Mother’s Day

Hard to believe this is my 3rd Mother’s Day without my mom. Time has flown and yet it hasn’t. It’s going to be a beautiful day and we are having family dinner later and then we’ve got flowers to take to the cemetery. I made grandma’s rolls today. They are rising now and after church I will cook them and take them to dinner. 

I spent last week in Charlotte, NC for work and then took Friday off for a 3 day weekend. It’s been really nice. Very warm. I’m not quite ready for the heat, but I guess I don’t have any say in that. I’ve had my ceiling fan on at night, although it’s still cool in the morning. It won’t be long before I have another fan running all night just to keep me cool enough to sleep. It’s ok. I can have a good summer and then be happy about the fall. 

My flowers are doing well outside and I have a few projects for the inside and of course, there are always books to read. The pool is closed for maintenance or something for 2 weeks so no water aerobics. I need to see about the summer schedule. I’d like to keep going because it feels good, but I need to start walking outside as well. Take advantage of all the light in the evenings. 

Life is not without problems, but there are also a lot of good things. I’m so grateful for all that I have, especially for the parents who worked hard for our family. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. 

Merry Christmas

Here we are at the end of the year. Hard to believe it’s another Christmas. I woke up this morning at 5:00 am with a lot of rain and wind. I didn’t mind it. I listened for a bit and went back to sleep for a few hours. It’s going to be a cloudy, but mild day. It’s ok. At least we are getting some rain. 

Spent yesterday evening at my brother’s house and we ate and played games and did presents. It was a really nice time. I was doing ok yesterday until I put on my mom’s apron to cook and then I really missed her. We are doing ok, but it’s a weird life with both parents gone. 

The rest of the day I’m taking it easy. Last year I did a movie marathon and so I decided to make it a tradition and continue this year. This year I’m doing unrelated musicals. I’m starting with White Christmas because I haven’t watched it yet this year. Then I’m moving to Thoroughly Modern Millie, Summer Stock, and Summer Magic. We’ll see how far that takes me. I have a few others picked out as well. 

I’m going to make soup a little later, do a puzzle, read some books. It will be a nice, relaxing day. I’ve been very blessed in my life with my family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. I’m truly grateful for my abundant life. 

Happy Thanksgiving 2024

It has been a really nice week. I definitely needed the break from work. I had thought I would check my email once but I haven’t so far. It’s been so relaxing.

I survived Thanksgiving and even had fun with the family in my space. It wasn’t fancy and was kind of weird though. The turkey was done early, but it actually tasted really good and wasn’t dry. My brother ended up with some kind of food poisoning before the actual Thanksgiving dinner so he stayed in the car for an hour or so just sleeping, I guess. We made him up a plate, but he didn’t eat anything at my house. And I had made sure we had plenty of mashed potatoes because he can really put them away. So lots of those leftover. Plus, the turkey came from work so I didn’t get to choose the size and it was 19 lbs. Even dividing it up, I have a lot of turkey meat. I’ve got 3 recipes I’m going to use it in fairly quickly, I think. 

Plus my niece and nephew and one of their friends showed up after they ate dinner at the other grandma’s house and ate some more here. It’s fun to have them old enough to do that and I love having them here. 

I’ve got most of my Christmas shopping done. Just have 2 boys left to do. Today we made candy at my sister’s house so by the time I got everybody back home and made it home myself, it was 4:00. The day went fast. I took a little nap because I had a headache and I’ve been cleaning and putting stuff back and making room for the Christmas tree, which I’ll put up tomorrow. 

So we managed Thanksgiving and candy making without mom but I think she’d be proud of how we did. She taught us well and I’m really blessed that we all live close and more importantly, that we all get along and enjoy spending time with each other. For all our faults and imperfections, my parents did an excellent job and really did create a forever family. 

Odds and Ends

I love lazy Sundays! Oh, wait, this hasn’t been a lazy Sunday. Ha ha oh well. 

I was in Charlotte last week for work and struggled to sleep all week in the hotel. I got home late Thursday night and these last 3 nights I have slept so well in my own bed. It’s been glorious. 

We had a problem come up at work last week and I had to get some support help from our software company and while I was at the airport waiting for my flight, they told us what happened and it’s a really, really big mess. One of the members of my team was doing a relatively normal purge process to delete some data and I don’t know what happened, but she chose the wrong option or something and instead deleted over 300,000 applicants from our recruiting system. And since that’s my part of the system, I get to help fix it. I’m not even a little bit mad at the person. I feel terrible for her. And I feel relief that I didn’t make that mistake and I’m not her supervisor or manager. We are trying to reload some of the data and since I’m not much of a data person, it’s been a bit of a struggle but I’m getting through it. I worked 10 hours on Friday and almost 7 on Saturday.  On Friday afternoon I sent the person a message basically telling her to hang in there and I’m glad she’s part of our team. I just felt I needed to say something because I really am not mad at her. I told the people helping to load the data that I was offline today. I do need a break and I’m taking it today. We have a paid holiday for Veteran’s Day tomorrow and I’ll be working it, so I’m not working today.

We had our primary program in church today. I had taken a break from work yesterday to go to the practice and we did the thing today. The kids did so well. It was my day to play the organ and since I’m the primary pianist, I had double duty today. All my mistakes were minor and the kids remembered words and the places where the melodies changed and they just did really good. They didn’t need me for second hour so I came home. LOL I’m sure it should have stayed and gone with the adults but that took a lot out of me. It’s relief to be done with it, even though playing music for the primary is one of my favorite things. 

And now I’m going to go cuddle in a warm blanket in my library for an hour and then get ready to go to family dinner. I made pumpkin pie bars for dessert. Never made them before so hopefully they turned out ok. 

Girl’s Camp

I can’t believe July is half way over. The hot, hot part of the summer is here. I’ve had the week off work for girl’s camp. Earlier this year I very reluctantly said yes to the bishop when he asked me to be camp leader. Part of it had already been planned out but I worked on planning the rest of it and started going to YW activities when I could. Truth be told I was dreading it a lot. I still didn’t know most of the girls and it’s been a long time since I’ve had to be with people for 3 days straight. 

I spent Monday grocery shopping and picking up coolers and other things for camp. I was exhausted (I had help and it was still a lot of work). Then we left for camp Tuesday morning and came back Thursday evening. One of our priesthood leaders knows a guy who has a big house in Idaho that they use for camp outs and family reunions and things and when they aren’t using it, they let youth groups use it. We had 20 people and the 12 girls and 6 women leaders stayed in the house. It was big and had everything we could possibly need, including fire pit in the back yard. Our 2 priesthood leaders camped in the front yard away from the house. We unpacked and got everything set up when we arrived and then had lunch. We spent the afternoon playing some group games and then had craft time. Some of the girls painted, some made bracelets or things with beads, and friendship bracelets. Later that evening we did dinner and then had a camp fire and s’mores. 

Wednesday we let the girls sleep in a bit because of course they were up late the night before. The family whose house we borrowed also had a big pond that they have all kinds of things at: a huge slide, trampoline, canoes and kayaks, etc. The pond was ours for the day and they spent a good 4 hours or so playing in the water. After a late lunch, we had a few other things planned but the girls were tired and a few were sunburned so instead we ended up with nap time and more craft time for those who wanted. We did tin foil dinners and Dutch oven cobbler for dinner that night. Before the water park, we had made a simple 3 ingredient, no churn ice cream. The ice cream and cobbler were a big hit. I have to admit, it was very very tasty. I was quite pleased I had thought to make the simple ice cream. :)

Thursday we got up earlier and after breakfast we had our hike. The leaders thought we would be on a dirt road, but it was an actual trail up the mountain. Since I’m slow and out of shape, I was in the back prodding the complainers and slow hikers. LOL  After the hike we had a brief stop back at the house and then drove over to the Niter Ice Cave. I had found out about it by looking at google maps and the girls had said they wanted to go during one of our planning meetings. I was not sure what to expect, but I had a blast. It was muddy and you had to walk carefully but so much fun. The cold air felt great. It was just a walk out and back of maybe 200 yards or so. The walls are graffitied in a lot of places, but there are spots where you can see big chunks of ice and whatever minerals are in the rocks make the ceiling glitter. 

After lunch, we had the girls do a bake off and they divided into 2 teams and made cupcakes from scratch, decorating them with a pioneer theme. 

And then it was finally time to pack and clean the house so we could go home. It was 2 hours of chaos but eventually, we were all in the car for the trip home. As we left to caravan home, the priesthood leaders were in the first car and I was second that time. Ahead of me he started swerving on the road and I didn’t know what he was doing but I thought I’d play along so there was a line of 5 cars swerving back and forth on this deserted country road. In my car we were laughing, and I know in other cars the girls thought it was fun. We stopped at the first Maverick gas station was passed and that’s when Brother Taylor asked what we were doing. He had been swerving to check that all 5 of the cars were on the road. In my sleep and caffeine deprived mind, I thought we were just having fun. LOL I’m still laughing over it. 

I will be honest and admit that I had a really good time. Of course, we did have to prod some girls and deal with some complaining and a few minor injuries, but overall I am really glad I got to go. I still have some unpacking to do and I can’t say that it’s been the most relaxing week, but it’s been worth it. 

Happy Late Thanksgiving 2022

Well, my “staycation” week is almost over. I was off work and didn’t really even think about it, which is really nice. I had a low key and uneventful Thanksgiving day, which is probably something else to be grateful for. LOL I did a little shopping and am almost finished, and we even made a little candy yesterday. That day was probably the most stressful and chaotic with kids running around and making messes and that kind of stuff. But we survived that also. 

I put up my Christmas tree and decorated a little bit this week as well. And it’s finally trying to snow again. It’s just making everything wet and not sticking but I’ll take it. It put me in the mood for soup so I’m currently making leftover turkey soup that I will eat with some leftover rolls. Can’t wait! 

So happy thanksgiving and here comes Christmas right around the corner. Can’t believe it’s the holidays again already. 

Happy Late Thanksgiving

Last week I had my annual staycation and it was lovely. Shopping, eating, hanging out with the family, and doing a few (very few) things around the house. I rarely thought about work. I didn’t check the news at all and didn’t have that much time on social media. By Sunday night, I was ready to get back into the normal workday schedule. It would have been a great Monday morning, but I’m completely off my regular sleeping schedule. Ha ha…

 

I’m really grateful for the time I had off. It helps me rest and reset and feel like I can make it to the end of the year. I’m also grateful that I have a regular schedule most of the time. It’s nice to get back to it.

Random September

Spent the weekend doing random things. First was the Peach Days parade. My niece and nephew were both in it this year with the marching band and school play so I had to go. It was actually pretty fun. I got a bunch of cucumbers and peaches from my mom. I’m really thankful to live in a place where I can get so much fresh garden produce, either from family or the orchards and farms nearby and a nice farmer’s market.

Went for a walk yesterday on my favorite trail. It’s quick and super easy but also is so pretty to walk through the trees. It was still a little warm but the weather is definitely cooling down. I was able to open my window a bit last night and could sleep under my blankets. It was nice and cozy. I love this time of year.

Summer Rain

We had a wonderful rain storm on Saturday night. We had rain earlier in the week also which caused some flooding in places. It was too much in to short a time. But on Saturday, it felt like a typical summer thunderstorm. Exactly what I think of when I hear Vivaldi’s Summer. The thunder and lightening passed quickly and left us with a nice rain. I opened my windows upstairs and read in my library. It was perfect. I really hope the hot, hot days of summer are behind us. I’m ready for fall. Once again, I’m going to try and be present and live in the day and enjoy it. Time passes so quickly it will be gone before I know it.

I thought the drops on the window screen were cool in the light.

Good Weekend

I didn’t feel very well for a few days last week and the week was dragging. I woke up on Saturday feeling better and decided I wanted to get out. My mom and I ended up driving to Logan to Bluebird Candy. Earlier this year we had both purchased a Christmas countdown with their candy in it and it is excellent. We decided we needed more. :) But I also bought a few small boxes of chocolates for neighbors and friends. Since I’m not baking treats this year, I thought those would do the trick. We stopped at the cheese factory also and I stocked up on cheese. Ha ha cheese and chocolate. Yum! And now my Christmas shopping is completely finished, wrapped, and under the tree. It feels really good to do things that used to be “normal”. 

I got my bonus on Friday. I put aside my tithing and decided how much to save. I reloaded my Amazon gift card for myself and then I donated to 5 different charities. I gave a lot more than I usually do. I’ve been blessed with so much and that includes a very good job that allows me to be free of financial pressures. It’s the least I can do, especially for the organizations that reach places I never could on my own. 

On the way home yesterday, we stopped at my sister’s house because my mom had bought her a countdown. My nephew wanted me to take him shopping. I told him I’d take him later in the evening when it got less crowded if he could get to my house. He called me later in the day with a plan and his parents dropped him off. He’s such a fun kid. I thought by 16 he’d be done with hanging out with his aunt. He told me that since I took him to Best Buy last year, it was now our tradition. So I guess we’ll be doing it next year too. :) Driving my nephew around to stores was not how I had planned my evening and there’s nothing better I could have been doing. 

Today we had stake conference broadcast. I used the time to cook since I don’t do well sitting for 2 hours like that. Elder Robbins said something that stood out to me. I’m paraphrasing but basically we have Google maps that will track traffic all over the world as it happens and Google will answers millions of questions simultaneously. If man can do that, why can’t we believe that God also does that? God knows all of us. It’s kind of amazing when I think about it. 

Anyway, I get to relax for the rest of my day. It’s been a good weekend and I’m feeling positive and refreshed to deal with life. 

Give Thanks

It’s only Wednesday, and I’m so happy I decided to take this week off work, even though I was afraid it would be too much home time with the pandemic. It has been so nice to relax and just not worry about work. 

Here’s my thankful list for today:

I chased 1 year old twins around my house last night for a few minutes while my sister when to Home Depot. I can’t baby proof my home completely (especially with a Christmas tree up) and they were fun and so stinking cute.

The sun was shining and I turned the radio up as I drove home from a hair appointment yesterday. I love singing to the radio in my car. 

Even if it’s just 9 of us, we are getting together to eat tomorrow. I’m grateful we’ve all been well so far. 

I bought a pink fleece poncho earlier this year and it is without a doubt one of my greatest purchases. It’s the best thing for reading. 

My poor little car is still running well. I’ve been thinking of getting a new one, but then I hold off. That car and I have been through many years and many miles together. 

I’m making grandmas’s rolls today. I made the dough last night. I love that we have that as a tradition and that I’ve been able to pick it up. I make them at other times during the year, but they are so special at Thanksgiving. 

My mom and I went to the nursery that sells 1000’s of poinsettias and I bought 4 this year. I just couldn’t decide on a color. They are so beautiful. 

Aunt Jenny has 2 little tiny buds on her this year. That particular Christmas cactus doesn’t usually bloom until after Christmas, but maybe I’ll get some flowers early this year. 

Moving On

Well my office is officially cleaned out. I have a couple computer monitors and a chair to move into my new office (whereever it is, they only have a vague idea at the moment).  My replacement starts on Monday. Thursday was my last day in the office last week and it was bittersweet. That’s been my office for 17 years now. Wow has time flown. I’m giving up a job that I have mostly loved and that has provided me with so many opportunities for another job that has been filled with ups and downs so far. The past couple weeks have been ok and I’m starting to feel like I might be able to learn the new stuff. I have to remind myself to be patient with me. I am looking forward to all the things my new job will bring. But....it still doesn’t stop that I’m leaving what I know and love. So yeah, it’s bittersweet. 

I didn’t go to church again today. Instead, I listened to the broadcast from my ward. One of the speakers referenced a talk from President Nelson from 2016 General Conference and it was exactly what I needed to hear today.

My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.

So here’s to starting over and again and remembering that I’ve had a great career and been very blessed with it so far and that there are still many more things to learn and ways to grow and I will enjoy it along the way. I’ll do my best to keep my focus where it should be and everything will either fall away or fall into place. 

Some Good Things

I was listening/watching an episode of Don’t Miss This on YouTube and they were talking about a spot in the scriptures where, during a time of war, the people were so happy. Then they laughed and said what if we did that about 2020. It got me really thinking about my 2020. Yeah, I can say it’s been a crappy year and nobody will argue with me but it’s the little things that make life worthwhile and I can see some good things as I look back.

I look a trip to Egypt (pre-pandemic) which has been on my list since I made it, and it was amazing.

My family has had some fun family dinners at different parks around the city.

I’ve been able to have lunch at a park a few times with one of my friends during our work day and it’s been such a wonderful blessing to have that friendship and support.

My sister’s twins are 14 months now and they are getting to be so much fun.

I had a bunch of beautiful flowers around my house this year.

Had a great drive to Star Valley, WY with my family one weekend.

I ordered my first subscription box from Margot Elena and it was like Christmas getting to open it with all kinds of soap/perfume/lotion.

Picking and eating fresh peaches and blackberries.

Catching grasshoppers with my bug-obsessed 7 year old nephew.

After some trial and error, I finally found a pillow that I can sleep on with no neck pain and it’s wonderful.

So yeah, there have been some really good moments during the year. Small and simple things make the big things worth it.

Random Acts of Kindness

The day started as normal (meaning I pushed snooze too many times and was rushing out the door to go to work) and then I got a flat tire on the freeway. I’ve never had a flat on the freeway, only smaller roads, and being on the side of the freeway with the traffic flying by was a scary experience. Turns out my spare was also a little flat so after getting air at the closest gas station, I headed to get my tire fixed. Turns out it wasn’t fixable so now I have 4 new tires, oil change, air filter, and alignment. I knew I needed the tires this fall anyway, so that was fine.

When I finally got to work, the announcement about my new job had gone out and I had a bunch of emails from people all over the company telling me congratulations.

So today I am very, very grateful for:

• A guy named Tyson who stopped to help me with my tire.
• A boss who understands when I’m 3 hours late to work.
• A whole bunch of co-workers and other people I barely know who have sent me emails. There were at least 50 of them.

Now I am going to pay it forward and be the good I want to see in the world. It's going to be a good day.

General Conference Thoughts

This was general conference weekend and we all participated in our own homes as the pandemic is still ongoing.
I just have some thoughts I wanted to get out.

First off, I was thinking about a news article I recently read that was about churches trying to get an “essential” exception because it’s vital that people can continue to worship. I happen to agree that people need to continue to worship, but I would argue that it still has to be distant from each other to slow the spread of COVID-19. Which just makes me grateful for my church and the prophet and the inspiration to make us more home centered. This is our 2nd year of Come Follow Me and even though we aren’t together (and I do miss the being together) we are still studying the same things worldwide.  I do miss the Sunday worship, but as I have been trying to make my sabbath day different from the rest of my week, having my own little devotional, I have had some good time to focus on some things like stories in the Book of Mormon and of course on Jesus Christ, and I have to admit that it’s been good for me and I have grown because of it.
And then of course, there is conference weekend. I never did go to Salt Lake to see it live, so in my own house is normal (although I miss being with my family). I can’t help think how we are being guided if we listen to the prophet. I don’t know if he foresaw this exact pandemic, but President Nelson (and many of the apostles) have taught many things that have helped me personally. Even just with food storage and savings. Also, they have said this is temporary. The temples are closed and I can’t help but think that they won’t stay closed for long as there is still a lot of work to be done. As they announced 8 new temples, I have confidence that we will get through the pandemic and get back to normal. Or at least normal with a bit more gratitude and lessons learned to make us better people.

Which brings me to myself and the things I need to do and I’m refocusing on things that are important. My recommend expired at the end of March and we weren’t going to church for me to get it renewed. I should probably contact my bishop anyway to see if it’s possible right now. The prophet called for a worldwide fast on the last Sunday of March (29) and now he has called for another one this coming Friday on Good Friday. I participated in the last one and I must admit it was the first time in a while that I had seriously fasted. I don’t know what good it did the world, but I know it did me so much good. The renewal I felt was absolutely worth it. So with faith, I will participate in this next one.

Things I have gotten out of conference: I need to put some effort into my religion. I need to go to the temple. I need to remember I can’t do everything at once, but it shouldn’t stop me from doing the one thing I need to do at that moment and I should seek the help of the spirit to decide what that one thing is for today. And after this pandemic is over, there is still so, so much in the world that is wrong and has to be faced and good people everywhere (and me personally) need to do our part. And it’s ok that I am not perfect (not even close) and I have to keep trying.

I loved the one of the first songs from the choir. They sang It is Well With My Soul and I don’t remember the first time the they sang it but man, it was powerful to me this time.

And wow! A temple in China! And Dubai! The work is going forward and I want to be part of it, even if it’s just in my own circle and sphere of influence.

Life Does Get Strange

So I’m back from my trip to Egypt and I had a great time. I’ll get some pictures posted here to journal the trip.

But in other news... Coronavirus, or COVID-19, as it is actually called.

It’s been in the news since... last fall sometime? I don’t really know. As my trip was approaching, I didn’t feel it was an issue as long as I took the basic precautions. It seems like it was only a few days before my trip when Italy got upgraded to a country to stay away from. And then I feel like while I was gone, it kind of blew up to be a big deal in the states and everywhere else. Or more of a big deal? Egypt also confirmed a case right before we left for home. I consider myself very blessed to have been able to get home with no issues.

Then...I had the bad misfortune to get sick as I got home. It felt like a bad cold, and that’s what it was. I got home Sunday afternoon. I went to work on Monday and left about 3:30 because I was exhausted with jet lag and didn’t think much else but then I realized I was also sick. I did not have a fever or shortness of breath and did not travel to a high risk country so they did not test me. I have not been to work since then and the only time I had left my house beside work, was 6:30 am Monday morning to pick up a few groceries. I figured I’d stay home for a week just to be safe.

Then my boss called me this morning and my company has decided that anyone who has been in a foreign country will have to have a 2 week quarantine before they can come back to work. So I’ll be off for another week. They are going to bring my laptop to me though so I can get some things done. I feel bad for those at work that are doing my job, but I can also understand the need to be safe and not spread disease and me staying home is an easy way to do that.

Oddly enough, the saying on my letter board right now says: Reading takes you places when you have to stay where you are. Funny. And a good thing I have lots of books to read and I can borrow online from a few sources.

Also, I was looking at my pantry this morning. We have been told for years and years to have a supply for hard times. I’ve done a half-assed job of it but I do have more than I thought. I have plenty of dry goods, toilet paper, cleaning supplies and other things that will come in handy. I have water stored, although it’s not enough if I didn’t have a good supply. And I’m a little low on canned goods.  Still, I’m grateful for a church that teaches preparedness and I’ve listened a little bit. I can see where I need to make improvements.

Anyway, who would have thought I’d end up quarantined after my trip. Not me, that’s for sure! It’s happening to a lot of people so I’m definitely not alone. I’m just so, so grateful that my quarantine is happening in my own home.

Thanksgiving Week

Spent the whole week off work and having myself a little stay-cation. It’s been such a needed break. I don’t think I did much of anything useful but I wasn’t really supposed to. I went shopping with my mom on Monday and almost all of my Christmas shopping is done. Tuesday, mom and I went to the temple in the morning and then I did some errands like getting the oil changed in my car. I took it easy on Wednesday and made rolls.

Seeing pans of dishcloth covered rolls on the the table on Thanksgiving morning is one of my favorite childhood holiday memories. To this day, it makes me happy. Of course, I don’t get up as early as my mom so I rolled them out on Wednesday morning (at a normal time) and then let them rise and baked them that afternoon.

I also got to use the little bread basket thing I picked up last year in Austria. I never use it just for myself.

And did I mention it snowed!! Yay!!! It snowed off and on almost all week. And it dumped overnight on Wednesday. Lot’s of heavy snow. I was going to try and just drive through it out of my driveway but the plow truck came by and I was not going anywhere. So I shoveled myself out. I haven’t shoveled snow in a long time. That’s hard work!

We made candy on Friday, of course. Although we cut it back this year and I’m glad we did. It only took a few hours and then we were able to clean it up and watch movies. My nephew was dying to go back to Best Buy (he had gone early with his dad, but he’s a very slow decision maker) so I told him I’d take him in the evening. It was busy, but not so bad I couldn’t handle it. And luckily, he knew what he wanted and we weren’t there very long.

On Saturday, my mom and I took most of the kids to Frozen II. Then we tried to go to Ogden’s Christmas parade and lighting of the Christmas Village. Ha ha... yeah, that was a total bust. Below is the happy picture. Then there was lots of complaining. I mean, I was prepared and even I was cold so I don’t blame them. The parade was kind of slow and the kids weren’t really interested in it. Plus, you couldn’t see all of it through the people. So we left before it was even over. Missed all the lights. And it’s ok. We went and got hot chocolate and then I was home and wrapped up in a blanket. So that’s not something I want to try again unless we end up with a warmer and less snowy Thanksgiving in a few years.

Like I said, it’s been a great week. I’m so thankful for my family and my warm house and the really good life that I can live. I’ve been very blessed. And you know what? I’m ready to get back to work and into my regular routine. That seems weird to say since I’m always complaining about it. Guess I’ll try not to complain and be grateful that I have a job and a routine. 

Farewell, 2017

Everybody, everywhere seems to be talking about what a crappy year 2017 was. I have to agree with a lot of it. In some ways this was a pretty bad year. I stopped reading the news and most social media on the weekends because I needed to be able to get away from it. It's turned out to be a good decision.

But...this last post at the end of the year is not about the crappy stuff. Good stuff happened too and that's what I'm writing about. I'd rather leave the year on a positive note. So here's a random list of good stuff that happened in 2017.

I went to Scotland with my mom and sister.
My family went on vacation to the Oregon coast.
I got new paint and carpet/floor and my house feels like a new place.
I dug up my ugly bushes out front and made myself a flower garden.
I made myself a home library out of one of my spare bedrooms and I love it.
I made music with my niece and newphew. They are getting better with the piano and clarinet.
I got to spend a lot of good times with my family.
I lost 10.5 lbs without really trying. It was a good shock. All the cooking and eating leftovers must be paying off.
And speaking of cooking, I've had a lot of fun cooking with my Instant Pot. I bought it during the 2016 Black Friday sales and this year my mom and sister both got one.
I've had some good opportunities at work and I feel like I do help out and make a difference.
I've spend the year playing the piano for the primary kids on Sunday and it's been fun.
I've enjoyed some of the movies that came out this year: Wonder Woman, Thor: Ragnarok, Beauty and the Beast, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 2.
I bought the first season of Wonder Woman (1975) and Charlie's Angels (1976) on sale this year and it's been fun to watch some of those episodes. I've only ever seen a few on re-runs. Times have changed and yet, they haven't. Lots of male chauvinism but the women deal with it and kick butt anyway.
Read lots of good books.
I've seen many theater productions with either my mom or my friend and it continues to be something I love.

I don't have a lot of plans for 2018 right now. The year will start with my next oral surgery but I might as well get it over with. We want to do a family camping trip. I have no set plans to travel but I have dreams so I'll try to make something a reality.

I don't always have a lot of optimism for the future, but it seems like maybe I should try as the new year begins. Who knows what can happen. I don't make new year's resolutions but I can resolve to have faith and hope that I will be able to deal with the bad and that there are good things to come.

Phase 2 = Complete, Plus Rainbows

My house is done! New paint and carpet upstairs. I love it! I’ve got everything back where it belongs (excepting a few things I still need to sort through). The last step happened on Monday when I put all my books on their new shelves in my new library. It took all evening! I love my home and I’m blessed to have it.

This past year I’ve had some “down in the dumps” moments and lots of times where I didn’t want to try very much at anything. The past few months with my home changes I’ve noticed many of my little prayers have been answered. Some were silly little prayers that probably don’t matter much in the grand scheme of things but they mattered to me and my Heavenly Father answered them.

Then the shooting in Las Vegas happened and life just seems depressing again. I’m not trying to pass over any of the horrible stuff there, but this morning was so beautiful. I wish I was a photographer and could have caught it. It was cloudy and raining in spots, but the sun was also coming up over the mountains and it was hitting the clouds with all kinds of color and then there were rainbows. In fact, one of the rainbows was one of the brightest and most brilliant I’ve ever seen. My words could never do it justice or really describe what I saw. I just couldn’t help but think that in the midst of all the crap, there is also a lot of good and this just kind of seemed like a sign that God is still in charge.  

Independence Day

People may think I'm a Scrooge (can I be a Scrooge in the summer?) but there are 2 things I really dislike about July 4th: fireworks and that cheesy "proud to be an American" song. Not so much the big fireworks shows put on by the cities, but the ones you can buy that people set off for hours at night. Just when I think they are done another big boom goes off. I know, I'm no fun... but I have to work in the morning. :)

And as my bishop said on Sunday, a better phrase might be I'm humbly grateful to be an American. And I am. I'm grateful for those who serve in all the branches of the military, now and in the past. I'm grateful for the good people who are the foundation of this nation. There is so much bad news and bad things people do but this nation is more than the bad news and the person who happens to live in the White House. It's the families and good people like my neighbors who are truly just trying to live a good life and stand for the right, even if it's in small ways.

My mom and I saw 1776 at the Centerpointe Legacy Theater last week. I've always liked it, even if it is a bit cheesy. I'm grateful for the people that founded this nation, imperfect as they were.

Anyway, I'm humbly grateful to live in this country and have the blessings and privileges that I have. To celebrate I slept in (I was tired after those darn fireworks last night). Later, my mom, and sister,  and I are going to see Wonder Woman at the movie theater. I kind of feel that's a pretty patriotic thing to do...ha ha. Then I'm staying indoors the rest of the evening. It's supposed to be 100 degrees today and I don't want to be outside at all. I'll try not to swear too bad at the people lighting off fireworks tonight.