Christmas is Coming!

I absolutely love this time of year. There is just a special feeling in the air. A feeling of anticipation and excitement. A feeling of love and happiness. A feeling of joy. But most especially a feeling of gratitude for the Christ child and His impact on our lives. I truly know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that He has atoned for all of our sins so that we may become whole through His everlasting love and grace and be able to live with Him again someday. Having our families with us here on earth is a little bit of heaven and even though some struggle with challenges, there is always hope for love, success and a new day! Sometimes the stress of expectations and demands can ruin a perfectly good day if we let it, but in the end we realize how minute the problems are and how truly blessed we really are and once again start the process of living and loving and getting the most out of life. My ultimate goal is to find joy in each and every day and to let my family and friends know how much I truly love and appreciate them.

Depression seems to be part of our genetic family makeup. I am so sorry for anyone who has to deal with the day to day struggle. It isn't an easy thing to overcome, but I am so proud of my children and the way they handle their challenges and overcome the obstacles placed before them.

I have such beautiful grandchildren and I love each of them for who they are. They bring a special light into my life that I never knew was possible. They are so independent, smart and wonderfully witty! Being a grandmother is the best calling I ever had next to being a mother and a wife!

I wish everyone a very special Christmas this year and much joy and success in the New Year!

Thanksgiving Coming!

It is now the weekend before Thanksgiving! I love that holiday! I love the food, getting together with my family and realizing how very very blessed we are in our lives! I love the fall air, the Harvest and Hunter's moons, the beautiful weather and the fall colors.

I have been busy working and trying to get things done around the house. I made a new flower arrangement for my half bath and bought a small cabinet and painted it black. I was going to do some vinyl designs on the wall, but have decided against it because the room already looks so busy. I still want to put up a new mirror above the sink, but the one we have is ok for now. Eventually I would like to get a new vanity with a sink instead of the pedestal sink we have, but that can wait for awhile too. At least the room looks more finished now and is more useable. We have room to store t.p. and I even have a place to keep a toothbrush and toothpaste and some lipstick to use when I don't want to run back upstairs!

I reseeded the front lawn again this year. The grass is finally coming up and it looks so green and pretty. We are going to mow it for the first time today. Now I need to get some plants to put in my pots on the patio and front porch. I think I am going to find some geraniums again since they seem to do so well and last well into the spring. I trimmed all of the bushes in the backyard last week since they were so huge and overgrown. It has been such nice weather lately, that I just want to stay outside and not go to work or be inside. We went to a wedding reception last night and it was outside. It got a little cold and I forgot a sweater, so I was pretty chilled by the time we left. I really don't mind the cool evenings though because they are still sooo much warmer than anywhere else in the country. I guess you can tell if you are a true Arizonan if you get cold at 50 degrees.

Work is going ok but I wish I could find something that was more satisfying and rewarding. I finally got all of the Christmas Hallmark cards up and did it all by myself for the first time so that was a big accomplishment. It seems there is a lot of whining and complaining and backbiting at work lately and I just feel like life is too short to have that kind of attitude. Luckily, customers , for the most part, have been nice and amiable and not so crabby. That will probably change as Christmas gets closer. I get Thanksgiving day off, but have to work Christmas day and New Year's day. Walgreens stays open 365 days of the year. They give the reason that people forget things they need, especially prescriptions, and so we need to be available to help them. Personally, I think they could leave the pharmacy window open and close the rest of the store and be fine. I think it is more money driven than having anything to do with helping others! But who am I to complain! For the time being I just feel lucky to have a job at all!

My Life This Summer

I am definitely not a very good blogger. Writing every 3 months or so does not add up to a very good running commentary on my life! On second thought, maybe it does! Our car trip to Utah (end of July and first of August) to visit Marlene was a fun one and we all survived the car experience very well. We drove up in Carolyn's van with every seat filled: Carolyn and her 3 kids (all in car seats), Susannah, Travis and I. We made the trip in two segments so that each day was only about 5-6 hours in the car. The little girls were such troopers and rode the whole way without hardly making a sound. Although the DVD players may have had something to do with that! It was fun to have all 6 of the grandkids together. They got along fairly well, but I could tell that sometimes they were self-conscious because they weren't used to being around each other. We spent a couple days at the Willis cabin and went row-boating on the resevoir. We went to the park one night, and then spent an afternoon at "yarn-ball Grandma's" (Travis's mom and dad's place) She is referred to as "yarn ball Grandma" because she lets the kids get out the yarn balls and play with them...they had them all over the house and made major spider webs, and that is how they remember her. All in all it was a wonderful trip! Anytime we can get together with my kids and grandkids...it is a cherished time for me. They mean the world to me and I am so pleased with my children and the decisions they have made and the way they are living their lives. And, of course, I have the most beautiful grandkids in the world!

Grant throwing rocks in the water...he couldn't believe it was OK!

A banana popsicle refresher on the front porch!

Anabelle, our youngest granddaughter...so precious!

Not a very clear picture, but me with all 6 grandchildren!

The family at the resevoir!

Fun at Yarn-ball Grandma's!

A Tired, but Happy Grandma!

Susannah and I spent the week taking care of Carolyn's children while they went to Cancun, Mexico for a getaway. This was the first time she has left her children for any given length of time and now I understand why she needed a break! I think over the years we tend to forget how much work raising a family is. Anyone that says being a full time mother is an easy job and not much work has never had the job! Some nights Grant would be up at 4:00am and ready to play. Other nights he would cry and cry and finally have to be rocked to sleep. By the time we would get him back to sleep at 6:00am the girls would be up for the day. At least there was tw0 of us so we could tag team each other. I worked at Walgreens three of the five days that they were gone, so Susannah did the major share of the work. She was so good to go and do it without complaining. She will make a good mommy some day!

This was one night when Grant was up and wouldn't go to sleep. He tried and tried to put on the sunglasses and finally got them on...albeit upside down and over his nose instead of his eyes!

We did craft things with Juliana and Malia everyday to keep them busy. These were the sunglasses they decorated with jewels...aren't they lovely?

Every morning we would let them swim in their kiddie pool. They would spend hours out there, and usually get Grant soaked. He didn't even mind as long as they stayed out of his way and let him go down the slide! I love my grandkids! Cute, smart and way too funny!

Aloha!

We arrived in Hawaii about noon on Tuesday. It was warm outside but a little overcast and beautiful. We stayed at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani on Waikiki beach. The view from our room was beautiful and you could even see the surfers in the water:
















I went to the beach in the mornings while Travis went to work. Then in the afternoons I would go shopping or just read my book and then we would go out to dinner at night when he got in from work. I know! Life is hard!

On Saturday morning we went to the swap meet at the stadium and then drove up to the north shore. We went and bought some dinner at the local grocery store and ate it on the beach as we watched the sun go down. I had fun with my new camera, and took about a hundred pictures with all of the different settings. I got a good butt shot of somebody, so I guess I need to be a little more careful when snapping the shot! Sunset Beach is one of our favorite places to sit and enjoy the sun coming down...and it didn't disappoint us!

We went to an old coffee plantation and he showed us how the cacao pods grow and how they harvest them for chocolate and then explained the coffee bean process and how it becomes coffee. I think he was pretty disappointed with me after I told him I love the smell of coffee, but I don't drink it! He just turned and walked away. Didn't get a big sale that day!

I loved the colorful pods that the chocolate comes from.


Rows and rows of coffee beans were laid in the sun to dry.

We also went to a Botanical garden in Honolulu while we were there. The trees were beautiful. One tree, called a shower tree, was covered with yellow blossoms and no leaves. Everytime the wind would blow. All of the blossoms would shower the ground. The Baobab tree was huge (note the park bench beside it).

It was a very relaxing week and much needed. I was ready to come home, because that is my favorite place to be, but our "second home" has become very familiar and a comfortable place to be! I am just glad that my husband knows all of the roads and how to get around!

Mother's Day and Birthday!

For Mother's day we all went to church at our own wards and then gathered at Carolyn's for dinner later that afternoon. We had grilled chicken and potato salad and rolls for dinner and it all tasted so good...maybe because I didn't have to cook it! Travis and Christie made me a German Chocolate cake for dessert...my favorite! It was so fun being together again. I love all of my children and grandchildren and being a mother and grandmother was all I ever really wanted to do with my life! The picture is of Susannah playing horsie to Juliana and Malia...they sure loved having her home from college! We celebrated my birthday along with Mother's day because I will be in Hawaii for my birthday. They all got together and gave me a new camera for my birthday! I love it and I needed one so badly...now if I can break my bad habit of thinking of taking pictures "after the fact" it will be a very useful gift.

On Tuesday night we went to ASU where Travis attends classes in Industrial Design, to see the Sophomore class displays and see what they have accomplished during the year. They have done some amazing work and I was so impressed with the design ideas and everything they did. Travis definitely inherited the Harris art talent! His teacher was so impressed with his shoe design that she wanted to display it in the design building for the coming year at ASU.

Susannah finally found a job this week after looking for a month. At least she will be able to make some money to help with school this fall. James found a job too so maybe we will be able to make another year of college work yet again!

I am getting so excited to go to Hawaii on Tuesday. It has been a couple years since I have gone and it will be so fun to just get away and go play in the ocean. We are planning to just go and relax and enjoy the time away. Last summer we had weddings and family reunions so this summer is going to be slower and a much easier pace. Aloha!

Life Just Keeps On Keeping On

We had a wonderful Easter. Susannah came home the day before and we had a good reunion. It just feels good to have her home for awhile. Hopefully she can find a job this summer. She has already been out beating the bushes, so maybe something will come of it. On Easter day, my sister Peggy, and Carolyn and Joshua and their 3 kids and Travis and Christie came for a visit and for Easter dinner. It was so fun having everyone together again. The kids looked so cute in their Easter dresses and we had a fun time in the backyard after dinner doing an egg hunt. Little Grant just goes along with whatever the girls are doing. They were so funny because after they each filled their baskets with eggs, they broke open all of the plastic eggs and emptied them into one basket to "share". My sister and I were laughing, because when we were little that would not have been an option with me. I carefully guarded my candy and saved it forever...eating only a little at a time...whereas Peggy would eat hers the first day! Travis spent an hour out on the driveway helping Juliana and Malia draw pictures with the sidewalk chalk. I wish I would have taken photos of their pictures and drawings...pretty artistic.

It has been another busy week. Work has been going Ok at Walgreen's but I keep telling myself that there has to be something better! At least right now it is a job and it helps with the income.

We had a big Stake Leadership meeting this morning and I taught my class to all of the Relief Society Secretaries. We had a good turnout and I think it was a success, but most of all I am glad to have that over. Tomorrow morning the Stake Presidency wants to see me and my husband so I am sure changes are in the cards once again.

I love Easter!

We just returned from the Mesa Temple Easter Pageant. We have lived here for almost 7 years and this is the first time I have gone. The night was beautiful and the presentation was equally as beautiful. The music and dancing was awesome and the story told is one of my favorites. Everyone portrayed their parts perfectly and I really felt the Spirit whisper to my heart that the things they were talking about were true. I am so grateful for my Savior and His Atonement and that we have the true plan of happiness. His resurrection is indeed a miracle and I love Easter and all it represents. We have been discussing the upcoming General Conference and saying that the principles we have been taught in the past will again be discussed and we will be reminded what we need to be doing. With all of the turmoil in the world, I am so greatful that we have a prophet on this earth to guide us and tell us of the things we need to be doing. We are indeed blessed and no matter what comes our way, we can be led by the hand and given answers to our prayers. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ knows each of us individually and cares about us and loves us no matter who we are or what we have done. That is such a comfort to me. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true!

So Much for Being Organized and Detail-Oriented

I purposely set out last night on my blog to tell everyone how much I love my husband and what a good man he is...and that is the only thing I didn't write! After 32 years together I have grown to appreciate and love him more than I ever thought possible. Here are the reasons why:

1. He said when we were first married that we may always be poor as to the things of the world, but he would always make me laugh. He has definitely fulfilled that promise! He has such a great sense of humor and is always saying something that brings on a smile, a groan, or a full on laugh-out-loud reaction!

2. He is always very thoughtful and caring. He still remembers people's birthdays (and if they live nearby he supplements that wish with ice cream) and keeps in touch with people that have touched our lives years and years ago.

3. He does little things for me that mean a lot...like making the bed in the morning when I have to go to work...or sometimes even when I don't. He brings me candy (dark chocolate to be exact) for no reason. He calls me from work at least once a day to see how I am doing and volunteers to help me with my church calling when I need help. He often helps with the dishes and doesn't expect a meal on the table every night; sometimes coming home from work early and taking me out to eat so I don't have to cook.

4. He is neat and clean and I very seldom have to clean up after him. I don't even have to turn his shirts and socks right-side-out when I do the laundry! Thanks Barbara! His mother taught him well!

5. Most of all he is a good man, with strong ethics, honest to a fault, and honors his Priesthood and all of the covenants he has made. He takes his responsibilities seriously and works hard to do what is right. He is a wonderful companion and my true soulmate. This all sounds mushy but it is all true. I love you honey! Happy Anniversary!

Anniversaries and Excitement!

Here it is...Wednesday night...9:30pm...and our 32nd Wedding Anniversary! I am sitting on the computer and fixing my blog background...how sad is that! We decided to go out and celebrate on Friday night when we had more time and didn't have to work the next morning. It has been a really different week so far. A little surreal and yet very sobering. Yesterday I went to Dana Park (an upscale shopping mall) with Carolyn, Christie and Peggy and we spent the day shopping, wandering through the stores and eating lunch at CPK. None of us bought much since most of the things we looked at were way out of our price range. It was fun to just get out and get away from the everyday work and chores at home. Today I worked all day and Travis took me to dinner tonight at a little Mexican resturant. Then we came home and settled in for the night.

Yesterday, we found out that Dane, Marlene's husband, just lost his job. I was just sick and my heart went up into my throat, as I worried, as only a mother can. My prayers are with them as they try and figure out their next move. I truly hope they are one of the lucky ones and can weather this recession storm. I am so angry that this recession was allowed to happen in the first place, because it was totally avoidable...but don't get me started.

I am so grateful that we have jobs and are working at this point. I have started to do the Hallmark cards at Walgreen's now. At first I thought I would not like the job, but I actually enjoy it. I think I am good at it because it takes someone very organized and detail oriented. That would be me!

We are going to Hawaii again in May and I have been trying to lose weight, which apparently isn't supposed to happen. I have lost 10 pounds and have arrived at my regular stay-right-there plateau! This is my weight and I am sticking to it!

I am getting excited for Easter and looking forward to having the family together again. I sure wish Marlene didn't live so far away. Susannah will be home from college for the summer and I am really looking forward to having her home again. James has decided to stay in Utah and find a job there. I sure hope he can find something! I am afraid Susannah is going to have to be mighty creative this summer. There isn't much available here in Maricopa!

Background

Tried the background thing again and I still can't get it to work! I follow all of the directions I can find and it is still way too small! Another hour shot! You'd think I would learn to leave well enough alone! I guess I will try again tomorrow! I AM going to figure this out!

Fashion Show Complete!

I have been working for 2 months to get the Stake Enrichment activity taken care of. It took me awhile to write the program. We did a vintage fashion show and showed the changes in fashion along with the history of Relief Society. We had a group do some musical numbers and then we had about 18 models show the fashion for the times. It turned out really well and I think everyone enjoyed it. It was a lot of work, but I have had many compliments and praise about how well it went and how much everyone enjoyed it. My sister Peggy had 2/3 of the clothes that she has collected over the years and I furnished the other third. We both have about 30 vintage hats and so we decorated with them on the tables. Everytime I do this I say I won't do it again because it is so much work, but then I give in and try it one more time! Can you say Crazy?

Visit to the Land of Snow!

On February 10, I flew to Utah to spend some time with Marlene and her cute little family. Elie and Keaton were happy to see me, but Anabelle wasn't too sure about me. By the time I left she would let me hold her and play with her. Now the next time I visit, I will probably have to start all over again. I really, really, really don't like being this far away from my children and grandchildren. Thank goodness we have telephones and computers! I love that Eliana calls me at least once a week to share things about her day.

We spent the week painting, and shopping and more shopping and decorating Marlene's new house. It is a beautiful BIG home with lots of places to decorate so we concentrated on the kitchen and family room. I made a silk flower arrangement for her and we decorated above the kitchen cabinets and found some cute things to put on her granite countertops. It was fun but went way too fast! We were going to make some curtains, but we couldn't find any decent fabric. I was so surprised that we actually have more fabric and better choices in Phoenix than they do in the Salt Lake area. What is wrong with this picture?!

One night, my brother Randy came by for dinner as well as James from BYU. We had a good meal of Navajo tacos and then visited and played a card game that Dane got for Christmas. It snowed all night and most of the next morning. By noon a lot of the snow cleared off so James could drive back to Provo. Elie and her dad went out and shoveled the driveway and built a snowman. Pretty cute!

It was a fun visit and just what I needed. Now we need to get them back to Phoenix for a visit. It isn't as easy as it used to be because 3 kids change the whole scenario!

Eliana and Keaton were playing with me at the table and making faces. They helped me make some Valentines to send to their cousins.

This is the snowman that Dane and Eliana made.

My sweet little (well, not really so little) Anabelle...she just kept looking at me and studying me!

Midnight

It is now past midnight. I have been working to see if I could make my own background and header to match on my blog. It has taken me forever and I still haven't got it right! Oh well. I guess I will go to bed and start again some other time. It is therapeutic for me and I guess I just get lost in all of the new things I am learning! I will definitely regret this tomorrow, especially since I have to work until 11pm tomorrow night! Sweet Dreams!

Strawberries and Apples

I had a fun day with Carolyn and the girls on Thursday. We went shopping at Real Deals in Glendale and then to Hobby Lobby. When we got home we spent the afternoon making flowers for the girls hair. It was so fun that I made more than we will ever probably use! Oh well! Another craft learned and conquered!

I played with Malia and then had Juliana read me a book. She is only five and reading quite well. It is so cute listening to her sound out the words. I brought the girls strawberries and an apple as ordered. Carolyn sent me a picture page of the kids enjoying their treats! I love my grandkids!

AHHH! Arizona!

We went to a movie this morning (Last Chance Harvey...which I really liked, by the way. It was a quiet, sweet, slow moving, study in character movie.) and then went to lunch at AJ's and ate out on the patio. The weather is absolutely gorgeous and just one of the perks of living in Arizona! A totally pleasurable morning until we found out that we have to fix my new (used) car to the tune of $650...something about a gasket leak in the manifold...whatever that means! And all we did is take it in for an oil change. Isn't there always something! So, while it is still a beautiful day, that put somewhat of a damper on it!

Last Sunday we had a family dinner because our twins (the two oldest) had their 31st birthday! Talk about making me feel old! But those sweet grandkids are trying very hard to keep me young. So smart, so cute and precocious. I love talking to them and hearing their take on things. They consider and think through things much more than we give them credit for. Hooray for Youth! Malia (3) loves strawberries and was even eating the slimy pieces off of Grant's high chair tray. She told me to be sure and bring strawberries the next time I come to visit. And Oh, better bring an apple for Juliana because she doesn't like strawberries! At least she wasn't selfish!

Happy New Year!

I worked all day today. It was busy, but not the crazy rush that we have been experiencing. I came home and my family had cleaned the house and taken down the Christmas things and put everything away. What a treat!

On New Year's Eve, we spent last night at Carolyn's just playing with the grandkids and eating and then we spent the next 3 hours just talking. It was a very pleasant evening. I realize how much I love my family and how blessed we really are. I have been talking to James and Susannah while they are home on Christmas break from college and telling them to appreciate the simple little pleasures and to enjoy this journey we are on, called life. One of my goals this year is to discover a new simple pleasure each and every day. Some of my simple pleasures are inhaling the smell of new books with their fresh ink. Another simple pleasure is climbing into my own bed with fresh clean sheets. Or, listening to an innocent comment from my sweet grandchildren. What joy they bring me! I know life is busy for all of us, but I challenge us all to take a moment and enjoys life's simple pleasures!