Day 43-46 Our Sunday School Class

On Day 43 I was grateful for Merrilee Webb letting me play for her Men's Choir.  They need 150 more men and she also has a Womens Choir that I am singing in and I WOULD LOVE it if you came too!! 

On Day 44 I was grateful for Greg Jensen letting us see his home that he is selling in Mountain Green.  

On Day 45 I was grateful for a day empty of any scheduled plans.

Today is Day 46 and I am grateful for the Sunday School class we teach at church.  What a brave thing it is that we all have the opportunity to teach each other the gospel.  Scott and I have taught the 17-18 year old class (plus all single young adults) for about a year now.  We began with the Old Testament; very intimidating for me.  Now with the new year we get to teach the New Testament and I am very excited!  I love learning about the life of the Savior!! 

It is amazing to me how smart and faithful the kids are that we teach.  I have definitely learned more from them than they have from me.  It is a trick to make adults teach a class when in reality the kids are the teachers.  I think this is the case for any age group.  We also taught the 13-14 year old class and they were the same way.  Extremely smart and full of faith.  I am inspired each week when we teach.  

How do you like our Mary and Joseph costumes?  Thanks to Aunt Kris, we all looked great when we re-enacted the Nativity Scene on Christmas Eve with my family.  The lesson in Sunday school today is all about Mary and Joseph and when they find out from the Angel Gabriel that Mary is pregnant with the Son of God.  Can you imagine?  Oh, and I meant to hide the braids of Baby Jesus.

Day 6- Grandma Bradford; The Gratitude Project

I spent the most memorable day with my Grandma Bradford today.  I will never forget it.  I love her so very much and appreciate her example of kindness and service.  She is one of the most unselfish people I know.  We sat on the couch and chatted about life.  We went through the drive-thru at Atlantis Burgers and ordered burgers and Dr. Peppers.  (Did you know Grandma loves Dr. Pepper?)  Grandma said a sweet prayer and we ate our lunch upstairs on the round kitchen table with the roller chairs.  I did a little cleaning and we talked the entire time.  We talked about knitting and crocheting and Grandma gave me a couple hot pads she crocheted.  Grandma told me stories about her younger years and her experience as the Matron of the Houston Temple.  She has an amazing testimony.  She studies hard and works just as hard to preserve her memories.  I am so grateful to have so many moments with her in my life.  I am so grateful she has passed on many important qualities and characteristics such as a sense of humor, FAITH, wonderful manners, grace, beauty, HAPPINESS, endurance, hope, and kindness to name a few.  If you haven't had a chance to spend a day alone with Grandma, you need to do it; SOON!

I love you Grandma!

Day 3- Creativity; The Gratitude Project

I am grateful for creativity.  Yesterday Lana and I walked through the new flagship store of Deseret Book in Downtown SLC.  I was way impressed and we were told that Elder Richard G. Scott had his art displayed all over the store.  We walked around to each of the numbered paintings and read little excerpts about each one.  They were beautiful.  I was inspired and uplifted.  I said to myself; I want to do that.  In the little pamphlet Elder Scott says,

"Creativity gives a renewal, a spark of enthusiasm, a zest for life that we all need.  If you choose wisely, it doesn't have to absorb a lot of time.  Life will become more than just a monotonous routine from one day to another."

 Maybe, just maybe, this is what I needed to motivate myself to practice the piano again or to pull out my beads and make some jewelry.  I am not the most creative person in the world, but I agree with Elder Scott that sometimes a little creativity is all you need to spark some happiness and give meaning to life.  How can we all be more creative in our lives? 

Day 1- My Mother; The Gratitude Project

I suppose this reason I'm thinking about my Mom today is because she is the only one who has called me; so far.  I really truly love her and miss her.  Right now she is on Kauai, miles away, making her special rolls that I love.  She told me Dad is still sleeping and Danny is at work which means she is alone.  Jamie is in Phoenix and Kaylee in Provo.  I'm in Layton.  Half of us are in different cities and we are all celebrating Thanksgiving a little differently.  Scott and I had ours last week on Saturday.  Danny is out on the Napali Coast captaining a boat tour.  Jamie, I'm assuming, is with her Singles Ward and Kaylee is with our Great Aunt Diane.

It's sad, in a way, but we all have so much to be grateful for; especially our Mom who basically led us to where we all are today.  If it wasn't for her pushing us to pursue education, jobs and marriage we would all still be at home eating Thanksgiving with her!  HA!  There's a positive perspective.  My Mom is such a force for good and I hope she realizes how many people she influences on a daily basis.  I am grateful for her subtle guidance and advice when making difficult decisions.  I am grateful for her example of righteous living and Christ-like desires.  I am grateful for her breath-taking beauty and the gift of music she passed on to me.  Thank you Mom for who you are.  I will always, every day, be grateful for you!

Fall

"Pooper" or Sue

Fishing and Family in the Fall

Nothing too exciting this week.  I've tried to post each day and sat at my computer a number of times with nothing to say or share.  Craig took these great pictures of us yesterday and I wanted to share them.  I've forced myself to sit in bed whenever I'm not at work to try to help my leg heal.  Haven't ran on it since the beginning of October.  Sitting in bed all day makes me feel sick even though it's just my leg that won't work right.  Been reading a lot and taking naps.  I figure I better enjoy it while it lasts.  Who knows what might change at any given moment.

Oh and I was just reminded that while we were fishing yesterday, Sue found some power bait.  Florescent yellow.  When I yelled at her she just ran away.  Later on she hacked it up and it was this gross, gigantic blob of yellow with green sparkles throughout.  Disgusting, but kind of...pretty?

Birthday Wishes

Happy 77th Birthday Grandpa!!

San Diego Pics

First recommendation for anyone headed to San Diego.  This restaurant was/is amazing!  Perfect dessert after a yum Italian dinner in Little Italy.

Sea World was sweet.  Way too expensive to get in, but the shows were...interesting and the rides were awesome!

Watching hundreds of seals bask in the sun in La Jolla.

My sweet mother-in-law, Lana.

Catching the ferry to Coronado Island.

Famous hotel on Coronado Island.

Only beach day and it was kind of sunny and the water is freezing!

Just hanging out with the family.

5 Important Stuffs

Scott's makeshift router for the guitar he is re-building.

One of my major organizing jobs: BEFORE...

AFTER.

We finally found and bought some steel pans!

They sound beautiful!

They are building a temple in my mission!  Indianapolis, IN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JAMIE!

Holding onto Summer

Scott's prize fish he caught in WY while camping with his brothers and Dad.

Panguitch, UT

Morning walk with Mom, Dad and Grandma Veda

I drove down to the Ranch on Wednesday morning, September 1st.  What a fun place to go and be with family.  The first day I was there Grandma, Dad and I cleaned out my Grandpa's garage.  I loved every second of it.  I'm weird, I know.  Then we played a game of Scrabble and my Mom won. 

Bike ride down Red Canyon

On Thursday we had IHOP pancakes and we rented bikes to go on a 16 mile bike ride down Red Canyon and back up!  It was hot, but way fun to be outside doing something active.  My Mom is in heaven when she gets to ride her bike and she hasn't been able to for the past month.  She had the biggest smile on her face the entire time. 

Grandpa and Grandma Hale at the Mexican Restaurant in Hatch, UT

After our long bike ride we went to a Mexican place to have dinner.  I just love this picture of my Grandparents.  I think they are just the most wonderful, kind, caring, honest, hard-working, and generous people on the face of this planet! 

Dad

Dad arrived today!  Kaylee a couple days ago!

I have been to the airport four times in the last month.  Once for Jamie, my mom, Kaylee and my Dad!  Now we just need Dan to fly in...  We spent the day with Dad today having a little lunch and then racing two races at the Speedway. 

Scotty and Kaylee pretending to do karate.

Promised Pictures

Thanks Jamie for sending me my camera cord. 

Here are a few pictures highlighting our trip to AZ to take Jamie to ASU.

Thanks Grandpa Bradford for letting us use your truck!  We fit a bed, desk, 2 nightstands, 2 bookshelves, a table and about 20 boxes plus odds and ends into the back of this truck!  Oh and don't forget Jamie's cat, Bird.

We spent the first night at the Ranch in Panguitch, UT with Grandpa and Grandma Veda.  They have a new puppy!  

The front of Jamie's new house in Tempe, AZ.

Jamie on the ASU Campus for the first time.  It was so hot we walked to this sign and turned around to head back to the car and more importantly the air conditioner.  I felt like I was literally going to melt.

Mel and Ty invited us to spend three days at Bear Lake with them literally the day after we returned from AZ.  This is the house their family rented for everyone to stay at. 

We spent two days wake boarding, water skiing and the boys had tube wars.

The third day we walked to Bloomington Lake and swam, jumped off cliffs and rope swings.  It was a very beautiful freezing glacier lake and we all swam across it!

The day after returning from Bear Lake my Mom, Aunt Laura and cousin, Shana, went to a day at Education Week on the BYU campus. 

We did a ton in about two weeks time.  To see all of our pictures, go here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAYLEE!

"Top Ten Reasons" why Kaylee is awesome!

10.  She is absolutely beautiful.
9.  She is all about having a good time.
8.  She is insanely smart.
7.  She never, ever gives up!
6.  She makes the most out of tough situations.
5.  She is an avid reader. 
4.  She will, by the end of the day, create an account on Shelfari, since she loves to read, and join my Book Club!
3.  She has these freckles that I absolutely envy.
2.  She loves to cuddle.
1.  She has a contagious laugh.

I love you Kaylee!  Have a really fun birthday.  Can't wait to see you next week!

Super Fast

Spent the night in Pleasant Grove.

Helped Jamie pack up all her things to move to AZ.

Went to Panguitch for a night.

Went to Tempe, AZ for five days.

Went to St. George, UT for a night.

Spent three days at Bear Lake.

Spent the day at BYU Education Week.

Ate tons and tons and tons and tons and tons of food.

Having lots of fun and waiting for my camera cord (left it in AZ) so I can upload my pictures to show everyone.

Love my family so much.

Road Trip

View Larger Map

This is where we are going today and tomorrow.

I'm excited,

already tired because I woke up at 4:30 this morning,

a little worried about the heat,

way super super excited for Jamie to start her new life at ASU,

wishing Scott and I knew what our next adventure was.

My Mom Arrives

My Mom and Me at the airport

My Mom flew in on Saturday and she arrived at 10:31am, called me and asked me where I was.  Why was I not down waiting for her in the baggage claim area?  Well, she told me her plane arrived at 10:30am and so we were pulling into the garage to park.  She beat us, though!  She said she ran. 

We went to Grandma and Grandpa's in North Salt Lake and they took us out to lunch at Texas Roadhouse in Bountiful. 

Shayla, Shana, Mom, and Jamie at Grandpa's house

Yesterday Scott and I went back to Grandma's for Sunday dinner.  Aunt Laura, Shayla, Shana and Russell came over later in the afternoon and we all laughed and laughed and laughed about nothing in particular.  It's so great to spend time with family!  I think the girls in the pictures are so pretty and beautiful and gorgeous.  I just love them to pieces. 

JT, Sis, Cousin, and Dairy Queen

Josh Turner

So last night we went to our Stake Barbeque at Surf n' Swim and Josh Turner was giving a concert at the Ed Kennley Amphitheater.  Sweet!  Love his deep, deep, deep voice.  Watch this.

Jamie and Synthia

After the concert-ish we drove to the airport to pick up my beautiful sister, Jamie!  She flew in from Kauai last night and next week we are helping her move to Arizona.

Dairy Queen Blizzards!

We of course had to stop and get oreo blizzards with hot fudge in them, french fries with fry sauce and lime rickies!  Synthia met us and we talked and talked forever.  Love my family!

Happy Birthday Mom!

April 30, 2008.  My beautiful Mom on my wedding day.  (I need an updated picture of you!)

I think my Mom is absolutely and completely gorgeous!  It's her birthday today.    

Happy Birthday, Mom.


I am so grateful for everything that you do for all the people around you.  You are one of the most selfless people I know.

I can't wait to see you on Saturday!  What is the first thing you want to do?  Yard Sales?  Breakfast?  Whatever you want, we will do it.

Wish I could give you a big hug.  XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Kalalau Lookout

I miss my family way too much!

Sad Day

Everyone has left and it is a sad day.  It is a beautiful day, as the last month I've spent out in the backyard each morning enjoying my lawn chair and the peaceful morning. 

But, it is still sad. 

Paul and Nichole and the kids all left last week Thursday.  Jon took off back to St. George on Saturday.  And finally today Emily and Lana left to drive back to San Diego and I am sad. 

Lana will fly back on Thursday, but we don't know when we will see Emily again. 

What a beautiful, kind, loving, gentle, sincere sister-in-law I have.  I will miss her.