Every Wednesday

Wednesday is town day for me. Living 20 miles out of "town" means that I don't venture over very often. But starting last September I go to Montpelier every Wednesday and work at the Family History Library as a consultant.
The building isn't very big, and is quite dated, but I'm enjoying the time I get to be there and the things I'm learning. The new family search program is really a technology miracle and I'm amazed at the constant new improvements to the system. My Grandma Stringham would have loved it. :)

The best thing about Wednesdays is that Jaycee's school is right next to the library and she has off campus for lunch on Wednesday's. So I go over early, run my errands, and then pick up lunch for her and I to eat in the car. It's been a great time for us to talk about whats going on in her world and keeps our relationship close.

I look forward to Wednesday's. It's a good time for me to schedule in things that I wouldn't normally take time to do. Things that are well worth my time.

Memory Monday- JUST Do IT!!

When I was about 13 or 14 years old, Nike came out with Nike Air shoes & their famous "Just Do It" logo and ad campaign. They had double lay out posters in nearly every magazine published. Some were funny and some were just plain stupid but one was quite inspiring to me. Enough so, that I actually bought a sports magazine so that I could pull out the ad and hang it on my wall. This ad, featuring the then wide receiver for the San Fransisco 49ers, Jerry Rice, lived on my wall until I got married and put it in my cedar chest. A couple of months ago I pulled it out and laughed as I re- read it, it's still good. So I found a blank spot on the wall in my craft room and the inspiration continues. In case you can't read the writing, this is it:

Mother and father told you repeatedly.
Crazy people talk to themselves.
Still you heard the voice.
Loud and clear.
A voice that commanded, more than it talked.
JUST DO IT.
Learn how to hit a fast ball.
Work on your left hand shot.
Study harder. Study longer.
Pound the bag.
Get a raise.
Crazy people talk to themselves.
And still you heard the voice.
JUST DO IT.
Lose the gut.
Master a third language.
Swim across the lake,
Visit a place you've only read about.
Climb the Tetons.
Go to the library and learn how electricity works.
Crazy people talk to themselves.
And still you heard the voice.
JUST DO IT.
Bench press you weight.
Finish a marathon.
Become an expert on indigenous firs.
Develop a backhand.
Read Dostoyevsky in Russian.
Switch careers.
Crazy people talk to themselves.
And finally, you realize, only a madman doesn't listen.
JUST DO IT.

Cool huh.

Heartbound

When Debbie Bastian, Lori Hales and Me'Chel Musgrave started singing together for a girls' camp some 25 years ago, they didn't dream of becoming recording artists or having a long-running music career.

All these years and eight CDs later, they realize that this journey has been one of chasing — and finding — their dreams.

So, it's not surprising that that message is one the women, collectively known as Heartbound, want to share with others. "Everyone has dreams," says Bastian. "But you have to dare to dream, and then you have to live the dream." (~ taken from as KSL interview)

This morning our stake was lucky enough to have these ladies come and do a concert in the tabernacle in Paris. They sang beautiful songs and shared inspiring talks with us about life as a woman in these Latter Days. It was a delightful little time out for me and a wonderful way to start my weekend.

The Baby Bear Lake Award

Cody has been working so hard this year to read books. His teacher sends home a slip with 20 lines on it and as he reads a book, we pass it off. After 20 books we get a new paper.
I haven't been writing down dates like I should but through the fall and winter Cody brought home the bronze medal for reading 60 books, the silver medal for reading 120 books, and the gold medal for reading 180 books.
This last week he brought home the Baby Bear Lake award for reading a whopping 240 books. Not only did he get to color his own medal but he also gets to go the end of the year pizza party for those who read the most books. We're so proud of you Cody, great job!!

The Branding of the Calves

Yesterday was our annual branding day. Every year we help our neighbor, Lyman, brand his cows.
The kids think its great and even get up early so they don't miss anything.
This year all three kids pushed calves into the chute. Brit wasn't too sure about it at first but once she remembered, she was smiling.
Cody was most excited of all. He had all his cowboy gear on and helped everywhere he could. He even climbed in the pen and rode a couple of the calves around.
After everything was over we ate cookies, drank Gatorade, and then went back home to work in the yard.
Until next year... or next weekend when another neighbor needs help.

SMILE!!

Jaycee had her orthodontist appointment today in Soda Springs. She has been wearing her rubber bands 24/7 since our last appointment, hoping for news that she would be able to get her braces off today.
I was waiting in the car and after about 20 minutes, she came running out.
The news was good. Jaycee had moved the tooth to where it needed to be and her bite was just right. So as of today, Jaycee doesn't have her braces on anymore.
The first thing she did when she got home was eat an apple. Life is pretty good for her now and she just can't stop smiling about it. :)

Signs of Spring

About 2 weeks ago we were able to get outside to work in the yard. While I was walking around, I noticed some of my spring plants poking their first little green chutes out of the ground. I got so excited and thought that I needed to get the camera and take some pictures. But, I got busy and didn't and the next morning, there was snow everywhere.
It snowed another 6 inches of snow on Easter weekend but these guys are tough. As the snow melted, they just kept coming.
Everything around these little plants is still dormant and when you're blessed to live in the mountains, you patiently wait. I love working in my gardens and get so much enjoyment out of these flowers. The top picture is the chives that I transplanted from my grandmas garden last fall. So if you need chives in a recipe, they're just about ready.

My Buddy Britnee

Yesterday I had to go to Logan and get groceries. It wasn't anything spectacular but I decided to take Britnee and make a date of it. Her choice for lunch was the Panda Express, complete with her favorite- Orange Chicken and an egg roll. We ran around and did all of our errands and had a great chat. I love days like this.
Also, a while ago Britnee brought me a poster that she'd made and put on a stick. She would happily wash and lotion my feet for $1.00. How can a mom pass this up?
So Brit set up everything and looked so cute that I let her touch my feet for fifteen minutes. Then, she sheepishly asked if I would do her feet. :) Jaycee, Brit, and I all went to bed that night with clean feet. And Britnee, a little richer for all her hard work.

The Lunch Bunch

Today my friend Holly Collins invited several of us over to her house for a pot luck lunch. It was pretty laid back with no plan other than to eat and visit- but it was wonderful. Some of the girls I haven't seen in a long time and some I met for the first time today.
Thank you so much Holly for the great idea, for the yummy salad, and for the chance to get to just chat and hang out.

Perpetual Commotion

For Easter weekend we got to go on a mini vacation. On Thursday we went to Matt's brother, Brady's house in Payson. Grandpa Mark and Maggie were there. And so was Grandma Jo. Matthew fixed Mark's truck and helped to put shingles on Brady's shed while the kids got to play with their cousins.
Grandma Jo set up a little Easter for them in the garage on account of the beautiful spring weather.
On Saturday we ventured on down to Kelly and Ben's house in Delta for Peyton's first birthday party. We ate lots of yummy food and played hilarious card games.
On Sunday, after the snow melted, Kelly and Gram Sony set up our annual scavenger hunt. Bart, Michelle, and Brooklyn came up and the kids ran all over the yard looking for clues to get their Easter goodies.
The weather was pretty refreshing but we still had fun.
One of the little bonuses for my weekend was that I got see my best friend from the 5th grade, Jaime Cox, that I haven't seen in 18 years. Ironically, when Kelly and Ben bought their house, it was just across the street for where Jaime and her husband live. We didn't get to visit for long enough but seeing her was so much fun. We'll just have to go back down again sometime. (Maybe next weekend if the snow doesn't let up here in Bear Lake.)
It was so good to get to see so much family in one trip. Spring Break '10 was a success!!