FINISHED . . or NOT . . . .

The road to "you know where" is paved with good intentions.  Mine is at least 1.649.8 miles long now.  This is the antique window . . with the first pane of glass glazed . . . or something . .  more something than glazed.  I had quite the laugh at myself as I smoothed, added, took away that blasted putty.  If you look at YouTube, there is a lovely video that shows how to do this little job.  It is so simple and slick as a whistle, you will be done . . .  or not.  Also that silly putty stuff seems to NEVER set up.  How are you supposed to paint over any way??

So out came the paintable caulking and that was that,  butt ugly, but that glass is going no where.  I never have been able (translation: had the patience/motivation to learn) to do a decent job of that either.  The interior side of the window is stained dark brown, so I painted that side and will use sand paper to give it personality again. It is taking much longer than the day or two all of the HGTV projects take (being done by a BIG invisible crew) but mine will be BETTER and will hold up longer than theirs possibly could!

I have finished cutting the sides out of my tires for the gardening . . . . or not.  I found one that I had missed . . can you believe it!  How could I do that to myself??  or Jon?  You know I will hand it off if I can.

I do have a big ole' pile of lovely garden soil out there waiting to go into those tires and lots of plants waiting to go into that lovely soil.  Instead, we moved Sarah in for a few weeks until the semester ends and she can find someone else who is dying to live with her stinkin' cat.  Anyone want a lovely, lovable little kitty cat?  He is so cute, friendly and loves kids . .  heh, heh, heh.  and only weighs about 30 lbs.  Give me a call!!!

My guest house . .  I mean shed is no longer lonely.  The lab drawers are sitting in there, still organized, with the table top on top . .  needing to be cut down.  I have two sets of shelves out there slowly getting filled.  And I am so relieved that we can put some of Sarah's stuff out there for awhile.  I was not going to have it all over in our way again.  She would have had to rent a storage.  I am drawing the line if it starts to get so I can't work out there.   Jon took this picture because when he got it leveled so that I could start putting just a few light weight things up on the shelves while he was gone . .  naw, he didn't believe me.  He knows me better and then we did have to put a lot of Sarah's stuff in there as well.

Rob was over working on his brakes and while he was, the girls decided to finish their baby doll quilts.  I was so impressed with their patience and determination.  Arianna stitched 9 squares together an Tati finished 5.  Pretty great when you consider they are only 6 and 4.  I finished them up by machine and will put the backs on them tomorrow while I am "resting" for the sabbath.  I get so antsy by the evening and try to find service oriented activities to get me through the day.




Not sure why Arianna loves this bandanna, but she does and wore it for hours.  Here is her quilt top all ready for the back and binding to be added.


Then of course, it was time to do a little more snapping.


Next time the girls come over, they want to make little doll sized cloth books.  Only if Arianna reads to me while I work!!

More Bridal Shower Prep. . .

It is so important to remember to stop and smell the roses or the watch the cute kids play.  In case you are not sure, water falls are for jumping off of . . . .  If there is any doubt, just ask Bobby . .  he spends a lot of time up there.









Dream and her mom are heckling to get Bobby in the water . . .  Dream's turn is coming right up!




Grandpas are for hollering at granddaughters until the take the big leap . . .




Little "Jofes" (Joseph) did not think that COLD water was very funny at all!













Grandma Cheryl loved a little "foot therapy" after so many hours on them.







I am sure I remember seeing daddy, David, doing this exact thing years ago!!

Busy Frantic Week . . . . Coming your way soon?

My We All Have a Joyful Easter!

• I know that our Savior lives. 
• I know that He knows and loves each of us individually. 
• I am thankful that He has given us living prophet to guide us as we strive to return to Him through out our lives.
• I am so grateful that I live in a country where I am able to worship openly and learn more of Him in my every day life.
• I am so grateful to understand how blessed I am in this life.
• I am grateful for the technology that enables us to enjoy the every day reminders like this: Testimonies of Prophets

SEVEN DWARVES OF MENOPAUSE

 Itchy, Witchy, Sleepy, Sweaty, Bloated, Forgetful & Psycho.

And you best not be forgetting it!!

The Duck and The Devil

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.

As he was walking back he saw Grandma’s pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved!

In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his Sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next day Grandma said, ‘Sally, let’s wash the dishes’. But Sally said, ‘Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.’ Then she whispered to him, “Remember the duck?’ So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, ‘I’m sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.’ Sally just smiled and said, ‘well that’s all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help. She whispered again, ‘Remember the duck?’ So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s; he finally couldn’t stand it any longer.  He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.

Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, ‘Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.’

————————————————–

Thought for the day and every day thereafter:

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done… And the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)…whatever it is…You need to know that: God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.

He has seen your whole life… He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He’s just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.

The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness; He not only forgives you, but He forgets.

Thank Heavens For Blue Roses ---From an old dandelion !
Having four visiting family members, my wife was very busy, so I offered to go to the store for her to get some needed items, which included light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags, detergent and Clorox. So off I went.
I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies and headed for the checkout counter, only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a young man who appeared to be about sixteen-years-old. I wasn't in a hurry, so I patiently waited for the boy to realize that I was there. This was when he waved his hands excitedly in the air and declared in a loud voice, "Mommy, I'm over here."

It was obvious now, he was mentally challenged and also startled as he turned and saw me standing so close to him, waiting to squeeze by. His eyes widened and surprise exploded on his face as I said, "Hey Buddy, what's your name?"

"My name is Denny and I'm shopping with my mother," he responded proudly.

"Wow," I said, "that's a cool name; I wish my name was Denny, but my name is Steve."

"Steve, like Stevarino?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered. "How old are you Denny?"

"How old am I now, Mommy?" he asked his mother as she slowly came over from the next aisle.

"You're fifteen-years-old Denny; now be a good boy and let the man pass by."

I acknowledged her and continued to talk to Denny for several more minutes about summer, bicycles and school. I watched his brown eyes dance with excitement, because he was the center of some one's attention. He then abruptly turned and headed toward the toy section.

Denny's mom had a puzzled look on her face and thanked me for taking the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn't even look at him, much less talk to him.

I told her that it was my pleasure and then I said something I have no idea where it came from, other than by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I told her that there are plenty of red, yellow, and pink roses in God's Garden; however, "Blue Roses" are very rare and should be appreciated for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a Blue Rose and if someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've missed a blessing from God.

She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked, "Who are you?"

Without thinking I said, "Oh, I'm probably just a dandelion, but I sure love living in God's garden."

She reached out, squeezed my hand and said, "God bless you!" and then I had tears in my eyes.

May I suggest, the next time you see a BLUE ROSE, don't turn your head and walk off. Take the time to smile and say Hello. Why? Because, by the grace of GOD, this mother or father could be you. This could be your child, grandchild, niece or nephew. What a difference a moment can mean to that person or their family.


My question is:  Do we always recognize a blue rose when we see one?  Just a little something to think about.

"People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel!"

What's All The Fuss About?

I had some fun lurking around this morning.  I checked out the eave on the house.  I had to wonder what all the fuss was about . . . . .












Then I saw this.  Still, I suppose Jon was worried since it had just been painted.  Still don't think it is any thing too bad to worry about.  The important thing is that it shouldn't cause an leakage and it shouldn't be hard to touch it up.

 





I hear that sand is hard to steer in . .  I guess so.  The truck had a hard time swinging in at the angle it needed to get the shed set down in the right spot.

Finally . . .  "the" shed.  OK, everyone, no envy here, you know that isn't the good thing to feel. . . . .Ha ha. Pretty ugly to you, isn't it?  That is what I thought when I saw it too.  Now, I see potential . . .  the cheap kind.  I have all the paint that I will need for my plans.  I will have to buy some 1 X 4's to finish off the corners and the bottom would probably benefit by
having some there as well.

 This awning has such a future . .  I can hardly wait to get to it.  It will be so cute.    I have to admit, I have thought where we could put our Chevron Sign. . .  another story, another time.  In the meantime, I have measured the interior, where all the outlets are, doors, AC hole, etc.   The workbenches, lab drawers, tables, storage shelves, etc have also been measured. Now to figure out where to put it all so that the space will be as useful as possible.

I have missed all the room we had in N AZ.  All the crummy old buildings, rocks, brush, and animals.  But most of all I have missed the potential that existed.  I am so thankful for finding potential where I am planted.  It's time to bloom, so I am sinking my roots deep and seeking as many ways to nourish the growth around me.

I am thankful for new insights, new regained health and strength.  I am so blessed.

Our New Niece . . . Soon To Be . .

Our nephew is finally getting married!!  We are pretty excited for him.  It was fun to be in Phoenix for a couple of days, sticking my big ole' nose into things and getting to know his bride, Alicia.  I also got to spend time with my brother and SIL and the family of another nephew.  Such fun!!

For two days, this counter looked like this, even though everything kept getting put up, to make room for the next project and dishes were being washed and put away.  Good signs that good food is on its way!  FYI.  This is the SIL who was so sick last August that we almost lost her more than once.  She is still dealing with the aftermath of all of that, but she is still a trooper!  Such a blessing in so many lives!  Love her so much!



Clay finally brought Alicia over and I got to meet her.  Now I know why the immediately family is so happy for her to join them and why Clay has this big old cheesy grin on his face all the time.  Such a sweet girl, kind of quiet, but in a rowdy family like she is marrying into, that will probably go away with time  ;-D  She is so pretty and gorgeous eyes!!

It was so nice to see that she appreciates her new family, as they should be.  Bob and Cheryl were the ones that we hoped would take our kids if anything happened to Jon and I.






This is Dream and her mother Ofa, David's wife and daughter.  Ofa is the one who planned pretty much all of the shower and Dream is helping her iron the last of the aprons.  Ofa's mother made one for each of those who RSVP'ed that they would be there.  They were so cute!  As everyone arrived, they got to pick one out to take home.  We had a lot of fun seeing who picked what.

A little birdie told me that Ofa loves planning and doing these little affairs, she does a lovely job.  This is the dessert table sitting next to an old secretary that we kids all loved snooping through when we went to see my maternal grandfather.

By the time Ofa had everything set up, it was all so pretty.








This is Ofa.  She was so sweet when Rob got married.  She did a couple of dances at the wedding luncheon, a Haoli Hawaiian Lau.  She has been dancing with her family since she was very young.  They were so lovely and graceful that there was hardly a dry eye there when she finished.







The bride in her choice of apron.  She looked so cute in it.










Clay finally showed up for a game, the Newly Wed Game.  They had to work at it, but they did get a few answers the same!  But first he agreed to this picture . .  Now if this isn't love, I don't know what is!

 
 
Kodak moments . . . .
Bride with the moms . . . and with the new SIL and niece . . .

I'm afraid it was more like a vacation for me . . . is that OK?

Turning 61

The day started out with Jon having me come out and seeing Mother Nature's gift to me, a lovely foggy morning.  I loved the sweet moisture and breathed deep.  Wonderful!







Next I got a call from Arianna to sing Happy Birthday to me.  Such a sweet voice, so glad that she has her mother's gift of music  . . . Tati was being shy right then.  Later I got this message on my cell phone . . .



The next evening Jon and I went over to the Maskey's for birthday cup cakes.  The boys were pretty excited for Papa and Nanny to see their new fire pit, loaded and ready to light . . .   Aaaahhh, may I say, hide the matches and BBQ lighters!!!




Lincoln as only he can do it.  he loves to look out the corner of his eyes . .  and when he does, watch out!!











We all got to  decorate our own cupcakes.  Lots of fun!






Garrett just wanting to get on with eating his cupcake.





Blowing out the candle with my little helper.  Doesn't look very interested or impressed does she?




Once again, Lincoln as only Lincoln can do it.



Thanks again for all the good wishes from friends and family!!

WATER PREPAREDNESS . . . .

 Last week Angela and Melinda started a new group of anyone who wants to get together to try to help each other get prepared the way our Prophet has asked us all to.  I a so proud of them for taking the initiative to do this.  I took these pictures before everyone go there.  It went very well and I hope the group grows with time.









Dorothy and I shared our ideas and experiences with the rest and Angela made a Shepherd Pie that she had made with only pantry items, it was good!









There were mainly young women who are  raising young families.  I admire them for taking these steps while they are raising young children, while some of their husbands are finishing school.  I know it isn't easy. Keep it up ladies . . . I know you will be blessed!!

Thoroughly Modern Millie

This year Brianna's choir kids were in the play, Thoroughly Modern Millie.  They sure are a great bunch of kids and have made a lot of progress in the two years she has been at their school.  Though she wasn't the director this year, she had to spend the same time down there, evening after evening and even lost part of the Spring Break to rehearsals.

We were only planning to take Gabriel, but Garrett decided that he wanted to go along, so we brought him.  He enjoyed the singing and dancing, but scenery changes and just dialog didn't hold his interest.  Stephen came back on the way home from some errands and took him on home.  But I am glad that that tired little guy got to see at least part of it.









Here is Millie telling us all about her plans.  Cute girl and she did a great job.  I was glad that she had good projections and enunciated so well.  Tons of talent there!!







These two Chinese fellows really embraced their roles!  Such hams and check out the closed captioning.  Very clever and added a lot to the play.










I have always enjoyed dancing, or at least I did before I got married and some since, but the choreographer did an outstanding job this year.  Loved it!

Here are Millie and Jimmy working things out on the ledge.  The sets were really great, I enjoy to see how the art department in the high schools use their creativity.








After the play, Gabriel hit the jack pot and got Aunt Brianna's "baton".  She used a light stick to direct the kids from the back of the auditorium.  Where the a will, there's a way!!

Going to Brianna's plays and concerts has been a special part of our family's activities.  We will miss them after this year, but I am also glad that she will be able to stay at home with the dollies after May.  Hopefully we will get to hear her play and sing at home more?!?!?!?!