Giving Thanks….

As the day for gathering together to give thanks approaches,

I feel grateful for so many blessings.

Freedom, family, friends…

food, clothing, health,

warm houses,

safety…

so much to be grateful for!

A few years ago, I captured these photos of Maddie, our granddaughter, as she helped me make hot rolls for our family dinner.  It was a simple activity, but one we both performed with love and hope.

(I always worry and hope that the rolls be light and fluffy like my mom’s always were!)

 

Traditional foods are so much a part of the meal, along with the memories of those who cooked them best.

Old recipes are handed down and new ones are added.

It’s a joyful time!

And a busy day.

But so worth the work!

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough,

and more.

It turns denial into acceptance,

chaos to order,

confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast,

a house into a home,

a stranger into a friend.”

– Melody Beattie

 

Have a wonderful holiday!

♥

JoAnn

Randomness

It’s Saturday morning and I should be cleaning my house.

I have “winterizing” things that need my attention, too.

Two holidays are on the horizon.

We’re getting ready for a little trip.

SO MUCH TO DO!

The problem is that I’m tired of opening my blog and seeing the same old post.

(It was a busy week.)

I don’t really have time to be creative and

there’s not much to say.

So here are some random things:

#1. Cute little Paul and I have become Face time buddies.  He looks so cute making faces, drooling (he’s teething), and cooing, while I look quite ridiculous doing it back (minus the drooling part).  Is there anything more flattering than having a camera six inches from your face?

We can’t wait to see him and his parents at Christmas time!

#

2.  I received my first work related accident.  I was cleaning my classroom and straightening the reading books when I punctured my hand on some nail/staples that were on the back of the old shelf.  It ruptured a vein in my hand which quickly became swollen and bruised.  I had to make time for a tetanus shot and a LOT of paper work for the workman's comp health insurance.  (If this is any indication of the future of health care I am not going to be happy!)  I still have to fill out a form disclosing my last ten years of medical visits!  Who can even remember?  It would have been much more simple to use my own insurance. 

#3.  I had a great birthday!  I turned sixty-three this year and although I am officially a “senior citizen” I still feel pretty young.  (My husband may disagree since he sees me crawl home from work exhausted each day!)  I received a lot of love and attention from my friends and family and it was really nice to be remembered!

THANKS!

Look what Chili’s restaurant will give me for my birthday!

link

#4.  We had a fun birthday/early Thanksgiving dinner last Sunday.

Looks like we took the picture before we finished setting the silverware!

So while life is good, it isn’t very newsworthy.

I guess we should be grateful that is isn’t, since many people in the world do not have the privilege of simple daily blessings.

We are truly appreciative all of our blessings and hope you will all have a wonderful Thanksgiving season!

JoAnn

P.S.  Thanks to my husband for TWO bouquets of flowers-one for home and one for school!!

A Beautiful Day…

Saying good-bye is never easy, but watching someone who’s life is deteriorating  from a debilitating illness is always difficult.   Maybe it is a little easier to let them go when you know they are suffering.  My sister-in-law Connie’s funeral was a beautiful tribute to her life.  She had planned every last detail, including writing her own obituary (which was very clever and fun)!  She joked that she was one of those people who always got the last word and she did!

 

Family and friends gathered to show respect.

Husband Steve and their children:

Her grandsons are so handsome.

Other family and friends:

“God be with you ‘till we meet again!”

(And we will!)

JoAnn

P.S.  Our wonderful neighbor spent many years working for Deseret Transportation (the church’s welfare delivery system).  He also recently passed away and his friends from work paid this tribute to him:

Photo:  Steven Shaw

P.P.S.  The order of my last three posts got mixed up.  First, we had the Halloween party (October 26th).  Second, Connie passed away (October 27th).  The funeral was last (October 31st).  Sorry, if was confusing.

Halloween 2013

 

Halloween was a little different at our house this year from years in the past.

We weren’t sure we would even have a party. 

There was a lot going on that kept us undecided. 

Not many people besides our immediate family could arrange their schedules to even come. 

My costume kept malfunctioning.

My sister Linda was recovering from surgery. 

Ken’s sister wasn’t doing well.

Work was crazy busy.

I was really tired.

Would we?

Should we?

Could we even pull it off?

Our kids said we needed to do it for the little ones.

After all,

It is a tradition now.

(We missed little Paul!)

So we went ahead with it!

Everyone was welcomed and given a warm, red-necked greeting.

A few were dressed for the occasion.

The mood was set.

We ended up having a good time.

Thanks to Amy, Trevor, Sadie, and Carson for joining us!

P.S.  Four year old Brooklyn gave me something to think about when when said, “Grandma Jo, that witch on the fireplace looks like you!”

P.P.S.  Next year it’s back to the home-made spudnuts- big difference!

October 27th…A date for good-bye and a date for remembering…

Heaven welcomed a new angel today.

My sister-in-law Connie’s earthly life ended this afternoon, October 27, 2013 after a short illness (although she lasted twice as long as the doctors first said she would).

She was pretty much perfect.

She knew her time was coming, and she had her life in complete order.

I’m pretty sure I would not be as prepared, or even half as courageous.

Here she is with Maddie, just a few months ago.

She will be missed a lot and we pray for her grieving family.

Thank goodness our faith gives us the comfort of eternal life with our loved ones.

Also…

Today, I dug out Grandma Palmer’s genealogy book (which I borrowed and need to return).

I re-typed a new copy of a little autobiography she had written that was quite faded and worn.

As I was typing, her birth date, October 27, 1902 jumped out at me.  I had forgotten that today was her birthday.

She was also an incredible woman.  She had a hard childhood with her mother passing away when Helen was just ten (her mother was the young age of 31).

She and her sister Lucille had to take turns keeping house for her father and brothers, while the other one would go live for a year with one of their aunts.  She learned at a young age how to cook, sew, iron, bottle fruit, darn socks, and keep a neat and tidy house.

The Lamoreaux girls:

Helen (left) and Lucille (right)

So you see, while October 27 may be just a normal day for you, it will always be a memorable day to me!

The comment below was written by the poet Carol Lynn Pearson, a friend of Connie’s, on Facebook today.  I think it is from one of her poems.

POINT OF VIEW...Sun and mountain meet. "Look," I say, "Sunset!" But I forget that far away an islander wipes morning from his eyes and watches the same sun rise. What's birth? And death? What's near or far? It all depends on where you are."

A little magic…

I’m hoping that I can get the Halloween magic going this year.

(Sometimes it is a lot of work.)

I have a big plan for my costume that involves some of this:

photo credit

Stay tuned.

JoAnn

P.S.  I may need some inspiration from all my elves. 

(Wrong holiday, I know!)

P.P.S.  I wish I could go to sleep-I know it’s late-but my mind is too busy tonight.