Friday date night...

My Strong Silent Mysterious Man took me out with my bff and her husband last night for dinner... it was fun to go laugh and enjoy some adult time with them. Her husband served a mission for the church in Hawaii and she served a mission in England and they always have interesting stories to share. Even after almost 20 years later you can hear what a big part of their lives it was to serve, and they apply the lessons they learned on their missions to everyday situations even now. It helps when I rattle and shake thinking about 2J's leaving for a 2 year mission in 4 short years. They are good friends!


Our church has a program that the men are paired up and assigned a few families each to visit once a month or more and bring a spiritual message into the home, and watch over and lend a hand when needed... it is called "Home Teaching".

Our Home Teachers came by last night to visit us, we enjoy them very much, they are great men and very dedicated to checking in on our family to see if we have any needs etc. They both have young children, and little Anya came to visit this time... her Dad is very athletic and seems to have NO FEARS... and that has passed on very evident into little Anya.

She is a tiny petite little red head, and loves to be, tossed, thrown, flipped, swung, flinged and any other extreme air flight you could think of! Her Dad has carried her like a football since about the second week of her life. I would often grab her in the hallway at church thinking he was just too rough with this little infant... but even at an early age she loved it.

Now, he does this spin flip in the air with her and throws her up and she spins so fast in a circle you can't count how many times she goes around before he catches her.... it makes even a grown man gasp when you see it.

I tried to capture it on the camera, but seriously she is going so fast I couldn't get it on film. The funniest thing about it all is her laughter when he does it!! I could swear the centrifugal force would pop her eyes out, but she comes out laughing her head off every time. They are expecting their next child on Dec 18th... it's a girl!

Running with Angels...

Okay, those of you who know me... better sit down!

I am reading a book!

I am not a reader... I have never liked to read... I would much rather plug in a movie and not have to work to get a story in my head... My sister devours books, My Mother loves to read and I am jealous that they get to share that together passing back and forth one good book after another. My Mother in Law is an avid reader and even shared the Harry Potter books with 2J's when she lived here... My sis n law has a book club and blogs about new books they are reading... not me! I am not a bad reader, I just don't like it.

But after my little melt down this week... my bff gave me one of her books (she is a big reader too) she thought was good for anyone going through trials of any kind.

It is called Running with Angels by Pamela H. Hansen... I really can't believe I am blogging about a book! Anyway, I went to pick up 2J's last night from pulling pipe from the field and ended up waiting 2 hrs for him (another long story)... so I had this book in the car with me... and began reading.

I have to admit at first it was very sad, she went through some major personal tragedy... and that was not happy to read, but it was written well and once I got past that I began to see why she shared such detail about what she had gone through.... basically she had these tragic things happen in her life, she was overweight, and she writes about how she overcame it all and ended up running a marathon.

Now let's not be confused... I have no ideas of trying to run a marathon... EVER!! But I found this book to give me some insight on overcoming trials etc. I too think it would be good for anyone going through any kind of trials to read... she is an LDS woman and it is just very well put together so far.... I am about half way through the book.

I feel such a personal triumph to have gotten this far in a book and not set it down and walked away. I don't know how anyone finds time or a quiet place to read without putting their life on hold (it has to be very quiet when I read). Which maybe I just need to learn to do once in a while, just put things on hold and go find a quiet place.

My hubby wasn't really a reader and became one about 4 years ago... he keeps telling me I could be a book worm at any stage of my life... maybe this is it. I will let you know if I actually finish the book. It is my new goal now!

I am so happy for all the people in my life that make being a "reader" cool!

President Gordon B. Hinckley

I received an email today with these pictures of Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints...

He is such a wonderful man, and I love listening to him talk... he reminds me of my "Papa" in so many ways, and I know if they knew each other, they would become great friends. They have the same sense of humor, that same loving but "to the point" look in their eyes, and the same way of making me see what I should already know that I should be doing without making me feel bad about myself, but just empowered to be better by his presence.

President Hinckley always uses his cane, just not much for walking...

See what I mean. He was told to carry a cane, and that's what he does ~ he carries it.

Not all of us have such a fancy pointing stick as Pres. Hinckley...

I heard someone say about him at a dedication of the ground for a new Temple, as they climbed a dirt hill... Pres. Hinckley commented at the top, about his body guards who were holding each of his arms, that he could have been there much quicker if he hadn't had to carry these two big bruits up the hill. I laughed, that just sounded like something out of the mouth of my "Papa". I miss him and his sense of humor so much!

We marveled at the contrast of Joseph Smith's visit to the White House to meet with President Van Buren and President Hinckley's visit to the White House to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor given a United States citizen.

President Hinckley said that his late wife "Sister Hinckley would have loved this event."

When this picture was first published, one woman wrote and said,
"If people don't believe Mormons are Christians, just have them look at this picture of Sister Marjorie Hinckley." It's so true!

President Hinckley is patient with all the photographers who are constantly taking his picture. He did say to us one time, in a quiet tone , that "if all the cameras in the world were thrown into the ocean, there would be a great flood."

Who can resist President Gordon B. Hinckley's warmth? President and Sister Hinckley were just the trademark of happiness in Ghana.. No one could keep their eyes off of them. Their warmth was infectious. Their kind waves of the hand always made everyone feel loved.

These two are love birds, no less.

I love these pictures, he is a wonderful man and prophet! I feel a closeness to him because I can relate to him through the man my "Papa" was, and how he lived his life, even when no-one was watching!

Photographs By Scot Facer Proctor

A Day in our Life....

One of 2J's leaders has a ranch, and asked him to come move irrigation pipe for him during hunting season... so he has been out working. The other owner told us the first day that he worked really hard, and how proud he was of how much got done... so it seems to be going well. And it is some extra money for the kid... you know gas and insurance doesn't come free these days.

By the way the driving is coming right along.... I have him drive out to the Ranch.. it isn't really a white knuckle ride, but nerve wracking all the same! I think once he get's some experience under his belt I will feel better about letting him drive in town around more traffic. But for now, we will stick to the country roads.




This is Gunner...

Gunner's owner is one of my clients... he has gone up hunting through the end of the month, and so I go over and play with Gunner and make sure he has food and water.
He used to come stay with us at our house, inside, but over the past year has lived outside and get's too hot indoors and is pretty rowdy! I guess that is why he doesn't get to stay at hunting camp... he riles up the horses and chases off the game. He really just loves to play, and he loves his kong toy!!

As you can see Gunner has some vision issues... he is looking directly at me with the camera in this picture. He looks like he is looking past you, but if you move your hand back and forth, he follows along just about a foot to the right. He seems to see things just fine, he is just off kilter. It's weird, but kind of an endearing quality. Gunner makes me smile, he is a good boy!

The Rescue...

My bff is my hero today...

I was in the dumps, not sure why, maybe I was just coming down from having all the girl fun here this past weekend, or something, but I hit a low. I know I go through ups and downs and it certainly is NOT a reflection on how things are going in my life. I have the best family and great friends, and good health.... much, much to be very thankful for... a very good life!

But I do fall victim to "the dumps" sometimes, usually it is just hard to get out of bed, or I procrastinate at getting something done... but I always find a way to "pull it up by the boot straps" and move past it on my own. Today was a little tougher for me, but my bff heard it through my voice on the phone and came by and scooped me up... only to run errands and talk, but it was my rescue!

Who wouldn't smile with these mugs smiling back at you, we towed them around with us... and they stayed in this happy state of euphoria as long as there was the promise of a treat at the end.

I had no clue what the treat would be ~ but any bff knows chocolate milk is the cure for all dumps. In no time I was smiling and forgetting all my woes... It probably had nothing to do with the chocolate milk and much more to do with all the walking she made me do that got my endorphines moving about... but I'd like to think it is always the chocolate!

Taco Soup

I promised I would post the Yummy Taco Soup Recipe...

Taco Soup

14 oz Can each Kidney, Pinto, and Black Beans
1 Can Fat Free Nalley's Chili
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 small can Green Chilies
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
1 Onion chopped
3 carrots
3 Tblsp Taco Seasoning

You can add other veggies as desired (I had some yellow squash, zucchini would be good too). It says 2 Cups = 1.5 points for WW (I haven't checked that for myself to be sure, but it has lots of fiber) it is really good with a dollop of ff sour cream on top.

Bon Appetite!

Saturday ~ The Womens Celebration 5k walk...

We arrived at the 5k Event early, tired but ready to go....

There was music at the starting line and we danced and kept warm, getting all pumped up before we start...

I was so grateful sis had her camera... I sent mine with "the boys" camping, but they came back with not one picture...

She did a great job capturing the moment... finally we are off to walk...

There was entertainment along the way...


Still our camera woman... was doing her best...

Here, let me help..... if I lean down a little... there we go....

My nephew's girlfriend from Seattle met us there, her sis lives in Boise...

We made it to the end... a good time was had by all...

We stopped for breakfast/lunch on the way home... the best waiter ever, Thanks Chris!

Back home to rest... and a little competitive game play....

Sunday it was back to the airport... the best girls weekend ever!

We are on again next year for our annual girls weekend in Boise... the more the merrier, start training now!!

Friday...

We got up early Friday morning and took 2J's to school, did our 2 mile walk, and got dressed to go to the Women's Expo downtown.

There were lots of booths, and tons of giveaways...

We had fun going through the show...

and we met a celebrity...

Jared the Subway guy gave us his autograph...

Even posed for a self portrait with us... he is too cute.

We ate lunch out at PF Chang's, and our cute waiter came out and posed for a picture with us... I think he got a big head thinking we were hitting on him or something... we had to explain it was just part of journaling our day...

We came home and got the boys off to go camping...

Silly child

Then we picked up Cheryl and Liz at the airport...

And the "girls only" slumber party begins....

Of course Morgan was right in on all the action... her two favorite things, girls and slumbering!!