These things make me smile....
   
   The smell of spring
   A rainy day and a good book
   A text that says, "I love you"
   Monday morning emails from Andrew
   Looking at my fabric
   Turning on my sewing machine
   Walking out of the gym
   Yummy tacos
   A bike ride along the ocean
   Visits from my kids
   Weekends with Don
   Going to bed
   Walking into a massage
   Birds chirping outside my window
   Shopping
 Holding my grand babies
   Reading my scriptures
   Walking into the temple
   A movie that makes me cry
   A book that I can't put down
   Taking pictures
   Flying
   A yummy salad
   Lunch with friends
   Facetiming
   An afternoon at the hair salon
   A clean house
   The sound of laundry in the machine
   Spending time on FamilySearch.org
  Our family text group
   Ice Cream
   Cute shoes
   Oranges hanging from our tree
 INSTAGRAM
 When all kids are happy...
   PINK PEONIES 

I could go on and on!  My favorite saying is "Look for the good in everyday"...as we do this a smile should be on all our faces!
   
   
   
   



I have been googling the best way to keep cookies fresh when sending through the mail and also, what cookies stay fresh the longest...well, there was no good answers.  Mostly, the articles talked about how to keep them from breaking...well that wasn't even a concern yet, which just added to my frustration.  Then it came to me, he can bake them there, I just need to send him the ingredients!!!!  So that is what I have done.  Step #1 cream the pre-measured brown sugar and white sugar with the butter and shortening (btw, I measured the vanilla and stuck it in the middle of the brown sugar).  Once creamed,  add 2 eggs (you must find your own eggs).  #3 add dry ingredients, bag 3 mix well.  Add bag #4 and then BAKE 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes.  I hope they taste like home!!!  I can't wait to hear how they turned out!!
$87 later and tada...you have cookies!!
Just so you know, I double packaged everything just for added safety!!

Yesterday, May 11th, I got these pictures from Andrew and the final result of his cookie package....

SUCCESS!!!!
side note...the backpack (Northface) was stolen and only the contents of the backpack were sent to Andrew.


Recently I have seen posts on Instagram titled...20 things about me.  I thought what a good blog prompt, so here goes...20 things about me. (not in any order of importance!)

1.  I am a gym goer...I joined my first gym when I was 35.  I had just had Andrew and wanted to get my figure back.  18 years later I have remained a faithful gym attender and now realize I go more for my mental health, than my physical health, though my physical health also is benefited.

2.  I love to quilt...I didn't know I loved to quilt until a year ago, but I find it relaxing and rewarding. I also feel connected to my grandma Murray who was a quilter...I feel it is part of my heritage.
3.  My greatest joy and fulfillment above all else has been being a mom.  I have been blessed with the most amazing children!!  
4.  I have been married for 30 years this week to a man who has exceeded all my dreams as a young girl...again I have been blessed beyond measure!!
5.  Pet peeve ...people who are late to things...do they think their time is more valuable than others??
6.  wow, this is actually hard to come up with so many things!  When I was a senior in high school I was nominated to run for Sadie Hawkins Queen.  We had to participate  in competitions...one of those was milking a goat.  I actually won that event.
7.  I am finishing up my 7th year of teaching early morning seminary...I am tired!
8.   I feel like I am trying to find myself...like what should I be doing that is meaningful?  Now that my children are grown...what do I do with myself??
9.  This year has been a year of big changes...Don and I moved to San Jose and we are empty nesters. Andrew has left to serve a mission for our church and I could not be more proud of him!!  I find myself missing my children deeply!!
10.  I have the most perfect and beautiful kitchen in this new home...I wish I liked to cook!!  I like the idea of it, but in reality...I just don't like it.
11.  One of my "empty nesting" projects is to work on my family search!
12.  My favorite show is Downton Abbey
13.  I look at facebook just to stalk people and see what their life is all about
14.  My favorite app is Instagram...another way to stalk people, but it makes me happy
15.  dang 5 more...my next favorite show is called, "Fixer Upper"...its a show about remodeling and the husband and wife are not only talented and totally my style, but they are kind and loving to each other.
16.  My favorite "get away" place is Hawaii, sitting in a cabana reading a book and soaking in the sun
17.  I am a Mormon and always wonder what I did in the pre-earth life to be so blessed!!
18.  I want to write a book...a children's book I think...I need a topic, that's my problem!  Is it  a dream or am I being prompted?? 
19.  One of my quilt goals is to leave a legacy quilt for each of my children.
20.  last one...a song that I put on repeat is "Be Still My Soul" by David Archetula  




For my niece Kimball who is expecting a little girl...her first

Farmers Quilt...a forever project right??
For my other niece, Bergen, she is also expecting her first and its all about pink for her! 
This is for Haylie...she saw it on Pinterest and loved it!  It is called..."Read between the lines".  Haylie loves to read and so this quilt spoke to her.  I don't have the pattern, but I think I have the dimensions figured out pretty well...finished project will be posted in the future!!

The other day I was watching a class I signed up for on Craftsy and Camille demonstrated this....I just had to make one.  She has it as a quilt, but for now mine will be a wall hanging to add my my quilt wall.


...so many feelings...so many thoughts...I am going to have to come back to this...

a week later...but four months late...

I feel overwhelmed as I try in some small measure to catch up this blog to my life.  It might be easier just to say, Don and I have moved.  We left our home of 14 years, packed up our life's belongings, memories, and security and moved to San Jose.  We left behind Hillary, Eric and Quentin, Donald, Emma and Ellie, Ellie being our newest addition!  Haylie is in Provo and Andrew has left for his mission in Guatemala.
This has been the hardest thing I have ever done.  I feel an emptiness and a lack of belonging.  I feel I lack for purpose and a sense of motivation.  Where do I go from here? What is my role in life now that I am not raising kids?  What out there could offer me the fulfillment that being a mother has been?  What do I do with myself?  I have asked myself these questions only a hundred times and mostly with tears in my eyes.  
I lay in bed pretending I am in my bed in Seattle...in my mind I pretend I am in the home I have  loved and I invision what I would be doing, seeing and feeling if my life had not changed so.

Don was asked to move to the Bay area...they needed his personality and ability to make these offices profitable.  He began commuting in September of last year while we waited for Andrew to graduate from high school.  He would leave Monday morning and fly home Friday night.  He did that for 9 months.

Andrew received  his mission call and date that he would leave, so we knew that we would leave right after he did.  July 21st we put Andrew on a plane for Quetzaltenango Guatemala and July 24th my house and belongings were being packed in boxes.

We have found a beautiful home in San Jose.  It is very comfortable and feels warm and the spirit abide here...I am adjusting to all the newness and trying my best to make this feel like home.  Each week is a little better and I feel sure, over time I will embrace this change and embrace my current life.  

We are here for a reason, we prayed about this move and felt heavens hand guiding us.  Time will reveal the meaning behind our move.  I know that, because over the past 30 years we have felt and experienced the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father as we have been prayerful in every aspect of our lives.  

What I have learned ...
if you get too comfortable its time for a change...we don't grow in the comfort zone.


I can do hard things...I've taught that truth through the past 6 years in seminary, now it's time time to walk the talk!
In alma 5:15  it says "Do you look forward with an eye of faith"...meaning, do we do something that seems to make no sense to the natural man, yet we feel it to be what we should do and just do it?  I did it because I knew that in the past Heavenly Father has lead us, directed us and guided us.  I knew that He has a plan for us and that plan is not in the comfort zone all the time.  I knew that it was time for some personal growth...and so, I did "look forward with an eye of faith".  
I have stopped crying and wishing for my past life.  I am setting goals for myself and looking forward to accomplishing them.  I am looking forward and welcome the experiences that will be insightful as I wonder what is our purpose here.  I will keep you posted as those occurances take place and begin shaping our new lives.

One more thought...In regards to our children...I think this is a powerful example that we follow our husbands as they lead in righteousness and that we support their professional life.  Also, in some ways I believe I was a crutch for them.  They hung out with me, I was easy and didn't take much effort.  Now they have to engage themselves in their world, make friends and depend on each other.  I think that is a good thing.  


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