This and That...

2012-02-13T17:44:00.001-08:00

What Love Looks Like...

2012-02-13T11:59:00.000-08:00

It takes a FAMILY to understand LOVE at it's best.

The Notme Ghost

2012-02-12T06:04:00.000-08:00

I think I will use my blog as a dumping ground for my creations incase my house gets blown away by a hurricane, sucked up by a tornado, floats away in a flood, or burns to the ground by a falling meteorite.

I carried this story in my brain for a long while and finally decided to write it down and with the help of my very artistic and talented son who illustrated it for me, came up with this little book:

Pittsburgh!

2012-02-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

I am here in Pittsburgh, PA and it is killing me because there are so many great pictures to capture but when I went outside to take a few photos around the hotel while my sister was recovering from surgery, it was too cold! I don't love these photos, but need to post something of the city on my blog.

(Our hotel is right across the street from the stadium.)

Whoa...

2012-02-08T16:26:00.000-08:00

I think the male receptionist at the hospital in Pittsburg is really bored in between helping patients. He told us that pennies are really hard and dimes, impossible though when we walked by later, he managed to get the dime to stay up. I couldn't take a photo because we just got called into the doctor's office. (I am here with my sister who is going in for an in/out procedure tomorrow.)

Mr. Frost and Ms. Crystal

2012-02-05T11:13:00.000-08:00

We are in for a treat! There was a wonder world art show outside when I woke up this morning...

I didn't know trees have bags and wrinkles too.

I will never ever be able to capture how beautiful it was outside this morning. And then, as the day warmed up, I noticed everything began steaming! I took a video of it. Let's see if this works:

iPod Cover

2012-02-02T12:36:00.000-08:00

A silly iPod case so I can keep my iPod protected when I slip it into my jean pocket.

I LOVE my iPod, by the way! I decided to make a list of the good and the bad of owning one:

THE GOOD:

I used to be able to hold a complete grocery list in my head and remember EVERYTHING on it. Now I cannot. And these days I always seem to loose or forget my paper list. As soon as I think of something we need from the store, I type it into my reminders and then when I am at the store, tap the checked box. I NEED THIS!

I don't have to carry around my bulky day planner anymore. I have everything I need -- calendar, contacts, etc.

I can easily check my email and respond quickly to them if needed.

I like the fact that the scriptures are on there. It is easier for me to read for I can adjust the font to make it bigger. I also have manuals and study guides I can download too. For some reason, my mind wanders less. (Distraction gets worse as you get older, did you know?)

I do enjoy scrabble! I am playing several family members and learning new words.

I can send instant messages to my sister and do face time occasionally which keeps me connected!

I am a google queen, and when I want to look something up, I can quickly sign on and find my answer.

It lets me take pictures and videos and voice recordings which comes in handy when you want to preserve a memory.

AND THE NOT SO GOOD:

Sometimes you can not hear a question someone is asking you.

Time on an iPod can seem like minutes and then you wonder where the time went.

Soon we won't know how to talk to each other.

Elder Bednar said that it allows you to stay connected to far away family and friends but sometimes it distants you from your family right next to you. My sister-in-law posted a video clip on her blog which is so excellent. It is a MUST SEE! You can find it here:

THINGS AS THEY REALLY ARE

What it is about:

Elder David A. Bednar warns of the harmful effects digital technologies can have on our souls

and invites us to ask ourselves two questions to see if we are using these technologies
properly.

The Best Thing I Ever Bought

2012-01-31T18:03:00.000-08:00

We found it at IKEA for $14.99 (see http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10149374/)

I think it is supposed to be for the bathroom because every time we saw one displayed on the floor, it was with the bathroom decors BUT I decided to put it in my kitchen next to my sink and use it as a dish soap dispenser. I can store my ugly bottle of liquid soap under the sink and re-fill as needed and use this pretty "The Best Thing I Ever Bought" container to squirt a little soap on my scrub pad to wash my pots and pans.

So, what was the best thing you ever bought?

Homemade Cards

2012-01-30T13:45:00.001-08:00

It's fun to make your own cards....

A Gift

2012-01-29T04:42:00.000-08:00

I was given a gift on a day I really needed it.

It wasn't something you can unwrap.

Thank you so much to that person who gave to me

by sharing her dipper so that I could re-fill my bucket.

I wish I could just bottle you up.

Shirsten Plays Basketball

2012-01-28T16:37:00.000-08:00

We got six points! Isn't that great?!

An Email From My Grandson

2012-01-28T05:23:00.000-08:00

I found a email from my grandson this morning when I opened up my mailbox.

It made my day!

So I wrote him back...

Did he really sound and type such a big word?! Wow!

I wish grandkids didn't live so far away!

Foxy Boxy

2012-01-23T16:20:00.000-08:00

Shirsten finally finished sanding then painting her box she found at the thrift store. It turned out so flipping cute!

Baby, You're Mine!

2012-01-20T11:35:00.000-08:00

This came from an photo I found of Shirsten where she was just hanging her arm out when I snapped some photos of her. I thought it would be fun to find an image of a cute minion on google images and add him with a rose, hearts and text. The minion is kinda of pixalated but the results are fun. Now to really turn them into Valentine's Day cards:

This one took a lot of time! I wanted to make it as life-like as possible. Did it work? It isn't a real frame, the flowers and vase came from Microsoft clip art and the lamp is an actual picture I took of the lamp in our bedroom.

All Together?

2012-01-16T19:09:00.000-08:00

It is nice to have family members in the same room with you

even if they are just pictures.

It's better than nothing!

(Shirsten says it looks like a shrine.)

Well,

maybe it is...

Another Thumb

2012-01-16T19:06:00.000-08:00

Mark's special talent. I forgot to add this with the THUMBS.

A Poem

2012-01-16T18:58:00.000-08:00

Scot wrote this poem for April's birthday. It is hilarious and needs to be immortalized...

Here is his explanation first:

I am often accused of being unromantic by the women in my life. Well, I wrote this poem for April's birthday to express myself regarding my thoughts on romance. This goes out to anyone who shares my sentiment on the matter.

The Fruit of My Heart

To define a fruit as something healthy and sweet;

The product of some living thing,

Is a good definition, yet incomplete

Of what fruit can also mean.

The fruits of your labors are the products of work

To be enjoyed and also to share

It is said the fruit of the spirit is love and joy

The fruit of the loom is underwear

But what are the fruits of the heart, or romantic pursuits,

To be given to those we love best?

How do you measure affection bestowed?

Or how are emotions expressed?

For some, the fruit of the heart is in giving;

Chocolates and flowers and rings,

Gondola rides with the scent of the tides,

Mustached men with accordions and strings.

The fruit of a heart can be in a look;

Holding hands and sweet somethings in ears.

Some get their kicks watching romantic flicks

With tissues for drying their tears.

Love can be shown in a number of ways,

Simple looks to great romantic deeds.

Now the question, I know, that’s on the tips of your tongues;

What is the fruit of my heart . . .

It is cheese.

Yes, the fruit of my heart is cheese.

I’m not ashamed to declare it today.

Cheese is often thought of - to be avoided in love,

But in me it just won’t go away.

“How your day?” my wife asks as I walk through the door.

I say, “Great, now that I can see your smile”

With a roll of her eyes and a huff in her mouth

“That’s so cheesy,” I hear her reply.

WELL, WHAT’S WRONG WITH CHEESE?!

Cheese, as a food, adds variety and life;

It comes in blocks or in rolls or in squeeze.

Cheese is healthy, colorful, tasty and fun.

So, let’s flavor our love with some cheese.

While some like their love gushy and mushy and soft,

Like some pile of left-over oatmeal.

Loving with cheese is firm and quite often solid;

Which, I think, holds greater appeal.

So, while they call me unromantic and say I need work,

To become more smooth and debonair.

To say I should start to change the fruit of my heart

Is terribly wrong and unfair.

My love cannot change and my ways are set.

No matter the begs and the pleas.

And now I declare, with no cause for despair,

That the fruit of my heart,

To its depths and its core,

In rich or in poor,

Will forever,

And always . . .

Be cheese.

Happy Happy!

2012-01-14T04:13:00.000-08:00

We celebrated a birthday of the most wonderful person in the world yesterday!

I am soooooooo fortunate to be married to him.

Dispicable Shirsten?

2012-01-14T04:06:00.000-08:00

Shirsten was given this knitted hat by one of her good friends at school for Christmas.

We LOVE the movie! SO CUTE!!

Thumbs

2012-01-12T15:36:00.000-08:00

I found this, that my daughter and her roommates wrote when they were in college.

It is hilarious! And needs to be published!

With her permission,

I've turned it into a book...

I took a video of Mike reading the THUMBS.

(Sorry about the jiggling. I tried NOT to laugh but it didn't work!

Easy (Well Maybe) Gift Idea...

2012-01-11T16:48:00.000-08:00

A CD Screen Saver filled with family pictures!

The trick is not to come up the last minute with the idea

and then scramble to send out a mass email to siblings, nieces and nephews

for them to hurry and zap over their photos...

For Mike's parents who are serving their forth or fifth mission, I can't remember... Either way, it is amazing!

Did You Think To Pray?

2012-01-11T16:24:00.000-08:00

There is a poem I learned when I was a teenager.

Let's see if I remember it.

I woke up early one morning,

And rushed right into the day,

I had so much to accomplish,

That I didn't take time to pray.

Problems just tumbled around me,

Heavier became each task.

"Why doesn't God help me," I wondered.

He answered, "You didn't ask."

I've learned over the years to remember to pray first.

(Dedicated to my daughter who is overwhelmed in her first year of High School studying for finals.)

Totally Weird and Random

2012-01-10T10:13:00.001-08:00

Do you ever dream between the minutes of sleeping and awakening? Well, every once in a while a picture pops in my brain. I have no idea why this one came to me -- I don't play the piano well enough (though practicing would help) nor do we really own a piano. (We do have a little keyboard.) So, I thought it would be fun to duplicate my "dream vision". I think this is pretty close to what I saw. Crazy, huh?!

Turning 3!

2012-01-10T09:24:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday to You!!! (Yesterday)

2012-01-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

This is my sister.

She is an angel in disguise.

If I were to go around

to everyone who knows her,

these are the words

that I would collect from them

which describes her the best...

Nice

Beautiful

Gracious

Kind

Determined

Giving

Optimistic

Nice

Generous

Hilarious!

Persistant

Righteous

Did I say nice?!

Perceptive

Happy, happy, happy

She loves people

and treasures family

and is very

very

nice.

Do you see why she is an angel in disguise?

This is my daughter-in-law.

I love her sooooo much.

I called her on the phone yesterday to wish her a happy birthday

and was entertained.

You see,

she doesn't just tell you what is

happening in their lives,

she turns it into

a delicious

story

and you find you are laughing and crying

as you envision it perfectly in your mind

just the way it happened.

It's a talent.

Ask her next time you talk to her about

barely catching the Kindergarten bus last Friday

or her husband's primary class.

You too will be entertained.

Too Blessed!

2012-01-10T04:29:00.000-08:00

We got this laminated quote with a magnet on the back for Christmas from my in-laws who are serving in a mission home in Iowa. I look at it every day and it reminds me of all my blessings:

I was born into a "goodly family" where I have felt warm and secure in a loving environment.
I married into a wonderful family where heritage is deep rooted and legacy is its great reward.
I am given a beautiful posterity,which grants me so much satisfaction and so much joy.
I have received an abundance of happiness in being married to a perfect person who holds me up.
I claimed the Light of The Gospel in my life and therefore can own the blessings of obedience.
My friends are amazing; they lift and sustain me in my journeys.
The Lord has granted me gifts which I hope I can return magnified to build His Kingdom.

I am truly too blessed!!

Now if I can only convinced myself of the stressed part of the quote...

Snow!

2012-01-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

The Eye Vs. The Camera

2012-01-09T05:13:00.000-08:00

Shirsten said that President Hinckley said that the eye is the best camera.

Try as I may, try as I might, I can never seem to get a shot of what I EXACTLY see.

A Silly Story

2012-01-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

I have a question... Can you run out of creativity if you keep using it up?

I want to know.

I wanted to make something for my grandson who just turned three this month and an idea popped into my head to write a story with characters that you can actually play with. I know I have seen finger puppets that go with a book and those are fun, and so the thought came to make them out of wood. I had made farm animals when I did wood crafts years ago but didn't want to take the time to draw, cut, sand, and paint each character I wanted to use in my story. Finding a picture online and then pasting it onto a block of wood that I painted was easy enough and was thrilled to find some cute and fun farm animals on Microsoft clip art.

Well, then came another idea. I would turn the "book" into a "roll-a-story" to place on the floor while it is being read and also played with. So a wrote a silly story that teaches colors, animal sound, and has, (should I say this?) a moral to to it. Please be kind in your judgements.

Here is my story...

Oh, wait. Instructions first. You need to scroll down and read up.

So don't peek at the ending yet and until you begin on the yellow page at the bottom and go upwards.

START HERE and read up.

Meet the characters:

They are mounted on colored blocks to teach colors and animal sounds.

The contents, the roll-a-way story, and wooden animal blocks fit nicely in a small oatmeal container with a lid (without the oatmeal, of course) where I laminated the cover page and glued it on.

Sooo... drop me a comment if you have any suggestions for improvement

and then tell me if I should sell it for a million dollars and I will even let you place an order for that much. ;o)

New Glasses

2011-12-29T18:16:00.000-08:00

Awesome!

2011-12-28T09:55:00.000-08:00

Kevin is such a willing model. What will I do when he leaves? I asked him what saying I should put on this and he came up with "Awesomeness Comes In Any Size". Doesn't that just sound like a Kevin saying?

Just so you know... I took a picture of our kitchen table to be the floor; skewed the bottom sides out; added a white line and gave it a shadow to give it dimension to make a baseboard; found "wallpaper" from my digital scrapbook paper; and gave the bear and Kevin a reflection by copying both of them and turning them upside down and making them translucent. Fun! What shall I do next?

Here are the photos I took to work with:

Christmas Day

2011-12-26T07:45:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas Eve

2011-12-26T04:05:00.001-08:00

It was a quiet Christmas Eve this year but still an enjoyable evening. After dinner of ham and funeral potatoes, we read an article found in December's Ensign about the Christmas story given by Russell M. Nelson which tells in more depth about the birth of Christ and circumstances around it. Here is the link if you want to read it:

https://lds.org/ensign/2011/12/the-peace-and-joy-of-knowing-the-savior-lives?lang=eng

We sang a few Christmas hymns and then played a game that we just might make into a tradition. We played BINGO! I managed to brave the stores earlier in the afternoon and found some fun gifts and THE DOLLAR TREE (one of my favorite stores!). I had enough gifts for everyone as they got a bingo and they had the choice of opening up a new present or taking someone else's. We spent the next little while playing and coloring and putting together a tiny puzzle with our new stuff.

Kevin brought his ukelele, I used my tiny iPod keyboard, and Jil plugged in mom's electric organ and we had a fun jamming/singing time.

Santa Skypes!

2011-12-26T02:25:00.001-08:00

Our daughter called from Washington state asking if we could bring our Christmas Eve tradition to her where we have always had a Santa appearance. What a great idea! We called our other kids to see if they wanted to do this too and found one son with his family home. I video-ed some of the conversations... Let's see if I can load them up to the blog. But first, just so you know, Santa wears jeans when he is relaxing before he takes off on his rounds. And did you know that he turns his eyebrows white by dusting on a bit of flour?! Just saying some secrets. ;o)

Sculpty Shirsten

2011-12-23T05:08:00.000-08:00

I have a creative daughter! She has discovered the wonderful world of SCULPTY and has been busy making cute, cute things for Christmas presents for friends and family.

Reindeer Cupcakes

2011-12-23T04:56:00.000-08:00

We made these for Mike to pass out to his home teaching families.

I Am Fly??!!

2011-12-22T19:21:00.000-08:00

I look over to my bookshelf and see that someone has switched our FAMILY photo blocks around that our daughter made us for Christmas one year...

I LOVE having our college kid home with us again.

T'was a Dark And Stormy Night...

2011-12-21T20:03:00.000-08:00

Come, Let Us Adore Him

2011-12-19T05:02:00.000-08:00

Grumble, grumble

I found myself murmuring.

Christmas was coming

and I couldn't find my Christmas Spirit

because I was too, too, too busy...

A leader asked if I could teach her girls

how to make a nativity using wooden balls and tiny clay pots

on their mutual night.

The Bishopric wanted me to give a talk.

I would spend the next two weeks worrying

and wondering

how I was going to find material

to speak on such a confined topic.

There have been a few phone calls for family history help sessions.

Tonight we get to cook and serve for a single adult Christmas dinner.

And so on and so forth.

Will I ever find that moment for quiet refection on

the true meaning of this season in my busyness?

But wait...

Isn't GIVING

your time to help others

what it's really all about?

P.S. Here is my talk where I got heaven's help in writing:

During a snowy, icy day 27 years ago on December 20^th at 4:10 in the morning and in the warmth and comfort and security of the Orem Community Hospital in Utah, Mike and I held in our arms our beautiful new baby son. As we do with each of our children, we offered a thankful prayer heavenward for his safe arrival and whispered a prayer in our hearts that we would be able raise this child unto the Lord as Hannah of old. Perhaps because it was around Christmas time, whenever I embraced J.C., I often thought of two other births that we remember reverently during this season.

During my pregnancy, I thought a lot about Mary and the circumstances, which was thrust upon her during her confinement and delivery of her son and tried to imagine what it would have been like for her. When Mary held her baby, did she also with a sense of awe and wonder imagine the magnitude of her calling as a parent in helping the Son of God fulfill his foreordained mission on earth?

Another humble birth came many, many years later after Christ in the year of 1805 also in modest circumstances in a little home on a family farm in Vermont. As Lucy Smith held her fifth child, a son, which they named after his father, did she know that he would become a great prophet who would open up the heavens in this last dispensation and that her influence as well as other family members would help him become who he needed to be to be able to accomplish his high and holy calling?

President Spencer W. Kimball wrote:

“When clouds of error need dissipating and spiritual darkness needs penetrating and heavens need opening, a little infant is born. Just a few scattered neighbors in a hilly region in the backwoods even know that Lucy Mack Smith is expecting. There is not prenatal care or nurses; no hospital, no ambulance, no deliver room. Babies live and die in this rough environment and a few know about it.

“Another child for Lucy! No trumpets are sounded; no hourly bulletins posted; no pictures taken; no notice is given; just a few friendly community folk pass a word along. It’s a boy. Little do the brother and sisters dream that a prophet is born to their family.”

Brigham Young said this:

“It was decreed in the counsels of eternity, long before the foundations of the earth were laid, that he should be the man, in the last dispensation of this world, to bring forth the word of God to the people, and receive the fulness of the keys and power of the Priesthood of the Son of God. The Lord had his eye upon him, and upon his father, and upon his father’s father, and upon their progenitors clear back to Abraham, and from Abraham to the flood, from the flood to Enoch, and from Enoch to Adam. He has watched that family and that blood as it has circulated from its fountain to the birth of that man.”

As Joseph Smith grew in a loving and secure home, he began to develop qualities that would help him in his foreordained mission.

Elder Carlos E. Asay, said that the Prophet Joseph Smith “was the product of a God-fearing family—a family that thirsted after righteousness and exercised a simple but deep faith in the Lord. His school was the home, his teachers were loving parents, and his textbook was the Holy Bible” (in Conference Report, Mar.–Apr. 1990, 79; or Ensign, May 1990, 63).

President Joseph F. Smith said; “Though poor, [Joseph Smith’s] parents were honest and good; they delighted in the truth, and it was their honest desire to live according to the best light within them. Love and good will to all, found expression in their hearts and acts; and their children were imbued with like sentiments. They were firm believers in God, and trusted in his watchcare over his children. They had frequently received manifestations of his loving kindness, in dreams, visions, and inspiration; and God had healed their little ones in answer to prayer, when they were nigh unto death. It was in such an atmosphere that the boy was reared.”

As early as the age of seven or eight, Joseph gave proof that he possessed the foundation principles of good character – patience, endurance, and courage. Typhoid fever had left him with a fever sore between his breast and shoulder and he suffered excruciating pain for more than two weeks before the cause was discovered. The sore was then lanced, at which the pain left, but shot into his leg, so that with that he suffered greatest agony for several weeks more. His mother carried him for most of the two weeks in her arms, until she was worn out; whereupon, his elder brother Hyrum, noted for his tenderness, sympathy, and trustworthiness, insisted on watching by his bedside. He sat faithfully beside his brother with the affected leg in his hands so that Joseph might better endure the pain. Several incisions were made at different times, but to no seeming purpose, the pain becoming each time more intense. At length the doctors decide to amputate the leg, but Joseph’s mother protested, and the doctors concluded to make one more trial to heal the affected bone, by operation.

“We have come again,” said the doctors, approaching the patient boy’s bed. “Yes,” said Joseph, “but you have not come to take off my leg, have you, sir?” He was assured that, on the request of his mother, only an incision was contemplated. The principal surgeon asked that cords be brought to bind him to the bed while the operation was performed, -- for anesthetics were unknown. To this Joseph objected, courageously answering that he could endure it, if he had his liberty. “Will you then, take some brandy or wine?” “No;” exclaimed Joseph, “I will not touch one particle of liquor, neither will I be tied down; but I will tell you what I will do – I will have my father sit on the bed and hold me in his arms, and then I will do whatever is necessary in order to have the bone taken out!” Then, looking at his mother, he said, “Mother, I want you to leave the room, for I know you can not bear to see me suffer so; father can stand it, but you have carried me so much, and watched over me so long, you are almost worn out. Now, mother, promise me that you will not stay, will you? The Lord will help me, and I shall get through with it.”

Joseph’s true character came through at such as a time as this: his lovingly concern and anxiety for his mother; confidence in his father; his faith in the Lord; his courage and strength. All these would aid him for what lay ahead.

Again, from Joseph F. Smith: “Such childhood is the basis of such manhood.”

Joseph Smith was still a boy when he took a prayer with him to the woods.

President Hinckley remarked:

“Joseph went in [to the grove] as a boy. I have wondered at times why the Lord would have him go in as a 14-year-old boy. Why didn’t He wait until [Joseph] was 20 or 30 or 40, when he would have had the weight of authority that comes with age? He went in—the Lord permitted it—and responded to his inquiry because he came in perfect trust as a boy. There was no doubt in his mind. He said that if anyone needed wisdom, he needed wisdom, and he asked for it, with full confidence that something would happen as a result of his prayer. We do not have anything of the words of Joseph’s prayer. But we know that he made inquiry and that a conversation took place. And Joseph Smith learned in those minutes, however long or brief, more about the nature of God than all of the learned divines of all time had ever learned.” —President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Inspirational Thoughts,” Ensign, Aug. 1997, 3.

Having demonstrated these qualities all of his days, Joseph Smith freely gave his life for his testimony and his people, he had succeeded in outlining the work of the Lord, and in revealing to mankind the foundation of principles of all progress and salvation. Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah! Each of us today have benefited from the characteristics that were embedded in his youth. Joseph Smith learned and in turn, we learn from him.

Because of Joseph we know that our prayers can be answered; that we also can stand up for truth; to trust in the Lord; that we can be a little stronger and hold up a little longer; that we can also prepare ourselves to fulfill whatever mission the Lord has for us and be fervent, committed Saints to help build up His Kingdom.

And in the end, we can also stand boldly and declare with Joseph Smith, “That He lives!”

More Ho - Ho - Ho ing From Santa

2011-12-10T15:40:00.000-08:00

Can you guess who played Santa?

I love some of these photos because they tell a story...

This one is priceless:

There were some tears shed too...

I love these next few photos...

This little boy reminds me so much of our grandson.

This little baby girl grabbed Santa's beard and wouldn't let go.

As I was editing I noticed some shoes that were put on the wrong feet.

HO - HO - HO

2011-12-09T04:10:00.001-08:00

We had so much fun on Saturday coming up with our family 2011 Christmas card.

Here are some of my favorites...

The making of Santa:

Thanksgiving -- Stuffed!?

2011-12-09T03:50:00.000-08:00

NOT ME! I am so done wobbling! I found this photo from years ago and now hang it on my fridge as a reminder that I once wobbled but now am free of extra weight baggage! Next May I start my sixth year of choosing a healthier living style. I still feel so good!

Goodbye Fall

2011-11-20T03:59:00.000-08:00

Rain and wind stole away autumn's beauty this week

so I am preserving it forever

on my blog from these photos I re-discovered I had taken awhile ago.

(They look like they can be turned into puzzles, don't they?)

Family Together Time?!

2011-11-14T06:10:00.000-08:00

In the busyness of the world, it is so important to find time to do something together as a family. We were lucky to find a window of free time last Saturday and decided to go to a favorite nearby bookstore. I LOVE BOOKS! For me it was wonderful to go find a subject I like and see what books they have on it. I checked out the photography section and wished and wished that I had the money to buy all of Scott Kelby's book and a manual on my Nikon D90. I saw that Shel Silverstein had a new book out with his silly random poems where some make me giggle and others make me wonder if he was high on something:

"A spider lives inside my head

Who weaves a strange and wondrous web

Of silken threads and silver strings

To catch all sort of flying things,

Like crumbs of thought and bits of smiles

And specks of dried-up tears,

And dust of dreams that catch and cling

For years and years and years..."

Walking through the children's section is my most favorite because often I secretly wonder if I could write and illustrate my own stories... Does everyone think that?

At one point we found this fun piano book and I probably totally embarrassed Shirsten but we had fun anyway. She played the little piano book and I played my mini piano keyboard on the app I downloaded. Kinda like what you find on youtube where people randomly start dancing or singing one by one and then more and more join them. Well, we were wondering where the other hidden people were to join our duet. ;o)

Mike found a one liner book and made himself at home on a chair to read and laugh through the pages with Shirsten looking over his shoulder...

"Today's status symbol is a cell phone clipped onto your belt. I can't afford one, so I'm wearing my garage door opener."

"Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise', I wash my mouth out with chocolate."

"Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Show him the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks."

Mark disappeared and lost himself into his favorite sections, which I am guessing was the movie/music section as well as the Humor section of the store. It was a delightful well spent minutes of time together and separately!

2011-11-12T06:18:00.000-08:00

This the set-up I choose to do for my Southern Shots Photography challenge this week,

which was on STEP-BY-STEP.

High On The Mountain Top

2011-11-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

Mike got the day off from work so we turned it into a day date and climbed up Sugarloaf Mountain. It was a gorgeous morning. The hike up was slow for we are feeling our age (I'm noticing two days later how sore my climbing muscles are) and it was a little difficult walking the trail because the fallen leaves had covered the path and you couldn't really see the hidden stones that could sprain your ankle. Mike brought his cool carved walking stick. Pretty soon it was actually warm enough to take off our jackets.

I spent the first half taking pictures and then at one point handed the camera to Mike and said that I needed to absorb nature other than behind a lens, and climbed up a huge rock, found a sun spot for me to sit in and admired God's beautiful paint brush. It was so soul filling I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ever! You can just forget the world when you are on top of it.

The B's

2011-11-10T05:07:00.000-08:00

Our very bestest friends needed a photo of them for their this year's Christmas card and we ran out of time with the daylight so I had to improvise an indoor studio quickly. I hate the background fuzzies but like the color. The first picture is the one they choose; the second is a collage of fun; and the third is actually my favorite!

Super Saturday Craft

2011-11-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

Walking at Rio

2011-11-08T07:23:00.001-08:00

I like how we get the tree, the reflection of the tree and the shadow of the tree all in one picture.

Can you guess what this is?

What do you think will happen? Will he succumb to the temptation to splash his hands in the water?

See how the building slowly diminishes from left to right?

Testing My New Toy

2011-11-05T13:33:00.001-07:00

Hopefully this will work!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Wendinha!

2011-11-03T06:19:00.000-07:00

I love my sister, Wendy. This is why:

She is my #1 fan (and my only fan) of my photography! Just when I think my photos are so silly and full of nonsense, she sends me an email and tells me what she likes about the picture I just posted and is very specific! Her remarks are always timely and it makes me want to keep on going...
Whenever I am thinking about buying something, I ask her first because I know she has done the homework on it already.
She has taught me some wonderful useful things like peeling the stock of broccoli and eating it as a snack; showing me that you can use the + and - keys to move around on the wii remote instead of always using the moveable hand; introducing me to the coolest thrift store ever!!; she taught me to be a Google Queen just like her!
She is our family's most resourceful resume proof reader giving us some immensely great ideas on how to expound better on our strong attributes and being more specific.
She laughs... a beautiful, sincere make-you-feel-good laugh.
She is very smart because she craves knowledge. You will never be bored in conversation when you are around her.
Wen gives the bestest compliments and tells you why she thinks that way. I really, really like the way she boosts you up.

I am very, very lucky to have her as my sister.

Halloween Grandkids!

2011-11-02T07:23:00.000-07:00

Pictures are the next best thing if you forget to skype grandmas just before heading out for trick or treating...

I was talking to my daughter yesterday for a very long time which, was so delightful to me.

It was lovely to hear her still be a mom over the phone throughout our conversation:

"E., don't play with people's heads."

"You can't fold your arms (for the blessing over their lunch) with a marshmallow in your hand."

"N., I need you not to touch S."

"Oh, there's S's sandwich."

"Hey, did you eat my sandwich?"

and

"Oops. Did any of it land in the trash?"

I hope she doesn't mind that wrote these down as I heard them and now share on this blog.

I remember those days not too long ago...

Boo!

2011-10-31T18:52:00.000-07:00

I love what my husband wrote in an email to our kids:

Halloween

Mark is in charge of Halloween this year, at his request. He bought candy, he decorated the house, and he will pass out the candy. I plan to go downstairs and fall asleep on the couch.

Shirsten making a last minute deco to hang outside:

How embarrassing. A real spider's contribution to the holiday. I just noticed it.

What?! Snow in October?

2011-10-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

Inconceivable!

Yet...

it gave me an opportunity to study shutter speed with my camera by using different adjustments -- higher numbers to slow down the snow and lower numbers to speed the snow up.

Which of the following pictures of Mark do you like best? (He was very kind to stand just outside the door for my experiment, btw.) The fluffy snow look? Or the the sorta blizzard?

I like the soft look, which is what we were really seeing.

Here is another example below:

More snow pictures:

Well, this one isn't exactly a snow picture, but snow + melt = water

Here is one Mike took. Great composition!

Crocheted Pumpkin

2011-10-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

I crocheted this during conference to show Shirsten that you can crochet pumpkins and gave it away to my favorite granddaughter around her birthday. I filled it with pretzels since it is healthier!

Loads of Legos

2011-10-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to find this huge bag of legos at the thrift store and was going to give it as a gift for Christmas for someone in my family but this somebody person found out my secret hiding place, which wasn't a very good hiding place I guess, so now what?

Preserving Fall Forever Through Photography

2011-10-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

As much as I love the grandeur of Fall, I cringe in the deep dark depths inside of me when it comes because as beautiful as this season is, it doesn't last for long and the bareness and colorless of leafless trees remind me of what's ahead -- a long lifeless brown winter.

Fall and Flowers

2011-10-26T05:05:00.000-07:00

It's nice to see that there are still some lovely flowers out there amongst autumn.

J&L Photo Shoot

2011-10-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks guys for letting me be your photographer!

Up Close and Personal

2011-10-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

Mr T. is slowly settling down in his new environment and is coming out more and more from behind his hiding places. Perhaps he is getting used to us. But am I getting used to him? I don't think so! Especially when I hear snip-its of conversations amongst my family members... "Cool! He just ate the tail of the almost dead tiger barb!" and "Maybe we shouldn't feed the dead fish; they probably died of some kind of disease and it will probably kill the piranha." I still have nightmares when Shirsten showed me the top half of a goldfish at the bottom of the tank STILL ALIVE! Gross, Gross and double Gross!

So I made a rule. Mark can only feed Mr. T. his live fish AFTER I have gone to bed.

I thought I try to take a picture up close of his vicious teeth... Um, so where are they?!

Time Out

2011-10-24T07:02:00.001-07:00

A friend called us in the middle of the week to tell us that she had some extra tickets to TIME OUT for Women and Girls because someone canceled and wanted to know if Shirsten and I wanted to go. We did!!!! I quickly called Mike to see if we could find a hotel in Richmond where we could use the free quarter century club and get a free room. He found a Residence Inn about seven minutes away from the convention center and booked a room for two nights. We got to bring him along so we could get room for free. What a treat!

I loved this TIME OUT. Jenny Oats Baker performed Friday evening. I found out that she has her children practice for five hours a day (until midnight) and each of them can play more than one instrument. They also came to perform for us; ages six, eight, and ten and my gosh! They were so amazing -- just like her mother.

We recently re-discovered Brad Wilcox and his book, THE CONTINUOUS ATONEMENT and he was there to speak to us also. The book is fantastic -- hearing him in person was even better!

Happy Birthday to our Lenay...

2011-10-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

I love this photo of my beautiful daughter-in-law.

Happy Birthday to Scot...

2011-10-20T05:58:00.000-07:00

It was Scot's birthday on the 16th. I made him this book:

Whittle Women We-Union Nine!

2011-10-19T10:53:00.000-07:00

Every year the Whittle sisters and Mom get together to play.

Unfortunately our sister-in-law couldn't make it; we missed her being with us!

Will my sisters kill me if I share this?!

Take Four

2011-10-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

How many attempts will it take before we get to keep fish longer that a few weeks?!

Opening up his priority mail.

A new black piranha!

The next step is letting it adjust to the new water temp.

Meet Mr. T

Friends Gather Here

2011-10-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

2011-10-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

I spoke Parseltongue to this snake and told him he could go to Brazil if he wanted but he didn't move. Maybe I should have spoken Parseltongue Portuguese?

Today's Photo Shoot

2011-10-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

I think I am going to choose themes when I go and do a photo shoot.

Today was titled:

"From My Car"

I took pictures while driving around.

(I made sure I was stopped at a traffic light!)

2011-10-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

Shirsten made mini cupcakes for refreshments for the young women. Did you know that if you put a piece of Hershey's on top of a cupcake as soon as it comes out of the oven, it melts and makes a delicious frosting? (I didn't eat them.)

2011-10-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

There is nothing worse than jumping into a car when it is pouring rain only to find that it is raining inside too! Someone needs to seal up the windshield so it will stop leaking...

2011-10-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

The light was perfect! We grabbed our cameras, jumped into the car and headed downtown to the train station to imitate similar pictures we saw hanging up on a wall in a hotel that were really cool taken at this very same place but alas, they had put a tall chain-linked fence around the station and had the train all taped and plasticked to get ready to paint. So we turned around and went to a park to see if we could find something to take pictures of:

By Mike

By Shirsten

By Lisa

2011-09-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Oh say can you see my upside-down house on that little tiny droplet?

Pretty!

2011-09-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

I've never seen this kind of mushroom, have you?

There's a whole another world to photograph when you are on your tummy on the ground.

Dew Feather

2011-09-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

Hey, look what I found in the grass near the birdfeeder!

A closer and even closer look reveals it's beauty with splashes of morning dew.

2011-09-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

Just so you know, for me to capture this picture, I had to get down on my belly in my backyard getting soaked by the morning dew, hoping the neighbors weren't looking out their window, and standing up and finding now wet dried grass clippings stuck all over me and which clung to the shower curtain and walls when I jumped in to wash. All because my trigger finger was itching when I woke up...

Oh, I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really want a macro lens which would make these types of photos so much better but I can't justify spending so much money on a lens.

Hhhhhmmmm

2011-09-29T06:28:00.001-07:00

I made this to see if it would be a fun craft to do when my sisters are in town. It is done with fabric and ribbon, Stiffy glue, and Mod Podge. But tell me, please, what would you do with a decorated clipboard? Nevertheless it was fun for me to do.

2011-09-23T13:47:00.000-07:00

Whaaatt?!!

2011-09-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

Identify this animal please.

Who needs to go to a nature center when there is one in our own backyard!

BLAST!

2011-09-22T01:41:00.000-07:00

They didn't even last a week... I am so sorrowful. Two down, four more to go. And I was just getting used to the constant watery sound of a churning bubbly filter in the thirty gallon tank in my living room. Do you suppose there is a fish heaven? I wonder if I should write that these two were mostly dead and not completely dead when they were removed and disposed of because a few somebodies didn't like to see them suffer as they lay on their sides gasping for breath. (D0 they do that?) I found out something about myself... I don't handle dead things and broken things very well...

Mark is talking about going back to piranhas again.

Mission Is Possible!

2011-09-22T00:54:00.000-07:00

My D.I.L asked me to help her find little animals for a barn she bought at a yard sale for Z for Christmas. I love happy excuses to go to my favorite thrift store!

Posting my Homework

2011-09-22T00:49:00.001-07:00

Trying to light up from behind for Southern Shots...

2011-09-18T10:56:00.000-07:00

I think I need a sign on our bird feeder that says: "PRETTY BIRDS ONLY".

We get a ton of brown birds that swoop down and eat up all the seed.

And today we got a surprise... Someone told me squirrels eat from feeders but I didn't think this would be the case as our pole that holds up the house is too slim and slippery. Well, I was wrong! The movie clip shows him escaping down the pole.

There he is getting away!

Amazing!

2011-09-16T06:13:00.000-07:00

Heavenly Father did it again!

The House On the Street Where We Live

2011-09-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

This was a Southern Shot assignment that I decided to also post here...

WOW!

2011-09-13T18:51:00.000-07:00

I found this back lit leaf in our flower bed when I stepped outside to go walking this morning and slipped back inside to get my camera.

Meet Our New Fresh Water Fish

2011-09-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

Mark let me pick out three and let me pay for them also. Does that make them mine? And does that mean I get to name them?

Headwarmer

2011-09-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

My sister wants to learn to make headwarmers for our next WWW (Whittle Women We-Union) next month so I thought I would try and experiment. I had to take it apart a couple of times because the first, second, and third tries the band was too big for my little head. (I didn't take it all the way apart -- just enough to re-adjust it.) Now I will try it crocheting the band instead of knitting and see if I can go somewhat wider and add a taper for the back of the neck. Wish me luck!

If Shirsten ever wakes up, I will have her model it...

Shirsten's Craft

2011-09-11T06:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the cute, darling, adorable craft that Shirsten made at her Personal Progress Fair yesterday.

It was a fun day for mothers and daughters. (I finally got to go because I have my Saturdays open now). A thousand thanks to the stake leaders and all their work for making it a great activity for all involved. (I remember how much effort goes into these activities when I was in the stake YW!)

Death In The Family

2011-09-11T06:05:00.000-07:00

Shirsten and I were at the stake center for a Young Woman Personal Progress Conference when Dad found us and told us that Mark had just called him to say that his fish had died. NOOOOOOOOoooooooooo! We loved these beautiful fish. We were devastated! Mark said he woke up and found his fish dead. He didn't know why but after taking a sample of the water to the fish store, found out that the chemical Mark had put in the water depleted their oxygen. How sad!

Shirsten and I stood in the hallway for a few minutes half crying, half giggling because maybe it was a little silly to feel so terribly bad about some fish? Nah.... they were part of the family.

We worried about Mark's reaction but when we came home he announced the new change:

He was going back to fresh water
The entire aquarium ensemble was now going to go upstairs in between the two living room windows.
And he was getting some kind of fresh water stingray.

(He recovers quickly.) So now an empty aquarium with blue sand, fake weeds, and a cartoon looking shark and neon cave castle awaits a new family of fish. I am still adjusting to the constant sound of the running filter which makes me want to run to the bathroom.

I can guarantee there will be more photos forthcoming.... stay tuned.

Blue!

2011-09-09T06:35:00.000-07:00

After days and days and days and days and days of constant rain which was drowning our spirits, the pouring stopped and out came a splotch of blue sky. I had to take a picture before it got covered up with more clouds bringing in more rain...

Getting Results...

2011-09-08T04:48:00.000-07:00

I have a very willing subject who will let me practice photography ideas. She is terrific at posing and giving me different facial expressions until I find a shot that is perfect.

To get this...

We have try a lot of different things...

This one is my favorite...

...even though it was the furthest away from the "Wo is me" results we wanted. It was the very first picture I took when we were laughing at something... I told her we needed to get serious! ;o)

P.S. I think I would have liked the school books to be a little higher, towering over her, but we ran out of books!

First Day of Seminary

2011-09-06T04:02:00.000-07:00

Shirsten starts seminary this morning! Other young mothers take pictures of their kid's first day of school... I take a photo of my youngest's first day of seminary. We actually got one year off of waking up early at five and driving kids to church before six a.m. after seventeen years. Now we get to start up again for another four. Hurrah for Israel! (P.S. She looks a little sleepy, doesn't she?)

A New Member

2011-09-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

Mark is slowly adding more fish to his sea water tank. This one came in the mail! Can you believe you can have UPS deliver live fish! The doorbell rang early a day and a half later after the order was placed and the delivery guy came to our door with the clipboard in one hand and a white cardboard box with THIS END UP plastered all over it tucked sideways under his other arm! Well, he wasn't holding it "this end up"! Nevertheless, the dwarf lion fish made it. Mufasa is his name I think. Shirsten came up with it as a suggestion and Mark grunted which could be interpreted as a "yay" or "nay" so who knows for sure.

Clean for a Moment

2011-09-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

Take a long, hard, good look... These bedrooms will never look sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo clean again. We had friends over for dinner last night who we knew wanted to see the fish, so extra effort was made in straightening up. Oh that it would stay this way from day to day!

Hurricane Irene Plus!

2011-08-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

As you can see, this the extent of the damage in our neighborhood. We were fortunate!

It really was an exciting week last week with an earthquake and a hurricane. I was at Walmart and my kids were at Target. I saw/felt the earth quake and they didn't -- go figure. It lasted only a few seconds, barely long enough to process what it was. The shelves in the craft section were jiggling pretty bad and the floor shook. The entire time I kept thinking, "This can't be an earthquake. Earthquakes don't happen in Maryland!" I began to be a little worried about Mark and Shirsten next door and their reactions so I hurried out, found them and discovered that they didn't even know we had a 5.8 quake!

New Pets

2011-08-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, someone ;o) talked Mark into starting a new hobby... FISH! He has progressed from fresh water piranhas to a salt water tank. Somewhere in the journey, he found at a church sale an extra tank and bought that to store goldfish to feed his piranha. Now that he is changing over to salt, he gave Shirsten his smaller aquarium and she bought fish!

Happy Birthday to My Mother

2011-08-28T03:17:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my mother's 84 birthday Friday night and presented her with a book with memories of her from all her descendants. Jen compiled it. Here is an email which she wrote:

To all 80 of my Whittle family members,

Thank you, thank you for all your help in making Grandma's book. Yesterday we had the privilege of giving the gift that we all labored to help in making for Grandma's 84th birthday. It was also an opportunity to witness a "tender mercy" from the Lord because the book already had printed AND arrived at her house yesterday in time for us to hide it and give it to her for her birthday party. I ordered the book Tuesday night and expected to show her the electronic version of the book (the link I am sending in the email below) with the promise that it was being printed and would be sent to her home in the next few weeks. It is astounding to me that it could be printed, mailed, and received in less than 3 days (it was normal shipping--not expedited). I can only attribute this to a loving Heavenly Father.

Of course with Matt and Lisa in attendance we have pictures to document that Grandma received the gift and has gotten to see it. I hope you can enjoy the pictures and the book link as much as I have.

Thanks again for all of your contributions!

Jen

THANK YOU, Jen!

My sister wrote a poem that goes to a melody...

Here is part of it:

Wait!

2011-08-23T07:14:00.000-07:00

Excuse me, Mr. Tree. Aren't you jumping the gun a little bit here? It is still August, don't you know and I'm not quite ready for Autumn....

2011-08-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday To Mark

2011-08-21T15:26:00.000-07:00

We used Mike's Quarter Century Club Hotel Discount (free! But then... NOT because they charged us for Internet which we didn't know wasn't free) and took Mark to a very nice Fairfax Hotel for his birthday. We were on the eleventh floor with a beautiful view (bottom right -- it didn't really work because my reflection got in the way), and Mark got his very own bed whereas Shirsten had to sleep on cot (she took a picture of both for us to feel sorry for her) and then sleep for all of us was questionable. We did find out that Mark and Shirsten left the room at one in morning to see if they could sleep better in the bathroom and the tiny hallway because some people were snoring and then later, I found a rolled up tissues around the bathroom sink that somebody had put in their ears. Swimming, Jacuzzi, and their sauna was also on our list of things to do. Aaahhhh, what a life!

We walked around Tyson's Corner Mall and had dinner there and LOVED the Lego store and Apple store!

On Mark's birthday morning, Shirsten had decorated Mark's room with birthday greetings everywhere:

When I was going through some old photos of Mark, I noticed a lot of different expressions on his face and it reminded me of a Calvin comic strip:

A few similarities maybe...

Hope you had a wonderful birthday, Mark. WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!