Jelly Beans and Emotions

Well, I hope you all had a fabulous and loving Valentine's Day.  We did!  Back to the time with our girls.  On Sunday morning Laura woke up with a migraine that had started the night before. Sadly they are all too frequent for her.  So we stayed home and she rested and we never even got dressed  Sunday.  By the end of the day she was feeling lots better.  So we watched a movie we had been wanting to watch together for years.  It is called a Good Woman and is with Scarlett Johansson and Helen Hunt. It's kind of an oldie with a great message and beautiful scenery from the Amalfi Coast in Italy.   It was a familiar setting, not far from where Laura and Robert lived while there.

One of the things the girls and I have always loved doing is watching movies together.  Over the last 14 years of little ones to care for all day they would mostly drop into bed exhausted at the end of any days we spent together.  So we actually watched several movies while they were here and that was great fun.  Before Jen came we marathoned the entire 3rd Season of Downton Abbey.  Oh my, is all I can say for those of you that have not finished watching it yet.  Don't miss it if you love that period and time and excellent Masterpiece Theater offerings.  It doesn't get any better than Downton.

Lady Mary of Downton Abbey

Monday we had a myriad of things we wanted to do.  We set out for Travis Air Force Base to do some shopping.  That is always fun with great prices and we did pick up some wonderful items and groceries.  We wanted to prepare a great dinner for Jen when she arrived on Tuesday afternoon.  We were getting very excited about her arrival!    

Travis

After the base, we went to the Jelly Belly Factory to pick up some Jelly Bellies for Ross for his class presentation on  Ronald Reagan who was a big fan of Jelly Bellies and even had his own Red White and Blue signature Jelly Bellies.  Ross wanted some for his classmates so we got them for him.

The Crown Jewel of the day was going to see Les Miserables.  Absolutely the best movie out in ages.  I sure hope you get to see it if you haven't already.  Here is a little taste of it.  The original creators added another song that just may well be my favorite of all.  Here it is.  This is sung by Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean right after he has rescued little Cozette from the horrible Inn Keepers and taken her to raise as his own daughter.  It is called Suddenly

http://youtu.be/Lvi-ylOHRP8

We have seen it on the stage three times but I think the new movie is even better.  It fills in the gaps in the story so beautifully and with such emotion on the faces of the performers that you cannot miss anything.  They were all superb. Their performances may not be as musically technically correct as on the stage but the raw emotion will touch even a heart of stone.  It was a great day indeed!  The best part...being with my sweet girl.  Suddenly...my heart was full.

2 Dozen Joys Of Autumn

1. The color: PUMPKIN
2. Excited grandchildren that love picking out their own pumpkins.
3. Carmelized Apple Cider From Starbuck's.
4. Local Fall-Fest activities
5. Dried, salted pumpkin seeds
6. Nesting
7. Bringing out the cozy blankets and throws
8. Watching movies near the fireplace with Jim
9. The anticipation of the entire Holiday Season
10. Crockpot cooking
11. Candles and candy corn
12. The crackle of leaves beneath my feet
13. The smell of fireplaces burning in cozy homes
14. Goards and other seasonal decorative items
15. Carving Jack-O-Lanterns with the kids
16. Not having to dream up costumes anymore!
17. Pumpkin bread
18. Corn stalks and hay bales
19. Scarecrows
20. Red, gold and yellow leaves on and off the trees

21.  I also love all the fun photos of the kids playing and having fun this time of the year. Isn't it sad that we don't do this kind of stuff when we grow up? Maybe we all should in a few weeks when the leaves are deep on the ground and it is cool and crispy out. Thanks for the idea, Zachary!



22.  This Beautiful Autumn Wreath that my good friend, Sydne, made for me. I love this wreath! I love all the feelings of the approaching holidays it stirs up within. It is my favorite time of the year.

23.  Pinterest for the most beautiful array of fall photos you have ever seen. Take a peek  
       http://pinterest.com/onedesigner/autumn/ 

24.  The crisp cool air, the need for a sweater, hoodie, or jacket.  It is invigorating.

Forget Me Not

President Deiter F. Uchtdorf shared a precious message with the sisters of the Church at the Relief Society Session of General Conference. This conference session can be viewed in its entirely at http://lds.org.

This is one Special Witness of Jesus Christ and his heart is always in the right place, always knowing just what we need to hear to be uplifted and strengthened. But this talk was above and beyond. It seared a lot deeper and meant much more to me and I know others felt the same. I am so happy that I decided to attend this special Saturday afternoon meeting last weekend.

President Uchtdorf is from Germany and has such a delightful voice and accent. And his wonderful spirit will touch your heart as he speaks of God's love for each of us. Stop over and hear it for yourself!

“No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you, with an infinite love.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, gave this loving reminder during the General Relief Society Meeting on September 24, 2011.

Using the forget-me-not flower as a metaphor for his remarks, President Uchtdorf noted that although the flower is small in size, and easily unnoticed among larger flowers, it is still beautiful and vibrant.

President Uchtdorf tied the five petals of the forget-me-not flower to five things women should not forget.

Forget not to be patient with yourself:

President Uchtdorf reminded women that everyone has strengths and weaknesses—that no one is perfect, even those who may seem so.

“God wants to help us eventually turn all of our weaknesses into strengths, but He knows that this is a long-term goal,” President Uchtdorf said. “It is OK that you are not quite there yet. Keep working on it but stop punishing yourself. “

“Dear sisters, many of you are endlessly compassionate and patient with the weaknesses of others,” he added. “Please remember also to be compassionate and patient with yourself.”

Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice:

President Uchtdorf defined an acceptable sacrifice as giving up “something good for something of far greater worth.”

“Dedicating some of our time to studying the scriptures or preparing to teach a lesson is a good sacrifice. Spending many hours stitching the title of the lesson into homemade potholders for each member of your class may not be.”

President Uchtdorf noted that every situation is different, and suggested asking, “Am I committing my time and energies to the things that matter most?” in order to distinguish between good and foolish sacrifices.

Forget not to be happy now:

Using an example from the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, President Uchtdorf described how one of the characters, Willy Wonka, hid golden tickets within chocolate bars, promising to reveal wonders to five people who discovered the tickets.

“In their anxiousness, people began to forget the simple joy they used to find in a candy bar. The candy bar itself becomes an utter disappointment if it does not contain a golden ticket,” President Uchtdorf said. Whatever a “golden ticket” may represent to each person, President Uchtdorf warned Relief Society sisters to not put their happiness on hold as they wait for a future event, or golden ticket, to appear.

“The lesson here,” he said,” is that if we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us.”

Forget not the “why” of the gospel:

President Uchtdorf said that sometimes, in the routines of daily life, the vital aspects of the gospel of Jesus Christ are unintentionally overlooked. “We sometimes see the gospel as a long list of tasks that we must add to our already impossibly long “to do” lists. We focus on what the Lord wants us to do and how we might do it, but we sometimes forget why.”

President Uchtdorf reminded the sisters that the gospel is not an obligation, but a pathway leading to happiness and peace in this life and “glory and inexpressible fulfillment” in the life to come.

Forget not that the Lord loves you:

In closing, President Uchtdorf said, “Just think of it: You are known and remembered by the most majestic, powerful, and glorious being in the universe! You are loved by the King of infinite space and everlasting time.”

“You may at times feel a little like the forget-me-not—insignificant, small, or tiny in comparison with others,” he said, noting: “I hope (the forget-me-not) will be a symbol of the little things that make your lives joyful and sweet.”

More of the highlights of his talk can be heard here: Or obtain a full copy of the transcript.

http://lds.org/pages/general-rs-meeting-2011?lang=eng

The beautiful picture of the Forget-Me-Nots is being used by permission, thank you Julie!

The content of the talk, photos of President Uchtdorf are from lds.org

Chasing The Sun

Three mornings ago I woke up and looked out my office window and this is what I saw! Blossoms over night! I looked out in the back and saw many more. I always marvel at the timing of things like this. The trees know the exact hour of their blooming. I feel the joy of God being over all. Down to the tiniest blossom, He is the overseer. I am feeling a contentment in our lives I don't ever remember being so vivid before. I ask myself have I finally discovered the hour of my own personal blooming?

Maybe this is why we cannot pay nearly $600.00 to see Celine Dion even though I love her talents. I am finding such joy in the things that are ours for free. Things that last, things that create a heart print that is not easily forgotten at the curtain call. Things that deeply impress the eye, heart and soul. The beauty of this earth that does not have a price tag on it. Is it in this way that men are created equally? It is the man made things and situations of this world that make us balk at that phrase, but in God's creations it is made perfectly clear.

Our day trip this week was right in our own backyard. We drove around Mt. Diablo and viewed it from every compass point. We traveled the back roads chasing the sun. I wish we had two hundred words to express varying degrees and kinds of beauty. I just cannot explain the reverential awe we felt as we went and looked with eyes wide open at our gifts.

Being outside and focusing on the land is so refreshing
and elevating and we felt so joy-filled.

The sky was a real show all day. The clouds were moving constantly and the display and variations were amazing. Sometimes it was raining, sometimes it was white marshmallow puffs, other times misty and mysterious. We were supposed to get snow. This is a big deal at sea level. I think it has been over thirty years since snow fell on the ground here and stuck even for a nano second. So far no snow, the sun had other plans.

My all time favorite house in our town.
I go by hoping some day it will
be for sale but so far..no.
We have all that we want and
wouldn't be moving in reality,
but this is my total day dream house.

The grass is like apple green velvet
and I am loving that orange tree.
A bit of heaven on earth!

Be still my beating heart~
I am not coveting I really am not!
Just enjoying the view at my dream house.

Up the road a piece,
I just had to walk under this canopy
of pink blossoms.

Across the street even more pinkness.

Was the inspiration for the pink and blue
80s decor found right here?

Mt. Diablo behind the misty clouds.

Peaking out to give a photo opp.

If your eye could see this for real, it was just breathtaking.

One of my favorite vista points in the area.
Again not fully captured in two dimensions,
it needs 3D 360 surround for the full effect.

For Jim, he loved this sinking tractor.
He is such a boy! (Thank Heavens!)

Who can find anything wrong with
their life when gazing upon this?

The creeks were filled with muddy
water from the rain soaked banks.

Our view of the south side of the mountain as we ate lunch~
dashboard dining, it was freezing out.

It is in these moments I feel the most companionship in our marriage. I feel it is just us, no interruptions, no ringing phones, no computers, just us. No one tapping on our shoulders or knocking on our door for something, no household hassles, just us. Stripping all that other stuff away gives me 20/20 vision for the man I married and the happiness of it. I love that! It is in these moments that I love us and what we have together. All the challenges, the memories, the spiritual oneness, the babies, the grandbabies, the home...all of it. All worth it, all of the most value, a great and simple life.

Cotton ball clouds dwarfing the mighty oak on the hill.

Back lit by the sun! We found it!

We traveled some very tiny one lane roads,
no room to pass and this guy was not budging.

This one looking at the other one as if to say,
"Get out of the road, Bird Brain!"

Rusty countryside charm.

Cattle grazing and lazing in the sun.
What a spectacular day!

People are constantly asking us how we like our new life and being retired. I wish there were more expressive words, at least 200 of them, that could express our thoughts of love and family, contentment, gratitude, peace and happiness. That could express how we love the big and small things of it, the time we have to enjoy and serve others, the way our testimony of God grows daily, the way work is so enjoyable on your own time clock and terms! It is just all good.

The things that use to just whiz by at high speed now just wait and linger and fill us up. It like sprinkling MSG on your life. Everything seemed enhanced and delicious. It is just being high on life and we love it. And these little day trips we take seem to be very instrumental is making us see and appreciate what has always been here. So it looks like they will continue as long as there is some place to explore and enjoy!

Poetry In Motion

Part II of the previous post about
The Royal Carriage and Her Little Highness.

Hazie's first evening in the Royal Carriage.
She is a fast learner!

How to Make a Grown Man Cry!

Jen asked her Daddy and Lowell to help her figure out a way Hazel can get around. She is a typical 2 year old and ready to do some boot scootin' around on her own. The Physical Therapist had brought her a little belly board but that just didn't work so... look what the guys made for her! They spent the better part of the day in Chris' garage, Santa's new workshop! This scooter sits 1/4 inch above the floor and has recessed wheels. She should be able to go where she wants once she learns how to use it. This is life changing for our little Hazie!

She gets on.....


She Ponders....

She's Feelin' The Love
And...
She Gets it!


Below is our attempt to record this on video...
tear-filled eyes don't do it so well.
Can you guess now why I love my husband
so much and our sons, Chris and Lowell?

This should be entitled "The Beginning!"