YOUNG WOMEN IN EXCELLENCE

Tonight was a beautiful night.  Our Young Women leaders made the night beautiful!  The Young Women were recognized for their goals and talents.  And they were admonished to attend the temple often and make it their ultimate goal.  It was beautiful!  All THREE of my daughters were honored and by far, they were the prettiest young women in attendance!  Of course, I might be a bit prejudice.

Key Lime Pie - She was honored again for earning her Personal Progress medallion.  She is a truly talented and beautiful young woman.  She displayed her cook book.  She is becoming quite the chef and loves making things in the kitchen.  Her cookbook is beautiful!  She also displayed her sewing prowess with her Halloween costume....

Kotten Kandy - She is almost done with her Personal Progress.  She is working hard on it.  She is currently scrap booking the scripture mastery scriptures (The yellow pages in the picture).  She is also working on writing her second book (in the green folder) and she is almost finished with her cross-stitched glass case (on the right below).  She is also hoping to read the entire Book of Mormon in Portuguese.  Other talents she displayed are her photography and her singing.

My adopted daughter, Applesauce - This girl is simply amazing!  She showed us her artistic talents, her vocal talents, and her artistic talents.  She also displayed her girl's camp things!  She is fantastic!

The girls with their YW leader, and my good friend, Roxy Shiffer.

Scott spent the entire day making this amazing cake.  It was incredible!!!!!!

On the way home, our crazy daughters decided to breathe in the helium from the balloons.  The crazy girls made us laugh the entire drive.  :-)

I LOVE raising righteous young women!  I LOVE my girls!

THANKSGIVING 2012

We had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving this year.  There was plenty of food and plenty of fun and plenty of friends/family!  We are truly blessed.  We spent our day with the Bettenhausens, the Dasguptas and the Elders.  It was a happy, gratitude-filled day!  Here are a few snap-shots of our Thanksgiving:

THANKFUL

I love reading blogs... and a lot of bloggers are writing their thankful lists in honor of Thanksgiving tomorrow.  I thought I would get on the band wagon.  Besides, I love lists and this is a great list to create!  (I'll try to keep my list to a short 25.)

I am thankful....

1. for Family, Faith, Friends, Food, Shelter, etc. (O.K. - this is a list in and of itself but I wanted to get the obvious stuff out of the way.)
2. my daughters love Donny Osmond as much as I do.
3. for seminary because it is the perfect time for me to read my own scriptures while waiting for my kids.
4. that Josh Hutcherson plays the role of Peeta in the Hunger Games instead of Justin Bieber or another teen-age heart throb.
5. my parents are able to be a part of my life and my family's life even though they live many miles away.
6. my sweet husband doesn't tell me how crazy I am - too often.
7. I have learned to like DeGooyer stuffing.
8. for a husband who just smiles when I start playing Christmas music in August.
9. Key Lime Pie plays such beautiful music now (beginning violin was painful!)
10. Kotten Kandy likes to clean and does so without being asked most of the time.
11. that my daughters have absolutely no interest in the Twilight movies and books.  Edward Cullins is way over-rated.
12. that I can walk five miles easily - and feel healthy.  (AND I still enjoy the occasionally piece of Dove chocolate!)  :-)
13. Stephen Schwartz wrote such wonderful music!  I wish he'd write another musical soon.
14. for our multiple DVD player.  It makes watching movies and keeping them scratch free so much easier.
15. that Speedway has coke icees and just opened a store less than a mile from my house!  :-)
16. that my daughters are learning the scripture mastery scriptures (I just wish the rock and roll CD would be a Broadway version of the scripture masteries instead.)
17. Karmel and Kamelot don't make messes in the house anymore.
18. that my family enjoys playing games together.
19. my husband loves me more than the JETS.  (Although I'm sure that football is a close second.)
20. that nobody mistakes me for Lady Gaga.
21. my family loves laughing and writing to each other on face book.
22. K2 can do the laundry from start to finish now...  Believe me, I use them!  :-)
23. for toilets that flush.
24. that Totinos developed pizza rolls.  Genius!
25. I can read the Harry Potter series over and over and over again!

BONUS

   26.  I really am grateful for the gospel in my life and my eternal family!  They make my life worth while!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND PERSPECTIVE

I have been quiet about the election.  My close friends know how I feel and how I voted today.  But with all my bottled-up frustration about elections and what is going on in the world, I find myself increasingly angry and upset over other people's opinions (if they are opposite of mine).  I've been struggling with loving stupid people (I know that is not necessarily Christ-like, and I am sorry.)

On Monday, I received a blessing of comfort from my husband because of the frustrations I have been feeling.  It calmed me down a bit and has allowed me to reflect on my emotions and my thoughts.  Here they are:

In the grand scheme of things, my life will not be spiritually impacted by who wins today's presidential race.

Yes, the election might eventually impact our income, or how much a tank of gas costs, or change our tax rates or our health care...  but these are earthly monetary issues.

The President of the United States has no power over what goes on within the walls of our home.  He has no power over my spiritual growth or my children's testimonies or my husbands willingness to serve in the Kingdom of God.

Wednesday morning, I will still get up and take my daughters to seminary.  We will pray together.  I will study my Book of Mormon.  My top priorities will not change.

So I am trying to put this all in perspective... and this post is trying to help me organize my thoughts....  I love my Heavenly Father.  I love my Savior.  And I love the Gospel.  That is what matters.

I CAN'T WAIT...

Oh my goodness!  I can't wait!  This comes out Christmas day!  It looks like an amazing cast!  It looks like amazing singers!  It is an amazing story!  (I read the unabridged version in college - but I would recommend the abridged version for anyone else....)  I don't know what I am more excited about:  Hugh Jackman as Valjean, Russell Crowe as Javert, or Helena Bohman Carter as Mrs. Thenardier.  This will be epic!!!!!!