Whirlwind in Photos

It all started on Wednesday night....with a YM/YW activity, which of course I'm going to.

I call it Service with a Smile....they cleaned the Bishop Storehouse.

Thursday was New Moon....which I loved but I didn't get home until 4:00 in the morning. I left 4 hours later for Winter Quarters. I was so exhausted but I was treated to this reprieve as I was leaving town....

Saturday morning found me back in the car on the way to Winter Quarters...this time with the youth. I was so exhausted I cried most of the day...and I felt like this....I really wanted to be in that back seat with the girls...

I had meetings before church yesterday so by the time I got home...I was ready for bed.

Believe it or not....I did catch up on my sleep. Up tomorrow for my next whirlwind adventure...Montana here we come. I'm sure I'll have another photo whirlwind in a week.

Party in the USA

We hear this song....a lot...at our house. I chaperoned at a Stake Dance last weekend and I almost laughed out loud when I heard the shrieks coming from the gym as this popular track came on. Thank you Miley.

But I think it's because of the upcoming Party in the USA (the original) that this song keeps playing in my head over and over. I love Thanksgiving. Is it just me or are Thanksgiving and Christmas one holiday?

I have even found myself turning the radio to Star 102, the local Christmas music station. When I first moved here they started playing non-stop Christmas music...the day after Thanksgiving. Now they start....the 1st of November.

The guy that hangs our Christmas lights wanted to put them on the house on Oct. 18th. I was able to "put him off" until Nov. 10th. But I don't want them the week before Christmas...it's all about getting your money's worth.

I am starting to have anxiety about when to put up the Christmas tree. We don't get back from our Thanksgiving trip until the first of December. And I don't see any way that the tree could be up within the first week, knowing how our schedules will be. What? No tree for the entire month of December? Heaven forbid. When did we change from the old days, when the tree was put up Christmas Eve and decorated by Santa? I think it happened when Christmas started taking a week to put up and take down. If I'm going to go through all that work, I might as well enjoy it for awhile.

But, I digress. I'm excited for the Party in the USA! It's all about the tryptophan coma! I'm not even going to be home for Thanksgiving but when turkey hits 40 cents a pound then bring on the "tis the season"!

I'm thankful that I can go to Price Chopper for my turkey. The wild ones that roam my neighborhood are too much like pets now, I don't think I could eat one of those. I'll take my Butterball with the thermometer in it, thank you very much. I don't want to know what chemicals are in it. I don't want to know what conditions the bird grew up in. I want lots of gravy to put on my mashed potatoes. Even though, I don't think turkey was on the menu for the first Thanksgiving, it still means Party in the USA to me.

I'm looking forward to the Party in Montana next week. If I survive the New Moon weekend, I will definately need that turkey and a nap. I hope everyone enjoys their American Party next week. Happy Thanksgiving.

Inspired by Losers

I wanna be a biggest loser! Are those guys inspiring or what?

I wish there was a boot camp I could go to.

Maybe I could just be a "little" loser.

Down and Out

It happens once a decade or so. I get sick. And really, it's not that bad....I know it's not the swine flu.

So, sorry if I haven't commented on the blogs lately. If I had my own lap top and could blog from bed that would be groovy. But then, I'd probably never get out of bed again.

Someone asked me today what the weather was supposed to be like tomorrow...huh? I don't even know how the weather was today?

This down and out stuff is for the birds....and swine.

I got to thinking

After a weekend full of church related activities and fine weather...my heart and head are full of so many thoughts.

Caffeine is wonderful for medicinal purposes. Excedrin makes a headache medicine with aspirin and caffeine and the combination of the two is the only thing that completely eradicates the pain in my head. I'm grateful to know there is a time and place for caffeine and that it exists for that purpose.

It's amazing how a change in priorities and circumstances can change habits and attitudes. I will never ever look at money the same way I used to...ever again. I seriously day dream about giving money away. I hope that the opportunity to do so will arise again one day. We take nothing with us but the love and relationships we have. Nothing else matters. Nothing.

I love food. Love it. I can no longer deny myself or my love for food just to shave off 10 pounds. My body loves the weight I am, even if my brain doesn't. I can stay the weight I am and still love food and have a great relationship with myself or I can deny myself the things I enjoy and be lighter and fit better in my clothes and feel much better about appearance. But, I don't like the side effects of eating food either. Some foods make me feel sluggish and tired...others give me guilt. It's such a dilemma. There's no doubt that I need to be healthy, but I really enjoyed my cashew icecream sundae this weekend, even if it didn't love me. I deny myself so much only to lose half a pound every couple of weeks and I am miserable. But then I eat the sundae and I'm miserable. Why is it so hard? Why can't I hate food? I shouldn't hate food. Food truly is a blessing and I should be grateful for it. Mondays always get me thinking about food. Mondays are always the day to start over. So I guess I'll start over like I do every other Monday.

I am really feeling this coming Veterans Day. I have really felt my Grandpa this past couple of weeks. I have been baking his bread and reading his account of serving in the military in WWII and I am saddened that he is not here anymore. I wish I could see him again and tell him I love him. I know I will someday.

The threat of having to speak in church yesterday was very real. I was warned that I should be prepared to be called upon to speak and I was paralyzed. This eminent fear almost destroyed my whole day of worship. Why is it that millions of thoughts are spinning through my head all day and the moment I am called to share those thoughts publicly, they turn to vapor? For the life of me, I could not even think straight. I searched every crevice of my experiences only to find my brain completely empty and void of thought. I was completely seized with utter heart racing panic. It was enough for me that I soaked my clothing with sweat throughout all my meetings. When I got home I was completely drenched from head to toe. You cannot imagine the great relief I felt when my name was not called. If I could ask for any talent or gift it would be the gift of speaking. I would love to be fearless and full of wise things to share.

I learned from a guy named Scott, in sacrament yesterday, that his mom says that when she feels the Spirit it leaks out of her eyes. The Spirit must do that to me too! Maybe that's what I've been feeling so much of lately...so much that my eyes leak a lot. So, my leaking eyes are a good thing.

There was a disturbance in the "force" this last weekend. And I by forces, I meant evil forces. My sister defied statistics and Satan's tactics by conquering the odds of attending the temple with her sweet husband and step daughter as they were sealed for time and eternity. I can hear the choirs of angels now. Oh, I how wish I could have been there. Oh, how the heavens are in triumph in the victory of their fellow family members. What a glorious blessing and oh, I am so proud. This battle was won but I know the war will rage on. They are worth it. I pray for their lives to be blessed.

It's been a big week.

We don't make predictions (an inside joke) about football in our family but I know tonight's playoff game against Kearney will make for a great Family Home Evening. Rise and SOAR Falcons!!

I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving. If I could only get 5 more lbs off before then I could enjoy more food...see, I'm sick. I really am.

Enough of sharing the thoughts I've been thinking. It's time to work...although...work always makes me think too......

A Last Request

I was just telling my Mom last week that I would like this song sung at my funeral.
Would someone please arrange for this guy to come and sing it??

20 questions

Bridger interviewed Grandma and Melanie while they were here..

Grandma
1. Do you color in the lines? yes
2. How many pillows do you sleep with? 1
3. Team or individual sports? Team
4. Can you read music? yes
5. What's worth waking up really early for? Seminary
6. Believe in haunted houses? no
7. How about psychics? yes
8. Swim in a pool, a lake, the ocean? a pool
9. If you could have one hobby, what would it be? yoga
10. Libraries are so cool, too quiet or ok, I guess? So cool.
11. If we had to be named after planets, which would you choose? Venus
12. How about a city? Paris
13. What about a color? yellow
14. Chew on ice? no way, that's bad for you.
15. Bird ever dropped something on you? yes, gross
16. Eakspa igpa atinla...what? or esya, Ia oda? What?!
17. Ultimate fried food? onion rings
18. Favorite color to write with? black
19. Do you send really wordy or super short text messages? super short
20. Ever drunk wheat grass? yes. How was it? okay

Aunt Melanie
1. Something you'd love to wear but don't have the nerve? tattoo
2. Scared to travel over tall bridges? no way, it's safe.
3. Ever had food poisoning? yes. What did you eat? Deviled eggs
4. Had an ant farm? no
5. Grown Sea Monkeys? what are those?
6. Who do you text the most? Brianna
7. Rescued a wild animal? yes. What kind? A bird and a cat.
8. Are you ticklish? yes!
9. From scratch, from a box, no mac and cheese? from scratch
10. I wish my family had a......? yacht
11. Which is worst, gnats, flies or mosquitoes? mosquitoes
12. What tv while you eat dinner? sometimes
13. What magazine cover would you like to appear on? Time Magazine
14. Do you fall asleep in a dentist chair or are you scared to death? Fall asleep
15. Do you take the road less travelled or follow what everyone else follows? less travelled
16. Any nervous habits? yes. What? Grind my teeth.
17. Can you do a backbend? no, ow!
18. Ultimate sundae ingredient? Hot fudge
19. Can you tie a knot in a cherry stem with your tongue? huh?
20. What could you write a book about? decorating or crafting

What a great way to get to know your relatives!