Our Ski Trip

Our Christmas present this year from Bryan's dad was a ski trip to Gatlingburg, TN together with Bryan's brother, Tommy & his family. It was a total surprise to the kids until the night before we left. It was so hard to keep it a secret! We had a fabulous time- we couldn't have done it better. None of us have ever skied before...and it showed:) We headed off to ski school and we were confident...our ski instructor however...asked us not to get poles just yet. He said we had enough to worry about without adding poles to the mix:) We can't wait to get back up on those slopes again. We went to a show at the Dixie Stampede where they had a live nativity and winter show...and no silverware to eat your lunch with- cornish game hen, pork loin, potato half, vegetable soup, corn-on-the-cob, biscuit & apple turnover....yum, yum, yum! I hope ya'll had a blessed Christmas- the best gift we got? Spending time and making amazing memories with those we love. Best wishes for a wonderful New Year to you all!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Thanksgiving Day

I hope ya'll had as wonderful a Thanksgiving Day as we did. We relaxed at home and played parade bingo then it's off to eat with the Mooneys. Enjoy the pictures! And send us pictures of your holiday!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Kickin' it old school

These made me smile.....1994! Time flies!

"And Nothing Shall Offend Them"

I'm in a blogging mood ya'll. I've got a little more time on my hands since the kids are getting more self-sufficient so I wanted to share. I was actually going to post this last week when I read it for the first time. But this morning after glancing through my reading I realized that this was the perfect time. I've been struggling lately to hear my true voice, not just what I've been taught....do I really think that is true? YES, I do. But that other thing you metioned? NO, I'm not down with that one....you know the drill. So I was very happy last week when I read a talk by Elder David A. Bednar called, "And Nothing Shall Offend Them" from Ensign 2006. Here's a portion and you can find the rest at www.lds.org

Comment and let me know if it resonates with your life too.

"When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.

In the grand division of all of God’s creations, there are things to act and things to be acted upon. As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we have been blessed with the gift of moral agency, the capacity for independent action and choice. Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation."

The Savior is the greatest example of how we should respond to potentially offensive events or situations.

“And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men”.

We've got ANOTHER holiday to worry about. It seems Thanksgiving Day is upon us. - Charlie Brown

It's almost Thanksgiving again. This time last year our family was dealing with such sad news affecting one of our closest family friends that we didn't feel much like celebrating. So, we stayed home and had a modest dinner with just the 5 of us. We didn't have tv so there was no Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on. Watching the parade at our house means playing parade bingo which I make boards for every year. I buy prizes for the winners and it keeps the kids busy for a few hours while I prep the Thanksgiving feast. While last year was very sad, we enjoyed staying home and relaxing in front of the fire. Nice and quiet.

As I'm thinking of things I'm grateful for...thank you Jaime... I realized how grateful I am for the love of such amazing friends and family. It's so comforting to know, as we approach the season when we celebrate the ultimate gift to us, that I give the gift of friendship and love to those around me because I feel it so often given to me. I hope you feel that as much as I do! Lots of love to you and Happy Holidays!!

I know I'm not alone

Before I started blogging I told my husband- I don't need a blog because I don't have anything to say. Well, I've got something to say- I've been very disappointed in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints recently because of their involvement politically. In the past I've taken pride in being a member of a church that so boldly encourages it's members to "vote their conscience" and not be "led blindly". And while the LDS members in California were probably voting their conscience I often wonder whether the church's involvement in passing this legislation crossed the line in so many ways. I'm not trying to change anyone's mind about the rights or wrongs of gay marriage....but I am saddened by the discrimination that has been so tolerated and encouraged. The history is plain- the LDS church fights against the Equal Rights Amendment (late 70s through early 80s), the LDS church refuses priesthood for blacks until the late 1970s and now Proposition 8.

This is not just a California issue for those of us in the LDS church who believe in equality for all. There are people who feel they can't worship at church because of the hostility going on in California wards. That kind of feeling has NO place in our houses of worship. I'm obviously going out on a limb here because like some of our California brothers and sisters I may possibly loose friends over my views- but I can no longer keep silent. Thank you to Barbara Young (wife of Steve Young) for voting her conscience and encouraging me to speak mine.

Barbara Young had sent a statement earlier Friday through the gay-rights group Equality California, saying: "We believe all families matter, and we do not believe in discrimination, therefore, our family will vote against Prop. 8."

"Twilight" in MY life

Last night at a chilly soccer practice I pulled out my newest purchase- Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. I have to have this book read before my friends and I go to see the movie in 3 weeks. I thought this would be a stretch due to my busy full-time Mom position but, ha ha ha- I'm now on page 426 out of 498. Imagine my surprise to find out on page 5 where this story takes place. Just south of the city of Port Angeles, Washington- home to my sister, Pam, niece, Chelsey, and my father, Brian. I took the kids there in September 2006 and we LOVED it! The first picture is from Brian's backporch, then us at the top of Hurricane Ridge, the last picture is from the ferry on the way back from Canada coming into Port Angeles. Enjoy the pics! Can't wait to start reading book 2!!