Amazing Christmas Lights

This house actually belongs to a friend of mine here. Their family does this each year to help the people in this area celebrate Christmas. Every night they have a different show with different songs and it really is amazing. Enjoy!!

Tis the season to give

I saw this video this morning and I had to share it with all of you. This boy is a great example of what the holidays are all about.
Service and love. Get out your kleenex and listen to a heart warming story. (Turn off my music below first.)

TAG!! I'm it!!

Well I've been tagged by my friend Roz. This is my first time and this one is fun and actually easy. No having to think of clever answers to weird questions about myself. Here's the rules: I just had to go to my 4th photo folder and post the 4th picture.

So here it is:

This is a picture of me (I think that I was about 9 yrs old) and it has been hanging on the wall in my dad's house for years (probably since it was taken.) Wasn't I a doll!!! lol

Anyway. . . my dad is 94 yrs old and has lived alone until recently when we had to move him into assisted living. I went to AZ to help clean out his house so we can sell it. My daughter took this picture of my picture hanging on the wall. I am now the proud owner of this GORGEOUS picture of myself (broken frame and all).

So there you go . . .
and now I TAG:

Amy Joy Gneiting
Hollie Kuehne
Courtney Herd
Laurene Jackson
Lydia Stewart
Sam Mendez

YOU'RE IT!!

Remember: Go to your 4th folder and post your 4th picture and tell us all about it!!

For the rest of you: Please VOTE on my poll at the right! Thanks.

Beautiful Morning Skies

About a week ago we had some really beautiful sunrises. I love that time of the morning. It is so peaceful and quiet. And yet I think it is so majestic at that very moment when the sun actually appears over the mountains. This was one of those mornings. I love how the clouds look and the color of the sky. It looked almost as if the whole sky was on fire.

I took these pictures over about a 20 minute time frame. I thought it was interesting how the clouds and the colors changed so quickly. I thought about running in to wake my family so they could see the beauty but I knew by then it would be over.

It made me think about life's special moments and how quickly they come and go and if we don't pay attention we may miss them.
The cloud filled skies can bring stormy weather, they too can bring beauty beyond imagination. Just like the skies, our lives are filled with storms that challenge us along our way, but even in the midst of the storms we can find moments of joy and happiness. . . and it is those moments that bring us hope and faith.
We need to make sure that we don't let our lives just pass us by with out recognizing the joys along the way. Those little things can be great blessings in our lives if we truly learn to appreciate them and then give thanks to our Heavenly Father for them. 

Life is a journey. . .not a destination!

"Life is like an old-time rail journey . . . delays, . . . sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. 

The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."

~Pres Gordon B. Hinckley~

Next week we will gather with our friends and families for fun, food, and festivities. Lets make sure that we take time to remember all of our blessings, great and small, and give thanks to our Father in Heaven for filling our lives with them . . . helping us enjoy this journey we travel.  

WAIT! Let me get my camera!

Ok, I admit. . . maybe I've become a little bit obsessed with blogging. (Ok - maybe more than a little, but not much.)

I wake up in the middle of the night and sit and ponder on what to blog about. (Do any of you do that? . . . come on be honest).

And I'm always wanting to get a good picture but usually never have my camera with me when an opportunity presents itself. (I need to hook my camera to my keychain.)

So. . . today when the perfect blogging moment arrived . . . and my camera was close . . . I just couldn't miss out on the opportunity.

(Even at the expense of my dear sweet husband) Honestly honey. . . I love you and I would never put you or your physical well-being in jeopardy just to get a perfect picture for my blog.

But really. . . even you have to admit my dear . . .

It was a priceless moment!

I'm not sure how it happened (a little over-exuberant morning stretch maybe) . . . and I'm glad you're okay . . . sorry it took me so long to take the picture (while the blood was running to your head) . . .

. . . but uncontrollable laughter slows me down.

Oh . . . and thanks for being a good sport and waiting while I captured the memory!

(How's your head?!)

A picture is worth a thousand words!

Ok I can't wait any longer!!!

I know it isn't even Thanksgiving yet. . . and I've always hated the fact that the stores start decorating for Christmas way before Halloween.  And usually by the time Christmas actually gets here I'm really sick of it all and can't wait to get the decorations down and be done with it all. 

AND SO . . . 

I'm probably going to really be sick of it by Dec 25th since I'm doing this so early.

BUT . . . 

I'm really feeling the Christmas Spirit already.  I'm not sure why. . . and don't get me wrong. . . I will still be looking forward to and enjoying Thanksgiving too. 

BUT . . . 

I've been listening to Christmas music now for two days.

And . . . 

I couldn't hold back any longer. . . I just went ahead and changed my blog to reflect my mood.

SO . . . 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE!

Lets enjoy this time of the year and see if we can find the true meaning of the season. . . 

. . . in our hearts and with our families!!

This eight year old Kentucky boy is an above the knee amputee following cancer that he had when he was one. Amazingly, he has been able to play sports like baseball, football, and soccer. He does not wear a prosthesis because it slows him down when he is playing. He plays as a catcher while squatting down on his right leg and is able to pop up from that position without any strain. When he hits the ball he is able to hop nimbly to first base and then continue running the bases after being handed his crutches by his coach. What an inspiring athlete!

If you need to be inspired today you need to watch this amazing kid HERE.

Goodbye Old Yeller

When we first moved here 10 yrs ago we needed a refridgerator. The move had cost us alot of money so we thought we would just find a cheap used fridge to get us by for a few months and then get a new one later when we had saved the money for it.

Meet old Yeller

The reason for the name is that he was such a good fridge. . .and just kept running... so we just kept him. . . for 10 yrs. He had to have been at least 10 yrs old when we bought him. He was an ugly color, his front handle was broken (notice the duck tape), and at times there wasn't enough room for everything I wanted to put in there. But he was reliable and dependable. Just like a good friend. So when he finally gave up the ghost last week and quit working we weren't surprised at all, in fact we were kind of expecting it. He had been making strange noises and just seemed to be getting weaker and weaker. But we were grateful for a good appliance that had lasted so long. Even though it was sad to lose him and even sadder that we had to put out the money to buy a new fridge (right before the holidays-isnt that how things always happen) . . . it really was quite exciting. (It doesn't take much to get me excited!)

We shopped around, looking for the right one. The minute I saw her. . . I knew she was meant for us.
So I'd like to introduce you to our new fridge.

She is so nice and roomy. She has ice and water on the door which I think is such a nice luxury. :) And she is HUGE. We could barely get her in the front door and around the corner into the kitchen. Now I just need to save my money to fill her up with yummy food.

We haven't named her yet (send your ideas) and . . . we hope and pray that she is as dependable as "Old Yeller" was.

Way to go California!!

Prop 8 WON!!

California voters approved 

the ban on gay-marriage!

Good Job!  Way to fight the fight!

One bright spot in an otherwise dissappointing election.