play!

Matthew must be giving some detailed instructions to his teammates!

March 2011: Kadens' 5th birthday.....

2012-01-25T15:02:00.008-05:00

Kaden was so excited with his giant cupcake.
What does every boy need after birthday cake?...to be eaten by his papa!

Awe...the thrill of being devoured!!

Nick has had his share of fun...and mess!

February 2011: Kaden's Kicking and other sporting events...

2012-01-25T14:40:00.012-05:00

Kaden is a four (almost five)-year-old soccer player....ready for the big game.
This boy can run and kick and aims to win!

I decided to show Kenneth and Mark some of my great basketball moves...my backwards-over-the-head-in-the-hoop perfect shot...there are no photos for proof, but I did make it in several times. I don't think they were that impressed...maybe embarrassed it what they were.

Nick showed off his playground skills climbing in and on everything.

Read set kick....

2012-01-25T14:27:00.011-05:00

February 2011: We had the opportunity to attend one of Cara's soccer games.

Yes, at the ripe old age of 4 she is on a team. Whe we arrived I looked around and wondered if we were at the right spot. There were lots of adults and children running around, but I couldn't see any soccer players. Dumb me...they were so little on the field I had missed them!
I think little kids playing soccer is like herding kittens...they go everywhere! All the parents and coaching are cheering them on and they just run...whatever way they want!

Cara's big decision...to kick the ball or not!

Ashley is recording the event for history's sake.

We quickly learned that the best part of soccer is getting a treat and a drink!

Keeping Pace....

2012-01-25T01:24:00.006-05:00

So much for keeping things in order. While in Utah in April we were able to have dinner with one of my most favorite families...the Paces. It was Chloe's birthday and it was fun to celebrate with her.Elizabeth my buddy!

Getting ready to have cake.

A group shot before we headed out the door.

Deanna Rose Petting Farm with Nate & Lily...

2012-01-24T17:29:00.015-05:00

The number one reason for being back in KC was to stay with Nate and Lily while their parents went on a 10-day cruise. It was a long time for them to be without their parents. One day we went to Deanna Rose. The following are important activities that the kids did.

We had to pet some critters...cows to be exact. They loved this cute little calf.

There was some serious tractor riding...

Some time in the saddle....minus the horse this time...

And feeding goats was an absolute must. Lily was fine as long as the goat was polite...

she wasn't so fine when the goats ganged up on her...three goats all after the same bottle

being held by one little girl...

Nate had it all uncontrol....no problems here!

At least they all ended up friends in the end...

Nate wasn't so sure about the horse, in fact he had Lily ride first. He must have been thinking..."If I make Lily go first and she comes back in one piece then it must be safe." Aren't older brothers great....

Lily had so much fun...no hestiations...

Pumping water is fun to do...

even if it takes some strong muscles...

We later delivered cupcakes to my parents.....Lily was wiped out,

but managed to keep the plate on her lap the entire time.

Mother's Day in Kansas City.....

2012-01-24T17:18:00.009-05:00

The last day of my trip to KC was Mother's Day. After going to my parents to wish my mom a happy day we all had dinner at Adam and Laura's (my old house). I love this picture of Logan after he has enjoyed a big piece of chocolate sour cream cake.
As it turned out Emily was in most of the pictures I took. Afterall, she is the youngest there and had changed the most in the six months since I moved away. CJ is known for hogging any and all babies and little children. He wants to be the only one who holds them. It took Emily awhile before she could appreciate her Uncle CJ, but now they're great buddies!

Nathan was just having a good time. He was making Emily laugh.

Adam, the proud daddy of his little girl.

Lily was just being her sweet, little self.

Beth after enjoying her dinner and mother's day.

Laura and Emily...they have the same eyes. And speaking of eyes, I couldn't resist adding this last picture of Emily...precious.

Salt Lake City....April 2011

2012-01-24T13:15:00.027-05:00

So after I made this blog entry my sweet husband gave me a thumb-drive with a million pictures on it. Among those pictures were some of the birthday party event...actually there are a lot. I decided, even though it made this entry out of order, to include some. So here goes!

Below is Yvonne's birthday cake. She loves everything fashionable and so her husband had this made especially for her. The shoe is edible and looks exactly like the pair of shoes he bought for her. The box is just like the real box...only it's cake. Notice the make-up around the bottom...it's edible too. She was thrilled with it all...A beautiful part of the hotel...I really do want to live there, but I think my only chance of spending and extended amount of time would be if they hired me as a maid.
The room where we had the party and our dinner.

Kenneth's parents; Clifford and Els-Marie.

Kenneth's mom and me before the party started.

The birthday girl herself and her husband.

All of us the next morning before breakfast. We had a wonderful time together.

Now I know this doesn't look anything like Salt Lake City, but it's all part of the trip. To this point in my life I had never driven from Arizona to SLC. It's a 10 hour drive full of constantly changing scenery. At the Arizona-Utah border is the Glen Canyon Dam. The completion of this dam created Lake Powell. We spent a couple hours touring the visitor's center and walking across the dam and the bridge over the river.
From the top of the dam to the bottom is a very long way down. We were able to take an elevator to the bottom and see the huge turbins. From the west side you see the Colorado River.

We were in SLC to celebrate Kenneth's sister's fifty birthday. Kenneth's family are from Sweden and in that culture your 50th birthday is a huge event. On our first night we had a family dinner at the Grand America Hotel. It was heavenly food. Unfortunately I did not have my camera and I don't have pictures of the event. However, it was wonderful to sit down with all of Kenneth's family as they shared one story after another.

While in Utah I was able to visit with my former Ricks College roommate, Marylee. We hadn't seen each other in many years and were able to get caught up for an hour or so!

Not only was our dinner at the Grand America our room was also. Though it was early April we still exeperienced winter..snow, wind, cold...the complete package. This is a view from our room.

Our room had the most beautiful bathroom...marble everywhere. I did find time to soak in the tub and relax. Loved it!!

After spending one night here I decided I wanted to live at the Grand America!!

One day we all had lunch together at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. We had the perfect view of the Salt Lake Temple.

Our drive home took us through Manti, Utah. We were unable to attend a session because it was Monday...too bad...we'll do that on the next trip.

These are the Vermillion Cliffs in southern Utah. At the base of the cliffs is what is called the 'honeymoon trail.' Named that because this is the route the pioneers took from Arizona to be married in the St George Temple. I cannot imagine how long and tiring that trip would have been. We are so blessed to have temples dotting the land.

It's really good I have a strong husband. It was super hard for him to hold up this boulder!

As you can see, there are huge boulders everywhere. At one time people actually lived among these rocks. We thought it was interesting and a great little stopping point on our trip.

We drove near Lee's Ferry named for the many who would ferry people across the Colorado River...many of whom were on the 'honeymoon trail.'

Another bridge crossing the Colorado River.

Easter 2011 and a little cake decorating....

2012-01-24T13:14:00.001-05:00

Easter egg hunting for everyone! We had a big dinner and then headed outside for the hunt.

The kids were excited and ready!
Kaden has a basketfull.

Falcon finds a good one as his dad helps him.

An egg in a palm tree? Must be Arizona!

Cara proudly shows off her eggs!

Anya's got plenty too!

This was my attempt at an Easter egg cake...and below are cupcakes for the kids.

We celebrated Shalice's 30th birthday.

March 2011...My parents come for a visit...

2012-01-23T12:57:00.011-05:00

My dad's health had begun to fail. He seemed to have lost the will to live, quit eating, no interest in life. We were able to convince them that a trip to sunny Arizona would be the perfect fix. And..it was. It happened to be during the prime of the baseball pre-season...and dumb me, didn't realize that there are many, many professional baseball teams that play here in the early Spring.

My dad and I made the long drive to Surprise, AZ to watch the Kansas City Royals play. My dad wanted each of us to have a new hat...so I ended up with a cute hat myself.
One night there was an "Old-Timers" All-Star game that we attended. My dad was thrilled to meet up again with Dennis Leonard, former pitcher for the Royals and a family friend.
One Saturday we made the drive to Roosevelt Lake high up in the mountains to the northeast. It was a long drive, but worth the trip. My parents were amazed at how tall the catus grow. We had to snap a picture!

Finally their trip ended with a visit to South Mountain. Kenneth asked my parents to hold hands. I will treasure this picture forever.

Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon in all its glory....

2012-01-23T12:55:00.009-05:00

February 2010 found us on a day-trip several hours north to Sedona. I had only seen a few pictures in a book of the area, but had no clue how breathtakingly beautiful it really is. The photos do not do it justice. The orange color the rock contrasted with the bright blue sky is amazing. It made me wonder if the color was more intense since blue and orange are opposites on the color wheel.

Back in the 70's someone built a church into the side of the mountain. I thought the inside was pretty as the light came through the window.

How about this little, humble home? We thought we would check into buying it...afterall Kenneth would enjoy having his own private observatory! What do you think?

From Sedona we drove up through Oak Creek Canyon. There were amazing views there also. I loved photographing around the bridge that crossess over a deep canyon.

My sweet husband! I love spending time with him.

Higher up we found SNOW! I like snow, especially when it's in little manageable amounts.
I had no clue we would see "winter" weather...I worn sandles that day!! Burr..my toes were freezing.

The canyon ends near Flagstaff. Our day concluded with a Mexican dinner and a long drive home!

South Mountain that's really West....

2012-01-23T12:48:00.005-05:00

Kenneth, from the beginning has helped me get acquainted with the area. One Saturday evening in January 2011 we took a drive west to South Mountain. South Mountain is called that because it is directly south of downtown Phoenix. It is a "park" and from the entrance gate to the top is about 8-9 miles.

From the top you have a great view of Phoenix on the north, Mesa, Gilbert and beyond to the east and Maricopa to the south. We arrived early enough to watch the lights turn on in the city.

We had a beautiful sunset to top off the whole night.

Camping....Me????

2012-01-23T01:06:00.014-05:00

January 2011 was the beginning of an adventure for me. I have learned that camping is fun, especially when it's with Kenneth. He makes every adventure fun. We drove out into the desert about one hour from our home and set up camp in a little area near a creek. Kenneth built a fire, we cooked tin-foil dinners (I've made many of these for my sons but have never eaten one actually cooked in a fire). It was delicious. After the sun set we used the telescope and looked at planets and stars. It is so amazing how, when you get out of the city lights, you see a sky full of stars...thousands upon thousands. I saw the Milky Way for the first time in my life. I learned where Orion and Jupiter are in the night sky. We made our bed in the back of the pickup truck and slept under stars. Before daylight we watched as several satellites raced across the dark sky. The next morning we hiked up the mountain where we found a valley lined with cottonwood trees in their fall colors. I cannot believe that I actually enjoyed this. It was the first of many trips like it.

Welcome to Arizona...

2012-01-23T00:51:00.011-05:00

In December of 2010, just a few weeks after we were married, we had the opportunity to go flying. Kenenth's good friends Cris and Melanie were our pilot and co-pilot. It was fun seeing the Phoenix Valley from the air, though there wasn't much in the way of greenery!!

Sewing Projects....

2012-01-23T00:46:00.006-05:00

Over the past year I sewed gifts for granddaughters and these are a few of those creations.

"Transitions"...now that's an understatement!

2012-01-16T00:06:00.007-05:00

This book "Transitions; Making Sense of Life's Changes" was also given to me by a sister-in-law, Sonja. I selected it to be my read for the month of January (remember I have set goals to accomplish a few things this year and one is a new book per month)! I had to laugh at the title, TRANSITIONS. Let me tell you, Kenneth and I have had more than our expected share in the past 14 months of marriage. We've experienced divorce (before we met), marriage, career changes, basically my retirement, a major move, a car wreck, the death of my father, illness with Kenneth's parents, problems with my old house and more and more. This book was really helpful in that I learned that our reactions have been completely normal...yippie..normal is good!! Recently I looked online for a stress scoring system that assigns a number to life-events. Life-events (changes in life) even good ones have an effect on you and I was curious to see what our score might be. I was shocked to find out that for each of us it was over 300...that's serious stress! We might be qualified for an extended stay in a padded room! But inspite of the changes we continue to turn to each other. There has been stress, but not between us. We pull together and love and support each other. This has been an amazing process. We both feel so blessed to have each other and to be firmly anchored in the Gospel and love and devotion for each other. With all of that said this book really does help you understand the process and stages everyone experiences.

Heaven is for Real...and so it is!

2012-01-16T00:00:00.005-05:00

While in Utah during December my sister-in-law, Laila, gave me this book to read. Once I started I couldn't put it down. It is a straight forward, simply beautiful story of a little boy who experiences Heaven and over a period of time he reveals this to his good parents. It is so honest. I recommend this to all. My faith was increased as I read and considered my own belief in "heaven" and of the plan of salvation.

The new kid on the block....

2012-01-08T07:40:00.003-05:00

On Friday, January 6th Carson Ryder was born to Courtney and Brian. He weighed in at 7 lbs 7 oz and has a head-full of dark hair. It was amazing to be there as my "baby" gave birth to her first baby. Their Eternal family has grown to three...what a joy!!!

Welcome to 2012....and blogging repentance!

2012-01-08T07:11:00.003-05:00

My how time flies. It has been 15 months since I last posted on this blog. I'm changing my ways to now keeping an updated blog. The preceding months have brought about incredible changes in my life; living in a new place, making new friends, leaving behind a busy work life, loosing my father in June and beginning a new life with Kenneth. I am so in love with my husband and am continually humbled that I could be blessed with such a good man to share my life with. I really am blessed.

To start out the new year I have decided to post my goals for this year. I plan on updating my progress once a quarter to help me keep on track. So here goes:

1. Learn about Swedish traditions, foods, etc so that I can pass on this culture to my children and Kenneth's.

2. Organize family pictures and make copies for each of my children

3. Write my personal history

4. Submit 25 family names for temple work.

5. Attend the temple weekly

6. Earn Young Women medallion

7. Make 40 handmade items to sell in a boutique

8. Redecorate our kitchen and master bathroom

9. Read 1 new book per month

10. Walk 20 miles per week or other exercise equal to 5 hours

11. Lose 20 pounds by June 1st

12. Participate in pilates/zumba class at church 1-2 times a week

13. Learn to use our good camera

14. Learn to crochet and make one project

15. Walk up South Mountain by end of year

16. Update blog weekly

17. Learn to use different grains in our bread machine

18. Read the Book of Mormon

19. Read every Sunday School lesson

20. Provide service once a month

21. Cross stitch Christmas pillow and complete other pillows

22. Make 72-hour kits

23. Get the Honor Bee program up and running in our Young Woman's program

24. Continue working on my mother's personal history, type and distribute for Christmas 2012

Do you believe in miracles?

2010-10-13T20:13:00.020-04:00

mir·a·cle –noun
1. an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.
2. such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of god.
3. a wonder; marvel.

There are many who say miracles no longer happen, that anything "miraculous" is simply a culmination of random events. How sad for them! In my life I have experienced or been witness to events that are nothing short of a miracle.

Where to begin the list?
~I'll start with finding the Gospel at age 18
~Four wonderful children who are living the Gospel
~Each of them finding the perfect spouse for them and marrying in the temple
~Seven grandchildren, each of whom is a miracle in their own right
~Having a stable job that made it possible to provide for my family
~Being able to buy a home as a single mom (I never would have thought that possible)
~Ashley suffering a severe spinal cord injury and being able to walk again
~Enduring trials without losing sight of eternity, these are only a few of the many miracles great and small that have blessed my life.

As you can see, I believe in miracles. I know each of these miracles and all others come from our loving Father in Heaven. He wants nothing more than to bless our lives and sometimes he surprises us with that blessing when we least expect it, when we struggle on the edge of faith and wonder if He really knows just how hard our trials might be!

The past couple of years have been difficult ones. I have experienced heartbreak and sadness that left me alone and wondering about my future. Though I was alone I didn't feel lonely. I always knew that my Heavenly Father and my Savior were with me and they had blessed me with loving family and the dearest of friends. I had no complaints, no worries, and with faith I simply put my life into the hands of my Father and Savior. I trust Them to take care of me, no doubts, no questioning, just simple faith. I knew that no matter what life dished out I still needed to be my best, to serve others and live the Gospel to the best of my ability.

I love how Elder Oaks puts it all in perspective,
"Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ prepares us for whatever life brings. This kind of faith prepares us to deal with life's opportunities - to take advantage of those that are received and to persist through the disappointments of those that are lost. In the exercise of that faith, we should commit ourselves to the priorities and standards we will follow on matters we do not control and persist faithfully in those commitments, whatever happens to us because of the agency of others or the timing of the Lord. When we do this, we will have a constancy in our lives that will give us direction and peace. We cannnot have true faith in the Lord without also having complete trust in the Lord's will and in the Lord's timing....Commit yourself to put the Lord first in your life, keep His commandments, and do what the Lord's servants ask you to do. Then your feet are on the pathway to eternal life. You do not know what will happen. Do your best on what is fundamental and personal and then trust in the Lord and His timing."

Now for my miracle! I thought, and had accepted, that I would be alone the rest of my life. I was good with that. I had plans. I had bought new furniture and redecorated my bedroom and living room. I was setting and obtaining some of my personal goals. I was looking at new opportunities within my company! I was totally and completely happy with my life! Then, out-of-the-blue came a wonderful man sent straight from Heaven. Our meeting is nothing short of a divine miracle! He is everything I could have hoped and prayed for. He is the perfect man for me. He loves me. He protects me. He treats me like a queen, something I hoped for, but never dreamed possible. He is kind and loving. He is a worthy Priesthood holder and an incredible man. I love him dearly! He is from Phoenix. He is the father of four wonderful children who are all married to equally wonderful people and there are 12 grandchildren. His name is Kenneth!...how I love saying his name! He is my miracle!

......we are engaged and will be married soon! Miracles do happen, it is all done in the Lord's own time!

Showered with flowers...

2010-10-12T21:56:00.004-04:00

Of late I have been showered with flowers by a very special man. More to come on tomorrow's post!

Cousin love....

2010-10-12T21:53:00.002-04:00

Nathan and Emily having fun!!!

A little trip to Phoenix.....

2010-10-12T21:36:00.005-04:00

My job and a special friend brought me to Phoenix in mid-September and I got to meet little Harrison Joseph...he's so cute! It was also a fun time with Ashley, Cara, Anya and Brian. The girls dressed up, colored pages for me to take home, we shopped and had lunch at a wonderful Olive Grove bistro!! I love Phoenix and hope to be there again soon!

Am I finally a grown up???

2010-10-12T20:55:00.003-04:00

Last fall I got rid of my old living room furniture and started plans to update the decor! I fell in love with the upholstery for the chairs and went from there. For the first time in my adult life I picked exactly what I wanted...having both the chairs and sofa custom upholstered! Once home from the furniture store I called my mother and told her I finally felt like an adult. She was a little surprised at my comment because she thought I would have felt that way after raising four children on my own, buying a home, paying bills, etc...but nope...it took purchasing furniture to increase my maturity level. Who would have guessed it? Anyway, my home feels more welcoming and fresh. I decided to be bold with the wall color as my home needed more excitement....I love this room!

How cute is Emily Grace?

2010-10-12T18:59:00.001-04:00

Emily is such a sweet and joyful baby. She is such a blessing to our family!

Visitors from Arizona.....

2010-10-12T18:45:00.009-04:00

Cara, almost 4 years old...
Anya, almost 2 1/2 years old...
Sisters...
Back: Lily (almost 3) and Cara, Front: Logan ( 3 1/4), Anya and Nathan (almost 4)

Ashley and Brian came into town Memorial Day weekend. It was so good to see them all expecially Cara and Anya. It was great to have the cousins together...Emily didn't get included in the picture, but the other five did...there were five under age four running and having fun together.

A Quilt for baby Harrison.....

2010-10-12T18:31:00.004-04:00

Ashley and Brian had their first son the end of July. He is a perfectly adorable baby and needed a blanket to match, oh and his name his Harrison This is a little quilt I finally finished for him! There were so many little tiny pieces of fabric, but it was fun to make!

Something cute for the bathroom....

2010-10-12T18:24:00.003-04:00

Nearly a year ago I found this little end table at a garage sale in Beth and CJ's neighborhood. I love the feminine lines and knew it would be perfect in the bathroom. Apparently this table had some history. As I removed the first layer of white paint I discovered an antique green layer and finally the orginal finish, which was white. My $5 purchase ended up costing another $50, but I am so completely pleased with the finished product....it's exactly what I wanted!

A Makeover for my bedroom.....

2010-10-12T09:09:00.001-04:00

I just loved this fabric. Now that it is all complete I feel like my room is a comforting "nest" for me to relax in. It only took two evenings after work to make everything (except the sheets). I love the finished result.

What I did with some time off from work.....

2010-10-12T08:58:00.004-04:00

Years ago when CJ and Adam were younger I spent hours sewing up "jams" for them. For those who don't remember what "jams" are; they are like board-shorts for boys, made from the brightest, wildest fabrics. My boys loved them, though I'm sure they wouldn't be caught wearing them now. I had saved all the leftover fabrics with the thought of making a quilt for one of them. Instead, years later, they are now quilts for the grandkids to use while watching a movie. It was funny to have Adam look at the finished product. He examined the first one and then got a smile on his face as he said, "that one (pointing to one square)was my favorite pair of shorts!"

Emily's blessing gown.....

2010-10-12T08:43:00.004-04:00

I loved everything about sewing up this little gown. I bought the finest Swiss Batiste and sweet, delicate lace...the results were beautiful....

A quilt for my sister.....

2010-10-12T08:25:00.003-04:00

One of the great blessings in my life is my sister, Evy. Though we did not grow up together (she has a differnet mother) we have been blessed with a sisterly bond and love for each other. There was a tradition in her home where her mother made her a flannel granny gown every Christmas. After her mother's passing she came across all the scraps of fabric from those nightgowns and she saved them hoping someday to turn them into a quilt to have as a keepsake. I brought the flannel home and the result is a queen-size quilt that I completed for her birthday. I was so happy to create something that will be a constant reminder of her mother's love.

Sewing for a new grandbaby....

2010-10-12T07:26:00.003-04:00

I had the privilege of sewing the bedding for little Emily Grace, born in March of this year. I had found this fabric collection, "Darla" by Tanya Whelan, months prior and fell in love with the colors. It is so girlie and sweet.

Trick or treat......

2009-11-02T19:44:00.004-05:00

How about a blue crayon?

Or a little super hero or two?
Nate was just interested in opening up his candy bag!

Changing seasons means......

2009-11-02T19:08:00.011-05:00

Raking leaves and I mean lots of leaves!

Each year it takes about 50 bags to hold the leaves

from raking our yard.

Big, old trees are awesome until their leaves fall.

Halloween day was the perfect day to begin the process.

This was the first big pile I made....and what's a pile of leaves good for?....Jumping and playing .....that's what they're for!

Nate, Lily and Logan had lots of fun!

Does anyone wonder why Beth fell in-love with CJ?

It was his maturity and dignity of course!

It was such a good day!....

minus the sore muscles from working hard!

What to do with these?

2009-10-06T21:26:00.005-04:00

The latest addition to my home are new built-in bookcases.

My poor little fireplace was so dull and frankly, boring!

I have envisioned bookcases of some sort for years

and finally they are a reality.

I totally love them!

It took me awhile to get them caulked, primed and painted.

Talk about tedious work...you have to paint

inside the shelf, above it, under it, etc....

what a pain!

Currently they are pretty sparse looking

while I patiently wait for the enamel to "cure."

So once they have "cured"...I still don't know what
to put on them. I am a collector of nothing!
Seriously,....I'm a "thrower-away-of-stuff" kind of person!
And to top it all off...I don't know how to arrange my
furniture now...seriously...this new addition
has caused me to be perplexed on several levels.
I do know that I plan on putting a big

mirror above the mantle...just haven't

looked for one yet.

Here's the motifs I added to the mantel for some interest.
What does everyone think?

No "Idle Hands" Here......

2009-09-08T21:35:00.013-04:00

Isn't there a quote some- where that says an idle mind or idle hands are the devil's play- ground? Well if that's true, then I am the anti-playground. I love dreaming up projects. (Note: the title of my blog is Daydreams and Reality). It's the "daydreaming" that gets me in over-my-head in the "potential" of things. I was chatting with my friend Sharon today and telling her about some of my latest plans and she asked that I put them on my blog for her to see...so this explains this post. First, the little pale blue chest, pictured above, is something my mom bought and decided she didn't want. When you open the doors there are two shelves and I can see potential in this. I'm thinking of painting it a nice black, replacing the hardware and then repainting the door detail in a tan color. I just might use it as an end table in my living room!

The above fabric was a bargain ($9 a yard) at Hancock's a few weeks ago. I've wanted to change my bedroom and happened upon these two pieces. The stripe will be shams. The floral will be a duvet cover and part of the valances. When I got it home I couldn't believe how well it went with my wall color. I will accent my bed with assorted pillows in celery green and reddish-rose. I won't get to this project until after Christmas!
The next project on my list is this little end-table. I found it at a garage sale for $4!!! I've been looking for something just like this to have in the bathroom beside the tub. Now, picture this...when it's done it will be painted black, with the edges sanded off, just enough to give it some character, then there will be a nice handle added to the drawer, candles, etc on top and a couple towels rolled up sitting on the bottom shelf! I think it will be so cute and just the right touch in my shabby-French (if there is any such thing) bathroom! And besides...it was such a bargain!!

The solution to feeling "blah"....

2009-09-07T21:15:00.007-04:00

The three-day weekend flew by. I had fun with friends, enjoyed church and my calling, worked on my bookcases (though they aren't finished) and tried to relax. Yet, I'm feeling down ...there are just to many worries on my mind. I'm going to find relief in reading my scriptures. I know that there is comfort within those pages. I will find that tonight! These things shall pass....

Busy weekend = completed curtains....

2009-08-23T10:19:00.008-04:00

I'm just going to say it...I'm POOPED!!!

I had so much going on this weekend and was determined to accomplish a few things.

High on my priority list was the curtains for my family room.

I have had the fabric for several months, but never made time to sit down and actually sew them.

Am I lazy at times?....most definitely!!!

My parents gave me their old furniture last year, nothing I would have purchased, but it has turned out to be a good thing....after all, if the grand kids get it dirty I really don't care. However, the sofa and love seat are a blue/tan/cream plaid...and I really don't like blue or 1980's style..so I was limited on the fabric I could choose from...so the above was a good compromise...enough brown with more subtle blue!

I like it...I think it's fun!

There are 3 "basement" size windows
and then the door and full-size window.

After it's all said and done....

I'm pretty happy with the results.

The yellow brick road and lessons learned...

2009-08-19T11:44:00.019-04:00

My favorite movie ever is ...The Wizard of Oz.

From early childhood I was captivated with the story.

Once a year it would be on TV and I'm pretty

sure I never missed watching.

I loved the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow,

but most decidedly the Tin Man was my favorite.

I'm not sure why, except maybe it was

his "tender heart" that touched me.

(But he didn't have a heart...go figure!)

I wanted to marry him!

(ok, this is when I was a little kid and no I don't have issues with being attached to aluminum foil).

There were many times that I would walk with a friend or two with our arms interlocked imitating the walk/skip action that Dorothy and the others would do as they set off down the yellow brick road. I remember being so impressed with Dorothy, somehow, she was the one with the brains, the courage, the fortitude or something that kept the group moving along toward the Emerald City. Think about it; she was young, in a really strange place, with very odd people and a lot of opposition..."Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!" and let's not forget the Wicked Witch of the East....the stupid flying monkeys...trees throwing their own apples....and yet..she kept going forward!
I thought Dorothy was amazing! I wanted to be just like her!

Dorothy, despite the difficulties, always seemed okay. She didn't indulge her fears! If she was down it was short lived. She quickly pulled herself together. She did what she had to do! Having Toto to worry about only added to the load she was carrying. She never lost sight of those who needed her help, though her circumstances could surely have derailed those efforts. She knew there was "no place like home" and determined to make it back..no matter what!

I've come to realized that Dorothy is nearly the perfect, although fictional, LDS woman. A real pioneer! She reminds me of some quotes I have recently read...

President Hinckley said "Stand strong, even to become a leader in speaking up in behalf of those causes which make our civilization shine and which give comfort and peace to our lives. You can be a leader. You must be a leader....in those causes for which the Church stands." He also said "I feel to invite women everywhere to rise to the great potential within you.....I hope you will not nag yourselves with thoughts of failure....I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know. If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass."

And then one that has stuck in my mind since the first time I heard it several years ago, we need to become "righteous, problem-solving women of faith."

Isn't this exactly what Dorothy did?

The ruby slippers were cool...I wished I'd had a pair, but the slippers weren't the secret to Dorothy's success...it was her own strength, her willingness to put her faith into action, to get outside her comfort zone and just do it! I'd like to think there's some Dorothy in me and I've been blessed to have many Dorothy's in my life...great women of faith who have helped me discover my own talents and strengths and with love, shown me the way to become the person my Father in Heaven wants me to be! (These ruby slippers...they aren't the ones I remember...sorry...I think everyone gets the gist of things anyway)

Edith, "Don't Sigh", Stink-Eye, PeeDink....

2009-08-10T20:07:00.007-04:00

A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel...

a must read..

you'll learn about Edith, not "sighing,"

about getting the Stink-Eye and PeeDink!

I am a confessed "book club" drop-out!

I admit it...not ashamed, but probably should be!

My friend, Becky, is hosting the ward book club

at her house and I have agreed to attend.

Then came the hard part...

agreeing to read the book and the even harder part...

making time to actually read the book.

Becky came to my rescue by getting the book

from the library...a book on CD...

that meant no excuses for me..

afterall...time alone in the car

is something I have plenty of!

So, last Thursday Becky called to let me know the CD

is available for me and would I like to come get it!

I picked it up on my way out-of-town to work

and put it straight into the CD player.

I thought, "I could use a little break from talk radio.

I could listen to the book during a local talk show,

but promised myself I would listen to Dave Ramsey

at 11am....that wouldn't be too hard!"

The CD started. Thirty minutes passed,

an hour, two hours. Before I knew it,

Dave Ramsey was nearly over and I had put the

3rd CD into the player! I was hooked.

I laughed, cried, and laughed some more!

I was totally drawn into the story!

I just finished listening to it the 2nd time

and I still laughed and cried and laughed some more!

Child-rearing, my way....

2009-08-10T20:03:00.002-04:00

Today, in one of my doctor's offices, I saw this hanging on the wall. I thought I would share it with all of you! If you already have teenagers this information may come in handy some day!

TEENAGERS!

Tired of being hassled by your parents?

ACT NOW!

Move Out,

Get a Job,

Pay Your Own Bills

While you still know everything!

Toothless in KC: A fun visit....

2009-08-09T11:42:00.007-04:00

Last week my dear friend, Tera,

along with her sweet children,

Joey, TJ and Bailey,

stopped by for a quick visit.

It's been 2 1/2 years since they lived here

and I was so excited to see them and get

caught up with their lives!

While sitting on the sofa talking Joey was

feeling her loose tooth.

How loose was her tooth?...well, it was

at least 4 or 5 days away from being

loose enough to come out.

(I've had considerable experience with baby teeth).

The little tooth was only slightly moving.

Tera started wiggling it,

then we heard a "pop!"

Joey was startled by the sound coming

from her mouth!

I offered to get some string so Joey

could keep working the tooth loose.

She wanted pink thread! Request granted!

Tera and I got the thread securely around

the tooth.

Tera checked the security with a quick, firm tug!

"Ouch!," I thought.

Then without hesitation Tera gave it another tug!

And pop!...there was Joey's tooth hanging

in mid-air.

I thought Joey was going to cry, but

instead her expression turned to one of joy!

She had finally lost a tooth and become part

of the group....

"Children Missing Teeth!"

I don't know what the tooth fairy brought her

but I'm sure it was amazing!

Congratulations Joey!!!

A round of underwear for everyone, please...

2009-08-04T19:12:00.004-04:00

So what would every kid hate to get from their

grandmother? Did I hear someone say

"UNDERWEAR?"

Well...that's probably true for most kids,

but not for mine!

Everyone is or will be potty-trained soon

and I thought it would be fun

(and it was) to buy them all cute undies!

Logan was so excited that after putting his on

he went over, climbed onto the second shelf

of my new bookcase and

PEED!

Can you even believe that one?

Nate loved his boxer-briefs and Lily...well
she would put a pair on, run around and then
want to put a different pair on...
then she would say
"That's better!"
The next day Beth let her put panties on when
she woke up...
and then she peed on the floor!
So much for potty training right now!

A Royal birthday for me!!.....

2009-08-04T18:44:00.009-04:00

My new policy for birthdays (well for my birthday)

is to treat those I love to something fun!

This is the first year of my new policy

and I decided it would be a blast

to go to the Royals game!

The family all agreed...

are we surprised about that?

I guess not!

The "K" as the stadium is known as

was remodeled, spiffed up and basically brand new

...it's awesome!

In fact, you don't even have to watch the ballgame

because there is so much entertainment going on...

besides...the Royals are having a bad year..

so you don't even notice when they lose!

That's sort of sad, isn't it?

Laura and Logan had to come without Adam...
poor boy was home sick with a fever!

CJ, Beth, Nathan and Lily were having a good time!
Nathan and CJ are both baseball fans!

The Friday night games usually end with a huge
firework display.
Nathan was prepared for the Bangs & Booms!

The show was spectacular!
One of the best I've seen in a long time!
The kids loved it...but Lily cried!

Awe...an empty field...and no...that isn't my
beer bottle sitting there...just
in case anyone was wondering!

To Blog or Not to Blog?

2009-08-04T00:53:00.004-04:00

You may wonder where I have been since my last blog in January? Did I fall off the face of the earth? Did I move away? Did I hit my head and forget everything? No, it's none of those things, but...after Adam and Laura's wedding and reception I was a little worn out...let's just say I had no finger nails left. In the past six months I have been busy (that's an understatement) with family, friends, work and alot of traveling...and I even managed to grow my nails out...they actually look great! I've spent the evening getting my blog caught up (8 new posts)...so if you've got some time...enjoy looking at my life!

I thought I heard banjos playing.....

2009-08-04T00:21:00.007-04:00

I've never seen the movie "Deliverance"..but isn't

it about some people getting lost in Arkansas?

On a Friday in July I thought I might possibly be

involved in the re-make of that movie...and

yes...I was hearing banjos playing in my head.

Cheryl (back row, far left) had made arrangements

for a girls' getaway to Greer's Ferry Lake

in North Central Arkansas.

Her friend, Sue (in the blue shirt) has

a lake house and it promised to be a retreat

that we all needed and would enjoy.

Cheryl, Cheri (back right) and Barbara (front left)

left on a Thursday.

Kara (back center) and I left at 6:30am

Friday morning.

It promised to be a great adventure.

Kara and I had decided to "enhance" our trip

by also making it a "shop-hop."

For you non-quilters/sewers this is

when you go from quilt store to quilt store

to admire (we didn't plan to buy) all

the different collections of fabric.

I'm sure that sounds totally weird...

Me being the smart one that I am decided to google all the quilt stores between here and the lake. We skipped the two in Springfield and the one in Branson for the 5, yes 5...shops in Harrison, Arkansas! Guess what...we only found one! We drove at least an hour going from one end of the town to the other only to find closed stores or a random farm house at the said address! Being greatly disappointed we continued on our journey, and about an hour from our destination we got a call from Sue with "better" directions! We proceeded to drive another couple hours and a hundred miles up and down hills, around corners, over bridges, etc (note to travelers: there are no straight roads in Arkansas. I don't know if they were designed by people drinking moonshine or what). Kara and I thought we were permanently lost in Arkansas...never to be found...and we were getting low on gas! We finally found the dirt road leading to the lake house. We met Cheryl and Sue on that road as they had set out to "find" us. Cheryl was panicked because she couldn't reach us (note to travelers: Sprint and Verizon don't work in Arkansas). She said they had literally prayed us there!

Despite the "trials" in traveling we had a wonderful time...great food, lots of laughter, rides in the boat, sleep, deep talks and friendships increased. The bonus is a book we found, "Guide Me To Eternity" by Christine Monsen. I highly recommend it...check out Amazon to find it.

Let's add a little sewing project into the mix....

2009-08-04T00:12:00.004-04:00

Finally...can I say that again.?... FINALLY!..

I got a sewing project finished.

You would think that getting a little dress

made would be a piece of cake,

but not for me!

I have had fifty-million things going on

and getting time to sew has been

way down on the priority list...

but here it is.....

Lily was so excited to put it on and

twirl around......

I have two more just like it in the works
for my other granddaughters...
let's just hope I get them done before
they go to college!

An "Open-Door" Policy...

2009-08-03T23:48:00.010-04:00

I have always wanted my home to be

a place that is welcoming.

For years we have had a steady flow of missionaries

come and go. We've fed them, done their laundry,

tried to be a home-away-from-home

and because of that I have had the privilege

to get to know some pretty special young men.

Our ward was the first area for Elder Barnes.

After he had been here a few weeks I received

a note in the mail from his parents.

I later called them to let them know that their

son was doing great and that they raised

a wonderful young man.

Elder Barnes' parents and little brother

came to pick him up in July and

came by for a quick visit.

Such a sweet family.

At the same time Elder Barnes was going home,
Elder Kafu (on the right) was going home too.
It was so sad to say goodbye to him.
He served a great mission.
Elder Anderson (on the left) is still in our ward..
he makes me laugh!

The end of June brought a quick visit from another
former missionary, Miles Crosby and his father.
It's hard for me think of Miles as a "former" anything..
he's my adopted son!
Who would have thought that a young man
spending a brief time in my ward
would create such a lasting friendship.
We were so excited to finally meet his dad!

The afternoon I got home from South Carolina brought
another visitor just a few hours later...
Brent Thurgood...yes..another former missionary,
but once again...a dear friend,
was driving through!
We all went out to dinner and he spent the night.
Brent was the missionary who taught and
baptized Beth....
that makes him an important part of our family!

The South re-visited...May 2009.....

2009-08-03T23:19:00.010-04:00

Months ago Maldia invited me to come

back to South Carolina,

this time to actually have more that 1 1/2 days...

so this trip....I spent a week...and loved every minute!

One evening we took Maldia's mom, Verna Mae to the river

to look for shells and enjoy the water.

This is a seafood restaurant on the Island of Port Royal.
Fresh seafood?....yip...below is the boat that brought in
the delicious shrimp and scallops we dined on.

I absolutely love the water....

Beaufort, SC is home to three military installations...
Naval Air Station, Naval Hospital and Parris Island.
I thought this statue with the setting sun behind it
gave reason for reflection...
to remember those who have protected our country
and to think of those who now serve!

Just 2 1/2 hours away is the Columbia, South Carolina Temple.
We spent one day at the temple.
I'm so grateful for the opportunity to serve
within those sacred walls.
As we entered the temple president and matron greeted us
and when we left we were thanked and
given a warm embrace!

Another day we went to Hilton Head Island...
this is just a view of the harbor...
we ate lunch and watch boats come and go!

The last evening of my trip, Maldia and I went "Crabbing!"
Her dad got lines for us, a net, weights for the lines..
and guess what you "catch" crabs with...
rotten chicken necks!
You tie the chicken necks to your weighted lines,
lower them to the bottom and wait....
then...you carefully pull up your line..and
low and behold...you just might have a blue crab
dining on the chicken.
We only caught five..not enough for a meal,
so the crabby little guys went back to their watery home!
While we were on the dock crabbing I turned around
only to see dolphins playing nearby in the water...
Totally awesome!

Savannah, GA was the final destination.

We spent a quick evening there...I fell in love

with the town and hope to return there

next year!!

The blessing of lasting friendships....

2009-08-03T23:10:00.002-04:00

One of the highlights of my Utah trip was reconnecting

with my dear friend Sharon!

Our other friend, Arlene, was supposed to drive up

from San Diego so the three of us could spend a few

days together, but unfortunately Arlene became

ill the day before she was to leave Cali.

Although we really missed Arlene, Sharon and I

managed to have GREAT TIME!

Sharon and I met in Provo the summer of 1983...

I had moved into a rental house for what turned out to

be a couple months.

Sharon was my neighbor who lived across the street.

We quickly became friends....

and now all these years later, after raising our families,

we got to have time together.

We enjoyed fun lunches, hours and hours of talking,

laughing and sharing our life experiences!

We even found time to sew a duvet cover for her bed

the last night in my hotel room!

Her sweet husband, Al, carried her sewing machine

through the hotel lobby and up to my room...

We had a great night sewing and gabbing...

just like we did so many years ago!

Sharon...thank you for touching my life!

I love to see the temple, I'm going there someday...

2009-08-03T22:53:00.005-04:00

What's a trip to Utah without seeing a temple or

two, or three, or four...

you get the idea!

When I joined the church 34 years ago there were

16 temples throughout the world...

now....temples dot the earth.....

Truly the fulness of the Gospel continues to spread

across the earth....how blessed we are!

While waiting for my friend Barbara to pick me up for dinner

I looked behind and couldn't resist this view of

the Salt Lake Temple.

Jeanette, Cindy and I did an endowment session in the
Jordon River Temple.

This is the new Oquirrh Mountain Temple.

It wasn't quiet finished when we drove by,

but from the steps of this temple you can see the

Jordon River Temple....

where else but in Utah.

The Draper Temple has just been dedicated shortly before

we got there. It sets up on the bench of the mountain

at the far southern end of the Salt Lake Valley.

Women's Conference @ BYU......

2009-08-03T22:18:00.005-04:00

The end of April Jeanette and I flew out of Kansas City

heading for Salt Lake City.

We were suppose to meet Cindy, Jeanette's long-time friend

who was flying in from Florida.

Our flights were scheduled to arrive

within an hour of each other,

but not everything works out the way you plan.

Cindy's flight ended up being delayed for hours....

So Jeanette and I got a taxi and headed for temple square!

Temple Square is one of

the most beautiful places in the Spring.

Flowers bloom everywhere...in every color imaginable!

It was great to be back on the BYU campus.

I've always loved seeing the "Y"......

And though it was Spring you wouldn't know by looking at the mountains!

The conference was filled with one inspiring talk after another....

Just a quick photo inside the Marriott Center....

it was amazing to be with thousands of women,

women who love the Lord, are living the Gospel...

there was such unity among us.

The Land of Enchantment...aka Albuquerque

2009-08-03T18:43:00.011-04:00

In mid-February I traveled to Albuquerque for a one week vacation.

New Mexico and Albuquerque are beautiful places....

a varied and interesting landscaping!

You can shop for turquoise jewelry while eating green chili on all types of food.

Enchanting to say the least!

The sunsets are spectacular, as you can see in this view

of the mountain as we drove along Tramway.

Albuquerque, NM is my second home and I'm blessed to have wonderful family living there. Each time I visit I am always sad to go back home. The above picture is of my dear Aunt Betty and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Amber and Philip had us all over for dinner. The little kids are so cute and friendly and their parents are equally as wonderful.
My Aunt Betty is absolutely amazing! She is in Senior Basketball and travels with her team. They are real champions! She has never colored her hair, she is always learning something new, she goes daily to the care facility to feed and watch over her husband who suffers from advanced stages of Alzheimer's, she grows a garden, hikes in the mountains and is 85 years young. She is my idol and everyone who meets her loves her!

I have been blessed with wonderful, Evy. We've only been able to spend time together for about the past 13 years, but from the very beginning we have had a strong connection. Sometimes we mourn the loss of not growing up together, but we both know that everything is in the Lord's hands and that his timing is always perfect. You just never know how and when a blessing will come into your life...Evy is one of my greatest blessings!

Time and All Eternity..and it begins today!

2009-01-11T10:13:00.016-05:00

Our story begins Friday when we traveled to St Louis

and stayed at the Marriott.

For having 3 little children, with one being sick,

we somehow managed to stay organized.

Elizabeth came with us to help with the kids....

what a blessing she was to us,

because we didn't need to worry about them....

Saturday morning was spent getting ready.

Logan and Nathan ended up in my room busy

playing cars and having fun together.

Beth was busy giving Laura an "up-do" so she would look amazing!

Laura was so excited...and nervous!

Uncle CJ got Logan all dressed and tucked him into the bed
so he could watch cartoons while I got ready.
Then we headed off to the temple....on time...
calm...and ready...!
I helped Laura get dressed and then went to the waiting
room as other guests arrived. It was so fun to see friend
after friend enter the waiting room and have time
for all of us to visit.
The sealing room was filled when Adam and Laura came in.

And then they were married for Time and All Eternity...We only took a few pictures outside because it was freezing cold and windy... An Eternal Family has begun!

Then the entire group headed off to the Macaroni Grill for lunch..

The Kinters who have been Laura's family for the past year!

CJ was the "host" and started off the lunch with
words of love and advice for the newlyweds....
and then we went around the room and everyone
was able to share their thoughts and love with them.

Logan is asleep in Adam's arms...don't they look so happy!!

Nathan loved Elizabeth and they spent some time coloring!

Lily was enjoying some chicken with catsup...

Benson Steel and his sister Anna came in from Salt Lake City.

Benson is the missionary who taught and baptized Laura 2 years ago!

Almost the entire group!

(There were a few who had to leave early)

I'm just so happy to have experienced this day!

Not your typical Saturday...

2009-01-04T19:00:00.009-05:00

I've always liked having variety in my life..

it makes for a more interesting time.

Since Adam and Laura's wedding is now just a matter

of days away, we thought it would be best

to have Laura and Logan move into our house.

Having Logan used to our home and a routine

established here will make it easier for him

when his mom and dad are away on their honeymoon.

Well...hopefully it will make it easier for me too!

Saturday started out to be typical...errands to run,

cleaning, etc and that included naptime for Logan.

Laura put Logan down for his nap..but..

he decided it would turn into a game..

you know..the game where the child gets up

and you put them back to bed...repeated dozens of times!

Supposedly, this game is fun....fun for who?....

the child, Logan!

Laura and I were in the kitchen making cookie dough

for the reception night while the 'game' was taking place.

On one particular 'turn' of Laura's she couldn't find Logan.

He wasn't in his room, or my room..or anywhere logical!

In a matter of seconds I heard Laura calling:

"Debbie, come quick, you've got to see this!"

As I went down the hall I was directed to the bathroom.

And, what did I see?...well, the pictures tell it all!

The only question we had was "Why?"

I quickly grabbed the camera...to which Logan just said "cheese!"

From this hiliarious event...we now move onto something else that isn't typical...Jeanette had two tickets to the Celine Dion Concert and graciously invited me to go with her. Her husband, "The Italian", wasn't interested and so....on we went to the show! Thank you John the Baptist! Jeanette, in her amazing ability and skills had seats on the floor in the 13th row. They were incredible seats except for the lady with the big hair in front of us and the Celine Dion backup singers surrounding us (some of them sang every word of every song...hey...nobody paid to hear them sing!) The entire performance was amazing! I didn't fully realize how talented she is! The show was a series of her famous hits, dancing and non-stop entertainment. I think Jeanette and I want to go on tour with her...it would be fun! A big shout-out of thanks to Jeanette for letting me go with her!

Only in my little world could I experience a toddler in my toilet and a super star concert all in one day....here's to the not so typical day!

A walk down memory lane.....

2008-12-18T21:55:00.001-05:00

Every year as I open boxes filled with Christmas ornaments

and put them on the tree,

a rush of happy memories fill my heart.

One year while living in Provo I picked up a

teddy bear ornament for each of my children

and put their names on it.

They were so proud of each of their bears!

My first Christmas after being single, a co-worker,

Kari, had this ornament made for me.

She loved me and my family and wanted to

make sure we knew our family mattered!

What would Christmas be without an ornament made

in Kindergarden.

Macaroni letters included...but now missing an "A"!

My friend Karyn and I both had daughters

within two weeks of each other.

Both were named Ashley!

Karyn and I were together all the time.

Hours were spent sewing, cooking and talking.

Karyn decided our little girls must have

been friends before birth.

One year she gave us these angels to represent our girls

Who we affectionately called "Angel Buddies."

My dear friends Sharon and Arlene taught pre-school
and both CJ and Ashley were their students.
Baby Jesus sleeping in a walnut shell half was made
by Ashley during this time
and has hung on our tree for 22 Christmases!

Sharon gave me this Mr & Mrs Claus.

I still have the little box they came in and the sweet

note reminding me that every year I would think of her.

Isn't is wonderful and amazing how such little,

simple items remind us of people who touched our

lives long ago, but yet those sweet memories

live on, especially at Christmas!

My little heart is very grateful!

Another purse is born...and it's cute!!!

2008-12-18T19:42:00.001-05:00

Jeanette wanted a purse for her mom....

so together we picked out colors she would like

and this is the result...

Jeanette requested a zipper closure...and I think I like it!

My favorite Italian caring the cute purse!

He really looks like he is enjoying it...

Doesn't he!!!

Real Happiness.....

2008-12-17T19:25:00.000-05:00

Nothing could make a mom more happy than
to know your child has found the love of his life.
Only a few weeks left before their wedding!

What is this world coming to?......

2008-12-17T19:17:00.001-05:00

Most people love getting gifts for Christmas!

Not me...I'm weird...I love getting

Christmas Cards...

And the ones that contain cheesey family letters

and pictures are my most FAVORITE!!

Oh, and I'm guilty of sending those too!

But this year...only a handful of cards

have appeared in my mailbox!

What's up with that?!?

Is the world changing...?

I guess I'm at fault too...and haven't sent a single card!

How sad!

Maybe everyone will get a

"Happy New Year/We're still alive" letter in January!

But just in case....

Merry Christmas to everyone!

If I have to deal with winter...I can at least imagine....

2008-12-17T19:01:00.000-05:00

Winter is soooo boring...and cold....and frankly I don't like it.

I prefer bright, cute..and fun!

I just had to post these pictures of things I want to sew

once the holidays are over and my time is freer!

These outfits just make me smile

and sometime before Spring...there will be

little girls that I know wearing these!

CHANGE???...CHANGE.......CHANGE!!!!!!

2008-11-06T18:11:00.000-05:00

I spent the Saturday before the election going door-to-door for McCain and Palin. Most people weren't home and the few I spoke with committed themselves to voting Republican. I felt some sense of relief that I was doing my part...you know...not sitting back...I wasn't going to be one of those, who 'after' the votes were tallied, complained about the final results. At the same time, while walking down a street, I decided that the stress of wondering who would win and listening/watching the reports would put me over the edge...really...I get that involved! So, in a self-preserving effort, I decided that come November 4th I would not come into contact with 'that' information...I would not listened to talk radio, the news, or even talk about the election. I also decided that fasting that day would be a good thing!

Monday night I began my fast and went to bed. I slept great. Next morning...no Good Morning America (I know..they're libs...but I watch anyway), no talk radio on my drive to work, instead, I actually listened to music and Conference talks. I voted, then went about my work...there was a prayer in my heart as I went about work that day!

As the day wound down I started to really feel a sense of peace coming over me. I thought about all that was going on in this great country...the lines of voters, the opinions, the contention, the reasons for why individuals were voting one way or the other and found myself so grateful that I had separated myself as much as I could from it all. In a quiet moment it occurred to me that, as much as everyone has done to elect their candidate, as much as we trust and believe in that 'someone' , that we (I) was really forgetting who is actually in control. I realized how easy it is to put our trust in the 'arm of flesh' instead of the Lord. With this thought came such incredible comfort!

So where am I at now?...well....we all know that there are things that are going to happen in this world that we have no control over. There are certain things (stuff we really don't want) that must and will happen before our Savior comes again...and there isn't anything we can do about it! Let me share this quote from Elder L. Tom Perry from last General Conference;

"There are cycles of good and bad times, ups and downs, periods of joy and sadness....When our lives turn in an unanticipated and undesireable direction, sometimes we experience stress and anxiety. One of the challenges of this mortal experience is to not allow the stresses and strains of life to get the better of us - to endure the varied seasons of life while remaining positive, even optimistic. Perhaps when difficulties and challenges strike, we should have these hopeful words of Robert Browning etched in our minds: "The best is yet to be." We can't predict all the struggles and storms in life, not even the ones just around the next corner, but as persons of faith and hope, we know beyond the shadow of any doubt that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and the best is yet to come."

No, I'm not happy with the choice for president. Yes, I am very concerned that he and his associates will take this country down a path that isn't good. Yes, I think there are certain things we are going to loose, but...I do believe 'the best is yet to be!' I know I can look within myself and become a better person. I can do more to affect my surroundings. I can be better at 'standing for truth and righteousness.' I can do more to uplift and guide those around me. I can do more to be a light on the hill. In fact, we can all do more and can all be better and this will bring about CHANGE...yes...indeed...positive change. As the gap between good and evil increases it will require those of faith to stand firm, to remain faithful and fight the good fight. Yes, change is here and we get to decide what it will bring to our own lives....and besides...in four years...we get another chance!!!!

My first little creation....

2008-10-22T19:22:00.001-04:00

I bought this fabric several weeks ago on

an Overland Park field trip with my friend Kara.

However, it wasn't until last Thursday that

I found time to sit down and sew it up!

I am so pleased with how it turned out and

actually gave it to Kara as a token of my appreciation

for introducing me to a darling quilt store..

Harper's Fabrics!

I just can't wait to make more....maybe this weekend.

I truly love sewing, fabric and all that goes with it!

Out of the mouth of babes.....

2008-10-22T18:39:00.000-04:00

As most of you know I am hooked on talk radio. I spend 40 hours a week in the car and drive over 600 miles during that same time. Music bores me and my brain needs something to think about! So who do I listen to?....Dr Laura and Dave Ramsey (they are just good common sense) and then to keep my political interests sharp I frequent Laura Ingrahm, Bill O'Reily, Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and if I'm still out later in the day...even a little Michael Savage! These guys...oops..forgot Laura ...keep me up on the "right" and the "left" of things! Even with their conservative voices it can still get complicated....you know...one guy says 'this' another says 'that'... and then all the pointing of fingers.....it's really complex.

The other night I had a little friend over for a sleep over. Carrigan (3 1/2 going on 18) was staying with me while her mom and dad headed for the hospital for the birth of their new baby (fyi...baby Addison is here.... 6#4oz...healthy...mom and baby are doing great). It was late evening and Carrigan was showing no signs of falling asleep so I decided to try the method that usually puts me to sleep...that is...watching the 10pm news! I turned on the tv and we climbed into my bed. I was casually watching the program, but not with any particular interest, when I felt a tapping on my arm. I turned to Carrigan only to see her pointing at the tv and saying "I don't like Obama!" I've seen too much on the campaingn to really notice, but she was paying attention! I asked her why she didn't like him and she replied..."because he's 'lame.'" I laughed and then before I could say anything she was pointing again, this time as the story had changed to John McCain. She quickly said.."I like John McCain." Of course I couldn't resist asking why...she got excited and said..."because he's for America!"

So there you have it...we can listen to the professional talkers all day and in a matter of minutes a little girl can sum up the whole race and tell you who and why to vote! I just wonder why a little child can see clearly and there are adults who just don't get it!

"Good job, NayNay......"

2008-10-07T22:18:00.001-04:00

Once a week Nathan and Lily come to my house for a few hours while their dad is at church and their mom teaches guitar lessons. Tonight I decided we would make cupcakes. Nathan was so excited because his job was to put sprinkles on top of the freshly frosted cupcake. He started out carefully pinching a few sprinkles between his little fingers and placing them on the cupcake. With each addition of colorful little charms he would announce "Good job, NayNay!!" (He calls himself that.) He was so proud of his efforts. Well,... a 2 year old can only do this teadious work for so long before the desire to "eat" overtakes the desire to "decorate." As you can see he only did half of them and then went onto the eating phase of the activity! I think he ate at least 3 or 4 within a few minutes. Poor Lily was watching from the sidelines, but she too ate her share of the sweet treats! My final comment, "Good job, NayNay!!!"

A 'Yankee" heads to the South......

2008-10-05T23:09:00.001-04:00

Yes, I'm the 'Yankee' who got to spend a little time

in beautiful Beaufort, South Carolina!

My parent had gone to Charleston for my dad's

Korean War reunion.

To make their trip easier I flew down to help them

drive home...(they won't fly).

Lucky for me my dear friend Maldia lives just

about an hour from Charleston.

She picked me up from the Savanah airport

and we were able to spend about a day and half

together. During that time we toured

Beaufort...I totally love the Civil War era homes,

the Live Oak trees draped in Spanish moss,

the water front and of course my time

with Maldia.

We hadn't seen each other since she moved

away 6 years ago! I can't wait to go back

next Spring!
And you know what....I think I could easily

become a Southern gal....

Not losing a Son, but gaining a Daughter....

2008-10-05T23:03:00.002-04:00

This past week Adam and Laura became officially engaged.

Yeah!...they are so perfect for each other

and I can hardly wait to add Laura as my daughter.

I kept telling Adam that if he didn't marry her

I was going to adopt her....how weird

would that be for Adam to have her at Thankgiving

dinner with her husband and children....

I don't think he liked that idea!

Anyway, they are planning a winter wedding

in the St Louis Temple!

And gaining a Grandson....Logan....

2008-10-05T22:30:00.001-04:00

This precious little face belongs to Logan,

Laura's 19 month old son!

While Adam and Laura were out on their

important date this past week,

I was with Logan.

When I put him to bed that night

I told him that I would get to be his MeeMaw and that

while he was sleeping 'his' parents were getting engaged.

He just smiled!

I think he's been hoping that this big event would happen too!

Yeah for families!

Getting acquainted with sewing.....finally....

2008-10-05T22:23:00.001-04:00

After hanging onto this fabric for (I hate to admit) 20+ years I finally got around to sewing it up! Nathan will be getting some new play shirts! It's hard to believe I bought all of this for CJ and Adam when they were little and now CJ's son will be wearing it! It felt so good to sit and just sew! No interuptions! I think I am getting back into the swing of things now! It feels so good, but now I've got a mess of thread, scraps of fabric, etc to clean up! Someone once told me "You can be neat and you can be creative, but you can't be neat and creative at the same time!" How true!

The RNC was rockin.....

2008-09-03T23:14:00.000-04:00

Tonight was amazing and inspiring....

This needs to be the winning ticket in November

and we all need to do our part to make sure it happens!

God bless America!!!

Please join me in voting for them.

Getting in touch with the REAL me.....

2008-09-03T13:43:00.001-04:00

I must be going through a mid-life crisis...bored with work and routine.....

While browsing through websites and blogs

I've gotten hooked on "CUTE" and "FUN"..... And I want more of it in my life!!!!
I had never heard of Amy Butler or Heather Bailey....

these women design fabric and patterns....

"Be still my heart....."

Everything these women do is fun, cheerful, colorful,

happy....and basically just "fluff"...

things that no one really needs...

but wants...

I just want to shop and fill my sewing room with new fabric....

and then SEW, SEW, SEW...

I'm ready for some bright newness!

A little story about a princess......

2008-09-01T14:59:00.001-04:00

Once upon a time, not so long ago, a beautiful princess

named Courtney lived with her mom.

The princess grew up and decided to make her own way in

the world...and moved away.

Everything was great, the princess loved her new life

and the mom was happy for her.

But, the time comes when the princess needs to come visit

the MOM....Court...this is a huge hint!!

Home Sweet Home.....

2008-09-01T14:40:00.001-04:00

Per the request of my dear friend, Sharon,

I've put outside pictures on my blog.

When I look at my brick walkways and landscape

I think of Tera and Erick and all the time

that was spent planning and then watching as

it all came together.

When I see my fencing...aww...I think of Nate and

all of his effort and his patience while I tried

to explain exactly what I wanted...he just

listened and then went to work!

As the summer comes to a close and the landscaping

is dying off I just think back to Spring when the daylilies, hostas

and other plants burst into life...it was

so beautiful this year. I just wish we could

jump from Fall to Spring...and completely

skip Winter...ugh!!

The Living Room.....

2008-08-31T20:57:00.000-04:00

What is a home? It is a place of refuge from the world,

a place to enjoy family and friends, a place to

build memories!

This is my home.

It has been a labor of love to create my home!

Some of the pictures may seem pretty stark....

I still haven't hung art work in most of the rooms

and other rooms are still waiting for window treatments,

but in good time it will all come together....

I'll be patient!

The Dining Room.....

2008-08-31T20:52:00.000-04:00

I love my dining room....and I love having everyone

around the table

for dinner and conversation!