Monday, June 29, 2015

Love these quotes and advice!

Today when I got up, I realized that I maybe being up yesterday...was a bit too much!
So today I had to just lay low.
I loved these quotes...








Grateful!

Well, this was a long week, but I was grateful to feel a bit stronger, have my voice back and to finally get to see the girls again. Also Jeff came home last night, I sure missed him but I was glad that he got to go help Brad and Krystal move into their new house.
 It's fun to see how creative the girls get with just with some paper, scissors, markers, and scotch tape. Doesn't take much to make them happy!
Jenny said she drew this picture of she and I. She said "Nana, I drew me and you together with all your favorite colors, Red, Green and Yellow and I put Christmas decorations around us to, since you love Christmas so much!"  That little girl sure knows her Nana!
Audrey is learn more new words every day. Tonight she wanted to eat dinner outside in her house! Fun to hear her talk so much now!

 I was grateful for the chance to make a new friend the other night. She was a lady who came into the shop a week or so ago and Friday night she came by my house to pick something up. Friday was my first day up and by that night I was pretty tired, but felt impressed to have her come in and visit for awhile. As we sat on the deck with another beautiful summer evening, I was able to listen to her life story. She had had some very hard times in her life, she felt alone and I was glad that she had come by. I could relate to many things she talked about. But most of all I was thankful to remind her that God loved her and knew about her trials. I promised her that if she would pray, that He would always be there to support her and help make her equal to any task or trial that life could throw at her. When she left, I knew that it was not chance that we met one day at the Quilt Shop. I believe everything happens for a reason. I was grateful to make yet another ...dear friend! One can never have too many! :)



" Because when you stop and look around...life is pretty good!"

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Fun, fun, fun!

I have really enjoyed this article and wish I could have read it when I was a young Mom. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Good night dear friends!



After some serious self-reflection, I realized that we've been creating these fun-fed children. As they leave our car, we smile, wave and shout, "Have fun!" After they return home from somewhere (school, practice, play date, church), the question is usually "Did you have fun?" and if they didn't, there is often a decent amount of concern about what might be wrong and how we can remedy this un-fun problem.
Not only that, but we live in a culture full of cheap thrills and expensive entertainment that everyone feels like he or she must be a part of. You don't take an annual trip to Disneyland? Your poor kids! You aren't going to spend the day at a trampoline park? Bummer! Your kids don't have iPhones or iTouches yet? So sad! You aren't going away for the three-day weekend? What will you do at home?
Fun is a drug. Take a little and you want more. Take enough and it no longer satisfies. You need bigger, better, more expensive activities to fill you up. The simple moments are no longer satisfactory, and the big events don't seem all that big anymore. Fun is a junk food diet that leaves you giddy for a moment, then hollow and wanting more.
Kids learn it from somewhere: media, friends and, yes, parents too. Our culture worships leisure, entertainment and fun. As parents, we have forgotten how to have a good time with our kids without paying someone to fabricate it for us. We have forgotten that the most fulfilling and closest relationships are not the ones based on constant fun together but ones where we have worked, laughed, loved and struggled together. I don't want a cotton candy relationship with my kids. I want something substantial and real.
As I read biographies and listen to interviews about successful people who have changed the world, there seems to be a common thread in what they learned as a children and adolescents: hard work. It doesn't matter which country they come from, their socioeconomic status, their gender, their beauty or lack of it. They succeed by working hard at something, for something or to merely survive, and these lessons almost always started at home.
So this year we are turning over a new leaf in our home. We are still huge advocates of enjoying life, seeing the positive and taking it all in. We want to travel with our kids and show them the wonders of nature and different cultures. We love to play sports, take walks, visit the theater, attend concerts, hike, play games, swim, watch movies and just be together.
But this year we will work hard together too. We will create memories and strengthen relationships as we accomplish difficult things together. We will hold our boys accountable for their efforts in our family, in school, in sports, in music, in hobbies and in their church duties. We will no longer ask our kids if they had fun because, frankly, we don't care. They can choose to make every experience fun if they want to. It's up to them and absolutely possible. But we will no longer worry about creating fun for them or shielding them from hardships, unpleasantness or, heaven forbid, boredom. We want them to reap more than fun from this existence. We want them to be fulfilled. We want them to reach their potential. We want them to be excellent.
We will change our focus and ask one of these questions:
  • "Did you learn something?"
  • "Did you feel productive?"
  • "Did you work hard?"
  • "Did you try your best?"
  • "Were you a good friend?"
  • "Did you try something new?"
  • "Did you push yourself?"
  • "Did you make someone's day better?"
  • "Did you add value?"
  • "Did you create something?"
  • "Did you grow?"
  • "Did you discover something?"
  • "Did you change the world today, even in a small way?"
When you can answer yes to any of those questions, that's when life gets really fun.

read it HERE:

Friday, June 26, 2015

A better day!

Grateful this morning when I woke up, that I felt a little bit better. Now I just need to be careful not to do too much today. I decided that I shouldn't go out yet, but I am going a bit stir crazy so I decided that I could finish up a sewing project I had.
I couldn't help it ...I had to use my Sewing Studio, even though it isn't finished yet! I can't wait to get better and start really working in here!

 

Hope Jeff is getting a lot accomplished in Texas. I know Brad and Krystal both were very grateful that Jeff came to help them get settled into their new home. 
I miss him, but I am very grateful he is there with them!
Well Good Night dear friends!

Thursday, June 25, 2015

I am so blessed!


One thing that happened to me the other day at Target (when I was there trying to get some cough medicine) after the my Doctor's appointment, I was checking out the young girl who was the cashier and she asked me something that I have never heard in my life, she said " may I see your license", I had already lost my voice, so I couldn't ask her why ...but I am sure she looked and saw my surprised face. Then she said "I am sorry I just have to ask to make sure you are over 18 before I sell this to you". I still couldn't believe it, but I felt so bad... I just smiled and left.
When I told Jeff that story that night, he laughed to and said "you should have been flattered". Still made me laugh. The truth is I have never bought or even touched alcohol my whole life, just seemed odd that they have to ask that about cough syrup because some people abuse it. Anyway, I should have promised that girl  I would use it only when needed!

 
Today I had a few dear friends stop by and that was a real treat, although I could only whisper to them. The first friend brought me some fruit and helped me, the next friend brought me this beautiful handmade tissue holder and some wonderful soup and ...

These beautiful flowers from her garden! 


Then another friend came by and brought me some brocolli and this beautiful flower arrangement.  
 I am so grateful for my dear friends! Not sure how I got so blessed with sooo many friends!

I am still struggling with my breathing tonight and I really hope that the antibiotics kick in very soon.

As I went out to water the flowers tonight look who I found. This bunny that visits our back yard every night. I can't believe that he likes our yard, it is nothing but weeds and yet he comes out every night to eat them We have been trying to get rid of these bunnies in our neighborhood for a couple of years, but now as I watch him tonight eat my weeds... ( since my flowers are too high for him to get ), I think maybe he will eat all the weeds, and magically i will have a nice yard again! I know...wishful thinking right. At least I wasn't alone tonight!

Good Night dear friends!

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Happy Anniversay 33 years and still counting!

33 years ago I got to marry my best friend for time and all eternity in the Washington DC Temple! It was by far the greatest decision of my life! I am truly a different and better person because of him. We dated for 2 years and then we both took time apart and served a mission for our church. Jeff went to Montreal Canada and learned how to speak French. I on the other hand went to Salt Lake City and got to get rid of some of my southern language. :)
I was pretty sure when I came home that I was going to go on to college back in Utah, and that maybe Jeff and I would maybe do some more long distance dating again. But once I got off the plane and I saw him waiting for me at the airport along with my family... and I knew that those plans weren't going to be coming to life, I was still head over hills for him and I couldn't wait for us to start dating again! But just a day later, the dream came true and the rest is history...we were married 3 months later! June 23rd, best day of my life!
Normally Jeff and I go somewhere special to celebrate our anniversary, but today I said goodbye to him this morning as he headed out for the airport. He is going to Texas to help Krystal, Brad and Kai move into their new house! I wanted to go, but I will be going in September when Miss Oakley comes, so we thought he should go help them out!

So tonight this anniversary was a bit different and a bit lonely. Instead of eating dinner outside on the deck ( which is one of our favorite places to eat ), I decided to eat downstairs and watch a Hallmark series someone told me about on Netflix.

 Still I just know things are worse when you are sick. My voice is still totally gone, for someone who likes to talk alot...this has been tough! :) And because it's night time, things always seem to get worse. I am hoping by tomorrow that the antibiotics will start kicking in!

But I had a sweet friend bring me some groceries and this beautiful orchid today. She told me it was a Get Well gift / a Congratulations gift for my new Studio! 
I was so thrilled, this whole new Sewing Studio is really happening! I can hardly believe it! 

So Happy Anniversary to the Love of my Life!

 
Good Night dear friends!








Monday, June 22, 2015

Having to go to Plan B...once again!

Well, I am sorry it has been a couple of days since I have written but it has been a crazy few days. When the girls and I were rearranging and cleaning the rooms, I didn't put on my face mask to protect my lungs...I know better but honestly when it is hot ...it is really hard to want to put anything over your mouth. But I should have because by Friday I was having tightness in my chest and my nose and eyes were running.
Amy came over Saturday and I could tell that I was still struggling with my breathing. She helped me work on my Sewing Studio downstairs, she was a great help. What an organizer she is, not sure how any of my kids got that talent...not from me, that's for sure!
The girls played outside and made some homemade crocheted sandles, they are pretty creative with that yarn.

 I was worried it would get too bad for me to teach on Sunday but my prayers were answered and I got to teach just fine, except that my voice was really deep...I sounded like Jeff.
My lesson was on the importance of having Prophets on the earth. We turned on my time machine and went back in time and went over what we learned from prophets of old!
Jeff and I went over last evening to Amy and John's for a Father's Day dinner, she did a great job!
Then Jeff got to Face Time or calls with the other kids. 
Jeff is one of the most wonderful Dad I have ever seen. How grateful I am to have him in our lives!

I had a hard time breathing last night and so when I woke up this morning, I knew I was in trouble when my chest was hurting bad when I woke up, plus I didn't have my voice. To cough really hurt, I knew I had better get into the Doctor right away! 
I got in to see her this afternoon and it was what I suspected Pneumonia again! It was in the right lung and she suspected the left one because I was wheezing when I tried to give her big breaths. Oh well, got my antibiotics and inhaler tonight so I guess I will stay down for a few days! Definitely not what I planned. My granddaughter and I had planned a big 5 day Sleep Over, I was sad that Jeff had to call tonight and postpone that with her. Guess it will have to be Plan B again!


Well, I don't feel like doing much, but I did get a good laugh from watching this short video of a Grandson and his Grandfather playing a game together. It was too cute and I would like to get that game myself!

If you want to smile today then watch this...
funny video for grandparents HERE:
Good Night dear friends!


Friday, June 19, 2015

Little Cinderellas!

The girls came over for 2 days and then today they helped me clean Lauren's room. It is slow but


 we are getting lots done!
Some great finds for my room.

 Look at the great find that I got at Goodwill this week! Perfect for all my sewing things!

And of course...it was the right price!
Glad that we worked together so Jenny could
get some money saved up for her American Girl Doll!

Generations helping each other!

If you have ever had a loved one in a Nursing Home or caring for them in your own home, you know how lonely they get and discouraged they get. Life has slowed down for them so much that sometimes they feel like it has nearly stopped! Yet, when they see little children around them, their whole countance changes.
We saw it with my Grandma Johnny. Just a couple of years after Jeff and I got married, we lived just a block away from the nursing home she was in. Almost every day, Amy and I would walk over to go see her. From the moment we walked in the door, all of the ladies started holding out their hands ( if they could ) wanting Amy to come talk to them or at least give them a hug. Amy was so good with them, she took time to visit for just a moment with each one before getting to her Great Grandma Johnny.
It would make Grandma made though, she would always say... " she isn't part of their family and yet they won't live her alone. She came to see me! " 
At first I was going to tell her Grandma that's not nice, then I remembered each day she waited for us to come. She said that wherever they put her in the morning after breakfast, that was where she would stay all day, even if we just came for a moment...it made her day! So having never been in that situation, I decided to not say a word. How we loved her and I hope that she knew that.

Anyway, watch how these people in this Nursing Home light up...when these little kids come to visit them!

watch it Here:

Good Night dear friend!

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

5 things to ask your kids every day

Great article! I think I asked some of these to my kids when they came home, but not sure that I did all of them all of the time. Good to remember for when the Grandkids come over!
Good Night dear friends!

5 questions you should ask your child every day
By Lyndsi Frandsen, KSL.com Contributor
May 20th, 2015 @ 7:28pm
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Monkey Business Images/Shuttertock.com
Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com


 If you’re a parent, you probably suffer from “broken record” syndrome. You know, that habit we fall into of asking the same questions day after day. Pretty soon, that routine “how was your day?’ receives an equally predictable “fine!” as an answer.
A simple re-phrase of our daily questions can open up the door for deeper conversations and prompt our children to be more self-aware. So, take the needle off the record: Here are five alternative questions to spark better conversations with children of all ages:

1. “What was the best part of your day?”

This is a question you can pose to children of every age — from toddler to teen. From a selfish perspective, it allows you to almost feel a part of their brightest moments. From a parenting perspective, it gives you insight on the little things that are meaningful and make your child happy. And although the question itself is positive, it can often be a good way to identify whether your child had a not-so-great day (without giving off the impression that you are prying or requiring they relive a bad experience). This is a great starter question that can get the “conversation ball” rolling.

2. “What did you do today to make someone happy?”

It can be easy for children, no matter their age, to feel as though the world revolves around them. When you regularly ask your child about what they did for others, that challenge to think selflessly lingers in their little minds and (hopefully) leads to a greater sense of awareness toward others.
Eventually, they will begin to anticipate this question and even start to look for opportunities to be more kind and helpful to those around them. Maybe they will take notice of someone sitting alone at lunch, or have the courage to stand up for someone who is being treated unkindly. Not only does it make them more self-aware, but it also sets up an expectation that you have for them: to always be kind.

3. “Was there anything hard about your day?”

Maybe your child is nervous about how they did on a test, or having a hard time with friends. Perhaps they are feeling frustrated with a situation at home and don’t know how to approach you — maybe they just didn’t like what was served for lunch. (Come on, you remember the plastic pepperoni pizza.)
Regardless of the severity of their concern, inquiring about daily hardships can offer insight to daily anxieties and insecurities you may not even know exist. The phrasing of this question allows your child to feel safe and in control. Asking this question regularly provides multiple opportunities for your child to come to you on their own time. Today they might not want to talk about it — but tomorrow might be a different story.

4. “Who did you spend time with today?”


As an educator, I can attest: friends begin to play a very large part in your child’s world at a very young age. It is always important to know who your child is spending time with. This question not only gives you an idea of their friends, but can also offer valuable insight to whether or not your child is socially thriving or socially struggling. It may even make you more aware of what kind of friend your child is.

5. “What do you think you could do better tomorrow?”

This is a positive way to encourage your child to reflect upon their day and set goals to be even better tomorrow. It reminds your child to avoid complacency and always strive to improve. It might help to break or form habits (maybe they are always late to school, or maybe want to be more socially confident and make a new friend). It is also a great way to remind your child that tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start.

About the Author: Lyndsi Frandsen

Lyndsi Frandsen is the creator of the Facebook page For All Momkind and author of the For All Momkind blog. She has many titles, including wife, kindergart
I found it Here:

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Adversity!

I read this article today by Jason F. Wright, it was about a lady who had a lot of Adversity in her life and the life of her family. Life is hard, and I am always interested in  how people handle hardships in their lives and continue to move on and continue to be strong and happy. If you have a minute stop and ...
Read it HERE:
Good Night dear friends!
Examine what you have learned from past adversity that can actually help you now. Rather than just regretting stuff, question specifically how it has helped you grow. Has your past equipped you to be determined, self-reliant, perceptive, tough, aware, compassionate, etc.? Focus on what you have gained rather than lost from adverse past experiences. - via: http://www.marcandangel.com/2013/09/02/5-things-you-should-know-about-letting-go/

Monday, June 15, 2015

Another one joins the ranks!




Ever since my kids were little, I tried to start teaching them to create things with their hands. It might be drawing, coloring, crocheting, sewing, painting, building...you name it and we did it! How fun now to start teaching the next generation! As you can see with Miss Audrey here, we start them out quite young! :)

Each time they come to my home or I go to theirs, we try to develop their creative genes a little bit more and more.
 

They never seem to tire of Nana showing them how to do new and creative things together. I love sharing what I love to do... with them too!
Here is me showing Kai how to Stiple on Quilts at the Quilt Con in Austin, Texas this year!

Now that Angie has conquered Hand crocheting so well, and even knows how to use beads with her crocheting, I think she is about ready to start using the hook more! Then the sky will be the limit!

I had to laugh today when Amy and the girls came over and then we had some dear friends ( adopted family ) over for the day too, I hadn't seen 3 of the kids for a bit and went downstairs and their were Jenny and Angie crocheting and trying to explain to their friend just what Hand Crocheting was. She looked really interested, so I sat down for about a half hour with her and taught her. Jenny said when she saw her finish her first bracelet..." Well, Nana it looks like she is addicted to croceting like us! " Jenny said that crocheting makes her happy and she has a hard time stopping herself from crocheting! Does that sound like one of my grandchildren? 


So here is our cute friend with her new necklace that she crocheted all by herself. I just gave her a flower pin to put on it and... a flowered headband to have. Always glad to have someone who appreciates my creations! She and her family are heading back home in a couple of days. She said to me " Aunt Lynn, I wished we lived closer so you and I could crochet all the time! " She is just too cute! So of course I sent her home with a bag of yarn and she started crocheting before her Dad even started the car! Yes, I think another one has joined the ranks ...of those who like to crochet!


The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul...


Flag Day/ Sabbath Day!

Sundays...I love the Sabbath Day! I love taking time out of my crazy busy life and regrouping, re-energizing and spiritually getting recharged for the week ahead.
Today a dear friend of mine spoke in church. Her topic was Conversion, and how that is different than just believing because someone told you something was right or true.  It made me think of this quote..." Testimony is to know and to feel, conversion is to do and to become!"  by Dallin H. Oaks
She talked about how she became to be truly converted, and then shared examples of other friends and family members who had done the same. Was it one simple thing that they all did? No, actually it was the challenges and hardships in their lives, that made them truly turn to God and get the strength and Hope from Him that they needed.
"So when life gets hard, don't put your head down... look up for the help you need!"
Great reminder for me today, from a dear sweet friend of mine! I am so grateful for that message.
Night dear friends!

P.S.Oh I almost forgot to mention that it is flag day. A big deal for our country and for a Seamstress out there in the world ( Betsy Ross ) who created it! You can read more about the importance of Flag Day when you...check it out HERE:
It's important to teach out children at a young age of it's importance and meaning!

angie on the 4th 3[1] 




Sunday, June 14, 2015

I love Summer!

Summer must be here because Jeff and I finally got the deck and back yard cleaned. Jeff rented the pressure washer and I got flowers after work. So we were able to get the planters boxes all planted and back on the deck before dinner. It made me realize how much I love summer!
 Sunshine is my favorite accessory.  #TheLimited

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Summertime is coming!


I love this article about kids and summer time! So true!
Hey kids, it's summertime, go get your hands dirty! 
Light up those power strips, kids. Summer’s here! It’s time to play on the iPad, Xbox and Wii U. Woohoo.
Wait, don’t forget Netflix. Those four seasons of Disney’s “Good Luck Charlie” aren’t going to binge watch themselves.
What in the name of Stretch Armstrong is happening? Everywhere I go, I hear kids talking about their big summer plans, and, more often than not, they involve virtual reality instead of, well, you know, reality.
I’ve always said that I’d never begin a sentence with these five words. I mean really promised, as in on a stack of Pop-Tarts. But sometimes, they just come.
When I was a kid.
We couldn’t wait until the last day of school so my pal and I could stay outside until my mother called me from our deck to dinner. He and I invented a sport called creek jumping which involved, believe it or not, jumping a creek. We had one that sliced through our mostly wooded property and, at various points, one bank was as much 8-feet higher than the other. We numbered prime points along the way and launched ourselves across like we were wearing jet packs. Somehow we never ran out of batteries.
When I was a kid, I made a high jump in my backyard. I learned to jump higher and higher until I broke my arm. When I couldn’t jump, I ran. Later I created my own Olympics complete with gargantuan paper plate medals. One summer I strung up a net and my sister and I played badminton until we had blisters. Yes, blisters.
When I was a kid, I walked to a neighbor’s house across the street and learned to play tennis by hitting against a short wall built into her tennis court. If I mis-hit, the ball sailed over a fence and into a patch of weeds from a Stephen King novel.
At this same neighbor’s, I fished early in the morning and late at night in a farm pond. I camped with buddies on banks with names like “bass country,” “catfish corner” and “bluegill hill.” You get the idea.
When I was a kid, I made a trash bag parachute and jumped off the lowest part of our roof. (It didn’t work.)
I sold vegetables at the bottom of our driveway. I wrote short stories and plays. I created “Jason’s Find and Do Agency” and made a few bucks doing extra things for my mother and looking for things I’d lost the day before.
I played in the rain. I tore my pants. I got my hands dirty.
Sure, I watched some movies and logged Pac-Man time on our cutting-edge Atari 2600. But those were short breaks when the Virginia humidity and pollen were so thick I couldn’t see straight. We didn’t play outside when it was time to take a break from technology, we took a break when we were out of clean clothes.
When I was a kid, there was nothing sweeter than popsicles in an ice-tray made with Kool-Aid, plastic wrap and toothpicks. When our fingers weren’t sticky, they were sore from whittling and climbing trees, not from pressing buttons on a remote.
It’s possible I’m just an old fuddy-duddy. (Exhibit A: Use of the word “fuddy-duddy.) Perhaps it’s not realistic to expect my four kids ranging from 19 to 8 to go outside, build a fort, play ball, make a kite and catch lightening bugs.
But isn’t that the very point? Don’t children need a little more reality? Couldn’t they benefit from more time in the real world and less time in worlds that only exist on hard drives?
Technology is great, but it can’t replace imagination. And it shouldn’t take a USB adapter or remote control to fire it up.
It’s summertime, kids. Go get dirty. We’ll call you when dinner’s ready.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Don't forget the 3 C's!

Great thought for the day!


Tuesday, June 9, 2015

1st Date- 37 years ago!

Jeff and I celeberated our 37th FIRST DATE  ANNIVERSARY tonight, it was actually a day early because I am going to be gone tomorrow night. On our first date we went to a movie and dinner...Pizza Hut is where we went, but I can't remember what the movie was.
We decided since the weather was so nice to go play Minature Golf, then we had Sushi for dinner!


 Jeff getting ready to go into the Cave (with the bear growling ) before he played the next hole! You can tell by my face ...that I am winning!
So here is the proof...I won!!! Sorry Jeff, but oh what a fun Date Night after 37 years, you didn't disappoint this girl! :)

Even though I beat him, he still thinks there is a good chance of a 2nd Date! :) What a good sport!

"Thank you for reminding what butterflies feel like!"