A birthday party and conference messages

This past weekend we celebrated our daughter

Michelle's birthday.
We had a nice family dinner and a quiet evening together.

Happy Birthday, Michelle! We love you!

*****
We also enjoyed watching General Conference on television.

WE LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR!

There were so many great messages, but I was touched by this quote from

President Thomas S. Monson.
(He was talking about a minister, a father of seven children, who always asked each one of his children this question at their nightly dinner table.)

"And what did you do for someone today?"

One of the young sons, Jack McConnel, grew up to become very involved in medicine, helping with discoveries for tuberculous tests, the polio vaccine, the discovery of Tylenol, and the MRI process. He was a great scientist, but his REAL joy was in humanitarian service.

Think how this attitude could change the world!

♥

JoAnn

Better Than Expected.....

My weekend has improved a bit since my last post.

My husband was able to fix the bed (whew!) with a little carpenter's glue and some screws.
And...
I got my storage room cleaned!
And...
We had a little birthday party tonight.

Happy Birthday, Michelle!

No, I didn't travel to any exotic places and I haven't made it out to lunch -yet- but I did relive some fun memories looking through my old Europe slides.

Footloose and fancy free- armed with our Eur-rail (no idea how to spell it) passes.



Having some fun in Monaco.


On top of the world with Amy and Fritz in Switzerland!
(Their daughter Monica was an exchange student at my parent's house.)


Exploring Stonehenge. Yes, Barbara, we got to wander all around the place. I understand that now it is fenced off.

Basking in the Italian sun in the beautiful city of Florence!


My only regret- being in such beautiful places with an old, cheap instamatic camera!

Hope you are enjoying the weekend, too!

♥
JoAnn

P.S. Yes, it is late, but I get to sleep in tomorrow!

(I was on a B.Y.U. semester abroad in Salzburg, Austria in 1972. What an amazing experience!)

Too many choices.....

(photo from Google.com)

I have a 4 day weekend ahead of me.
Good, right?

Then why am I having such a hard time getting anything done?

I started cleaning my bedroom, including washing my curtains, shining the windows, washing the sheets, and dusting behind the dressers, but I keep getting side tracked. I start one job and then another seems to pull me away.

The problem is that every job I start leads to 500 more:

Filing miscellaneous papers
Hemming some new pants
Writing a thank you note
Getting out my fall decorations
Cleaning up the mess from the "almost-dead" air conditioner
Pulling some weeds
Raking up crab apples
Sorting socks
ETC.

Some of my friends and family are using this time to travel and do something fun.
(Now I know why!)

I'll keep trying to accomplish something worthwhile today,
but if I keep hearing voices telling me to go to Hobby Lobby and then out to lunch
I may just have to stop and obey. (It is good to be obedient!)

♥
JoAnn

P.S. After I finished this post I went back to work with vigor and determination to accomplish something, but as I tried to pull the bed out away from the wall, I broke the foot board.
Now I know I need to stop and go play!!!!!

More signs of fall....

October!

Pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins.
(I heard there was going to be a shortage this year. Is it really true?)

Grasses. Who doesn't love them in a flower bed?

Berries. All the colors of fall.

Mums. So pretty!

I love this time of year!

(I know it isn't quite October, but I never was very good at waiting!)

What are your favorite fall things?

♥
JoAnn

Fall arrives in Utah.....with splendor!

I have ALWAYS wanted to visit New England in the fall. I've heard about the brilliant leaf colors and the hillsides covered with trees. I love the small, quaint little towns with the covered bridges. It is one of my unfulfilled dreams. Sigh.....

However,
Utah has some pretty amazing fall colors, too!

Today I picked up my in-laws and we took off to see for ourselves just what the season has to offer.

We drove through Emigration Canyon, Parley's Canyon, Park City, and Midway.
We saw leaves up close and from clear across the valley.
We marveled at the beauty of the mountains, lakes, and valleys.

Pretty, right?

We had a great time!

The sun was shining right in my eyes for most of these pictures, but I think this one has a fun look to it!
If you are looking for a beautiful drive to see the fall colors, we found the best views at Wasatch State Park, just up the hill from Midway.
Be sure to get out before Wednesday's predicted snow storm!

"There is a harmony
In autumn, and a luster in its sky,
Which through the summer is not heard or seen,
As if it could not be, as if it had not been!"
-Percy Bysshe Shelly

♥
JoAnn

It's a cookie contest party.....

Maddie helped her mom make cookies for their
cookie contest party last night.
It sounded so fun.
(I'm waiting for the picture report,
but by the look on Maddie's face it must have been pretty good.)

"A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand." -Anonymous

A solution to the beaver problem????

(photos from Google.com)

Just so you know- I think we found our solution to
the beaver problem.

Comment from Michelle (who just happens to be my daughter):

Michelle said...

You could chain yourselves to the tree and stage a "sit in". That way you could shoo away the beavers when they attack... Ha Ha. It's kind of funny that we live in the city but have so many critters to deal with.

September 23, 2009 7:54 PM

My response....

Michelle, You are the grand prize winner with your idea! So....Sheila and I will be chaining ourselves to the last three remaining trees (we are looking for one more participant?) this coming weekend. We will be accepting any support such as Cafe Rio delivery, cool drinks for the day, hot drinks for evenings, etc. Any help will be appreciated!
Love,
Mom

P.S. Do you think I should get my hair done first?

For those of you who do not know me,

Just Kidding!