September Musings - Tuesday 4 Questions

Here are the Tuesday 4 questions for this week.  They certainly are a thought-provoking.  

How about now? September is still a new beginning to  the year.  What will it hold for you? 

I am hoping that September will bring cooler temperatures and nice fall colors as the leaves begin to change.

As summer's heat fades do you get out and about in nature often?  Where do you go, what do you do?  What would you like to do?

I love to go for walks and hikes and as the temperatures cool, I will do more walking around the neighborhood.  I also hope to do a little hiking - maybe in Southern Utah. 

What has changed in your life that you miss/regret the most?

I miss having my children young and in my home all the time. This is a picture from 1998, and was one of my favorite times with all four of my children still living at home. We were a complete family.  I know that time must pass and children grow up, but I miss my little children.  Of course, I made many mistakes as a parent, as all parents do, but I did my best and I know that God knows my heart.   I also miss living in Southern California, as we did when the children were younger.  When we moved from Southern California to  Arizona in 2001, my oldest daughter was in her first year of college, my second daughter was a senior in high school, my oldest son was in 5th grade and Josh was just starting kindergarten. 

We had a beautiful home in Southern California with a lovely yard.  This is a picture of that home now. It was a different color and did not have the fence or palm trees when we lived there. When we lived in Southern California, we were a one-income family and the companies that Charly worked for kept getting bought out and Charly would be laid off.  This happened three times in three years.  

We also needed a larger home for our family, and we could sell our home in California for much more than a larger, newer home in Arizona cost us. This is the home we bought in Arizona. It was quite a bit bigger than our house in California. I was also offered a job in a K-12 charter school in Arizona where both of our boys could attend while I taught. It seemed like a "no brainer" decision at the time.  Things didn't work out exactly as we had planned but that is not to say that I regret moving from Southern California all those years ago.  We prayed about it and felt that it was what God was telling us to do, and we don't know how things would have turned out if we had stayed in California.  Still, for all it's faults (literally and figuratively), Southern California is a beautiful place and the people we got to know there were some of the nicest we have ever met. 

3.  Money is no object, nothing stands in your way.. are you going to move  or stay where you are?

This last summer, we purchased a home in Southern Utah (Ivins, Utah - near St. George) which we will move to when I retire in 1-2 years.  This is a picture of it. We are renting the home out until I retire and we move there. So far, that is working out well.  

The 70-year-old home where we currently live (pictured above) is one we purchased in 2016.  It is a nice home, with many lovely features, but the neighborhood is not as good as we were hoping it would be.  The home also has too many steps and stairs for an older couple with bad knees, bad backs and arthritis.  

4.  How can you improve your life?

I can improve my life by changing my mindset to be more positive and looking for the good with gratitude.  I am better than I used to be, but I still need to do better.  

Thanks for stopping by.  Feel free to join in and answer the Tuesday 4 questions by linking up here.  

Until next time,

😊Deb💖

"Yesterday is gone. 

Tomorrow has not yet come.

We have only today. 

Let us begin."

~Mother Teresa

Our Oldest Grandson's High School Graduation

Tuesday, I took the day off,and we attended our oldest grandson's high school graduation.  It was held at the UCCU Events Center on the campus of Utah Valley University.   This venue holds about 8,500 people and it was very nearly full of friends and family of the high school graduates. 

Here is the graduating class all seated and ready to begin the ceremony. 

Here is our grandson on the Jumbotron as his name was announced. 

Here he is after just receiving his diploma cover being congratulated by the principal of his high school. 

Meanwhile, his little sister, our youngest granddaughter who is five, was cheering on her big brother with all her heart and soul.  

After the ceremony, it was time for pictures.  Here are Charly and I with our grandson Miles.  

Miles with one of his graduation gifts.  

Miles with his mom and dad.

Here's the whole family with their newly graduated son and brother.  

We are so glad that we were able to be part of this happy family celebration for our grandson Miles.  I remember the day he was born and also staying overnight to help his mom his first night home.  The years pass so quickly.  Miles is a good guy and we are proud of him and grateful that he is our grandson.   God bless the class of 2024!

Until next time,

😊Deb💖

"A journey of a thousand miles

begins with a single step."
~Sun Tzu

 

A Little Weekend Update

 

I will begin this weekend update with Saturday morning when I met my cousin for breakfast.  She treated me to the meal for my birthday and we spent a pleasant hour and a half or so chatting and catching up. At the end of the meal, the servers (who had overheard my cousin mention my birthday a couple of weeks ago) presented me a birthday scoop of ice cream complete with lots of whipped cream, sprinkles and a candle. 

The servers then sang Happy Birthday to me.  I was very surprised and touched by this unexpected late birthday treat and kindness. 

Later on, Charly and I headed out to Utah County(about 35 miles south of where we live), to check out a couple of open houses and also do some browsing at our favorite thrift stores.  It was a beautiful, clear, cloudless, perfect fall day.

I found this cute jack-o-lantern tree at a thrift store we went to and put it out on my front porch next to one of my scare crows.  

I rearranged and added some things to my Halloween front porch and this is what it looks like now. 

Back home that evening, we had deli pizza and broccoli salad for dinner.  We had planned to go out again on Saturday evening, but we were both tired, so we took a walk after dinner, then spent the rest of the evening at home, doing chores, watching a little TV and reading.  

I have been reading this book, Counting the Cost, a memoir by Jill Duggar of the reality TV show 19 Kids and Counting.  The book is interesting, revealing and also sad.  I have also been watching Shiny, Happy People on Prime, which is about the Duggar family and the IBLP (Institute of Basic Life Principles).  I was a fan of the Duggars and watched their show almost every week for the first few season.  I thought they were a family that really had it all together, but as we have found out in subsequent years, all families - big and small, famous and obscure, religious and not so much, have problems.  It's all part of life. 

Sunday was another nice fall day, although some clouds were moving in. We were up and off to church in the morning.  The program in church today was all done by the children of our congregation and their teachers.  It was excellent. 

After church and lunch, Charly and I went for a walk.   The leaves are coming down in droves now.  It was a little breezy as we walked and in some places, it was almost like it was raining leaves as they came off of the trees. 

We got some fun Halloween things ready to take to our grandchildren in Utah county.  Each child is getting a Halloween card and a gift card to Chick-Fil-A.  I sent Halloween cards to our Virginia grandchildren earlier in the week. I also took some fun Halloween crafts to the Utah grands, because they enjoy making things and being creative.  With everything ready for some Halloween fun, Sunday afternoon, we headed once more to Utah County, to our daughter's home. She had invited us to have a belated birthday dinner at her home with her family.   She made a delicious taco dinner for us, then we had a birthday dessert of chocolate pie and ice cream.  We had a great evening visiting with our daughter, son-in-law and the grandkids.  The grandkids all enjoyed the Halloween crafts and cards we took to them.  It was a really nice evening.  Here are some pictures. 

We had a lovely time with our daughter and her family.  We laughed, told stories, shared memories and made new memories.  

When we left, Charly and I each had a belated birthday card with a sweet message from each member of the family. 

This was a good weekend, and I really needed a good family weekend after the death of my friend and principal last week.  Being with those I love is healing balm to my soul.  

Weekend gratitude:

• Time with my husband
• Breakfast with my cousin
• Dinner with my daughter and her family
• Fun with the grandkids

Coming up this week:

Monday - Friday - College Week at School

Friday - Our youngest granddaughter's birthday

Thanks for stopping by. Have a good week.

🍁🎃Deb🎃🍁

“How beautifully leaves grow old. 

How full of light and color are their last days.” 

– George Burns

Mid-May Gratitude

 

It's time again to join with Susanne and friends over at Living to Tell the Story to look at the good things that I am grateful for as this week ends, so let's get going with the positive and gratitude. 

😊 I went to Denver to spend Mother's Day weekend with my birth mother and sisters.  We had a nice Mother's Day brunch, shopped, played games, looked at old family pictures, told stories and just talked. Our niece (brother's daughter) also came to spend one evening with us.  I am grateful that I was able to make the trip to honor my birth mother on Mother's Day and spend time with some lovely women in my family. 

😊 My two sisters - Judy (younger) and Kathy (older) are generous, wise, kind and fun women and I am grateful I have them as sisters and that I was able to enjoy some time with them.  

😊 I don't enjoy the entire process of flying, but I am grateful that both the flights to Denver and home went well, with no long delays and minimal turbulence.  I am always thankful to get home from a trip safely. 

😊 I am grateful for Mother's Day texts, phone calls, cards and gifts.  It is always nice to be remembered with kindness.

😊 Charly planned a special dinner one night this week for no reason at all.  He did all the shopping, preparation and cleanup for a delicious meal of street tacos.  I am grateful all the ways Charly helps on a daily basis.  

😊 We have had some decent rain storms this week, like this one Wednesday evening. I am thankful for rain storms, which we need as spring turns to summer. The snow in the mountains is melting and the creeks and rivers are running high, but so far, there has been no widespread flood damage, which is another thing to be grateful for. 

😊 After a very rainy evening on Wednesday, it was great to get back outside for a walk on Thursday.  I am always grateful that I have a beautiful and safe place to take daily walks. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a nice weekend!

😊Deb💖

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” 

– Epictetus

A Nice March Weekend

Friday was gray and blustery, and of course the winds made it feel much colder than the actual temperature. In the evening, we had rain in the valleys and more snow in the mountains. I don't think winter is finished just yet.  

You can see the my windsock and wind chimes dancing in the wind Friday afternoon. Because of all the wind, we decided not to walk outside, so I put some laundry in the washing machine, then relaxed on the couch and napped just a bit when I got home. 

School went OK on Friday, and during my prep hour, I was able to finish all the online requirements to renew my teaching license, which expires this year.  My new license is good until 2028, so I expect this will the last time I have to renew my license. The process was surprisingly quick and easy once I figured out how to log in to the new Utah education system information website.  I am grateful to have this process finished and I am also grateful that I will retire before I have to do it again!

Friday night's dinner was left-over spaghetti from Thursday night.  I made some leftover hot dog buns into garlic bread and had baby spring mix salad on the side.   After dinner, I did my second workout of the day downstairs, and also went through some more keepsakes and mementos,  threw some things away, and packed another box. 

Saturday was a beautiful, blue-skied day, which at least during the middle of the day, was warmer than we had seen for a while.  Charly and I had some errands to run and shopping to do at several different stores, then I met up with my cousin for lunch.  We always enjoy getting together for a good chat. 

Some of the shopping we had to do on Saturday was birthday shopping for two grandchildren who have birthdays coming up later in March.  Our soon-to-be 15-year-old granddaughter likes soft fluffy blankets for her bed and buying her clothes at Old Navy, so we are giving her  a soft fluffy blanket and an Old Navy gift card.   We are also going to be taking her to breakfast at her choice of restaurants so we are excited about that and hope she is too. 

We also have a grandson in Virginia who is turning 13-years-old soon.  I need to get his present of books and a game in the mail this coming week. 

Late Saturday afternoon, when Charly and I went for a walk, the clouds had moved back in and a breeze was lowering temperatures.  We had leftovers for dinner, then watched a little TV - a very interesting show about Helen Keller on PBS.  

Sunday morning we woke up to gray overcast skies and rain.  I did my usual Sunday morning routine - scripture reading and study, basement workout while listening to a scripture study podcast, then off to church. 

After church and lunch, we got to have a long chatty phone call with our daughter Tiffany and her family (shown above in a picture taken last August).  We talked to our daughter and all of our grandchildren and got caught up on everything that is going on with them.  We will be seeing them again in a couple of weeks, so we are looking forward to that. 

I had something else planned for Sunday dinner, but as is often the case, I just didn't feel like fixing and eating what I had planned, so instead, I opted for breakfast for dinner.  We had pancakes, bacon, hash browns and scrambled eggs and fresh berries with just a touch of whipped cream for dessert. 

When I took the garbage out after dinner, I found that it was sunny and quite mild temperature-wise. The morning rains had moved out, leaving blue skies and sunshine, although there were still some clouds.  Since it was still light (thanks Daylight Savings Time) we decided to take an evening walk, which was quite delightful.  It was the perfect ending to a very nice weekend. 

Weekend gratitude:

• Great conversation with Josh one evening. He doesn't usually have a lot of time for casual conversations with his mom, but one evening he called while he was waiting for his laundry to finish in the dryer, and we had a nice chat.  He had a good week and all is going well with him.
• Lunch with my cousin, who is also one of my oldest and dearest friends. 
• Nice text conversation with another dear friend. 
• Phone conversations with my daughter and all of my Utah grandchildren.  They just make my heart sing and swell with pride. 
• Getting my teaching license renewed without the hassle I expected.
• Rain instead of snow this morning. 

I'll stop here to get ready for tomorrow and hopefully to do some reading before bedtime. Have a great week!  See you again soon!

😊Deb💖

"For maximum happiness, 

peace and contentment, 

may we choose a positive attitude."

~Thomas S. Monson