My boy!

So not only is my brother the 1st counselor in the single's ward bishopric, but my son is the first counselor in his ward bishopric. These two Dave's are too much alike! Love them both!

Princeton University

Princeton

visit to princeton

Princeton

U2

It's not if I believe in love
But if love believes in me
Oh, believe in me

At the moment of surrender
I folded to my knees
I did not notice the passers-by
And they did not notice me

The Edge himself...up close and personal.

the circle of lights lowers and opens up.

OK. so it's blurry. but you get the idea.

U@ concert at Giants Stadium NJ 9/24/09. We were much closer than it looks here.

Words of wisdom from Wendy and Sheri at the international congress on families in Amsterdam

Wendy Watson Nelson, Ph.D., wife of Elder Nelson, also spoke at the gathering about the need for families to have increased spiritual strength. “We need families who look to God and who remove anything from their lives that is spiritually corrupting,” she said. “Families who are spiritually strong are the only hope for the future of our nations.”

Also speaking at the conference was Sheri L. Dew, who formerly served as a counselor in the Church’s general Relief Society presidency. Dew said: “A virtuous life is an easier, more fulfilling life. And it is one of the most powerful keys to strengthening families and therefore to strengthening our world.”

You're not getting older...you're getting better?

My Honey in his much younger years as a surfer, beach bum/

shopping revisited

So I went to Nords yesterday after having my hair cut and colored. Could that possibly make a difference? I had a random sales person in a department I obviously could not shop in but was walking through actually speak to me. Huh! Dunno.
Maybe it's all in how I feel. Of course that's it. If we stand up to the mirror full cupped what comes back is positive. People tend to treat us the way we present ourselves to them. If we present "I am no good. You wont' like me, why should you?" that is what is reflected. If we present "I am a beautiful, wonderful person who deserves to be loved" that is what is reflected. It has nothing to do with clothes, weight, beauty. The best way to become empowered in order to present that image to the mirror is by seeing oneself as the Savior sees you. He always sees you as beautiful, wonderful and deserving of His love.

Ewww Ick

I really should post something just so that picture won't be the first thing you see on my blog! Mike went back to work. He is so brave an buff! It has been difficult but he is a real trouper. The hole in his arm is getting smaller but seriously I don't get how it will ever heal.

We are off to Tennessee to spend a week with our 7 grandkids (ages 9,7,5,4,3,2 9.5 mos)...and their parents. So excited. HMJ asked his mom "what's a cousin?" first time we have all been together in 4 years and HMJ is 4! Will post pics when we return.

Seriously...should I post?

Almost a month. Mike is hoping to go back to work next Friday. I am now the sunBLOCK nazi! see why....I mean what good did those Frankenstein staples do?---except under the steri strips which looks really awesome. Too bad you can't see it.
I know...it's gross but at least I chose the small picture and not large! :)

Give me a break!

It has been one traumatic week. Seriously I hope you never have to go to an oncologist and hear how they are going to dig 1/2 your arm (or any other part of your body) out as well as inject radio active isotopes near your tumor and search for sentinel lymph nodes to remove. But even after hearing that and standing by while my hubby goes through it all I hope even more that they got all the cancer today!

A Half of Stick of Gum

Sunday our High Councilor spoke. I had an amazing experience. It had been a really painful week. Someone had said something to me that really hurt and caused me to question what on earth to do with such information. Talking to them was of no use. As usual I just had to deal with my feelings and forgive.
So at church our speaker talked about this scripture:

Alma 56:15-17 15 "And these are the cities which they possessed when I arrived at the city of Judea; and I found Antipus and his men toiling with their might to fortify the city.

16 Yea, and they were depressed in body as well as in spirit, for they had fought valiantly by day and toiled by night to maintain their cities; and thus they had suffered great afflictions of every kind.

17 And now they were determined to conquer in this place or die; therefore you may well suppose that this little force which I brought with me, yea, those sons of mine, gave them great hopes and much joy."

My immediate thought was "I need someone to fortify me...to reach out and strengthen me. I hurt." But even as I thought it another thought replaced it "you know that's not how it works. You are healed as you reach out to others." I know but sometimes you just long for someone to reach out to you.
The speaker then went on to quote from the baptismal covenant in Mosiah 18:

8 "And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— "

Yes, I thought, that is the covenant I made and that is how I want to be. Sometimes it's just a little harder than other times.

Next he spoke of the new commandment our Savior gave to his disciples found in John. Our Savior knew that what they would miss most when He was gone was His love. That is what we all miss but rarely recognize it.

John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

We feel His love for us as we share His love with His children.

He went on to quote from Matthew which I have quoted here before:

Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you ^crest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Ah...there's the key. We can be comforted and find strength to be healed even in the midst of great adversity if we "come unto" Him. And as Neal Maxwell taught "Empathy during agony is a portion of divinity."

As I was contemplating all of this a little boy, about 2 years old, left his family on the other side of the chapel from where I was sitting and came over to me. He handed me a half stick of gum and walked back to his family. I sat and marveled. A minute later he walked back over and shyly stood at the end of the bench where I was sitting. I motioned to him several times to come over but he didn't. Finally he walked to me and whispered "do you need more gum?" "No" I said. “I am fine. But thank you!" and he walked away.

The speaker ended his talk with a quote from Elder Holland's conference talk of October 2008. I love this:

“My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. “[N]or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man [or woman or child] upon the face thereof to be saved.” On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. Often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal.

“May we all believe more readily in, and have more gratitude for, the Lord’s promise as contained in one of President Monson’s favorite scriptures: “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, . . . my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” In the process of praying for those angels to attend us, may we all try to be a little more angelic ourselves—with a kind word, a strong arm, a declaration of faith and “the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.” Perhaps then we can be emissaries sent from God when someone… is crying,.. .”

Now it's true that our mission is to know the Savior so well that we can reach out to His children in love and compassion like Him, for Him but He loves us and will send angels when we really need them. They may come in the form of a loved one calling to chat, a co-worker telling us we are doing a great job, a friend who waves as they drive by our house, a speaker in sacrament meeting who listens to the spirit and speaks to our heart. Or they may come as a little child offering a half stick of gum.

Eat and Sleep, Eat and Sleep...

All I want to do is eat
and spend money. After that I want a nap.

Then I can get up and look at what I bought. And eat some more.

I DON't want to work. Pretty much everything feels overwhelming!
I need some motivation!

AHHH! There it is.

Ether 12: 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Shopping eye opener

As you know I love to shop for shoes. It's because shoes fit...clothes not so much. I went shopping a few weeks ago and since Katie wasn't there (of course I went to Nordstrom...have been getting shoes there since I was a little girl in Seattle! I like shoes that actually fit and are great quality.) I was forced to have a man help me who was so less than interested. In fact I wandered around for a long time before anyone offered to help me. Kind of unusual but I think it's because there were a lot of more stylish types shopping that day. Since my hamstring tear and my arch, heal, and toe pain I have to be picky about the shoes I wear. I get tired of sore feet and I can't buy anything that could even possibly cause me to slip on those tile floors at work. So I have to try on a lot of shoes. Try to find a cut sandal with arch support. Oh, there were a few but they were $150+. Can't do that! Anyway, I tried on lots of shoes and I swear I could hear the guy sigh! Finally I picked a Dansko (my new shoe of choice for both safety and comfort) sandals and a Born flat that had a little arch. And I used my $20 reward so it helped.
I decided to go upstairs to check out the clothes. When I worked in Encore there were really cute clothes. Now they are ugly and awful. As I was walking around I noticed how much of a no one I was to people. Paranoid? I don't think so. It is really difficult to be a "large" person in a world where thin and stylish is valued. I started the self talk "you are a beautiful, wonderful person and Heavenly Father loves you!" I couldn't wait to get out.
I went to Dillard's where I really hate to shop. I don't like their policies and good luck getting any help! But they have a really large shoe selection (and unlike Nords not quite so stylish and lots of Merrel, keva, born, simple, ecco, etc) I was there forever because they are woahfully understaffed! I didn't even attempt to look at clothes.
I left exhausted and deflated. And reminded that true beauty is on the inside but has to be projected to those around you for them to see it. My sense of acceptance and worth cannot come from how people...especially strangers...treat me. If I want to be valued I must treat others in a manner that THEY will feel loved and valued.
I, of course, returned some shoes. When I went back I decided I should just stick with Dansko. They don't hurt your toes because your toes don't touch anything. They have support and they have safe soles. So I bought the pair I should have bought in the first place and to add to they awesomeness of the whole experience I had another $20 off plus the guy who waited on me this time was really nice and treated me like I mattered. Maybe that day I was projecting the love I know Heavenly Father has for me and all of His children!

Faith, Hope???

I was reading about the brother of Jared when the thought came to me: how loving of our Savior to provide an opportunity for the brother of Jared to exercise his faith to a degree that actually enabled him to see the Savior. I mean the Savior could have said "go over there and get some really smooth rocks that are kind of clear and bring them to me and I will light them for you." That would have been really great so that the brother of Jared would know just what to do and it would be done. It would still take some amount of faith, would it not, to believe the Savior could actually do that? So wouldn't that be enough faith for the brother of Jared to exhibit? On the other hand how much growth would there have been? How much experience would have been gained? Instead the Savior asked the brother of Jared what he would have the Savior do? This gave the brother of Jared the opportunity to exercise faith and works and to come to know the process of coming unto Him all the while having no doubt that the Savior could and WOULD touch those stones and give them light.
Today as I pray, I decided to have that kind of faith. But I recognize one difference as i pray for those I love from those stones. Yes, even the stones had agency but He will not take away the agency of those I pray for.
So I am going to have faith and I am going to hope and if nothing seems to come of this as obvious as the lighted stones I am not going to lose that faith or hope. As I learned many years ago on my knees in my room when the comforter spoke peace to my soul, Heavenly Father is involved and I can trust Him and His timing. There may be changes today that I cannot see just yet but will one day. To lose hope of that is despair and I will not do that. I have come too far to lose hope in my Savior and in my Father's plan for me and my family.

Psalm 119: 114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

Romans 8: 24-25 For we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

And...as always..."With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible"!

Happy 60th to me!

So ever since Peach was tiny we have had this thing have done and now do with all the grandkids.  When we leave one another we make the signs for "I" "love" "you".  We don't do the single sign we sign each word.  for my birthday Mandi sent me the following pictures in a frame so they are side by side:

How cute is that!!!  JNJ wasn't quite getting it but Peach said his finger needed to bend like Gramma's.  My pointer is the one that I had fused so it is always curved. :)

Yesterday my daughter called and left me a message: "Hi mom.  I just wanted to talk to you one more time before you are really, really really, really  old!  Thanks precious!!!  

My son and his family sent me a GC to Amazon to help my buy an itouch.  When it came I didn't even look at who sent it.  I was thinking Amazon was sending me a really generous reward for past purchases.  I already had a $25 reward waiting to be used so I came right in and got on the computer and ordered my itouch for $75 off.  Today when I talked with him my son asked me if I got the gift card.  I said that I hadn't but that I had already ordered the itouch.  He felt bad that I hadn't been able to use the gift card he sent.  As we talked I told him how I had received a $50 reward card from Amazon.  The lightbulb went on just as I realized that the "reward"card was for the same amount as his gift card and he said "that was from us!"  I went to the trash and sure enough it said "Happy Birthday love D/J/I./A/E/A"  I was so excited to have it that I didn't even see that part!  how silly of me.  So the itouch is on it's way.  Precious M also sent me $ and at work we always put $5 each in a card for whoever is having a birthday.  with that money I think I will buy the Brighton watch I have been wanting.

Friday I called Parsons to order myself a cake.  Mike had been out of town and wouldn't be home until late.  I told the clerk to put "happy birthday Cyd" on the cake and that I would pick it up at 3.  Then she said "what is your name?"  I thought "oh, no.  Now I have to tell her I am buying it for myself!!!  I tried to think about a good fake name I could use but went blank so just said "Cyd."  But my sweet husband actually brought me a cake froma quaint little bakery in Philly where he was on a layover!  I should have had a little faith!

Thanks everyone for a great birthday!

For Mikeal

"Those great men and women, and I’m thinking now, in particular, of the great men and women of the early part of this dispensation, did not leave their homes and bury children along the plains and have their lives absolutely turned upside-down just so you and I could go to church in lovely meeting houses, and go to school on lovely church campuses, and watch General Conference on Satellite or streaming live on the internet. Their part was to lay the foundation of the Kingdom of God and our part is to help build up and defend that kingdom. We are here now because we are supposed to be here now. Of that I have a solemn witness and testimony. You are not here by accident, you were held in reserve for this day.

"When you absolutely know who you are, it changes everything about the choices you make and about the way you spend and live your lives.  I invite you to get on your knees and begin to pray, and ask the Father to talk to you about you. Ask him if those words 'the noble and great ones' have anything to do with you, and see what he tells you. It may take a day, or a week, or a month, or a year, I don’t know how long it will take, itwill be individual. But, I promise you, the Lord will speak to you and make it very clear how he feels about you. When you begin to understand not only who you are, but who you have always been, when you have a witness that you are here now because you are supposed to be here now, that you have a mission to fulfill - and when you try to live in harmony with that knowledge - you will be happier than you have ever been. That’s a promise."  Sheri Dew BYU-H Devotional Feb 17, 2009

blog shmog

My son-in-law said "you need to update your blog!"  Fine...but I really don't have much to say.

As I have mentioned I have another blog that takes a great deal of emotion to write.  It is draining!  

Mike went to Hawaii this week.  And to Phoenix.  I stayed here and FROZE.  What a cold couple of days we have had!

I went to Madden's blessing. What an adorable baby though I have yet to hold him. Casey gave a beautiful blessing and an inspiring testimony.  We had wonderful food and company afterwards.  Even got to see Beckham who is so tiny and cute!  I wanted to cuddle him too but he's still too little!

Oh, yes...and GO COUGARS!  That was awesome!

ok...so a thought for the day ( since I lost all my email and contacts and can't send one that way) "It is a powerful act of faith to give something to someone else when we feel empty.  Truly, giving when we are longing to have someone give to us seems to defy reason.  But in spiritual terms it makes perfect sense.  Giving out of what one feels are meager resources is like reaching into Elijah's nearly empty cornmeal barrel during a famine and coming up with a full cup everytime.  Giving to others the things we are most longing for ourselves follows the principles of godliness and results in an unexpected sense of fulness."  M. Catherine Thomas

Tag

1. DID YOU DATE SOMEONE FROM YOUR SCHOOL? What's a date? OK I did go on a few dates but I didn't "date" anyone!
2.WHAT KIND OF CAR DID YOU DRIVE? Are you kidding? I got to drive the car to school once my senior year!
3. DID YOU PASS YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE TEST YOUR FIRST TRY? Hmmmm....I think so.
4. WHERE YOU A PARTY ANIMAL? No. Not even kind of.
5. WERE YOU CONSIDERED A FLIRT? NO WAY!
6. WERE YOU IN BAND, ORCHESTRA, OR CHOIR? Choir and madrigals.
7. WERE YOU A NERD? Absolutely but I didn't know it!
8. WERE YOU ON ANY VARSITY TEAMS? HUH? No!
9. DID YOU EVER GET SUSPENDED/EXPELLED? no way!
10. CAN YOU STILL SING THE FIGHT SONG? " Beer , beer for old Carlmont high." Oh, wait. that's not an official fight song. "all hail to thee our alma mater honored. Richardson, we're loyal to you..."
11. WHO WERE YOUR FAVORITE TEACHERS? There was that one teacher and then there was that accounting teacher...I'm too old to remember names!
12. WHERE DID YOU SIT FOR LUNCH? I wandered so I wouldn't have to sit alone.
13. WHAT IS YOUR SCHOOL’S FULL NAME? Carlmont High School, Ygnacio Valley High school, Richardson High School.
14. WHAT IS YOUR SCHOOL’S MASCOT AND COLORS? Richardson was an Eagle and the colors were purple and white.
15. DID YOU GO TO HOMECOMING AND WITH WHO? As I said....i didn't date.

16. IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND DO IT AGAIN WOULD YOU? Not a chance!!!
17. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT GRADUATION? After never being noticed I sat by the jocks who were fun and friendly. What a waste. If they had known how fun and cute I was they surely would have dated me!

18. WHERE DID YOU GO SENIOR SKIP DAY? I probably stayed home.
19. WERE YOU IN ANY CLUBS? dance club
20. HAVE YOU GAINED SOME WEIGHT SINCE THEN? Are you kiddin?
21. WHO WAS YOUR PROM DATE? I did go to one prom with Tommy Mannawitz.
22. ARE YOU PLANNING ON GOING TO YOUR 10 YEAR REUNION? way past but I haven't been nor will I go to any.
23. DID YOU HAVE A JOB IN HIGH SCHOOL? summers at the Medallion and Develo Tronics. I was the queen circuit board maker.

Come Unto Him

A number of years ago I was taking a math class in preparation for teaching that subject the coming school year. We were studying vectors and I just could not grasp how they worked. I had studied and studied, worked problems over and over. I had obtained tutoring but still I did not understand. The night before the test I was becoming frustrated as I tried problem after problem to no avail. Suddenly it occurred to me that Heavenly Father and our Savior know everything. Even vectors! I realized that there could be no greater tutor than them. So I got on my knees and poured out my heart about how hard I had tried to understand. I had done all that I could think to do and I just wasn’t getting it. I told Heavenly Father that I knew He knew how vectors work and asked him to teach me. I finished my prayer and tried a few more problems, but still couldn’t do them. I decided to take a break so I went downstairs to do some laundry. I remember precisely the moment that my mind comprehended vectors…it was on the second to the last stair on my way back up! Suddenly I just knew how to do them. I ran to the table where I had been studying, anxious to try a problem. Sure enough I did it right. I worked problem after problem and they were all correct. I Thanked my Heavenly Father.

The next day when I opened the test I didn’t recognize a thing on it. I prayed again saying that I had studied and that I had the best possible tutor and would He please help my mind to recall what I knew. I started in the middle of the test with a problem I felt I could do and then proceeded to complete the test. When I was done I looked it over to see if I needed to rework any problems but they all looked right to me.

Before the professor handed back the graded tests he explained that he was going to have to greatly lower the grading scale since only 1 or 2 in the class had scored above the low 80’s and the majority in the 70’s or less. For a moment I panicked! However, when I got my test back I had received 100%.

You see, Heavenly Father does know everything…even vectors!

If he knows how to do vectors, He knows how to help us with all our needs and concerns.

Do you want to know how to cope with a devastating illness or overcome an addiction? Come unto Him

Do you want to know how to deal with struggling children or strengthen a faltering marriage? Come unto Him

Do you ache for relief from loneliness and long for peace and joy? Come unto Him

Do you want to know how to comfort a friend in need or repair a troubled relationship, to forgive someone who has betrayed or abused you? Come unto Him

Do you want to feel loved, to know that you measure up, that your offering is acceptable? Come unto Him

Do you yearn for forgiveness and mercy; for solace and healing? Come unto Him!!

Perhaps you feel over-scheduled, overwhelmed but don’t know what to change. Come unto him.

Is there someone in your life causing you grief and pain? Do you feel powerless? Come unto Him!

Whatever it is that you yearn for, come unto the fountain of all love, all knowledge, all joy, all peace, all hope. Come unto Him!

He knows what experiences of life we need. He knows what commandments and covenants will help us remember Him and bring us home. If we know that he is there, if we have developed a closeness to Him we will face all the events of our lives much better.

Right now you may be in a very comfortable, safe place but just as most devastating hurricanes, tornados, and tsunamis strike quickly, we may not see the storms of our lives coming. While they are likely to ravage us for a time they need not destroy us or take us off our course. If we are prepared to trust and access our Savior’s help we can weather them well.

You may already be in the midst of a devastating ordeal. We all have them and cannot be expected to be spared on our path of discipleship. But He can ease our burden and help us through.

What he requires is our heart and a willing mind.

Elder Neal Maxwell said of this “I testify that he is utterly incomparable in what he is, what he knows, what he has accomplished, and what he has experienced. Yet, movingly, he calls us his friends. (See John 15:15; D&C 84:77.)

“We can trust, worship, and even adore him without any reservation! He is the only perfect person to sojourn on this planet; there is, as Isaiah declared, none like him! (See Isa. 46:9.)

“In intelligence and performance, Christ far surpasses the individual and the composite capacities and achievements of all who have lived, live now, and will yet live!” (See Abr. 3:19.)

So My Daughter is so fun!

Mandi had this tag on her blog and she is so creative and witty!  I know mine will just be boring, except the ones I steal from her, but here goes:

1. Do you like blue cheese? Yes- on lettuce wedges with ranch dressing and bacon

2. Do you own a gun? a glue gun. 
3. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite? Cherry!!!!
4. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? YES.  I hate going to any doctor!
5. What do you think of hot dogs? I love them!
6. Favorite Christmas movie? You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!
7. Favorite thing to drink in the morning? Ovaltine
8. Can you do push ups? RIGHT!
9. Favorite piece of jewelry? the darling bracelet I got for Christmas from a little girl in my primary class!
10. Favorite hobby? hmmm, I used to have hobbies!
11. Do you have A.D.D? UHHHHHH yes!
12. What is one trait you hate about yourself? unmotivated!
13. Middle name? Fox
14. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. i'm not hungry but NEED to eat, my feet are cold, these nuts taste icky!
15. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink. water, water, water.
16. Current worry? all the things I need to do now that I am back in town!
17. Current hate right now? I don't hate anything but I strongly dislike many things!

18. Favorite place to be? Home with Mike or in PA or TN with my kids and grandkids.
19. How did you bring in the new year? Spent a fortune on an incredible meal at Cucine Toscana.  Mike said it was so good it gave him chills.  Food normally means next to nothing to him!
20. Where would you like to go? Maui
21. Name three people who might complete this. No one, Nobody and not anybody.
22. Do you own slippers? sort of.  I own some pink high top uggs that I wear to keep my feet warm.  Wish I had them on right now!
23. What shirt are you wearing? a really large, streched out T-shirt that I sleep in.
24. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No. Too slippery, and cold.
25. Can you whistle? kinda
26. Favorite color? depends on what it is on. A wall? medium green. A shirt, fushia. Eyes, blue!  College Football team BYU blue!
27. Would you be a pirate? Not a chance.
28. What songs do you sing in the AM? "Show me the way to go home. I'm tired and I want to go to bed"
29. Favorite girl’s name? not CYD
30. Favorite boy’s name? Michael ( :D )
31. What’s in your pocket right now? don't have one.
32. Last thing that made you laugh?  my son and daughter this weekend in Seattle.
33. What vehicle do you drive? Mercedes C280
34. Worst injury you have ever had? Mandi said "Does an episiotomy count?"  I would have to agree but just in case it doesn't it would probably be when I practically cut off my finger while try to get ice cream from a carton using a table knife!
35. Do you love where you live?  Love?  hmmmm....
36. How many TV’s do you have in your house? 3
37. Who is your loudest friend?  I really don't have loud friends but Kash has a great laugh!
38. Do you have any pets? nope, no way, no how!
39. Does someone have a crush on you?  Of course!  my honey!
40. What is your favorite book(s)?  To Kill a Mockingbird
41. Do you collect anything? Nativities
42. Favorite sports team? See favorite color answer
43. What song do you want played at your funeral? Oh, Divine Redeemer
44. What song should have been playing at your birth?  She's a Maniac...

Oh yeah, TAG!  You’re it!!

long, long time

I realize that i use my blog merely to check if others have updated theirs! Silly.
If it wasn't for the Philly grandkids being in town over Thanksgiving our home would not be decorated for Christmas! IMM especially loved opening the box of every figurine (and there are many!). I am very grateful because every night I sit and look at how pretty it all looks. Hooray for grandkids. Hooray for Christmas!
I took mom to our stake Christmas program. There were bell ringers, a brass ensemble, primary choir, youth choir, adult choir, and harp ensemble. It was wonderful and mom loved it. She was especially thrilled when Elder Hales came to her to shake her hand. I had told him my mom wanted to meet him. I went to get her but by the time I fought the crowds to get to her with her wheelchair there he was shaking her hand. He had come to her. that's just how he is. I had my own personal experience years ago with him in a similar situation. He helps you feel Father's love!