HOW SWEET IT IS...

Happy Valentine's Day!  I love celebrating love!  And I love celebrating the people I love:  my family and friends!  So we celebrated.

I get to go on 12 dates with my cute, wonderful husband!

Key Lime Pie and her fiance celebrated with honey sticks!

And Shanae made me laugh when she sent me this picture

with the caption "3rd Wheeling"!  My niece is awesome!

We've also been "enjoying" ICE.  It's beautiful!  But I really don't like the cold.

And on Friday, on my way to work I got to see this beautiful sunrise:

Kiara and Cody went to a Power To Become conference.  They learned a lot and had a great time.

They also went out for soda... and apparently, according to my daughter, the caffeine "broke Cody."  Crazy, silly co-eds!

I also got to take missionary pictures of one of my FAVORITE young men of all time!  He's amazing!  And he will make a wonderful missionary!  I love that Maeva shares her son with me!

Tyler and Maeva

Elder Coolbear!

I love cuddle time with Lemonbalm:

And Kotten Kandy is playing basketball again this season with her YW team:

I also finished reading 3 books.  I recommend two and definitely do NOT recommend one:

This book was a simple, quick read.  But I enjoyed it.  Sheri Dew discusses our spiritual journey and using scriptures, pray and following the prophets in order to grow our faith.  The concept of wrestling with our belief  is basically simple, yet profound.  The effort of gaining a testimony is definitely "Worth the Wrestle!"

I read this book when I was a senior in high school and didn't remember anything about it except that it was a story about King Arthur.  I was excited to re-read it.  And then I wasn't.  I really, really, really disliked this book and would not recommend it to anyone.  It's not appropriate for anyone.  If you want to know more about why... I can let you know.  But I don't want to immortalize this book further - except with a warning.  Do NOT read it.  There are other better books about King Arthur.  And there are other better things to be doing with your time than reading this.

This book is AMAZING!  I truly believe EVERYONE should read this.  I just purchased 4 copies of this book for my entire family to have their own copy.  The Anatomy of Peace was recommended to me by my sister.  It was recommended to my sister by her daughter.  And now I'm recommending it to EVERYONE!
This book is a parable that teaches change and the way we look at the world and grow our relationships.  I have been struggling with some relationships and I am trying to change the way I feel about myself and others.  I want to have charity towards everyone... but I have a long road to go.  I really feel this book has helped me open a door to peace.
While I was reading this book, I realized that my heart has been at war for a long time, with myself mostly, so it reaches out to all around me.  When our hearts are at war, it stops us from seeing everyone as humans and begins seeing them as objects or problems.  I need to remind myself that everyone is my brother or sister and we are all connected.  I learned a lot about justification boxes and getting out of the boxes.  It's not easy.  But it's possible.  And the change starts from within.
This was such an awesome book that I am re-reading it immediately.  And I'll continue to strive for my own heart to be a peace!
Thank you, sister!  I can't thank you enough!  I put this book in a category with The Vanishing American Adult by Ben Sasse and Better Than Before by Gretchin Rubin.