Sentiments by Sophia

yesterday, today and tomorrow

Last night, I taught a little mini-class for the Young Women in our ward about decorating/organizing their rooms.  I kept it short and sweet and did not take half the house with me because we decided that in January, after my girls have their rooms completed and after my friend Natalie is done with her daughter's room, we're going to have a Bedroom type home tour for the Young Women and give them more specific examples.  I shared some quick and inexpensive ideas on how to spiff up their rooms on a dime, tips on organizing and making their rooms a representation of themselves.  As I told them, the quickest way to spice up your room is to clean it! which for most teens, that could make a world of difference! 

After my little presentation, the girls made jewelry hangers out of old frames.  I've yet to make my own but plan on that before the week is over!  I'll share a little tutorial when I do. Juli had the most brilliant idea to spray paint them all instead of brush painting, which made for one very quick project!  All in all, I think that all sixteen girls had a good time.  I know I did! 

I've not worked in the Young Women for years (and I really don't want to now...maybe when my own girls are there) but I can't imagine a better bunch of girls to be with than the girls in our ward.  They are respectful and courteous and they all have just the most wholesome attitudes.  I was impressed. 

Gracie is most excited about all of this excitement for two reasons.  She's realizing that she's only a year away from going to Young Womens.  Now that Quayd goes to Young Mens, she's very aware that she's next!  AND....

She's totally excited about her new bedroom makeover. She talks about it constantly.  Even her teachers told me last week which paint color she had. She has asked for nothing but "room stuff" and can hardly wait to find new bedding under the tree. ZJ is in the same mode, simply because of her big sister. I don't think that we'll see too many toys this Christmas under the tree because no one's asking.  NO complaints from me!  I have to laugh every time Gracie mentions her list... new bedding and colored socks. According to Gracie, colored socks are a fashion statement and white socks just keep your feet warm.  Colored socks it is.

ZJ has decided to sell her "little girl" kitchen. It's darling and we paid $120 for it at TRU. I've been going to put it on Craigslist for a few weeks.  I hate having to price things to sell.  Any suggestions on that one?  Better yet, anyone local that's interested?   It's in good shape and she's including some food and dishes. It's the cutest kitchen I'd ever seen and actually matches the the colors in her newly painted room quite well but she wants a desk in it's spot to do her scrapbooking!  Ya gotta love that!

I'm trying to make up for lost time since we all started our rounds of the flu!  My goal for the day is to get things in order and do some organizing and last minute dejunking so that the Christmas decorations can come out next weekend!  Gee, and I might want to make a grocery list for Thanksgiving dinner soon.  It's two weeks from today! And Christmas Eve is six weeks from today! 

Here are a few trivial Christmas facts from my warped over-zealous sense of holiday spirit:

• Christmas is 44 days away.
• Christmas is 6 weekends away.
• There are really only 33 shopping days left until Christmas because I don't shop on Sundays or Christmas Eve.
• There are three pay periods left until Christmas.
• The lights on our house go up this weekend! 
• The lights on our house go as soon as the trees go up!
• Our Christmas trees go up in 8 days!
• Our Christmas trees will come down in 47 days!
• There are only 14 days until I can play my Christmas music all day everyday out of the closet without complaints from anyone!

Tomorrow, I'm heading south to Marilyn's for some project making, a movie or two, some certain nummy eating and a little store-gazing!  I'm leaving as soon as the girls are off to school, for a little overnight fun and will return on Friday.  I'm loving life!  It is gooo-ooood!  Enough said!

A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.

name them one by one

Last night, we had an impromptu Family Home Evening.  I'd had something else planned but it wasn't falling into place, so Doug offered to pitch hit and it turned out to be one awesome family night activity.  Doug talked about the Law of Abundance, which basically states that the more we give, the more we receive, so there is no need to hold back on giving, loving, serving others.  Sort of the "what goes around comes around" theory.  He talked about how we should be happy for others when they have something that we may or may not have and how it doesn't matter what others have.  What matters is what we do with what we have.  Very good lesson, on the kids' level of understanding.  They got it. 

Then, we passed out a piece of paper and pen to everyone and he asked to take three minutes and write down some of the things we are thankful for.  The responses:

Quayd wrote:  I am thankful for all of my talents, thankful for the talks I've given, for our adoption and for the Holy Ghost.  Then he continued with a list - it had bullets...arsty bullets.  He's very right brained.

• my family that cares
• my friends
• Go-Go
• all of our comforts
• knowledge
• the soldiers
• Mom's cooking
• nature
• the scriptures
• Jesus Christ
• Heavenly Father

Gracie wrote I am thankful for my:

1. home
2. my family
3. my things
4. my brothers and sisters
5. my mom and dad
6. our dog
7. the food that mom makes
8. the money dad makes
9. our happiness
10. our love
11. our friends
12. our cousins and family
13. the things we do
14. that we are adopted

ZJ's list was short but sweet and she drew a family picture along with it:

1. getting adopted
2. having a great family
3. having a home
4. that I'm an American
5. that we are on earth
6. That I'm a Corbridge
7. that we have Go-Go.

Here's Doug's sweet list:

1. A good Life
2. My wonderful wife
3. Amazing children and grandchildren
4. My good parents
5. Sophia's good parents
6. Freedom
7. A good job
8. My Melaleuca Business
9. Our bountiful garden and fruit trees
10. The good food that Sophia prepares
11. All of the good music out there
12. Our warm home
13. Good health
14. Great friends
15. the church
16. the gospel of Jesus Christ
17. and a few others that I can't decipher from his "shorthand"

My list, which I mention frequently here at one point or another:

1. The gospel
2. Doug
3. our children and grandchildren
4. our parents
5. our extended family
6. wonderful friends
7. a beautiful home
8. My talents
9. My health
10. My freedom
11. Living in the mountains of Utah
12. Music
13. Fun times and good memories
14. The ranch
15. Go-Go
16. Doug's talents and hard work ethics
17. Our garden
18. the Temple
19. knowledge
20. the scriptures
21. Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

It was so fun to compare our lists and see who had the same things on theirs.  As one person would read something on their list, everyone would say "Me too!  I have that!" or "I should have written that one too!"  A simple family home evening that meant a lot to count our blessings out loud!  Enough said.

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.

it works for me!

Well, I did go to the doctor on Friday morning and was informed that I have bronchitis and put on some nice antibiotic.  I'd called for the appointment and said that I was supposed to be going out of town at 11, so they got me in immediately.  I walked out of the doctor's office at five till eleven. The doctor advised, "If you want my honest opinion, I'd stay home.  You need the rest and no one will get any because you'll be coughing all night and keep everyone up.  However, I have a feeling you're going to go anyway, so I'm going to send you with a mask."

I came home, called the GNO group and shared the doctor's advise, giving them all a choice of postponing our weekend until after the holidays or going without me.  I liked Natalie's advise better than the doctor's.  "You will get more rest at the ranch than you will at home because at home, you'll still be Mom, cooking, doing laundry....  At the ranch, you can rest and not worry about a thing."  Everyone agreed.  Thank you, Doctor Natalie.

And. So.  Off we went for our overnighter of fun and laughter and food.  I'm not sure which we had the most of.  We'd actually discussed the possibility of a Ranch GNO with only healthy treats or none at all.  But why!?  It's only a few times a year.  So, we make up for all the treatless days during the rest of the year in one night!  We laughed until we cried, watched two old movies and tried to play one game.  We got to the first question which led to a discussion that two hours later, we were ready for the next.  That's what happens when good friends, all women who like to talk get together.  We do!  I won't mention what time we went to bed, but the doctor said rest, not sleep, right?

I did rest.  I didn't wash a dish, cook a thing, clean a thing.  I was taken care of.  I have no voice but still did my share of talking.  (Imagine that.)  It was great to get away even if I wasn't feeling my best.  I'm convinced that laughter really is the best medicine.  What a gift to have such fun and caring friends!

A few ramblings:

• My friend, Susan, from Ohio, who I've known since before Kelly was born, sent me a link to share that there's a new Straight No Chaser Christmas CD.  That's a second one!  I discovered them last year and ranted all season about them.  It's awesome!  I shared the "Christmas Can-Can" with Doug last night and he laughed out loud!  Very fun... a must for Christmas!
• I did go to church because Quayd was to give his first talk in Sacrament Meeting.  He'd been prepared since Wednesday, so when I got home from the ranch, he was ready to review it with me a few more times.  He had it more than half memorized.  He came upstairs yesterday morning, dressed in his suit, ready to go an hour before the girls were even awake.  And he did a great job.  He spoke softly and had to have the mike pulled closer but he did a great job.   We even had phone calls from ward members to tell him all afternoon.  How thoughtful is that!  I love our ward.  I love my boy!
• We'll be putting up the holiday decor on the weekend of the 20th!  That works for our schedule and I will be able to focus on Thanksgiving all the next week! 
• Sarah sent me this little meme.  It was short and sweet and telling of what's on my mind!  ;) 

1. Alarm : clock
2. Guest : list
3. Worm :virus
4. Puppies : Fancy
5. Honor: Integrity
6. No! : Please?
7. Stomach :flat
8. Counter :top
9. Waffles : brunch
10. Plates : tablescape

That's it on this beautiful lovely and bright Monday morning!  I'm off to lunch with a friend and home for more much needed rest.  "Yeh, right", Doug would say.

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because some day in life you will have been all of these.

Progress....

Here's the new home being built to replace the little house that was destroyed by the explosion at the ranch last spring....  It's going to be great!

Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others.

the i-beam ~ previously posted November 5, 2005

 

It’s been a long day. Gracie’s had a tummy ache since about 2:45AM and I’ve held her most of the day. She drank one cup of apple juice all day long. She was crying as I tucked her into bed tonight. I hope that this bug passes quickly.

The story is told of a man who was taken to the top of an 80 story building. There was another building of equal height across from it. Strategically placed between the two buildings was an I- beam. There was a huge wind storm and it was raining fiercely. The man was then offered ten dollars to walk the beam to the other building top. Naturally, he refused. The man was then offered a thousand dollars. Again, he refused. Fifty thousand dollars. No. A million dollars to walk the beam in the wind and the rain with no ropes or ties to secure him. Again, he refused. The man was adamant that he’d never risk his life to do something so insane with nothing to secure him to the beam. He was then told that he had one last chance to walk the beam. As he was ready to insist that NOTHING would change his mind, he looked out to the center of the beam and there was his young child, wavering on the beam from the other side, practically to the center. Without hesitation, the man raced to the center to save the life of his child. His perspective, his priorities were completely changed.

I get chills whenever I think of this story. The question that followed, "What would you walk the beam for?" Naturally, any mother would immediately respond, "My children". Most women would answer, "My husband or mate", but this story is much deeper than this. We walk this beam every day with each and every minute of our lives. Every decision, every activity, every moment that we spend is, literally, a step on that beam. It’s all about priorities. What we do with our time each day is where our priorities truly lie. We freely give our time and energy to the things that matter the most to us. I know that I can easily excuse myself out of the things that don’t appeal to me... the prize on the other side isn’t big enough. But, the more value I see in the prize on the other side, the easier it is for me to walk that beam.

As I held Gracie this afternoon, we rocked and we talked. I enjoyed the time spent together but must confess that I was looking at my scrapbook desk, thinking about the idle time, just passing me by. I thought about the laundry in the dryer... about the reading that I wanted to do... about the trip into the mall that I’d planned on making this afternoon. And then it hit me, this time was priceless. This time was not wasted at all. Gracie needed me.

After I tucked her into bed tonight, I unloaded and reloaded the dryer. While folding the clothes, I started thinking about my day, how much time I had spent just holding Gracie. I did read several blogs off and on throughout the day with her in my arms. I watched a little TV with her in my arms. I did manage to fit in a bath while she napped. No scrapping done. No shopping. Leftovers for dinner. Laundry still screaming my name.

"Dovetailing".... doing two things at once. An important factor in time management. Do the dishes while you talk on the phone. Chop the veggies while browning the meat. Set the table while the water boils. Dovetailing isn’t as easy when another person’s needs are involved, especially when person’s needs are your responsibility. Their happiness, comfort, security becomes the prize. Sometimes we have to just forget the blowing wind, the rain, the slippery steel and walk the beam.

It’s been a long day. Gracie’s had a tummy ache since about 2:45AM and I’ve held her most of the day. She drank one cup of apple juice all day long. She was crying as I tucked her into bed tonight. I hope that this bug passes quickly.

The story is told of a man who was taken to the top of an 80 story building. There was another building of equal height across from it. Strategically placed between the two buildings was an I- beam. There was a huge wind storm and it was raining fiercely. The man was then offered ten dollars to walk the beam to the other building top. Naturally, he refused. The man was then offered a thousand dollars. Again, he refused. Fifty thousand dollars. No. A million dollars to walk the beam in the wind and the rain with no ropes or ties to secure him. Again, he refused. The man was adamant that he’d never risk his life to do something so insane with nothing to secure him to the beam. He was then told that he had one last chance to walk the beam. As he was ready to insist that NOTHING would change his mind, he looked out to the center of the beam and there was his young child, wavering on the beam from the other side, practically to the center. Without hesitation, the man raced to the center to save the life of his child. His perspective, his priorities were completely changed.

I get chills whenever I think of this story. The question that followed, "What would you walk the beam for?" Naturally, any mother would immediately respond, "My children". Most women would answer, "My husband or mate", but this story is much deeper than this. We walk this beam every day with each and every minute of our lives. Every decision, every activity, every moment that we spend is, literally, a step on that beam. It’s all about priorities. What we do with our time each day is where our priorities truly lie. We freely give our time and energy to the things that matter the most to us. I know that I can easily excuse myself out of the things that don’t appeal to me... the prize on the other side isn’t big enough. But, the more value I see in the prize on the other side, the easier it is for me to walk that beam.

As I held Gracie this afternoon, we rocked and we talked. I enjoyed the time spent together but must confess that I was looking at my scrapbook desk, thinking about the idle time, just passing me by. I thought about the laundry in the dryer... about the reading that I wanted to do... about the trip into the mall that I’d planned on making this afternoon. And then it hit me, this time was priceless. This time was not wasted at all. Gracie needed me.

After I tucked her into bed tonight, I unloaded and reloaded the dryer. While folding the clothes, I started thinking about my day, how much time I had spent just holding Gracie. I did read several blogs off and on throughout the day with her in my arms. I watched a little TV with her in my arms. I did manage to fit in a bath while she napped. No scrapping done. No shopping. Leftovers for dinner. Laundry still screaming my name.

"Dovetailing".... doing two things at once. An important factor in time management. Do the dishes while you talk on the phone. Chop the veggies while browning the meat. Set the table while the water boils. Dovetailing isn’t as easy when another person’s needs are involved, especially when person’s needs are your responsibility. Their happiness, comfort, security becomes the prize. Sometimes we have to just forget the blowing wind, the rain, the slippery steel and walk the beam.

Friday stuff

After a crazy and restless night, a little rambling this morning. 

• Another beautiful sunrise. 
• I'm fighting this dang sinus infection since the flu now for a week.  It just lingers and by nighttime, I am downright miserable.  In the daytime, it's all good.  I may have to break down and see the doctor this morning.
• The attack on Fort Hood is heartbreaking.  What a crazy world we live in.
• I love hes season of Survivor!  Please pass Russell GONE!
• I made Shepherds Pie last night.  I'd started it two nights ago when Liza came by.  We got busy talking and while I thought the sauce was simmering, it was on high heat.  I killed it.  BIGTIME.  Soak-the-pan-then-scrape-then-soak-again-killed it.  Last night, since the mashed potatoes were still waiting to be used in the fridge, I made a new meat and veggie sauce, put them in the microwave for five minutes instead of straight into the stoneware and it only had to bake long enough to melt the cheese. I always make twice the potatoes when I make mashed potatoes so that we can make shepherds pie a night or two later.  It is one of our family favorite dishes.  I've done this for 30 years with leftover mashed potatoes and never thought to preheat the potatoes.  It takes 45 minutes to heat them in the oven.  Please pass why that never occurred to me before? 
• Gracie took a field trip to Hill Air Force Base in Ogden yesterday.  When she came home, all that she could talk about was the little hand/song game she learned to play on the bus with a friend.  Go figure.
• Tonight, there'll be much card-playing, gab, laughter, Cranberry Chex Mix and fun.  It's GNO!  I  won't be worrying about laundry, cooking, homework or eating healthily for 30 hours!  Happiness!

Here's the dip I made to share:

Caramel Fruit Dip

1 8-oz. package cream cheese (light cream cheese works)

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla 

Toffee bits

 

Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature or seften for a few seconds in the microwave. Using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla.  Just before you serve, stir in about 1/2 a bag of toffee bits. Serve with fresh apples, bananas and strawberries.  MMMM!  Enjoy!  (I should add... just double the batch or you'll end up making it twice!)

• Yesterday I got the bills paid, the laundry done, the house company clean, bought a very cute Christmas present for Gracie, coughed a lot,  took a 2 hour nap... and then an hour one later and then went to bed early. Today, I've got to feel better!  I've got playing to do!
• Quayd has been asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting this Sunday.  We sat down together to work on it last night and he had in his mind everything he wanted to say.  I was shocked.  I typed as he dictated and I helped him find one reference to share.  The rest is his creation.  I'm amazed.  He's very excited for the opportunity.  I'm slightly proud!
• Next week, my calendar is bare but my to-do lists are long.  I've got furniture to paint, Christmas gifts to wrap, a decorating class to teach and serious Christmas plans to work on... only four trees instead of five this year.  Somewhere in there, I may do some Thanksgiving weekend planning too!
• Life is good...even when you are sneezy, sniffly, achey, stuffy head feeling.

Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures. 

cape and tiara needed

One of my little birthday surprises from Marilyn was this adoara little adorable plague.  She said she saw it and it immediately reminded her of me.  That was following a conversation where I'd stated, quite undebatably, that "People in the west just don't know how to make cornbread right."  Because, you know, cornbread is something that people from the south know how to make "right".  

Doug teases me that I'm a bright orange personality ~ with yellow strengths and a "few" red weaknesses.  Okay, I admit, more than a few. Such as:  I want it NOW...or even better ~ yesterday!  I'm stubborn and like things my way.  As I grow up, I am trying to work on those weaknesses.  Thankfully, that's what we're here for... to learn and grow.  Hopefully, I'm moving in the right direction...be it ever so slowly. ;) I love that my family and friends "get" that.  And even more, that they tolerate it!  It's what we do... tolerate each other's weaknesses (and sometimes strengths!)

A friend and I were talking recently.  She shared that a Relief Society teacher had asked the class to write five things that they loved about themselves.  My friend commented, "I hate it when we have to do things like that because I can never see the good things about myself!  I only see my faults!"  I've been watching Quayd and Gracie as they enter that stage where they are starting to see their own "differences" from others their age.  That age has to be the worst!!  It's so hard on kids! My heck, it's hard on adults! 

Bottom line though is that we're all different. We all have our share of strengths and  weaknesses. And we're ever-changing!  Some days we feel like a super-hero.  Some days we would deny that we have any powers, let alone a super-power!  In the meantime, we look at others every day and see them as Wonder-Woman or Super-Man.  Truth is, we're all super-heroes of one kind or another! We can't save the whole world everyday (even though some of us would love to). I honestly don't think it's the times that we save someone from a burning building that makes us the hero.  It's the little everyday things that make the heroes.

I've had this plaque in the gallery for a few weeks now and everytime I look at it, I grin.  Doug says it's a "super-mom" quote.  I think I will buy a tiara to go with it on the shelf. Enough said.

If we triumph in the little things of our common hours, we are sure to triumph in our lives."

lots of rambling

This morning, as I was sending Quayd out the door, the sky to the south was amazing!  I grabbed my camera quickly to snap this shot!  This morning, I'm appreciating the time change because had it happened an hour later, I'd have been to busy getting the girls ready for school and would have missed this moment of splendor!

Today is our son, Dale's thirty-first birthday.  It's hard to imagine that I have a son that old...especially since some of my closest friends today went to school with him or are his age. Thirty-one years ago today, I became a mom when I delivered a very cute nine pound baby boy with auburn hair. (Please pass where that came from?  His beard still has it!) We're as different as night and day.  But, I have to admire him for the fact that he is passionate about all that he believes in.  He loves his daughter and being a dad.  He respects his father.  He appreciates nature and the earth. He's an animal lover. He has a powerful mind and a strong will. I don't understand him, but I love him.  Happy birthday, Dale!

ZJ came upstairs last night after bedtime and asked, "Mommy, is there anyway I can earn three quarters?"  She was excited about a new vending machine at school with some sort of notebook.  This morning, at just after 7, she was up and asking, "What can I do, Mom?  I'll do it right now!"  She took out every trashcan in the house...in her jammies and slippers and winter coat. Too cute.  I love that she knew not to just ask for a handout but wanted to earn it.

Grace has been begging for curls since Halloween afternoon when we took ZJ's curlers out for her Shirley Temple costume.  Last night, it was her turn.  This morning, when we took the curlers out, she bounced around for an hour.  She already has curly hair but she thought this was pretty exciting.  I had to take a picture.  Strange thing to me...these curls made her look much older.   She's growing up too quickly!

I found a desk for ZJ to repurpose for her new room.  It will be today's project. (Unless a better offer presents itself...Taipan anyone?  Lunch?)

I called my OB/GYN this morning for my annual physical.  The receptionist informed me that he's taking appointments for JUNE for physicals.  JUNE!?!?!  Seriously?  Don't even get me started!  I just asked for him to give me a call.  Maybe before March.  Oh well, at least I can check that off my list!

I wanted to mention a very quick and easy dip that we enjoyed this weekend.  In one of those little tiny crockpots made for dips, melt 1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, 1 can of chili and 1/2 cup of salsa.  I actually mixed mine in a saucepan, heated it all and then put it into the crockpot.  So quick and easy and a very tasty dip!  Oh, the recipe called for chili without beans.  I only had regular chili and it was num!  I'm not a chili fan but, as always, cream cheese makes everything wonderful!

Last, Audra, please, if you're reading today, could you send me your email address?  Thanks!

The rest of the week gets busy.  Today, I'm playing with paint, hanging out at home and getting some things done.  Tomorrow, paying bills and a long list of running errands, then playing all weekend.  Life is good! 

If it's not fun, you're not doing it right.

I love to see the temple...

Have I mentioned that I love November!?

A few serious thoughts on my mind this morning.  If you are reading this and you are not LDS, it may sound a bit "odd", I apologize.  But, these feelings are most important to me and mine, so I must record them:

Last night was our Family Home Evening, in which we celebrated the one year anniversary of our adoption and temple sealing.  Doug came home from work, earlier than I'd expected, so we raced out the door to Logan to be at the temple before the sunlight was gone.  Everyone was still in school clothes, there was no hair brushed or preparation for the photos, whatsoever, but it's all good, Doug reminded me. We arrived just after sunset and a nice couple were willing to take a few photos of us on the hill. The babes enjoyed rolling down the hill, over and over for a bit, and then we settled down and walked around the temple grounds.  Even if you are not LDS, this is a special experience, where you can just feel a calm and peace come over you.  (According to most of my non-LDS family who've visited.)

The temple is closed to all on Mondays because it is Family Home Evening.  Surprisingly, after that couple and two groundskeepers left, we were alone on the temple grounds.  We talked and shared our thoughts and feelings about being a family and our memories of the whole experience a year before. This year has gone by so quickly! 

At one point, I shared a little message that I'd read recently:

Thomas S. Monson, then, of the Quorum of the Twelve, suggested deep spiritual meaning in the physical presence of the temple. He recounted the late Elder Matthew Cowley’s story about a grandfather who took his small granddaughter on a birthday visit to the Salt Lake Temple grounds. With permission of the groundskeeper, they walked to the large doors of the temple. He suggested that she place her hand on the temple wall and then on the door, saying tenderly to her, ‘Remember that this day you touched the temple. One day you will enter this door.’ His special gift to his granddaughter was an appreciation for the House of the Lord. Likewise, counseled Elder Monson, ‘As we touch the temple, the temple will touch us."

Our children, the babes, had the rare opportunity of entering the temple a year ago with Doug and I to be sealed together as a family for time and all eternity. Children only go inside the temple for this purpose. We reminded them of this and Gracie said again, as she says often, "I can not wait to go back."

As we were there outside those east doors of the temple, we remember that we've stood together with family and friends many times, such as when Liza and Buddy were married, as well as several cousins, aunts and uncles and friends.  These doors were the place that the babes chose to "touch".  It was a reverent moment for us all.  We reminisced and then gathered together, discretely out of sight and said a prayer of thanks for the privilege of being a family. Without any more details, suffice it to say, we felt those remarkable feelings that we'd shared together inside the temple just a year ago, all over again.

 As it was getting dark quickly, we watched the lights come on and then talked more of our favorite memories of our special day. Doug and I were both surprised at what detail each child remembered.  It was simply a perfect little Family Home Evening.  How grateful I am for the privilege of taking them to the temple with us, not to mention of raising and loving these three awesome children.

Earlier in the day, I'd spent over two hours in a meeting at the school with a team of professionals, discussing Gracie's progress and her challenges.  Quayd and Gracie, as I've mentioned, have some developmental delays, due to the neglect that they had their first few years of life. While very normal, they have their struggles.  They are wonderful children, very likable and most willing to do their best on anything asked of them. Seeing test results, hearing the details of their daily challenges from teachers and counselors (who are nothing but wonderful and encouraging) always makes my heart ache.  On the days of these conferences, I'm always teary and want to love them a little more, help them along a little extra and yet, saddened at the reminder of their rough beginnings.   

Going to the temple with the children, last night, brought things back into perspective. It was the perfectly timed reminder that I needed.  Not just of the fact that we are an eternal family.  BUT, that these three special little spirits were sent to Doug and I for a purpose and reason and it is, indeed, a privilege to love them and teach them and help them grow, as it is for any parent to raise children. Every child comes with their own "issues" and uniqueness, regardless of their circumstances.  Every child needs to be loved and cherished.  What a gift to be given, as a parent... the opportunity to help them discover who they are and their own potential and to teach them the things in life that really matter. I am blessed! Enough said.

Our strength often increases in proportion to the obstacles imposed upon it.

Weekend update

Halloween started off with Pumpkin Pancakes and getting ZJ's hair up in curlers so that she could be Shirley Temple.  Actually, it started off with the girls bouncing into our room just before 7 to say Happy Halloween!  No enthusiasm in this house!  Literally, all day long, it was "How many more hours?"  As I was making the waffles, I noticed the little deer family out my kitchen window.  Apparently, this mama likes our compost pile.  Notice the baby in the background.  There are two of them and they are the tiniest little deer I've ever seen this late in the season.  Seeing the deer in the back yard is one of my favorite things!

We got everyone ready in the afternoon so that they could walk down to Nana's and make their first haul there.  They could have gone without trick or treating after one stop at my mom's! 

ZJ, aka Shirley Temple, tap danced her way through the house all weekend long.  She's still not washed her hair because she wanted the curls at school today, but this morning, it needed to br braided because she turned frizz instead of curl.  She really wants a perm! 

We had dinner at Denise's, like always, then went trick or treating in her neighborhood with her grandchildren, who both under three.  Denise lives in a subdivision where everyone knows everyone, the homes are close and there are literally hundreds of kids out on the streets.  We've done Halloween together for most years since our bigs were little.  We met a passing group of Trick or Treaters who were all in high school.  They informed me that "you're never too old to stop Trick or Treating."  They were good clean cut kids having good clean fun.  I didn't mind that at all.  It's the big kids that pull pranks that concern me!

Gracie kept track of how many pirates she saw all night and she was the only "girl pirate".  She cracked us up.  Her favorite part of the night was watching Kaylee, Denise's little granddaughter say "thank you" as she got her treats.  Very cute. 

I couldn't help but wonder about my grandchildren and what they were doing on Halloween.  I've still not heard from Kelly, so I don't even know if Zaylee went out at all.  I did see a cute picture of Willow as a darling little CareBear.  One of these years, I'll have a normal "grandparent" situation to enjoy... that will be when Liza and Buddy decide to begin their family!  I don't mention it often but I can't wait!  Do NOT tell Liza I wrote that!  I'm really trying hard to be the no pressure mom.  Trying.  Really.  Trying.  ;)  It will come in time and when it does, oh heaven help us all!  I'll be in Grammie heaven!

Quayd, who thinks he's all grown-up, begged the girls to stay home on Halloween and watch a movie.  While we were sick last week. we had told them they could all have cash for candy and buy anything they wanted, then we'd have a movie night together instead.  Quayd loved this idea and even though everyone was better, he thought the idea was still worth considering.  When he realized that it really wasn't happening, he decided to be Sam from Transformers and spent Saturday making his "AllSpark" box which doubled as his candy container for trick or treating.  Funny thing was that he ended up having the best time of all three kids.

We finished early, hit the grocery store for a few Sunday dinner items and came home in time to get a very good Saturday night's sleep!  Just in time to change the clocks!  I got up early and went to the church by 8, early, to set up a little display in the entryway of the Relief Society Room.  I volunteered to do the display and I'm loving the opportunity.  This is my "Virtuous Woman" display.  The cross-stitch is all about Proverbs 31, with quotes from the scripture.  I'm excited about next week's display already!  I think being a window dresser would be one of the most fun jobs ever! 

Yesterday, Quayd passed the sacrament for his first time.  I was very emotional, watching my little guy, looking so sharp in his giant suit, so serious about doing it right.  He did a great job and then, went with his dad to collect the fast offerings after church.  He's so excited about being a deacon.  Next Sunday, he's been asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting.  When Scott called to ask him, he said, "Sure!  I'd love to!"  And so it begins... he's really turning into a "Young Man".  In less time that the time that we've had the babes, he'll be old enough to be a missionary!  Time moves too quickly!

Liza and Buddy came for dinner and we played Apples to Apples until the babes bedtime.  We had a very relaxed Sabbath day.  Well deserved.  I can't get over how slowly we're getting our energy back.  But, it's coming!  It was a great weekend!

Did I mention that the time change really makes me crazy.  I was up at 4:55 this morning, wide awake.  At 6:30, the girls are up.  So, whoever says that the fall change means an extra hour's sleep... in this house... Not so much.

This week is looking pretty tame.  Maybe even the next two weeks. 

• Our celebration of the adoption/sealing Family Night tonight!
• Parent Teacher Conference for Gracie
• Mom's helping manfriend, Boyd, move to Boise
• Dale turns 31.  How did we get a 31 year old son!?
• My favorite niece, Brooke, will have her baby!  She's now overdue!  (For the record, I have nothing to do with this but to be a cheerleader, but it's really big news around here!  Every morning, "Did Brooke have her baby yet?")
• GNO
• Still getting things back in order here at home
• A few Holiday projects in the works

Life really is good!

The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works, is the family.

Boo-tiful!

 We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today. 

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Glitter

I've got Shirley Temple's hair to curl, soup to make and a little pirate girl to make beautiful today!  Other than that, today's just all fun!

Last week, on the cooking blog, I shared my table talk questions.  Each person answer only two questions.  My favorite thing about creating these table talk lists is that I imagine who will draw each question and what they will say.  Often, I'm right and know the answer.  But, other times, we'll hear a story that we've never heard and just laugh for days!  Today, I'm answering them... all of them, as a meme. Actually, I've been working on this all week while lying on the couch.  But, here goes...

What keeps your awakes in the middle of the night? Worrying. I worry about my kids, I worry about what I forgot to do or didn't get around to doing the day before or what I need to do tomorrow.  I'm a great worrier but working on it.  When I realize that I'm worrying, I decorate in my head to take away my stress.  I'll pick a friend's house and decorate it with my furniture and decor.  It usually takes my mind off what I'm worrying about and helps me go to sleep.  Not coveting, just filling my mind with other busy thoughts.

What would people be "surprised" to know about you? I get really quiet when I'm around people I don't know.  It only lasts a few minutes but I access before I become the party animal.

What is the best prank you’ve ever pulled? I shared it last Saturday... the night that I climbed in a coffin and was left on a few doorsteps...here's the link.  A fun read.

What’s the best prank anyone ever pulled on you?He still denies it, but we were spending the weekend at my Uncle Jerry's cabin in Pennsylvania.   Uncle Jerry told the best scary stories...he had been some bigwig in the regional Boy Scout organization, so I'm sure he had lots of practice.  This particular weekend, he told us a horrifying story, which I don't remember, but when my cousin woke up in the night, he noticed some iridescent glowing in the dark bright green stuff all overthe leaves in the yard outside.  We all woke up and freaked over it, including Uncle Jerry.  No one had a clue what it was.  The strange thing was that the next morning, there was no sign of it anywhere.  To this day, Uncle Jerry swears that he didn't do it and still doesn't know what it was.  Me thinks he protesteth too much!

 

What’s the most “real” frightened you’ve ever been? That would be the experience when I was told that "one of my girls" had drowned in the river at the ranch a few years ago.  It took me a few minutes to get to the girls and find out that someone spoke before getting the facts.  Gracie had fallen in, but Doug had pulled her right out.  It truly was the worst and most frightened moment of my entire lifetime.  For that few minutes, I experienced the loss of a child and nothing has ever compared to that pain.  Thankfully, all was well! 
I hate to even think about it!

 

What’s the most “fun” frightened you’ve ever been? I would have to say on the 300 foot tall ride at the Celebration Center.

Since Halloween costumes frequently require make-up, what’s your best beauty tip? Eyeliner. That one simple step in make-up can transform anyone!

Share a specific memory of Trick or Treating?  We used to have an annual costume party for years... One year, I made Doug's California Raisin costume and it was too big.  An hour before the party, he tried it on and realized it.  I suggested that we be "Verne and Shirley" because he had a full beard.  We'd both wear 50's skirts.  There was no way he was going to wear a dress.  I casually commented, while doing my hair at the bathroom mirror, "Okay.  That's really interesting because I just read that men who are afraid to dress in drag are insecure about their manhood."  I looked up and almost instantly, he was standing behind me with both of my fifties skirts, "Which one do you want me to wear?"    It was a fun costume and a the party was one of our favorites still to this day!

What creepy thing scares you the most…mice, spiders, bats or something us? Share an experience of one of these. Mice.  I have too many mice stories.  Which is WHY they scare me the most. The first one that comes to my mind is the bathtub mousestory. The next would be when I was hostessing at Juniper Inn and a mouse came out from behind the Grandfather Clock, ran right up to my dress, which was almost floor length.  I lifted my dress up as I jumped, quite high, I might add and DeVerle, the owner, hurt himself laughing at me while I screamed!
What was your favorite Halloween costume ever? I'm not a big fan of costumes for myself, but I'd have to say that I do like the ones that make you look good not the ones that make you look ugly!

What’s your favorite fall food? Apple pie, Apple cake, Caramel Apples.  Love them all!

Were you a candy hoarder or do you eat it all up on Halloween night? Not a long hoarder but it's gone in a week or two.

How old you do you think is too old for Trick or Treating? When you don't need Mom and Dad to go along with you, it's time to stay home and pass out the treats. Big kids trick or treating without supervision...just too tempting to get into trouble even if it's intended as fun.

Speaking of ghosts, is there an ancestor that you’ve never met but feel a connection to?  I'd love to meet Doug's dad or my grandmother Eliza who could help me understand my mother!

 

What scents remind you of fall? Apples!

Do you have any phobias?  GERMS!!, Mice, Doug taking my kids hiking up on cliffs!

Speaking of potions, what’s your favorite home remedy?Doug would answer Melaleuca Oil!  Me... I'm thinking a glass of ice water fixes anything... hunger, UTIs, dry skin, you name it.  If there's an ache, drink more water.

On your worst day, are you more of a witch, a vampire, a ghost?  Surprisingly, I'm a ghost.  When I'm really having a bad day, I just want to be left alone.  Doug can always tell when I'm upset because it's when I'm the most quiet.

If you could have a bottomless bucket of Halloween Treats, what are three things you’d have in it?  Caramel Apples, Take Five bars, Popcorn

What’s your favorite “scary” movie?  What Lies Beneath freaked me out!  I landed in Carol's husband's lap at the theater during Sixth Sense.  The scariest movie for me was the movie with the hotel room numbers.  Hotel room.  Ghosts. John Cusack... 1408.  THE scariest movie I've ever seen.  I don't watch R rated movies, so this one may not be much compared to some of them.  BUT.  Carol loves scary movies and so do her kids.  Whenever a new one comes out, they can't wait to see it with me because they love watching me scream and squirm.  I hold my breath during the previews for scary movies just hoping that it will be R rated so that I don't have to see it!  That's my easy way out!

Pick a costume and tell us why: Scarlett O’Hara OR Dolly Parton OR Amelia Earhart or A Witch I love witch costumes!  But, Scarlett would be fun for a day.  Don't need a Dolly costume and didn't care for Amelia's hat.

If you could “wiggle your nose” and have an instant “material” wish, what would it be?  One large family room off the back of the house with a huge fireplace and mantel, french doors off to the backyard and built in bookcases on both sides of the fireplace.

 

What’s your favorite thing about Halloween? Your least?  Halloween means it's really deep into the fall.  I love to hear the kids walking through the fallen leaves on Halloween night.  I love the traditions that we've made through the years.  LOVE LOVE LOVE the decorations.  My least favorite thing about it is, seriously, the evil and dark costumes like the scream masks. I've NEVEr been a fan of those type of Halloween costumes.

 

If you could cast a spell to change one thing about you, what would it be?  I'd spend more time doing the things that are good and less time doing things that are useless...be more productive, I suppose.

 

Surround yourself with friends who will only lift you higher.

Freaky Friday

It's crazy hair day!  Gracie woke up at 6:05, she was so excited.  And last night,  she couldn't go to sleep.  At 9:30, she came upstairs to tell me so.  It was just the excitement.  Seriously, Halloween is tomorrow and she's not even concerned about that yet.  Although we did have everyone try on costumes and make sure we had everything we needed for the big event.  Now, if the weather co-operates, we're all set!  It's trying really hard to snow right now!

Yesterday, Denise and I went to Chili's for lunch.  I confess, I'm caving. Not yet, but I'm feeling it...  I arrived first and ordered our drinks. Denise's Coke with lemon (eewww) and I debated for a minute and asked if they had a Diet Dr. Pepper (one step closer).  When Deanna, our server said no,  I was relieved.  A few minutes later, as Denise walked in, John, the manager, walked up and handed me a bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper.  I asked if it was from his personal stash and he said that he'd sent one of the cooks over to 7-11 to get me one.  OH MY!  That's customer service.  So.  I had to drink it. ;)

I don't think that I've mentioned that Mom's manfriend, Boyd, is visiting again.  He has actually sold his home in St. George and will be moving to Boise, Idaho closer to his children.  He's asked Mom to marry him again and she's said yes!  She's committed to marry him on her90th birthday.  Hmmm. Just for a closer look at my mother's commitment level... Mom's 70.  Boyd will be 81 tomorrow.  I'm not planning a bridal shower anytime soon. ;)  By the way, the babes think that it's pretty cool that Grampa Boyd has a Spooky Halloween birthday!

Quayd brought home his first real report card with a B+ average!  He's slightly proud! He's really trying, which makes me proud!

This weekend, we'll also be celebrating the first anniversary of our adoption and sealing in the LDS Temple.  More about that on Monday but needless to say, it's the most important thing on the calendar this weekend!

Gracie's been calling today Freaky Friday all month... Crazy hair and get ready for Halloween day.  It worked.  Today, for me, not so freaky... just busy.

• The curtains are pinned and ready to sew, press and hang.
• Some Halloween surprises to be made for the babes.
• A little pre-Halloween preparation.
• Bake some fresh bread
• Pay a few bills
• Lunch date with my sweetheart!!!

From a great scrapbook layout created by Diana Longoria, todays quote:

Be true to your work, your word and your friend.

four sweet

First, thank you for the sweet notes regarding yesterday's blog entry about my dear friend, Toni.  I was most touched when, late last night, I received this comment on the blog from Andi, Toni's daughter. From it, you can see what a special family they are.

This 30 yr old is glad that you remember how cool her mom was too. I was young then, and I obviously wasn't there for much of your adventures, so it was fun for me to hear about your time with my mom. I can see it all so well, and you have to know that she was so sad when you moved away. My dad is the coolest huh? I remember being devastated after the accident, but I also remember him setting us down at the very moment we got home from school and telling us how much he loved us, how he would take care of us, and that we should never be lonely or afraid, because our family was forever, and my mom still loved us, and she always would, and she would always know us and hear us. What a guy huh? He has never left us or let us down, and really, neither has my mom. I loved, really really loved, reading your post. Thanks for remembering me and my mom. So glad we can keep in touch.

1. Next...One of our favorite movies is, "What about Bob?" and it has one of my favorite lines to quote:  "I feel good.  I feel great.  I feel wonderful."  Well, happy day!  I'm saying that this morning!  Maybe not 100% yet, but I'm getting there!  Yesterday, a friend and I got a little silly with on the phone, which had us both laughing hysterically.  The laughter felt so good!  I also worked on my Christmas shopping lists and did some planning.  Not a bad day at all!  We finished up leftovers for dinner from all of the nummy food that friends have dropped by.  I heart my friends and their willingness to share and serve!  And...Have I mentioned lately how much I love the snow! I'd sing if I could! Today, I've already made pancakes, done a load of laundry, I'm getting dressed, doing my face and hair, and I may go to lunch with Denise and do some much things on my to-do list. Happiness!  Doug always teases that he knows I'm getting better when I start spending money again.
2. Tuesday night, Liza took the girls the Pumpkin Walk.  Last year, we all went for a Girls' Night Out while Doug and Quayd were at an overnight scout camp.  It was a lovely night and the weather was perfect.  This year, not so much.  They were gone less than an hour.  Liza said that there was snow covering most of the pumpkin displays and it was C-O-L-D!  I remember one year going during 40mph winds and snow that had blown half the displays over but the people were still lined up to go.  It's tradition!  By the way, the girls didn't mind the weather and said that this year was wonderful!!!   I am grateful that Liza makes the time for her little brother and sisters!
3. I've been using a Franklin Planner long since the 80s and a Classic Star Planner before that, I'm considering going to a week at a glance calendar and using a wallet like normal people.  However, I can't find one that jumps out and "wows" me.  If I'm going to make this change, it's going to have to be something really wonderful!  Any suggestions? I do this at this time almost every year, but I'm serious this time.  Again.  ;)
4. Speaking of planning, I really need to get on top of things and make up for a lost week...Halloween costumes, getting ZJ's adorable kitchen sold on Craigslist, so that she has room for a new desk and finding desks for both girls rooms so that I can get them painted before Christmas.  Tomorrow is Crazy Hair Day for the girls and I believe that they are more excited about that than they are Halloween.  Life is slowly moving back to normal... if you can call life in our home "normal".  Whatever, life is good! 

The best part of life is when your family becomes your friends, and your friends become your family.

Toni

I've mentioned my best friend in Indiana, Toni, briefly before.  My good friends here, know Toni well because I speak of her often.  Toni and I were as different as day and night.  I was the wild and crazy one.  She was calm, cool and collected. In those days, I walked as close to the edge as I dared and Toni would stay as far from the edge as possible.  Both of our families moved into the same LDS ward within six months of each other, a commonality that bonded us immediately.  I adore Toni.  She was one of the strongest influences in my lifetime, even though we only lived near each other for less than two years.

On the day we met, Toni was visiting the area, in search of a home after her husband, Rick's employment brought him from Texas.  At the time, I was in the Relief Society Presidency and happened to be, on that Sunday, conducting the meeting. I welcomed her and we spoke briefly after church.  Shortly after, she returned with their six children to move into Toni's dream home, a beautiful farmhouse in an Amish area, complete with animals, barns and a huge garden.  Just before Toni's return, Rick told me that Toni was looking forward to getting to know "the happy Italian".  That would be a term that I cherished, though not an ounce of Italian in my blood. I loved that she called me "happy" because it was at probably one of the darkest times in my life. I missed my home in Utah, my friends and family, my happy life that we'd left behind.

Toni and I became instant friends.  Toni had a unique situation at home.  Her mother, Jerri, had lived in their home since the birth of Toni and Rick's first child, sixteen years before.  Jerri did the cooking, housecleaning and laundry, allowing Toni to be a full-time Mom, helping with scouts, 4-H, music, school volunteering, you name it.  She was the best mom I'd ever known! 

Jeri once said to me, "Sophia, you and Toni are good for each other.  She tames you a bit and you bring out a little of the wild in her."  That was a genuine compliment, one that I'll always appreciate.  Who doesn't want to have the approval of their best friend's mother, even if you are 34 years old at the time!

I could write chapters about the adventures that Toni and I shared.  My favorite example...Toni and I naively, won a bid (we felt guilty asking for $300 for each of us) for a two week job to de-junk to the bare bones and then paint an old home.  The company where Rick was a Vice President, had purchased this old home to use for offices.  I've never laughed so hard as we did during that job.  I can remember lying on the floor, both of us, laughing until we ached while doing the job!  The actual work involved was a nightmare, much more than we ever bargained for! When Rick took us to lunch to celebrate the completion of the job, he handed us a company checks for over $2000!  We screamed!!! And Rick laughed!  He'd watched us do all that work, knowing all along that we'd be paid much more than anticipated! Much more valuable than the money (a lot for two stay at home moms) was the memory of the crazy good time we had together!  Priceless!

During that two years, we spent so much time together ~ alone and with our families.  Our husbands became friends, though two very different men.  Rick, the professional, and Doug, my granola-man husband.  Yet, these two men supported us in all things and shared many a laugh at our "Lucy and Ethel" antics.

I learned so much from Toni. She taught me valuable lessons about life and faith and service by word and example. Toni understood me and I believe to this day that she was placed in my life at that time to fill the huge void that I was experiencing being away from home.  She reminded me to "make good choices" and loved me even when I didn't. 

Doug and I moved home in the winter of 1994. Toni and I spoke on the phone every Monday. That spring, as I was driving along a stretch at the north end of our valley where I normally put the pedal to the metal, I had this impression, "Toni would never drive this fast.  She'd be right at 55, where she should be."  I slowed down and continued home to hear my phone ringing.  It was someone else calling from Indiana.  The conversation began with "Sophia, have you heard?"

That phone call rocked my world. Toni and her mother, Jerri had been killed in a head-on collision that morning as they were heading to the church to decorate for a youth dance.  My world changed in that single moment.  When Doug and I called Rick that next morning, he answered the phone in his usual cheerful manner.  I was stunned. I've repeated his next words hundreds of times since that morning.  "Sophia, my friend.  If we believe what we profess to believe, we have no cause to mourn.  Be of good cheer".  What an example of faith and testimony of Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation and our belief in eternal family.  We talked about the accident, the children, funeral plans. Rick made me laugh when he said, "I feel sorry for the person who greeted Toni on the other side because she probably hugged them hello, then decked them!" meaning that Toni would have never chosen to leave her six beautiful children at that time in their lives.  Rick, like Toni, was an amazing example to Doug and I.

There's rarely a day in my life, fifteen years later, that I don't think of Toni. I often think of Toni's goodness, her laugh, the silly things we did together.  I cherish the memory of an eternal friend that I only had for only two years of my life. 

Why share all of this today?  During this week that I've been down with the flu, I've spent a an embarrassing amount of time on Facebook (it ends today!) and happened onto Toni's daughter, who is now a 30 year old young mother. Last night, I checked Toni's daughter's photos.  My heart skipped a beat!  Doug walked in to find me crying and said, "Babe, what is it?"  I showed him the pictures and he immediately, without seeing the name, teared up too and said "She's looks just like her mother, doesn't she!?"  My tears were happy tears.  It was like seeing Toni again.  Toni was and still remains one of my heroes in life.  And happily, I found that the blessing of this dagnabit flu that's kept me down for a week is that I slowed down enough to see that Toni's legacy lives on!  What a gift! Worth every ache, cough and pain.  Enough said.

Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

 

a little Halloween Cheer...

Oh, happiness!  I just discovered why I wasn't able to get any fonts or colors for the past two weeks.  I'm back in business! 

Medical update:  Getting better.  Quayd went to school and seemed to be fine by  last night.  Hopefully, it was just something passing.  Doug's got a touch of vertigo, which apparently goes along with the little piggy flu.  I'm feeling more like myself and can actually walk upstairs without having to sit down at the top this morning.  Health is on the way!

Conversation between Quayd and I:

Me: How are you feeling, Lovebug?
Q: A little better right now.
Me:  How's the headache?
Q:  A little better right now.
Me: How are your eyes?  Are they hurting?
Q:  A little.
Me:  How are your ears? 
Q: Dangly.

Too funny.  I just heart him.

A little Halloween cheer... a few of my favorite decorations, new and old.  I'm loving the new corner cabinet and the fun I'm having with it.  It's hit me... it's in the corner that one of my Christmas trees goes!  Oh no! What to do, what to do? But, I won't think about that today, I'll think about that tomorrow.  I do have three weeks to worry about it.

I love my little witch in the corner, a birthday gift from Liz last year on my fiftieth!  I love that her hair is so curly!   Notice my cute chalkboard painted plate with Trick or Treat on it.  Any guesses what it will say this Sunday when all the witches go into their broom closets for the year?  Three weeks after the Thanksgiving decorations go up, the Christmas things come out.  I can hear Doug now, "Stop yourself, Babe."  How tolerant is this man?  Maybe this flu came at a good time after all...it's slowing me down for a few days!

I do love this old gallon size pickle jar jack-o-lantern.  I made it ten years ago with a couple of girlfriends.   For some reason, a few weeks ago, I thought, for the first time, that I've never put a candle in it.  I like the lid on, but, maybe on Halloween night, we'll give it a try.

 

 

The booshelf.  The camera cut off part of the darling Bunco winner prize, a "boo" pillow on the shelf.  The big Ghostie Boo was made in 1989!  I just love him!

 

 

 

Right by the front door in the entry is a little "leftover" decor, potions from the siblings dinner tablescape.  I'm loving the tinsel in the candlelight.

 

 

Candy Central.  This year, we've discovered that a new way to eat a candy corn and actually like it - two peanuts and one candy corn at a time... and the caramel apple candy corns are the best!  Very tasty combo!  Did you know that the number one selling candy bar in America is Snickers?  My favorite candle this season was a Melaleuca candle of the month,  Caramel Apple Dip.  Very nummy!  And being that it's a Melaleuca product, Doug says order all the candles I want!  Candles are my favorite part of the monthly order!

This big guy was the first Halloween decoration in our home.  I made it in 1979, just before Dale's first birthday.  He's sort of our "Flat Stanley" quilted pumpkinand has appeared everywhere in our home over the years.  He's a keeper.  Ironically, his face reminds me of the Marshmallow Man in Ghostbusters.

 

 

The entryway hutch is "lotsa spooky" as ZJ put it.  A few jack-o-lantern lamps, bewitching candles and, of course, lots of fall leaves.

 

 

This very long and skinny witch is another favorite.  As you can see, I'm not into spooky, I love happy witches!  She's almost three feet long and has some "serious big teeth", again, says ZJ!

 

 

Above the hutch, a little pumpkin patch.

This little guy showed up in 1986.  He's about the size of a volleyball and has been treated like one more than a few times.  Surprisingly, he's still healthy and part of the family during October.

 

 

Last but not least, the boots.  These boots were made for walking as they've been on loan for a few other parties this past week.  I'm glad to have them home!  They just make me smile.  Aren't they just fabulous, she says humbly!

We work up to and are expecting snow today and tomorrow in the valley floor.  Happiness!  Definitely a soup kind of day!  Speaking of soup, last night, two dinners arrived at my door.  Linda brought take and bake pizza, which will be our dinner tonight.  The babes were doing the happy dance!  Christie and Becky showed up with a delicious clam chowder (I've already been promised the recipe), homemade french bread and a hot apple pie, which just fired me up for Thanksgiving Dinner!  It was all so tasty that I told Christie that my family would be praying that I stay sick!  One thing about this flu... normally food just doesn't sound good.  For some reason, all of us have held on to our appetites. Next week, when I'm feeling like myself again, I'll walk twice as far!  What great friends I have!

Thanks for the emails and ecards.  This isn't how I planned on spending my last week in October at all!  But, I've been well cared for by my amazing friends.  Thanks to all!  I'm on the mend!

Put a grain of boldness into everything you do.

on the ups

Tomorrow, just for fun, (and since I'm not going anyplace today!), a little Halloween Home Tour at the Corbridges.  Here's a taste...

Doug has gone back to work this morning.  I'm improving. Being sick with the flu is not fun.  But, being sick when your husband is sick is even worse!  Doug is so healthy all the time and when he gets sick, it wipes him out completely.  For him to miss three days of work and stay in bed for five, that's sick! Whatever we had, we're both assuming the oinky flu because it knocked us both out so hard, was not fun.  We did discuss last night, the fact that, if this was, indeed, the oinky flu, it was not nearly as bad as what we'd expected, but if this was not, N1H1 flu, then we'd hate to see the real thing because this one was bad!!  Being this sick together meant that nothing got done this past week, except rest.  Not for lack of want, but because we just plain couldn't do a thing!  This was not an easy flu!  And so, where we couldn't, others did.

• The kids did a "service project" for Dad...they finished up in the garden, pulling up all of the tomato plants and harvesting the tomatoes that we had left, to store in the garage and still ripen for another month.  They entertained themselves together, played well together, prayed for us together and even went to bed at night without being asked.  So far, the girls are healthy and Quayd stayed home from school in bed with a headache.  Ugh.  No fever yet!  Thankfully! 
• Our amazing friends have brought in dinners and lunches and treats since last Friday.  Doug and I have commented several times that we are truly blessed with great friends and neighbors.  I had to laugh when I received a "casserole" by email from Marilyn.  She called it a "New Moon Casserole", an iTunes gift card for the New Moon CD with a note, "I hope you LOVE the casserole!"  (We'd be dangerous if we lived any closer.)
• Liza, Brooke's mom and Brooke's friend, Sarah picked up where I left off with the baby shower, which we moved to the church instead of here at our sick house.  Barbie cooked, Sarah did the games, Liza decorated and pulled it all together.  She came over long enough to get what she needed and decorated and set up the shower.  She returned four hours later to report that the food was fabulous, the games were fun and that my favorite niece, Brooke, received, most graciously, some wonderful gifts.  Liza came in long enough to clean the dishes and put things away.  She couldn't leave quick enough, trying not to get whatever it is we have had!  I love my daughter!

We've been blessed!

A few other random thoughts:

• This photo is one of my most favorite birthday gifts.  Marilyn bought me these new knobs for my newly refinished $15 corner cabinet.  Aren't they fabulous!  She actually bought three sets of knobs and let me choose the ones that I wanted.  They were all awesome and it was a hard choice!  But, these were the winners!  Doug's still laughing at me for refinishing this cabinet and then distressing it to make it look old.  I love it! 
• I've been thinking about some things as a result of a mistake made recently by someone who I'm certain "just didn't think".  Sometimes, we just don't think.  Sometimes, acting without thinking has it's repercussions and brings regret.  Things that start as harmless and fun, end up hurting others, doing damage unintentionally.  Just think!  Before you act, ask, "HOW will this affect others around me?"  As I tell my babes every single morning, "MAKE GOOD CHOICES!"   Sick Sophia stepping down now.  Enough said.  Have a wonderful day!

The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing. 

one year ago this week!

'The home is the first and most effective place for children to learn the lessons of life: truth, honor, virtue, self-control; the value of education, honest work, and the purpose and privilege of life. Nothing can take the place of home in rearing and teaching children, and no other success can compensate for failure in the home. David O. McKay

"Too frequently, women underestimate their influence for good. Well could you follow the formula given by the Lord: '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).

"In such a house will be found happy, smiling children who have been taught, by precept and example, the truth. In a...home, children are not simply tolerated, but welcomed; not commanded, but encouraged; not driven, but guided; not neglected, but loved."  Thomas S. Monson

"Your most important friendships should be with your own brothers and sisters and with your
father and mother. Love your family. Be loyal to them. Have a genuine concern for your brothers and sisters. Help carry their load so you can say, like the lyrics of that song, 'He ain't heavy; he's my brother.' "  Ezra Taft Benson

My own personal casket adventure...doesn't everybody have one?

Blast from the Past... this entry was originally posted on November 1, 2005. 

To preface the story, I must share this little tidbit. I’m not sure how it’s done around the rest of the country anymore (it has been a long time since I had a date with anyone other than Doug!), but in Utah, boys don’t just call a girl and ask her to go to a dance. There has to be some grand, creative and elaborate plan. And the girl doesn’t just say yes. She has to be just as creative and usually plays off of his invitation. Example: The boy fills her room with balloons that contain notes in side each one. The girl must pop every balloon to find out who is doing the inviting? Then she may fill his car with balloons with the word YES in only one. Or they send each other on scavenger hunts all over town through malls and grocery stores looking for clues until they find the big question. The asking is, often, as grand as the date! I’d love to write a book on creative date invitations! Okay, that said....

It was just a few nights before Halloween in1989. Our good friends' son, who was a HS senior, asked me for some help in coming up with a creative way to ask a girl to the fall Dance. The girl was the daughter of our Stake President. (In the LDS church, congregations are called wards. About 9-12 wards are called a Stake. Bishops lead the ward, Stake Presidents lead the Bishops and all of the wards.) I was THRILLED to help Kyle with this fun task and immediately went to work on what I felt was one of my most grandiose imaginable undertakings! Nothing small would do!

A friend, who owns a mortuary, graciously agreed to loan me an old casket. I then called the girl’s mother, one of the most fun-loving people I know, to forewarn her of our plans, as they were a little out of the ordinary. Her mom was all over this idea! We fine-tuned the details and the big night to carry out our plan finally arrived.

We waited until it was very dark out. Holly lived in a beautiful cul de sac lined with lovely homes and wonderful landscaping. Fortunately, their yard was filled with thick, tall hedges. I was dressed in black, had crimped my hair and then doused it in hair spray and baby powder for the white effect. My face was covered in white make-up with dark black lined eyes. Kyle and a few friends unloaded the casket onto the front porch in front of the double doors. The porch lights had deliberately been left off so that we could set the stage.

I climbed inside the casket, poured a small bottle of water over the dry ice that was waiting in a bucket at my feet, hit play on the eerie music in the boom box, also at my feet, leaned back into the casket, placed the basket that was filled with Reeses and Roses on my chest, and closed the lid to the casket. As soon as everything was in order, Kyle rang the doorbell and he and his friends took their places hiding in the shrubs. This was when the fun began.

I was lying there inside a real live casket. It was the strangest feeling I could imagine. I could write an entire page just about that experience! But not tonight! ;) From the moment that the lid closed, I was asking myself over and over, "WHAT in the HECK was I thinking?" What seemed like an eternity passed before the front door opened. Holly’s mom answered the door. She called out, "Holllllllyyyyyyy, it’s for youuuuuuuuuu!"

A moment later, again an eternally longmoment, Holly came to the door. She gasped! At that point, I, ever so slowly, opened the casket lid, sat up even slower and placed the basket in her hand while slowly moaning in my deepest voice, "Kyle. Is. Dying. To. Go. To. The. Dance. With. You." Holly was screaming! Not a frightened scream... just that of a sixteen year old girl having the surprise of her life! I slowly layed back in the casket and closed the casket lid again.

(At that point, her mother was supposed to just close the door and go inside so that we could leave.) Instead, her mother, who, the entire time, had been screaming "LARRY!! LARRRRRRRY!!" to our stake president, who happened to be on the phone when we arrived, so that he could come and see. She continued to call for her husband even though my performance was over. He finally came to the door and she then knocked on the lid to the casket, "Do it again! Do it again!" THAT wasn’t part of the deal! My claustrophobia was kicking in big time by now, but, I just laid still inside the casket, wishing that I’d suggested to Kyle that he simply send her a rose with the question on the card! When I realized that she wasn’t going to stop knocking, I finally did an encore performance, closed the lid and they went inside.

We quickly tossed the casket into the back of Doug’s pick-up, which was parked up the street and disappeared. Now, this would be a good ending to the story. BUT, over the time we’d been preparing for this, another school district was having a "Girl’s Choice" dance. Another friends daughter had heard about my fun idea and asked me to ask the boy of her choice. Kyle and his friends agreed to help me with this invite, as well. This boy was playing cards at the kitchen table, facing the front door, with a group of other boys. It went off without a glitch, but was far less exciting. Boys just don’t squeal over things like sixteen year old girls!

And THIS was where we shouldhave just gone home and called the night good. But, hey! How often do you have a casket to play with? I thought it would be fun to go and play a prank on one more friend. A friend of Doug’s and mine. She’d done my nails for years and we’d even gone out to dinner with our husbands a few times. Doug always said that her husband was a little "rough around the edges" but a good guy, just the same. Sometimes, we’d questioned what he really did his business, but really never suspected him of anything serious. And so, we thought it would be fun to plant the casket on their doorstep, pull the same stunt to deliver them some donuts. By now, it was 10PM, but I knew that they were night people and would love it! We went through the whole schtick, Kyle rang and ran. I stayed still in the casket, trying not to be heard laughing, thinking myself ever so clever. I laid there. And I laid there. And. I. Laid. There. Nada. Nothing. I knew that they were home. I’d seen them as we pulled up. I laid there.

After I can’t even guess how long, I heard the husband, "I’ve got a gun. Come out slowly. NOW!!!" I slowly opened the casket, grinning from ear to ear UNTIL I SAW THE GUN IN MY FACE!! I quickly said, "It’s ME, Sophia! This is a joke!" He saw NOTHING funny about it! I SLOWLY got out of the casket, his wife came outside, I delivered my donuts and we were on our way. The husband did relax, but he had seriously been prepared for something far more serious than receiving a late-night treat from a friend! After that, we really did wonder about his business! I never did find out but years later, my friend divorced him. 

It was almost the perfect night! When I remember that night, I remember it with fondness, a big grin and a knot in my stomach! This was the night I spent in a casket and almost got to stay there!

Life is tough, and if you have the ability to laugh at it you have the ability to enjoy it.

To preface the story, I must share this little tidbit. I’m not sure how it’s done around the rest of the country anymore (it has been a long time since I had a date with anyone other than Doug!), but in Utah, boys don’t just call a girl and ask her to go to a dance. There has to be some grand, creative and elaborate plan. And the girl doesn’t just say yes. She has to be just as creative and usually plays off of his invitation. Example: The boy fills her room with balloons that contain notes in side each one. The girl must pop every balloon to find out who is doing the inviting? Then she may fill his car with balloons with the word YES in only one. Or they send each other on scavenger hunts all over town through malls and grocery stores looking for clues until they find the big question. The asking is, often, as grand as the date! I’d love to write a book on creative date invitations! Okay, that said....

It was just a few nights before Halloween in1989. Our good friends' son, who was a HS senior, asked me for some help in coming up with a creative way to ask a girl to the fall Dance. The girl was the daughter of our Stake President. (In the LDS church, congregations are called wards. About 9-12 wards are called a Stake. Bishops lead the ward, Stake Presidents lead the Bishops and all of the wards.) I was THRILLED to help Kyle with this fun task and immediately went to work on what I felt was one of my most grandiose imaginable undertakings! Nothing small would do!

A friend, who owns a mortuary, graciously agreed to loan me an old casket. I then called the girl’s mother, one of the most fun-loving people I know, to forewarn her of our plans, as they were a little out of the ordinary. Her mom was all over this idea! We fine-tuned the details and the big night to carry out our plan finally arrived.

We waited until it was very dark out. Holly lived in a beautiful cul de sac lined with lovely homes and wonderful landscaping. Fortunately, their yard was filled with thick, tall hedges. I was dressed in black, had crimped my hair and then doused it in hair spray and baby powder for the white effect. My face was covered in white make-up with dark black lined eyes. Kyle and a few friends unloaded the casket onto the front porch in front of the double doors. The porch lights had deliberately been left off so that we could set the stage.

I climbed inside the casket, poured a small bottle of water over the dry ice that was waiting in a bucket at my feet, hit play on the eerie music in the boom box, also at my feet, leaned back into the casket, placed the basket that was filled with Reeses and Roses on my chest, and closed the lid to the casket. As soon as everything was in order, Kyle rang the doorbell and he and his friends took their places hiding in the shrubs. This was when the fun began.

I was lying there inside a real live casket. It was the strangest feeling I could imagine. I could write an entire page just about that experience! But not tonight! ;) From the moment that the lid closed, I was asking myself over and over, "WHAT in the HECK was I thinking?" What seemed like an eternity passed before the front door opened. Holly’s mom answered the door. She called out, "Holllllllyyyyyyy, it’s for youuuuuuuuuu!"

A moment later, again an eternally longmoment, Holly came to the door. She gasped! At that point, I, ever so slowly, opened the casket lid, sat up even slower and placed the basket in her hand while slowly moaning in my deepest voice, "Kyle. Is. Dying. To. Go. To. The. Dance. With. You." Holly was screaming! Not a frightened scream... just that of a sixteen year old girl having the surprise of her life! I slowly layed back in the casket and closed the casket lid again.

(At that point, her mother was supposed to just close the door and go inside so that we could leave.) Instead, her mother, who, the entire time, had been screaming "LARRY!! LARRRRRRRY!!" to our stake president, who happened to be on the phone when we arrived, so that he could come and see. She continued to call for her husband even though my performance was over. He finally came to the door and she then knocked on the lid to the casket, "Do it again! Do it again!" THAT wasn’t part of the deal! My claustrophobia was kicking in big time by now, but, I just laid still inside the casket, wishing that I’d suggested to Kyle that he simply send her a rose with the question on the card! When I realized that she wasn’t going to stop knocking, I finally did an encore performance, closed the lid and they went inside.

We quickly tossed the casket into the back of Doug’s pick-up, which was parked up the street and disappeared. Now, this would be a good ending to the story. BUT, over the time we’d been preparing for this, another school district was having a "Girl’s Choice" dance. Another friends daughter had heard about my fun idea and asked me to ask the boy of her choice. Kyle and his friends agreed to help me with this invite, as well. This boy was playing cards at the kitchen table, facing the front door, with a group of other boys. It went off without a glitch, but was far less exciting. Boys just don’t squeal over things like sixteen year old girls!

And THIS was where we shouldhave just gone home and called the night good. But, hey! How often do you have a casket to play with? I thought it would be fun to go and play a prank on one more friend. A friend of Doug’s and mine. She’d done my nails for years and we’d even gone out to dinner with our husbands a few times. Doug always said that her husband was a little "rough around the edges" but a good guy, just the same. Sometimes, we’d questioned what he really did his business, but really never suspected him of anything serious. And so, we thought it would be fun to plant the casket on their doorstep, pull the same stunt to deliver them some donuts. By now, it was 10PM, but I knew that they were night people and would love it! We went through the whole schtick, Kyle rang and ran. I stayed still in the casket, trying not to be heard laughing, thinking myself ever so clever. I laid there. And I laid there. And. I. Laid. There. Nada. Nothing. I knew that they were home. I’d seen them as we pulled up. I laid there.

After I can’t even guess how long, I heard the husband, "I’ve got a gun. Come out slowly. NOW!!!" I slowly opened the casket, grinning from ear to ear UNTIL I SAW THE GUN IN MY FACE!! I quickly said, "It’s ME, Sophia! This is a joke!" He saw NOTHING funny about it! I SLOWLY got out of the casket, his wife came outside, I delivered my donuts and we were on our way. The husband did relax, but he had seriously been prepared for something far more serious than receiving a late-night treat from a friend! After that, we really did wonder about his business! I never did find out but years later, my friend divorced him. 

It was almost the perfect night! When I remember that night, I remember it with fondness, a big grin and a knot in my stomach! This was the night I spent in a casket and almost got to stay there!

a little cooking and a little blog-keeping

Pumpkin Dip

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 cup cream cheese

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon

 

We have stake conference this weekend and I'd planned on having a few friends over after the Saturday Evening meeting.  This recipe is one of the things that I was planning on serving with sliced apples.  However... we won't be serving this pumpkin dip or any other because... I now have what Doug has had all week.  Grrrr!  So.  Doug's home today still sick.  I'm home just sick.  Tonight, I am supposed to decorate for my favorite neice, Samantha's recital.  Tomorrow is my favorite niece Brooke's shower that I'm supposed to be hosting!  However... I won't be hosting anything.  I'll be home in bed and friends and family will be picking up where I left off.  Liza's, now,  doing the decorating.  Family will be cooking.  Brooke's friend will be doing the game.  And me.  I'll be home in bed not exposing anyone,  Very frustrated.  But, better safe than sorry with all that's going around right now.  Right.

 

This morning, a few simple ramblings:

• Here's another recipe that Natalie served at Bunco Wednesday night for super simple popcorn but oh my so nummy! 

Natalie used microwave popcorn.  She popped it then spread it out on the counter on wax paper.  Next, melt some white chocolate and slowly pour it over the popcorn, tossing the popcorn in the chocolate.  Once it's coated gently, pour a bag of toffee bits over the popcorn and toss a bit more.  Finally, melt chocolate chips and drizzle them over the popcorn.  Once it's all dry and set, place in bowl and serve.   Several people commented on the fact that the chocolate drizzles looked like spiders on the popcorn.  Natalie used semi-sweet.  It was so tasty!  A must make sometime between now and Halloween!  The toffee really makes it!

Another thing on my mind... I received several emails asking about the "Potions" recipe book that I made for the tablescape last week.  Yes, if you'd like me to make you one for you, I would love to.    I don't think that I could have them made and shipped to arrive before Halloween, but I'll be happy to make it and ship it next week for you to store until next year!  Just email me for details and payment arrangements. 

Yes, I am planning on doing a whole Christmas themed blog for the first 25 days of Christmas.  Recipes, crafts, ideas... more as it gets closer. I'll also post Christmas organizing tips soon.  I'm being Scarlett O'Hara today... I'll think about that tomorrow.

I'm going to be in bed today.  All day.  The end.

Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.

priorities

First off, I've had many requests to show the girls' bedrooms, now that they are repainted.  The rooms are painted but not redecorated because this will come with Christmas.  So, big room reveals will come on the week after Christmas.  Sorry!  I will show the bathroom reveal on Monday, how's that?!

Second, thanks for the good thoughts for Doug.  Several friends are certtain that his symptoms are swine flu.  He's home again today.  I slept on the couch so that he could have the whole room and bed to himself.  He is sick when he stays home from work.  If it's not improving this afternoon, he'll go in to see a doctor, though we're told that seeing the doctor doesn't really change things.  Fingers crossed, prayers being said.  I'm hosting a baby shower here in 48 hours and he's being quarantined to his quarters until after that!

And last, before I say what's on my mind this morning, the new blog banner... this is a shot of our valley from the mouth of Sardine Canyon.  Anyone who's ever been to our valley will tell you that there's something about coming around the curve that just warms the soul.  The photo shows you why.  Isn't it breathtaking!? The valley is 10 miles wide and 40 miles long and it's lovely any day of the year!

Last night, Bunco changed.  It was the most fun we've had at Bunco in a long time... we were loud and out of control most of the night, laughing wildly. Natalie's boys came to the stairs to watch and I noticed them laughing at us laughing.  Nat had prepared a fabulous meal with wonderful treats and super prizes for everyone.  (I won Traveler for the first time ever!)  We all started to discuss next month's plan when three of the gals announced that they are going to be "retiring" from the group.  Not for any negative reasons... because they are all so busy that one less night out of the home would simplify their lives.  The group became very quiet.  The joking and teasing stopped.  We were seriously saddened by the news.  The party was over.  The group will go on.  There will be new regulars and the three leaving will be willing to sub when we need, but it was just the strangest feeling to see this huge change that will take place. 

I came home and thought about it quite a bit.  I'm sad to see three of my favorite friends leave the group, but on the other hand, I'm impressed that they realize their limitations and have their priorities in order.  All three have very busy and active lives and, I'm certain, have given the choice lots of thought before deciding that their families, their church callings, their lives needed to take priority. 

Life's so busy for everyone that sometimes we just have to stop and take a look at what can go and what has to stay, what needs to be put to the side for a while.  This next two months requires a lot of prioritizing... time, money, energy.  It's time to start thinking seriously about the holidays.  What to make a top priority, what to put to the side, what to give up completely.  Here's a few of my thoughts on the matter just off the top of my head:

Priorities:

1. Teaching my children, often, the Reason for the Season...by word and action!
2. Keeping up with the traditions that matter the most!
3. Keeping healthy during the season by eating wisely, but still enjoying it without feeling like I'm being punished.
4. Keeping within the budget, paying cash for everything, being reasonable in my shopping.
5. Keeping the house up to my own standards during all of the activities of the next 11 weeks.
6. Being reasonable in my plans and expectations for partying, hosting, scheduling, sleeping!
7. Christmas morning will only be for Doug and I and the babes this year.  The bigs are all instructed to do their own thing this year!  Details and explanation to come!
8. Service!!

Things that I'm thinking may or may matter as much this year:

1. Letting go of a few traditions that may not really be so important after all.
2. Having as many parties
3. Gift giving to friends and neighbors... things are tight for everyone and it would eliminate a lot of pressure for a lot of people all in one sweep.
4. Getting the tree up before Thanksgiving (that's easy for me to say today but we'll see how I'm feeling the week before Thanksgiving

What I won't be worrying about at all this year:

1. Christmas cards/letters... I keep in touch with most people these days through my blog and Facebook anyway.
2. A few parties/social gatherings that I've stressed over in the past
3. A few other obligations that I'm passing on this year... already decided!

So, I realize it's early.  BUT.  It's never to early to start thinking and planning. (I'm done with lots of my shopping already!)  Prioritizing now will simplify things later!  Think about it!  Enough said!

The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.

a funny or two

While I was making breakfast this morning, I looked out the kitchen window and saw this mama deer in our backyard, helping herself to apples off the apple tree and she loved the leaves on the plum trees.  Just over the fence was the tiniest baby fawn I've ever seen.  So cute!  Her ears perked right up when I slid the patio door open to snap a picture.  Beautiful!  I do love living in this valley!

Yesterday, Denise and I went out for lunch and then took a drive looking at houses, yards, you name it.  Doug called during his lunch to say hello and asked, "Where you is?"  I said, "Oh, Denise and I are just out sightseeing."  He said, "You and Denise are outside peeing?"  We've both been doing that to each other a lot lately.  Go figure.

Speaking of getting old... This older couple were sitting in the living room  watching TV.  The wife gets up and the husband if he would like a bowl of ice cream.  He says he's love one with hot fudge and a sliced banana on it. Then he asks her, "Honey, do you want to write that down so you don't forget?"  She insists that she's not that old.  He pats her hand and says, "Well, if you're sure."   The wife goes into kitchen for a bit and returns with a dinner tray carrying fried eggs, grits, bacon and a big glass of juice. The husband lovingly smiles at her and says, "See, dear, I told you should have written it down.  You forgot the toast."  I just hope that Doug and I live to be old enough to do things like that!

Other rambling today...

• I loved watching the Michael Jackson tribute last night on Dancing with the Stars.  Amazing!  One of these days, I think I'll break out in a public place doing the Thriller dance to see how many others can join in!
• Tonight's Bunco at Natalies, which is guaranteed to be fantastic! I can't wait!
• Wow!  I tried a new soup recipe last night.  It's a creamy white chili, but it should be called Heart Attack Soup!  Talk about rich and nummy!  I'm posting the recipe on my cooking blog today!  Definitely company worthy!
• Doug's home today.  He's got a bug.  That's three of the five of us so far.  Quayd and ZJ left to go.  Isn't it funny how we hesitate to say "the flu" these days.  At least, he's staying home and not sharing his fever with anyone else!  I think, at least today, we've decided to go ahead and get the swine flu shots.
• Quayd went to his first official Young Men/Young Women joint activity last night.  They went to a member of the ward's home and watched The Wizard of Oz (my least favorite movie EVER, by the way) in their large theater room.  Apparently, the Young Men's Leaders were in charge of the activity and made it a little "Rocky Horror Picture Showish" with bubbles and other special effects.  Quayd was feeling pretty cool about life last night and told me as he was getting into bed, "I feel like a Youth now, and not a little boy anymore."  I said, "Really?", a little sad to hear it, which he sensed.  He said, trying to console his mom, "Well, maybe still a little little boy."
• Today, I'm staying home to nurse my sweetheart back to health, doing the final organizing for my favorite niece, Brooke's baby shower this weekend and preparing a little class for the Young Women in our ward on decorating their bedrooms.  I'll be doing it next week.  It should be fun!
• Life. IS. GREAT!!

None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.

odds and ends

I posted the sibling dinner photos and a few new recipes that are well worth trying on the cooking blog last night.  Seriously, they are must try recipes! 

Last night, during dinner, Gracie said that they were "scientific-ing".  I believe that she meant experimenting.  Doug immediately said, "Write that down!"  She's a crack-up!

The downstairs bathroom is now officially painted, cleaned up and put away.  Today, the backs of a few more doors and I'll put the paint away until next spring when the mood hits me again.  There's only one room in the house at the moment that I'd consider repainting and that's the laundry room, which doesn't sound so fun right now after this last project.  We'll see.  Otherwise, I think that the house is good for a while... at least on the inside.

Dancing Reality TV has become my guilty pleasure.  I am loving both Dancing with the Stars and  So you think you can Dance.  Two very fun and entertaining shows!  I can't wait to see the Michael Jackson tribute tonight!  And can I just say that Donny Osmond is awesome!

Our friends, Kurt and Alice dropped by last night with a treat.  Oh my!  Buttery and chewy and I need that recipe to share...not to eat, but to share.  It felt sinful just looking at it.  Most excellent!

The whole "balloon boy" situation has me on my soapbox.  I'm sorry but for a father to pull a prank like that, involving his children... that's just wrong, especially if it was just a publicity stunt.  I watched the coverage on YouTube where the little boy said it was for a show and the body language specialist analyzed it.  What kind of people make their kids lie!?  That's just wrong.  I think that they should have to pay for every single penny spent on their little hoax!

This morning, I sat down to read after the girls were off to school and I'm just not waking up and getting started for my day.  Oops!  Short and Sweet today... well, for me, anyway.

Sometimes the most urgent thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest.

weekend update

What a fabulous weekend.  Honestly, I'm humbled.  The entire week was insane.  All of the partying and entertaining all while in the middle of painting the downstairs.  Did I mention insane!  But, we survived it!  We survived my taking the day off in the middle for a most excellent adventure with Marilyn.  We survived Senior Singles, Siblings Dinner, Birthday celebrations, my preparing a talk for sacrament meeting and last but most definitely not least, we survived Quayd's ordination and family gathering afterward.  It was a good week and when everyone walked out yesterday afternoon, I have to admit, I took a deep sigh and even had a few tears of happiness because we had, indeed, survived!  Mom's manfriend, Boyd, is visiting this week and he commented after dinner yesterday, "You're batting a thousand today, Sophia!"  I took that as a compliment.

A few details:

Friday afternoon, as I was finishing up our tablescape, we were surprised when two of our favorite people in the world called to say that they were fifteen minutes away.  Doug and Helen were on their way home to Indiana from Yellowstone and spent two hours talking 90mph to catch up on each other's lives! It was such a pleasant surprise and we just wished that they could stay for a few days!  Doug and I were thrilled that they'd take the time out of their trip to stop in!

Saturday was spent studying for my talk and getting ready for siblings dinner. I took a ton of pix and will post them on the cooking blog on Wednesday, along with the fun Tabletalk questions and a recipe or two.  Dinner was fantastic!  The conversation was fun and entertaining. Doug's brother, Danny, shared one mission experience that had us rolling even the next day!  We started our party at 5:30 so that one sibling couple could chaperone a dance later in the evening and it actually worked out for the best this time because of all that I had to do for Sunday.  I do love siblings dinners!  Doug's family is so awesome.

Sunday ~ Quayd was so excited that he came upstairs in his suit before anyone else was dressed for church.  It's huge on him and looks adorable.  He went to the Deacons Quorum for the first time and was more than excited!  Kirk, our friend who's in the Bishopric, presented him to the ward as a Deacon and he was just beaming.  His ordination was beautiful.  We were so proud!  It was a wonderful experience for us all and especially to have so many of the family gathered together at once to celebrate with Quayd!

My talk... I feel very good about it and felt that it was truly a reminder to me of things that were more important than even tablescapes and entertaining.  I needed the time that I spent in preparation and pondering what I'd say to ground me in the middle of such a busy week!  Heavenly Father knew that and I'm grateful that I had the opportunity!

After church we had a lovely dinner with family and enjoyed sitting around talking for quite some time after.  Kelly and Zaylee came over for the afternoon.  Zaylee is always entertaining.  She is such a pill!  She loves her Uncle Buddy! Buddy and Zaylee are good friends!  It's fun to watch him with a baby.  We finally had birthday cake and candles for Quayd, which he'd wanted to wait for until Sunday.  Quayd now has $47 in cash burning a hole in his pocket, so we'll be taking a Transformer shopping spree very soon!  Last night, after everyone had left, the babes and Doug and I settled down for our first viewing of Quayd's birthday DVD, "Earth". FASCINATING!  They loved it!

When Doug said family prayer last night, he expressed gratitude for the wonderful spirit that has been in our home this past few days.  He couldn't have expressed my feelings any better.  It was a wonderful weekend!

Today, Gracie is feverish but feeling better than she did last night.  I've already been to the bank and the grocery store and McD's drive-thru for a Gracie treat.  I've got my painting clothes on and am ready to finish what we started a week ago!  When that's done, I'm going to cuddle with Gracie and watch a movie!  Honestly, after a week like last week, I feel the need to just lay low for a few days and regroup.  Not recoup but regroup.  It's the perfect time of year for nesting!

The world is but a canvas for the imagination.

Such a tease!

There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.

Sounds good to me!

This post was originally posted October 20, 2005.

At 2:15 this morning, Gracie came tiptoeing into my bedroom to tell me she’d had a nightmare about a big bee. At 5:45, Quayd came stomping up the stairs to say, "It’s the day to go to the cabin!!" The sound of footsteps through the house in the night is unique. As Gracie, quietly and gently, crossed the carpet of our bedroom, the sound immediately captured my attention. My first thought was "It’s Gracie." and my second was "I love the sound of her little walk." After settling Gracie back to sleep, I was lying there thinking about the sounds of those sweet feet and trying to go back to sleep myself. My thoughts wandered to other "comfort sounds". I thought I’d share them in my blog today. Some are trivial, but all are important sounds in my life.

My favorite comfort sounds:

• The sound of a baby nursing. Those sweet and precious little coos and gulps have to be the closet thing to heaven on earth and remind me of where I came from.
• The sound of a creek running in the night. It calms me and lulls me to sleep.
• The sound of thunder and lightning. It humbles me and reminds me of how small I really am in the grand scheme of things.
• The sound of the ocean waves crashing over the rocks on the beach. It brings back my youth.
• The sound of laughter. Not just chuckling, but hearty, healthy belly laughs remind me that there is much to be happy about. The babes’ giggles remind me that life doesn’t have to be so serious!
• The sound of Doug’s voice reminds me that regardless, I am loved.
• The sound of the sandhill cranes, frogs and cattle in the night at the ranch. It is a reminder of heritage and the security that comes from family.
• The sound of music, any music, any time. Music brightens, motivates, inspires and soothes my soul.
• The sound of cards shuffling. This usually means that my family and friends are gathered
• together for good times.
• The sound of my cell phone ringing because it usually is someone that I love on the other end of the line.
• The sound of popcorn popping at the theater because it means a good escape is about to take place.
• The sound of Chilis fajitas sizzling because it means I’m with Doug or friends!
• The sound of the school bus, in the mornings because it means a bit of "me" time and in the afternoon because it means my babes are home safe and sound.
• The sound of silence because it is usually when the still, small voice speaks to my heart, brings me comfort and peace, answers my prayers, cautions me and confirms my daily path.

A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

At 2:15 this morning, Gracie came tiptoeing into my bedroom to tell me she’d had a nightmare about a big bee. At 5:45, Quayd came stomping up the stairs to say, "It’s the day to go to the cabin!!" The sound of footsteps through the house in the night is unique. As Gracie, quietly and gently, crossed the carpet of our bedroom, the sound immediately captured my attention. My first thought was "It’s Gracie." and my second was "I love the sound of her little walk." After settling Gracie back to sleep, I was lying there thinking about the sounds of those sweet feet and trying to go back to sleep myself. My thoughts wandered to other "comfort sounds". I thought I’d share them in my blog today. Some are trivial, but all are important sounds in my life.

My favorite comfort sounds:

• The sound of a baby nursing. Those sweet and precious little coos and gulps have to be the closet thing to heaven on earth and remind me of where I came from.
• The sound of a creek running in the night. It calms me and lulls me to sleep.
• The sound of thunder and lightning. It humbles me and reminds me of how small I really am in the grand scheme of things.
• The sound of the ocean waves crashing over the rocks on the beach. It brings back my youth.
• The sound of laughter. Not just chuckling, but hearty, healthy belly laughs remind me that there is much to be happy about. The babes’ giggles remind me that life doesn’t have to be so serious!
• The sound of Doug’s voice reminds me that regardless, I am loved.
• The sound of the sandhill cranes, frogs and cattle in the night at the ranch. It is a reminder of heritage and the security that comes from family.
• The sound of music, any music, any time. Music brightens, motivates, inspires and soothes my soul.
• The sound of cards shuffling. This usually means that my family and friends are gathered
• together for good times.
• The sound of my cell phone ringing because it usually is someone that I love on the other end of the line.
• The sound of popcorn popping at the theater because it means a good escape is about to take place.
• The sound of Chilis fajitas sizzling because it means I’m with Doug or friends!
• The sound of the school bus, in the mornings because it means a bit of "me" time and in the afternoon because it means my babes are home safe and sound.
• The sound of silence because it is usually when the still, small voice speaks to my heart, brings me comfort and peace, answers my prayers, cautions me and confirms my daily path.

an excellent birthday adventure!

First, a little birthday report.  Quayd had a fantastic day!  He never stopped grinning!  I dropped a little treat box off at the school to put in his locker, but when I opened his locker to leave it inside, I realized that Quayd is not using his locker.  It was as empty as it was when we practiced the combination the week before school started.  So, I gave it to his teacher to give to him as she was walking into the class.  He thanked her and she said, "It's not from me." When he read the little box and saw the I {heart} you, plus the Take Five bar, he said knew it was from me.  Too cute.  We raced around all afternoon before meeting everyone at Golden Corral for his birthday dinner.  Please pass why I agreed to Golden Corral.  Oh, yes. It was his birthday.  YUCK.  (I was sick all night long!  And there's something about our GC that makes me feel like I'm inside our old Walmart.  BTW, we have a new Walmart and it's lovely.)  I digress.  Following dinner, we came home for gifts, which Quayd had decided that he didn't want a treasure hunt until Sunday when we have the big ordination dinner/party.  I gave him the two gifts from the girls (Transformers) last night and then he decided that he wanted to open everything from Dad and I.  So, no treasure hunt.  Just "here's your gift bags."  He got everything on his list, so he was thrilled.  What a good and special boy we have!  We can't wait for Sunday's events!

Now for another excellent adventure from Marilyn and Sophia.  We had an outstanding Wednesday in the Layton area.  We met at Taipan and walked around until our tummies were growling.  We found lots of treasures, which were just too much fun.  The Christmas trees and decor is everywhere, which means that you could spend fifteen minutes studying each tree.  FABULOUS!  We also spent some time in the little french boutique section looking at purses and jewelry.  Also fab!  As were were looking for these darling little orange bobbles (which they were sold out of) for a creation I'm working on, one of us was pushing the cart at the moment and one of us made a wider turn than she should have and one of us ended making a crashing noise as a little tree came falling off it's pedestal.  (Not a decorated tree, just a big tree on an urn.)  Please pass what was it doing out there in the middle in the first place!?  I must add that the other one of us walked away as if she didn't know me!  (oops!  I think I just gave away my secret.)  Actually, I realized when we went back to Taipan in the afternoon, that the tree was out because they were working on that display area. So, it wasn't really all my fault that I'm such a bad cart driver.  Marilyn is certain that the tree that I knocked over is back in their scratch and dent section now.  She's also questioning if they will let me return.

While at Rodworks, Marilyn had decided to recreate the gift I'd taken to her.  It was supposed to be my hostess gift for our sleepover, but it was just a thanks for being my friend since I didn't sleep over after all gift.  We were looking for a book/box for the project and as I went to reach for one, there was a little plaque that was much too small for the easel it was displayed on and it went sliding through.  Oops.  Again, she walked away instead of standing there with the guilty party.  No aiding and abetting going on there! I don't know what was happening to me, but suffice it to say that I had a few cases of the dropsies...none of which were my fault, of course.

We had a fantastic lunch at Olive Garden and lots of serious discussion there.  Fortunately no spills or crashes. 

The highlight of our day was visiting "The Rock Loft", which is where we'd tried to go last spring but they were closed for an open house that began a few hours later that evening.  It was foggy and rainy and Marilyn almost got a speeding ticket for going 40 in an 25mph zone.  We never saw the sign!  She had me drive this time and I set the cruise control at 25.  We were certain that the joggers could go faster than we were.  But, all was forgotten when we walked into this store. 

The Rock Loft is an old stone building against the side of the mountain in Kaysville.  Oh! MY! GOSH!!! It is UNBELIEVABLE!  Talk about sensory overload.  Marilyn compared it to Dear Lizzie's only instead of the French boutiquey feeling, it's primitive and rustic and asthetically unreal.  All of the photos posted here are from the store.  It was magnificent, not only the inventory, which was larger than anything I've ever seen for one season in one place (except Taipan, which is totally different), but it was displayed incredibly.  We oohed and ahhed with every turn of our head.  UN.BE.LIEVABLE!  We've decided that we mustreturn for the Christmas season and I'm feeling sping and Valentines and maybe the patriotic season as well.  A. MAZ.ING!  With my Halloween Tablescape in the works, I was wishing I could bring it all home!  Seriously, if you love home decor and are in Utah and are within an hour of this store, make the time and walk through it!  We walked through twice and I'm sure we didn't even begin to capture all of the creativity in the store.

We followed up by going next door into the Bun Basket for a delicious cinnamon roll treat and a drink.  Marilyn, I'm certain, is being paid by my husband to keep me in check because, I confess, my non-Diet Coke drinking days are coming to an end.  I feel it.  I'm caving. It hasn't happened yet, but it's coming.  But, not with Marilyn, it won't be.  While she enjoyed her Diet Coke, I was coerced into a lemonade.  And that's all I have to say about that.  (For now, at least.)  After we left, Marilyn was feeling as though she should havepurchased some of the roll dough mix, so she had me turn around and go back for it, but then she changed her mind again because she didn't want to go inside and get it. The people in the parking lot that had just watched us leave were wondering what was wrong with us. For the rest of the afternoon, Marilyn dropped little hints about driving back to Kaysville for the dough mix.  Since I was driving, I kept threatening that it was our next stop.  I wouldn't have minded at all going back to the Rock Loft.

We took a quick jaunt through the huge gardening store west of Layton  and found some cute apothecary jars for a great price and got some fun ideas there as well.  Then a quick stop at Target for two birthday Transformers, a quick stop at Sonic (Strawberry Lemonade) and then back to Taipan.  After one last jaunt through Taipan and some Pumpkin Pretzels, which were to die for (must learn to make them!), we had a long visit in the parking lot because we still had plenty of gab left in us.  Imagine that!

All in all, it was a fantastic birthday celebration/mini-reunion.  We only get to see each other a few times a year but we cram as much as possible (shopping, eating and gab)and have too much fun doing it!  What a day! 

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.

Happy Birthday, Quayd!

I'll share photos and another chapter in the book of Marilyn & Sophia's Excellent Adventures tomorrow.  We had a BLAST!!!  Stayed tuned.  I promise a few good laughs and some amazing photos!

Happy Birthday Quayd!  Twelve today.  I can. not. believe. it!  He's really become quite the little man.  He was interviewed by our Bishop last night to be ordained a Deacon on Sunday.  This is a huge passage in the life of an LDS boy.  He's so excited! While Doug and the Bishop were visiting after Quayd's interview, Quayd called me. "Mom, I need a new journal."  I reminded him that he already had one but he "really needs a new one" to write down the things he learns and how he's growing.  (He was reading this from the "For the Strength of the Youth" handbook that all LDS youth are encouraged to follow.)  I'm quite proud of this boy.  He may be behind in some things, scholastically, because of his first few years of life, but he's quite mature in other matters that count.

Quayd has a heart of gold and would do anything to please. He's fun-loving! He's kind and gentle. He's loud!  His voice carries and often, I think "Ouch!" as he's speaking close to my ear.  He is a very talented young artist and is determined to develop that talent for a good purpose.  He loves making others happy through service and often does little kind acts just because.  He's a shrimp lover, as you can see in his interview.  He does not love macaroni and cheese or ketchup and he prefers to eat his cereal dry than in a bowl of milk.  He hates "girlie things", which drives the girls nuts because he can be a tease when he wants.  He enjoys disassembling things and building with his dad.  He loves nature, hiking and biking and skiing and he's a fish in the water.  He idolizes Doug and wants to be "just like Dad" when he grows up.  (We can only hope!)  He has the best manners of any child I've ever known... he says, "Yes, Mam.", opens doors for people, asks, "Would anyone like the last piece of __?" and says "hello" to everyone!

Here's Quayd's 12 year old Birthday Interview:

If you could have one super-power, what would it be? Teaching everyone the gospel.

What was the last chore you did? Made my bed.

What is your favorite song?  "My Story" (He wrote it with his cousin.) 

What do you like to eat for lunch at school?  Shrimp, but they never have shrimp, so Pizza, which I eat almost every day since that's the only good thing they have.

What's the nicest thing you've done for someone in your family lately?  Fixed the chairs at church during Scouts on Tuesday night. 

What makes you mad? When the girls go into my room and play with my stuff.

Where would you like to go on vacation next year?  To the ranch! 

Who's the smartest person in your family?  Dad

How are you like Mommy? We read each other's minds.  (We often know what the other is thinking while in a room full of conversations.)

How old is Mom? 47 (Mom is 51)

How old is Daddy?  54 (Close, he's 55)

What's one thing that Mommy always says to you?  "Make good choices!"

What's one thing that you and Daddy do together that you'll always remember? Watching Transformers 2, going skiing together and riding our bikes together. 

If you had a million dollars, what's the first thing you'd buy?  I'd pay for college unless I had a scholarship, I'd pay for my mission, I'd buy a house and a few things like play stuff...maybe Transformers. 

How do you know that Mommy and Daddy love you?  Because you're always kind to me and you teach me the gospel.

What's your favorite cereal? German Pancakes  (Cold Cereal isn't his favorite)

What's your favorite TV show?  Tom and Jerry 

What's your favorite vegetable?  broccoli

What toy would you never give away?  Those four special Transformers! (That would be the four on his birthday list that he's not even sure he's getting.)

What's your favorite game? Nightgames (The kids in our neighborhood get together and play hide and seek after dark in each other's back yards.)

What's your favorite book?  The Book of Mormon 

What food would you eat every day if you could? German Pancakes, Shrimp, PIzza and Cheeseburgers!

If you could choose a different name, what would it be?  Thunderfire!  (Apparently, a Transformer?) 

What's the first thing you want to show your friends when they come to your house? My Transformers, my art, my videogames

What's the scariest thing you've ever done? Watched LOST!

Is your room messy or clean?  It's usually very clean.  (Generally speaking, his room is the cleanest of the babes...but don't look inside his desk drawers.  SCARY!) 

If you could eat at any restaurant for the rest of your life, where would it be?   Red Lobster!

What's your favorite candy bar? I like Baby Ruth and Take Five!

What's the last thing of yours that Mommy put on the kitchen door? The redweek announcements.  (This is "Red Week" where the kids pledge to stay drug and alcohol free.  Yesterday was weird hair day.  Today was red day, which is why he has a three red shirts layered in the photo taken this morning before his hair was combed!) 

What's your nickname? LoveBug!

What's the best age to be?  25 because I can be married and graduating from college. 

What do you and your sisters fight about? Their ponies, going in their room, what we are gonna watch and who has the remote.

What's under your bed?  My art and my air mattress. 

What's your favorite holiday? Valentines Day! Halloween because it's closest to my birthday and Christmas because Christ was born.

A new twist on birthdays this year... I asked a few people who are closest to Quayd, what they love about him:

• Gracie ~ He's fun. I like when he's silly, I really do. He helps me.  He's brave and he likes to play with us a lot.  He's not like other boys, he's much funner!
• ZJ ~ He saved me from drowning at Riverdale.  I like when he comes in my room and plays with me.  He's handsome!
• Doug ~ His spirit, his creativity, his imagination.  He's very forgiving. He's teachable. 
• Liza ~ He gives big hugs, kisses and squeezes! 
• Buddy ~ He's always happy and helpful!
• Nana ~ everything!  He's so loving and sweet he's always kind and considerate.  He's a very handsome, handsome boy!
• Mom ~ He's the most loving boy I've ever known at age 12.  He's never afraid to say "I love you" or kiss us, even in front of his friends!

Happy Birthday, LoveBug!  You're AMAZING!!

Don't wait to make your son a great man - make him a great boy. 

Ten.

I'm off this morning to meet Marilyn in the middle for a fun day of shopping and gabbing and a few guaranteed laughs because when we are together, that's what we do!  We'll be meeting at Taipan and making our way down a fun list of places throughout the day. It's raining and there's a 70% chance it will continue until tomorrow, which means driving through a snowy canyon. I'm letting the hair go natural and curly because that's what it would be in ten minutes outside anyway. Because I'm in a rush to get out the door. Here's a ten list for the day...

Ten things I did yesterday:

1. Painted the baseboards in Gracie's room.  (Okay, half of them.  Doug completed the job.)
2. Got Gracie's furniture back in place, put things on her shelves, cleaned up the mess and then set up a place to paint the closet doors.  
3. Painted half the closet doors.  The other sides will wait till tonight or Thursday.  Slowly but surely, I'm getting this project done.  Please pass someone reminding me why I thought doing this in October was such a great idea?  (Actually, I'm loving it.  Painting is great therapy... lots of time for thinking.) 
4. Put ZJ's room back in order.  Decided to de-junk her closet again since we were there.
5. Painted ZJ's darling shelf/cabinet for her wall.  Hung it.  Put the cute stuff in it.
6. Made a nummy dinner... Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken, Rice, Homemade Bread and Peas.
7. Made a batch of homemade bread but please pass what the heck happened to this bread?  You'd think that it was neglected while I was painting, cleaning, organizing and visiting with a friend who showed up with lunch?!  This is the strangest looking bread I've EVER made.  Doug looked at it and said, "It's not a tumor."  A friend looked at it and said, "It has cancer."  But, it was so so good!  I may have a slice for breakfast!
8. Helped Liza gather the stuff to create the invitations for Brooke's baby shower.  LIZA PAPER-CRAFTED!!  It's a proud mama moment!
9. Painted the bathroom doors.  Three coats.  The doors are sucking up the paint!  NOT FUNNY!  It's taking more paint to paint the doors than it did to do the girls rooms.  They are white and we had an extra gallon in the storage room from when we painted the ceilings last time, so it's a good thing!  Cleaned up the bathroom.
10. Listened to some conference talks to inspire me for my talk this weekend and made a list of things that need to be done to get me through the rest of the week!

Nine things left to do before this painting project is completely done and my house is back in order:

1. Finish the closet and hallway doors.
2. Paint the downstairs bathroom cabinet black and then distress it.  (It sounded fun.  What can I say?) 
3. Finish the trim on ZJ's ceiling.
4. Rehang the closet doors.
5. Paint ZJ's dresser.
6. Finish repainting Gracie's dresser.  (Decided to do that while painting closets yesterday.)
7. Make a chalkboard out of a wall hanging for the bathroom to leave not-so-subliminal messages for the babes.
8. Find new bedding for both girls' rooms for Christmas gifts.  (It will drive me nuts from now till December but hey, we're only talking 73 days and at this rate, that will be day after tomorrow!
9.  Make Gracie's curtains and a few pillows for her bed. (also a Christmas project)

Eight things to do the rest of the week having nothing to do with PAINT!

1. Make my party favors and table talk questions for the siblings dinner.
2. Contact Brooke's friend who wants to help with the baby shower and give her an assignment.
3. Mail the invitations today!
4. Finish birthday shopping for Quayd.
5. Prepare his birthday party.
6. Study and prepare for my talk.
7. Make sure everyone knows the plan for Quayd's ordination and dinner on Sunday.
8. SLEEP!

Seven things I think Marilyn and I will talk about today:

1. all of our kiddos
2. our husbands
3. Christmas
4. Decorating
5. Entertaining
6. How ollllllllllllllllllllllld we are
7. Food

Six things I need to take with:

1. My camera
2. My iPod (to listen to General Conference talks while driving and think more about my talk)
3. My planner
4. My cellphone
5. My gift for Marilyn
6. My Taipan gift cards

Five places Marilyn and I will go to today:

1. Taipan
2. The  almost-got-a-ticket-in-the-fog rock place
3. The guacamole place
4. RodWorks
5. Target (I have a list of Transformers to choose from for Quayd) 

Four things Doug will take care of while I'm gone today (Oh, I do love this man):

1. Making sure that the girls get to Achievement Day
2. Making sure that Quayd makes it to his appointment/interview with the bishop
3. Dinner (mustgoes)
4. Some more things on the "project" list.

Three things I'm not worrying about today:

1. Paint
2. Calories or fat grams or carbs
3. What the kitchen looks like while I'm away and Doug is in charge

Two things I'm so grateful for today:

1. A husband that lets me play whenever I want, doesn't care what color I choose, who loves the friends that I love and wants me to spend time with them and do things that make me happy because when my bucket is full, I can fill his and the family's!
2. The gift of enthusiasm!

One thing that made me really happy yesterday:

1. I asked Quayd to make me a list of things he wants for his birthday, so that I could choose.  He drew a sketch of his head and little lines coming out of it to all the things he was thinking of.  There is a Target and inside the Target is a book and a Transformer.  Another building "Logan K-Mart" with a list of four other Transformers, each of them drawn in a row.  There are mountains behind it.  Another building, Borders, with a book and the title of the book, "Lion Boy", written on it.  And finally, another building, Best Buy with a Gameboy Game drawn in it.  When we discussed it, he told me that it was probably violent.   It has a big X on it because "we shouldn't really be watching violent things".  And then there is final building that has "Drawing Skills for 12 Year Olds" meaning an art kit with chalks and sketch pads.  Very clever.  It's to "help me remember".  I don't think I'll forget.  I adore this boy and can't believe he's going to be twelve tomorrow.

Be what you is because if you be what you ain't, you ain't what you be.

timing

First, before I write some serious feelings this morning, I must  share my thoughts about last night's Senior Single's Family Home Evening!  I can brag about this one because all I did was make a little refreshment, organize and then enjoy!  My favorite niece, Brooke and her delightful husband, Ben were our "program".  Brooke, who I speak of often, is the most talented person I've ever met in my entire life. LITERALLY! She is gifted at the piano, an amazing composer, photographer, writer, she's just plain outstanding.  Her husband Ben, shocked the socks off me last night when he opened his mouth and sang!  WOW!  What a voice! They sang and Brooke played songs for one hour, non-stop, as the Seniors listened, tapped their feet, hummed and sang along.  Brooke and Ben selected songs that brought back memories for them all... from Moon River to Glenn Miller swing music to Over the Rainbow to some amazing hymn arrangements.  I was moved to tears, and again now as I'm typing the experience, watching these gentle older people as they listened and enjoyed each and every note.  Each month, I ask the table talk questions with the seniors and never have I wanted more, to get inside each of their minds as they revisited their pasts to the sounds of the music.  It was obvious that they were traveling through time with each new song.  There were several times that you could see their tears, their smiles, just reliving their pasts, which I'm certain, included their spouses and loved ones who've gone on.  Remember, these seniors are all single today. 

Late last night, David, a 92 year old man who gets around with a walker but still gardens all summer on his hands and knees and who's mind is ever so sharp, called me to say thank  you.  He said, "I've paid for many a performance in my lifetime and I can honestly say that I've never enjoyed anything more than I did tonight.  They were wonderful!"  (I'd sat behind him and listened to him singing quietly, humming along and watched him as he was deep in thought during several of the songs.  Another of the ladies commented how she'd just about "broke out bawling" several times.   "That was just delightful!"  Another said, "You've done some wonderful things for us over the last few years, but this was, by far, the best yet!  My favorite comment was "Wow!  That piano never sounded like that before!"  I was so touched that my thirty year old niece, who's about to have a baby any day now, and her sweet husband would take time out of their very busy life to come and spend the evening with these wonderful people and bring so much joy to them with their talents!  What a night!  I say it again... I LOVE my calling with the Senior Singles in our ward!  Oh!  And Connie's tarts were TO DIE FOR!  I'll be getting the recipe and sharing very soon!

Now... Maybe it's my own twisted humor, but I find this most amusing... I was on the phone with a close friend yesterday.  We were sharing some deep thoughts about our how busy life is, how we sometimes feel overwhelmed by it all.  I look at this friend and think "HOW does she do it all!?" and she was saying the same thing about me.  She was teasing me that I am crazy because of how busy I keep myself and yet feel like a slug sometimes for not doing enough.  As we were talking, I shared my next week's schedule. 

• Monday ~ Birthday lunch date.  Senior Singles Family Home Evening. 
• Tuesday ~ lunch date and paint trim, a dresser, some shelves, some doors and try to get the girls' rooms put back together.  Quayd has scouts.  The girls have tutoring. 
• Wednesday ~ A "Meet in the Middle" birthday date with Marilyn and home in time for Book Group.  (Still on the fence about book group because of the Holocaust book but a friend talked some sense into me with her perspective, so reconsidering going.) 
• Thursday ~ Lunch Date. Shopping and creating a treasure hunt for Quayd's birthday party with the family and the other grandparents. (Was supposed to be a homemade dinner of all his favorites, including fried shrimp.  Now, to simplify, we're going to Golden Corral, his favorite (yucko) for all the shrimp he can eat and no stress for me then coming home for the hunt.) 
• Friday ~ Quayd's birthday party with his friends here at home.  A pizza/movie party that has to be spectacular, according to Quayd, meaning fun for him and work for Mom, but looking forward to it! 
• Saturday ~ Siblings Dinner, which I am living and breathing for the funky tablescape and fun evening! 
• Sunday ~  Quayd's ordination and a family gathering/dinner afterward at home to celebrate. 
• Next week, I'm hosting a baby shower for my favorite niece Brooke.

So, we're discussing this crazy schedule over the phone when the other line rings.  Thinking that it was Doug, I said, "Hold on a sec" and switched over to the other line.  It wasn't Doug.  It was the counselor in our Bishopric, a good friend from our ward.  Kirk said, "Sophia, I have a little favor to ask."  And I was assuming that he wanted me to announce something to the Seniors at Family Home Evening.  Instead, he said, "Would you speak in Sacrament Meeting this Sunday?"  Without hesitation, I answered, "I'd love to!  Thank you for asking!"  And I meant it! We spoke about the details for a second and I switched back to the other line, where my friend was holding.  I said, "You're not going to believe this!" and told her about Kirk's call.  Her response cracked me up, "Heavenly Father has some kind of sense of humor, doesn't He? ...Hmmmm, what else does Sophia need to make her life interesting?", as though I needed something desperately.  I'm still chuckling over the whole thing.

It's true!  I love that there is something I needed to learn right now and feel strongly that preparing this talk is what I needed to slow me down enough to capture it.  Not sure what it is, but, when I was lying in bed this morning, pondering the week, carefully trying to see when and how I'll fit it all in, as well as the talk that I'll give, I was thankful for this opportunity because I just know there's something that I needed the Spirit to whisper to me right now.  And sometimes... just sometimes... I'm moving too fast to hear it.  Sometimes... Just sometimes... that still small voice isn't enough for me, I need a little shout out.  I'm certain that this is one of those times.

Last week, I was driving along and had this strong impression that I needed to pray.  I stopped and said a prayer.  With the prayer came a strong impression that I needed to read the scriptures.  I came home, opened my scriptures and read a chapter that I chose because of a little handout that someone had given during a lesson at church recently.  It had one verse on it. Instead of reading the verse, I read the whole chapter.  I laughed out loud because the chapter said "REPENT!"  I'd been having an attitude about something and knew exactly why I'd been inspired to read this chapter. I needed to change my attitude! The chapter went on to say, in my interpretation, that I was doing well in some things but needed improvement in others.  I was glad that I slowed down enough to listen to that little reminder.

I think that the key words here are slooooooooow dowwwwwwwn. Sometimes, it's the only way to hear and feel the things that really matter and can make the most difference in our lives. Enough said.

Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.

october 12

Friday: 

Erin and I had a fun day together shopping for a beautiful print for her living room wall, a few fall goodies and a lovely birthday lunch!  Too much fun.  Carol and I met in the late afternoon for an early birthday dinner and a lot of gab.  (I LOVE the fruit salad at Iggy's!) When I got home, Doug and I went over to our friends, Kelly and Jen, for movie night in there just finished theater room. WOW! We watched our movie and then a DVD of the BeeGees live in Las Vegas which was a trip down memory lane. Too much fun! Then we gabbed til 1, which was my favorite part of the night.  We parted with "Let's do this again" and I can't wait until we do.

We watched "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" with Brad Pitt, who plays a man born an octogenarian.  Fascinating movie.  We were so intrigued that we came home and googled to see how they did it.  The first fifty-two minutes of the movie is digitally generated.  Absolutely incredible.  It's very different, it's long but it's intriguing... sort of a cross between "The Notebook" and "Forrest Gump".  Note: " the" word once, three illusions to intimacy but no skin.  I have to admit, I liked it.  I think that watching the extras would be as interesting as the movie.

Saturday:

With all the birthday partying last week, we didn't begin actually painting until Saturday and boy, did we paint did! Liza came over and helped most of the day, which made a huge difference in our progress!  We painted until 11PM and were all exhausted!  ZJ's room is done except the trim around her ceiling. Gracie's room is done except the baseboards.  The bathroom is done.  Since we were painting, I decided to paint all of the doors and trim downstairs, which is still in the works.  I've also decided to paint the bathroom cabinets as well.  So, I've still got a few days work ahead of me.  I'll share the pix as soon as it's all done!

When I start a project, I can't relax until it's completely done.  I've stayed up all night long finishing a paint job many times! However, taking on three rooms at the same time, I knew that it would be more than a day's work.  So, I've accepted that this won't be completely finished overnight.  With all that's going on this week, it may be the end of the week before we are completely finished.  Another sign of my "maturity" (aka old age!)... I'll still be alive if I don't stay up all night long completing the projects!  Today, I've got a birthday gift card burning a hole in my pocket, so I'm going to town for a new shower curtain and clock for the bathroom!  Happiness!  The girls are so excited about their rooms but they really won't be finished until Christmas Day because that's a lot of what they'll find under the tree! Details to come!

Sunday:

Oh, how I love the Sabbath Day.  It's our day of rest, which, yesterday, was greatly needed and even more appreciated!  We don't shop, we don't work, we just enjoy the day of worship and the time together as family. We took that very seriously yesterday... came home from church, had dinner and relaxed the rest of the day.  I had a migraine most of the day, more than likely from too much paint and not enough ventilation.  Kelly came over with Zaylee for the afternoon, which was nice.  Zaylee is absolutely adorable but what a little pill she is!  She's got attitude like her mother.  I almost forget that Kelly is expecting another baby until I see her tummy.  She's got three months to go. 

Today, I'm taking Kelly to Logan, running my own errands, then coming home to do a little more on my projects, bake some goodies for tonight and then head over to the church for Senior Singles Family Home Evening.  Another busy week ahead!

• Senior Singles Family Home Evening
• Book Group
• Day Date with Marilyn
• Quayd's birthday family dinner and party
• Quayd's birthday friends party
• Quayd's ordination to become a deacon
• Three more birthday lunches
• Siblings Dinner
• Finish and reassemble the bedrooms
• Paint all of the downstairs doors
• Paint ZJ's dresser  (her brown dresser looks like a big ugly monster in her lime green and white bedroom!

In other news:

• Our new Relief Society Presidency was called yesterday.  A wonderful new leader for the sisters in our ward.  She chose to keep the counselors of the previous President. (I'm still mourning over Toni's moving!)  We will definitely be blessed to continue to have these ladies and this fun and gracious new president as they serve the women in our ward!
• I just realized that Thanksgiving is at the end of November this year, so it means that Christmas decorations will only be up for one month this year.  Hmmmm....wonder how early I could get away with Christmas decorating?  I've been "in the closet" listening to Christmas music for weeks!  Love that iPod!
• Halloween first.  It sort of gets forgotten!  The stores are filled with Christmas trees and decor everywhere!  I'm enjoying the decor at home.  I think I'll take a few pix of my home and share on Wednesday's blog!
• Erin just called and said, "There's three deer in your front yard!"  She was driving by.  By the time, I grabbed the camera and raced to see, they were next door.  But, how cute is that on this foggy fall morning!?

Life is good!  Busy,  but good!  Happy Columbus Day!

We should give meaning to life, not wait for life to give us meaning. 

sunday

The greatest virtues are those which are most useful to other persons.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Blast from the past: I'd forgotten this delicious cake recipe!  Will be trying it again soon!  Tis the season...

1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix, 1 large egg,  1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (15 ounce) can pureed pumpkin
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (16 ounce) box confectioners' sugar, divided
Pecan halves, for garnish
Whipped cream, as an accompaniment

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Combine cake mix, egg and melted butter; mix well. Pat into pan.

To prepare filling: Beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in pumpkin, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, egg and vanilla extract. Add butter; beat until smooth. Set aside 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar; add remainder to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Spread over cake mixture. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Do not overbake; center should be a little gooey.

Let cool, then sprinkle with reserved 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars. Garnish with pecan halves and serve with whipped cream.

To be happy, do not add to your possessions.  Subtract from your desires.

1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix, 1 large egg,  1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (15 ounce) can pureed pumpkin
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (16 ounce) box confectioners' sugar, divided
Pecan halves, for garnish
Whipped cream, as an accompaniment

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Combine cake mix, egg and melted butter; mix well. Pat into pan.

To prepare filling: Beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in pumpkin, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, egg and vanilla extract. Add butter; beat until smooth. Set aside 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar; add remainder to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Spread over cake mixture. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Do not overbake; center should be a little gooey.

Let cool, then sprinkle with reserved 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars. Garnish with pecan halves and serve with whipped cream.

To be happy, do not add to your possessions.  Subtract from your desires.

today....

Yesterday, Denise and I went for a drive to Preston, Idaho.  We had a nice little visit and went to a few of the little stores in the small town.  It was a pleasant way to spend the morning, but Denise had to hurry home to get her nails done.  So, I turned off the music and went for a little drive through across the valley.  It was a wonderful experience and I experienced a tender mercies in my life.  This morning, Erin and I are off on a little spontaneous adventure.  So, my favorite quick meme...

Outside my window... it's a beautiful crisp fall morning.  I noticed a few leaves falling yesterday.

I am thinking... that they should leave the moon alone and try harder to come up with solutions for cancer instead.
 
I am thankful for... the example and influences of so many good friends.

I am wearing...my pink jammies and in a few minutes, my jeans,a green sweater and my favorite earrings which were a gift from Marilyn.

I am remembering...the time that my friend Katie and I were at Village Inn at midnight.  We saw one of her roommates' boyfriends with his arm around another girl.  They were all over each other, even though they were in a large group.  He didn't know me at all and Katie's back was to him.  When our server, another college age guy, came to take our order, I asked him if he'd do us a favor.  We asked him to deliver a note that I'd written.  It said something to the effect of "Where's Melissa tonight?" (or whatever the roommate's name was) just to let him know that he was busted.  Our server waited a few minutes and gave it to the boyfriend's server.  She walked up to the boyfriend and said, "One of the other servers asked me to give this to you."  We sat from a distance across the restaurant and watched him remove his arm from around the girl.  He sat more straight.  He looked everywhere around the restaurant.  He was instantly ice cold.  AND SQUIRMING bigtime!  We laughed and laughed the rest of the night.  Don't cheat!  You'll get caught!  Don't ask where that came from but it still makes me laugh.

I am going... to play with Erin today!  Imagine that!

I am reading...the Twilight series again before the movie comes out.

I am hoping... that my kids continue to choose to listen to classical music as they get older.  (They listen to it more than I do.)

On my mind... Kelly, Kelly, Kelly.  Paint, Paint, Paint.  Kelly, Kelly, Kelly.

From the learning rooms... a certain friend who shares her positive outlook on life in all things.  I learn by her example.

Noticing that... it's time to make breakfast for the girls.

Pondering these words...from Elder Quinton Cook's LDS General Conference talk... He said that it is more important to immerse your children in the gospel of Christ than any other thing and continued that providing spiritual instruction is as important and providing food, clothing and shelter. I loved this talk and really have been thinking about the things I teach my children by word and example.

From the kitchen... I've got siblings dinner menu on my mind.

Around the house... are rooms waiting for paint!  Hopefully tonight, I'll finish the downstairs bathroom.  Tomorrow, I'll be doing nothing but painting!

One of my favorite things~ being spontaneous even though I've got painting to do!

It's not stress that kills us.  It's our reaction to it.

Can you hear Steve Martin singing, "Rambling... I'm a rambling guy."

I'm insane! I functioned on three hours of sleep yesterday, which is something that I've gotten away from this past few years.  For six years, that was how I lived while working for the magazine, scrapbooking while the babes were asleep until the wee hours of morning, then being mommy in the daytime.  I guess it's true.  Fifty-one is catching up with me because I couldn't do that night after night anymore, that's for sure!  After dinner, I had a good long nap until 8:30 which was the wrong thing to do because when it came bedtime, I was wide awake again.  Oh, the joys of getting older!

But.  The album is done and I loved it.  Very simple.  The intent of the album was that it was to be a place for people who come to the open house to sign in and share their thoughts of love and encouragement, so not a lot of embellishments to write over and get removed by sleeves and hands. The Cosmos Cricket camping paper is what I used, which is ironic for a wedding album but they wanted a fall theme and it was, without a doubt, the best paper out there! (Side note:  It was really nice to photograph these layouts and not have to even take them out of the sheetprotectors and not to have to list the products as I used them and to not have to worry about anything but what felt good to me.  I like scrapbooking again on my own!  More than enough said.) The mother of the bride will be here to pick it up in a bit.  Happiness.  I hope she's pleased.  I'm ready to start painting and move on to the next big project ~ Painting! 

Projects in the works... Birthday lunches today and tomorrow. Birthday date with Carol tomorrow night.  Painting.  Senior Singles Family Home Evening is Monday night.  Quayd's birthday is next Thursday, NOT Friday, I'm a dork!  I totally thought the fifteenth was on Friday, so Marilyn and I have been planning for weeks on the Wed and Thurs of next week, which means that we will have to reschedule our sleepover fun. Can't miss my big boy's birthday!  Last year, we celebrated my birthday well after Halloween because we Christmas shopped together at the same time!  Anytime with Marilyn is fun!  We'll figure it out! 

Oh!  I wanted to share this little beauty that my friend, Linda made for my birthday.  It's scrapbook paper and a washer.  Now, I don't visit scrapbook websites anymore so this was new to me but I LOVE it!  Liza took one look and said, "It's so you!"  Linda has more talent in her little pinky than most people do in their whole bod!

Today, I'm tired!  Not feeling doing much anything yet.  I've got a lunch date and that should jolt me into gear.  Feeling quite sluggish this morning.  What's up with that?  You'd think I'm getting old or something!  I do have a long to do list that I've just created.   Should have done it last night but I was too busy sawing logs!  Time to get busy doing something besides thinking of a nap!

Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose in our own lives.  Thomas S. Monson

We interrupt this painting...

It's 2:26AM and I'm revisiting the past.  I've been scrapbooking since about 8PM. Painting has been put on hold.  (We're still prepping and the actual painting should begin tonight or tomorrow.)  I was hired to do a wedding scrapbook/guest registry a few weeks ago.  I don't know why, but I said yes.  I love doing wedding books and I've actually been in a little bit of a scrapbooking mood lately.  I have to admit...I've been loving it!  Seriously! 

The mother of the bride brought me the photos yesterday.  The wedding is this weekend.  I enjoyed going to the scrapbook store yesterday and getting what I needed to complete the album for one of the most beautiful brides I've ever seen.  I've never met her but her bridals were absolutely fabulous! The second I saw the photos I could feel the mojo kicking in gear!  So.  I've created a most simple album that the guests can share their love in writing in and it will be a wedding scrapbook, as well.  I love it!  LOVE the Cosmos Cricket lines of paper that I used.  Love the embellishments, simple and sweet.  Love the album.  And I'll share it tomorrow!  Bad, Sophia, I know. 

BUT.  I'm going to catch a few hours of sleep before I get up to make Quayd breakfast.  Crazy!  I know!   I'll take a nap today for sure!  And may I just say that my desk is the messiest it's been in years!  I'm going to bed now!  More in the morning!  I've still got three pages to complete, a nap to take and some serious painting to begin!

A few other ramblings this morning...

• I find it quite funny that on the mornings I decide to go back to bed after Quayd goes to school and before the girls' time to wake up, my mother always drops in to visit.  That's not the funny part.  I think that the funny part is that when I crawl out of bed to answer the door, knowingit's her, she always greets me with, "You're still asleep?" like everyone in the world goes to bed at 7:30 at night and gets up at 4 every morning the way she does.  When I asked if everything was okay (what I really wanted to say was,  "What the heck are you doing here so early?), she said, "I just wanted to see the girls this morning."  Okey dokey then.  I really am thankful to have Mom so close by.  I just love to tease her about her early bird syndrome.
• I had a lunch date for today and it's been reschedule.  Hmmmm.  A longer nap, maybe?
• To give the kids the swine flu vaccine or not?   That is the question.  Several friends have had several good arguments both ways.  Still on the fence on this one.  Right now, we're a definite maybe.  Our school district will be offering them to every child in the next few weeks.  We'll see.
• The pillow in the paint shop... We'd brought that pillow with us to match the green.  I love the purple plaid wallpaper too, but we were looking at the green in it for a paint color.  ZJ is not a purple girl.  I wish!  I had several comments about the pillow and why the paint shop had one.  Trust me, germaphobe that I am, Doug wouldn't be laying his head on any pillow but our own.  (But, he has been known to nap many places without a pillow while I do my thing.)
• Photos tomorrow of the scrapbook completed, maybe a paint mess or two and the adorable necklace that my cute friend, Linda, gave me for my birthday!
• Please pass why Typepad doesn't allow me to change my font color and size anymore???

As Mom left this morning, my parting words were, "Love you, goodnight."  Enough said.  One of Doug's favorite quotes today:

That which we persist in doing becomes easier -- not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability has increased.

Life's a party!

What a lovely birthday! Between visits and phone calls from friends, over 100 birthday greetings online, a text message from Liza about every hour all day, two calls from Kelly, an email and a Happy Barfday" from Dale (Dale humor, I don't get it either but ya gotta love him), lots of hugs and kisses from the babes and spending the entire day with Doug, it was the perfect birthday... perfect for me.  (I asked Doug to snap a shot of me at 51...one of my three annual photos, right.)  Thanks to EVERYONE for making my day so fun and special!

Doug and I enjoyed a beautiful little drive yesterday morning to the very south end of the valley for a nummy breakfast at "The Cracker Barrel" (not the chain restaurant) in the little teeny tiny town of Paradise.  It was delish and the place was so clean that you (even I) could eat off the floor!  We enjoyed watching the snow fall while we ate then took a nice little drive.  Although it's only 25 miles south, we've not been there since a Sunday drive with Jon and Carol 18 years ago.  It reminded me completely of why I always said that when I grow up, I want to build a home in Paradise Utah.

We spent much of the rest of the day, running to several other places getting things for Doug to come home and do my "birthday honey-do list".  We talked about everything under the sun while he did all sorts of little odds and ends that I've been needing done around the house.  I loved it!

Two and a half hours in the paint store meant a good nap for Doug!  We changed the colors of Gracie's room four times before we made a decision...from Salmony orange to orangey orange to yellow to ribbon pink.  Happiness.  We had to bring home a wallpaper book, look and compare some more paints and then finally agreed on pink.  We'll incorporate all of the other colors in the room, but, it's the best choice for a bold girl and a mom who changes her mind as often as the sheets!

The shot of Doug shows exactly how wonderful the man really is!  He doesn't grow impatient.  Instead, he just closes his eyes and checks out for a while.  When I was finally done and woke him, he said, "What day is it?"  Too funny.  I've said it before, I really would love to clone my husband and send the other one of him off to work everyday so that Doug and I can play together all day long!

Liza.  Oh this girl!  I do adore her!  She text messaged me every hour all day long.  "Happy Birthday!"  And then last night, she dropped by with a "real gift" because I needed one "surprise" on my birthday... a pair of pink fuzzy socks because she knows that I love to wear them at home. We'd celebrated together the night before, but she stuck around for an hour and we just shared the events of our day.  She left and had been gone about 20 seconds when I got another text, "Happy Birthday!"  I was about to text her back, "Don't text while driving!" when she called to tell me "Happy Birthday!" again.  She assured me that she'd texted before she got on the road.  I do love her enthusiasm!  Wonder where that comes from?

Speaking of Liza and phone calls, she called earlier in the day to share some other wonderful news.  While we were on the phone, Gracie came in and interrupted. Without telling her what was happening, I explained that I was on the phone with Liza telling me a blessing that she'd had today.  Gracie said, "Ohhhhh!  That's wonnnnnnnnnderfullllllllllllllllll!"  It was so dang cute!  She waited patiently for Liza to finish her story and I loved that she was so happy for her big sister's good news!

Speaking of phone calls...OH MY GOSH!  MY DAD CALLED!  It was such a shock because I believe the last time we talked was Thanksgiving week two years ago. It was quite amusing because he asked what I was doing and when I said "celebrating my birthday in my own crazy way", he said, "When isyour birthday?"  He was truly shocked and responded in his wonderful southern North Carolina accent, "Well, Darlin!  Happy Birthday!" I do love my dad.  He's never grown up and he's unique and not to "fathery" but how can you not adore a man who's hello everytime he calls is "Is this the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world!?"  What are the chances that he chose yesterday to call.  Too funny.

Late last night, as I was winding down and playing on Facebook while we watched the weather, I got the wonderful news that my sweet friend, Katie had delivered a beautiful baby boy on my birthday!?  It doesn't get any better than that.  I was thrilled for Katie and Ryan!

It really couldn't have been a more perfect birthday!  Today, I'm celebrating with Denise and will come home to make some more progress on the painting prep.  I've got a few other projects in the works too.  So much fun to be had and so little time to do it!

The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's my birthday.  Fifty-one big ones!  We're celebrating this one much quieter than last year!  Last year, Seventy some friends dropped in to my birthday open house.  This year, Doug's taking the day off and we're spending it quietly and busily.  We'll be buying some paint for a few rooms, then he's helping me prep to paint and checking things off on my "Honey-Do" list!  I know. I'm one strange woman but I honestly couldn't think of any thing that I wanted more than that...A whole day with Doug and painting... it's bound to be a great day! 

LDS General Conference was incredible.  I love conference more than words can say.  It fills my bucket like nothing else.  I needed the reminders and am anxious to have a little time to myself later in the week to set some new goals in writing and to try harder to be a better person!

We had a little "Soup Day" dinner/birthday party last night.  Liza and Buddy, Mom and my good friend, Connie came for soup and homemade bread, Raspberry bars, some cheesey potatoes that Mom made.   I'd joked on the blog a few weeks ago about "taking donations" for a lovely bench at Taipan.  Liza and Buddy remembered and gave me a Taipan Gift Card. (It would take a lot of gift cards! LOL)  Very thoughtful of them!  Mom knows me well and gave me a most darling holiday three-tiered serving plate, a new butter dish and two souffle dishes.  I've already received several , text messages (Liza has sent me four, including the first at 11 last night that said, "Is it your birthday yet?!") and phone calls this morning! I'm set for a very happy birthday already! 

Our alarm didn't go off this morning, so we overslept.  I raced downstairs and helped Quayd make the bus with two seconds to spare. The girls are still sleeping.  So is Doug.  I'm off to a wild start for a great day!  Usually, on my birthday, I make a list of things that I've learned at this ripe old age.  With going to the ranch, General Conference and all that's been going on around here, I've not made the time.  So, this morning, right off the top of my head, I'm making a top ten things I know list.  It won't be anything new and wonderful, but it will be the things that I do know and that make a tremendous difference in my life!

1. I am a daughter of Heavenly Father who loves me and wants me to be happy.
2. The challenges and tests that I'm faced with in my lifetime are to indeed help me on that pathway to happiness, if I but seek to find the good in everything that comes my way.
3. People are more important than things.  The way we treat others, in words and actions, is truly the most telling thing about our own selves.
4. Forgiveness is a gift we can give to ourselves and others.  It will only bring us down if we don't invite forgiveness into our lives.
5. The best way to make a good marriage is to treat every day as if were going to be your last day together on this earth.  Don't take those that you love for granted.  Period.
6. Don't procrastinate.  Just do it.  Whatever it is... instead of dreading it, whining about it, fretting over it, just do it.  Get it over with. Things usually, in hindsight, aren't half as bad as they seemed like they'd be before the fact.
7. Everyone needs a few moments a day just for them!  We can't fill other peoples buckets if our own is empty.
8. Use good manners.  They make you feel good and make others feel better! 
9. It's all about attitude...Looking for solutions is much more productive than worrying!  Finding the good feels better than dwelling on the ugly.  Trying goes a long way where giving up leaves you in a worse situation than you started in.
10. Life is good, so look for a reason to party everyday!

And a few bonus ones that work for me:

1. Set a pretty table.  The food always tastes much better on a pretty table.
2. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing above and beyond what's expected.
3. Everyone needs a dog in their life!
4. Keep a clean house.  It's actually more simple than trying to find things in a mess all the time!
5. Sing as much as you can!  (Even with a terrible voice!)  It's a happy thing to do!
6. De-junking frees not only your space but your mind!
7. Say I'm sorry before they have time to get angry!
8. Do a kind act everyday for someone.
9. Smile!
10. Don't skip dessert!
11. Carry your camera and capture the little moments!

Enough said!

None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.

proud daddy moment

Quayd took going to the LDS General Priesthood Broadcast very seriously.  He took his scriptures along with.  He took notes during the talks and came home to share them with me.  It was a tradition that Doug has missed for years since Dale moved away from home.  The girls and I enjoyed a fun little Girls Night Out meeting Liza in town and doing some idea shopping for their new bedroom makeovers and having dinner at Costa Vida. 

Conference was wonderful yesterday and we're looking forward to more uplifting and encouraging words today from the leaders of the church.  Life is good!

Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose in our own lives.

Conference Saturday

A beautiful Fall morning.

Lovely, warm home.

Family gathered together.

Cinnamon Rolls.

Watching LDS General Conference.

Life is good.

"The strength which we earnestly seek today to meet the challenges of a complex and changing world can be ours when, with fortitude and resolute courage, we stand and declare with Joshua, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  Thomas S. Monson

Meanwhile back at the ranch...

We're heading home this afternoon.  This trip has been entirely too short.  Three days is never enough for all of the work that goes into getting ready to come to the ranch and then getting back to normal at home!  Even if we could zap ourselves here, three days is never enough.  Going home is much simpler because there's always much less involved in returning home!

 

Doug has to get back to work to take a look at a problem, so after a morning hike and clean up, we'll load up and head home with a few stops that I want to make along the way, we should be there before dinner.  One thing is for certain, once I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go! My list of things to do at home the rest of the weekend is already growing.

 

Yesterday, by afternoon, the temperature raised to "pleasant with a coat and hat on" (about 35 degrees), so enjoyed a walk across the river and another up the hill.  Doug was able to help his brother, a contractor, who is building the new house to replace the home that blew up last spring here at the ranch.  I'd have to guess that this was the highlight of his time this trip.  (I'd ask but everyone's still sleeping!)  The babes were outside most of the day yesterday afternoon.  I got a few naps, did a lot of reading and just enjoyed the view, the peace and quiet, which is always a favorite for me.  I went next door and had a great visit with Mom for a while in the afternoon which is always interesting.  She was sharing some memories about her step-dad, Mac, who lived all over the world and survived the Holocaust.  The babes and Go-Go were exhausted at bedtime last night!  They crashed and Doug and I didn't even watch a movie, we just enjoyed the peace and quiet, reading with an occasional conversation.  Lovely.

 

Right now, Doug and the babes are helping Grandpa Gene split logs.  I need to get out there and take a few pix!  It's been lovely to just relax inside the loft and enjoy the downtime.  I taught Gracie a little card game.  She's getting to the point that she's going to be my new card partner since the big girls aren't around as much.  We've read and watched movies and played and slept and walked and just had fun.  Muchly needed downtime!

 

As soon as we get home to the valley, I'll pull out the October bins of Halloween decor!  It's October and I've got tons on the calendar to celebrate it!  Because, after all, October is my favorite month of the year.  (wink!)

 

A few things on the calendar for October:

My birthday!  Monday!  But, I will celebrate all month long with lunches and partying with friends and family! 

LDS General Conference tomorrow and Sunday!!!

Siblings dinner

A Halloween Party or Two

Senior Singles with my favorite niece, Brooke and her sweet husband Ben entertaining us all!

A baby shower, also for my favorite niece, Brooke!

My birthday

Quayd's birthday

Halloween

Stake Conference

Some serious painting before the windows have to be closed for the winter

 

I've got a ton of photos I took yesterday of this beautiful place we call home away from home.  Quayd, last night, said in his prayers, "We're thankful for the ranch because it always feels like heaven here."  He couldn't have said it any better.   Enough said!

 

"Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
- Walt Disney

Burrrrrrrzzzzzzz!

Now, here's something you don't usually see on September 30th!  It was pouring the rain as we left home and about half way to the ranch, the rain turned to slush.  That's about the time that I realized that I should have thought winter because we were heading to the ranch, not Vegas!  It was snowy and blowy and cold all day long!  The girls were wearing capris, we brought hoodies, not winter jackets and what a disappointment to not have their snowboots and snowpants to go sledding yesterday afternoon.  Seriously... we're talking dead of winter weather!  It's fifteen degrees this morning and , if you know me, you know that I'm loving it! 

So, yesterday was our official "Soup Day!" because we did we ever turn on the heat!  I guess we'll have to have it an Idaho Soup Day and a Utah Soup Day when we get home. 

Yesterday was also Mom and Gene's fifteenth anniversary.  They were nextdoor at the cabin, watching the video of the family gathering, held just after their marriage.  It was fun to watch, but I was brought to tears several times as many memories came back.  That was the night that Doug and his brother agreed to go into business together and open the custom trailer manufacturing company, which brought us home from Indiana.  Happiness!!  It was also interesting, at one point, to see Doug's mom and her four siblings singing with their mother playing the piano.  Grandma is gone, one of Mom's brother's is gone, so much water under the bridge for that family.  It was so strange to see Doug's siblings holding their children as babies and realizing that many of the children in the family were not even born yet.  I think that was the first time it had occured to me that Gene has been the only grandpa that several of the kids have ever known.  Also, seeing our nephew David, who was killed in a car accident a few years later was emotional.  And I really cried when I saw myself at age 35!  Please pass that body and hair again! wink!  I love watching old home videos!

So, we spent our first little vacation day playing games, watching DVDs, building cabins with Lincoln Logs, munching, and taking a few naps.  No complaints here!  Today, more of the same.  I awoke at 6:45, expecting the promised foot of snow, but it had pretty much stopped at about four inches.  Needless to say, Go-Go did not want to go outside when I opened the door for him.  (One of the few times that I think the life of a pampered dog isn't so sweet!)

Today, we'll do more of the same.  With no boots, there's not going to be much chance of hiking anyplace other than next door to the cabin.  I'm rereading a favorite book and kicking myself because I didn't bring any handwork.  WHAT was I thinking?! I never do that! I guess I could do ice sculpting.  There's plenty available.  This morning, the ranch looks like a winter wonderland!  Life is good!

When life gives you a blizzard, make hot cocoa and watch it blow by!.

UEA Us Excited Anticipating FUN!

The babes are out of school until next week for parent teacher conferences and UEA (Utah Educators Association or something like that), so we've decided that it's time for a little RT... Ranch Therapy!  One thing I do love about the ranch is being unplugged but it's also nice to know that I can now check in on the world for a minute or two!  This will be fun!  I can download my pix as I take them! 

So, Liza and Buddy are holding down the fort for us at home and we're off to play for a few days.  We've left things open ended and may come home for General Conference this weekend or we may stick around a few extra days OR Doug's had some unexpected things go down at work this week and we could get a call to come home early.  Talk about spontaneous!  We'll see what happens and how things pan out.  Either way, a day at the ranch or a week, it's heaven on earth and always the best way to fill our buckets here at the Corbridge home!  Happiness!

A few ramblings:

• For the barbecue the other night, at Marilyn's suggestion, I made tasty grilled chicken tenders, marinated in Lawrys Sesame Ginger Marinade sauce.  Fabulous!  Gracei walked into the kitchen and saw the chicken in the bowl.  "Are we eating lungs tonight?!"  Later, before bedtime, she told me that she'd eaten three lungs!
• Speaking of good food, I posted the Corn Salad recipe last night!  Try it, you'll love it!
• My good friend, Erin, renamed her dog, from Oscar to Steve.  She's been cracking me up for days over this, everytime she refers to Steve.  However, she decided to change back to Oscar when Steve ran away for a night because, she was sure, he didn't like the new name.  In sympathy of Oscar missing, I renamed Go-Go, "Ron" for a day.  I've laughed out loud everytime I've thought of it.  I'm sure neither dog is amused!
• ZJ was playing online at one of the Barbie sites where you can create paper dolls and clothes for them.  She said, "Mom, I don't like any of these clothes for her because none of them are modest.  The only modest clothes that she could still wear are the boy clothes.  I love that she's so concerned about modesty. 
• We're in for some serious cold and wet weather!  It's pouring the rain, the temp is dropping, snow is expected, the babes have been up since 5:40!  The van is loaded!  It's 6:20 and we're outta here! 

Happiness resides not in posessions and not in gold; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul.

family night fun times eight!

Well, it wasn't the quietest family home evening ever but it was sure fun!  Our little backyard barbecue/Family Home Evening turned into quite the bash with 43 people, eight families in all.  It was just a plain fun evening!  Nothing overly-organized, just dinner, gab and a Family Home Evening lesson that cracked us all up.  When all was said and done, a forgotten cellphone caused one dad to return and his comment made the evening worth every second, "We should do this once a month!"  It works for me!!  Dinner was fantastic...It was bring your own meat and something to share with others.  I'd made dutch oven potatoes, bean salsa and basil tomatoes.  We had Julie's nummy corn salad and lots of fruit salads and desserts. (I've GOT to get Wendy's dessert recipe and post it on the cooking blog ASAP!)  Fantastic meal!  My only regret of the evening is that I didn't take time to grab my camera!

For our Family Home Evening lesson, I had a huge tray of different candies and Natalie contributed store bought Rice Krispie Treats, then everyone took three treats out of the basket.  I had made a little sign that assigned a question to each different kind of treat.  Each person had to answer in ten words or less the questions that matched the treats they'd chosen.  (IE: some random fact about yourself, what you want to be when you grow up, your favorite hobby...)  The kids answers were a riot!  The adults were quite fun too!  Then at the end of the game, I gave a very short Family Home Evening message, relating that each of us had many different answers.  A lot of us had said that our favorite place was "Home" or "With family".  We all wanted to be different things when we grow up.  We all had different talents or hobbies.  BUT.  We are all children of God and just because we are all different, we are all still very much the same and have much in common.  We love our families, we want to do what's right, we love Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.  It was less than two minute message after all of the answers, but they got it.  Short and sweet! 

As we were climbing into bed last night, Doug shared that as I was ending our little FHE lesson, he said to one of the guys, "Isn't she amazing!?", to which the guy said, "She really is!" Now, I think it's grand that one of the men agreed (what choice did he have in the matter, really) but I think that it's even grander that Doug would make that comment to another man.  It made me feel like a million dollar wife!  This had been a simple spontaneous get-together where I'd done very little but pull it together and for Doug to appreciate it like that made my year!  There's nothing like knowing your husband is proud of even your simplest efforts!

Really and truly, it's amazing to me how far a little appreciation and recognition goes!  Quayd came home from school just floating because his teacher had taught them all about GPA yesterday.  He worried that his would be low and she called him to the desk to let him know that he has an "A-" average.  He didn't mention it to Doug with all the other excitement last night, so this morning, he came running up the stairs half-dressed to tell Doug about it before Doug left for work.  That little "atta-boy" to Quayd will make him want to do better!

A little praise or a fault-finding verbal lashing?  Which is the better motivator?  Enough said?

Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what they are capable of being.

"Someday" is not a day of the week

The weather is still hanging in there, so we decided last night to have one last little pot luck backyard bash with a few families before the snow falls, which is supposed to happen tomorrow in the mountains!  Happiness!  So, today, I'll be cooking a bit and preparing a little Family Home Evening for us all.  Fun stuff! 

Our weekend included the General Relief Society Women's Broadcast, which all of our plans ended up changing. Liza and I ended up staying home and watching it on BYU-TV.  We had Costa Vida and locked ourselves in the gallery to watch it uninterrupted.  I've never watched it from home and have always enjoyed sitting in the chapel surrounded by other women.  This was quite different.  It was Liza's first time to not be working during the broadcast, so as a first, she loved that she could sit in the comfort of home and crochet while watching.  Me, hmmmm... I think I prefer the "being there" type feeling, even if at the local chapel, though we actually started out with tickets to literally be there in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City.  Maybe next year!

We've recently had a family with six amazingly gorgeous daughters move into the ward.  They lived here about five years ago and have moved home to Utah and actually ended up back in the original ward, which is something that doesn't happen often.  We invited them over for dinner yesterday because as of last night, they were still trying to find bunk beds in the mess. Seriously. What a fun afternoon, visiting and catching up! 

I'm listening to the best book for the tenth time this month, "Eat that Frog!" by Brian Tracy, about getting more out of life, and it's been on my mind a lot lately. As I went to sleep last night, I was thinking about our visit with the Burns family and something became acutely clear to me.  Each day passes by so easily.  We wish away a lot of days..."I can't wait till Friday...till Christmas!... till my birthday!"  We waste away a lot of days...Farkle, TV, doing nothing instead of something productive.  We look back on those days and, literally, we can sum up five years in two hours and know that we've not missed much of the "big" stuff.  In our case yesterday... births, deaths, marriages, divorces, new callings, old callings, who moved where, mission calls... the "big stuff".

Last night, I thought of that quote about the small things actually being the big things.  It made me really access how much time I do waste doing things that aren't all that important when there's good things to do instead! My friend, Christie joked about me being so old that I should go to bed earlier.  I replied that there's too much fun to be had to waste time sleeping.  But, then when I'm awake, I waste time.  Go figure!  Doug and I joke often that we would love to be like Michael Keaton in Multiplicity and clone ourselves... one to do service all the time, one to work hard and make the money, one to play all the time!  Too bad it doesn't work like that! 

So, this morning, I'm setting a new goal to do a little less time wasting and a little more "creative procrastination", being a bit more selective about what I procrastinate on.  I'll procrastinate a few farkle games instead of laundry, reading a novel until my scriptures are read, dinner started before I think about snacking.  (I won't count the fact that I've already eaten a boston cream donut!) The fact isthat we can't do everything in life, so I'm going to start putting off the things that don't contribute to my life anyway instead of the things that matter!

I had big plans for this day and got a kickstart this morning!  A friend needed an emergency ride to work this morning, which helped me get my rear in gear.  I had this blog half-written and was thinking along these lines already, but her need of assistance got me moving fast!  I've already done two loads of laundry, stripped my bed to do the sheets, gone to Logan, bought groceries, made five phone calls, checked my Facebook (there's a priority...NOT!) and planned the gathering for tonight.  Now, if I can just keep moving in that direction, I'll keep feeling great about this day!  So much fun to be had, so little time to have it!  Life is good!  Enough said!

You may delay, but time will not. 

delicious autumn

For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together.  For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad. 

If you love ‘em, tell 'em. Blast from the Past: originally posted October 2005

When Doug and I were dating, as we walked along a Florida beach, he leaned over, picked up a stick wrote in the sand, "I love you." I fell in love with a romantic! While I was still in Florida and he attended BYU, we wrote to each other almost every day. I have kept every one of his love letters, still in their unique homemade envelopes. After I moved to Utah, we took frequent drives in his old plum purple ‘56 Ford Pick-up truck, attempting to reach the summit above Camp Lomia in Logan Canyon. On February 19, 1977, we celebrated our success with a walk across the frozen snow-covered mountain top. After a while, I sat down on a fallen tree trunk. Doug walked away for a second, returning with a stick in hand and wrote in giant letters in the snow, "Will you marry me?" The rest is history.

Over the years, we’ve left love notes in the strangest of places. After teaching at a scrapbook convention, I walked along the beach, alone, in Gulfport, Mississippi and wrote a love note in the sand for Doug, then photographed it so that he would know I was missing him. Whenever I travel, I leave messages under his pillow, in his car, in his planner. I’ve also been pleasantly surprised myself, many times, as I’ve open my planner to a future date, only to discover a tender love note from him. Can you hear the violins playing?

Whenever I go out for lunch, I usually bring home a "to go" box. These boxes have become our personal message boards. Each "to go" box is an opportunity to write "I heart you, Mr. C."   These days, my lunch buddies write notes to Doug along with my own message on the box. When Liza was still at home, our refridgerator would often be filled with more than one to go box. Hers usually said, "Eat this, Dad! I love you!"

Liza and Buddy started their own tiny love note rituals, almost as soon as they started dating. Now, that they are married, they keep a set of dry erase markers handy for their love note message board, which happens to be their bathroom mirror. Each time I visit their apartment, I love to sneak a peek and read their sweet nothings. Last spring, Liza left an indelible love note for Buddy on his mother’s new living room wall! Buddy and Liza offered to paint her newly finished room. BEFORE they started to prime the brand new drywall, Liza painted a five foot long love note, using primer, that read, "I love Buddy, He is so HOT!" along the mail wall in the room. For some reason, the now twice-primed and triple-painted beautiful yellow wall, still bears her love note, quite clearly, I might add. The furniture has been arranged to cover most of it, but, standing in the right light, it’s still there, bold and beautiful for all to remember that Liza thinks her hubby is "hot"! How could they forget?

On my refrigerator, I have a dry erase board, to note my shopping list. Surrounded by items like "spinach, soy sauce and syrup, I often find sweet words from my sweetheart! Since Quayd started learning to read and write, he loves adding his sentiments too! Today, my board says, "I love my famile I love mom." Quayd and the girls leaves love notes everywhere! The girls just draw hearts!

Last week, I found "Happy B-day! Heart, Madi" written on my scrapbook assignment board at my desk. Madi, the 14 year old daughter of one of my best friends, also created a wonderful card for me that said, "I could not think of anything to get your for your birthday, then I thought, "Why not just share my favorite quotes and scriptures? So I did..." It was sweet, sweet sentiment that brightened my birthday week!

Love notes are priceless! A few simple words can go such a long way! Whether it’s on someone’s blog, their wall, under a pillow, inside a card that you created yourself or even your bathroom mirror, take a moment to send some love today. Go ahead, make their day!

It is astonishing how little one feels alone when one loves. 

Over the years, we’ve left love notes in the strangest of places. After teaching at a scrapbook convention, I walked along the beach, alone, in Gulfport, Mississippi and wrote a love note in the sand for Doug, then photographed it so that he would know I was missing him. Whenever I travel, I leave messages under his pillow, in his car, in his planner. I’ve also been pleasantly surprised myself, many times, as I’ve open my planner to a future date, only to discover a tender love note from him. Can you hear the violins playing?

Whenever I go out for lunch, I usually bring home a "to go" box. These boxes have become our personal message boards. Each "to go" box is an opportunity to write "I heart you, Mr. C."   These days, my lunch buddies write notes to Doug along with my own message on the box. When Liza was still at home, our refridgerator would often be filled with more than one to go box. Hers usually said, "Eat this, Dad! I love you!"

Liza and Buddy started their own tiny love note rituals, almost as soon as they started dating. Now, that they are married, they keep a set of dry erase markers handy for their love note message board, which happens to be their bathroom mirror. Each time I visit their apartment, I love to sneak a peek and read their sweet nothings. Last spring, Liza left an indelible love note for Buddy on his mother’s new living room wall! Buddy and Liza offered to paint her newly finished room. BEFORE they started to prime the brand new drywall, Liza painted a five foot long love note, using primer, that read, "I love Buddy, He is so HOT!" along the mail wall in the room. For some reason, the now twice-primed and triple-painted beautiful yellow wall, still bears her love note, quite clearly, I might add. The furniture has been arranged to cover most of it, but, standing in the right light, it’s still there, bold and beautiful for all to remember that Liza thinks her hubby is "hot"! How could they forget?

On my refrigerator, I have a dry erase board, to note my shopping list. Surrounded by items like "spinach, soy sauce and syrup, I often find sweet words from my sweetheart! Since Quayd started learning to read and write, he loves adding his sentiments too! Today, my board says, "I love my famile I love mom." Quayd and the girls leaves love notes everywhere! The girls just draw hearts!

Last week, I found "Happy B-day! Heart, Madi" written on my scrapbook assignment board at my desk. Madi, the 14 year old daughter of one of my best friends, also created a wonderful card for me that said, "I could not think of anything to get your for your birthday, then I thought, "Why not just share my favorite quotes and scriptures? So I did..." It was sweet, sweet sentiment that brightened my birthday week!

Love notes are priceless! A few simple words can go such a long way! Whether it’s on someone’s blog, their wall, under a pillow, inside a card that you created yourself or even your bathroom mirror, take a moment to send some love today. Go ahead, make their day!

It is astonishing how little one feels alone when one loves. 

ramble ramble ramble

I'm having technical difficulties this morning.  The screen flashed up some virus warning. It's installing some update and keeps failing.  A trip to the Geek Squad may be in order this morning.  In the meantime, I've lost the entry that I had prepared.  So, I will make a quick entry before I lose everything...

• I vow to never ever ever read another Halocaust book again!  I wrote off the movies years ago after watching Sophie's Choice. I'd mentioned to Liz and Brenda at Bunco that I was concerned about where this book was going.  They both assured me that it wasn't going to end like I thought it would.  So, I carried on and read the last sixty-five pages expecting a nice-tied-in-a-bow happy ending.  NOT!  It ended worse than I would have dreamed.  I cried half the day yesterday.  It was horrific.  My sweet friend, Hayley, said that it was her "Worst Read EVER!" and that she threw it against the wall when she finished it.  If it had have been my book, I'd have thrown it in the shredder!  If you don't mind sobbing, heart-breaking endings and disturbia in your sleep, then by all means, read "The boy in the Striped Pajamas".  Otherwise, if you're like me and like things to end happily ever after, go to a different aisle in the library!
• Natalie and I were able to go out and play twice this week, both times doing some decorating idea shopping.  We also got to take a quick home tour of Jamie, my friend who has major decorating guts when it comes to color and creativity! Fun stuff! Her husband had recently done a surprise Extreme Home Makeover while she was away at BYU Education week.  I call Ryan an Extreme Dream Husband!  It was awesome!  Natlalie and I found some fun things including a birthday gift for me!  Thanks, Natalie!  Too fun!
• Oh, TV talk... was it me or was Greys the longest premiere in history?  Z-z-z-z-z.  I think that Grey's has gone the way of the sharks.  At least for me, it has.  And may I just say that Russell on Survivor needs a mommy very badly!
• We're thinking of a little canyon drive this weekend for some fun photos, if the leaves are turning.  It's supposed to be 84° today, though, so much more like summer than fall!

That's it.  Gotta deal with the computer issues.  It says that the laptop is "importing the service pack and that's taken 35 minutes.  I'm nervous!  Oh, well!  Have a great day!

Better to do something imperfectly

than to do nothing flawlessly.

speaking of...

Last night, before Bunco, I asked Quayd to snap a shot of my new haircut, so here it is.  I'm so not used to straight hair, if you could call this straight (note the little kinky curls around my face.  No, don't!)  Anyway, that's it.  The new do.  I didn't take time to photoshop my wrinkles or anything!  But I sure thought about it! Oh, and I do have a little camisole under the shirt, so the cleavage (or cleavledge, as Liza called it when she was younger) is hidden! This will suffice as my Me at 51 photo,  so I'm sure I'll use it again on my birthday, which just happens to be coming very soon!  SCARY!  Why did fifty sound so fun and fifty-one sounds so ancient!  Just kidding!  I'm grateful for every new day!  I've got kids to raise and play with for years!  They're keeping Doug and I young along the way! 

Speaking of playing... Bunco was at Jerilyn's last night.  We had a great time!  Jerilyn just moved into her new home and it's gorgeous!  I'd been through a few months ago and was ubber impressed with all they they've done with it. WOW!  It's just beautiful!  And sooooooo spacious!  I'm thrilled for her family! She served lasagna and I'd not taken time to eat all day so it really hit the spot!  Her gifts were handmade, papercrafted and ever-so-clever.  I heart Jerilyn! 

Speaking of talent...Quayd has been very excited to enter the talent show at his Middle School.  He drew an awesome eagle for his talent. (And was in such a rush this morning to get to school, I didn't take a picture of it in the frame.  BAD MOM!)  He's quite excited about it. The actual talent show is next week.  I hope that he gets some recognition for this, his first attempt at entering anything.  Dale won or placed with everything he ever entered with his art, so Quayd has high aspirations!  He's always a winner in my book!

Speaking of winners, I came home last night anxious to see the results on Dancing with the Stars!  The Patrick Swayze tribute was wonderful.  I'll add him to my list of celebrities that I've actually mourned their passing.   The list: Chris Reeves, MJ and now Patrick.  Although, I'm sure that I would have cried when Clark Gable passed away too.

Speaking of celebrities, I wanted to mention that I finally saw a movie with Jennifer Aniston that's worth watching again.  "Love Happens" with Jennifer, not acting like Rachel from Friends and Aaron Eckhert, who is a young Harrison Ford. It's not a comedy, though.  Not serious but not laugh out loud funny.  I loved this movie.  Loved it!  Definitely good entertainment. 

Speaking of entertainment, this morning, I'll finish reading "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne.  So far, so good.  I'm not into books that have anything to do with Hitler, but this one caught me right off.  We'll see how I feel when I finish it, but Liz assured me that it would be okay.  It's our Book Group read for the month.  ETA:  Do NOT read this book if you do not like unhappy endings, if you hate the Halocaust, if you don't want to SOB for the next hour.  I will NEVER EVER read another Halocaust book.  EVER!!!!

Speaking of reading, I need to get busy!  I've got a book to finish, a friend to shop with later, Survivor and George's funeral to watch tonight.  I can't miss that.  So much to do, so little time to do it! Speaking of wasting time, I'm grounding myself from Farkle for two days!  Enough said! Life is good!

Sadly, time, which changes people, does not alter the image we have retained of them.

a quiet morning

Bunco tonight!  Happiness!

True confession: Laundry is my downfall.  Always has been.  I hate putting it away!  For years, I had one laundry basket for each family member.  Clothes went straight from the dryer and into the basket.  I thought it was such an efficient system.  BUT.  The problem was that they stayed in the basket.  I didn't put them away fast enough and we lived out of the laundry baskets.  A few months ago, when I got the new dryer, I decided that it was time to come up with a new system. Now, I fold them and put them away immediately.  No baskets.  Straight from the dryer to the drawer.  No landing place.  No place for the kids to pull out of the stack and undo my folding.  It takes me a minute more to put them away each time, but it's working.  How is it that something so simple can be so hard.  Go figure!

Seriously, you musttry the fried ice cream recipe that I posted on the cooking blog yesterday.  WOW!!!  It's sooooooo easy to make!  Don't wait another day.  Surprise your family with dessert tonight.

2 1/2 generous cups crushed corn flakes (measurements are after they are crushed)
1/2 cup crushed pecans
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
Vanilla ice cream

Remove ice cream from the freezer as you begin to soften it just a bit. Melt the butter in a large bowl in your microwave. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar is almost a "syrup". Add pecans, crushed cornflakes and coconut. Stir and mix well, coating all of the crunchy additions with the "syrup". Spread half of the crunchy mix to cover the bottom of a 9x13" pan. Then, slice or scoop your slightly softened icecream, placing it in the pan on top of the crunchy layer. Let the icecream soften enough in the pan to pat it together and make it one solid layer. (I did the layer about 1 1/2" thick.) Top with the remaining crunchy mix. Cover with saran wrap and refreeze. Serve it with a drizzle of chocolate syrup, or honey, or both, or caramel or strawberry ice cream syrup or just plain! OH MY! Enjoy!

Today is s one of the rare times that I have little or nothing to say. Have a great day.

Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others.    ETA:  ...and love them anyway.