UH-OH

oops...

.

Phone

+

Toilet

=

BUMMER!

.

I'm so sorry it had to end this way.

Thanks for the memories.

"Finding ourselves"

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
Gandhi

Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.
Edmund Burke

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
Ann Frank

Service, to be acceptable to the Savior, must come from willing minds, ready hands, and pledged hearts.

Thomas S Monson

When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God.
Mosiah 2:17

There truly isn't a better way to keep life in perspective than to serve others. I had the great opportunity to take a few of the YW from our ward and spend the day today at the LDS Humanitarian Center doing just a little bit to help make the world a better place. We recieved a call from our Stake President a few days ago that there was a somewhat urgent need to help assemble hygiene kits, based on the huge demand in recent weeks due to the hurricanes and other disasters worldwide. It just so happens that their was no school today for our students and these amazing YW were willing to give up their day off to serve. These girls never cease to amaze me.

Each hygiene kit includes:
2 towels
2 bars of soap
1 tube of toothpaste
4 toothbrushes
2 combs


We had a pretty good little assembly line going...

Sure, maybe they would have rather been home sleeping or hanging out with friends, but they didn't stop smiling (or working) all day...

The familiar primary song certainly seemed to be true today...

when you're helping, you really ARE happy!

We filled kit after kit and box after box...

...and pretty soon our stacks were taller than us!

If our calculations are correct, nearly 10,000 hygeine kits were assembled during the shift that we worked today! Isn't that incredible!?! I continue to be astounded and so incredibly proud of all that the church does to serve humanity. What an awesome thing to have such a tiny hand in.

The shift coordinator told us that most of the kits that we assembled today will be sent to Haiti, Cuba and the Gulf Coast where they are still trying to recover from the recent devastating hurricanes.

We all left pretty humbled to think that our efforts today could be in the sweet, innocent hands of people like this by next week!

For more information on the LDS church and these humanitarian efforts, you can visit here or here

Mr. J

I {really}, {really} love this guy...

He's been working really hard lately

and I don't tell him enough just how lucky I feel to be his

{MRS}

Love you, babe! Thanks for all you do!

It's here...

...the most wonderful time of the year!

HaPpy FALL!

Friday Funny

{LUCKY'S FUNERAL}

This little girl is so dang cute. If you haven't seen this video...a must watch!

RIP Lucky!

Good News...

No...actually GREAT NEWS...

IT'S OFFICIAL!

She's engaged!

One of my dearest and bestest friends is getting married...

and to a really incredible guy who really seems to know just how lucky he is!

I highjacked all these pictures from Amy's blog, so everyone could see just how happy she is!

Congratulations Aimo! I love you!

(and start preparing the guest room...cuz I'll be coming to visit)

Saturday afternoons in the fall...

I LOVE THESE KIND OF SATURDAY AFTERNOONS! As you probably know...I come from a family of very proud BYU loyalists! My Dad (and brothers) could rival ANYONE for the most hardcore fan award. We've had BYU football season tickets my whole life. From the time that I was little....THIS is what we did on Saturday afternoons in the fall. Now, most of my brothers, nephews and Chris and I still have season tickets right near my Dad's original seats that he has had for years and years. It is so fun to all be together and cheering for the blue just like I remember as a kid... (although in the good old days...we used to be able to take our own food in. Mom would pack a little picnic with the old red thermos full of hot chocolate, loaded hoagie sandwiches and if we were lucky, even twinkies and ding dongs...now THOSE were the days! It now costs a small fortune to eat lunch at the stadium!)

As you can see... the indoctrination starts young in our family... really young!

No Dick and Jane books here....Trey is learning to read using the latest copy of

"Cougar Illustrated"

And sweet Riley is my oldest nephew Tyler's little girl. She looks pretty happy to be sporting the Cougar Tee. Yep...it looks like another generation of indoctrination has begun.

My oldest brother Mike and 2 of my nephews!

LADIES...all three of these gems are single and available. Both Cody and Colby just returned from their missions this last year and are as handsome as ever!

This little gem, however, IS taken!

He's mine and I love sharing these Saturday afternoons with him. Truly...THE BEST!

LOGAN...Called to Serve!

I can hardly believe that my little nephew Logi-Bear is old enough to be a missionary! Wow, how time flies!!




The "call" arrived in the mail just before everyone was headed off to the football game, so as you can imagine...it had to wait!

After a very fun and slightly dominating win...there couldn't have been a better way to finish a nearly perfect day than finding out where Logan would be spending the next 2 years of his life serving the Lord.

Chris talked him into holding it and taking a "mug shot" picture.

He pulled it off frighteningly well!

Feeling the love and support of 2 RM older brothers...

Just opened it...starting to read...

The raised eyebrows and look of shock say it all...

MEXICO, GUADALAJARA MISSION!

All smiles as he takes a closer look with Grandpa and others looking on...

This kid is going to be a fantastic missionary! Congratulations Logan!!

friday funny

Is it Friday yet?

Ever have one of those weeks? Granted, there have been some good things...like exciting, soon to be announced news from her, but overall...it's been a week that I'm ready to put in the books!

Here's just a sampling:

One of these...

one the freeway.

Thank goodness for him...

After 2+ hours in a miserable waiting room and plenty of this...

I ended up with 4 new of these...

That's not all.

I spent a bunch more time and another wad of this...

here...

wishing I was here...

with him

*****

{and that was just one 24 hour period}

If only I could chew...I think I'd really need one of these...

Seriously?

It must be true, because the very cute and "oh so in touch with his hip and trendy fashionable side" guy that rang me up at Down East today was sporting the look...

Read it here ...

I didn't have to look hard online before finding "how to peg-and-roll for dummies" - a simple 4 step method:

Unfortunately, I also wouldn't have needed to look very hard to find some classic photos of yours truly sporting the *original* look circa 1988, also known as the 7th grade....

however....

I decided to spare you.

3 days in a row...3 straight reasons to celebrate!

***

{HAPPY} {HAPPY} {BIRTHDAY} TO MY BIG SIS SHARON!

***

I could never say enough about how much I love this amazing woman! She has ALWAYS been there for me no matter what I have gone through in my life, whether it was needing a place to sluff school in high school (don't get any ideas Tasha), needing a shoulder to cry on, needing someone to make me laugh, wanting someone to share a dessert with, needing a basement to move in to, needing help removing layer after layer of wallpaper....you name it, she's always there for me!

I love you more than you know and hope you have a great birthday!

Look at me crashing in on a cute Mom & Daughter picture!

{ Tasha, me, Bree, & Sharon }

...and a very happy birthday to my MOM!

In honor of my amazing mom's birthday, here's just 71 of the many reasons why I love her...

1. She gave birth to me, need I say more! (no....but I will)
2. She is an only daughter and her brothers absolutely adore her and look out for her...still.
3. When I love little, we would come home from school to homemade bread, grape juice and raspberry jam...all the time.
4. She is fun and adventurous!
5. She used to roll down the hills with us, laughing the whole way...always a kid at heart.
6. She begged my Dad to do the sky coaster at Lagoon just a few years ago. They invoked quite a crowd of on-lookers....they and their gray hair were the hit of all the passer-bys. She is a total thrill-seeker!
7. She should have been a doctor or nurse. Nothing grosses her out and she loves to watch surgeries and interesting medical things. (I did NOT get this from her...I nearly pass out after a paper cut)
8. She was always able to stay home and be a mom. She was ALWAYS home when we got home from school. I loved it!
9. When I came home from school and said that I wanted my hair cut like MaryLou Retton's in the 4th grade...she let me, even if she was afraid that I might look like a boy. (it wasn't my best look, but I was still pretty cute)
10. She taught me about having a house of order. She is a great homemaker.
11. She always told us she was proud of us.
12. She makes the best homemade rolls! Seriously...to die for! Now, as an adult...that's all I ever want for Christmas! They totally rock with her homemade jam!
13. She has friends that she's had for decades!
14. She and my Dad still have "Dinner Club" with many long time friends each month.
15. She always peels my oranges for me!
16. She is reserved and genuine.
17. Their is nothing more powerful than her disappointment in you. Holy Silent Treatment! I used to wish she would just beat me! :)
18. She would also cut the corn off the cob for me, because I hated that it would get stuck in my teeth. She is so good to me!
19. She loves BYU sports almost as much as my Dad.
20. She is an incredible grandmother.
21. One of the most looked forward to days of the year is Grandma's Cookie Bake and Sleepover...even now that many of the grandkids are grown.
22. She is a great cook!
23. She always let us open a present on Christmas Eve and we always watched the original Miracle on 34th Street before bed.
24. She handmade me 2 "cabbage patch" dolls when I was young, with birth certificates and all. They were the best!
25. She threw the best birthday parties and always made us awesome birthday cakes! (My Nancy cake was my favorite)
26. She loves the Lord and is a great example to those she meets.
27. She is a home-body. No place in the world she would rather be than at home with all of her family.
28. She has a funny sense of humor.
29. She always comes up with the best "white elephant" gifts. It has become a funny tradition with high expectations!
30. She always made us huge heart sugar cookies with our names on them on Valentine's Day.
31. She has crazy dreams! If you do something wrong...even in her dreams, expect the above mentioned disappointment and silent treatment.
32. She takes little power naps almost every day.
33. She packed a lunch for my Dad every single day he was working!
34. My parents have always had an incredible yard. Amazing fruits and vegetables and BEAUTIFUL flower beds.
35. She has always been a great friend to me, much more than just my Mom.
36. She has always supported my Dad is church callings and civic responsibilities.
37. She had (and maybe still does) a huge crush on Tom Selleck. She LOVED Magnum P.I.
38. She hates the water, but would still plan amazing family vacations to Lake Powell and Bear Lake every year, so we could enjoy it. We spent lots of time boating growing up and she doesn't even like it.
39. She always packed great snacks for our road trips.
40. She always made great bedtime snacks. When I visited them in the Philippines, even as a 30 year old, she would cut me a fresh mango into bite size pieces with some other fresh fruit and have it on a plate for me just before bedtime. Mom's are the best!
41. She loves milk with soggy bread. Don't ask me why.
42. She reminds me of my grandma. I love it!
43. She loves baths...so do I!
44. She always makes her bed very first thing...before doing anything else! So do I... it's just how you start your day!
45. She hates winter....so do I.
46. I loved getting up early every 4th of July and going to the Balloon Festival, it was always so much fun.
47. Every sunday night growing up, she would make a huge pot of homemade hot chocolate and cinnamon toast and we would spend time together as a family before starting the next week.
48. BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING! I have been getting up and hitting the early morning sales with my mom the day after Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember! I love this tradition! We always finish it off with a fantastic breakfast and a nap!
49. Mom would always lead us in "When The Family Gets Together" as our opening song for FHE and we would usually have Orange Julius for refreshments! Yum!
50. She collects nutcrackers and they all have names.
51. She goes all out on Christmas decor. I always loved Christmas growing up...the whole house was decorated!
52. We always had 2 trees growing up...the one in the family room downstairs was for the kids to decorate with all of our homemade decorations, but the one upstairs in the living room was off limits! It was HER creative project and it was always beautiful!
53. She saved all the little gifts that we ever made her.... Christmas ornaments from primary, art projects from elementary school, porcelain vases from summer arts and crafts...you name, she loved and cherished it.
54. She is very protective of the people she loves. Don't cross her or hurt someone she loves.
55. She is always up for time with the girls - daughters, daughter-in-laws, and granddaughters!
56. 4th of July water fights will always be a cherished tradition. She's a fierce competitor and nobody is safe...not even the little kids!
57. I will always be her baby and I love it!
58. When I was a little kid, I hated KFC (I still have a bit of an issue with meat on the bone) and whenever we would go to picnics or family reunions, she would get the good old bucket of chicken for everyone else and then stop and get a happy meal for me! SO nice!
59. She technically has 2 birthdays. According to her original birth certificate it says she was born on September 3rd (probably the day it was filled out), but my grandma has always been CERTAIN that she was actually born on September 1st. She remembers when she went into labor, when she was admitted into the hospital and when she had the baby....and she always knew it was the 1st...so thats when they've always celebrated her birthday!
60. She always cooked a great dinner and we ate together as a family every night.
61. She was hit by a car when she was 7 and almost didn't make it. I'm sure it was because she had amazing things to still accomplish in this life....(you know, like birth me!)
62. She loves to travel and experience new things. Always up for an adventure!
63. She was pregnant for 6 1/2 years of her life...WOW! I am so glad that she continued being willing to have more kids...otherwise I would not be here!
64. She sacrificed so much of herself for her kids. We were always and still are her #1 priority.
65. She can always tell from just my voice or my tone if something is wrong or if I'm down. She has an amazing Mother's Intuition.
66. She has always supported me in everything that I have ever done.
67. She loves me unconditionally.
68. She will call me occasionally just to leave me a message and tell me she was thinking of me and loves me and just how proud she is of me.
69. She has been married to my Dad for 51 years! What an amazing accomplishment!
70. Her grandkids adore her and all the fun memories she's created for them.
71. I hope that someday I can be even half as great of a mother. She is the best!

and most of all...

She's my MOM and I just plain love her guts!

*

MOM---Happy Birthday!

I hope the year ahead is your best yet! You deserve it!

I love you!