TRICK OR TREAT........YOU DECIDE!

Well, what a surprise as I had just recovered from the last Sabbath Day, to wake up and see this! I am in charge of sharing time and have to be to church so you should see me driving in the "thicker than pea soup," weather. It is the 21st of October and what in the world has happened? So much for the fall leaves, but really, isn't it beautiful? We were out trying to shake the snow off of the leaves of our big (ha,ha) trees. I am sure it will melt and be back in the 60's again. We can only hope that there is snow for Christmas or else Janae will be very angry.........................................

I have not written all week because I have been making curtains! Yes, I borrowed Jaimie's sewing machine and set to out to make my den look a little more complete. Of course, as soon as the sewing machine saw me the tension jumped and away we went. I will take pictures and let you know how everything turns out. Martha Stewart I am not but maybe "Mattie" Stewart will be good enough.............................

"Oh What A Beautiful Morning!"

Alright so just let me start by saying AHHHHHHHHH! I had prepared my lesson for this Sabbath Day and everything was on the counter for me to be unhurriedly on my way to church. I woke up this morning to about 40* and turned the heater on. Oh back up, I was up at 4 AM with Chief while he went to "trigger" ( I'm babysitting ) and it was raining and 40*.............................I had put everything in the crock pot to make chicken soup and was cleaning up just humming to my self and had about 15 minutes left to do my newly shampooed hair. Now those of you who know me to be technologically challenged, that includes blow drying my hair. I am a curling iron, poofy headed, 60's, in a rut type of girl. I plug in my fairly new curling iron and it does nothing. Nothing, no heat, no smoke, no nothing! I look at my flat, no body, wet hair and start a little panic mode. I am actually talking to myself in the mirror like the both of us can figure this thing out...................... I am looking all over the house for any instrument that might help me out, remember 15 minutes left, and I teach Primary first thing................So I get Jacqui's old hair straightener and try that. My hair was standing up five inches high in a point, I am starting to sweat. I try curling the hair around the straightener, and it comes out at a 90* angle! My only other alternative was a curling iron left over from the 80's that was about as big around as a pencil. It's all I have and I gave it my best shot. Needless to say, I wouldn't make the cover of any magazine except for maybe MAD! Get out of the car to go into church and it is still raining, oh what the heck.....................................Get into Primary, of course I am one of the first ones there, albeit sweaty, soaked, and frazzled, (Richard is more psycho than I am when it comes to being on time), and they put some other class with mine. All of my ever so carefully counted handouts, snacks etc. are no longer as well planned as I had hoped. So by the time I get home, I wasn't singing, I wasn't humming, but I was laughing and that is better than the alternative today! "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning!"

You Are Not Too Old To Learn!

It seems like forever since I have been home to write, with so many thoughts running through this deteriorating brain of mine, I need to write them down while I can. This is like a journal for me and so feel free to ignore when boring! :)

First of all, I am a little nervous about having a ghost writer, I hope he is always in a positive mood when he edits MY BLOG! Yes, I just got back from Disney World for like the 8th time and I could go again tomorrow. It is one of the happiest places on earth especially when you go with family. I love having my mom and dad along and for them to spend quality time with their grandchildren, and great grandchildren. That is priceless. I can still see Shea in my mind, in bed with Mamaw discussing quite a bit. Mamaw really got to bond with Brogan as she stayed home several days to babysit and we got to run and play. Thanks so much mother.......

Some of my favorite memories of the trip are the kids getting to feed and touch a real dolphin. My dad going around to all of the exhibits with the kids and coloring right along with them. My mom being so excited in Animal Kingdom even though it was 90* with 100% humidity. She loves palm trees and should have been from another land............Mother not quite getting the scooter to go faster than 1 mile per hour. Kelly being a good big brother and taking Jacqui aside for a little talk! Swimming, swimming, swimming, and trying to watch the kids every second, they are like dolphins themselves. Daddy falling after the lazy river pool and me nearly having a heart attack worrying about both of my folks! Running into Jann Bassett Powell at the PUB-Lix ( inside joke) and being floored that we had to go to Florida to see each other. Biggest and best of all was having the opportunity to celebrate Jacqui's 25th birthday with her. I can't believe my "Baby" is 25................woooooo!
Over all just having the best time and making memories that will keep me warm when I am older......

So lesson learned, family makes anything and everything special. I am so blessed to have always been able to share so much with my parents and now trying to do so with my children and my grandchildren. I have always talked about closing your eyes, taking a mental picture, and keeping a memory.

I have always held hands with my children and squeezed their hand three times to tell them that I love them. I was so touched when Taryn kept doing it to me and we have this special bond, passed on from generation to generation. I love my grandchildren!

One more thing to write down for myself. In Institute this week we learned about perspective influencing perception. The lesson was on Joseph who was sold into Egypt and later became the second in command. The Lord sees the end from the beginning and sometimes we are only seeing a very small part. Jospeh would never have thought it was a good thing to be betrayed by his brothers, but in all actuality it was the process by which his whole family was later saved. I need to be more patient in my trials, more trusting in the fact that my Father in Heaven knows best, and be more valiant in my efforts to live my life so that I might reach what He has in mind for me.

Last lesson learned for this blog. I had to get new cell phone. What in the world did we do before we had them? I was totally lost for two days while mine was broken. Of course, now I have a wonderful new phone with so many buttons and arrows I am in technological cyberspace! Richard, help me! Jerianne help me! I am trying to learn but you should see me. I have probably run up a bill just by pushing buttons. Oh well, I get to talk to the family. Priceless.........

Ghost Writer

Since Verlinda is unable to stay in town long enough to blog, a ghost writer has mysteriously appeared in her place. Just having returned to town from yet another trip to Idaho for a funeral of her Uncle, she has now run off again. This time she is headed off to Disney World. While it has been rumored that there is some kind of a relationship with the fellow with big ears, I can confirm that that is not the case. While it may not be the "big ears", she has been seen with a couple of others who frequent that playground for kids. While the investigation is ongoing, odds today favor the guy in blue. For those who read this blog, (it is thought to be all of three people) please stay tuned as it is possible that she will return and once again take her place as the editor of this blog of blogs.

So Long

There Is Beauty All Around

Richard and I got to go up into the mountains the other afternoon and it was beautiful. Every once in awhile, we spin off and do something spontaneous. I know it is hard to believe of the two of us but..................The Aspens are beginning to turn and it was breath taking. It probably won't be quite the same in a photo, but it was a great adventure. We have decided that we are going to return and take the train ride and go into the silvermine next year. The air was wonderful, my favorite time of year.

I have finished reading TWILIGHT, by Stephanie Meyers, and it was spellbinding! I read almost 700 pages in 8 hours. I am on to the sequels as we leave tomorrow to go back to Idaho Falls. Uncle Joe has passed away and the only reason I am relieved is because he was suffering so. I have a real testimony about the absolute difference in the spirit and the body. I am so grateful that I know that there is life after death and the only sad ones are those left behind. What a great blessing!

THIS IS MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR!

Well, I am finally back from the "cool" Arizona heat and into the full swing of Autumn which is my favorite time of year. We are sleeping with our windows open and the air conditioner is a thing of the past. I love the smell of the air and the cool breezes on your face and the incredible beauty that is starting to unfold all over. Each leaf that turns a new color is like a reborn flower and I love it. I have put up my Fall and Halloween decorations and have decided that I will have a Halloween Party this year! I want to live! (I think that is from some movie but who knows.)

"I Have My Things About Me!"

I feel just like Maureen O'Hare in the Quiet Man, one of my favorite movies, who tells her husband she just has to have her "things" about her. I was so happy to get home and be around my things that it was goofy. What a ride I have had this last month. I was so grateful to be able to see everyone. I think I about covered the whole family except for going to Houston and that will have to wait. Sorry Sadie! All in all, it was wonderful to see everyone and we worked like turks in Phoenix to help Janae and Jacqui get their new houses up and running. I really am grateful that Richard is such a handy man and I'm no slacker! I guess you can see some pictures on Jacqui's blog and then I am putting more pictures on my blog tomorrow, after I talk to Jerianne on the phone for an hour as she takes me step by step through this process until I get it in my technically challenged brain. I gave most of my smarts to Jerianne, so be thankful and just realize you are my right hand!

I guess one funny story that I haven't shared is on my plane ride to KC. (Jacqui told me that my last blog wasn't happy, but hey Jacqui, sometimes life is hard!) There were a couple of rowdy men in the airport waiting to get on my flight. Of course, I thought to myself these would be my seat companions because that is just my luck. You could tell that they were not feeling any pain if you know what I mean, and so I waited. SURE ENOUGH, I walk right to their seats and find myself surrounded by these fine gentlemen. They were coming from their first visit to SLC and were very vocal about how much they hated it and those Mormons were the worst. No alcohol without buying dinner etc. and they said that I was the first one that had smiled at them since they had gone to SLC. Well we talked about their visit and their reason for being there, boxing match of one of their friends who got knocked out but won $10,000 just for fighting, and how bad the Mormons were. Okay so here was my dilemma, they were kind of funny, and you know that I need a laugh where I can get one. They would say something and then literally poke me in the side to see if I was following. They seemed to take a quick liking to me and wanted me to laugh right along with them. Sometimes I had to cover my mouth while the whole rest of the plane was clearly annoyed. They wanted to buy me a drink so I said yes, and ordered a diet Sprite. (I've always been a cheap date!) Guilty by association, I always tried to tell my children! They were good old farm guys from Topeka and I didn't have a pass along card! I debated and debated in my head whether to tell them that they had just spent an entire and somewhat enjoyable time sitting next to a Mormon, but decided against it for two reason. First, I felt that I needed to go home and repent for laughing at some of their comments and secondly, I doubt they remember anything from the flight. So, I am putting pass alongs in my purse and working on my sense of humor! :) (After repenting!) Until tomorrow, I kind of like this blogging.