MeRRy ChRisTMas....

Just snapped this yesterday...maybe we'll be a little more organized next year! Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas...xoxo

Sweet Example

What a sweet day...something about a funeral service to get your perspective readjusted!! Ron's mom is the sweetest lady. She grew old gracefully. She never seemed 'rushed', always time to sit and talk. I think my life has been a bit of a rush and I need to slow down and be a better 'mimi' and make the time to just sit and listen and be there. Thank you Helen for your wonderful example of missionary work, of serving in the temple and being so kind and sweet. She was so thankful for everyone and everything done for her. The last time we had her for the weekend when I put her to bed I can still hear her soft voice saying thank you for everything. You will be missed but I am so excited for you because I know you are with your eternal companion who loved you and served you so well and was SO excited to welcome you home.

attitude

This is on Sister Susan Bunkers new blog....I loved it...thanks Susan just what I needed:)

attitude

Charles Swindoll wrote:

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. The remarkable thing is...we have a choice every day of our lives regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I'm convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitude."

Lake Powell....ahhhhh

Cookie Jar....











This must be genetic...ask Uncle Mark!!
Cami is going to shoot me...she was sick for 2 days...still a great pic

What a great vacation spot. It is really a peaceful place, you have to put your blinker on and change lanes... into the slow lane. Ahhhh....so nice to SLOW down. Not alot of decisions to make, ummm what to wear? where shall we go to eat? It was so fun to spend time with our family. The game for 2010 was Cranium...let's see did the girls beat the boys? ( I can't remember) Really fun being there with Kate, she is a true blue Lake Powell girl, she did it all. The only thing that kinda threw her was having a rather large lizard cross our path one morning on our little hike. She just froze, her eyes got so BIG and she just started to GRRRRR at it. She slept up top every night and looked for a shooting star, the stars were amazing this year. Grandkids bring so much joy...Lucy Pearl was a little jewel, she is already so relaxed. She takes after her Aunt Rachel, who takes after her Aunt Kris....(I'm still working on learning the art of relaxing...)
P.S.....So blessed to live in this Beautiful, Free Country. I really felt it in Lake Powell, seemed like the American Flag was on alot of boats this year, maybe I just noticed it alittle more.

ENOUGH ALREADY....

Do we really need to experience this??????


To fully appreciate and enjoy the tranquility....so it is in LIFE...the STorm before the CALM...

Love each moment...

Miami....

Utah....


Orlando...




Grannybird's 86th...





It's been awhile dear blog...my intentions were so good in Jan.! I was going to do as good as Grama Linda so I could print my book at the end of the year and have a 'journal'. So many great things have happened these past month's....my sweet mom turned 86 young and we had a little celebration in her honor. We had a breakfast that morning with just the girls, we all wore purple and it was one of those moments...I said let's just go around the table and share a favorite memory, what you love about Grannybird, anything you want. Terra started, she shared very sweet feelings with us and we were all crying! I wish I would have videoed it all. Grannybird is a very special lady and has a way to make everyone feel they are her favorite. I feel blessed to be her daughter.
Then came Orlando and a very special day at the temple with Suzie and Brett(Ron's brothers daughter)...so glad I could be there....A breathtaking temple, when I walked into the Celestial Room...I stopped and ahhhhed. It was fun to go with Dave, Jane and Grandma Dye. Ron couldn't go so I was Grandma's roomate and she talked more than she has in a year...I loved being with her....
Then came Utah...Cami's half marathon and packing up a few years of treasures(she is her mother's daughter!) Tanner graduating...Cami and Tanner went to dinner with his family so I went to Macaroni Grill with my sister Carol, her husband Walt and their daughter Lindsay we sat in the back corner when I looked over there was NieNie and her family...a wave of emotion came over me...I said to Lindsay look who is next to us and she said I have to talk to her. Carol and Walt hadn't read her blog(I'm sure they have now!) I kept thinking thru dinner I don't want to bother her,( can you imagine how often she gets interrupted) let her just have privacy and a dinner with her family but I wanted to just give her a hug! They finished first and so fast Lindsay jumped up and went and said hi and gave her a hug.
It was SO amazing to meet her, she is so gracious and you feel like she is a long lost friend..I cried and could hardly get my words out...her mom was so nice...she has touched all of us who follow her daily struggles and make our struggles seem light. Her faith is daunting...she is my hero. She is a wonderful missionary, how many lives has she touched for good?...I think of the day when she will meet the Savior face to face and he will say "Well done, thou good and faithful servant"...I'm thankful for her example of passing thru earthly trials gracefully...I want to hear those words too from the Savior...I have so far to go...
Then back to Miami with Ronnie boy for an insurance trip...oh so fun...too short!!

Sit Still.

Hummingbirds have always intrigued me. I don't think I've ever seen one just sit still. They have so much energy and are always buzzing around. It was good to witness this little guy just chillin'....sometimes its good to just sit still and take it all in. I'm SO grateful for All my blessings. The Lord loves us, everyone, He has a plan.....

Grannybird meets Martha!

Martha Stewart was at the Rampart Williams-Sonoma signing her books today so Kris and I took Grannybird. She LOVES Martha as you can tell by the pictures she was chatting it up and had Martha spellbound and speechless. Grannybird told her she has taken her magazine since the first one and has never thrown one away!! Martha told her the first edition ones are worth 400.00 $ and she should sell them on Ebay! It was a treat....

Another Year....

I really can't believe another year has flown by! I blogged about Darren's last birthday and here is another one.(so I've been blogging for over a year....to bad I haven't been consistent or I could have a book made of the last year...good new year's resolution...)
Darren you are a joy. I love you SO much, you will not understand until you are a father one day the kind of love that comes with being a parent. Thank you for so many things you do right. You are loyal and loving and sensitive. We have watched your testimony grow this past year and look forward to watching it increase even greater this following year. Thanks for being a great son, brother, uncle, and friend. Keep up the good work, you are loved...Happy Birthday!!!! xoxoxox

Miracles...

While I was doing that last post...this is what Kate was doing! Daniel, Britt came upstairs and we were talking and in came Kate, ohhhhh where did you paint your toes?? In Mimi's room...Brittney and I walked downstairs slowly, I'm thinking new carpet....but it is a miracle, not one drop on my bathroom carpet....she is amazing. I think its time to child proof the house:)

Empty Nester??/Overflowing Nester...

Now that Ron and I are officially 'empty nesters' something has come over me and I am making up for time I didn't have before. Ron has told me no more classes!! These are some of the fun things I've been stretching my brain around...http://thejuliejanepapercompany.blogspot.com/

*A Photoshop class, once a week for ten weeks...it has been great! Julie is an awesome teacher and I don't have to call Brittney as much..."Britt, how do you...???"

*Bernina sewing machine class...at http://www.quiltique.com/...dangerous store...I have a few projects going...

* Just one baking class, two cute sisters Brittney knows that give them. Daniel said to me, Mom its a really fast class, I don't know if you'll be able to keep up...well I may be an 'empty nester' but I held my own!! This is where you can sign up! http://twobakingsisters.blogspot.com/ This is a scary picture...(I can't believe I'm putting this on my blog, ) but focus on the pizza...barbecue chicken, it turned out really good....but I'm thinking papa john's no mess, no time...seems like what a real 'empty nester' would do!

*Genealogy...I wish I could have a private tutor...I've had a few late nighters with this one. I am not a patient learner, in my world seriously just plug into a USB cord,( I think your belly button would work perfect) and push Download!! Can you imagine...but no pain no gain I guess. The reward wouldn't be as sweet if it was that easy. I really have found some names on Ron's moms lines and it is truly rewarding. She is the only member and there is SO much to do. It is

an amazing feeling, I am so excited to be in the temple doing these family names.

*So now that I'm an 'empty nester' I guess the next thing I must attempt is to twitter or tweet?

Mimi's babysitting....

Help, how did we do this?? We were much younger and could move faster number one!!! Kate is so much fun to watch, she really does not stop. It takes me back to the early days when my kids LoVEd to go to Grannybird's. She always had time for them, they have great memories of the time spent with Gramps and Grannybird. I'm really grateful for their examples....big shoes to fill...help I need some lessons...Grama Linda...

Summertime....

This little bum has turned into NEMO!! She loves her orange goggles. She loves to get on a noodle, preferably pink, and swim all around the pool...it is scarey, thank goodness for

Uncle 'DA'!! P.S...I think we're going to miss him!

Ok, I give in...

I have layed here for a few hours trying to sleep but it will not come. I read Linda's last post this afternoon and have not stopped thinking about Amber. This is the third time that I have strongly felt like we need to have a fast for Amber. I even talked to some people about the idea month's ago and asked what they thought, Kathie that is personal for the Schlauder's, so ok but tonight I'm thinking about the books I've just finished per Keri's recommendation, Sarah's Quilt and These are My Words and the strongest message I got from these books was how these people could have Never made it by themselves. They made it because their family and friends, neighbors provided for each other in every way, emotionally, spiritually, physically. They ralled together in times of trials. We need to learn from those pioneers. I want to help Amber and I know so many people do. Can we set a date to have a fast for her? I know I can't do alot but I can add my prayer and go to the Lord fasting and specifically ask what Pres. Schlauder and Linda would have us pray for, for Amber maybe that just simply she will feel the Saviors Love for her. Can we also have a fast for Adam Bergquist? I don't know if this is the right place to put this out there...I'll remove it immediately Linda if its not but what does everyone feel about it? Maybe we could even have a break the fast and have Amber come. We stopped at Cove Fort on our way home Sunday and there were some missionary couples doing dutch oven and I asked do you eat together every Sunday and she said no just Fast Sunday. Some of the men went fishing and we have a turkey cooking in the ground, so we're having our Break the Fast...I thought just college kids did that.

Oh Canada!!

My mom was born in a very small town in Canada. She was the only child out of eight that made their way to the good old'e USA. My dad served his mission in Canada and the story is that she chased him home (my dad's version). As kids we vacationed almost every summer in Waterton Lakes, the International Peace Park, still to this very day as we make the turn and round a few corners and spy the famous Prince of Wales Hotel a flood of feelings, all good, overwhelm me. Those of my family, my pioneer heritage, the beauties the Lord created for us, the safety I feel in this small little spot. As kids we roamed freely, mingled with our Canadian cousins, spent our time in a modest cabin, one bathroom for 30 to 40 people and loved every minute of it. Even the longgg drive to get there is part of the journey and cherished memories. The year I was 16 and helped drive I was into antiques, we stopped in Butte and my dad patiently drove to store after store and after an all day treasure hunt, we found a dresser and strapped it to the top of the car. He joked saying it would help me to drive slower but we only drove one hour that day Butte to Dillion and to this day that means so much to me because it reminds me how much my Dad loved me! Oh Canada...P.S. You should all go sometime! You should go with Kris she always meets the nicest people!