Currently on the Bookshelf:

Currently on our bookshelf is Ree Drummond's bestseller,

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels--A Love Story

I have loved reading her love story and would love to write my own...someday. Hope you are enjoying a good book! Any suggestions for the next good read?

My Sweet Little Guy

My sweet little guy went out into the yard today and brought in a Sunday surprise! I love roses and the baby roses from which this little bunch were gathered are my Wedding Roses, bought in pots and used to line the steps up to the Art Museum where we held our reception.

Around the glass he has written a note with his creative spelling: "Mom is vary good. To mom. Moms make kids hapy. I love Mom. Mom makes me hapy (smiley face)." I have been serving in the Nursery of the ward for four months now. I enjoy playing with the little ones but find it an isolated, invisible calling. Being a stay-at-home full time mother I miss the Sunday adult interaction and spiritual messages from Sunday School and Relief Society.

Joe has been adrift (without a calling) at church and was pulled aside today by a member of the Bishopric and asked to join me in the Nursery. I couldn't stop embarrassing tears and so I ran to hide out in the nearby bathroom until they passed. How ridiculous. Crybaby. Of course we will serve the Lord among the little children He loved so much.

(This day was so reminiscent of us, in this ward, a decade ago, being called to be Nursery Leaders.) I am surrounded by little people whom I am learning to love and nurture all morning long, all week long--now on Sundays, with Joe, too.

Bloom Where You are Planted

Joe and I were walking among the rose garden and found a beautiful pink opening bud...the last of any this season. He suggested picking it and we brought it inside and put it by the sink and loved watching (and smelling it) blossom! (Can we enjoy a rose for it's beauty and sweetness even though it has thorns?)

The Scout and His New Glasses

We are exploring new worlds--cub scouts and wearing new glasses. Third grade is Great!

The Little Princess and Her Funny Sayings

Little Princess has been saying funny things lately... Sunday morning she came into my closet where I was putting on Nearly Black nylons. "What are you doing?!" "I am putting on nylons. They are like tights or leggings for older girls." "Really?" She continues to stare and watch. "Seriously--that really creeps me out!" "Creeps me out!" she whispers under her breath as she exits the closet. (Later at church in Nursery a visiting girl named Coco sits next to me during the Lesson. She reaches down and pulls on my nylons--again and again, stretching out the gray spandex-like skin, a befuddled expression on her face). Earlier in the week, Princess is sitting at the preschool table eating snack with her other class mates. I look back. "No! I am not your girlfriend!" She jumps up from the table and stand behind the table--her hands out in front of her looking shocked. "Don't you know I am only four years old!? I am NOT seventeen. I am too young to have a boyfriend!" She sits back down. Drama Queen! I come over to the table and sit beside her. "Susie. Preston and Nathan are boys and they are your friends, so they are boy friends. You are right. You are too young to have a boyfriend but you can have girl and boy friends." Everyone goes back to eating snacks.

Am I a Good Mother?

Kind of pathetic--to buy blueberry Kefir instead of the strawberry that was in my hand because I loved the art on the bottle of the blueberry (and it was the only one like it left). What would you do? I've been thinking a lot about the kind of mother I am lately. Things have been rather stressful with schools starting, extracurricular and church activities, making up my own preschool curriculum and teaching preschool to Princess and baby. I have wanted more, more TIME, more patience, more knowledge, more spirituality, more of me to do the incrredible and unrealistic tasks that I expect of me. How do you do it? How do you cope? I began with an extra long prayer this morning, extra early and then began running. I think it helped. (Pictured above is Strawberry yogurt drink and a bottle of Blueberry Kefir. Different pre and probiotics in each, I figured. Thanks to my great sister-in-law I have Kefir starter and have been culturing this sour milk and bought yogurt and store bought Kefir to dilute mine and make it more drinkable.)

How Do People Stay Positive When Things are Really Tough?

LIFEadvice: The light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off until further notice

By Kimberly Sayer-giles, ksl.com Contributor

August 26th, 2011 @ 10:40pm

Question:

How do people stay positive when things are really rough? I know we can’t be the only family struggling to keep our heads above water. Could you give us any tips for getting through the discouragement? How can we stay happy in the face of huge setbacks and problems?

Answer:

I’m so glad you asked this question because you are definitely not alone. Most families are experiencing some fear and stress about their situations right now.

Here are nine tips for surviving rough times with a smile.

1. Understand that even if you can't control outside circumstances, you can decide how you want to experience them. Since negativity will get you nowhere, choose a positive attitude even if it’s ridiculously optimistic. Refuse to dwell in fear.

Consciously choose to trust that you will make it through and gain strength and wisdom from this experience. Every situation makes you a better person and this one will serve you in some way. Choose to believe good things are coming. They might be – you don’t know what’s around the next corner and it’s more enjoyable to expect the best than the worst.

2. Remember this won’t last forever. Life is cyclical and you will always have your ups and downs. Life is a beautiful mix of blessings and challenges. Whether things are good or bad, it won’t last forever. Decide to accept the impermanent nature of life. Those who expect it to always be easy will always be disappointed. Try to embrace the difficult times as a perfect and inevitable part of your journey.

3. Hang out with positive people. Avoid negative people who wallow in their stories of woe. Misery loves company but it doesn’t have to be yours. Choose to associate with people who think positive. Make friends with people who are problem solvers and motivated to create good things in their lives. It will rub off on you.

4. Read encouraging, uplifting books and listen to upbeat, happy music. Choose books that give you a fresh perspective on life and music that makes you want to dance. A library card and listening to the radio are both free. The personal development author and speaker Og Mandino wrote about the night his life fell apart. He thought about killing himself but decided to go to the library instead. He read every book he could find on positive thinking and it changed his life. It could change yours.

5. Start a gratitude journal. Focus on what you do have. Enjoy even the smallest of blessings and treasure every simple happy moment. Take time each day to write down five things you are grateful for. You’ll be amazed at how blessed you really are.

6. Work on your spirituality. Research shows that those who practice faith and maintain a relationship with God live longer and more satisfying lives. Turn your worries over to a higher power and practice faith.

7. Laugh as much as possible. Laugh together as a family. Watch funny movies, read joke books and keep your sense of humor alive. Watch "Wipeout" or "America's Funniest Home Videos." For some reason watching other people fail really cheers you up. When we were struggling we often laughed about just how bad off we were. We had nothing more to lose so we just had to laugh at it.

8. Reach out to others who are worse off than you. Get your focus off your own problems. Perform acts of service. Find a place to volunteer. Service will change your perspective. You will feel better right away.

9. Get some help. A little professional help could make a huge difference especially if you are feeling depressed. You are in charge of your destiny so get some help to change the course of your life. There are many life coaches, counselors and therapists in your area to call on.

"A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before the change. Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude towards us." - Earl Nightingale

Kimberly Giles is the founder and president of LDS Life Coaching and www.claritypointcoaching.com. She is a sought after life coach who has a popular radio show LIFEadvice on Utah's AM 1430 Saturday Mornings at 8 a.m. MST

Our Mexican Vacation (Part 2)

On the road again! Still heading south through Arizona...cactus forests, swirling dust devils, sand, weeds, different little roadside alters and grave markers (which I had trouble getting a picture of!). Joe fills up for gas and gets ice creams for the kids in the balmy southern Arizona heat. Bubble-blowing contest or "Bored Kids." The U.S. Border from the Arizona aide.

Our Mexican Vacation (Part 1)

Joe has listened to a friend at work rave about a place called Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco) Mexico for a few years now. Our vacation week was coming and we had planned to take the children to Lake Powell for the Meteor Shower in mid August. We looked at places to stay and found a good deal on a two bedroom condo with a pull-out sofa bed with ground floor access to the pool and beach and we began to dream...

It is 15 hours or so by car from here to there (in addition to stops which our family needed lots of). Some funny memories of the trip down...We passed 4 semis of chickens not long after crossing into very hot Arizona. The white chickens feather blew around the road like it was fulfilling the phrase, "When it snows in ____________" We enjoyed listening to an audio book when the Veggietale movie did not hold the driver's interest any longer. Everyone from our four year old to our thirteen year old listened (without getting bored!) to Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt.

In Arizona, we neared Flagstaff at twilight. Joe was hoping to push on to Phoenix or even Gila Bend. We had no reservation and I was tired and so we found a Rodeway Inn. We should have been clued in by the security man walking the parking lot, or the sign below in the sparsely furnished room, or the moldy smell and the squishy carpet right out of the bathroom. We stayed in probably an unsavory part of town. Still, we had real beds to sleep in, we ate a simple breakfast of muffins and got back on the road fairly early the next day.

Temple