I feel so grateful and thankful for.......

Every year for the month of November I try to make some kind of list or decoration where each family member will be able to write things they are thankful for.  It is a little sparse this year with only 4 members living at home.  It is really fun to look at the list on Thanksgiving day, to see all the vast things our family is grateful for!

 Here is a list of some of the things our family listed they were grateful for:

1. Christ.  He. made. it. possible. for. us. to. live. again.  We love our Savior, very much and we are grateful for His atoning  sacrifice for each of us.  We have been fortunate to feel his love for us and because of that we are able to love all of Heavenly Father's children because we know He loves each of His children.

2. My Husband.  I am grateful that I married such a good man, who treats me with kindness, love and respect.  We will be married for 25 years in a few months and I am grateful for my decision to marry him each and every day.
3.  My children.  They have given me a lot of joy and purpose for living.  I feel like my life is enriched because I have them.  I have learned to be better at being selfless from the experiences with them.
4. My parents, I am grateful for all they did for me now more than ever. I realize their sacrifices in my behalf and I feel a tremendous amount of love for them.
5. My sibling,  I have some of the best brothers a girl could ask for.  And then I was blessed with a sweet sister years later. 
6.  I am grateful for the gospel and how it has influenced my life for good.  It truly is "good news."
7.  My extended family-they make our lives complete. They have given us  support, a listening ear, and help in more ways than I can ever express.  
8.  My home! I am so grateful for a warm place to live!  We have all the comforts of life and have never wanted for anything.
9. My husband's job. We have had a couple experiences where we are unemployed and it is no fun.  I am grateful that my husband works hard for our family and never complains about having to do so.
10.  A car!!!  I am so glad that we don't have to walk everywhere.  Matt always keep my car maintained and very safe.  I am grateful he knows so much about cars.
11. Friends!!!!!!  Friends truly make life complete. I love my friends from high school, early married years, and friends in Sandy. I am grateful for the opportunity we had to move because I have met some amazing people that I love and adore!!!
12.  Lynn, my hairdresser!  I love Lynn and can talk to her about anything.  She is so good to me about my hair. She colors my hair ever few weeks at her home for a small amount and for that I am so grateful.  She can work magic when she does my hair.
13.  Food,  I love food!  I love how food can bring families together and help create better memories. I hope when I die that we will be able to still enjoy food!
13. Traveling!!!!  I love to explore new places and to see parts of the world that I haven't experienced before. I am blessed that my husband loves to travel too and because of that, we have went to some amazing places!
14.  My job!!!  I love where I work and I have the best boss anyone could ever ask for!  She is kind, caring and wants what is best for the students at our school.  I have become friends with some very incredible people that will be life  long friends. 
15. Books!!!!  I love to read. I have learned so much from my love of reading.   There is nothing better than having a good book to curl up with. 
16.  The YW's program!!!  I love how inspired it is and I love being able to work with the young woman.  It is my favorite place to work in, in the church. I am grateful I get to work there now while my daughter is in Young Women's.
17. Music!!!  Do I need to say more?
18. The telephone! I am grateful that I have ways to communicate with my son, Coby who lives far away from our family right now.  
19.  Cell phones, facebook, texting!!!!!  I  love being able to communicate with people that I haven't seen for a long time.  I love being able to get information very quickly! 
20.  Health.  I have had times where I had health problems and so I grateful that I am blessed with a healthy body and so are my children and husband.  I am grateful that I am able to keep up with the demands of life because of the body I have been given.
21.  Exercise!!!!  I have always loved to exercise. It make my body feel more energized so I can accomplish a lot in each day.
22.  Washing machine and dryer!!!!  Yay!!!!! So glad I don't have to wash my clothes the old fashion way, by hand.
23. Freedom,  I may not know what it's like to live without freedom, but I do know what it feels like to have choices taken away from you. I may not know what death during war looks like, but I do know what it's like to have someone you love taken without your permission. So, when I think of patriotic liberty within the frame of what I can relate to, freedom becomes more tangible. Easier to hold and appreciate.

 24.  The scriptures!!!!  I love having easy access to what Ardith Kapp called, "letters from home."  I feel the spirit when I read from them.
25.  Prayer!!!!!  I love being able to talk to God like I would a real close friend.
26.  The spirit!  I am grateful to have this positive influence in my life that will never lead me astray. I have been richly blessed by the promptings I receive. 

27.  Nature!  I love the beautiful world that I have the privilege of living in!   There is so much beauty and goodness to enjoy.
28. I am grateful for the little things.  A smile from a stranger,   someone stopping to let me in the lane when traffic is heavy,  kind words,  a warm bowl of soap on a cold day.
29.  Smiles!!!!  I love to smile and I love to be around people who smile. I love to smile at the cute kids that I work with.  It is so cute to see them go from  despondent to all of the sudden happy.
30. Service!!!!  I am grateful to be able to serve others  because it blesses my life abundantly!!!  I am grateful for the small and big acts of service I have been blessed to be a part of!!! 

Pirates of Penzance---Kara got a part in her school play!

This week Kara tried out for the play of Pirates of Penzance.  She and over a 100 of her closest friends. There were only 5 main girl parts and as  you can image most of the people who tried out were girls. She made it back for callbacks yesterday so we were kind of hopeful.  I told her we would have a pity party or a celebration party!   Well, it turned out to be a celebration party.  She got the part as Edith!!!  I am really excited for her and so glad that her practices are close to our home!  We just finished with Cinderalla less than a week ago and it took me forever to drive her to practices so this is a welcome relief. Also, it is great that she gets to do the play with some of her friends from school!!!! Yay!!!!!   Here is the list of parts!!!!!! 

• Major-General Stanley (comic baritone)
• The Pirate King (bass-baritone)^[22]
• Samuel, his Lieutenant (baritone)
• Frederic, the Pirate Apprentice (tenor)
• Sergeant of Police (bass)^[22]

General Stanley's daughters:

Mabel (soprano)

Edith (mezzo-soprano)  Kara's part!!!!! 

Kate (mezzo-soprano)

Isabel (speaking role)

• Ruth, a Piratical Maid of all work (contralto)

• Chorus of Pirates, Police and General Stanley's Daughters

Coby has been in Jordan for 4 months!

Here are some of the pictures Coby took while in Jordan.  I have learned a lot from having him in Jordan.  It is amazing how similar things are and also how different things are too.  Above,  is an awesome grove of Olive Trees.

The Sea of Galilee from afar.

The Martyr's Memorial in Amman, tribute to Jordan's creation and it's fallen soldiers in wars past.

Memorial to Turkish soldiers who died at the Battle of As-Salt in WWI.

Going through the slot canyons there, that look a lot like Southern Utah.

Climbing on Roman Ruins, they'd never let you do this in the U.S....awesome!

How the Dead Sea looks now.

Jordanian women

Lunch,  hashem, I wonder how it tastes.

There are shops with vendor all over Amman that sell things that are unique to Jordan.

King Hussein Mosque

People around Amman.

Appartently, this is the creepiest mouse you will ever meet.

Coby's favorite restaurant in Amman, Jabri.

Cinderella's Glass Slipper, November 4, 10 and 12th are Kara's performances!!!!

Cinderella’s Glass Slipper

 from Pioneer Drama

Musical by Bill Francoeur and Vera Morris

Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays

November 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12

West Jordan Middle School Auditorium

curtain at 7:00, open seating begins at 6:30

All tickets $6, children 2 years and under are free

West Jordan Youth Theatre is once again busy producing the lively musical “Cinderella’s Glass Slipper” by Bill Francoeur and Vera Morris. Over 70 youth plus parents and other adult volunteers are singing, dancing, memorizing, sewing and building their way to present this upbeat version of the classic story in November. Director Jessie Ibrahim takes on the challenge of this large double cast in order to involve more families from the community. She wants to give young people opportunities to develop self esteem, learn about theatre, and be involved in the arts.

The magical story takes Cinderella (Chantel Jorgensen and Jessica Pearce) from a poor peasant girl to falling in love with her handsome prince (Samuel Ahanonu). You’ll meet playful new characters like Domo that directs activities in the kingdom, a third silly step sister, and an apprentice Fairy God Mother that will determine if Cinderella is worthy of the special gifts she has in store. Don’t miss this fun tale and entertaining tunes performed by the community’s up and coming stars.
 

Halloween Couples Party

We went to a fun Halloween Party at the home of Makinzee and Mike, aka robber and thief!!!! 

Wonder Woman and Caption Justice Super Hero!!! Boy did they look wonderful

Matt and I came to the costume party as something everyone could figure out opposed to last year when it was a little unknown!

Ryan and Emily!!!  Ryan was hilarious and you could barely understand a word he said.

Clairesse and Brandon. Clairesse was all ready for the prom, but then they got in a hit and run accident on the way!!!

Jen and Jake. Jake was Steve Tyler and Jen was one of his groupies.

Julianna and Taylor, both as pirates

The back of the uniform. Thankfully, Matt didn't tell everyone what he believe I had done.

Kevin and Camille.  Her mom  made their costumes. I couldn't look at Kevin without laughing.  They went away with the prize for the best costumes!

Kevin and Camille's shoes.  I LOVE them.

Ali and Drew.  Drew was Bob Ross, look him up on youtube if you don't know who he is.  And Ali, his seventies wife.  Ali as always looks so cute!

Drew demonstrating how to paint a picture, Bob Ross style, a beautiful tree.

Some of the yummy refreshments!!!  Thanks Ann for the pictures, you are a much better photographer then I.

Chad and Ann,  Jack Sparrow and his pirate wife.   I have  never seen so many men with make up on.  Thanks for a wonderful party Mike and Makinzee!

October 19th, the day I outlived my mom

 October 19, 2011,  was the day I lived as long as my mom did when she died. It doesn't seem right or fair that I get to outlive my mom.  My mom was such an amazing person to me and to others that I felt guilty to be able to enjoy morality longer than she.  Being the same age as  my mom was when she died really made her death feel more real.  She was really young, because I certainly feel young and I don't feel like it is time for me to die.  It  must have been so hard to say good bye to her children, her husband, her friends and the life she so enjoyed!

 She also had such a young family at the time of her death.  She was so needed.  So. needed. Her youngest child was only 6 and she still had four children at home and one on a mission.  I feel so needed in my family and yet three of my four children are all adults now. I can't even imagine what it must feel like to have left an even younger family. I can't even imagine not being able to see  my children grow and become a grandma.

So as today happened I was standing in the kitchen working on food for  my family when something I was doing reminded me of my mom.  That's how it always begins, the moment where something in this life triggers something from long ago reminding me of my mom.  A memory ignites and floods my  mind.  Every time, it carries my breath away.  Every time.  I have to force myself to look away and swallow the sorrow.  Today was  no exception.

But today I have decided to be good and focus on the gifts my mom gave me instead of her absence.  I decided to go to temple square and serve with the youth of our ward planting the beautiful gardens there.  And while I worked with the teenagers, at least from my viewpoint, I can see that she is just like those teenagers.  She is serving.  Just not where I can see her.  And because she's there, it makes it the place I long to be.  The place where I will offer my everything to get to.  And that is very, very Good.  I hope you can see the good you have been given too.  Savor it this day!!!! 

Zion's National Park, October 19th through 22nd

For UEA weekend we drove to Zion's National Park.  Spencer had to work so he stayed home,  Colton had to work so he stayed in Orem, and of course Coby is in Jordan so he didn't come. If you can believe it our family had never been to Zion's before. I have seen plenty of pictures so I thought it felt like I had been there, but I realized the pictures didn't truly show how beautiful it was!

We went on around 7 hikes. Most of the hikes we did on Friday.  The hikes are absolutely fun and the scenery is beautiful!!

A picture of all of us together.  We took pictures of a couple and then they took one of all of us.  Here was are on a hike to the Narrows.

We ended our hike before the narrows as we didn't have the proper equipment for it.

Here we are at the place where it never stops raining. It is amazing how green and lush everything is there.

And it isn't a vacation if we don't take a picture of a few cars that Matt loves.  What was really funny is we ran into friends of our there, who were also their for UEA weekends.  Fun, FUN!!!!!!!  We also went to a few fun restaurants  that were ma and pa type, boy did they have yummy food.  We stopped and said hi to Colton on our way to Zion's but he was working when we passed Orem on our way back!!!  Heavenly Father has truly created a beautiful world for us to live in!!!  I am so grateful for my many blessings!!!!