Still learning at my age!

The other night Jeff and I watched a special on BYU TV about Joan of Arc!
What an amazing story, some times I wish I hadn't miss so many of the stories of History in school. But I did, most of my time in school was just trying to survive, it was just too hard for me to concentrate.
As I listen and watch Historical specials on TV, I realize that there were a lot of amazing people that I missed in my childhood.
So glad that at least I am learning so much now!!!!
Guess you are never too old to learn!
Would love to have the chance in the next life to meet this Joan of Arc, what a brave, obedient and amazing young women.

You can watch it HERE:

"There are some things worse than death. There are some things worse than dying young. These are, to live without courage and conviction."

Joan of Arc’s incredible story starts with her humble beginnings as a farm girl. Within a few short years, she would become an inspiring military leader. In a time when France was in disarray and women did not fight, Joan followed the voices of angels and dedicated herself to her mission. Joan's strong commitment to her faith seamlessly translated into loyalty for her cause - something her country needed, but others feared.

I must have done something good!

Yesterday our dear, fun, sweet, crazy, talented and beautiful daughter Lauren turned 25! How can that be? Wasn't she the fun, sweet, crazy, twisted and troubled toddler just a year or so ago?
Oh how I worried about that girl when she was little, she seemed to have her own mind, she definitely saw the world through different eyes and I was almost positive that Heavenly Father forgot to put that filter in her body, you know the one from your mind to your mouth! We never knew what was going to come out of her little mouth! :) Life was never boring with  her that is for sure! How we loved her and how we continue to love her!
She and her husband Nik are still in Rexburg, Idaho. She has graduated, but she is now working there and helping put him through the rest of his schooling. All 4 of our kids went to BYU Idaho, and every time I would go visit them, I wondered how in the world they handled that cold weather? But they not only survived, they seemed to have fun at the same time!


 Our other dear, fun, sweet, talented and beautiful daughter Amy ...made this for Lauren's birthday! She is one talented girl too! And you should meet my daughter in law Krystal... the talent all these girls have is just crazy and wonderful! I feel blessed to just be around all of them!

Like the song from the movie Sound of Music... " somewhere in my youth or childhood ...I must have done something good" to deserve such wonderful kids!

 and Grandkids!

Lauren has been drawing since she was a kid, always creating something. Then she started taking classes in school for Photography and fell in love with that. Her first Photography Business was called THROUGH LAUREN'S EYES! She showed us a world that was even more beautiful when we got to see it again through her eyes!




She did this photo shoot of Angie and Jenny as the Princess and the Pea, she has always loved Fairy Tales!


She loves Christmas and Winter!

She loves the outdoors and camping!
She loves wearing T shirts, especially the ones her brother Brad designs! She actually used to draw and sell her own T shirts when she was young... but that is for another post! :)

She loves all animals, always has!

Even stuffed animals! Every Christmas she would write in her letter to Santa " Please bring me an animal ( a breathing one )!"

 She loves her cousins, her brothers and sister!

And of course her Dad!

She loves to draw and just took up Watercolors...they are amazing!

She likes to sew...

 She especially likes to design and sew costumes for her photo shoots!

She likes to cook and she LOVES PUMPKIN PIE!!!

She likes being a Seattle Native!

She loves married life with her Best Friend!

She loves everything about History and wants to see the world!

And I bet the way your life is going sweet Lauren, that you will! And we will all get to see it too through your eyes and your art work!
Can hardly wait for your next 25 year adventures to begin!
We love you forever Lauren Brooke!

Genealogy

In the last few days the kids and I have been working on a photo book to have printed for Jeff's Father's Day. So we have frantically been looking up old photos and having each person write a letter to him and tell some of their favorite things about him also. As I have read the letters from the kids, I realized what a great genealogy gift this will be to our grand-kids some day. I love the memories and funny things the kids had to say. I love looking at the photos and how everyone has grown. We laughed at the style of clothing the kids used to have, or Jeff and I used to have. I laughed at some of the funny things the kids remembered about Jeff. Each photo seemed to trigger a favorite memory, so we are excited to give this SECRET gift to him soon!

My grandmother was big into genealogy and Jeff has done quite a bit with his family but I really haven't done much of it ( at least traditionally speaking ) yet. I always tease Jeff if he stays at the computer too long doing genealogy and we haven't had much time with him that day,  "Jeff, remember you need to spend time with the LIVE ONES too!" These photo books are amazing and so much easier and faster than the old traditional scrapbooks ( I am not knocking those, I have many of those I have done too!).  I did one for Jeff and I's 25th wedding anniversary. Then the kids and Jeff did one for me, for my 50 birthday last year. What a treasure that is. As we were going through the photos we realized that we need to do a photo memory book for each family member. We have ordered ours from Shutterfly, there are other companies out there, but that is the only one we have used so far and we have been more than impressed with them. It is all done through the computer (thanks to Amy) and then printed into a hard bound book, they really are quite a keepsake.

So tonight I realized there are many ways to do genealogy but the important thing is that we do it, because we all have a legacy to preserve. Remember you are never to  young to start searching and studying about your family tree!

"Genealogy  is the study of one's family, the study of our ancestors -their birth, their childhood, their dreams, their marriages, their occupations, their children, their deaths, and because these things in the past all have an impact on the present, in a very real sense, genealogy is a study of ones self."

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one."     ~Jane Howard

"Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future."          ~ Gail Lumet Buckley

Our time in history

This was a very sobering letter but one that I thought had a lot of wisdom in it from such a young person. May we all read it and check if any of these things are taking away from our lives or away from the lives of our families. May we remember it is vital to learn from the past.

Our Time in History

A Columbine High School student wrote:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but less solutions; more medicine, but less wellness.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.

We've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.

We've conquered outer space, but not inner space.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.

We've split the atom, but not our prejudice.

We have higher incomes, but lower morals.

We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships.

These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.

It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom.

 

We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future."   ~ George Bernard Shaw

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."  ~ George Santavana