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Thursday, March 31, 2011

1, 2, 3

Last Friday, Liz and Luke had their First grade program, and sticking to my true self, I forgot extra batteries. SO...I just have the first video, but at least I got one, right??? They did a great job. Luke is in the back row, with a hat on and the red t-shirt. Liz is up front, with a blue flower in her hair. I SO enjoy kids and really enjoy school programs. Kids have such a great spirit about them. I wish I could channel it! I wish I had been able to record all of it. They did such a great job! We are so proud of Luke and Liz. They have grown a lot this year and bring a great feeling to our family. We would not survive without them! Luke keeps us laughing and Liz is such a great help to me. We love you Luke and Liz! Good Job!!
Just for fun...Liz before church. She likes to plan out her outfits...ok, all the girls do. However, Laura has told me that my closet is overwhelming. No, that is not a sign that I have too many options! You can never have too many clothing/shoe options!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

The Glory Days

The other weekend, I got to re-live some of my glory days. I started dancing before I was 5 years old and started competing shortly after. Laura had a dance competition during the last two weekends. Competitions have definitely changed a lot since my day (great...that means I'm old...I just referred to "my day"). Laura has really grown as a dancer during the past year. One of her dances took second place and the other took first. GO LAURA!! Her studio, overall, did very well. As I was sitting at the competition, it brought back all kinds of memories of traveling to Nevada and all over California for competitions and conventions. My mom sure did a lot of sitting! It is amazing to watch young girls and boys display their talents and show their passion for dance. We are very proud of Laura, she is a talented young girl. The first competition that I took her to was in Syracuse. The next weekend, it was in Logan. B and I got up early to go see her. . . Breakfast burritos and we were off! The competition was held up at Utah State University and was bigger than the lfirst one. There were a few hours between her dances, so B and I met my brother Paul for lunch. The three of us went back to watch Laura's second dance. After the competition, I got to go see Paul's new place and we went to a movie. Since coming home from the Army, Paul has started as a student at Utah State and is living up there with his best friend, who I refer to as my non-biological brother, Brad. Later, Brandon took me out to dinner, just the two of us, to a steak house. We both enjoy going on car rides, so it was a fun day of driving. We went home through Brigham City. Below are two clips from Laura's dance. We don't have a camera and I'm kinda shaky (we currently borrow cameras for stuff like this), so I apologize in advance for my shakiness! Laura, starts in the back on the right in this first one.
Laura is the 5th from the left on the bench.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Hearts and Price Tags

I went to the Bountiful, Utah Temple last Thursday. I was planning on doing a session but there was a need for help with sealings(for questions on what a session or sealing ordinance is, go to www.lds.org or www.mormon.org) so that is what I did. The Bountiful Temple just re-opened after it's winter cleaning. There are 47 new paintings in the Temple. A Brother working there took me around to see them. I highly recommend taking the time to walk around and see this new art.

While at the temple, there was a man there in a wheel chair. He could not use the right side of his body. I've often wondered how someone with physical limitations participated in things at the temple, I knew you could, I just had never seen it. He just used his left hand. It made me think about how so many things are about our intent and where our heart is. The Lord doesn't care that that Brother couldn't use his right side. It was enough for us to do it a little differently. Also in that room, when a woman was kneeling, I noticed the price tags on the bottom of her shoes. They were from Desert Industries (For my out of state friends, the D.I. is also very similar to the Salvation Army.). I don't know if that woman just loves to shop at thrift stores or if that really all she could afford. But it didn't matter. So often in life we take notice of someones hair, the labels on their clothes. What kind of car they drive or how clean their home is. We are quick to point the finger, to look at someones short comings. To say that their wrong-doing against us in unforgivable or that because of a struggle or mis-step they are a horrible person. When in the Temple, we don't know where people bought their shoes. We don't know what kind of car they came in or if they even drove. We don't know of their sins or their struggles. We don't know anything about them except for one thing- They are there for the same reason we are- to serve and feel the spirit.

No one is perfect but what matters is one's accountability, their intent and if they are trying to do/be good? Who am I to judge? Who are you to judge? None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes, lie, mess up and hurt others. But isn't that what life is about? Making mistakes, and then learning to do differently? I know that the Lord doesn't care where my shoes came from. I know he knows my heart and my intent. I guess what I am trying to say is that in that moment, it was awesome. It was awesome to realize that none of it mattered. What I do for a living, where my jeans are from, that my car was dirty, that someone had wronged me that day. What mattered was that I was serving and that I was at peace. I guess I hope I can take that thought and feeling outside of the temple and use it in my everyday life. I'd like to have that happen all over with everyone but I know one mass, worldwide, group hug just isn't going to happen. What I do know, is that I am in control of my thoughts and feelings. I know that the next time I go to judge or to be offended or that the next time someone does hurt me, that I'm going to remember that it doesn't matter. We all have our struggles and burdens. But we are all children of God.

That takes me to another thought...I was reading in the March Ensign the First Presidency Message (maybe I should have just pasted the article here)....it does a much better job of portraying what I am going to say! At the close of it says this: "We have a choice. We can seek for the bad in others. Or we can make peace and work to extend to others the understanding, fairness, and forgiveness we so desperately desire for ourselves. It is our choice; for whatever we seek, that we will certainly find." -By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency

For the full article, click on this link:



Ya know, that is what I am trying to say. And I am grateful for the experience I had in reading that article and sharing it with some people I care about. I am grateful for the realization I had in the Temple about just how much the small stuff doesn't matter. I am so grateful for that. I want people to know that I have a testimony of being kind and of forgving. I am grateful for a husband who is my best friend, with whom tomorrow I wil be in the temple with.

Planting My Own Flowers


I have wanted to keep this blog mostly centered around my family and what we are up to. However, lately I've enjoyed writing in my journal and have discovered that I have a lot to say. I've learned a lot. I am currently in the process of resuming posts on a blog I started a few years ago during a very difficult time in my life. It is a private blog for good reason. However, if you are a friend of ours and would like access to it, let me know. People who know me know I am incredibly open and honest and know my reasons for keeping it private. I am excited to start writing on it again. I am changing its focus a little though and while some of the old posts will remain, I am chosing to change its tone.

Planting your own flowers came from a poem I read. It's about being me. Finding me and being happy. I am blessed to be able to say that I know who I am and I'm happy.

I thought I'd share the poem, it is very special to me:

Comes The Dawn
By Veronica A. Shoffstall

After a while you learn the
subtle difference
Between holding a hand and
chaining a soul,
And you learn that love
doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn't mean
security,
And you begin to learn that
kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't
promises,
And you begin to accept your
defeats
With your head up and your
eyes open
With the grace of a woman,
not the grief of a child,
And you learn to build all
your roads on today
Because tomorrow's ground
is too uncertain for plans,
And futures have a way of
falling down in
mid-flight
After a while you learn
That even sunshine burns if
you get too much.
So you plant your own
garden and decorate your
own soul,
Instead of waiting for
someone to bring you
flowers.
And you learn that you
can endure...
That you really are strong,
And you really do have
worth
And you learn and learn
with every goodbye you
Learn.

Come on, ride the train....

Part of my job is to teach students how to use public transportation. Many of the students I work with will never drive, so we focus on how to use the bus and Trax. We use these outings to learn other skills as well, like comparison shoping, time management, social skills, job skills...the list goes on. Needless to say, I know how to get around on public transportation and some of my greatest stories come from being on the bus. Last summer I thought it would be fun to take the kids on TRAX out to Intermountain Medical Center where Brandon works. I think they liked it, but I forgot how traumatizing public transportation can be your first time! What I now find fascinating was a little unsettling at first! But it was a fun day!


A catfish named Connee

Over the summer, we went fishing. During our engagement we got up early and went fishing at Pineview Reservoir. Brandon and the kids, all have a love for fishing. As we were fishing, Liz caught a cat fish. Those are ugly fish! And they feel so weird, almost like they are not real. She wanted to keep the catfish and so Brandon cut the line and let her keep it. Laura, Liz and I were done fishing and wanted to walk back twards the car and the beach to eat and go swimming. Liz brought her catfish. I asked her what she was going to name the fish. She said, "Connee". My mom's name is Connee! As we walked back to the car, I watch Liz swing Connee through the tall grass. We got over to the beach, placed a paper towel on the sand for Connee and headed to the water. When Brandon, Lilly and Luke came over, Brandon picked Connee up and told her to "swim free" and with that chucked her in the lake. I crack up everytime I think of Liz swinging Connee through the grass!! Brandon dragged me into the lake, clothes and all that day. In fact, we all went swimming in our clothes. What a good day!


Meet Connee...





Laura on the beach...



Liz and Laura swimming...

Connee, enjoying some sun


Laura, writing; "Brandon + Jill" in the sand





Thursday, March 10, 2011

Summer Fun in 2010

Luke, exhausted from swimming all day
I LOVE this picture of Liz and I!
B and the kids
My cute boys!
Laura and Lilly


Lilly, Laura and I had a sleepover over a long weekend. We ate popcorn, read, painted our toes and stayed up late. It was a lot of fun for me to get to spend that time with them!!

Some ducks were "living" at the condo where I lived and liked to make use of the pool...
Izabelle (Katie's oldest) was Baptised!!

Farmington Canyon

We spent a day up Farmington Canyon this last summer and got plenty dirty. The only bummer of the day was that we forgot marshmallows for the S'mores...Double UGH! I am a s'mores junkie and so I think this was a bigger disapointment for me than the kids!! We had fun playing in what snow was still up there, taking a nap and hiking around. It was a good day.


Laura, like her Dad, has an artistic eye...she took some great pictures!




Laura lost a tooth while we were up there!



Brandon and Lilly....



"Peace!"



Sisters...



Who could have guessed that we would become a family?





Brandon and La La

Fourth of July-2010

Here are some pictures from the 4th of July 2010. We went with Brandon's family to the Kaysville parade. Fire works later on...I have never been to a parade that long before, but it was a lot of fun!



Lilly


Brandon and La La


Brandon and Luke




Liz

Father's Day: 2010

So I have decided to throw up some pictures of our adventures while Brandon and I were dating. . . Brandon and I met in December of 2009 and dated for a couple of months before it moved to anything more serious. I met the kids in January. Talk about scariest moment EVER!!! I was always cautious of meeting someone's kids while dating. Looking back, however, involving the kids and having the kids meet and do things with my family and Brandon's was a good idea. I'm glad he had the instinct to introduce me to them when he did. I not only fell in love with one person, but 5.

Here are some pictures from Father's day. Lilly, Laura and I tied a picnic blanket for Brandon. We also made cards and went swimming. It was a fun day!






Monday, March 7, 2011

What? You saved 50% on your grocery bill??


So I used coupons for my first time last week grocery shopping. I saved 50% on my bill, $150.00. I will wait while you re-read that line... Normally I don't have a $300 bill for groceries, but because of couponing I was able to get more and get some amazing deals on detergent and toilet paper. I am so excited about this and hope I can get the hang of it. We are stocked up on a few every day items because of this and that is such a peaceful feeling.

Some people were really excited about me deciding to do this, others thought it was a waste of my time. I learned at Enrichment Night how to coupon. For my non-member friends, that is an activity once a month where the women in my church get together. During these get-togethers, we may have an inspirational lesson or learn something like couponing. I don't spend hours clipping them out on Sunday. I have a filing system and an internet site I use so I know exactly what coupons to print/cut out. I spent about 30 minutes that week cutting coupons and printing them off the internet. I've learned a great method to save us money.





I danced at the register when I checked out. It was awesome!!!

The Beamer vs. The Yougo

Do any of you really need a definition for the car above???




If you look up the Yougo on Wikipedia, it says the following: "The rise and fall of the worst car in history."

I know a man, his name is Adam. He is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist. A Cognitive what??? Basically, he helps people (mainly adolescents) change their behavior. I don't like to call him a therapist because he doesn't do traditional couch therapy. He is not a "rent a friend", as I like to call them. He also has a lot of knowledge in ADHD, Learning Disabilities and so on. He is probably one of the smartest people I know. Many of you who know me well, have heard me reference the Beemer and the Yougo. Adam taught me this. The other day I was thinking about the Beemer and the Yougo and thought I'd share.

The Beemer vs. the Yougo is in reference to an emotional state, or our frame of mind when making decisions. Let's take a step back. Remember, the Yougo is a crappy car. Driving it sucks. It's not comfortable, nor reliable. It's ugly. They usually smell funny. So when we are mentally driving in a Yougo, not only does life sometimes suck, there are bugs on our windshield and the "car" we are driving in, simply sucks, making it hard for us to make good decisions which then only adds to our struggles. Life is hard enough when we are making good choices, but when our behavior adds to the mess on our "windshield", it makes life just that much harder. Who wants to be dealing with a Yougo?? Now, what about the Beemer? When mentally driving in a BMW, life is still hard and there may still be bugs on the windshield, but you are in a freaking beemer! Life is OK! The seats are nice, it drives well, you are comfortable despite the long drive and it doesn't stink. I have to repeat, that life is still hard, there is still crap on our windshield but our choices and behavior are better and so we are able to handle things better. We are happy.

The majority of us mentally go back and forth from our Yougo to our Beemer all the time. And the majority of us beat ourselves up when we are thinking and acting from the Yougo. I've learned that moving to the Beamer takes practice. We will not be perfect at it, just like learning to drive a car when we are 15- Someone sits next to us in the passenger seat and helps us learn. When we make mistakes, they help us to see how to do it differently. So just like actually driving, when we make a mistake, we just need to evaluate what happened and how we will handle it differently next time. Then next time, we can hopefully review how we are going to handle something. However, just once is not enough. I think we have all found that we tend to make the same mistakes and sometimes that can get frustrating. This is where another phrase from Adam, one that frustrates me greatly but could not be more true comes into play; "Get over it."

You messed up. You really wish you would have handled something different. So? Get over it. How will you do it differently next time? How can we be accountable and learn from it? Then move on!! Too many of us dwell on our mistakes or how others have hurt us. Harboring those emotions only do us a lot of damage. Now, getting over it, takes a lot more work than one would think and I have had great frustration at times. But I have found it is sound advice. I have also found that I have been able to forgive, move on and become a better person. So there ya go. I've had such a great experience learning to stay in my beamer! Many of you have followed along with me on my other blog and so this concept is not new to you. But I really love this analogy. So, the lesson here, keep trying to think and choose from the beemer. But more importantly, Get over it!