there really are miracles....

miracles, i believe, mostly come in small packages...
here are some examples....
ashley and i were supposed to go to california and some nasty snow storms were coming through utah...
it was supposed to snow through thursday night, when we were supposed to leave....
i was a little nervous that the roads would be snowy and icey.....
but our prayers were answered and the roads were clear the whole way....

last weekend, ashley and i drove to california....
i was a little worried because driving long distances is not my strong suit....
as i was driving, i got all teary-eyed and told ashley that i felt that god was protecting us and helping me stay awake to drive all these hours....
granted, i had ashley to spell me when i needed it, but i couldn't believe how alert and awake i was for that long of driving....

from the time that kelsy jordan got her mission call, i felt impressed to offer to go through the temple with her....
her mom was able to go too, but wanted me to be her escort....
what a beautiful temple and beautiful experience....
the san diego temple is breath taking, both inside and out....

kelsy gave a great talk....
it was short and sweet and to the point...
i was able to see the beautiful spirit and testimony that kelsy possess....
i was grateful to see that side of her...

the drive home was done in one long day.....
but, we made great time.....10.5 hours includes stops....
ok, so maybe we booked it home....
but, god protected us again and helped us both be alert and awake when we needed to be...

these may seem trivial, but to me they are small miracles and i know that god had a hand in helping us be the recipients of these small miracles....
for that, i am grateful!

"trust in the formula"

"A few years ago, the father of one of my friends was taking an engineering exam. He plugged variables into the formula, worked the equation, and obtained his answer. The answer, though, wasn't a whole number (like the problems the teacher had been working as examples during the previous week in class). The student changed his answer to a more satisfying whole number. When he received his exam back, he learned that he had missed the problem. The fraction that he had first calculated was indeed correct. Next to the problem, his teacher had written: "Trust in the formula."

The Lord has given us a formula, or pattern, that when followed will bring us success in life. Too often, though, we do not "trust the formula" and try to cut corners or do things our way.

One of the best things we can do is to understand that by following the Lord's way will bring the greatest happiness and success.

As the Lord stated in D&C 52:14: "And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived.""

I really liked this story and article, so I thought I would share it with all of you....

May we all learn to "Trust in the Formula"......

let there be love.....

to celebrate valentine's day, i......

*went to swimming class.....
*went grocery shopping to make a meat and potatoes dinner for the guys in our home....
*baked some peanut butter cookies and put a reese's peanut butter cup in it.....yum!
*read ashley's funny blog.....guess she is dreaming of receiving flowers for valentine's...haha....
*working on making a great dinner.....
*celebrating 23 years with my sweetheart, mark.....
*going to have family night......
*what better way to know that you are loved than to learn about the love that jesus has for each of us....

happy valentine's day!

listening works.....

i set a goal this year to listen to the spirit more....
and not just listen, but to act when prompted....
sometimes i feel like i don't listen very well...

i am grateful for the tender spirit that has helped me listen and act lately....
i am not trying to brag when mentioning these things....
just that i can learn from them when i write them down....

it was a sweet experience when kelsy jordan opened her mission call at our home....
i was touched by her wanting to do it here and touched by the spirit that came with her call...
but, later, was prompted to call her in california about being her escort through the temple because she didn't have anyone to go with her....
it was probably more tender for me than for kelsy, but i am grateful for the prompt to call and for her to accept the offer......

yesterday, i was prompted to call my nephew, matt walter......
i didn't get to it until today, though....
i wasn't sure why i needed to call him and i am still not sure.....
but, i think he just needed someone different to talk to about his decision to break up with his girlfriend for good...
it was a sweet conversation and i don't know that i really helped him, but wanted him to know that we love and support him in whatever he does....
when i got off the phone, i just started to cry.....cuz i'm a baby like that....;0)
but, more importantly, i knew that it was the right thing to do to call him......

i am grateful for my heavenly father and for his tender loving care....
i know he needs me to listen and act, so that i may be an instrument in his hands....
i am grateful that he knows me and wants to help me with my goals.....
i recognize his hands in my life.....

i love my family very much....
they all are an inspiration to me!

have a happy day!

happy birthday, mark!
you're that great age of 45....welcome to the club!
i love you and i am grateful for you!

thank you material designers!

so last week, i attempted to make a "self-binding" blanket....
supposedly it is the easiest blanket to make...
it is the easiest blanket to make....i've made lots!
well, one mistake led to another and i now have a blanket that i will save for my future granddaughter.....:0)

off to the store i go again....
different store, because i pretty much know the workers in hobby lobby fabric dept. by name....(that's embarrassing)....
the other store has lots more choices on my favorite fabric....."minky"
oh, so cute....oh so soft!
minky fabric is one of those fabrics that make you melt into it because it's so soft!
when you do the "self-binding" blanket right, it turns out darling!
yeah!!!! i did it right!!!! darling!!!!!

i love all the different patterns that are put into fabrics.....
i may be weird, but i love to go peruse the fabric store just to see all the cute fabrics....
good thing i can't always think of something to make with it or we would be broke...living on the street with all the cute fabric!

happy sewing!

where's barbara?

text conversation with my daughter on wednesday, jan. 5th:

(mind you, she is almost 21 yrs. old. ;0))

ash: hey, i left barbara (her stuffed manatee) and my new measuring tape at home. Could you bring them friday (to add's game) please?

me: (later that night) i can't find barabara....

ash: weird. maybe i did bring her here (to school). who won the game?

me: lone peak of course. they are good.

ash: shoot.

me: let me go look again........wait for about 5 minutes......

me: you won't believe where i found her....under dad's pillow. looks like he likes her, too. =0) looks a little slobbery, too.

ash: oh my gosh. i laughed so hard. please ask him why he has her. hahaha

me: after the florida trip he has a new appreciation for manatees.

ash: hahahaha...how did she get there though?

me: maybe dad was sleep walking....i don't know

ash: oh my gosh. that seriously cracks me up. maybe he was trying to hide it because he thinks i'm too old. haha

me: no...maybe he just missed sleeping with a stuffed animal.

me, mark, and addison.......lots of laughter because she really is believing all of this!

next day.......

me: did you want me to wash babara before i bring her to you?

ash: you can wash stuffed animals!!? yes please. she's so gross. like five years of drool.

me: and several nights of dad's drool.....gross!

ash: hahaha...that still cracks me up.

me: hahahaha....me too!

same day.........(to her dad)

ash: so i hear you stole babara and have been sleeping with her.....haha

that night (thursday)..............

i wasn't going to tell ash for a couple of days to see if she posted something on her blog.....but i had to tell her......i couldn't tell if she knew we were joking or not......

call.......

me: so, i wondered if you knew we were joking about barbara

ash: moooommmmm! i totally believed you! i am glad i didn't tell my friends.....i am so embarrassed.....i am blushing 10 shades of red right now!!

me: (laughing a lot!!!) i can't believe that you believed me! i wanted to wait to tell you to see if you would blog about it.

ash: i was going to blog about it, but i didn't want the whole world to know that i sleep with a stuffed animal.

me: (still laughing) well, april fools! we couldn't wait until april to play a joke on you because you handed us a perfect opportunity to play one now. we love you!

ash: thanks a lot mom! i am still blushing!

oh my! i haven't laughed that much in a long time! i just can't believe she fell for it!

april fools in january!

love ya, ash!

happy new year!

as they say....out with the old, in with the new :0)
i'm not sure that i accomplished all that i set out to do last year, but it was a good year!

ok...so i accomplished 50% of the 2010 goals....
1 - finished my quilt for my bed....it is beautiful
2 - volunteered....i do the fun bus (i take bus load of kids to football/basketball games) at jordan high and was pta pres. (glad i'm done with that!)
3 - came to know Christ.....i participated in the most amazing class and we read and discussed jesus the christ book. i truly feel that i have grown personally and came to know christ so much more.
4 - trained for a century ride....did the "little red riding hood" ride of 80 miles....love that ride....it is held up in logan, ut and is a great ride with wonderful scenery, great ride support, and fun friends to do it with. wasn't able to do a triathlon, but am going to try again.
5 - organize my home....i made a great effort in doing this. i organized and put together a filing system that i found online. it has worked out great and i can now file things and then find them again when/if needed.



so here are my new goals......2011
1 - learn to listen and act on promptings from the spirit
2 - read the book of mormon and lesson scriptures, too
3 - train for/participate in a sporting event or two (tri/century ride/run)
4 - learn spanish (continued from last year)
5 - read/study the conference talks
6 - finish personal progress
7 - learn to be happy in the place i'm at in life
8 - save money to go on a humanitarian adventure
9 - go to the temple at least 2x a month
10 - memorize the living christ
11 - work on picture books monthly

here we go....here's to a new year and a better me!