Happy Birthday to Pam

My first child had a birthday Wednesday......Every year older she is makes me a year older also,that is o.k. Sherrie drove in from Vernal to go to lunch with Pam, Karrie, Tiffany, Andrea and I,so it was fun having all the girls and two of my three granddaughters for lunch. Karrie let us go to the Willow Creek Country Club on her membership. Sherrie drove to Salt Lake Tuesday night and we had fun shopping and she and Karrie and I planning Tiffany's bridal shower for September 18th.

Sherrie had to get back to Vernal by five for a meeting so by three we finished our celebration for another year. At three forty-five Karrie, Scott, Andrea and I were on our way to Vernal to pick up Alex's old truck for Rich to buy,a very spur of the moment trip and my only "out of town vacation" for a year and a half.....wow! The next morning took the truck in to register it and the kids rode horses. All went to lunch and jumped in the cars and headed back to Salt Lake to get Scott weighted in and signed up for foot ball........a must as his father is head coach this year. What a fast and hectic trip and poor Sherrie didn't even know we were coming until she was almost home. We were about an hour behind her. Darren and her boys are on a river trip so didn't upset the household routine too much. Our four August birthdays are now gone and school is just around the corner.......and Fall.

Happy Day

"Hakuna Matata".......There are no worries! Yesterday was Andrea's 15th birthday and the family did the traditional Spaghetti Factory dinner. It has become a tradition since Andrea's mother was a little girl. My whole family love it. I find birthday and Spaghetti Factory are synonymous. The little ones go for Mac and Cheese. THEN, the family and I had tickets to see The LION KING, oh wow, did I enjoy it. I have always loved the music, then put the wonderful story of a father's love for a son into it, with the fabulous costumes, lighting and staging was unreal. There really are some talented, creative people in our world, which give us all a lot of pleasure.

On Saturday I went to Tiffany's first wedding shower. Scott's family hosted it and it was fun to meet his side of the family. They had tons of good food.........and I'm on a diet! She (they) got a lot of nice gifts to start their new life off together. Of course, being the practical person I am, I gave her a pink tool kit.....I knew she wouldn't get too many of those.

Friday Sherrie and her family came to town and we had a swimming pizza birthday lunch for Andrea and Brayden, born one day apart. Brayden is celebrating his birthday today on a river trip with his Dad's family. And my mother would have been 98 today.............Happy birthday Mom. I have so much to be grateful for with my wonderful, fun family and my parents and siblings. I will be singing Hakuna Matata all day.............cute Simba.

Thoughts.......

"There are only two ways to live your life.....One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though every thing is." I was saddened to read today two dear friends have passed away. Gerry Rich was in our Guard Group and Barbara Johnson was a fun friend to party with. Makes you stop and think. As I look at this picture taken this summer with my youngest grandchild out boating with his family, I cherish those moments we have shared and would hope for many more, but life at my age is quite uncertain. I don't feel older everyday, but my family would probably consent they see me getting older......so what, old is good! Too many people don't get the opportunity to grow old........ Read on.

"A Warning" by Jenny Joseph

When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple, with a red hot which doesn't go and doesn't suit me. And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves, and satin sandals and say we've no money for butter. I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired, and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells. And run my stick along public railings and make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain, and pick flowers in other people's gardens and learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat, and eat three pounds of sausages at a go. Or ,only bread and pickles for a week, and hoard pens and pencils and beer mats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry, and pay our rent and not swear in the street. And set a good example for the children, We will have friends to dinner and read the papers. But, maybe I ought to practice a little now? So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised when suddenly I am old and start to wear purple!

I am not laughing, but I always think twice before I buy something purple, my grandma Goff liked purple, and I remember she was old.

CTR-Choose The Right

In our Mormon Church, when children reach the age of accountability, they are sometimes given a "CTR" ring or better known as the "Choose The Right" reminder. I think the "CTR" ring would be great to be included in everyone marriage ceremony. You could exchange the rings and wear them on the other hand from the wedding bands. It might cut down on the cheating that goes on in so many marriages, and the divorces.........I also think every politician, when they are sworn into office should be given one to wear. Maybe it would help them to remember all the promises they make and make better choices for the benefit of the country. Before anyone could be released from AAA or Drug rehabilitation it would be tattooed on their arm and even give them a ring to help make better choices. If you just give them the ring, they would probably sell it for money for more drugs or booze, so that is why the tattoo.

When my sister and I got divorces, another sister (married), sent us each a pretty "CTR" ring with the message, Just a reminder......Choose The Right One........next time! Consequently we neither one have remarried, and enjoyed a good laugh. Something as simple as Small ringcan become a BIG ANCHOR in your life. Making a hard choice, good or bad, as you wrestle with a decision, always look at or twist that Little ring around your finger a time or to, then go with that gut feeling. Choose The Right! In the end you will know you made the right choice.

The ring came into being nearly 50 years ago. The three little letters meaning "Choose The Right" inset on a green shield. It was an invention of eight church ladies of the Mormon church and incorporated into the churches teachings. The shield represents a shield from temptation in our life and the background was chosen from the evergreen tree. The reason being they remain constant as seasons change. "A constant reminder to avoid bad temptations at all times."
What a simple Metaphor to live by.

Count Down to Tiff's Wedding

We are counting down to Tiff's wedding now and I need to find a new pair of shoes to match my new dress.

It is turning into the wedding of funky shoes! The bridge is wearing "orange" shoes with her beautiful white dress. I do hope people will concentrgte on how beautiful she looks.......not her shoes.

The bride's mother has sparkley, very beautiful shoes, kinda like the red shoes in the wizard of oz. You can't miss them. The bride's father bought himself a new pair of black cowboy boots! So that sparked the competition that every family member has built in themselves, into seeing how outrageous a pair of shoes they can come up with.........that is appropriate. I don't think they make outrageous "grandma shoes". But, I'm on the hunt and will try to fit in and not look to grandmaish............

I have always loved shoes and so do the girls. I think my love and hoarding comes from growing up with one new pair of shoes every six months, as a war was going on and you got a coupon book to buy the family shoes. I remember saddle shoes or loofers and you wore them for everything. Once the war was over and I grew up and got a job, I wanted to buy every fun pair of shoes I saw........and I still do.

Well, maybe I could find a "wowing" pair on Ebay? I already check out KMart an Walmart......no luck. So on to Dillards and Nordstroms! I don't give up easily. I'll keep you posted.

"Old" Friends

Nothing like good old friends.......and some are old! Yesterday at our knitting club, "Witty Knitters", we are a prayer shawl ministry we have some old and dedicating ladies, we had a birthday party at my house for Lorraine who turned 90. She said she thinks of herself as about 75, not really old. She lives alone, swims every day and had driven herself to my house. She climbed my stairs better than I do and has had both knees replaced. She was very grateful for the cards, shawl and birthday cake we surprised her with and had parties planned for the whole week. I said, "Betty you can do that too!" Why not?

You have to live so fast now days to keep up with all the modern things that I hope I don't wear out until I am 90......12 more years. I know I have made it to 2010 by the following: I accidentally enter my password on the microwave. I haven't played Solitaire with real cards in years and I can play hearts with a machine. I have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach my family of three girls. I email my family and friends instead of dropping them a letter or a note, and my reason for not staying in touch with friends or family is they don't have emails! Leaving the house without my cell phone, which I didn't have the first 60 years of my life, is now a cause for panic, all the "what if's" come rushing in and I go back and get it. (Half the time I forget to turn it on).....which upset the family. I keep track of many nieces and nephews by reading my face book and now keep my journal on my "Blog". I even know how to work the digital camera my kids gave me. If I go on learning until I'm 90, wow, what a smart grandmother I will be! So move over Lorraine and know you are my inspiration! Maybe the grandkids won't realize what a lousy cookie maker I am.

Pay Attention................

Every time you find a penny, examine it carefully and read the words on it. "United States of America"......"One Cent"...."In God we Trust"...."The date."

If you believe in God, the name of God is holy on a coin. Every time you find a coin you see that inscription. It is written on every United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of us or even into our hands to tell us to trust in Him. Who am I to pass by a coin? Every day we handle dozens of coins which can be a constant reminder if we pay attention and are aware of the message on it, "In God We Trust." It can really make your days better. When I find a coin now, I try and check where I am with God, am I trying to be the best I can be, smile at someone, hold some one's door or let a driver into the line, or just say, "Thank you God for this day." I pick up the coin as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I can cherish this small coin as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. " Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful where I travel."

And did you know? What is the most popular beverage in the world? Sorry, Coke and Pepsi is not the answer, it is tea. Today tea is the most popular drink in the world, except for water. In the United States over 187 million pounds of tea are consumed each year, that is about thirteen gallons per person. Both hot tea and ice tea are popular. Now you know........