Liz has Talent

Liz is giving away this cool quilt...and it is HER OWN DESIGN!!!!!  If you would like to have a chance to win it, check it out.  You won't regret it.

Nauvoo...Again

So, Matt came home, and a few days later, Kipp and I took him to Nauvoo to see his grandparents.  We had a wonderful time!  We spent three days in Nauvoo, seeing the sites, enjoying the Spirit there, catching up with the grandparents, and attending the temple.  It was great to have him to ourselves, and to hear his mission story.  After Nauvoo, we spent the next three days in Missouri, doing more of the same.  We were joined there by our friends the Hudsons, who had traveled to Independence to pick up their son from his mission and see the sites.  Matt and Steve are good friends, so it was a great opportunity for them to reconnect with one another.  The weather was wonderful, in the 80's most of the time.  Autumn has not arrived there yet.  

HOME!

Three Days...

In three short days, I will be seeing this handsome young man.  In person.  It has been two years since I saw him last, and in that time he has learned much and served humbly as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I am so grateful for his service, and even though I am glad to have him back, I have to admit, I will miss his weekly letters.  

Paperdoll Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Paperdoll Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

I am trying this giveaway thing out.  This lady makes cute and simple stuff, and gives it away!

We Are Family!

We celebrated my Gram's 90th birthday on July 1st in Drumheller.  She now has 90 descendants, so we had a family reunion and 55 of us were able to attend.  The finale was the float in the parade.  We won 1st place in the "Antiques" category!  We all got a chuckle over that.  After all, Gram is a REAL antique!  Geoff pulled us along in his truck, and Dad and Aunt Pat entertained with their music.  It was a wonderful day to celebrate the life and example of our dear Mom, Gram, GG or Triple G.  We love her.

Ethan's favorite camera pose

Dad is all ready to start the music

Halfway along the parade route.

$$$$$$$$

This is my car.  I spent most of the day in it today.  I love this car.  It is great.  Comfortable. The problem is that it has quite an appetite.  I am down to my last quarter of a tank, and I know it is going to cost more than a hundred dollars to fill it up again.  My heart sank when I saw the price today--$1.29.9/litre.  

We have a dilemna; I know I drive a "guzzler", but it is paid for.  I think I really need a "sipper", but that would mean searching for the right new car, most likely having to make payments again, and then the whole ordeal of selling a car.  Do I really want to do that?  Do I really want to spend all my money "feeding" the car rather than the family?   For now, I think we'll keep her.

But this one might be kinda fun...

The finished Product.

I just realized today that I had never posted pictures of our finished renos.   I am posting pictures of the basement main room and bedroom, and also the kitchen.

On Health

I am a person who has been blessed to be healthy for most of my life.  I have learned over the last few weeks that I also take it for granted.  I am not thankful enough, and I don't use my time well enough.  As I have languished here for nearly the last three weeks, wishing I could just die, and feeling stressed about all the things that need doing that I just don't have the energy to do, I have made a pact with myself that when (see, I still have hope) I finally get better, I will do so much better at being grateful for good health and using my time more wisely...

All Dressed Up, and Nowhere To Go...

The countdown has been on...The list was provided, and Mom has been dragging herself from her sick bed each day to get one more thing crossed off.  Ethan is off to Europe with his school for a WWI/WWII Battlefields tour.  The last minute purchases have been made, Ethan's hard-earned money was deposited to the prepaid credit card, we made a trip downtown for Euros (nobody told me you can't just go to the bank to get them like US Dollars.  They have to be ordered.  And it takes 3-5 days)  Luckily we live in a big city with money exchangers downtown that always carry Euros.  We had to buy new jeans.  The old ones were ripped climbing over a fence...The laundry is done and folded and packed...in the bigger suitcase borrowed from friends because he needs room to bring back stuff.  We have power transformers and every kind of charger imaginable.  We have the journal and the rain suit and the duck boots and the mitts and the toque because it is unseasonably cold in France.  We have health cards and phone card and toothbrush and toothpaste and the Worms II game for the DS.  We are only missing one thing--A PLANE!  The flight was cancelled by British Airways this afternoon.  Now we have to wait two more days... 

Sick...

I have been sick since Saturday.  I think this really is the "House of Death" as Richard called it.  I invited my parents and Kipp's mom and stepfather for Easter dinner, and they prepared and cooked the food, and then cleaned up afterwards.  How's that for being an awful host?  Hoping that tomorrow will be a better day...

A New Grandchild!

Ashley and Trevor welcomed Samuel Don Smith last Wednesday, February 27.  We count our blessings to have this precious Child of God in our family.  I love these wonderful grandchildren.

Reflections on a Prophet

I am spending so time this morning reflecting on my memories of our beloved prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, who passed away last night. He truly is beloved. So many of those memories are of him in General Conference, bearing testimony of the gospel. I also enjoyed his remarkable sense of humor. I always looked forward to hearing from him. This last conference I sat in the conference center as he bore his wonderful testimony of the truth of this work. I will miss him.

I remember his finger, coming up as he spoke about things that were truly important.

I remember seeing him in the Saddledome and listening to his words.

I remember seeing him in Salt Lake in a sacrament meeting.

I remember him announcing the rebuilding of the Nauvoo Temple. and then dedicating it.

I remember his smile

I remember his interviews with Mike Wallace and Larry King

I remember his loving words for his wife, Marjorie, and his loneliness for her

I remember his amazing work ethic, a man who never slowed down. He just kept going.

I remember the 6 "B's"...Be Grateful, Be Smart, Be Clean, Be True, Be Humble, Be Prayerful

He asked us many times to just try to "live a little better".

I will try to do just that.

The church website has some wonderful pictures and articles about President Hinckley. I also just finished reading a wonderful and touching tribute written in the Deseret News this morning. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695247937,00.html

We will miss you, President Hinckley. Thank you for your wonderful example. Give Marjorie a kiss for me...

Our Town

Kipp and I went to see Theatre Calgary's "Our Town" last night. It is a wonderful play. I was touched by its message, and know I could learn from it. Life, in all its ups and downs, happy times and sad times, and even mundane times is truly a gift. Following are a couple of my favorite lines from the play:

Mrs. Soames makes the remark, "My, wasn't life awful--and wonderful," a line that somewhat summarizes the whole play, showing that life has both its upsides and downsides and that we never really notice the importance of our lives while we live them.

"Doesn't anyone ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute?" The Stage Manager responds. "No. Saints and poets, maybe; they do some." Wilder emphasizes that we, while we live, seldom appreciate the precious details in our lives.

If you have a chance, go to see it...

Grandad

My Grandfather passed away on January 8. He was 96 years old. He lost his sight and the use of his legs two years ago, and resided in Continuing Care in Drumheller. His later years were difficult, because he was always a "Doer" it was hard to be confined and living in the dark and relying on others for everything. As I pondered this, and the fact that he had lived 17 1/2 years since my Grandma passed away, I wondered why he had to linger so long. The answer came. There is a great refinement that comes when we suffer. There were tender times, when I came to visit and he held my hand tightly as we visited. He also was able to have a most wonderful experience a few years ago, in meeting a half sister he had never known about. Meeting her was a highlight of his twilight years. He would talk of his visit to her home in England and her visit to see him every time I came to see him. I am glad he was able to have those years, even though they weren't easy. I am also glad he can be now enjoying "happy reunions" on the other side.

A White Christmas...

I am posting some pictures from Christmas. We traveled to Drumheller a few days before Christmas so Elizabeth could see her Great Great Grandparents. We spent four days in Golden at the ski resort with Barbara and Lockey's family, and had a wonderful time. The skiing was fabulous, and the company was excellent. The gingerbread houses were second to none, and we had a rousing game of Apples to Apples. We ate "on top of the world" (Eagle's Eye Restaurant) on Boxing Day. A highlight of Christmas Day was being able to visit with Elder Craig. He is currently serving in Vancouver, Washington. Upon arriving home, we hosted my siblings and parents for a day, and then saw Kipp's Mom on Sunday and his Dad on New Years. Ashley and Trevor arrived back home safely from their trip to Wyoming for Christmas