SNAP

It was my turn to teach tonight.  I prepared a lesson on Lehi's Dream and The Tree of Life.  We talked about the symbols and how they pertained to us.  The girls seemed interested.  At the end of the lesson I had the girls come up and put the word strips I had with the symbol that it represented.  We used the process of elimination for most of them.  I love these ladies!  They are so pure and good!

My friend and neighbor Peggy Saunders has been saving her cute little animals that she borrowed from her sister for our wards mutual activity to share with the special needs.  The girls loved it.  I had them tell me something they learned tonight and if they couldn't think of anything I had a bowl with some help.  Most everyone told me something and only a few used the help.  First they putted through the giraffes legs, then they got to toss a hula hoop over an elephants trunk.  Then I had them go to a table that had their books for their handouts.  They glued their handout in the book and went to the last place where they got to throw small balls through a lions mouth.  It was a great night.  (better because of Peggy)

I love this calling more than I would have thought.  I know that I have been preparing for it my whole life.  I have taught so many different ages and classes throughout my life and have a bunch of experience which is a huge advantage for me.  This is fun for me.  I like presenting a lesson and then playing a game reinforcing the lesson.  What a blessing this calling is.  I'm pretty sure I will be serving here for a few years and I am just fine with that.  These ladies love me and I know it.  Heck Amber even brought me a bag of chocolate because I mentioned I was out. (next post)  I love them all and it's fun getting to know them all better.  I found another "Happy Place"

Scattering Sunshine

I had to give a Scatter Sunshine bag to Peggy! She has been saving her sisters Wooden Zoo Animal's for me for a few months so that I could use them with the Special Needs Girls.  What a sweetheart Peggy is.  She even insisted on coming with me...in fact, she picked me up and took me to SNAP.  I enjoyed hanging out and visiting with Peggy on the drive to and fro.  I have always loved Peggy and remember her from when I was a young girl in YW...I remember her being a youth leader at our Stake Girl's Camp...she hasn't changed much and is still just as fun.  The picture kind of  backs that statement up.  Peggy was the Girls Camp Director a few years back and I was low man on the Totem Pole that year (beehive teacher) and had such a great time.  Peggy is just fun and wonderful!

Grands truly are Grand!

My fridge is never clear of pictures or reminders.  I am use to it being covered and sometimes I don't pay attention to what is there.  Today I noticed this cute picture that Ivy drew for me.  It made me smile.  I think she might have done this while I was in Kauai.  I love having grands and I love seeing them grow and learn and become themselves.  I love their little ways of showing love to their grandma. I had some art work from Kamryn too that I wanted to share....little artists!

The other day I was going to watch Mya and Parker while Natalie went to the Doctor.  I told them I might not be here when they came but I would be home in time for Natalie to leave on time.  I was home and I heard the garage door open...then the I heard this: "Grandma's here, Grandma's here!"  My grands all make my heart smile.  I love every thing about each one of them.  They are all so different and cute and I love them to pieces!

Company Party!

Tonight for TJ Trailers Company party we went to Tucano's at the Gateway.  It was a little longer drive but we were eating almost immediately.  It was fun and good.  You could tell who the youngest one there was....the one eating the most. (Jaydan)  The place took his plates from him and decided he was done. Crazy!

I like that TJ's has their work party early so that the employee's have their bonus's for Christmas.  The Company did better this year which we are all thankful for.  It's been down for many years and is slowly picking up.  I like everyone that works at TJ Trailers....they are all great people.  We missed Chris, Cindee and Evan tonight.  Not sure why Chris didn't make it but Evan had surgery and Cindee is the best wife and probably didn't tell anyone when this date was being set that her hubby was having surgery. (lot's of times the party lands on Evan's birthday...this year it was Ken & Carols Anniversary)

I got full pretty quickly but knew that I would be bringing some Chocolate Cake home with me.  Their cake is the best I have ever had....and huge! (breakfast for me...and probably lunch too)  Usually I can say No Thank You to cake but not here!

I'm thankful for this Company and hope that it will continue to do well for many more years.  They are honest and do good work.

A Good Excuse

I was glad that Jodi wanted to borrow the darling Scatter Sunshine sign she made me.  She used it for her Relief Society Enrichment Night.  I knew if she borrowed it we would get to meet up to exchange it.  Any excuse to meet up again is great.  I love visiting with this girl.  I love discovering how much we are alike.  We claim to be twins separated at birth.

We met at Kneaders for a quick treat.  We ended up getting two and sharing but ate the first one before we pulled the camera out.  Kneaders has yummy treats....everything there is great!  Our quick get together was still an hour.  I hope that Jodi was able to get some of her errands done and also some of her Christmas shopping checked off her list.

I'm just one blessed girl.  I love my friends.  I love the happiness and fun they add to my life.  Before meeting Jodi I had a little time and went and visited Teresa.  I wanted to meet her guy and also to see her.  I love visiting my friends....I hope they all know how wonderful they are to me!

Be Positive Anyway

I can't believe how a little bit of negativity can be so powerful.  I have heard a bit lately and I will say that it lingers in my head and isn't good.  I saw this quote after thinking about it and realize this is exactly right.  I need to evict those thoughts and not let them linger and take the place of the positive I try to fill my mind with.

I think it's interesting that sometimes the more you help and are their for others the more they expect and take you for granted. (only true for a few) I have a younger friend that has confided in me and asked for advice. When she was willing to listen it was easy knowing what to say.  I swear I was God's instrument and spoke to her for Him.  My thoughts and words surprised me and I knew where they had come from. It was a cool experience.  However, my sweet friend continued to error and got really down on herself.  I tried building her up only to be slammed.  I didn't feel I deserved any of that and she even apologized a few times but would turn right around a do it again.  I started pulling away and not responding to her babble.  Even though I knew she was just reacting and that it really wasn't about me it still hurt.

Yesterday it got ugly. (only her actions and words....somehow I was able to remain calm...I never got defensive...hmmmm sounds like the "spirit" was with me)  She was throwing around her negative and mean remarks but they turned from being about her miserable life to me.  If I tried to respond it was like throwing gas on a fire and so I told her I loved her and that she could choose what kind of day and life she wanted.  She started bashing the Church and me.  I testified that the Church was true and perfect but the members aren't and so we shouldn't judge the Church by the members.  (she was focusing on the negative anyway) She told me that I was "Such a Mormon".  I told her Thank You. She said that Mormon's always pull away from her when she tries discussing how controlling the church is.  I told her maybe it was because she was so negative and that the things she was saying just aren't true.  I guess that hurt her feelings.  I'm not going to lie.....this little exchange today bugged me.  I know this gal needs a friend but I also don't think it's right to allow someone to be so rude to you.  I would tell anyone else to let her go.....I can't quite do that.  I'm just hoping she really won't message me again.  I have a few CD's I want to send her and I will just pray my guts out for her.  I love her and she really is a much better person than she gives herself credit for.  This whole thing is so sad to me and I wish I didn't let it bother me.

We really do need to be more thoughtful of our actions and how they might affect someone else.  If we are unkind we need to be big enough to apologize.  I also think that we need to fill our minds and lives with positive things.  The positive chases away the negative.  It's hard to be angry or down with a smile on your face.  It's hard to be unhappy if we are thinking positive thoughts and doing things to make others happy.

I believe that once we allow negative in our lives it (the negative) gets greedy and pushes for more room and quickly fills that space with more negative.  When that happens if you can't get ahead of it get some help.  Pray harder, read the scriptures, go to the Temple, serve more, sing happy songs, surround yourself with good people, walk outside and breathe in the fresh air, look up and smile, look for the sunshine.  If those things don't turn things around go to the Doctor....don't allow yourself to wallow in the muck...it's  a miserable place to be.

a girls got to do what a girls got to do!

I needed a pedicure after going to Kauai.  The sand and ocean make a mess of one's toes.  I text Kathy to see if she wanted to go with me and of course she was delighted. (I text her from Kauai)  She had her first pedicure with me a few months ago and was ready for another one.  The gal's at the place talked her into a manicure as well.  I had my fingers done on Saturday so I declined but thought for $10 Kathy should have the experience if she wanted.  I think she liked it!  Oh my it feels good to get pampered every now and then.

I forgot to take pics (surprise) until we were done with our pedicures. (we were talking a lot) So, while Kathy got a manicure I sat in the massage chair and got a shot of her and my lovely toes!

Since it was lunch time we decided to go to lunch before going home.  I love their bread sticks.....yummmy! (we were at Pizza Factory) I love that Kathy saw them right away as a prop for her head. haha  She is so creative and silly.  We had a great time together...so much in fact that when I went to drop her off I ended up going inside to see a few of her things.  Plus, Kathy is going to help me make ornaments for Christmas this year.  I give my kids each an ornament every year that kind of goes along with what we did for that Christmas.  I'm excited to make these.  I will post later when they are made.

I appreciate my friends.  They all build me up...well that is not true...just today I had one messaging me on face book that was putting me down (ouch) but most build me up and inspire me to be better.  Even the one that wasn't nice still inspired me to be better....I like being called "You're So Mormon". (I think she meant to insult me but it didn't)  My friends make my life better....they just do!