Baby Blessing

Last Sunday morning, I got up and drove to Salt Lake for the day. What a beautiful drive, wending my way through the snow covered mountains and that crisp, clean, cold, air. Even though the storm on Saturday was horrendous, I felt blessed seeing the beauty it left behind. The reason for my day-trip was to see my first grandson, Lincoln Clark, be blessed. I got to Jordan and Stacey's in time to see Lincoln being bathed. He produced his own geyser and got to be bathed again. What a joker. It was touch and go for a while after he somehow got lotion in his eye. He has a very healthy set of lungs. And what a tug at the heartstrings to see his big blue eyes brimming with unshed tears. But finally, he was ready. Of course, Lincoln was very handsome in his formal attire of white shirt, black pants, and black and white polka dotted vest. And we made it to the church on time. The star was fast asleep. So we were able to hear the blessing. Two of Jordan's friends from high school were able to attend and stand in the circle along with Stacey's two brothers and Jordan and Stacey's fathers. What an amazing experience to observe your son take his newborn and, exercising his priesthood, give the baby a name and a blessing. Jordan obviously put a lot of thought and prayer into that blessing because it was beautiful. He blessed Lincoln to always know that his Heavenly Father and brother, Jesus Christ, loved him and to feel that love. He talked of the gift of the Atonement and how it applied to him personally. He blessed him with the gift of discernment in his choices throughout his life and the gift of faith. Then he told Lincoln how thankful his parents were to have him here and how much they loved him. There was more about serving a mission, being married in the temple, being an example, and things I have forgotten. I should have written this post that day. Needless to say, I cried. I was so touched. Jordan and Stacey are amazing parents, so much wiser than I was at that age. And Lincoln is an amazing baby.

5 Things Meme

Alyson tagged me to do this meme. It's a good thing, otherwise this blog may have died from neglect. 5 things I was doing ten years ago: 1. Working at the bank 2. 2nd Counselor in the Young Women's presidency 3. Teaching Cassie how to drive (not very well, I might add) Good thing she learned on her own. 4. Staying up late waiting for Jordan to come home. 5. Making angels for my Christmas tree. 5 things on my To-Do list today: 1. Make a shopping list for tomorrow 2. Clean the bathroom 3. Clean the kitchen 4. Write a book review 5. Get ready for home teachers 5 things I would do if I were a millionaire 1. Invest wisely 2. Plan for early retirement 3. Sell my house and move to Salt Lake 4. Travel 5. Make a will 5 Things I'll never wear again (or have never worn) 1. Halter tops 2. Bikinis 3. High heels 4. Bell bottoms 5. Wonder Bra 5 favorite toys 1. Lincoln 2. My computer 3. My camera 4. My books 5. My recliner 5 people to tag Sorry, I draw the line. Alyson already tagged almost everyone I know in Blog World and I think the rest of you should just do this because it's fun.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

After visiting the Salt Lake Book Festival, Susan, Mom and I traveled up to Fielding to visit with relatives. First we stopped in Brigham City and spent some time with Uncle Gordon, Aunt Carol and Cousin Pam. Gordon has been in the rehab center there, but we found him in good spirits and looking forward to returning home soon. Carol looks so much like my mother and it's joy to watch the two talking together. And Brigham City looked gorgeous in its fall colors. I'm glad there were still leaves left on trees, since Vernal is pretty bare. Next we traveled to Fielding for dinner with Uncle Donald, his wife, Eleanor, and Aunt Betty Jean. Mark and Davis met us there and we had a true feast. After dinner, we had the rare privilege of listening Mom, the aunts and uncle reminice about the past. Donald had some written histories of many of our ancestors. I need to get a copy of all of those. Great company and great stories. The next day, we traveled with Donald and Eleanor to Clarkstown, UT, just north of Fielding. After driving around for a while, we finally decided where aunts and uncles had lived in the past. Then we visited the cemetery which has a great view overlooking the Cache Valley. It's too bad there was such a haze from the California fires. We found Martin Harris' grave and others. It's a beautiful site with lots of elaborate head stones and markers. Finally, we drove into Logan and had lunch at Fredrico's. This was a favorite of mine from long-ago college days when we would walk up for salad and garlic bread. It was just as good as I remember. After a drive by the gorgeous Logan temple, we headed home. I love hearing stories about my ancestors, just wish we had recorded the tellings.

Fun Facts About Me

A good friend sent me an e-mail listing with these questions and her answers. It was fun to learn a little more about her. I was supposed to answer the questions myself and send the e-mail back to her and also to other e-mail friend. I decided it might be better to share these facts with those who read my blog. I'm not a great e-mail correspondent. I changed a few questions because some related to sending out e-mails.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No, my parents made it up.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Thirty minutes ago. I was watching a special about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. A very sick ten-year-old girl had requested to meet with a few members of the choir. When she arrived at the hotel, she found the lobby packed with the choir and visitors. Then they sang to her and it was beautiful. And yes, it made me cry.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING ? Not particularly

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Tuna fish

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? A son and a daughter-in-law, a daughter, and a gorgeous grandson. (Please see the previous post)

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Sometimes

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Unfortunately I do.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS ? Yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Never! The thought gives me chills.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Oatmeal

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Of course

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I used to be, but now, I'm not sure. I'm speaking mentally and emotionally. Physically, not a chance. I can barely open a jar.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Chocolate chip with those little tiny chips. Since that is almost impossible to find now, I'll say cherry nut.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their smiles

15. RED OR PINK? red

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF? My weight

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My kids

18. FAVORITE HOLIDAY? Thanksgiving

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black sweats and black fuzzy slippers

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Halloween sugar cookies

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The between general conference sessions documentary

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Periwinkle, pretty color and neat word.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Rain, baking apples, fresh cut grass

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? A customer

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Of course, she's amazing.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Swimming, gymnastics & figure skating

27. HAIR COLOR? A lovely blend of dark blonde with golden highlights. I suspect it's naturally very gray, but I try to avoid that like the plague.

28. EYE COLOR? Green with flecks of brown

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No

30. FAVORITE FOOD? This post isn't long enough. I love cheeseburgers and fries, everything at Thanksgiving dinner, pumpkin cookies, and let's not forget chocolate.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Transformers

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Gray

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer, but fall is my favorite

35. HUGS OR KISSES? I'll be safe and say hugs.

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate cake

37. FAVORITE TV SHOW? Dancing with the Stars (How could they send Albert home?) and Gray's Anatomy

38. FAVORITE BOOK THIS YEAR? The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? My mouse

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? I didn't watch TV last night

42. FAVORITE SOUND? Fog, it mutes everything

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles

44. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? St. John Newfoundland

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can roll my tongue over both ways and curl it into a tube. It's really very impressive.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? St. John, Newfoundland

47. LAST THING YOU BOUGHT ONLINE? Clothes

48. FAVORITE TIME OF DAY? Sunset

49. FAVORITE FLOWER? Peony

50. LAST CD YOU LISTENED TO? Five for Fighting "two lights"

Isnt' He Sweet?

What can I say? Being a grandma is the best thing in the world. It was so fun to hold little LIncoln while he slept. I love those little huffy-puffy noises he makes when he breathes really fast. I love the wrinkles in his forehead when he raises his eyebrows. I love the way he gazes up at his mommy when she talks to him. I even love the way his face crunches up right before he cries. I love watching his mom and dad change diapers. (It's a team effort) I especially love that they got me up at 6 a.m. to watch him him after his early morning breakfast so they could sleep some more. Wow, three hours with just LIncoln and me. Leaving Sunday afternoon and not knowing when I could visit again was the hardest thing to do, knowing he will change so much before I see him again. I guess it's for the best because I would hold him forever if his parents would let me. Isn't he adorable?

Meme

Booklogged has tagged me to do this meme. I like memes because they get me thinking about things that are tucked away in the recesses of my mind. Okay, most of these things haven't been tucked back too far and won't surprise a lot of you, but . . . live with it. I thought "tucked away in the recesses of my mind" sounded quite poetic.

Here are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself
3. Tag eight people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them)
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs.

So on we go to the Great Eight!!

1. I decorate my Christmas tree by themes. So far, I have an angel tree, a Santa tree, a snowman tree, a colors tree (big mutl-colored lights and lots of different colored and shaped bulbs, and a chartreuse tree (mostly chartreuse ornaments and wide ribbon with a little white and pink mixed in. As you can imagine, my Christmas decorations take up a lot of room in my house. I was going to post a picture from one of my family's progressive dinners (we go from house to house admiring the tree and eating a different course at each place), but . . . . . . . .
2. Blogger hates me. I did pretty good to get Blogger to let me do the title for this post. Adding a couple of pictures--out of the question. There was a good three months that I couldn't get into "Edit html" which created havoc on my admittedly basic posting skills. And everytime I edit an existing post, Blogger adds a few inches of extra space which I then have to edit out. What can I say? It's a love-hate relationship.
3. I am a reluctant Relief Society President. Love those sisters, but this is a trial of my faith. I guess it's just one more question to add to the list of things I need answers for when I get to the other side. Things like: Why are children starving in Africa? How come so many wicked people have it all and good people so little? Why wars? Aids? poverty? child abuse? Why me?
Important things like that. I don't want to see comments from any of you trying to make me feel better about this. Just let me wallow in my self-pity. But if you can answer any of the other questions, I loved to hear it and I'm sure Heavenly Father would appreciate it as well.
4. I am going to be a grandmother by the end of the week, or surely, the end of next week. Come on out and play, little Lincoln. Plus I get to stay and baby-sit for a whole week in November.
5. I raised two amazing kids as a single mother. Notice that I didn't say I raised them alone, because that was not the case. When I worked two jobs and went back to school for my degree, my mom watched my kids faithfully. She was always helping me get them to places and helping with costumes and school work, etc. etc etc. I also had the most amazing babysitter. This woman had fifteen kids of her own and took my two in and made them part of her family. The rest of my family were so good to include us in their family activities. Then there was the church and its members. How do you teach your kids all they need to know about being good, caring people by yourself? Thankfully, I didn't have to.
6. I am fifty-one. I read a book where the author said that fifty was the best time of her life. Hmmmm.
7. I love the commercial where a gorgeous man is standing in a large light-colored room, lots of big windows with gently billowing curtains. He leans on his hand against an elegant table set with china and crystal as he watches a beautiful woman gracefully enter the room in her flowing evening gown. The table tilts under his weight; he falls to the floor amid the crash of breaking dishes; and he jumps to his feet with the cutest sheepish grin. I haven't seen it for years, but I remember laughing out loud every time I saw it. I think it was an ad for a cleaning product but I'm not sure.
8. I love the fog. Not to drive in it, that's awful; but to sit in a nice, cozy room, wrapped in a fluffy blanket, reading a good book, scented candle wafting fragrance through the air, hot chocolate at the ready, and the silence of that thick, misty shroud surrounding my house and holding the world at bay . . . lovely.

Amazing! I had a hard time coming up with eight things because they really were tucked away. But this was fun. Hopefully, this will satisfy Tristi, who pointed out, "It's been very quiet over here, Framed."

I'm also breaking the last two rules. Thinking eight random things about me has taxed my brain so much that I can't possibly think of eight people to tag. Let's face it, Booklogged, you've already tagged most of the people who might do this meme anyway. But those of you who haven't been tagged, consider it done.

TV Give-Away

Will wonders never cease? You can win a free flat-screen TV just by leaving a comment before August 17th at 5 Minutes for Mom. I was the 1777th comment and I'm pretty sure that should win me the big prize, but it never hurts to try anyway.

Disaster and Good Fortune

My sister and her husband have gone on an extended vacation leaving their home in the care of their eighteen-year-old daughter. Naturally, there is a crisis at home as a huge leak from an unknown source floods their basement. This type of disaster would absolutely floor me and I'm not an eighteen-year-old. But Katie calls her parents and they get her started on the right course with cleaning services, the city, and the insurance. Another daughter, Jenny, lives close by and she rushes in to help. Somehow, the leak is stopped although the source is still unknown. That evening, fifteen people, family and friends, come over to help clean up as much water as possible. But the carpet must be replaced and that means everything in the basement has to be moved. After a family picnic the following evening, we plan to help move out all the furniture. I get there at 9 pm and have to park halfway down the street as cars line both sides of the road. After a few calls and not finding anyone home, Jenny reaches her bishop (leader of her congregation) to see is he can give advice. His teenage daughter is having a party at the time and every one of the kids volunteers to come over and help. With the help of my brother, nieces, nephews, a couple of neighbors, the bishop and all those kids, Jenny and Katie were able to empty the basement in less than a hour. With some leftover treats from the picnic, the kids merrily returned to their party hopefully knowing how much their service was appreciated. I was so touched watching everyone pitching in on a Friday night and having such a good time doing it. Myke and Cheya, you are so blessed to have such great daughters and friends. I was blessed to be there to witness it.

The Blogging Tips Meme

Chris at http://chris-book-a-rama.blogspot.com/2007/07/blogging-tips-meme.html tagged me for this meme. This is an unusual one and, for a change, not book related (gasp!). So here goes:- Start Copy-It’s very simple. When this is passed on to you, copy the whole thing, skim the list and put a * star beside those that you like. (Check out especially the * starred ones.)Add the next number (1. 2. 3. 4. 5., etc.) and write your own blogging tip for other bloggers. Try to make your tip general.After that, tag 10 other people. Link love some friends!Just think- if 10 people start this, the 10 people pass it onto another 10 people, you have 100 links already! 1. Look, read, and learn. ***-http://www.neonscent.com/ 2. Be, EXCELLENT to each other. ***-http://www.bushmackel.com/ 3. Don’t let money change ya! *-http://www.therandomforest.info/ 4. Always reply to your comments. ***-http://chattiekat.com/ 5. Link liberally — it keeps you and your friends afloat in the Sea of Technorati. ***http://chipsquips.com/ 6. Don’t give up - persistence is fertile. *-http://www.velcro-city.co.uk/ 7. Give link credit where credit is due. ****-http://www.sfsignal.com/ 8. Pictures say a thousand words and can usually add to any post.****-http://scifichick.com/ 9. Visit all the bloggers that leave comments for you - it's nice to know who is reading! -http://stephaniesbooks.blogspot.com/ **** 10. Make a blogger template unique: change the background colour, or add a background picture to your header. *http://chris-book-a-rama.blogspot.com/- 11. If you have a problem, ask. Bloggers are very generous with info. http://lifesapicture.blogspot.com Here are the ones I am tagging: Booklogged @ http://bookschatterblog.blogspot.com/ Alyson @ http://www.innuce2.blogspot.com/ Julie @ http://www.unetassedebijoux.blogspot.com/ Cardine @ http://www.cardinesblog.blogspot.com/ Katie @ http://rushinginto.blogspot.com/ Sorry, I could only think of five and I'm trying really hard not to tag Cassie. She is so mean when I do that. :>)

One-Word Meme

This was stolen from Bookfool at http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/, who stole it from soneone else. Anyway, it's making the rounds. 1. Where is your mobile phone? Purse 2. Relationship? None 3. Your hair? Fried 4. Work? Neverending 5. Your sister(s)? Journeyer %. Your sister(s)? Teacher 6. Your favorite thing? Autumn 7. Your dream last night? None 8. Your favorite drink? Water 9. Your dream car? Lexus 10. The room you're in? Dining 11. Your shoes? Barefoot. 12. Your fears? Decrepitude 13. What do you want to be in 10 years? Retired 14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Kids 15. What are you not good at? Lots 16. Muffin? Poppy-seed 17. Wish list item? Security 18. Where you grew up? Utah 19. The last thing you did? Work 20. What are you wearing? Jeans 21. What are you not wearing? Bikini 22. Your pet? Ants 23. Your computer? Slow 24. Your life? Lonely 25. Your mood? Resigned 26. Missing? Travel 27. What are you thinking about? Lawn 28. Your car? LaCrosse 29. Your kitchen? Messy 30. Your summer? Smoky 31. Your favorite color? Yellow 32. Last time you laughed? Today 33. Last time you cried? 2nd 34. School? Finished 35. Love? Someday?

Tag, I'm It

I truly believe tag memes are evil. And as you will notice in my previous post, I am just evil enough to be dangerous. Hehe hehe heeeee. (evil laugh) Besides I like Tristi who tagged me. I think she may be the General Relief Society President someday and I want to stay on her good side.

Rule #1: Remove the blog site at the top of the list below, move all the blog site names up one, and add yourself to the bottom. Sundial in the Shade A Writer's Ramblings Musings from an LDS Writing Mom LDS Writers Blogck (Connie S. Hall) Tristi Pinkston, LDS Author Framed @ Life's a Picture (Sorry, Blogspot is not letting me get into html so there's no sense trying to post a link.) What were you doing ten years ago? I was a new accounts person for First Security Bank raising two teenagers. What were you doing one year ago? I was the manager for Wells Fargo Bank, living the empty nest syndrome and serving as Relief Society President in my ward. This was also the year I turned fifty (horrors!!) but I reconnected with some high school friends resulting in a fantastic year. Five snacks you enjoy: 1. Chocolate peanut clusters 2. Potato Chips 3. Kettle corn 4. Chips and salsa 5. Large glasses of ice water Five songs you know all the lyrics to: 1. Puff the Magic Dragon 2. Little Red Hood . . . "you sure are lookin' good, you're everything that a big bad wolf could want. Aahooo." Well, maybe I don't know them all, but the kids and I know the most important ones. 3.. I Wanna Hold Your Hand 4. I am a Child of God 5. Jingle Bells Things you would do if you were a millionaire: Invest it until I was sure I had enough to quit my job and move to Salt Lake, buy a condo, and babysit my grandson, and travel whenever I could. Five bad habits: 1. Eating too much 2. Procrastinating 3. Spending too much time at the computer 4. Not putting things away so that I can find them again 5. Chewing gum Five things you like to do: 1. Read 2. Travel 3. Blog 4. Go to the temple 5. Spend time with my family Things you will never wear again: 1. A bikini (I shudder at the mere thought) 2. High heels 3. My drill team uniform 4. The size 4 jeans with the cute gold foot-prints on the butt. 5. My wedding ring (Notice I didn't say any wedding ring, just the one that was mine. The marquise is now hanging from a lovely gold chain. Five favorite toys: 1. My computer 2. My TBR list 3. My camera 4. My car 5. My books Where will you be in ten years: Hopefully, I will be retired and on my way to far away lands. Five people to tag: Julie Cardine Alyson Katie Cassie, I'm sorry, but Booklogged is on vacation and I can't think of anyone else.

The Ultimate Test

You Are 32% Evil

A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well. In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.

How Evil Are You?

An interesting test, don't you think? Some of the questions are quite twisted and I'm glad I could answer no to those. But some questions did stir up old memories. I hope I have repented enough. But if you have to be evil, the most dangerous kinds is best, don't you think?

Celebrating a 25-Year Milestone

It's hard to believe that my baby is twenty-five. How did that happen?? Wasn't she a beautiful little girl? Still, she grew up to be just as beautiful and a sensitive, talented, and caring individual who is so much fun to be around. In fact, I got to spend the weekend with her celebrating this milestone. We spend five hours on Saturday at a spa being thoroughly pampered. The only time we spent together was for our pedicures but it was still wonderful. We had massages, which totally hurt my back (I'm still sore three days later) but all my muscles were so relaxed that it was okay. Truthfully, the masseuse really pushed a bit too hard, it hurt sometimes. I may not repeat that part again unless I can get someone a touch more gentle. My manicure was also very relaxing. Does anyone not like to have their hands rubbed? Then dipped in hot parafin? And now my hands are so soft and my pretty pink fingernails are just barely starting to chip. Am I supposed to repaint nightly? Luckily toe nail polish last much longer. I adore pedicures. Even more than my hands, I love to have my feet rubbed. When it's a trained professional doing the rubbing, so much the better. So Cassie and I sat soaking our feet, eating our lunch while our tootsies were lotioned, parafinned, buffed and painted. I know it's not a job I would love to have, but I'm thrilled that some people are so good at it. Both girls told us that our feet were in good condition unlike the next client whose rough skin was filed at for twenty minutes. I've let my feet get that rough, at times using them for scratching posts so I could really relate. Finally, we were treated to facials. Sheer bliss. Well, not the part where she extracted the blackheads, that hurt like the dickens. And why is a woman approaching menopause afflicted with things like painful facial extractions, and questioned about my use, or lack of use, of sunscreen and dehydration from not drinking enough water? I ask you? If my skin is so dehydrated, I shouldn't have any blackheads. Of course, I can't deny the dry patches, I can't see the blackheads, and I just found out that my foundation doesn't have sunscreen in it. So I will just stay indoors. But I digress. Back to . . . Sheer bliss. You lay on your back and the technician cleans your face, then moisturizes it, (this process also includes your shoulders and upper chest) then she gently pats you down with really hot, moist towels, then a gentle massage which includes your arms and feet. Then more hot, moist towels, then more moisturizer. I kept falling asleep only to wake up with a gentle (genteel?) snort. I really wanted to stay awake to enjoy it all, but it was too relaxing. The facial really was the crowning experience of the whole day. If I could afford it, I would do it all on a monthly basis. Eventually, my back would buck up and my blackheads would disappear.

After the spa experience, Cassie and I went shopping. First Ikea. She loved it because there were a lot of cute things at really really good prices. I thought there were way too many people. I find I don't like crowds very much. But I managed to spend a goodly sum. Next, Jamba Juice. Very refreshing. Then on to dinner at Buca di Beppo with Cassie's friends, and Alyson, Jordan and Stacey. I got to see the first pics of my gestating grandson. I oohed and aahed of course, but I really wasn't sure what was what. Still, there is one picture of his face that looks just like Jordan. Dinner was very good, I suggest the salmon or the margherita pizza. It was fun to watch Cassie with her friends. They seem to be a great bunch. And I always love to see Alyson. We ended the evening at the Laughing Stock, an improvisational group, who do routines similar to that Drew Carey show. Most were hilarious, but too much time was spent in between with the actors joking amongst themselves. I think Cassie really enjoyed her birthday, and I was happy to celebrate a very meaningful day for me as well.

Dancing with the Stars

Since I have faithfully devoted my Mondays and Tuesdays for the last ten weeks to Dancing with the Stars, I believe it deserves a post. I've watched the show for two seasons and the last part of Season Two. Finally, the couple I rooted for through the whole thing was named champs: Apollo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough. Is it because she is from Utah? . . . a little. Or because they match each other so well? . . . there is that. How about I loved Apollo when he won the Olympic Gold and even when he didn't. I admired his focus but also the grace with which he handled all the attention. The fact is: these two really look great on the dance floor and Apollo showed improvement every week. Julianne is so cute and so is Apollo. And let's not forget the other contestants this year. Joey Fatone, although a little cocky, really shone from the very beginning. He would try anything and most of the time it worked. He was so fun to watch. Laila Ali surprised me. I couldn't picture a professional boxer being so graceful and what an attitude! I was always impressed with Ian Ziering. I thought he was really good, but the judges didn't seem to see it that way. Maybe he wasn't quite as loose and relaxed as the first three. The most amazing was Heather McCartney. What she was able to do with a prosthetic leg was quite inspirational. Of course, you had to deal with the skimpy costumes, (Yes, Edytta, you're very nicely built, now cover it up!) and the wardrobe malfunctions. (It was a crack-up with Billy Ray's watch got caught in his partner's wig.) As you might imagine, figure skating and gymnastics are my favorite Olympic sports, but with Dancing with the Stars, you get to know the contestants better and see them more often in various performances. The last ten weeks have been a great escape for me. Now it's over and maybe I will get a little yard work done.

Financial Activity

On May 15, we are having a financial activity at church. There will be a speaker telling us how to avoid Identity Theft and then we will be playing a game based on the Game of Life. I have a roulette wheel so eveyone can spin to find their monthly income. I will have them roll a pair of dice (hopefully a pink and blue) to find out how many kids they have, and each couple will pick a housing card and a transportation card to find their monthly house and car payments. There will be another set of cards which will say if they have savings, budget, pay tithes and offerings, etc. But I need help with some life situation cards. I'd like each couple to have to take five cards with different situations on them, like medical emergencies, vacations, etc. Some will just say to add or deduct from their balance, some will be based on whether they budget, pay tithing or save, and some will involve the roll of a dice or be based on how many kids they have. It's been years since I've played this game so I am asking for suggestions on what to put on these cards. Humorous is good, but remember this is a church group. Please Help!!! If any of you are in my ward, please keep these ideas to yourself but be sure to attend since it will be fun and there will be prizes (small, but still).

History Tag

I was just tagged by Tristi at her blog with this history meme. You know me, I love these things. After I'm done, I'll tag five more bloggers. Here we go: 1. Go to Wikipedia and type in your birth date only -without the year. February 4 2. List 3 events that occurred that day: 1789 - George Washington is unanimously elected to be the first President of the United States by the U. S. Electoral College. (I love George.) 1933 - Senator Huey Long of Louisiana gets the Governor to declare a bank holiday. The reason cited in the holiday declarationwas that the US broke diplomatic relations with German on February 3 and February 4 in 1917. February 3 was not declared a bank holiday. (What happened to this very important holiday?? I think both the 3rd and the 4th should continue to be banking holidays. Please write your congressman.) 1974 - The Symbionese Liberation Army kidnaps Patty Hearst in Berkley, California. (And to think I let getting a promise ring on my 18th birthday take precedence over this!!) 3. List 2 important birthdays: 1677 - Johann Ludwig Bach, German composer d. 1731 (Ahh, Bach) 1947 - Dan Qayle, 44th Vice President of the United States 1948 - Alice Cooper, American musician ( I cheated and picked three, but I really liked the contrast between Quayle and Cooper) 4. List 1 death: 2006 - Betty Friedan, American feminist, b. 1921 (Interestingly, she was also born on Feb 4. So is it her lucky day or not?) 5. List a holiday or observance: World Cancer Day (Odd sort of holiday, isn't it? Let's call it "Day of the Framed" instead.) Now I get to tag five other bloggers. Hmmmm, let's go with: Booklogged Alyson Cassie Mes Bijoux Cardine If I didn't tag you, please feel free to take part anyway. Thanks, Tristi, this was fun

TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER

I received the following article from a friend and decided to share it all with you. I think visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was one of my most memorable experiences while visiting Washington D.C. Learning more about the ritual and the men who volunteer for this duty was very fascinating and moving for me.

On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the Tomb of the Unknowns ------All three missed it .

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why? 21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.
2. How long does he hesitate after his about-face to begin his return walk and why? 21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1
3. Why are his gloves wet? His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.
4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not? He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.
5. How often are the guards changed? Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.
6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to? For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10" and 6' 2" tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30. Other requirements of the Guard: They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor recipient, Audie Murphy, {the most decorated soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

God Bless and keep them.

Enrichment Night

CHARITY NEVER FAILETH

**Quit groaning, this is not an exhortation to devote more time to the poor and needy. Surely you all know me better than that, even though Charity is my middle name. (Said with all the sarcasm that my self-criticism can deliver) I just want to journal a wonderful experience the ladies of my ward shared yesterday evening. It was the annual Relief Society Birthday dinner, and we invited the sisters only. Some men grumbled but, honestly, do they really, sincerely care that Relief Society has been around for 160+ years? I think not. To begin the evening, we met in the RS room to hear a special musical program presented by a women's choir of 15 women in the area. It's not a large room so we were quite close to the choir. I had to sit on the front row, which was great for me. The program consisted of songs and dialog taken from scriptures and church history. Some of the songs were "The Pure Love of Christ" and "Charity Never Faileth" by Julie and Lex De Azevedo, "Sisters in Christ" (you may have heard this sung by Gladys Knight), and "As Sisters in Zions." Truthfully, I haven't always loved "As Sisters in Zion," but it is growing on me; and this choir had mastered it. I liked their rendition of "Sisters in Christ" even better than Gladys Knight's, and hers is very good. They ended the program by singing "We Rejoice." It is such a triumphant anthem to the glory of the gospel and God's love for us. A truly fitting ending. I know most of the audience were choked up and I saw some tears from the performers as well. On the back of the program was printed this quote:

"Music is well said to be the speech of angels, in fact, nothing among the utterances allowed to man is felt to be so divine. It brings us near to the infinite." Thomas Carlyle

It really did seem that we had just heard angels sing to us. I know everyone who was priviliged to attend left feeling a little closer to divinity. We all need to look for these kind of experiences to refill our lamps in a world that is so draining.

My Visual DNA

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MOOD: SOFISTICATE

You can be both calm and peaceful, and you like to feel free to explore your environment. You can be a little nostalgic and you love revisiting familiar places and memories. (Really, I always want to go somewhere new.) When it comes to art, you're definitely unconventional. You appreciate precison and hard work. As for music, You're a discerning (Oooh, I like that) listener - romantic and passionate. (ditto) You love the buzz you get from watching music live - there's nothing like it. Your choice of treat shows you love being a little bit naughty. Being good all the time is a bore. You've got a good sense of fun and maybe an infectious giggle. (Is this saying that I'm a saucy wench?)

FUN: ESCAPE ARTIST

You really value your 'quiet time' - to recharge and reconnect with yourself. You're not afraid to take yourself away from people and explore your imagination. (It's so true) For kicks you like to indulge in your great passions. You are probably happy spending time alone, and your drive and curiosity will take you all over the world. When it comes to holidays, you'll take experience over comfort every time, whether under canvas or under the stars. (Whatever. Give me a Hilton next to that beautiful scenery.) You love the chance to be in the wilderness and the freedom of being in charge of where you're heading. (I love the wilderness as long as I don't have to sleep there. Being in charge is highly overrated, but as long as Cheya's done all the research on the best places to go, I'm okay. In our family, no one is in charge.) What grosses you out? You like people to be well-groomed, with a tight bod and heaps of sex-appeal. (Everyone but myself) Wobbly bits and hairy areas are a complete turnoff. (Aren't they trivializing the total grossness of that fat, hairy back?)

HABITS: JUNKIE MONKEY

Even if you have a healthy approach to life, you still have your vices and a craving hunger drives your needs! (Well, that's not very flattering.) So you'll supersize it, you love convenience and that taste . . . (Guilty) Clean and pure - your choice of drink shows that you care about your health and make sure you're putting the right stuff in. (I try) As for the home, you have a very cool and contemporary taste. It's not just about function - your environment has to be as stylish as you are. (I just really like the windows, but I can live with stylish. Wish I was.)

LOVE: HOME SOUL

You're a real home soul. You care deeply about family life and all that comes with it, the love a child is very special. (Am I getting fixated on this new grandbaby?) When you think of freedom - you think of living for the here and now. (Yeah, but's what's gonna happen to me in the next life??) You're pretty fearless and take any opportunity given you. (Snort!!)

This was a fun exercise, and some things are pretty true. To be very honest, I almost chose the guy reading on the toilet as a treat. It just tickled me. And I had a hard time deciding on my favorite holiday and scenery. I've enjoyed seeing this on some other blogs as well. Hmmm, I guess I never really knew your guys.

A Weekend in the City

I spent the past weekend in Salt Lake with my four fifty-ish friends. We are continuing our new tradition to celebrate our friendship by finding fun and interesting things to do together. Truthfully, Ann is the one who has come up with the great ideas, but Nikki, Marla, Judy and I are eager followers. So Saturday morning, we traveled to Salt Lake and met Marla who flew up from St. George. We stayed at Little America and had lunch in their wonderful dining room. The afternoon was spent shopping and I bought four books. (A small amount compared to some of the others) It's so fun to discuss books with these women. Then dinner at P F Chang's where we all ate too much. That night we attended a performance of "Little Women," a musical presented at the Hale Centre Theater in West Valley City. It's theater in the round and we had front-row seats. That made it up-close and personal. Judy had bought everning gloves for all and we were very elegant even though we didn't take the time to change into our dresses after shopping. The play was superb, beautiful music, fantastic voices, and a great story. I had to take my gloves off to wipe a tear from my eye since I didn't want mascara stains on them. I definitely want to go to future productions at the Hale. On Sunday morning, we attended a sacrament meeting at a gorgeous old church on 4th South that was built in 1909. We arrived early and explored. They don't make churches like that now with the beautiful woodwork and stain-glass windows. The regular ward-members made us feel so welcome. Another great idea of Ann's that we all appreciated. Then it was back to Little America for their famous Sunday breakfast bar. Wonderful fresh fruit. Cheya, you would die for those raspberries and the blackberries were even better. After seeing Marla off on the shuttle to the airport, we headed for home, missing the worst of the snow storm that blew in that afternoon. I know that there was great conversation except I slept most of the way home. I am fifty-one after all. Judy, Nikki and Ann are still young 50-year-olds.

memoirs of a Birthday

I celebrated number 51 last Sunday. Usually, I don't say much about birthdays since . . . well, it's 51 . . . nuff said. But this was a nice day. I went to church. I gave the lesson in Relief Society and there were lots of good thoughts and ideas shared. Several people wished me Happy Birthday. I was told I didn't look 51. Is it okay to lie in church? Sacrament Meeting was particularly spiritual. I went home and got on the internet while I ate a quiet dinner. My mom stopped by and gave me a book for my birthday, always a welcome gift. My daughter called and we chatted for a long time. She's such a sweetie. Then my son called and gave me a great present. . . I'm going to be a grandma in September! What a fantastic birthday.

What a Life

*I thought it was time to just do an update on my life. I'm a month into 2007 and approaching the big 51. That's seem so much older than 50. According to my brother who turns 60 next month, I shouldn't be complaining. It continues to be bone-chillingly cold although we are getting above zero during the day. Apparently, this is the colder winter in 34 years. I'm hating life and haven't even got the gas bill yet. My brother from Virginia visited this weekend and the family gathered at Mom's for dinner and birthday cake. We sang for my sister-in-law and me. And yes, we blew out all the candles. She's 58 but looks much younger than me. Today, some of the family drove to Salt Lake for a farewell lunch with Wayne. I know

Mom and Steve went but I'm not sure about the Weber's. I had to stay behind for a much needed root canal. Just after Christmas, I hurt my tooth eating candied popcorn and finally got around to getting it fixed. It's has been quite painful lately. The endodontist said the tooth is cracked and I'd better get a crown as soon as possible. That would be the 14th, the soonest my dentist can get me in. Sounds like I'm on soup and jello for a couple of weeks. At least this year's Valentine's

Day will be eventful. Tonight, we reviewed "The Goose Girl" by Shannon Hale in a Relief Society activity. I suggested it since I thought it was such a wonderful book. I know one family in which the grandmother, mother and 8-year-old daughter have all read it since we picked it the first of December. Actually, the daughter has read it two times along with a couple of Hale's other books. I think she will be a great book blogger someday. The book was a huge success with all ten ladies who attended. One had even visited Shannon Hale's website and printed off a quiz about this book. It's alarming how many details I'd forgotten since I read it in November. Next month we are reviewing "The Five Love Languages" and "Where the Heart Leads." (LDS Fiction) I went to Amazon to get used copies of each. There are several different "Love Languages", so I got the one for singles. Who knows where that may lead. Here's hoping things warm up in February. It's hard to turn the page when you're mummified in blankets.

Ten Things I Love that Start with "T"

I have seen this meme on a few other blogs so I asked to be assigned a letter. Thank heavens it wasn't "X", but "T" was great. Here we go in no particular order:

T*T*T*T*T*T*T*T

1. Technology -- I don't always understand how to work everything, but I love my computer, my car, TV, DVD, cell phone, medical advances, etc. I would make a lousy pioneer.
2. Time -- I sure wish I had an endless supply of this. I remember watching the movie, "Groundhog Day", and feeling so antsy at first, but later thinking how wonderful it would be to do all the things he was able to do by repeating the same day over and over. Just think how many books I could get read.
3. James Taylor -- I love to listen to James sing.
4. "Trinity" -- This book was written by Leon Uris and, along with "Exodus," is my favorite of his works. (I've read most of them) Conor Larkin is one of the most romantic male characters I've ever read. I think I fell in love with him when I read this in my early 20's. I may have to read it again although I've read it a few times already and it is a big book. Maybe when I'm in the mood for a good cry.
5. Trees -- What a barren waste the world would be without big, tall, leafy trees. I love to sit under one, listen to the breeze move through the leaves, and watch them turn bright, gorgeous colors in the fall.
6. Temples -- I love the feeling of peace I achieve each time I visit an LDS temple.
7. Thanksgiving -- My favorite holiday is the time I get to eat wonderful food and spend quality time with the family.
8. Theater -- There's nothing like attending a live production.
9. Tolerance -- Not of crime or cruelty, but of cultures and ideas. Wouldn't the world be a better place if we just tried to accept others who are different than we are?
10. Tolkien -- "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy have been among my favorites since I first read them in 8th grade. I sure wish I could get my set back from my daughter or daughter-in-law, whoever has them.

I actually came across a few "T" words of things that I hate that deserve a mention: trash, traffic, tempers, tambourines, and toupees.

NEW LYRICS

Last February, I celebrated my 50th birthday and a friend at work gave me a copy of this e-mail. I just ran across it and laughed again. So in honor of my upcoming 51st (gasp) birthday, I am sharing these profound sentiments with all of my blogging fans.

SOME OF THE ARTISTS OF THE 60'S ARE REVISING THE HITS WITH NEW LYRICS TO ACCOMMODATE US BABY BOOMERS. THEY INCLUDE:

1. Herman's Hermits - Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Walker

Wasn't Herman the cutest thing? Major crush

2, Bee Gees - How Can You Mend a Broken Hip?

3. Bobby Darin - Splish, Splash, I Was Having a Flash

4. Ringo Starr - I Get By With A Little Help From Depends

5. Roberta Flack - The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face

6. Johnny Nash - I Can't See Clearly Now

7. Paul Simon - Fifty Ways to Lose Your Liver

8. Commodores - Once, Twice, Three Times to the Bathroom

9. Marvin Gaye - Heard It Through the Grape Nuts

I love Grape Nuts

10. Proco Harem - A Whiter Shade of Hair

Only my hairdresser knows for sure

11. Leo Sayer - You Make Me Feel Like Nappping

12. The Temptations - Papa's Got a Kidney Stone

13. Abba - Denture Queen

14. Helen Reddy - I an Woman, Hear Me Snore

Does anyone watch Gray's Anatomy?

15. Tony Orlando - Knock 3 Times on the Ceiling if You Hear Me Fall

16. Willie Nelson - On the Commode Again

17. Leslie Gore - It's My Procedure and I'll Cry if I Want To

It had a good beat and you could really dance to it.

WE ARE GETTING OLDER, BUT ALSO BETTER, hopefully.

It is soooo cold. I know, I know, I live in Utah, what do I expect?? Still, we haven't been this cold for a long time. Friday, it snowed and snowed and snowed and snow....well, you get the picture. The storm was moving so slow that it just stayed right over Vernal and dumped its load all day. And the wind blew. That is not a normal weather phenomenon for this area. The wind blows a lot in the spring and summer but winter usually is breeze-free. After work, I braved the wind and went to Walmart for groceries. Then I had to plow through a drift to get into the carport. In the morning, I checked the themometer and saw a brisk ten degrees F. But the wind had died and the sun was shining. It was so pretty. Out I went to do my duty to the driveway. The drifts were hard to move, but luckily there were large patches the wind had blown clean. About halfway through, a neighborly neighbor stopped by to say he would come over to plow the snow, but I was in the groove and quite enjoying myself. Two hours later, I was finished and very warm. I can't believe it took that long, but I did a really good job and slowed down a lot at the end. When I went to bed that night, it was nine degrees F below 0. Brrrrrrr. But I have a nice down comforter and stayed toasty all night. I woke up to a cold (-11) foggy morning.I like the fog even when it is so cold. I love the way t coats the trees with frost and makes everything so quiet. Two hours later, the fog was gone but the frost still sparkled on the trees and bushes, sparkling in that cold winter sunshine. I liked to say that the cold snap has passed on. Unfortunately, today it was -21 first thing in the morning. What????? I'm staying inside playing with my warm computer and doing warm-up chores around the house. Tomorrow, it's back to work if I can get my car started. I've always thought living in Phoenix was over-rated, now I'm not so sure. The weatherman says it will be warming up this week to a balmy 4 degrees, so I'll try not to get too hasty and just enjoy the view while sitting in front of the window wrapped up in a cozy blanket with a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Cheers!

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Duchess Framed the Lush of Chignall Duntisbourne Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

A new blogger friend, TB , had this interesting website on her blog. I find my title to be quite fitting. BTW, Lush is short for lucious, not what some of you may mistakenly think.