Counting My Blessings #15 - Modern Day Revelation

I am thankful for modern day revelation. I am so happy to know that the Lord leads his church through revelation. I love that I can pray to Heavenly Father and receive personal revelation.

When confused which church to join Joseph Smith followed the advice given in James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
He prayed and received the first vision.

I am so thankful that we can pray about any question or trial we are having, and we can receive truth and guidance from the Lord himself.

Secret Underground Tunnel for Sale

This is funny and interesting...too bad I don't have an extra $7.4 million.  Maybe then I could be a cool spy like Chuck.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/28/business/worldbusiness/28tunnel.html?no_interstitial

Counting My Blessings #14 - Gideon

I am grateful for my chinchilla. I know that I did a blog about my cute little Gideon, but he is a blessing to me so I am going to blog about him again in my blessing count.

I love how he jumps up and clings to the side of the cage when he really wants something. I love when he will cuddle on my lap while I read. His is such a sweet and soft creature.

Twilight in the Twilight

I had been fully planning on waiting at least a week before going to Twilight the movie to avoid masses of teenagers, but on Thursday evening at about 9:00 I received a call from my brother. The group he was going with had a couple of extra seats for the 12:40am showing, so Bret and I went. There were a lot of teenagers, but I was happy to find that there was a couple dressed as vampires sitting in front of me. The whole theater sang happy birthday to someone which was pretty neat.

I would like to mention that movies are not as good as books to me. I prefer my own imagination, and being in the characters head to know what they are feeling and thinking. With that said, the movie was okay.

I loved seeing the characters on the big screen. The acting was good, and I liked that there was tons of nature shots. Most of the characters were cast well. But not Rosalie...she is supposed to be the most beautiful woman alive, and she wasn't even the most beautiful in the movie. Carlisle was very attractive the way a vampire should be. Also, Jasper was so funny, and I loved the way he was portrayed. Alice really was so likable.

The sub par special effects were hard for me to swallow. If the movie budget was too low to have good special effects then they should have cut back on them. Also, there was a superhero feel to Vampires, with whooshing sounds as they moved. Vampires are not superheros, don't try to make them.  Also, I was not a fan of how the Vampires climbed trees like spiders. Vampires are strong and fast, but more in a super predator way. My last thing I will complain about is how there was a twinkling noise in the background every time Edward's skin sparkled in the sun.

They did have many good parts and I would recommend it. It was fun and I really do like the story.

I think I will like the movie more the second time I see it.

What's So Special About Today?

Two years ago today Bret and I got engaged.

Bret and I went to Man of La Mancha at Hale Center Theater which was very enjoyable. We were close to where his father's old dental practice was so we drove by to check it out. Then Bret and I went to his sister's house to celebrate his niece's birthday, (or so I thought). Once we got to the door Bret informed me that it was actually an engagement dinner and lead me to a candle lit Italian dinner.
Bret got down on one knee, told me he loved me, and asked me to marry him and of course I agreed. He gave me a beautiful jade necklace that he bought in New Zealand. It is a Maori symbol meaning the joining of two people for eternity.

Here we are two years later, happily married.

Visitors

This weekend my sister-in-law and her family came in town.  It was so good to spend time with them.  I am so lucky not only to I have the most amazing husband, but he came with an awesome family.

Friday was a beautiful Autumn day, and we went to the park and Wheeler Farm. 

James, age 4, is so funny.  He loves to run and humming his own theme music is necessary for him really to go top speed.

The day was so clear that shadows where very sharp and at one point my nephew had my shadow race his shadow.  Unfortunately it was hard to capture that with an active child and a slow shutter time on my camera.

Tanner will be 3 in a week, and he is just as cute as his brother.  He was really enjoying balancing as we walked home. 

Grant is 13 months old, and he has big hazel eyes, long eyelashes, and a contagious smile.

I love crunching dry leave under my feet.  The noise and feel if it bring me so much joy.

This was one of my favorite places growing up.  It is such a good little hut.  I went in and was happy to find that I still fit up the narrow little passage way to the second floor.
Saturday all of Bret's family got together for lunch, and it was really nice to spend time with them.

Happy 22nd Birthday Little One

My brother's birthday was earlier this week. My family and a couple of Alex's friends came over for dinner and games. I made this chocolaty cake for him, but I don't have 22 candles so he had to settle for 8.

I can't believe my baby brother is 22 already.

Counting My Blessings #13 - My Primary Class

I am grateful for my primary class. It is amazing how sweet and loving those children are. Today was my last day in primary because I have been called to be the Young Women's Beehive Advisor. I am so excited about my new calling, and I think that it is going to be an awesome experience.

I have to admit though that when the Bishop told me I was going to be released from Primary I was surprised and had to hold back tears. I thought I would be in Primary until Bret and I move next summer. Teaching Primary has taught me so much, and I have loved getting to know the children and their personalities.

Counting My Blessings #12 - Crocheting

I am very grateful for yarn and crocheting. I love making blankets and hats, and it is a really fun hobby. It begins with stitch upon stitch until strings have been turned into something useful. While I am working on it, it reminds me of:

2 Nephi 28:30 "For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more..."

and Alma 37:6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

Here are some of my creations:

My Secret Confession

I love listening to Christmas music right after Halloween. I deeply enjoy Christmas music, and I am far too fond of the holiday tunes to only have four or five weeks of them. And really 8 out of 52 weeks is not that much, in fact it is only 15.4% of the year. Plus, I try very hard not to expose people to it who feel it is premature for their ears prior to Thanksgiving.
This is a view out of my office window of today's snow storm. It is much easier for me to kick back, listen to Christmas music, and just let it snow (let it snow, let it snow), then to get upset about the weather. (Chances are that I will not have as good of an attitude about the snow by February.)

Casting My Ballot

It is so exciting to vote!
Here is the cool high tech machine and card. No more paper punch machines here.
I love being able to have a say in this country's future!

This is a picture of my BFF and I voting when we were in college. We had our backpacks because it was a three hour wait and we had homework.

One Last Note on Halloween stuff

I had such a fun time at the Halloween Cookie Decorating Party. I wish that I had more pictures of the guests.
I made so many cookies that day, but did not have too many left over.
We also watched Hocus Pocus.

Counting My Blessings #11 - Rain

I am grateful for the rain. I love the way it smells, and feels, and how it washes the whole world clean.

Jack-o-Lanterns

The Monday before Halloween we went over to my mom's house to carve pumpkins.
I love carving pumpkins!