Thanks Mystery Friend!

I wanted to say thank you to whomever left the Mystery Gift on my doorstep this year! It was full of beautiful accessories-a scarf and 2 necklaces. I don't know who you are (which frustrates me no end), but I am grateful that you would think of me and be so generous! Thank you and Happy New Year!

Christmas Memories

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

We had an awesome Christmas! Everyone was happy and despite the success, I'm definitely glad it's over! We were so glad to have Scott's mom visiting again this year! The girls were totally spoiled by everyone.

I am proud to say that I made a delicious Christmas Feast with all the traditional trimmings. I got it done with only one hitch...I made a new Sweet Potato Casserole the night before which I forgot to reheat for the meal but it went great with leftovers for dinner! We spent the day eating, playing with presents, watching movies, and putting together a jigsaw puzzle.

I am looking forward to relaxing for the rest of the break...except, of course, when I'm getting ready for the next party, which is always right around the corner!

Merry Christmas!

We were all dressed up after church today so I snapped this photo and turned it into a Christmas Card! We look pretty good, if I do say so myself! Of course, I'm no Annette, or Kelly, or Andrea...but all in all, not bad!

I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! I've had such fun this year getting to know you through your blogs. What a wonderful way to keep in touch and keep involved in each other's lives. Thanks for commenting and making my days with your love and advice!

Snow Day 08

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Picture Post

I finally figured out an easy way to get my pictures! So here is an update from some of our fun times...click on the images for full size.

At Taylor's Band Concert--She did an amazing job!

An early Christmas gift:

Check Taylor's reaction below and Shaylie's down farther...

The Joys of Catching Snowflakes on your tongue.

Toyland. Toyland....It looks like we're ready for Christmas.

Three inches of snow last night!

Tired of Woting**

What? It's been a week since I posted!?!! How can that be? You're probably thinking it's because I haven't been to see Twilight in a while, so what could I possibly have to blog about? Well, you're partly right....I haven't been to the movies lately, but that's no excuse for slacking on my blog.

Over the past week, we've had a lot going on...Band Concert, Ward Christmas Party, Birthday parties, Dad visiting. I'm hoping to have some pictures soon. Right now, the only one I have is this one from my cell phone of my brother receiving his birthday cake at Olive Garden. Happy 31st Chad!

With only 8 days until Christmas, I have pretty much finished up (to the detriment of my checking account and the relief of my husband!) It should be a good Christmas, but like I said in a previous post, next year I'm shooting for a simpler, less material Christmas if it kills us all!

In other news, I had a very scary Mom moment today. For some reason, Shaylie and I have not been able to get in a routine for where we will meet each day when I pick her up. This is new to us over the past week or so, since she was riding her scooter to school everyday when the weather was nicer. But, for some reason or other, she is never where I think she is going to be.

So, getting tired of searching for her each day, I told her this morning, "meet me RIGHT HERE after school today!" Well, I headed over to pick her up ( I was a bit late, it was about 3:40) and I expected her to be in The Spot, but she was nowhere to be seen. So I headed over to the alternate spot and she wasn't there either. I waited out front since she usually calls me if I'm late to see where I am, but no call. So I went into the school to see if she was in the office waiting and she wasn't!

So I'm not exactly panicking yet, but I am concerned...by now it's about 3:50. I had the secretary do a loud page for Shaylie to meet me out front, but after about 5 minutes I decided she wasn't there and she must have decided to walk home, so I got in my car and drove the route home....no Shaylie! Well, by now I am getting fairly upset.

I went back to the school checking all the side streets that she might have taken as I went...I had the school do another loud page and checked her classroom and the playground, talked to her teacher and principal but nobody had seen her. I called Scott...by now I am in tears and about to panic big time...it was about 4:05 p.m. I got back in my car and drove the route home again with phone in hand itching to dial 911 and chanting "this is not happening" and praying "please let her be safe" and crying "where could she be?"....Taylor had been waiting at home for her to show but she had not come home yet... I turned around, drove back down Canterwood and there she was!!! just coming out of Stone Creek!!!

I couldn't quit sobbing...I'm sure she thought I was crazy...but I was so relieved to have found her, and that I didn't instigate a nationwide Amber alert or something. I have only been this scared twice before, and that was when Taylor disappeared in a friends' grandpa's RV to play and another time she was hiding out in a clothes rack in a mall in Phoenix. Shaylie swears that she wote** for me in The Spot but when I didn't come she decided to walk home and took a route that I didn't know about apparently. So...all's well that ends well, but as soon as I knew she was safe, I could have happily strangled her and you can bet that she'll be waiting for me in The Spot tomorrow OR ELSE!!!!

The weirdest thing was that about a half hour after what could have potentially been the most tragic hour of my life, we were all back to normal doing our normal every day things. It struck me how quickly your life can place you at the edge of the bottomless chasm and threaten to dangle you over the edge, then jerk you back and say, "just kidding!" I don't think it's very funny, but I am grateful for the reminder that life is beautiful and fragile and we need to stay as far away from the edge as possible!

**Yesterday, I was also late to pick Shaylie up. This time she was in the office and ran out to the car when I drove up. She asked me where I was and I said I had a meeting that went long. She said, "I wote for you forever." I said, "Wote is not a word. You need to say "waited." I waited for you forever." With a twinkle in her eye, she said, "Wote is too a word. I read it in a book yesterday. It said, "She wote and wote for her mom, but she was late because she was in a meeting." I said, "How convenient." and we both cracked up. She is too funny!

Traditions-Old and New

Winter is here! You can tell when winter comes to St. George because all the leaves fall off the trees. Shaylie had fun scattering the leaves as fast as I could scoop them up!

Taylor and I had fun at our Mama/Daughter date night on Monday! Scott and I always take the girls out for a date night on the first Monday of each month. The girls get to choose what they want to do and we trade off each month. Taylor was sick last week so we went last night.

We went to dinner and then Taylor wanted to see Twilight! Yay me! This was her third time. I would tell you the number for me, but I've stopped counting how many times I've seen it. It was still awesome, but I think I am done for a while...until Dollar or DVD!

Shaylie and her dad went to see IGOR at the dollar theater ($2.00 theater, I should say!) They had fun too! Scott wasn't too sure about the movie though...he said it was a little bizarre. He liked Bolt a lot more! He hasn't seen Twillight yet.

Christmas is giving me stress. I want to start a new tradition of NOT spending money at Christmas time next year. I always overdo it and I HATE it!!!! I loved Janna's story on Sunday about how her mom would make them homemade gifts and they would look for ways to serve others. I would love to have a more meaningful, less expensive Christmas. Maybe as my kids get older, it will be easier to slide into that. If any of you have ideas for me, please share!!! It's too late for this year but I am committed to make a change next year. I'm sure we'll have a nice Christmas this year, but there has to be a better way.

Quick Update!

I wanted to let everyone know that my phone is working again! Yay! And be sure to check www.thetechfamily.com/wordpress to see the girls' piano recital perfomances!

Real Sick, Universe.

What strange whim of fate has decreed that the happiest time of year (aka The Holidays) is also the most germy! The majority of my family is sick...even the dog! What is up with that? Maybe it's the Universe's way of making us slow down and spend time together..."Be sick, enjoy," the Universe says in a soothing mellow voice. "I know you have things to do, school to attend, work to get done...but will it kill you to miss a few days of all that and just rest?" I don't know if this will kill us, but it's sure trying hard. Seriously, if it weren't for the stockpile of severe cold medicine, industrial size boxes of Kleenex and Disney DVD's...we'd be in major trauma around my house. And what a time of year to be sick!!! There is something almost every night this month and we have been missing a lot of it. So we are doing our best to thwart the Universe and it's microscopic death bugs....with any luck, we'll be over it all before the bulk of the Holidays gets here...just in time to gather the entire family together again...and spread entirely new bugs around. Thanks, Universe....that's real sick.

Don't Encourage Me!!!

Okay, you guys. I'm glad you are enjoying my Twilight fixation, but I am starting to stress out! I thought the holidays would put a curb on my infatuation, but we went to a Hot Topic store during the break and I saw all the cool Twilight stuff and a couple times today I've had to remind myself that it is Totally Illegal to watch pirated movies online and that I shouldn't try to find a website that is showing it because that is B-A-D. But I guess the fact that I haven't given in to tempation proves that I can control myself and I would really like to see the movie again LEGALLY, but I feel like I've spent too much money on it already and I still want to start reading Eclipse, but it just isn't the same as Seeing It! So...if it's a choice between giving in to my urge to participate in nefarious online activities or going to see the movie again...I think my choice is clear. I can put it off for a day or two by reading Eclipse and Breaking Dawn but I don't think I can last much longer. It can be my Christmas present to myself! And I know I could find someone to go with...but I don't want to encourage anyone else's obsession either. Maybe we should start a support group....Twilighters' Anonymous, maybe? Hello. My name is Tonya and I'm a Twilight-aholic. Whoa...I feel better just admitting it...except for it reminded me of that scene in the movie where Edward finally says hello to Bella. Sheesh, I need help!!!!

December is here!

We had a terrific time at my mom's house for Thanksgiving! We had about 20 people for our big FEAST at Papa and Great's house! As usual, I forgot to snap any photos, but I did get one of my mom and her sister Pam who was visiting from Texas, via Alabama. She surprised 3 of her 8 kids and their families, who didn't know she was coming. The food was yummy; I finished New Moon, we watched football and movies, and went to see Twilight/Bolt (depending on age/obsession). Mom also spent a good deal of time working on us in the shop--making us beautiful and doing a great job, as usual.

We managed to get in some shopping at the University Mall, where I always see someone I know--this time it was my old Bishop and his wife from Pine View Ward. It's so weird, but true! Then, we helped get the old Coca-cola Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus down from the attic for the Christmas Display in Mom's yard.

All in all, a great holiday with all the traditional trimmings! And now, December. Best wishes for this busiest of seasons!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wanted to wish all my dear friends and family a very Happy Thanksgiving! I am so grateful for having you in my life! It is often hard for me to express my love and gratitude to those who are closest to me, but I feel so blessed to have girlfriends to play with, daughters to grow with, and a wonderful husband to live, laugh and love with. I'm grateful for my extended family as well...for parents who love us and are terrific Grandparents to our girls; for brothers and sisters who make my life more interesting and fun, and for nieces and nephews who make my heart swell with pride. Everything important to me in my life has been touched in some way by the people I love and, especially at this time of year, I am grateful! And, now I'd like to express my gratitude for the Most Important People in my life...Edward Cullen and Bella Swan.....

Just Kidding! Come on you guys! I'm not that bad!!!! Happy Thankgiving!

A New Look for Christmas

I took a little bit of time off from my obsession with Twilight to update my blog for Christmas! What do you think? I even added some of my favorite Christmas Music.

Well, that was fun.

Now back to Edward and Bella and Jacob. Just starting New Moon again...gotta run!

I've Been Bitten!

Okay, I'm actually more excited about Twilight now that I've seen the movie than I ever was before. I was quite reluctant to even read the book at first and I thought the series was pretty good, but I wasn't one of these people who was dying to see the film...until I saw it.

It was really good! So, then I had to go see it again. (I saw it twice in one day...well, technically the second started at 11:59pm, so it was still in one day!)

And now I'm reading the book again. I'm especially looking forward to the sequels....since I'm really more of a Jacob fan...although Edward is growing on me after seeing him in "real life." It's fun to see a movie you really enjoy...it feels like it's been a long time!

Now, Taylor wants to go see it too! So I guess I'll be going a third time....I'm not complaining....but I have to decide if she can handle it (and the previews before the show.) Scott's not interested....I wonder why?!? Not many husbands seem to be into it. So weird.

Vampire-mania!

So...I think I'm the only person in the Universe who has read the Twilight series who is not already lining up to see the movie premiere this weekend! Which is a bit ironic, since I have been a fan of the Vampire genre since WAAAY before this series became popular. And I have taken much grief for it too....but now it's suddenly cool and everybody's into it...and I'm the one without tickets!!! Oh well. I'm not bitter. I'll get around to it soon enough. It will probably be at Redbox before too long anyway.

Sick Day

I'm home sick today and I'm not thrilled about it. I hate being sick, first of all, and, secondly, while I don't always hate missing work, I do hate missing money, especially right before the Holidays. I've caught a chest cold and it is on the way out, but I always make the mistake of feeling a little bit better and then I jump up and get bustling and it comes back even harder and keeps me down longer. So I am coddling myself a little bit, but I know it's for the best. Thank heaven for medication...and resting....and my family, who take good care of me.

Today, Shaylie is on a field trip to Beauty and the Beast at Snow Canyon High School. I know Shay will love it, she really enjoys things like this. I wanted to go as a chaperone, but I was told that I couldn't go because there wasn't enough room. It's okay though cuz I'm sick.

Taylor had a rare soccer free week...no tryouts or games or practices. She does have her Season End Party tonight though. They'll get their trophies for being League Champs--three in a row--JJ has nothing on my girl! There is another Northern tryout in Orem this weekend but I think we might just wait for the next St. George meet. That will give her 3 and the ODP recommended two, we'll see.

Scott had a fun time in Las Vegas over the weekend. His train club is now a chapter of the National Model Railroad Association. He and James and Jim Harper went down to a Club meeting and Clinic on Saturday. He said it was so fun to be around people who get genuinely excited about trains. I know what that's like because I live with someone like that! He is hard at work on his latest project. Hopefully, he will post pictures. Shaylie's been helping him paint and they've been having a good time.

I just realized that most of this stuff is more appropriate for our TechFamily blog, that's more like the Large Plates of Jesienouski....more day to day stuff. This blog is for more Small Plates stuff. But sometimes I forget where I am. Not in an OldTimers way, just in an I Have Too Many Blogs way. Anyway...it's been kind of quiet on the Blog Front these days, so I just wanted to post an update. I think my meds are kicking in, as you can tell from my rambling....so I'm off to take a nap.

Let it go, for Sanity's sake!

If you read my blog post about the coupon mess up, you know I am struggling with my sanity when it comes to this crazy coupon clipping. I went back several times last week to try to get some of the GREAT deals, but they were out of everything! Everytime I went, the shelves were empty.

So, last night I was getting ready for this week's sales and reading about how it was going to be another big one with lots of 5-star deals and I went to bed, only to wake up about 3am in a panic after dreaming that I got to the store and everything was gone! I had planned to get up at 6am and get to the stuff before it was gone, but after the dream I decided maybe I need a break from my new OBSESSION! So I let it all go, and if I get some deals, lucky me! If not, I'm good too. At least that's my new objective...I'll let you know how it goes.

UPDATE: I went to the store today and got all the deals I wanted! It was even pretty stress free, although I did have a bit of anxiety pulling up to the store, but it quickly passed!

Scott and I had fun at the BYU game. It was the first time that either of us had been to a BIG college game. It's a very fun experience. I almost didn't accept the tickets because Scott has always been such a big Utah fan and very NOT interested in BYU. But my coworker talked me into taking the tickets and having a fun adventure. I didn't tell Scott about my doubts until after the game, and he was shocked! He said he is a BYU fan unless they are playing the U. I guess it's never too late to learn something new about your spouse.

I liked the feeling of being in a crowd that was 99% LDS. I told Scott it was like being in the Celestial Kingdom. He liked the idea of football in the Celestial Kingdom, I'm sure. And we both enjoyed the band...at half time, they did a medley of video game theme songs and marched in Tetris shapes and the color guard was locked in Mortal Kombat. It was a perfect day for football, just a little chilly in the shade, but a beautiful day!

While we were at the game, Taylor went to another tryout in Layton. It was a much bigger tryout (about 800 girls she said) and she got to show off some of her Goalkeeper skills. She was the only girl from Southern Utah so she was recognized for that. She felt much better about this tryout so I was glad she decided to go.

We had a good visit with my Dad and Pam. Shaylie had a good time hanging out and playing the Wii. As usual, I forgot to take pictures, so I'm posting an older one just for fun. . .It's hard to believe how much the kids have grown. This is from 2001!

We're glad we got the chance to visit! Thanks for letting us stay and for taking the girls in hand while we went to the game. We had a lot of fun!

SNAP!

I went shopping today to get some AWESOME deals, but I totally messed up!

You were supposed to buy in $30.00 increments to get $15 coupon for your next trip. So I spent about an hour preparing to go to the store, getting the list ready and finding coupons. Unfortunately all my organization went out the window because they were out of almost everything I wanted (lots of free stuff this week!)so I had to do some quick and headache-making rearranging at the store in order to hit the $30 mark.

I did get my $15.00 vouchers (twice) but I forgot to use my coupons on the first transaction!!!! And on the second, I was $1.00 short, but they gave it to me anyway because I made such a big noise about forgetting to use my coupons, they just wanted to get rid of me. But I was glad!

I want to go back to get the free stuff or at least try to catch them after they've restocked. I also want to get the KUNG FU PANDA deal. I loved that movie!!! And free stuff is cool too! I wish my head wouldnt' get so muddled while I'm actually shopping. It would be nice to be sharp again, but I'm afraid those days are long gone!

Please, all my friends, I'm begging you...if you hit Albertson's and see that they've restocked some stuff (Progresso Soup, Dove Shampoo, Suave Lotion)...let me know! Thanks!

Election Alert!!!

I don't usually get too political, but I thought this was worthy of a post.

If you were going to vote for Obama, you might want to reconsider. Shaylie came home from school today, seriously upset. She told me that all the kids at school were saying that if Obama is elected he is going to "send all white kids to an orphanage and you'll never see us again".

After a night like tonight, I said, "Why wait until Barack is president? Let's call the orphanage tonight. I'll drive you over."

I don't think that helped.
Happy Election Day!

Christmas Already...

I went to work today and turned on FM100 as usual and they were playing Christmas Music!!! Can you believe that? I don't mind so much, but the thing I hate is when I try to hear Christmas tunes the day after Christmas and it's nowhere to be found. I've also seen Christmas ads on TV for the past two days now...I actually saw the first one on Oct. 30th this year. And don't even get me started on Wal-Mart!

I think we need to have a moment for the Forgotten Holiday: Thanksgiving! What is it? Chopped Turkey. I did buy a few Turkey Day decorations in July when I saw them on sale....good thing too or I'd be out of luck now!

At any rate, enjoy the Holiday Season...you have plenty of time to do it!

My Love Languages

I just took the Love Languages quiz and found out that my Primary Love Language is ACTS OF SERVICE with RECEIVING GIFTS and QUALITY TIME tied for second. WORDS OF AFFIRMATION came fourth and PHYSICAL TOUCH came in last for me.

Now I need to read the book so I know exactly what this means. I tried to find a cute widget for this to put on my page, but I couldn't find one...if anyone knows of one, let me know!

My First Tag

I've been tagged by my friend Lyndsi...I'm supposed to post the 4th picture from my 4th photo directory and tell about it. (I cheated a little since I have quite a few directories that are clipart and the actual photo would have been a little yellow bird that nobody including me cares about, but I did use the fourth family photo dir and the actual fourth picture.)



This was from Shaylie's Mom and Me Girl Scout camp up in Park City. She made friends with her cabinmate, Sammy, right away and they were about to set up a game of Go Fish!...I think this photo is within the first hour of moving into our cabin. They were cute little buds the whole three days we were there!

I now tag Mom, Anissa, Chad, Annette, Melanie, and Jill...and whoever else reads this...except for I never feel like I'm really tagged unless someone posts my name...so thanks Lyndsi, that was fun!

Reading Between the Lines

We bought this cute shirt for Taylor last year for Halloween. I never thought it was anything but festive, but she came home today saying she would "NEVER wear it again!!!" Of course, I asked her why...and when she told me I CRACKED UP!!! See if you can figure it out!



Needless to say, I probably won't make her wear it again!

My Twin

MyHeritage: Celebrity Morph - Old photographs - Descendents

When you are discouraged...

Count your blessings, or so goes the song...so here's my list.

I'm grateful for...

1) beautiful kids who do their best to make me happy. They do great in school and occasionally clean their rooms when I beg them to, and always make me laugh when I'm down.

2) an amazing husband who puts up with my moods, my pains, my fits, and my overall grumpiness; who tells me he loves me many times every day and means it; and who does the dishes every morning before he goes to work.

3) wonderful friends who give me fun times to look forward to, who let me share my burdens and who always lift my load...and who allow me to do the same for them when I can.

4) a job that lets me spend the maximum time possible with my family. I was pretty spoiled for over ten years being able to be a full-time mom...and now that I have to work again, I'm grateful that the job I have is ideal for me as a mom.

5) the healing power of a good cry and a long prayer...and, hopefully soon, a good doctor.

6) a Savior that knows me and loves me and has promised all of us that everything will be okay in the end no matter what, and if we have faith and serve Him with all we have, we will be blessed beyond our ability to receive.

7) my blog. I've always found writing to be a very cathartic experience, so I'm grateful that I can write my thoughts, share them with others and read the responses of those who care about me or have good advice. It really helps me to get some much needed perspective!

8) my dog. He's annoying and eats anytihng plastic, but he likes to cuddle and petting him makes me happy. Is that weird or what?

9) sweater weather. The cooler weather is my favorite and I get to bring out all my warm fuzzy clothes.

10) music. I love listening to my kids practice the piano or flute and even enjoy making the attempt to play myself. There's nothing like hymns and Christmas carols to brighten my day!

11) chocolate! If by chance, this blessing counting didn't work, I'm glad I have chocolate for a fallback plan...in fact, I'm going for the backup right now! No sense in taking chances!

Wow! You know, I really do feel better...

We Each Have a Mini-Me!

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Pedigree - Family photos

I need Medical Attention!

As much as I hate to admit it, I need to see a doctor! Many of you know that I have hardened my heart against all things medical at least where I'm concerned, but my needs are outweighing my cynicism now and I need to find a GREAT doctor who can actually help me! I don't know if there is such a creature, but...

If you read this and have had a good experience with your family doctor OR if you know of a back doctor who has helped someone you know...please let me know!!!! Distance is not really a factor...I'm willing to go to Vegas or SLC or anywhere in between, if the recommendation is good enough. And I promise to be nice...or at least try my best! Thanks!

Shaylie's Good Advice (?)

Tonight, I made dinner and Shaylie didn't want to eat it, as usual. She asked (begged) for cereal instead. I finally gave in but I told her in my most intimidating MOM voice that I was really mad.

She poured her cereal and looked at me and said, " You know, Mom...when I'm really mad I just put my knees backwards like this (she tensed her legs really tight and made a weird shaky face) and it really makes me feel better."

At least I know it's nothing personal. :) I may have to give it a try tomorrow night.

Coupon Class

I will be hosting a Coupon Class taught by Jodi Gardner this Friday at 7 pm. Anyone interested in attending just drop me a note! I have already saved quite a bit using this system...it is free and only requires the Sunday coupons you get in the paper. If you don't get the paper, you can have the chance to subscribe at the Class. Hope to see you there!

Sometimes It's All Worth While

I had one of the moments that mothers dream about having tonight.

I was in the car with Taylor and I took the opportunity to bring up something that has been bothering me. She and her sister have been having such a hard time getting along lately and I've been trying to think of a way to help bring some peace between them. I think I mentioned before that I've also been trying to yell less and parent the way the Lord would want me to do, which isn't always easy for me because my first reaction is to get mad and then think of the right thing to do usually after the damage has been done. ANYWAY...

I told her I wanted her opinion on something and asked her why she thought that we call each other Brother and Sister in the church when in 'real life" brothers and sisters usually have a really hard time getting along. I told her that I thought Heavenly Father must think being a brother or sister is a pretty high station in life if that's what he wants His children to call each other and that I think that we ought to show our families at least as much respect as we do to the people in our life that we call Brother and Sister. Then I asked what she thought of my little lecture...

She thought for a minute and then said, "I think that Heavenly Father is talking to me through you" (can you picture my heart melting and dripping out my eyes?)She told me that she has been thinking lately that she needs to treat Shaylie more like her friend and we talked about some of the great qualities that Shay has and how Taylor could help her in so many ways.

The best part is when we got home Shaylie was giving Tay a hard time about drinking all the orange juice and Taylor got about 4 words of a scathing retort out of her mouth, stopped abruptly and said, "I love you Shaylie!" To which Shaylie responded, "I love you, too."

Aren't my children amazing! I'm so grateful for this blessing and for my family!

Mom's OUT of Time

Whoa Nelly! It seems like things have been going warp speed the last few weeks. I just claim victory over one accomplishment when I'm sprinting toward the next goal line (figuratively, of course...I don't run and you wouldn't want to see me doing it anyway.) Somehow, I'm staying on top of things...but barely.

The thing that made me realize really how much time I'm losing is the huge stack of books sitting next to my chair. In normal time warp, I go around picking up books I'd like to read either while shopping or at the library or wherever and usually I read it/them within a day or two. Well, I'm still picking up the books, but I haven't read anything in about two months. Can you imagine? I'm especially burning to read the one I picked up at Time Out.

The other thing I noticed is that when I was trying to organize my calendar and get my act together...that 94.8% of all the agenda items I've been racing to do are my daughters' activities. I imagine this is how it is for all moms, right? (Please don't tell me I'm the only one!) At least when I was reading, I could claim a bit larger slice of the time pie...since reading a book definitely qualifies as my big fat piece of dutch apple pie a la mode!

Unfortunately, I require quite a bit of down time to remain a tolerable member of society and avoid medication...and for me this time comes after the girls (and sometimes Scott) go to bed and I can unwind, relax, READ, or just watch TV...no demands, no schedule, no nuffin! Since this time lately has been filled with work, catching up, cleaning and other necessary stuff, I'm running low on the recharge.

Since my motto depending on the situation is "This too shall pass!" or "It can't last forever." or "Don't do dumb stuff!"...I'm hopeful that things will slow down again eventually. Right now, I'm really grateful that my husband is patient with me, that I am appreciated at my job/church job, and that my kids don't yell at me more than 99 times a day. Now if I can manage to read a book...I'd know everything will be okay!

Mom's Time Out

I had the best time today! My friends Stephanie Sabaitis and Melanie Hancock and I went to Las Vegas to the Deseret Book Time Out for Women Conference. I had heard a lot about this from friends who had gone in the past and I've always wanted to go. The speakers were Virginia H. Pearce (President Hinckley's daughter), Hillary Weeks (singer/songwriter), Michael Wilcox (U of U Institute of Religion Instructor), Pam Hansen (author, Running with Angels), Amanda Dickson (KSL Radio, Grant & Amanda Show), and Chris Stewart (author, The Great and Terrible).

All of them were so inspirational and talented. These were some of the noteworty moments. **Warning...this is a long post! I couldn't help myself.**

Sis. Pearce spoke about the universal power of prayer. She talked about how sometimes we don't recieve definite answers to our prayers but if we do our best to do God's will, He will honor our decisions. Even if we make mistakes, He will turn our folly to our good, which is very comforting since we all make errors in judgments sometimes despite our best intentions. It is good to remember that all the Lord expects of us is to try to do our best to honor Him and do His will. My other favorite thing she said was: the Lord is waiting to bless us if we will exercise our free will and ask Him for the things we need. In other words, He respects our agency so much that He can't give us blessings unless we choose to ask for them. I had never thought of this in quite that way before.


Michael Wilcox took his theme from the Primary song Tell me the Stories of Jesus, which 3rd verse begins "Tell me in accents of wonder..." He spoke about the many wonderous creations, talents, and promises the Lord has given us. My favorite part was when he talked about the temple and how it is a refuge from life's battles and reminded us that the Lord will always keep the promise He made to Adam and Even in the Garden that Satan will be crushed and that the righteous will always prevail. He talked about forgiveness & how most of us think of ourselves as "pink people"...we forget that the Lord promised us that through Jesus Christ, "though our sins be as scarlet, they will be made white as snow." We need to forgive as He would and not make ourselves a higher judge than He is...even for our own sins. He talked about how he loved playing chess as a child and how the Queen must lead the offensive if you want to win the game. He told us that he believes Heavenly Father is leading with His queens...the mothers and daughters of Zion and that it is through us that He builds the kingdom on earth.

Pam Hansen gave a very heartfelt talk on "Finding Joy in the Mirror." She shared her experiences of trying to learn to see herself as Heavenly Father sees her and not focus on every wrinkle or extra pound she sees. It made me think of my Taylor and how sometimes she gets so focused on one red dot on her face or one flaw she sees and forgets to look at herself as a whole...not just the physical whole but with her personality, talents, attitude, and spirit added in. I have told her many times, "I wish you could see what I see when I look at you." I'm sure our Heavenly Father wishes the same thing about us. Pam told us that only 2% of women surveyed said they were happy with the way they looked. I think more of us would see our true beauty if we could look at ourselves through Heavenly Father's eyes.

Amanda Dickson was so funny! She was the most entertaining of all the speakers. She gave a great presentation on letting go of our faults and failures. She talked about how so many of us crave things in life and when we don't get them, we blame and give oursleves a really hard time. What we should be doing, however, is giving away the thing we want most...give love and love will come back to you, give money and money will come, give service and you will find caring, loving friends to help you when you need it. I really believe this is true...Karma, the Secret, the Law of the Harvest...whatever you want to call it. This is a universal principle that really works!

Chris Stewart talked about how trials help us discover the gifts the Lord has given us in our premortal life to help us and guide us while we are here earth. That He wants us to be happy and that happiness comes through testimony and life experience. Every trial is for our growth and development. One of my favorite quotes was this: "You can't make any mistakes that the Lord can't fix."

My favorite of all the presenters was Hillary Weeks. I'd heard of her, but I had never heard her sing or speak before. She was so witty and fun...and a beautiful voice. I had to buy one of her CDs so I can listen to it and feel the same Spirit I felt when she sang at the conference today. I could really tell that she wanted all of her music to reflect Heavenly Father's messages to us and she feels like she is the instrument by which the Lord sends His love to us.

A few more nuggets from the day-- Concerning Fear: 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and a sound mind."

Concerning Guilt-- Let it go. The Spirit of the Lord is peace. Do all you can do then let the Lord have His victory.

Concerning Daily Work-- There is no mundane task. Every job can bring spiritual gifts. Trust that you are doing your part in the Lord's plan.

These were just the highlights. I was truly fed spiritually today...and I'm so glad I got to share it with some of my friends. I wish we could have taken a big group down to experience it. Next year, they are holding an event on Nov. 6-7 in St. George. I've already got it on my calendar. If anyone is thinking of going, I would highly recommend it! Next year, I want to do the Couples session, and the Girls session and the Concert and everything. If you want to see more details of the event, you can click here!

Isn't She Beautiful?

I said the same thing when she was born...I've always thought my daughters are the most beautiful in the world and here's the proof:

Making Cents

I have never been one to save a few cents with a coupon. They always seemed like way more trouble than they are worth. If I ever found a deal inspiring enough to move me to clip it out before it hit the trash, it would sit in my purse until months past the expiration date and when I would finally pull it out, the only purpose it served was to make me feel guilty that I missed out on the big savings.

BUT...

Lately, many of my friends have been talking about how they are saving a fortune with this new coupon clipping website, so I decided to take on the challenge. The website is www.grocerysmarts.com and the passport is g84rcm. Jodi Gardner taught the class and she was so cute! She got so excited talking about how much money she is saving...I hope it works as well for me. I ordered 4 subscriptions to the Sunday papers so we can have four times the coupons. It supposedly pays for itself very quickly and my only real regret is that I joined too late to get the big deal of the week...Electasol gel paks for .09 cents a box. Oh well, something to look forward to I guess. There are many free items and really great deals...wish me luck and let me know if you hear about any great deals!

Shaylie's Baptism

Xtreme Yoga Volleyball

I let my family talk me into joining our Ward volleyball team. It's been at least 16 years since I played my last game, in college I'm sure. I thought I knew the game well enough, even though my "remembery" is very short these days...according to my mom, I was the star player on my high school team after all. :)

But the game we played was a very strange mixture of extreme ballet, yoga, tag team kid chasing, with a little volleyball poured over the top. I'm sure I struck the "dog flies over the moon" pose at least once in my many valiant efforts to save a ball from bonking a toddler on the head...and if we scored a point, all the better.

Anyway, it was fun! I can't move now...in fact, I'm writing this post from a traction rig I set up in my living room. But if I take plenty of Tylenol, set up my physical therapy schedule, and drink lots of water...I should be ready to play again next week. (If you don't hear from me soon, call for help...I'm probably stuck in traction!!!)

My New Calling

I was called yesterday to be the, and I quote, "Ward Bulletin, Ward Newsletter, Ward Website Person." I accepted the call gladly, but I would like to humbly request an official title change. Whenever I am asked what I do now, by the time I finish saying it, they don't care anymore or they know more than they really wanted to in the first place. I think Ward Communications Liasion would be good. Or Ward Public Relations Facilitator.

Either that or everyone else should change their titles to be more along the lines of mine: the Bishop could be " the Ward In-charge of Everything Person" and the Elders Quorum President can be the "Ward Mover & Orchard Assignment Person." The Ward Chorister can be the "Ward Song Singer and Arm Waver Person." And, of course, the Primary President can be the "Ward Run Around Like a Crazy-Person Person." And don't forget the Relief Society President or the "Ward Really In Charge of Everything Person."

Anyway, I'm excited to take on this new challenge. It's a good job for me since I have the SKILLS and I enjoy working on my computer. It is going to require me to know more than I usually do about everything going on in the Ward. This could be a good thing, since I usually am pretty oblivious. Hopefully, I won't have to chase down too many people for filler. I've already had a couple people email me with info. So, Yay! Unfortunately, Julianne (my predecessor) did an AWESOME job and is leaving me with high expectations...but I'm okay. Everything will be All Right! And now she gets to be the Ward Leader of Song Singers in Very Small Numbers Person...!

Blog at you later...and feel free to tell me what your calling is...

So, I haven't posted in a while...not feeling too brilliant lately! I think I'm having some kind of Mid-life Crisis...but it's too boring and depressing to write about...so I won't.

Today was my first day at church as an Ex-Primary President. It was weird. I actually cried in Sunday School. We were in the overflow right behind the Primary room and I could hear the kids singing and it just hit me that I wouldn't be there every week singing with them. I almost wish I had my new calling already, so I could concentrate on what's next. I still love Primary and probably always will and I don't want to jinx myself, but I don't want to be out-of-service for too long!

My girls activities are picking up this week. Taylor is starting Piano Lessons. She is trading babysitting services for her tuition. It is a good way for her to pay her way. I am so floored by her musical talents. Just another way Taylor makes us love her!

Shaylie is beginning a new Girl Scout troop...the leaders she's had for the past two years are moving up to the Junior level with their girls, but Shaylie is still a Brownie. She was a bit sad to be left behind, but I think she'll have fun with the new group.

We are also gearing up for her Baptism this week! I can't believe it's already here! We are so proud and excited for her. She's really wants to be baptized and is so excited for the weekend to come! She has Activity Days too from now on...she'll enjoy that too!

Maybe I need some kind of activity! Or some other creative outlet...it seems like as a mom, I'm always concentrating on my girls personal development, but all my best days are behind me. That can't be right! Can it? Oh well, so much for not talking about my Mid-life Crisis!

I'll try to do something fun and creative this week...then I'll have something more fun to blog about in the future!

Officially Released

As of today, I am no longer the Primary President for the WF5th Ward. Our presidency was called into Bishop's office last Wednesday and we had a great meeting and we all feel sad but good about the changes that are happening. I came home that night and wrote this entry into my journal. I wanted to put it here as well:

"This has been an amazing experience. I have loved serving as the Primary President in this ward. I am sad to move on but at the same time I am excited for new opportunities. I know whoever replaces me will continue on with all the inspiration and love and support that I have received and will grow as much as I have.

"I am grateful to have made such amazing friends on this journey. We have developed a great love and bond which I pray we will never lose. Melanie Hancock has been such a boon to my spirit. She was my go-to girl if I was ever feeling overwhelmed or inadequate and she always said the right thing to lift me and strengthen me. She loves the Primary children and she carries her testimony and love of the Gospel with her constantly.

"Annette Belnap has been my inspiration and my motivation. She is always full of great ideas, new ways of trying things and endless energy. She is an amazing mom and teacher. Her love for her own children is the same for all children. She has patience with me as I have run to catch up with her and her love of our Savior is apparent in everything she says and does.

"Jill Fullmer is one of the most loving, compassionate people I have ever known. The names on her many lists were never just names--she has always seen into the hearts and minds of every child in need. She always kept her focus and mine on serving and loving the Lord's children. She has also strengthened me with her love of the Gospel and her testimony.

"I am so grateful that the Lord sees in His infinite wisdom how we women need each other...to serve together is to love each other, bring each other support and to cry and laugh and live as He would have us live!

"The children of this Ward have also been a great source of testimony to me. How they love the Savior! Their love and need to do what is right is so powerful. If we could all be like these little children, the kingdom of God would spread like wildfire! The Lord has seen it too and asked us to be like them. There is nothing so pure as the faith of a child!

"I pray that I can continue to learn from the things I have seen and done in this calling. I know the Bishop has been inspired to make these changes. I am grateful for his love of the Lord as well. He and Brother Massey have both been such a great help to me. They have loved the Primary and I am grateful I had for the chance to work closely with them and the Ward Council.

"It is hard to let something so influential in your life go--but when the time is right it is time to take what lessons can be gleamed and apply it to the next challenge ahead.

"I love the Lord! I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ--I pray I will keep my faith always and put my strength to the best use as He sees fit. This is my prayer and testimony, in His name, Amen."

I would also like to add my gratitude to Lisa Loris, Jessica Miller, Jennifer Riddle, Lyndee Leavit and all the many faithful teachers who have dedicated themselves to service. Each of them has had their own special and unique gifts to share and I'm glad to count them among my friends.

Good luck to Alicia Christensen and her counselors! I know they will be equally blessed by our Heavenly Father for their service and love!

Puerto Rican Paradise

We had such a great time in Puerto Rico. The training was okay, but I really enjoyed getting out and seeing some of the beautiful world we live in. Everywhere we went I saw miraculous evidence of God's love for us. The sand, the waves, the sky, the clouds all seemed so perfectly harmonized that I could only see it as proof that our world was created with a purpose and a plan.

Especially the night we went to the Bio-Bay, I have to admit I had a moment that brought tears to my eyes. I know the girls would have laughed at me since I cry all the time, but the moonlight and stars and the glowing water were just so profoundly beautiful that I couldn't help myself. It was truly a spiritual experience.

It was also a very romantic 16th anniversary excursion. We kayaked across the bay and into a dark tunnel of Mangrove trees. As soon as the darkness closed in, the luminescent plankton started to glow and both Scott and I were captivated. The guides called the kayaks "divorce boats" because he says couples can't help arguing with each other once they climb in. I was proud of us because we did remarkably well. We found a rhythm and worked very well together. As we came out of the tunnel onto the Laguna Grande, we both ooohed and aaahed. There was no place I'd rather have been that with my honey on the moonlit lagoon. It was hard work but worth it in the end...a little like marriage, I suppose....so it was fitting.

It has also whet my appetite for traveling. I would love to see more of the planet. I hope we get a chance to visit more places. It was one of the best experiences of my life!

Waning Weeks of Summer 08

It is always amazing to me how quickly time goes by! At the beginning of the summer, it seemed like we had endless days of activities: camps, holidays, visits, and reunions! But now, here we are at the end of it all, and it was one of the quickest summers I ever remember. We did have a lot of fun including some unplanned things which are always nice...a trip to the Shakepearean Festival with my good friend Polly and her daughter Amanda and an impromptu trip to Seven Peaks with my Dad and Pam.

Next up is Puerto Rico. Then School. Wow...I think this summer has been a success. I will actually be a little sad to send my girls back to the routine since we've had such a good time together this year. Maybe we always do but as the girls get older, I realize that these fun summer days won't last forever and I better enjoy them while they last.

Taylor especially is growing up exponentially. She has always been amazing, but her talents are increasing on a daily basis it seems like and she is discovering new ways to just be Taylor. It makes me take my time with Shaylie a bit slower and less stressfully. It makes Tay crazy, but I tell her she should be happy that I'm learning as a parent. It's just too bad I used her as my testing ground. She'll understand when she's a mom someday.

So as Summer winds down, we'll get back to our usual routine, but I will try to take some of my Summer Lessons with me: time flies, family time is fun time, and it never pays to be stressed out since it will all be over wlay too soon.

Happy 38 and holding...

Tomorrow is my birthday! I've decided that this is probably the last birthday I'm having. It's not official yet, I may wait until 39 to stop aging, but I'll let you know for sure. My family went shopping tonight so I'm excited to say that the car isn't my only birthday present! But then I knew it wouldn't be, my family always spoils me. Taylor is even baking me a cake! And, on Wednesday, my friends Annette and Jill are taking me out to celebrate. Who knows what else is in store?

I have to say that I'm so happy with the way my life is turning out. My family is wonderful. I've got everything I could want and I have high hopes for the future. I'm grateful to everyone who has loved me and helped me to get to this point in my life. It hasn't always been easy, but it has definitely been worth it. I'm so blessed and I'm positively looking forward to the next 38 years...so on second thought, maybe I'll keep having my birthdays after all!

A Brand New Car!

Well, almost new! A 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe and buying it wasn't horrible either. (This is new for me...if you know me, you have probably heard my car buying horror stories.) I could feel my blood pressure drop by several degrees just driving it off the lot. It was somewhat of an impulse, though I have been researching vehicles for weeks. I didn't really plan on buying anything today, but we came away with a decent deal and a very nice car.

There and Back Again and There Again

The girls had a blast at camp...visit www.thetechfamily.com for pics! We sang camp songs all the way home and both girls were full of stories. We also got to visit with Grandma J and Papa Strong on the way back. Dad gave me some precious bits of family history to go over. I've been working on my 5 Generation chart and I was missing everything on his mom's side. I also got some names that Scott was missing from Louise...Scott's grandmother. It's a start.

Taylor is already gone again...she went back to Holden with my mom. We'll catch up to her on Thursday after we send Shaylie off to Camp AGAIN...this time with her troop to Trefoil Camp. She had so much fun last week, that she is super excited to go again this week.

My 20th reunion is this weekend! Yikes!!! It doesn't seem like 20 years should be able to fly by in the blink of an eye. I will be glad to see if the years have abused all of my friends the same as me. I'm sure we're all much better for the wear and tear....on the inside if not the out. I'm on a mission over the next couple of days to find something to wear...no easy task, but there it is. I've had a new hair color and cut and I'm trying to avoid the last superficial, vain, pretentious, utterly female step...putting on fake nails. For one thing, I never wear them anyway, so it is the height of pretention. But I'm willing to do it because I'm afraid to admit it probably will bolster my confidence a bit. Weird. Whjat's a girl to do?

We'll probably come home Sunday and then next week Tay's off to Girls Camp...her first. Summer has definitely been full of adventure for the Jesienouski's this year.

Baby Come Back

My babies are at camp! I wonder if moms ever quit feeling like their children are babes in arms, needing us for every little thing. Taylor is 12 and Shay is 7 almost 8 and here they are at camp completely on their own. I know (hope) they must be needing me for something by now.

It's very bizarre to think that they will come back to me safe and whole and probably having had the time of their lives and I wasn't even there. It's actually kind of satisfying in a way...I must have given them some survival skills along the way. Maybe right now, they're thinking, "I'm so glad my most perfect and wonderful mother taught me how to weave a basket out of human hair so I could gather non-poisonous berries in the woods." Or something close to that, anyway.

I actually got online to read the camp journals (www.gsutah.org/blog) and it seems like they are having lots of fun, I'm sure it was just an oversight that they forgot to mention how much they miss us. Maybe a couple poisonous berries got through and made them a little delirious.

At any rate, I will feel much more useful when they are back home where I can continue to teach them valuable life lessons for the next time they leave home. As long as they always come back, I'll consider it a mission accomplished!

No Worries

Today was Stake Conference and the wait is over...WF5th Ward remains mostly unchanged. We added a small subdivision to the north of Heritage Fields. So we are going to have more younger families with children in Primary. This is good news. My presidency will still continue to serve together...so I worried for nothing. We are moving to 9am...which is fine. It throws a wrench in a couple of my plans for the next two or three weeks, but we'll deal. Yay! It's nice to finally know.

A Change is A-Comin'...

Last night, I had a bittersweet night out. My friends and I went out to dinner in lieu of our weekly Primary Presidency meeting. Our stake is going to announce some big boundary changes this coming Sunday..we have three General Authorities coming for a Tri-Stake Conference...and I'm anticipating (dreading) that our Ward will have some changes. My hope is that everything will stay the same, but I don't think that will happen. Almost all of them live across the main road which is a likely place to draw boundaries. So we had a fun night out, but it was sad that it might be the last "meeting" we'll have as a Presidency.

I will miss these ladies that I work with, but in saying that I realize something...It's a weird phenomenon in the LDS culture...that the Ward boundaries create a strange kind of social boundary too. I have friends who still live relatively close, but because they are in another ward I hardly ever see them. I'm sure this is even more pronounced with non-LDS neighbors. I know we've tried to have "neighborhood" parties and activities to involve everyone on our street or in our development but they are still perceived as an LDS function or as an attempt at missionary work, so they're not always that successful. It's too bad, I think. We could all benefit from knowing each other. I know it's always something I try to fight against, but it is a strange thing.

At any rate, I know that for my part, I will always consider the people of this ward as close friends no matter where we all end up. It's been a great pleasure to love and serve with the people of this ward. The Lord teaches us some of our greatest lessons through challenges and changes. I'm sure there are great expereinces in store for all of us....even if they are sad and scary at first.

Taylor is a little sad about the possiblities too. She is enjoying Young Women very much and she doesn't know how this change will affect her. The great thing about the Church is that no matter where you go...the gospel is the same. The teachers and leaders may change, but Christ's teachings are always constant...and there are always people who try to live what they are taught and love those around them.

I suppose I should wait to see what is actually going to happen before waxing so philisophical. I'm sure next week, I'll be too overwhelmed with reality to be bothered with it all, so this is a good time to say it. For my friends in the Washington Fields 5th Ward...I love you and I'm a better person for knowing you all.

Split Personality

I may have started a trend in my family. Not only do I have a personal blog, but Taylor has started one and Shaylie is in the process of developing a WebShow (like a tv show but posted on a website--nothing that girl ever does is big, is it?) so now our TechFamily has split into many different blogs and it's a lot of work keeping it all going. So thetechfamily.com is still the place if you want all the Jesienouski news in one place...at least you can get to everyone's sites from there...

Personally, I have also felt split today. I've been pulled in different directions all day long and it's felt like everyone has needed me for some project or another all day long. First, Shaylie started pestering me about her Web Show. For those of you with preteens, you probably have seen iCarly on Nick...well, this is the inspiration for Shaylie's latest project. She started to tell all her friends that she was going to do a web show and asked me if she could make a set and she needed the video camera battery charged and she needed a website with flash animation,...all the usual things that 7-year olds pester their mothers for...and snacks. If you know Shay, she is relentless. To her credit, today she got the set made and, with the help of her friends and sister, filmed the first episode. Now she just needs me to find a home for it on the world wide web. Oh, and she wants to get paid...Oh well, another day.

Then Taylor and her friend Shaylee needed me to help them with their blog backgrounds, but it wasn't working properly so I had to figure out what to do to appease two grumpy, impatient 12-year-olds. Even after Shaylie went home, she was calling to get advice and help. Happy to do it, but it was in the middle of helping Scott with his project which was...

His new train layout. He always wants me to help, but I never have to help much, because he is so capable of doing it himself. He just needs me to give him some moral support and kind of hold his hand. I'm always glad of the progress...And all of this amidst the crazy everyday things like lunch, rec center, dinner, cleaning, and shopping which I actually didn't do.....

I have to admit, now that I've complained about all of this, that I don't have much to complain about. These are all the things I love about being a mom...my husband and kids are so creative and they love to take on new challenges, and I love to be a part of it all. I like that my kids inspire others to be creative and follow their lead. I'm glad they are ambitious and make their wishes into reality. I guess, like any mom, I'm of two minds...on one hand, I wish for more time and peace and quiet and on the other I like the chaos of creativity and conundrums. Like I said...Split Personality....maybe someday, I'll get a handle on what I want most...

For now, I think I'll just split.

There is Music in my Soul Today

I added a Playlist widget to my site last night. It was fun to see what kind of music I like--NOT fun to see that I tend to skew old--or should I say Classic? I mostly only picked songs that I know all the words to or had some kind of memory attached, por ejemplo: Restless Heart was played at my wedding! Love that song.

If I could find a site that let you do the same thing with LDS music, I'd have a big long list there too. I've mostly been listening to BYU radio over the past year or so and there are some beautiful songs and hymns that I'd love to have on my site. I especially like the Gladys Knight song Jesus' Love is like a River and my favorite of all time: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.

I don't really listen to music unless I'm in the car. I forget that my phone has a music (mp3) player built into it, and every once in a while I want to go out and buy an IPOD but with radio and the internet and even music channels on cable, I'm usually covered. I am glad to have a Playlist though, for my favorites. I'm sure the list will grow...I'm already looking forward to adding more songs....and listening to them the next time I update my blog! See you soon!

The Start of Something New

I've been thinking of starting my own blog for a while now. If you know my family, you know we have been avid bloggers (http://www.thetechfamily.com/) since before blogging really began. However, that endeavor has turned mostly into a family calendar of daily events and I wanted to have a place where I can post more personal observations and stories that relate to our lives and to my LDS Faith. So, this will be a first for me. I hope it can be of worth to anyone who reads it, but mostly it will be for me...to explore, to discover and to share who I am with the world...hopefully this won't be too disturbing for any of us...me included!