TINY NOTES

"Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect. It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections."

How can leaving tiny post-it notes change your life.......and maybe others?

Caitlin Boyle said "I realized what we write on a note for others is really the message we need to hear ourselves."

I am so excited that I can maybe make a person or two smile or feel better with just a "tiny note". My goal is to leave notes wherever I am each day. Two of my favorite words "Synchronicity" and "Serendipity" will be connected with these tiny notes. I will never know their true effects, but I have faith they will now and then reach the people who need a lift or a smile. I thought long about the name I gave to my new little escapade, "Tiny Notes". A colorful post-it, in a bright color with a small bird stamped on it......signifying it just flew itself into the spot it was needed that day! I ask God each day, in these hard and stressful times, help me make even one person's load a little lighter.

"Serendipity" is the act of finding something valuable or delightful when you are not looking for it or expecting it, ......something good by accident.

"Synchronicity"- what is it? Synchronicity is the process whereby our energy flows easily and beautifully and attracts to us all the ideal people and events that provide the perfect opportunity for growth. Things, people and circumstances come into our path for a reason. Synchronicity is the outward manifestation of our thoughts brought to us by our souls, linking and connecting us with others... With events that serve as meaningful opportunities that we have attracted into our experiences to assist us in gaining clarity or evolving in some way. It represents the invisible, underlying spiritual working of the universe. These two words and their meanings appear as two seemingly disconnected events that are actually beautifully interconnected in a divine way. Syn events are often associated with periods of transformation; for example births, deaths, falling love, divorce, intense creative works or even a change of career/profession.

This I believe....."Things Happen For A Reason...Just Believe."

Saving Money

"Life is like a coin, you can spend it anyway you want, but you can only spend it once."

I was raised with enough....I had a good home, plenty to eat, but not a lot of extras. I learned to be careful with my money and after being married to "Scrooge" for 30 years, I know well thrifty. My grandchildren do not know these things. My three daughters know one-half of it. There is a new guide line I am striving for to make my dollars stretch further in these hard times. I have learned there are four categories:

1. Top Dollar Items..."I really need it, and I really love it."

2. Bottom Dollar Items.... "I really need it, but I don't really love it." ( These would be sale items that entice you because they are on sale.)

3. Remaining money Items: "I don't really need it, but I really love it." (This is where retail therapy is involved. You think it would make you feel better to have one more pair of shoes.)

4. Not One Cent On: "I don't need it, and I don't really, really love it"... (Ends up as clutter or in the next garage sale. Impulse buying.)

I could never become a monk who "has no stuff", but there does come a time in your life when you realize your house is full of "stuff" you don't need, use or want any more. I wish my time would arrive soon, because I really do have lots of "Stuff"! Just think what a great garage sale my kids can have when I die!

My THree Granddaughters

I have three beautiful granddaughters! It is a grandmother's privilege to brag about her grandchildren, sooooo. Tiffany is my oldest granddaughter. She was a beautiful swimmer and got a scholarship to Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. Four years later she came back to Salt Lake with a degree in Geology. Tiff went to work at University of Utah in the Engineering department and has excelled, getting several awards and moving up. She started helping as an alumni advisor with her sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma on campus and just keeps moving up the ladder there. She just accepted a position as Providence Director of Chapters over three states. She will be a wonderful leader and example for many young girls. She has even met a wonderful guy, is engaged and planning an October wedding. She has her plate full in the direction she wants to move, with a partner. Now there is hope I might be a great-grandmother some day!

Nicci is my second granddaughter. Nicci has her whole life in front of her and is running full bore into it, not backing away for a minute. Nicci's attitude is bring it on, more, faster, better, how much, how soon. Bring it on and I'll handle it and be the best of the best at it. Nicci loves adventure and travel. She was a great little dancer, but knew there was more in life. After four years of college at Arizona State, then a two year stint with her sorority as an advisor, then on to Indiana University to graduate school. She has completed one year and has made us all proud. She never stopped trying for interviews with big companies that could challenge her and help her grow. She preferred Proctor and Gamble, but ended up with an internship this summer with Nestle, turning down Hershey because of no International offices. She is back in IU with an offer for a job when she graduates next spring with a mere $90,000.00 starting fee and an offer for any department she wants......and will turn 25 next month. Will this make her happy? I don't think she will be happy until she is running one of these companies!!!! (Nestle knew she has a boyfriend that just went with P & G, they acknowledged this and said they could probably find a place for Bill, if Nicci would sign on!) Nicci has worked hard, and has earned this. What's more she has some of her grandmother's genes.......not the smart ones, just the Gypsies ones.

Andrea is my third granddaughter, she just turned 15. She is tall, beautiful, smart and sassy! She just passed her drivers test, was in a golf tournament, is a good swimmer and loves dance. Andrea has a great potential for a wonderful life, she knows what she wants. These girls make me a very proud Grandmother...............

Eat - Pray - Love

I loved Liz Gilbert's "Eat, Love ,Pray" story. How I envy someone who is brave enough to just take their life into their own hands and do what they feel best for them. Julia took one year to search out her own self. She began to explore her joyful self by eating favorite foods in Italy. Then she went to India, she tried the soul searching and meditation and learning to be quiet inside. Then on to Indonesia to eventually fall in love. I so admire people like her. I wonder if I could try a chunked down form of this at home? Eating? Well at the present I am on a diet because of my granddaughter's wedding and I have to look good in the dress I bought that is pretty tight! I can write down my dreams, sometimes when you put them in words they can come true. Go back and read them often. Second would be: you need to have quiet times. Living almost alone I have a lot of peace and quiet in my life. Third: Find out what makes you really happy. Connecting with friends, volunteering, learning something new, like to knit, speak Spanish or play the piano. Fourth: Pamper your self. I don't do spas well, but I love having my nails and hair done. I thought about it but I can't see myself mixing oatmeal and honey and covering my face or mixing olive and sugar to make a thick paste and covering my body in it before a shower for an exfoliating body scrub. So I will just turn on my little water fountain and light an aromatherapy candle and have a glass of wine. I think that will do it! As for Love, my family and friends provide me with a lot of love............all I can handle at my age!

I also loved the movie because I have made a journey through the very same places she made. Yes, I have eaten the fabulous foods in Italy and marveled at the culture and sights. Yes, I have been to Bombay and seen the poverty and had the children run along side your taxi wanting a handout. I saw and felt their religiousness. I never meditated there. And yes I loved Bali, Lombac and Jarkarta. Their I loved their little spirit houses at homes or the way they left special things on the steps for the spirits. The weddings and funerals were very unusual. And gosh, I wasn't there long enough to fall in love......I spent all my time shopping.

Busy Weekend

Such a busy weekend......the time is just flying and I haven't gotten in the nap I had planned to take. I got back from a two day trip to Vernal Thursday night, and Friday rushed to get ready to drive to Provo to meet my sister and niece who had driven up from Arizona. We had a fun evening in Robert Redford's Sundance Resort watching "Big River". We went up early and had a nice dinner in one of the restaurants. Met Mike's finance, her sister and aunt. My nephew was Mark Twain, always fun when you know one of the actors. It is a big out door place with seating that goes up the side of a hill. It's quite a climb up but they offer you a ride in a hay wagon looking thing. It was a beautiful night, but when that sun goes down you are glad you have a winter coat and a blanket. Leslie was just getting over pneumonia and the high altitude was making it hard to breath, so at the half we decided to head for the warm car. Of course the hay wagon thingey wasn't running at the half so hanging on to Korina, we old ladies crept down the big hill to the little warm store. I didn't get back to Salt Lake until 1:00 in the morning and I can't remember when I had been out so late! Saturday Leslie stayed with me while Mike and Korina went to the Salt Lake Temple. We shopped for material to make blankets for the kids, and she took a nap. They will leave tomorrow and her visits are never long enough for us to catch up on all our news. I love my little sister and worry about her health. She hadn't eaten enough breakfast and had a diabetic melt-down in the material store, it really scared me. We found some candy and a bottle of water and headed out to find some lunch for her. She really doesn't take very good care of herself...........Off to the Cooks for Sunday dinner.

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.