Hooper Honey's

Wow I am extremely blessed with such wonderful friends.  Today we, The Hooper Honey's, went to lunch to celebrate Lorraine's birthday.  Wasn't it just last year most of us were turning 50?  Nope!!! It has been six years for me and Lorraine and I will just say (because this is my blog and I can say what I want)  that the years are flying by. A few more blinks and we will be celebrating 60!  We could dress up like really old ladies for a few more years and then we are going to need to reserve our dress and dress up in the past. ☺ (I wonder if our moms have this much fun)

We went to the Corner Bakery today.  I noticed three other groups of ladies meeting as well.  It's a yummy place and it didn't make my tummy sick.  It wasn't even overly busy like I have seen it in the past.  It was nice and we didn't feel rushed. (they even trade your soup if it's too spicy)

I love when you can laugh, cry and even bare your testimony with your friends.  That happened today.  I love being able to share my things that are going on in my life with my friends and have them share their things and have the love and support of everyone.  These women are some of the best born.  They are all so loving, caring and kind.  They are also so fun! They all make my life so much better!

I hope we all live to be over 100 and if by chance I die first, I hope someone will remember that I want chocolate handed out at my funeral! (truth)

Food 4 Thought Friday!

Food 4 Thought Friday! 

A little feast without the calories!! 

Feel free to play along for some yummy fun! Go HERE to JOIN IN!!! 

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Breakfast ~ If you had your own talk show, who would your first three guests be? Immaculee ilibagiza, Stephanie Nielson, and Al Fox Carraway

Lunch ~ If you could eliminate one thing you do each day to get ready for the day so that you never had to do it again, what would it be? Straighten my hair! 

Dinner ~ If you owned a CB radio what would your "handle" be? Chocolate Sunshine ☺

Midnight Snack ~ (Be careful if you don't have a filter.  You might be unpleasantly surprised...if you know what I mean!)

She reminds me of me....making sure my eyes don't sag 

a few more that caught my eye....glamour is not the word that came to me ☺

Recipe for the Week ~ (instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for the week?) Life Is All About Challenges!  No matter what we do we will experience challenges and as we get through them we will be stronger and closer to Heavenly Father (if we turn to Him)

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Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Kimi is such a wonderful Aunt.  She is so good to my cute grands and I am grateful for her.  Kimi likes to come to my house every other Thursday when she has Behr and Sadie.  It's easier for her and I like it too because I get to see these cuties before I go bowling and most the time when I get home from bowling. These little ones are so stinkin cute and precious.

Julie text everyone a few days ago about the twins progress.  Our little girl's fluid on her brain has increased.  It started at 13 and is now 16.  I cried when I got the text because my heart hurt for Julie and Kevin.  Even though we all know everything is going to be alright and that it could be so much worse it's not the kind of news you want to get.  Julie will deliver at the U of U now by the Specialist instead of her doctor.  They are going to take the babies early so that Julie won't go into labor.  My heart is full and I love that little girl so much already. (she's being named after me)  It's strange that when you know a little more about someone you are drawn to them.  My heart feels for my kids and my grand because they are going to have a little extra challenge that will also bring them all extra blessings.  I'm excited we are also getting another little man.  I know he is growing like he should (we are so thankful) and that he is bigger than his sister and I am pretty sure he will protect his twin more than any one else.   These babies are loved so much already...funny how that happens without even meeting them. From the moment you know they are coming the heart opens up and turns on the love!

Jaydan took on another cross fit challenge.  I don't like watching. I think he pushes himself to hard and I worry he is going to hurt himself all the while everyone cheers him on.  Today he had to lift 225 lbs to his waist 55 times.  That's a lot of weight for Jaydan and his weight.  He did it but it hurt his lower back and he wasn't able to finish the next part of the challenge which was to throw a 25 lb ball to a target after squatting.  He got through most of it but his lower back didn't allow him to finish.  If he would have he would have had to do handstand push ups against the wall. The other two guys competing couldn't get their legs up to do any push ups.  They all ran out of time!  Everyone likes Jaydan at the gym and he entertains them.  You never know what you will see when his shirt comes off.  He's known for shaving his chest with designs and today he had some clovers which did help I suppose...he's "lucky" he didn't die!

We started learning some actions for our production tonight at SNAP.  They're easy and the group caught on fast.  They all got to color some "3's" that will be used for the scenery.  Some of these people crack me up and they all make my heart smile!

Starting Again

Today I went and visit taught Crystal since last week she had to leave for her grandma's funeral.  We went and got a drink together while we visited and then we went to her house and I did a workout with her.  I hurried home and changed first and I was glad. (I worked up a sweat)  I'm out of shape...I knew that....this was hard and I followed the gal that kept it easy.  It was a good "boost" for me though.  Yesterday I walked and today I did this 25 minute workout and I feel good to get going again.  Exercise really does make me feel better.  I just got out of the habit of doing something every day.

I think it's time to pull out the video's I have and give them a try.  I know that exercising will improve my blood pressure and the every day stress that we all get.  I'm going to make it part of my day again.  I appreciate Crystal for inviting me to join her.  She told me how quickly she was able to see improvement on her exercise.  I couldn't keep up with her.  I'm excited to improve and get healthier!  It's never too late to start again...that's for sure!

I treated myself to a pedicure after.  I love pedicures.  I tried a new place that my friends told me was really good.  It's called T Nails and is by Planet Fitness.  It's been there for 20 years and today was my first time there.  I think for a first time pedicure this would be the place to go.  They are very gently and the ladies speak English. ☺  I still like 99 Nails though because.  I like having my feet and heels worked on a little more.  This place had hot rocks they rubbed on your legs and that was nice.

Kimi suggested that our family go see Miracles from Heaven tonight and so we did.  It is a really good movie and story.  It made me think about all the miracles around us...all the things we have to be grateful for.  I also thought that we all get trials for a reason.  We become stronger because of the trials we get.  God helps us through our trials.  There are always people that will love and support us but there will always be someone out there that no matter what will be judgmental and cruel.

It was a great day!

Tuesday with Larry aka Temple Tuesday

It's snowing today and the Ogden Temple is closed for cleaning.  However, it is Temple Tuesday with Larry and so we drove to Logan.  We were going to try to get in the 3:00 session at the Brigham City Temple but it was 2:50 when we reached Brigham City and we didn't think we would have time to park and change and so we continued to Logan.  Our car windows completely fogged up going through and canyon.  We turned the fan on high but I still opened my window a few times just so I could see.  That was the worst part of it.  The roads weren't bad going or coming home. I thought the snow was beautiful....big flakes.

I love the Logan Temple.  It's unique and has a wonderful feeling all around it.  I have heard some cool stories about it when it was first built and it is the Temple Larry and I attended when we were first married, living in Malad and Samaria.  So, I'm glad that every now and then we decide to go there.  I love Logan...it's a cozy place.  I always thought  it would be nice to live there.  We made the 3:30 session.  I love going to the Temple with Larry and look forward to our Tuesdays!

Larry's mom called while we were in the Temple and needed a Priesthood Blessing.  Larry and Jaydan gave her one when we got home.  She sounds terrible and has been fighting bronchitis all winter.  I hope she will get better now.  I finally got a blessing too.  I only had to ask 3 times and wait a month but it happened. ☺ I hope my attitude doesn't hold back the spirit from blessing me. I realize we struggle for a reason.  Having my hands bother me for months made me realize that as annoying as it has been to me and the reasons (stress) for the reaction have already been felt through Christ's atonement. He experienced my discomfort long before I did.  This experience has given me a little perspective (teeny tiny) of the pain, I alone have caused our Savior.

A Wonderful Surprise at My Front Door

The door bell rang and when I approached the door I couldn't see anyone through the little windows in our door.  I thought it must have been the UPS man leaving something.  When I opened the door there wasn't a UPS package but our cute Behrenger and everything he'd need for a few hours.  What a pleasant surprise!  It wasn't long and Kimi peaked around the side of the house.  We laughed and laughed. Kimi told me that she's wanted to Door Bell Ditch me and leave Behr for a long time.☺ I love that Kimi brings Behr over to play every now and then.  He is starting to recognize me and smiles and laughs now at me.  Oh my these babies are such blessings.

Behr and Kimi went with me to the dentist so I could get my night guard.  It was snowing today while we drove.  I hear people complain but it doesn't bother me.  It's how our springs are here in UT.  I think people forget because the last few years have kind of gypped a few of the seasons.  We've gone right from Summer to Fall with no Winter and back to summer completely leaving out Spring.  This past year we experienced all the seasons and I guess that gives people the opportunity to complain.  Spring is a season of Sunshine and Rain...maybe mixed with a little snow at times.  It is what it is....complaining doesn't change the weather only the complainer.

I enjoyed Kimleighel and Behr.  I love watching Kimi with Behr....she's a natural caregiver.  She is so loving and kind.  Behr loves his Aunt Kimi.  Behr is growing up so fast.  He is starting to crawl or at least try.  He sits, rolls,  scoots, jabbers and drools.  He is absolutely darling!  Having them over was a nice surprise.  I had nothing to do that couldn't be put off.

I Taught

About a month ago Jodi Merril asked me to teach her lesson for this month.  Right away I started reading and studying for it.  It was on the Atonement and the Resurrections.  It would have been a perfect lesson for Easter Sunday, which by the way is one of my favorite Sundays of the Year.  Since it's a few weeks before Easter I decided to focus more on the Atonement, hoping that the Resurrection will be the focus on Easter.

I learned a lot about the Atonement.  I grew up thinking that the atonement was just for our sins if we repented.  That is a huge part of the Atonement but it is so much more.  The Atonement is also for our hurts and disappointments.  It's a healing power for absolutely everything.  As I studied I thought about the hurts, and sins in my life.  I thought about how I ached inside and how painful some of those things were and then I tried imagining experiencing those few things at the exact same time.  Whoa.....a little of the reality of this wonderful act of love hit me hard.  I don't think  it's possible to understand what Christ really did for each of us individually.  No wonder he bled from every pore, the pain was excruciating to say the least.  I am thankful for Christs Atonement.  I am sorry for the pain that I caused Him.  I am thankful that I can repent and be forgiven of my imperfections and that I will be able to live with my Heavenly Parents and Christ again.

I am thankful for the Wonderful Miracle of the Resurrection!  From the darkness of the Atonement to the Lightness of the Resurrection is amazing and wonderful.  The Resurrection is a free gift to everyone ever born.  We will all be Resurrected just like Christ was.  We will all return to our bodies and be glorified in God.

Our life is a test that will bring us closer to our Savior.  We will continue to have challenges so that we can grow and progress.  Dallin H. Oaks taught, "Our needed conversions are often achieved more readily by suffering and adversity than by comfort and tranquility."

Jesus is "our" advocate with our Father and has paid, in advance, for our faults and foolishness we often see in the exercise of our freedom.  His atonement also was for our suffering of every kind, sickness, wrongs, and pains of the world.  We need to accept His gift and repent and follow His commandments in order to take full advantage of this Redemption.  We need to let go of our wrongs and hurts which is hard to do but through faith and work it can be done.

A few quotes about the Atonement:
"We understand that the Atonement of Jesus Christ gives us the opportunity to overcome the spiritual death that results from sin and, through making and keeping scared covenants, to have the blessings of eternal like." Dallin H. Oaks

"You and I in a moment of weakness may cry out "no one understands, No one knows." No human being perhaps knows, bu the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He felt and bore the burdens before we ever did." David Bednar

"The Savior's Atonement lifts from us not only the burden o four sins but also the burden of our disappointments and sorrows.  Our heartaches and our despair.  I promise you He is not going to turn His back on us now.  When He say to the poor in spirit, "Come unto Me," e means He know the way out and He knows the way up.  He know it because He has walked it. He knows the way because Hi is the Way!" Jeffrey R. Holland

"The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and remove the burden of our sins.  His Atonement allows us to leave the past behind and more forward with clean hands,a pure heart, and a determination to do better and especially to become better." President Uchtdorf

"However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed,,, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talent you think you don't have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of Divine Love.  It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ's Atonement Shines!" Jeffery R. Holland

"When yo do you part, the Lord add His power to your efforts." Henry B. Eyring

"Making, Keeping & Rejoicing in our covenants will be the evidence that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is truly written in our Hearts." Sister Burton