First Fall Weekend

The first fall weekend was longer than a normal weekend for me.  I had Friday off as a comp day after two twelve hour days for parent-teacher conferences.   It was nice to be able to sleep in, and have some time to do what I wanted to.  

Friday morning was cool and sunny and Charly and I had a nice morning walk.  We didn't  do a lot Friday except stay home and relax a bit. I spent some time working on this week's Letters Against Isolation.  These cards are going to Meals on Wheels in Show Low, Arizona. 

Charly and I finished the 200 voter postcards we have been working on.  These will go out to voters in Wisconsin next month. 

Friday afternoon, an elderly woman from the church book group that I facilitate brought these flowers over to the house to thank me for all my work with keeping the book group going.  It was very nice of her.  Our book group met on Thursday evening and we all decided that we would take a little hiatus from our meetings until after the holidays. 

I hadn't done much cooking during the last week, but decided to make breakfast for dinner Friday night.  A friend had brought us some nectarines she got at a local farmer's market and they were a delicious addition to our meal. 

Saturday morning, I got up about 6:30 a.m..  I had not consumed enough water on Friday, so I woke up with a dehydration headache, which went away after I drank some juice and ate some breakfast.  I started the day with scripture reading and study, as I do most days. 

I had signed up to help clean our church building Saturday morning, but that was cancelled due to a funeral being held at the building.  Charly and I went for a morning walk. The temperature was in the 50s and felt great.  It was a beautiful morning.  This tree along our route is starting to turn fall colors!

I met up with a friend for lunch. We like to meet at Cafe Zupas, and I got the steak and cheese sandwich and it was excellent!

I finished this book Saturday afternoon.  I didn't like it much.  A complete review will be included in my September Reading Roundup. 

I started reading this book, which, so far, I am liking much better than the one I just finished. 

We had our go-to Saturday night dinner - take-n-bake pizza and salad.  

Sunday morning, we got up early and drove to our daughter's which is about 45 minutes south of where we live.  She had invited us to attend church with her family because it was the children's service, which in our church is called the Primary Program.  Charly and I were the first ones to arrive and the chapel was still empty, but a little while later it was filled with families.   The program was delightful! Three of our daughter's five children participated (the other two were too old).  It was a wonderful service filled with love, music and messages and testimonies from the children in the congregation. 

After church, we went back to our daughter's home and she fixed a delicious brunch. 

We really enjoyed spending the day with our daughter and grandchildren. We ate, played games, visited and had a great time. 

Our Utah grandchildren are as nice as they are good looking.  Of course, I may be prejudiced. 😉  The oldest is 16 and the youngest is three.  They were happy to have us there and we were happy to be there.   

Our daughter and her husband have purchased a lot and will be building a new home soon.  They took us to see their lot and it is in a beautiful location.  We are looking forward to seeing their new home go up, and spending lots of happy times there. 

I now have these pictures drawn by my two youngest granddaughters hanging on my fridge as a happy memory of the day. 😊 

Weekend gratitude:

• Time with our daughter and grandchildren
• An extra day off on Friday
• Lunch with a friend on Saturday
• Beautiful fall weather
• An overall great weekend

I hope you had a good weekend as well. Enjoy the week ahead!

Until next time, 

😊Deb💖

"A garden of love grows in a grandparent's heart."

~anon.

I Will be What I Believe - A Tribute and a Legacy

Today is Pioneer Day, which is a holiday that is celebrated mostly here in Utah - well, maybe a little bit in Idaho. The reason Pioneer Day is such a big day around here (state offices closed, parades, fireworks and lots of celebrating), is that July 24, 1847, is the day that the Mormon Pioneers, under the direction of the Prophet Brigham Young entered the Salt Lake Valley.  When the persecuted early Mormon were run out of Illinois, they came west looking for safety and peace.  Brigham Young had seen the Salt Lake Valley in a dream, and so when he viewed the valley upon entering it on July 24, 1847, he recognized it and proclaimed, "This is the right place."  I have a number of pioneer ancestors in my own background and I hope that I am living my life in such a way that I am honoring the courage they showed in leaving their old lives and coming to a new place where they could live what they believed.  

Here are pictures of some of these pioneers in my own family background.  I pay tribute to them all  on this Pioneer Day.   I am so grateful of the legacy of faith they left for me, my children and grandchildren. 

 Amos Hunt

 Catherine Maxwell

Emeine Hunt

Jacob Mica Truman

 James Wilson Hunt

 Jane Coats

 John Harrison Maughan

 John Hunt

 Jonathan Hunt

 Margaret Leigh Walters

 Mary Nibley

 Nancy Garrett Welborn

 Samuel Cornelius Hart

 Sarah Ann Leah

 Sarah Orgill

 Selina Harriet Startup

 Stephen James Hart

 Thomas Orgill

William Henry Tovey

Just this afternoon, I was scrolling through my Face Book feed and saw this video - a music video of a beautiful song called "I Will Live What I Believe."  What a beautiful message the song has. As I watched it, was surprised to see that two of my grandchildren are in this video.  What a pleasant surprise!  I knew that they were in a singing group, but my daughter had not mentioned to me, that Hailey and Clay were in a music video.  It really made my day to hear this beautiful song, sung by these lovely, sweet children, including two of my own grandchildren.  It really brought to my mind this scripture, 

3 John 1:4 - I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.  

Hope you will take a few minutes to listen to this wonderful song with a message of faith and truth.  

Friday Favorites

There was a lot going on this last week, but even on the busiest weeks it good to take time and look back at the good things that happened. 

Josh started his first college class last week.  He wasn't too happy about posing for a "first day of school" picture, but, I've had a "first day picture" every year since kindergarten, so I need a complete set!  His seasonal job with UPS ended on the January 15, and the job he thought he had turned out not to be what he thought, so he is still looking for work. The good news is that he had a job interview with a really great company yesterday and he said the interview went well, so we are hoping and praying he will be employed again soon. 

I was able to go to the temple Thursday afternoon and came out of that place feeling my burdens lightened and my heart made joyful!  I do love the temple!

Went to Costco last week and got a big back of these.  Josh says they are just crunchy air, and he's probably right, but right now they are my "low cal" snack of choice.

I enjoyed these veggie straws instead of chips with my homemade cheese burger.  They are much lighter than chips, and not as greasy.

I cooked a pork roast in root beer (NOT diet) in my crock pot for Sunday dinner.  After cooking, I added some barbecue sauce for scrumptious pulled pork. It was delicious and we have been eating left-over pulled pork sandwiches all week.

I borrowed this book from a friend at school to get some ideas and motivation for my on-going goal of purging and downsizing.  Honestly, the book is kind of boring, but it did motivate me to spend some of my Monday holiday (Martin Luther King Day) going through hand-me-down books in the garage.  I ended up getting rid of five boxes of books! I love books, but these were some that were given to me that I thought I might have some  classroom use for, but did not.  It is time for them to be read and enjoyed by others!  I do love one thing that the author of the tidying up book says, if a possession does not bring you joy, get rid of it!  I agree. The books in the garage were not bringing me any joy, so there was no reason to keep them and off they went to Goodwill!  

We've had rain this past week (you can see our wet driveway), and more is expected over the weekend. It's also been chilly enough for jackets, which is a nice change here in the Arizona desert.

I have been enjoying teaching and working with the eight and nine-year-old children at church in Primary (Children's church). The leaders always have such fun and creative ways of teaching the children the gospel. Here they are clapping the rhythm to a song with paper plates.

Last week was also our Activity Day. Twice a month, I meet with the girls to have a lesson and some sort of craft or activity to reinforce Gospel Principles.

This week's activity was making and personalizing journals. The girls loved being creative.  It was messy, but a lot of fun!

Finally, I am looking forward to the Presidential Inauguration. Although I am not going to say I am overly excited about or confident in the new president, I am willing to have an open mind and give him a chance.  Honestly, some things Mr. Trump has done do not set right with me, but he was constitutionally elected president. I do love my country, and I am grateful for the constitution that allows us a voice in who leads us and what they do.  I plan to let my students watch the inauguration because I think it is an important historical event no matter who is taking the oath of office.  I hope Mr. Trump is a truly great President because, if he does well, we will all benefit in the end!

Finally, this thought about happiness.  So true and a good reminder.

Joining once again with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for