I Love Reminiscing!

So, my sister Di just posted an old memory of me just before I got married. Not sure if we both remember the details exactly the same, but the general story is GREAT. Check out her post here. Great Reminiscing! Wish I had a picture (hope you don't mind me taking yours Di!), but we figured that back then nobody had digital cameras or blogs!

Anyone want to try barefoot running?

I LOVE...

Food! I love Chocolate. I love Lasagna! I love waffles. I love ice cream. I love fruit - kiwi, strawberry, blueberry, cantaloupe.... Most of the time I love any food - especially if I do not have to make it myself! But, I also love cooking and especially baking! I am not the best, but I enjoy it - sometimes.

My favorite food is Lasagna. When I was growing up, I remember my mom asking us what we want for our Birthday Dinner. I always picked Lasagna. I love to make Lasagna from scratch and in the crock pot and I love it when my sister makes Lasagna (and I am with her for dinner!). I love Lasagna from The Lasagna House in Houston. I love Lasagna from Olive Garden.

I love sweets - brownies, cookies, hot chocolate, cupcakes, candy bars of all sorts, ice cream...

As the saying goes...'I run to eat.' Unfortunately I have not been running lately, but I still eat!

I Love Inspiring Messages!

I love an inspiring message! The three following links are from YouTube and are definitely INSPIRING! Enjoy watching them - even if you have already seen them...

Create Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Infinite Power of Hope Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Prayer Thomas S. Monson

I was reading in the 'Ensign' this morning and re-read Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk 'The Love of God' Ensign, Nov 2009, 21–24. Part of what he says is...

For what we love determines what we seek.
What we seek determines what we think and do.
What we think and do determines who we are

—and who we will become.

This started my thought process about what I love. What else do I love...?

Farmhouse Table

Okay, so I think I want to build this Farmhouse Table. Isn't it amazing!!! I saw this great blog about making your own furniture (http://knockoffwood.blogspot.com/). The plans for this table are here. I was just talking to my hubby about how fun it would be to have benches - just like when I was growing up. You can almost always squeeze in one more person!
So, the picture above is the West Elm version, but here is a picture of one that someone actually built themselves...

I will keep you posted as to my progress... It might take a while...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BOTH OF YOU!

Okay, so my first 3 b-day letters this year are all late. But remember I did not promise on-timeness!!! This post will get to you on-time, if you read it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRIS (I can't seem to find any pic's of Kris, but check out The other Runner blog to the right on my blog list for more info - and pics of Kris!).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEBBIE!

You can both look forward to some letters early next week. We love you!

My New Year's Resolution

I really have not heard much about resolutions this year, besides the usual get in shape and weight loss. But I am not going there! (Although I do plan on walking a lot and I want to pick up on my Yoga sessions - at home, on video!). I actually plan on gaining weight - I want to have my 4th child this year!

But that is not my resolution either.

My New Year's Resolution is to write Birthday and Anniversary Letters to my family. This is a big one for me. I never do this! The most I ever wrote to my family was when I was serving a mission in South Africa. And I think the only time I wrote to them was if they wrote to me first!

Again, this is a big goal for me. I sat down yesterday and made sure I had everyone's birthday and anniversary on my calendar. On my side of the family that will be 32 birthdays and 6 anniversaries. My husband’s side is a bit more manageable with 14 birthdays and 3 anniversaries. I am going to do it!!! I am even having my sons help me write the letters so that they can learn more about their relatives - some of whom they don't know well at all.

This is just parents, brothers, sisters, in-laws, nieces and nephews. Sorry in advance to all my friends, aunts, uncles and cousins - maybe I will include you next year. No promises though. Let me see how this year goes!!!

So family, watch for those birthday and anniversary letters in the snail mail. I do not promise on-timeness or perfectness - just a letter. In fact, I am already late sending the first one - Mike's Birthday is tomorrow and I have his letter in my purse ready to mail - it just has not made it to the post box yet. So, Happy Birthday Mike, your letter will be there in a few days!

Happy New Year – I hope your 2010 is inspiring – it is a new decade!

If it is not ETERNAL
It is not WORTH IT!

Walk Tall, You're a Daughter of God

This afternoon I was holding Amberlie in my arms. She was at that drowsy stage where she was trying to decide if fighting off sleep was worth it. I started singing “Walk Tall, You're a Daughter of God” to her and started with the 2nd verse...

'Long before the time you can remember, our Father held you in His arms so tender. Those loving arms released you as He sent you down to earth. He said, my child, I love you, don't forget your great worth.'

As I sang this to her I knew that Heavenly Father indeed loves her, even more than I do. His loving arms released her to come to my family. I have a responsibility to help her to always remember her great worth.

Heavenly Father loves all His daughters. So, remember to “Walk Tall” because “you’re a daughter, a child of God… He’s closer than you know, reach up He’ll take your hand.”

I found a slide show of this song on YouTube (here). Enjoy, but be prepared to shed a few tears as you feel the sweet spirit of this song!

p.s. (if you can have a p.s. on a blog!) I actually sang this song one time at a baptism for Connie in South Africa with my missionary companion Ann. It was a wonderful experience (even though I don't sing, no matter what any of my missionary companions say!!!). Do you remember this Ann?