Snow Day!

We finally got snow! I was skeptical this morning when it was mostly rain. I took the morning off to celebrate my birthday and when I left my house around 9, I did not think we would truly get much in the way of snow. However, when I came out of the first store, my car was white. And it's been coming down ever since. 

I got a cute little bud vase and found some flowers for it.

My original plan had been to take the morning and drive to Salt Lake to some indie bookstores, but then I decided to stay around town. It turned out to be a good idea. I ended up with a new pair of walking shoes and a tall plant stand for my bedroom. It's white, but I got a can of spray paint at Michael's as well so when it dries out, I can change the color. My plant is now much higher up and closer to the window where it can get a lot of indirect light. I had my birthday Dr. Pepper at lunch and I have tickets to a play this evening. I think the snow will be stopped by then. 

I may still hit up some bookstores this weekend. I've got a few I'm looking for. We'll see. I've got a ton of laundry to do. I'd like to find a pair of water shoes for water aerobics so the pool doesn't keep taking the skin off my big toes. I'm loving water aerobics, but that part is annoying. But with that, I think I'm about done with birthday shopping month. 

And the snow is still coming down! This makes me so happy. 

Earth Day

It’s been a very nice day. I’m not sure that I actually saw any sun or blue sky. It’s been overcast and a little drizzly in spots. That didn’t stop us though. I started the day meeting my mom and sisters and a few of their kids at the library where they were giving out packets of lady bugs for Earth Day. We’ve gotten lady bugs a few years now and it’s always fun for the kids. This year they gave them to the adults as well. Mine got donated to another niece who couldn’t come which I’m cool with.

Then we all headed down to a huge nursery for plants and flowers. I was trying so hard not to go overboard (and succeeded!) that I actually have quite a bit of space in my flower garden still. However, it’s still a little cool and I’m not sure how many of them will survive so we’ll see how that plays out. My biggest score was that I found a gargoyle for my garden. I’m very happy about that. I’ve wanted one for years but only ever saw them online so it was hard to tell size and stuff on some. I’m not putting it out yet because spring is barely here and I want the trees and bushes to actually have leaves on them, but it will go out maybe next month. 

It’s been fun. While I do enjoy winter, I’m glad spring is finally here. 

Let it Snow!

Yes! We finally got a good snow storm in the valley. The mountains have been getting some but I wanted it at my house for Christmas. I'm guessing I'll still have a little bit by the 25th since it's going to be cold this week and the storms aren't over yet.  

Last night I woke up around 4 am and looked out my window. I knew it was supposed to snow and it was raining when I went to sleep. It was absolutely beautiful to see the snow coming down and there were no tracks of any kind in it yet. It was pristine. All white and pretty falling down from the sky. 

Needless to say, I'm in a great mood. I do love newly fallen snow. 

Birthday Subscription Boxes

My birthday presents to myself this year were mostly subscription boxes. I wanted to try a couple new ones. The first one was a bit of a bust. I got 1 month of Finders Seekers, which is a type of mystery game where you look for clues in the items in the box. I thought it might be fun to play with my family. We’re not that kind of family, I guess. We used the hints on every clue and did solve it, but we did it mostly to just get it over with. It’s similar to the Outfoxed board game, which is more for kids and my family loves, and prefers, to what this box had. Oh well, we tried it and now we know. 

The second box was from Introverts Retreat. I did this one on a whim at the last minute and had very low expectations. Book subscription boxes always look fun, but I am very picky about my books and rarely read mainstream or literary fiction. I absolutely loved this one. I got to choose my drink (hot chocolate) and genre (romance, which I picked because I figured it was a throw away book anyway and mysteries I don't pick myself never work out). The book they sent was a Georgette Heyer that I don’t have and will absolutely read. And the treats and candle are just fun. I was only going to do one month of this one but I’m going to do another one because I liked it so much. A win, for sure.

 

And finally, I got myself a 3 month Succulents Monthly subscription. I get a little plant in the mail along with a pot and soil. The first one came and it looks like it might be a fun little box that I will be happy to get. However, the succulent was frozen and all of the little leaves had fallen off. Are they even called leaves on a succulent? I contacted the company and they are sending me another plant. That’s really great of them. Now that I’ve seen the type of plant I’m supposed to be getting, I really want it. I’m hoping for better weather in March and April so hopefully my next couple months of plants survive the shipping. 

So another great birthday month is over for the year, but the presents will still be coming. Ha ha ha

Great Rainy Weekend

 I took Friday off work and gave myself a 3 day weekend. It was so wonderful. I even got out of bed 15 minutes early this morning without being grumpy and got to leave for work without feeling super rushed.

I was going to do a lot of things on Friday but it was trying to rain so I slept in and then got up and ran some errands. Once the rain started for real, I made homemade applesauce and then went into my library and made myself comfortable with a book or two. I read all afternoon and it was so nice and relaxing.

On Saturday I went to the farmer’s market in the rain. I was dressed in layers with my waterproof hiking shoes and rain jacket. I was wet but it was so nice to have the water. My mom and I went to breakfast after the market and then I went home and spent the afternoon and evening cooking and reading.

The sun finally came out on Sunday and when the clouds left, I could see the tops of the mountains have a dusting of snow. My only real plan for the weekend was to enjoy October and I think I can say I did. Even if I wasn’t outside quite as much as I had planned, it was a great weekend.

Theater

I spent a few days last week in Cedar City for the Utah Shakespeare Festival. This year I went with both my mom and my niece. We saw The Comedy of Errors and Pirates of Penzance. Both were excellent, although Errors might have been my favorite. I’ve seen Pirates twice before but decided if my niece is going to do theater, she needs some exposure to Gilbert and Sullivan. In the play orientation before Errors started, the guy had said something about you won’t have any problems understanding what’s going on because they speak English. He was correct. I didn’t have any problems understanding it at all although I feel that’s partly due to the great acting. I borrowed the ebook before we left but didn’t get past the first page. LOL I just wasn’t in the mood to fight my way through the text. It’s much more assessable in the spoken form for some reason. It was nice to get out and it was so nice to be back at the theater. I didn’t mind wearing the mask at all if it meant I was back.  We already plan to go back next year for sure.

A very old poster from the festival on display at SUMA. 

I’m super tired of the news and COVID and problems this morning. I guess that means I’m taking a break from some online stuff for at least today. I was listening to an online Sunday school lesson yesterday and the guy talked about how there were sunflowers everywhere he didn’t see, even in his own backyard. So this week I’m going to try and focus on how God is already in my life, I just have to see Him. I know that will help me get my balance back.

Hello April

I'm working from home today because of an early meeting so I'm sitting in my chair looking out the window, watching it snow. Yes, it's snowing. I actually love snow in April. For one thing, you know it will be gone soon after it stops. But also, it's so pretty. The grass is green and there are green buds on the trees and white flakes floating in the air.  It's not coming down in buckets, just lightly snowing and making the everything wet. We had a beautiful, sunny weekend and now we have have a beautiful, wet weekday. I love it!

Hello, January

This morning, because it’s snowing, or because it’s January 3rd, or for no reason whatsoever, I decided to eat my breakfast on my china. French toast and chocolate milk. Tasty!

People all over seem to be so happy 2020 is over. I mean, I guess I am, but I don’t see anything changing in 2021. Not in the beginning. My attitude is what has to change. I’ve been doing ok and have pretty much come to the conclusion that 2020 was just another year. It was a hard year, but so many years are for so many reasons. I do not make new year’s resolutions but I do like the idea of starting fresh. LOL I don’t have to say I’m going to exercise more or eat better because I’ve already been trying to do that and I don’t need the start of a year for that. I just need a new day. 

On instagram, I did see a couple things for the new year that I decided I wanted to try. The first was BAYMTGO, or Begin As You Mean To Go On. Her idea was to just do something for 15 minutes and then make time for it during the year. No matter what it is. So I sat down and played the piano for 15 minutes on January 1. I love playing it, and while I might not be great, I could be a little better if I played more. I play for myself and it relaxes me and makes me happy so why not spend a little more time doing it this year?

The other thing was an author that shared her new year motto: Now’s the time. The idea behind it is to do that thing now instead of waiting for the perfect time, which may never come. So I ate on my good china this morning. I picked out a new book to read that I’ve been meaning to read for awhile. Over the holiday I was talking to my sweet neighbor and we found out we both like Charles Wysocki 300 piece puzzles. So yesterday we both put on our masks and she brought me over 2 of their puzzles I don’t have and I sent her off with a few of mine. They are probably in their 80s and I think it is so cool that we have a puzzle exchange going now. 

So yeah, I do feel hope for the year and the fresh start but it’s my attitude more than anything that’s going to keep me going. I need to remind myself to come back to this post in a month or so when my attitude needs an adjustment. :)

Random Weekend

We had a small family reunion on Saturday. My aunt and uncle had come from Virginia and we got what family could be there together. This picture is the kids that are left from the William and Lura Hadley family. My mom is the youngest (though not technically, but that’s another long story). I’m really not sure who in this picture is the oldest. I looked on Family Search but none of these kids are listed. Just 6 of the older kids, who are gone. Anyway, large family.

Before the reunion I had stayed the night at my sister’s house. Her and my brother-in-law had made plans to be away and she didn’t want the kids staying alone all weekend, even if my nephew is 16 now. It was easy to spend the night there and I got to sleep in a bit since the kids could get up and do what they wanted in their own house. We had candy and popcorn for breakfast as we watched a Phineas and Ferb movie. I don’t know if that makes me the best aunt or the worst. Ha ha...

After the reunion we headed down to Kaysville to watch my 8 year old niece play in a soccer game. The weather was really perfect yesterday. Not too hot and the smoke from all the fires has cleared out. For now. 

Now I’m having a lazy Sunday. I had toast and blackberries for breakfast. My sister’s blackberry bush is still producing berries so I picked a couple handfuls while I was there. I’m going to watch a broadcast of church and cook a little bit and enjoy the silence of my home for today. I truly do have a good life with all its ups and downs.

Vacation Dreaming

I think I might have figured out the perfect trip to take this year. It came to me this morning and I’m feeling kind of giddy over the whole thing. It’s kind of been bugging me that I have no vacation plans this year. I mean, I have one week kind of figured out and we want to do a family camping trip but that will be a weekend, at the most.  People at work ask where I’m going this year and so far I’ve said “nowhere”.

And it still might be nowhere, but I now have a specific dream in mind. All I’ve done so far is a quick google search for the time period I need and probable city to fly in and out of. But I think it can be done. I can’t say anything to anyone yet because I don’t want to jinx myself. LOL Well, I did call my mom because she would be up for this one (there would be shopping involved J ) and she is definitely on board. It’s way too early to plan anything for sure. So much in life can change, but now I have lots to dream and think about and later this year I can make it a reality.

It’s a nice change to feel optimistic instead of the winter blues.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas a day late.
Had fun on Christmas eve with my mom and sis. We kept with family tradition and did a puzzle. Don't tell anyone we quit before it was quite finished. We got tired of the hard part. Lol too bad dad wasn't there to finish it for us. We spent the night at mom's which means we were up early because she doesn't know how to sleep in. Ha ha it's really not a big deal.  We also got snow so it really felt like Christmas. The rest of the family came over and we made homemade Chinese food for lunch and then unwrapped presents. The kids are so much fun. It was a good holiday.

Easter Weekend

My Easter weekend was fantastic.

Friday night I got to babysit my 1 year old nephew. He’s so adorable!  We went for a walk…and then had to go for another walk because he climbed back in his stroller. Then we played with toys and I managed to get him to go to sleep right before his parents came home.  

Saturday I slept in and then the family spent the morning at my mom’s house.  The kids decorated eggs and we had a barbeque. We do the candy, eggs, Easter bunny part of Easter on Saturday. Then I went to my sister’s house with my mom. Anna bought a bunch of pea gravel (?) or whatever it’s called to put around her raised garden beds and my mom and I helped her. Then on the way home mom and I went to the drive in at Maddox for dinner. I love their turkey burgers. It’s been a long time since I had one.  I haven’t done yard work in a while now. I can’t say I really miss it.  

Then on Sunday I went to church. I had signed up to volunteer to sit with the primary kids once in a while so their teacher can make it to Relief Society for a break and yesterday my turn came around. So I went to Primary and sat with the kids during sharing time and singing time. It’s been awhile and I forget how disruptive some of the kids can be. But I also felt the spirit so strong singing those primary songs. It was a good way to celebrate Easter. 

After church I cooked. A lot. Ok – maybe not that much because I used my Instant Pot which made it easy.  I was tired of cooking by the time I was done, though. Now I don’t have to cook anything for a couple weeks. I’ll just have to add some fruits and vegetables to a few things I have frozen.  I had ripe bananas so I tried baked oatmeal that I can freeze for breakfast. It was ok. Not sure that I love the recipe I used but I would be willing to try another baked oatmeal recipe when I’m finished with these.

Anyway, it was busy but nice and relaxing at the same time.

Happy New Year

It seems like I can't get online or even go anywhere without people griping about what a bad year it's been. I could join them, I mean my dad died, tons of car problems, and then the election happened. But...

I'm joining the ranks of those that found something positive to say about the year. Looking back, a lot of good things also happened to me. Here are a few of them:

My nephew Alexander

Technically, he happened in 2015. He was born December 21. But I got to spend this year watching him grow into a darling cutie boy. I love all my nieces and nephews and I've got a fine crew of them.

I went to Paris!

Ha ha yeah, I went to Paris. France. And Mont St. Michel, so that's 2 more spots to mark off my bucket list. It really was a great trip and I got to go with a good friend. One day I'll go back with my sister and see more of France.

Family vacation to Oregon

This was my dad's dream and we had a fantastic time. He rented a house on the beach and the whole family was there. We made a photo album from Shutterfly and I love to look at it. So, so many good memories. 

Family time when dad died

I mean, it sucked. It really did. But on the other hand I am so blessed with my family and seeing all the friends and family at the viewing and funeral was more of a happy time than sad. 

Planning the next trip!

My mom, sister, and I are all going to on a trip together next year. To Scotland. We got a fantastic deal on the airfare and we spent Christmas day deciding where to go and where to stay. We are all super excited.

So yeah, some good things happened this year.  It seems like 2017 is filled with so many uncertainties and fear but I have hope. I have to have hope that good things will also happen. 

Count Your Blessings

Hard to believe Christmas will be here before I know it. I had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and long weekend. I spent time with the family and read some books and did some shopping (not on Black Friday) and made candy. We’ve officially decided to call it Brown Friday since that’s the day the candy making commences and chocolate gets everywhere. Oddly enough, with my dad gone, my mom got up early and started the chocolate melting. We started rolling and dipping right after I got there around 10:00 and were completely finished and had the mess cleaned up by 4:00. Seriously the fastest candy making year ever. I missed my dad being there. It was always his job to make sure the chocolate was melting and the nuts were chopped. Ha ha…the chocolate probably doesn’t dare not melt quickly with my mom in charge.

We also got a snow storm yesterday so there is white stuff all around. I hope it lasts so we can have a white Christmas. I’m almost finished with the Christmas shopping, even. 

But before I get too deep into Christmas, I want to take a few moments more to be thankful.

My car is still running

The internet – even though it distracts me way too much

Grocery stores so I can just go buy food

People that share recipes on Pinterest or the aforementioned internet

My piano

Electricity

My little home that may not be grand or fancy and needs new carpet but fits me perfectly

Hot water right out of the tap

Family game nights

All of my kiddos who are growing up so fast

And much, much more. Everything I have is because I have been blessed by my Heavenly Father.

Now the Christmas season can begin and I’ll still be counting my blessings. Did you see, I even put up a tree this year!

Summer Nights

Saturday night I took my sister up to Brigham to pick up her car then I took the highway home. I don’t drive it as much anymore since my parents don’t live up that way. It was dusk. There was the ending of a beautiful sunset and I rolled my windows down and turned up the radio. It was a great drive home. It smelled like summer: grass, trees, sprinklers, even the herd of elk on the highway.  I usually list summer as my least favorite season because I don’t like the really hot days and everything dries up, but summer nights like that one are actually pretty glorious.

Family Shenanigans

So a long time ago my dad bought a picture from a street artist. I’m not sure where. I don’t think he was even married to my mom at the time. I need to ask him. I think he said he paid $50.00 for it. Anyway, it’s never been hung in the house before, not officially anyway. My mom won’t allow it and I don’t blame her. I wouldn’t want it in my house either. When we were kids we used to think it was so cool.  The key is embossed and we used to like touching it and feeling it stand out. It was hidden in the garage for years and then a few years ago dad built a shed in the back corner of the garden and we took it out there for him. He always says he loves that picture but I think it’s mostly to annoy my mom.

Dads favorite picture, Moms headache

When they moved mom was ready to put it in the trash so my sister and I came up with the idea to sneak it out of the shed and home with one of us. We thought we were so funny. It ended up in my garage for a couple months. My mom noticed it wasn’t with any of the trash and told us she better not see it again.

My parents just had the porch on their new house turned into a sun room and my dad’s desk got moved out there so we figured it was time to hang up his picture. We had the grandkids keep watch while I snuck it into the house. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any wire to hang it so we stole a piece of yarn. The whole thing was a riot to us, of course. The yarn stretched and the picture didn’t even fit where we tried to hang it so we ended up just setting it on dad’s printer.

This ended up on FB

Anyway, the kids thought it was hilarious and we thought it was funny and I told my dad to smile and I took a picture and put it on Facebook. And my mom walked in and out of the sunroom at least 6 different times and never even noticed which really made the kids laugh.

Mom never did see it that night. We went home and she turned off all the lights and locked the doors, oblivious to the whole thing. Of course the next morning while I was at work, I got a voicemail from her telling me to tell my sister (yeah, that’s right, Amy got blamed, not me) that she had 24 hours to get that picture out of her house.  I understand it now has a place of honor in my sister’s garage. I say better her than me.

We get that painting out every few years and do something with it just to tease my mom. It’s a fun family activity.

A Day Late...

I tend to feel a day late and a dollar short a lot. I’m always behind on something. Ha ha… although ask me if I truly care. My tv watching these days is entirely streaming so I am always seasons behind or find out about a show I like when it’s over. I can have a celebrity crush and just know that they’ve already moved on and don’t look like that anymore, or are years older. Recently I heard one of those 80’s ballads that were so popular back then and I had never heard it before. Evidently it’s pretty famous. I had no idea. Sometimes I wonder how I really could have missed it but whatever.

I do try to keep up on current events to an extent, but other than that I’ve recently tried to limit my social media. I’ve decided I’m happier when I don’t get on Facebook very often and I still haven’t figured out the point of Twitter. Some of the people that pop up in the news, I don’t even know how they got famous and I really don’t care.

I went to visit a lady in my ward the other day. She had just celebrated a birthday and is 93. I didn’t know much about her but it sounds like she has done some fun things in her life with traveling and her kids and grandkids. And the things she’s experienced! She told us she looks back on her life and it’s been a good one and she’s very happy even if she’s not going as fast as she used to. I think she’s amazing and how wonderful it is to be getting to the end of your life and look back on it and see how good it was. Truly, the things that are important are not things. I was thinking that’s how I want to feel when I come to the end of my life.

I just celebrated my own birthday and realized (again!) that I am truly blessed. I’ve had a great time with “birthday shopping month” and I’ve spent time with friends and family and on my birthday even had friends and family show up at my door to bring me treats or sing to me.

Life is good even with the problems and even if I can’t keep up with everything. I know what’s important so I’ll just concentrate on that.

Foggy Morning and a Valentine

I love the concept of fog. I love it when I’m inside looking out at it. It’s that whole gothic, sprawling mansion, coastal cliffs, girl in danger thing. Yeah, I probably read too many books.  I don’t like driving in it and the tricks it plays on your vision.

Today’s commute to work was one of the most stressful I’ve had in a while. I’d rather drive with snow on the roads; at least I can see. We had a stretch of heavy fog all the way from my house to work. Usually, it’s just patchy and lets up so you can see and your eyes go back to normal. This was 30 minutes of heavy fog. I made it off the freeway to the intersection where I turn onto the highway where work is and I just sat there for a bit. I couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of me and I had to make a left turn onto the highway. I just prayed and looked as hard as I could, and pulled out into the road. Not a fun morning.

I had to go to our relief society activity last night. Ha ha… I say had to like it’s killing me. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t like RS activities in general. I made the decision when I became the RS president that we were only going to have them every other month, so 6 a year. I go to them because I want to support my counselor in charge of the activities. She does a great job with her committee. This one was just a kind of getting to know you night and we played a little game with those valentine candy hearts. Then we did another game where we wrote down something nice about everybody in the room on strips of paper and then everybody had a number and a valentine’s bag and put the paper in the corresponding bag. So I had 20 people say something nice about me and I got to take the bag home and read them.

I should know by now that I need an attitude adjustment. I seem to never learn. It was just a really nice evening and I got to talk to a few people that I don’t normally have a lot of chance to talk to. I think the sisters that came had a good time and hopefully they enjoyed reading all the nice things that were said about them. I know I did. Life is good and I am truly blessed, in spite of a crummy week and a foggy morning.

Quick Trip to Oregon

I love the Oregon coast. It’s truly one of my favorite places. I love how you can feel like you’re in the mountains and at the beach almost at the same time.



Near Devil's Churn

Cape Foulweather

Cape Foulweather



My parents rented a house just south of Waldport and I decided they couldn’t let that second bedroom go to waste so I flew up on Sunday and spent a few days there with them. It was great weather. The wind came up on the beach a little bit and I wished I had taken my ear muffs (or that great alpaca wool hat I bought in Peru) because they got cold, but other than that it was perfect. Seriously, waking up and taking a walk on the beach every morning is the best feeling. We did a little shopping, went to the cheese factory in Tillamook, walked on the beach, and just generally relaxed and had a good time.

View from the house

If I was ever going to own a vacation house, it would be somewhere along the Oregon coast. A girl can dream….
 

Seal Rock

Freak Snow Storm

We seem to get snow at least once during the springtime. I love it! Probably because I know it won't last and will be gone by the weekend. I love sunshine and blue skies, but there's just something about a storm (rain or snow, I'm not picky) that just makes me happy.

The view from my front window this morning:

And the view from my back window:

And it's still coming down. No signs of stopping yet. Too bad I can't be home with cocoa and a good book.