Tulip Festival, Ha!

Last weekend I and some of my friends went to the "Tulip Festival" at Thanksgiving Point. I was looking forward to it for two reason: one to be outside because this winter has been way too long, and get to see beautiful stuff and two to walk and talk with friends. When we arrived the sun was shining and the line was short, hurray! There was a big posted sign behind the counter that said, "Bloomfest 25%, well what in the ...does that mean. We set outside anticipating the view of color and roll green hills and I knew it was going to be beautiful because I went last year. As we walk down the well groom path of brick and stone I noticed alot of green grass and green stems but no flowers, oh you would get a flower here and there but not much more. There was no leaves or buds in the trees either. As the path began to wind around the word "Bloomfest" 25% came to my mind. I stopped one of the bend over gardners and asked him what did it mean. He answer with a little chuckle that only 25% of the blossum are blooming because mother nature has been so cold for so long lately! Well, I and my friends stop strolling and with the wind beginning to blow, blow, blow we headed right to the luncheon room. We decided that we could handle eating outside because the building would block us from the wind. But by the time we has order our salads and fill our water glasses, we watch tables, dishes, napkins being blown off the patio. Our table decided that we need to keep water in our glasses and dressing on our salad or the leave of the salad and the cups wouldn't blow away. We had laughing good time trying talk and hold on to our food. I was grateful that the wind was on the warm side and that I didn't give a care about my hair. After I said good bye to my friends I sat out on a bench in front of the building of the garden lobby waiting for my daughter to pick me up and watching people running in holding on to their sun hats and cameras having big smiles on their faces to see the tulips in bloom. I sat quietly but in my head I was shouting "there is only 25% of nothing to look at" but the cost, was pricey but I got to be with my friends. I thought I would put some photos of the tulip festival from last year just to make my blog a little more interesting.

Road Trip!

Two weeks ago. My Daughters and I went on a Road Trip!! The main purposes was to get away from our regular lives and be together. We included a wedding of a old family friend in California and seeing Bryce Canyon for the 1st time. I took an extra day off on the front and back end of our trip so getting ready and unpacking was no big deal. We left in the afternoon on Thursday so Janel and Amy could have their family be taken care of and it would co inside with their husbands schedule. We made it to Las Vegas the 1st night. We each took turn driving on the trip so we all drove about 3 & 1/2 hours each way. Each of us brought car food and we ate, talked, and listened to music all the way there. I had so much fun being with these amazing women. They are both so smart, funny and fun to be with. It was so nice being in warm weather. I was "ah struck" by how my girls adapted to doing 12 flower arrangements and a bridle bouquet when we arrived in Ridgecrest. They hustle for 5 hrs. worked hard, maintain fun attitude and did amazing work. I feel so lucky to have such talent helping me. We made time to find Thirty ice cream @ the Rite Aid drug store. The the chocolate malted crunch was as good as I remember when we as family would go have ice cream for 25 cent a scoop in Sunnyvale. It was nice to see my friend, Anita, marrying a great guy. The afternoon following the reception we took off to Vegas again. Janel and Amy were great at getting us around on the freeways there and we made sure we got a In and Out Burger. I love their burgers but the fries need some help. We took our time getting up and watched the 1st session of General Conference and be a witness to the new prophet being sustained. We got on the road to Saint George I really like that town. The weather is the best except when you are in California. We stop to fill our car up with gas and it was the 1st time I have every pull up to the pump and they had no gas left! Really no gas! we had to go further into town to find a gas station with fuel to sell. We got to Cannonville around 6:30 in the evening and Cherie Scoffield was walking down the street to met us. It was great to see her and Bill. We had the best time. They showed us Bryce Canyon and it was beautiful. Bill is a great guide but I love hearing stuff like that and he reminds me of my dad they are both great story tellers! Their bed were comfortable and company was even better. As I get older I have more gratitude for the time with people you like. I loved being with Janel and Amy and see them in action as graces, beautiful, capable, and caring women. Seeing old friends that know your history. Would I do it again? Yes, in a heart beat!

Valentine Dinner with my Children...

I know it been awhile since Valentine's Day but, I have a minute so I thought I would write about what I got to do for my family who lives here in Utah. I made an invitation to each of my children and their sponses to join Pat and I to a special Dinner just for them without their children. It was so fun I made favors and dishes they you would only find in a restaurant. Pat and I prepared each plate and served it to them with each course there were 5 different ones. We had balloons and everything was done in red, white and black. We actually ate in the dinning room! We all had so much fun visiting together. I love seeing how my children have become such fabulous adults and they are all married to wonderful people. It was great evening !

I Wish I Could Write...

Like Amy, Janel and Jaana! They are so clever and wordy and they make sense. Oh well, writing is not me thing but I made a goal that I was going to try to improve. I know I haven't written is a while because I have been so dang busy with my job. I am a event planner and receptionist for Ultradent products, Inc. The company make Dental stuff, reading Jaana's wisdom teeth pull out story reminded me that she most likely used some of company's products. I work from 10 am to 6 pm everyday with about 5 to 10 hrs overtime each week. It is a crazy job and it keeps me really moving. I help plan parties in house for about 700 employees. Right now I have about 7 things we are working on between now and mid February. I walk and run so much that I have lost 25 lbs since last May and with the help my doctor (no meds) and exercise . My boss is a single, 38 year old, only child, raised by a single parent. What word would you use to describe what kind of boss she is?? well it can be challenging at time. Well, enough of complaining, it doesn't change anything. Pat and I have kind of reversed rolls, he made some pretty yummy beef tacos and pork chop with mushroom sauce. When the food taste good I think he really impresses himself . Well this about it on the writing for tonight so, until next time... I will just keep practicing.

Some people don't think before they put their mouth into gear

Well, today was the last Sunday of the year (2007). We went to church and in Sunday school the teacher asked us to reflect on time when the Savior was born and maybe how Mary, his mother and Joseph, his step - father was feeling at the time. Well, there was alot of discussion, because we live in a ward full of old people and many of them have alot to say about anything and everything, well, anyway I raised my hand to express (because I am one of those old people) how I thought that the trip to Bethlehem must have been very difficult for Mary being 9 mos pregnant and riding on a back of a Donkey and how I empathized. I was then...a brethren (kind of a big know it all brother in the gospel) interrupted me and said how he didn't want disagree with me but.....(here it comes) That it wasn't difficult for Mary because Donkeys were the mode of travel in those days and Joseph probably got a really special Donkey for the trip that rode really smooth!!!! WHAT?? Did the guy think before he put his know-it-all mouth in gear, really! Have you every heard of a smooth riding donkey? What I know is those animals take short little steps and it like riding on a pogo stick. I would think it is hard staying on a donkey if you would in the best of shape. It was so obvious that the old talker-talkerton man didn't have any idea what it was like to be pregnant or riding on a donkey. He went on to say, (by that time I knew he was full of it and he was just talking to hear himself but maybe he just didn't have his hearing aid on and really couldn't hear himself), how he thought that God had to make it easy for Mary, Oh brother! I know Mary was a very special human being and she was giving a very special task to do but easy???? I don't think so. Mary was a very special spiritual person having a very human and earthy experience. God just knew she could do and go through it all to fulfill her assignment.

Patrick O. Nugent

Last night I went to see a movie called, PS: I Love You, it was a story of a young girl who loses her husband after 10 years of marriage through death. He writes her a series of letters that lasted a year after he was gone to help her with the lost of him.
Why do I mention this? Well it caused me to reflect on my marriage and what my husband has brought to me over the many years I have known him, which is close to 50 years. I met him when I was 14 years of age, almost a lifetime ago. I was awed by his looks and his abilities to be able to do anything. He made me laugh. I enjoy watching him move. He was a wonderful athlete, in fact he was the best. He played basketball and he was always the highest scorer, baseball the same, he was the clean up batter. When he hit the ball it always went over the fence. I went to see him play in any kind of weather. I was his greatest and best fan. I loved dancing with him, he struggle with his rhythm but it didn't matter because we had fun. I looked forward to every youth dance because i knew he was going to be there. He was tall, broad shouldered, light brown,wavy hair, he had a strong built but he wasn't fat. He was so adjell and quick. Along with being smart, quick witted, he could do math like a whiz, spell and had a killer testimony. I loved being with him. We had our first date when i was junior in high school, I was about 16. At the time he was dating my sister Joan. We went to a jazz concert. Pat has always like Jazz, the easy listen kind. I felt safe with him and he was going places and I wanted to go too. He told me often he was going to be a millionaire by the time he was thirty and I believed he would be and I wanted to be there with him when he did. He was at every activity I was at and participated, I saw him as a leader and a guy of influence. He sure did influence me. I felt beautiful around him. After we were married Pat help me develop confidence in what I couldn't do very well. I became a better, leader and reader because we would practice by having me read to him the scriptures. I believed in the power of the priesthood he held and he would pronounce blessing on me any time I would ask with abilities beyond myself. I adored him and he was my champion, my knight in shiny armor, my love.

What 2007 Has Brought to Me!

This has been quite a year. The most noticeable thing is I am a smaller person, meaning size about 25 lbs. I have worked very hard and rid myself of old hurts and beliefs. For almost a life time I thought there was something wrong with me and if I tried harder no one would notice. But that is not true. Life happens and you have to do some very hard stuff but it doesn't mean you are loved less. Last year at this time, my desire was that I wanted my health back and I wanted to be nifty at sixty. I knew I was going to be 60 years old so in January I started to eat better and I wanted to develop habit for eating that would last me the rest of my life. I was done with emotional eating. I started looking at those things that caused me to turn to a cookie instead a yummy salad or sandwich; I was finished with cleaning my plate and having 2 of everything. I didn't like my job and it took so much gas to get there but, didn't have a place to jump to. In March I came down with the shingles Boy was I sick!!! It was on my face and it like having fever blusters all over you. It hurts so bad. My Daughters sprang into action and helped heal me. They were wonderful. They helped me want to live again. I learned about family and those who say they care but their actions are ones of hollow comments. In April I was free of my no end job and the shingles. I joint a "women on weights" class with my daughter Janel 2 days a week and decided that I was worth it to see a doctor that could help me get my weight down and health back. I felt myself becoming strong in my body, mind and soul. I didn't just want to live, I want to thrive!! In the course of the year I filed bankrupty, let my house go (even thought we are still living in it, which is a miracle) found out I can save myself and that Lord is aware of me and guide me with everything. In August I came across a job site for the company called Ultradent and the spirit told me that I need to walk in my resume. It was a part time job but I knew it would bring something more to me and it was very close to my home. I was hired and I am full time and I am doing what I have done all my life plan events!!! I work with some wonderful people that make getting up and going to work a lot easier. I miss a clean house, staying up on the laundry, my 11 o'clock nap, being around my grandkids and sleepovers. It has strengthen my confidence giving me money to pay bills and save for a rainy day. This year has proving to me that I can live without my twin sister and I don't have to invest time into things that don't matter. I learned a lot when I was young from my husband but he has a harder time learning from me now that we are older. I had the experience to watch my sons interact with their wives and realize just because I don't see them very often and their families spend more time with their wives families that I haven't had a influence upon them. They are married to really good women and they have married women more like their mother than they care to know. This year my daughters have kept me sane. They are talented and wise be on their years. Janel has been like a star guiding me along sometime a very dark and lonely path. She is full of light and very willing gives it to anyone who comes in contact with her. She was a child the Lord gifted to me that has given me peace. Even during those years of adolences we had our storms but, when we took the time to be together, even then there was peace and a easiness about being with her. She is ever learning and a joy to talk to, and be with, I love you, Janel. My Amy has kept me present by including me in her creations. She is so talented and has an eye of an artist. She is so kind and give so much of herself in helping others, she has truly been a savior to me. She has fed my body and mind. Nursed me back to health given me hope. Her presents has been felt not only by me but my friends and that has been going on since she was a teenage girl. I have never worried about Amy's intentions. She is good to the bone. I love you, Amy. I just want to say thank you to both of my beautiful daughters, you are women of truth and goodness and I am so lucky.