tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33410021651058864162024-03-06T03:10:48.295-06:00Life's Little LessonsCarolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-67294298220079506002014-06-13T08:53:00.001-05:002014-06-13T08:57:34.548-05:00Lessons from a Third-GraderThe other day, Caden came home from school and announced, "______ is one of my very best friends. We have so much in common! We're both double-jointed, we both sit at the blue table, we both can belly-roll our stomachs, we both play soccer--and we're good at it..." His list went on, but I was especially moved by one item he didn't even mention: he is Christian (and Mormon); his buddy is Muslim. This point was so irrelevant to their friendship that it didn't come up. I thought, "Whole nations could find peace if people would just take a lesson from a couple of third-graders, embrace their similarities, and accept their differences." Thank you, Caden, for exemplifying what friendship looks like!<br />
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Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-74664707650690744552013-11-24T20:40:00.000-06:002013-11-24T21:22:49.582-06:00The Power of the Written WordMy mom recently sent me an article, "The Power of the Written Word,"* by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland that he originally presented to writers and editors of the LDS church on October 15, 2013. As a former editor <i>and</i> a big fan of Elder Holland, I was eager to read this article and it did not disappoint. One of my favorite quotes from the article reminded me of my very <a href="http://bottomlinelifeslittlelessons.blogspot.com/2013/01/its-time.html" target="_blank">first blog entry</a>, in which I said, "<span style="background-color: #441500;"><span style="color: #ffeedd; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The process of writing, for me, helps fragmented thoughts crystallize…"</span></span></span> Elder Holland stated:<br />
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<i><span style="color: #fce5cd;">"My
second piece of counsel about tackling a blank page comes from Frank Smith in
his “Myths of Writing.” He said
encouragingly: <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #fce5cd;">“Thoughts
are created in the act of writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[It
is a myth that] you must have something to say in order to write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reality:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You often need to write in order to have anything to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thought comes with writing, and writing may
never come if it is postponed until we are satisfied that we have something to
say. . . . The assertion of write first, see what you had to say later applies
to all manifestations of written language, to letters . . . as well as to
diaries and journals.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3341002165105886416#_edn1" name="_ednref1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #fce5cd;">So, again
take heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Begin and learn as you
go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will have ideas and phrases come
late that could not have come early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elder
Bruce R. McConkie said he learned the gospel by teaching it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe we find what it is we want to say by
writing and writing until finally it appears."</span></i></div>
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After reading this article, I began thinking about the power of writing in my own life. The whole premise for this entire blog is that writing helps me learn the lessons life has to teach me. I've noticed I am much more the person I want to be when I employ writing in all sorts of forms:<br />
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">1. I have learned it is imperative that I keep a daily planner. Long ago I realized that if I neglect to write down my daily to-do list in my planner, my life quickly becomes complete chaos. </span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">2. I am much more apt to <a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/o-remember-remember" target="_blank">see God's hand in my life</a> and live in thanksgiving daily if I keep a gratitude journal.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">3. I get far more out of my daily scripture reading when I faithfully keep a scripture journal and record the insights I discover.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">4. I have exponentially greater success at staying on track with healthy eating if I keep a daily food log--and better still--exchange food logs with a friend. This makes such a difference that I find I lose weight when I keep a log and gain it when I don't.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">5. My relationships are strengthened when I take time to not only express gratitude and appreciation for someone, but to write these expressions down. I can record these thoughts in a special journal I have for my spouse, a text message to my son, or an e-mail to a friend, and the results are always the same: <i>both</i> of us are uplifted and our relationship is strengthened. A spoken expression of love is always meaningful, but the impact of a written expression of love and gratitude just seems to be more powerful.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">6. And, of course, I do better at learning life's little lessons when I post entries on this blog!</span></div>
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I am utterly convinced of the power of the written word. I have seen its power in my life, in my relationships, in my time management, in my spirituality, and in my waistline. And yet. It is far too easy to get too busy to write. I still feel that the whirlwind that my life has been since we bought our house this past summer has yet to settle. Sheer busyness has taken a toll on every single form of writing I listed above, and I have felt the loss. This week I determined that I would do better, and I have already felt the blessings begin to flow. Just from writing. That's the power of the written word. </div>
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*I would love to provide a link to this article by Elder Holland, but I only have it in PDF form and have not been able to find it online. If you are interested in reading it, post a comment and I will forward it to you! </div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3341002165105886416#_ednref1" name="_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Frank
Smith, “Myths of Writing,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Language Arts</i>
58:7 (1981): 793, 795, as quoted in “Why Write It?,” by Brad Wilcox, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ensign</i>, September 1999,
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1999/09/why-write-it?lang=eng. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-18777979079212117662013-10-21T15:59:00.000-05:002013-11-24T21:51:10.167-06:00OK, I'm back.Yesterday I was chatting with some teenage girls I get to "work" with at church (really, it can hardly be called work; they are so fabulous). They were talking about who had a blog, and they seemed surprised when I said I did (I guess it was a generational thing and they were a bit shocked I could manage it at my advanced age). Then, the kicker. One of them asked if I actually consistently <i>posted</i> anything on said blog, since that's the hard part. I had to confess I was way behind and hadn't posted in months.<br />
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However, updating my blog has definitely been on my to-do list. I've just been a crazy busy the past few months, and here's why: we have moved!</div>
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We had been looking for over a year for a different home that would enable us to stay in the same schools and ward (our congregation at church), and at the beginning of July, we found this beautiful home in our favorite neighborhood. It didn't really have any of the key elements we were looking for (a pool, a guest bedroom, etc.), but we were smitten all the same. How could I resist, when it was smack in the middle of a forest with a creek running through the backyard?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87OldFqjKHyfxc1jRCBuakbcLSrsQb9AIipf0L-cs9QA__uXQAxhbPUF2BpnLBpQRCXn-psOovUmaBQ5CJoBRbu3pUJbuS0EfRF_q_hfS0OE76-CDG8pLXrz4BEHqffts6daq7iORlJxR/s1600/IMG_0396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87OldFqjKHyfxc1jRCBuakbcLSrsQb9AIipf0L-cs9QA__uXQAxhbPUF2BpnLBpQRCXn-psOovUmaBQ5CJoBRbu3pUJbuS0EfRF_q_hfS0OE76-CDG8pLXrz4BEHqffts6daq7iORlJxR/s320/IMG_0396.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_h2y9QQd2Mg4pmwT2HG_7nP01zKkeBioXMtuMBMGtE-J38B35U-8qv3RFU5dYrnL2mzTghTJZwlnDchHvEGXhAPPVValQGYFJubPMLlWu81Y7KFznt-IoivWP3EyLryE6qF9gd6jeC50/s1600/IMG_0397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_h2y9QQd2Mg4pmwT2HG_7nP01zKkeBioXMtuMBMGtE-J38B35U-8qv3RFU5dYrnL2mzTghTJZwlnDchHvEGXhAPPVValQGYFJubPMLlWu81Y7KFznt-IoivWP3EyLryE6qF9gd6jeC50/s320/IMG_0397.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We made an offer on the home the day after we first saw it, then within a week had our home on the market. We sold our home in 9 days and the whirlwind continued as we packed, cleaned, repaired, cleaned some more, packed some more and then moved our stuff to a storage unit and several homes of friends while we waited 2 1/2 weeks to move in.</div>
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In the meantime we moved in with my brother Gary and his family, who had been in their home all of a week and a half. Did I mention this has been a crazy time for our family (and theirs?!). However, we had so much fun there the kids didn't want to leave (following three pics taken at their house). </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD8O3vPkcKoyirRefmOCxFW6WHfFfBeUvnTu5axk31UxB_2c-JE3JUqVCVXvrfykYLCWvl1u78YofBFv1dP9ZKKFNhzXPhixZEnnjQTF7IFWn9HuDwA-SReqchulnhFse1Ydr6Q57eH40O/s1600/20130915_171139_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD8O3vPkcKoyirRefmOCxFW6WHfFfBeUvnTu5axk31UxB_2c-JE3JUqVCVXvrfykYLCWvl1u78YofBFv1dP9ZKKFNhzXPhixZEnnjQTF7IFWn9HuDwA-SReqchulnhFse1Ydr6Q57eH40O/s320/20130915_171139_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner on the patio</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjMfpkNI0BWdq4HT9eeZyA7yCCOtZCn7IpIcaUafZmd5haSO77lqLpAm7qZx7ZPyBYUuEOZNnjmktHrelcGGxe90gnfvXjl6pQ0ILjakoDvl2_FXSb2gBzwif7zlga3raFZArAAjP8-LJ/s1600/IMG_0395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjMfpkNI0BWdq4HT9eeZyA7yCCOtZCn7IpIcaUafZmd5haSO77lqLpAm7qZx7ZPyBYUuEOZNnjmktHrelcGGxe90gnfvXjl6pQ0ILjakoDvl2_FXSb2gBzwif7zlga3raFZArAAjP8-LJ/s320/IMG_0395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swimming in the pool</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjV5e21YOAXsfCV22fLYI-W4-T4_2OiY74yGG8YPP5QWQ50hye_8oUymUrBXHmoFZGpblxmfvRfcOjf9bQCuFJGdBvzstn_1Kw3iz8XBcl6-eM5RLA82Lhyphenhyphens_HixYISvZqJXop2chXzDZn/s1600/20130915_204159_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjV5e21YOAXsfCV22fLYI-W4-T4_2OiY74yGG8YPP5QWQ50hye_8oUymUrBXHmoFZGpblxmfvRfcOjf9bQCuFJGdBvzstn_1Kw3iz8XBcl6-eM5RLA82Lhyphenhyphens_HixYISvZqJXop2chXzDZn/s320/20130915_204159_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just hanging out together</td></tr>
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But move-in day finally came and we were excited. Caden said, "I feel like our house is in a fairy tale." I think it's safe to say we all feel the same. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UGIWe2U_zIAszMihDGXyz08sn-wt08nVPYSthxPY508EsEzrMzZFGxX4I6Ufb8hL62_xA1v_pGWvkBOMCnLcNMwuRO8UQizIKVFpI6JsWXQSNbeRcsMLIw3xNCVuHUrw-2i7KikZHhSG/s1600/IMG_0502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UGIWe2U_zIAszMihDGXyz08sn-wt08nVPYSthxPY508EsEzrMzZFGxX4I6Ufb8hL62_xA1v_pGWvkBOMCnLcNMwuRO8UQizIKVFpI6JsWXQSNbeRcsMLIw3xNCVuHUrw-2i7KikZHhSG/s320/IMG_0502.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite spots: the cozy front porch.<br />
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The whirlwind continues as we work to get situated, but we make progress every day and we feel at home. We are so very grateful and so aware of tender mercies bestowed by a loving Father in Heaven throughout this whole process, as well as tender mercies bestowed by friends and family here on earth...not only a place to stay, but dinners, moving help, packing help, cleaning help, and more, from our network of angels-friends. We are blessed. </div>
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Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-30397581095466564562013-05-16T17:10:00.003-05:002013-05-16T17:10:31.607-05:00Reviving a tradition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We are big into traditions in our family, especially holiday traditions. I have noticed, however, as our boys are getting older, that a few of our traditions have sadly begun to fall by the wayside. (I'm thinking, for example, of how we always <i>used to</i> make pumpkin cookies at Halloween and deliver them clandestinely to neighbors, visit the Pumpkin Patch as a family, and read our Christmas advent book together every night of December. This year we even--gasp!!--failed to make a gingerbread house at Christmastime.) While, of course, we still maintain lots and lots of traditions, I've felt especially bad about some of these fading away before our 8-year-old Caden has gotten remotely tired of them. </div>
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On the Friday night before Easter, Tim announced that he thought it was high time that we dyed some eggs. Caden made his own announcement: he had never in his life dyed eggs. What?! Who knew it had been so long? Sometimes traditions need reviving. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0UVPOlLmUOVtTU_jpHQWAKhSlBAQuLKM18NSgJTpKACxYWw2g1OVFNrPgOU3kGd3KcoqbIlV0I2eeRQDxiRJmlChCpFvXQtX9Vu0Kz-xx7ih7yslsxtpQVdzS92uocYbVWLiIqRmatT4/s1600/IMG_1172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0UVPOlLmUOVtTU_jpHQWAKhSlBAQuLKM18NSgJTpKACxYWw2g1OVFNrPgOU3kGd3KcoqbIlV0I2eeRQDxiRJmlChCpFvXQtX9Vu0Kz-xx7ih7yslsxtpQVdzS92uocYbVWLiIqRmatT4/s320/IMG_1172.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting started!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05Pu_YcG-DrE8ZRNEMXWVwavqLvuK5m2A08rIcaQbbOvjylsha823B-VsZodz47xOkuTZmpisE7ZUb05YUffBI2py6stcpLI88gQU6vPQPLSZxQBBWPzs08HDvCJ1JsQ7yvoXFWqMDu_-/s1600/IMG_1173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05Pu_YcG-DrE8ZRNEMXWVwavqLvuK5m2A08rIcaQbbOvjylsha823B-VsZodz47xOkuTZmpisE7ZUb05YUffBI2py6stcpLI88gQU6vPQPLSZxQBBWPzs08HDvCJ1JsQ7yvoXFWqMDu_-/s320/IMG_1173.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Measuring....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkL0w9xcJzSUCaenXi7JRvPzBsEH5ATngHLxf9X1tawFnoGX2HdPgmhVRaWZCIrUQdjMEoJNGhAfCZjXKS6PvfcUJVJ4gpVLb6HlA7Wp7qR2QHKkpLDvNW31aTuOSwPAS-4IXOkPAc0VeB/s1600/IMG_1177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkL0w9xcJzSUCaenXi7JRvPzBsEH5ATngHLxf9X1tawFnoGX2HdPgmhVRaWZCIrUQdjMEoJNGhAfCZjXKS6PvfcUJVJ4gpVLb6HlA7Wp7qR2QHKkpLDvNW31aTuOSwPAS-4IXOkPAc0VeB/s320/IMG_1177.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrink-wrapped eggs?! What next?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ViyiRjn6zQooJYNdAzEzjm1sVZfIES08Fh8JLatqZLJDKVHdTj2PMpnt8eULobPdWNVoBq0HtlF3pq6_kc1qOZZsU372Ep2nb2g_48YO9k3G2mXaFQSD5lmA1ThlCI4Hmu69ysUZWhTA/s1600/IMG_1178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ViyiRjn6zQooJYNdAzEzjm1sVZfIES08Fh8JLatqZLJDKVHdTj2PMpnt8eULobPdWNVoBq0HtlF3pq6_kc1qOZZsU372Ep2nb2g_48YO9k3G2mXaFQSD5lmA1ThlCI4Hmu69ysUZWhTA/s320/IMG_1178.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a good time was had by all!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7U3nDQjqNBRVE0EDWO6vgqAq7UwLEyTwrxFmeAf0rt8r3jA1KKM7E4u-Ovm2D7zKGOHgOR78FyYwq1h_9eD_YVBlW1xZvOJc6irhWuWB2HHVEYq5dAv1u0hlfSJG-tm96T0d2ac6BJQ4S/s1600/IMG_0130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7U3nDQjqNBRVE0EDWO6vgqAq7UwLEyTwrxFmeAf0rt8r3jA1KKM7E4u-Ovm2D7zKGOHgOR78FyYwq1h_9eD_YVBlW1xZvOJc6irhWuWB2HHVEYq5dAv1u0hlfSJG-tm96T0d2ac6BJQ4S/s320/IMG_0130.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early the next morning: no worries, <br />
the Easter basket tradition is still going strong!<br />
(PS Tristan was already gone serving breakfast at a shelter.)</td></tr>
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Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-14593909483342073602013-05-16T15:49:00.000-05:002013-05-16T15:49:04.605-05:00Follow the leaderAfter a hiatus from my blog as I pondered and debated about what, really, the focus of my blog was, and who, really, my audience was, and how, really, I could write about what was important to me while imagining it would be remotely relevant to anybody else...it's come to this: posting nothing is preserving no thoughts, memories, or photos whatsoever, so I best just "get on with it." Whatever will be will be.<br />
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As I uploaded some recent photos from my phone, I saw this one:<br />
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We had gone on a walk after dinner a couple nights ago, and the boys seemed to be playing "Follow the Leader"--un-planned and un-posed. I thought back to when Caden was about 4, and he said, "I like being the smallest in our family, because I can do lots of things nobody else can do." At the time, he was underneath a bush, weeding. So I said, "Like weed under the bush?" And he said, "Yes. And you can watch your biggest brother make mistakes, and then your next brother make mistakes, and you can choose to do something different!" I thought this was quite profound for a four-year-old! But it also made me so grateful that he could also watch his big brothers NOT making mistakes--which is much of the time--and he could choose to do exactly the same thing. I am so grateful for three boys who get along so well and for wonderful big brothers who don't mind a bit that the ones behind them want to follow in their footsteps.<br />
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And finally, I am ever so grateful that I have a big brother, too, whose footsteps I still try to follow in. I am thankful for how he "paves the way" for me and my siblings. I am blessed.<br />
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<br />Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-89144791364274100722013-03-20T15:59:00.000-05:002013-03-20T15:59:06.268-05:00Come What May and Love It (Our 2013 Spring Break Trip)<br />
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Last year, we took a magical trip to the beach for Spring Break. It was heaven in all sorts of ways: lovely weather, turquoise water, warm white sand, and hours and hours of walking along the nearly-deserted shore, collecting shells on the beach, and playing in the waves...</div>
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One day, which happened to be my birthday, we even took a sunset dolphin cruise:<br />
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We loved every minute of playing together as a family:<br />
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Part of what made our trip so magical was its rarity. Since we moved here 8 years ago, Tim has always had business-related travel that he has been required to take during Spring Break. For some reason, the conference he normally had in March shifted just enough last year to enable us to take that wonderful vacation. We were grateful.</div>
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Hoping for more magical family time, we chose to head to the beach once again this year. Not wanting to compete with The Fabulous Spring Break Trip of 2012, we decided that instead of returning to Navarre Beach in Florida, we would head to LA...or the Gulf Shores, in Lower Alabama, to be exact. Soon after making our plans, we realized Tim's conference was scheduled for the exact dates we had planned to go on our trip. (That should have been a sign. We ignored it.) We decided to leave earlier, on Friday, and spend at least several days together before he had to fly to NYC on Tuesday; the rest of us would finish out the week and drive home on our own. This plan left much to be desired (namely, Tim around for the whole time!), but we rented a condo and looked forward to our trip.</div>
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We pulled into Gulf Shores at 2 AM Saturday morning and upon entering our condo, we immediately made some less-than-thrilling discoveries:</div>
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<ul>
<li>A large, dead cockroach right by the front door (which was later followed up by an even larger, live cockroach)</li>
<li>A swimming pool completely empty of water</li>
<li>1 moth-eaten blanket in a condo advertised to sleep 6</li>
<li>No linens whatsoever for the hide-a-bed </li>
<li>A dirty bathroom and dingy, very old bedspreads (not thick enough to qualify as blankets)</li>
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The next day we made additional discoveries:</div>
<ul>
<li>The chair Tristan slept on due to the lack of linens mentioned above must have had other guests as he had numerous bites</li>
<li>A dishwasher that wasn't bolted in, so all the dishes came falling out unless we employed great tactical strategies for holding it in place while loading it</li>
<li>The weather was slated to be cold (and even rainy one day) all week, and we found ourselves collecting shells this year in 40-degree temps instead of the balmy, warm weather of last year</li>
<li>Spring-breakers en masse, who staggered around drunkenly while littering the beach with beer cans and the pool area with shattered beer bottles (as discovered by Caden when he cut his foot)</li>
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What to do? With Joseph B. Wirthlin's timeless advice resounding in my heart, I knew all we could do was to "<a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/come-what-may-and-love-it?lang=eng" target="_blank">Come What May and Love It</a>"! I especially love this tidbit: </div>
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<span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f9f6ed; color: #2f393a; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">"The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable."</span></div>
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The condo really was so disgusting in some ways that I have to confess to <i>some</i> groaning, but there was a lot of laughing too. It was also so cold that we couldn't spend much time on the beach, but we could do plenty of other things:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9-i2Q-R_hYjD65fZOpJl8lfjVrjo03TzAepxYozTIH3y3gGpDTSGLxoED1vMR7NGbOL62HZXytBMUrCpbhmSv31eFDV0cY3eWZas14naDglFeYrZW33X72bkhFSAsOkp2kzhVuZnFUq0/s1600/CIMG6781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9-i2Q-R_hYjD65fZOpJl8lfjVrjo03TzAepxYozTIH3y3gGpDTSGLxoED1vMR7NGbOL62HZXytBMUrCpbhmSv31eFDV0cY3eWZas14naDglFeYrZW33X72bkhFSAsOkp2kzhVuZnFUq0/s320/CIMG6781.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Touring the very cool Fort Morgan, famous for the <br />Battle of Mobile Bay during the Civil War. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting the extraordinarily fabulous home where our friends, <br />the Angerbauers, were staying. Notice I am the only one dressed <br />appropriately for the weather!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying lunch at Lambert's, the "Home of the Throwed Rolls," <br />Caden's favorite part of our trip.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attempting to go to Alligator Alley. <br />(The downpour started right as we got out of the car!)<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second try: Alligator Alley!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopSe4CSYDqkg_PeuuHDbOiDiYIlNauH5RorBzTrHJBbTWBukeYbIufZzQfjQ4qXoXBfLHJlivxDCQdUQEof05a07dez5DzekKqyD24xtc859iYixrgUbJUdm_CtU7LuNo2rckwXQHBBFc/s1600/CIMG6898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopSe4CSYDqkg_PeuuHDbOiDiYIlNauH5RorBzTrHJBbTWBukeYbIufZzQfjQ4qXoXBfLHJlivxDCQdUQEof05a07dez5DzekKqyD24xtc859iYixrgUbJUdm_CtU7LuNo2rckwXQHBBFc/s320/CIMG6898.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"This feels just like my purse!"<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huddling together for warmth after shell-collecting in the cold.<br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivB_bCuDZDpHMhXWbPEXJMMSFU38FXalwn9Na4pzgOVn0vnF1RufZF_C8wRerSsIvuOJvOWTL3SRoDLkgAd0X5HVQrTI8fSNeQsABGlFctL3GddJP4H-p8Vi8buovlqKwbC8bMV-hK6hM_/s1600/CIMG6856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivB_bCuDZDpHMhXWbPEXJMMSFU38FXalwn9Na4pzgOVn0vnF1RufZF_C8wRerSsIvuOJvOWTL3SRoDLkgAd0X5HVQrTI8fSNeQsABGlFctL3GddJP4H-p8Vi8buovlqKwbC8bMV-hK6hM_/s320/CIMG6856.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7HvY36R9Z1Aksnu24-PzP3lrKkyqldTcaUidLFtV_h15RgAxTOhmuQM_2eFvPPYGmD5m_J49xEMDqyCz__nuaVy1CJA5Q1SHzoJ1SVci3aDR4u6Jt-rzPI0iyVoc1eAhO8QCwkII-ffA/s1600/IMG_1142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7HvY36R9Z1Aksnu24-PzP3lrKkyqldTcaUidLFtV_h15RgAxTOhmuQM_2eFvPPYGmD5m_J49xEMDqyCz__nuaVy1CJA5Q1SHzoJ1SVci3aDR4u6Jt-rzPI0iyVoc1eAhO8QCwkII-ffA/s320/IMG_1142.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pensacola Lighthouse.<br />Happily for the boys, the most haunted lighthouse in America.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn2MqgU5YVb2Nm8CXFM1HLLWeAkxUN_3Thz0dLUPwTUsJYRB0-3vIY0ie1xK0FhMdHowBrwqfF0b1ClTxCkq_0V2e6ZyaFXOjnurIlRe7tiCca5-aaBW2rl24G2vowxC_tAi0EYWCUVgK/s1600/CIMG6877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn2MqgU5YVb2Nm8CXFM1HLLWeAkxUN_3Thz0dLUPwTUsJYRB0-3vIY0ie1xK0FhMdHowBrwqfF0b1ClTxCkq_0V2e6ZyaFXOjnurIlRe7tiCca5-aaBW2rl24G2vowxC_tAi0EYWCUVgK/s320/CIMG6877.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Atop the Pensacola lighthouse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWFiCQXUmvVU7Wz90hhkscpPjsJtHtGtP72okKEw8UW-k7UC4ux4N1jEnVMEbvIkDRjSGpNmoxpqeELiwcIIYlRVDwqorbyqkmBJt4CIG5vTaKK_q9VOhyphenhyphenhDXvnFw2uIec-BQC6AqBFZ-/s1600/CIMG6913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWFiCQXUmvVU7Wz90hhkscpPjsJtHtGtP72okKEw8UW-k7UC4ux4N1jEnVMEbvIkDRjSGpNmoxpqeELiwcIIYlRVDwqorbyqkmBJt4CIG5vTaKK_q9VOhyphenhyphenhDXvnFw2uIec-BQC6AqBFZ-/s320/CIMG6913.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating weather in the 60's on the last day of our trip!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iZQ-tjw3ciEIwQ6P9IlXKXvH3CKcJJl2hUbr817cSvxpYrelrFzfTDbmLedluYTNKUJ3njG1LGA381SITI7M_8146a4fs009ONjx78TRzdwOwYcaAXSxAKTL_INP7BBD3akQ0sAD3MM_/s1600/CIMG6927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iZQ-tjw3ciEIwQ6P9IlXKXvH3CKcJJl2hUbr817cSvxpYrelrFzfTDbmLedluYTNKUJ3njG1LGA381SITI7M_8146a4fs009ONjx78TRzdwOwYcaAXSxAKTL_INP7BBD3akQ0sAD3MM_/s320/CIMG6927.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying sunset on our final night in Gulf Shores. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Come what may and love it! Try it; you'll like it!! <br />
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Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-20492122285200455372013-03-20T13:06:00.000-05:002013-03-20T13:06:21.634-05:00Early March in Texas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
First, there was this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhzHII3WXnFVDEuzE1YdOz8YembiSNoMcYjJYGEuAtDcvJmT7flknQU6bJ7oFU57DAVTKi8QJ7VBah6bcAkTjksZx_xn-yTxbdkWDzx14wm2mv-YeaHTEIBlyMLyICh3lTJI_wCMsvOJR/s1600/IMG_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhzHII3WXnFVDEuzE1YdOz8YembiSNoMcYjJYGEuAtDcvJmT7flknQU6bJ7oFU57DAVTKi8QJ7VBah6bcAkTjksZx_xn-yTxbdkWDzx14wm2mv-YeaHTEIBlyMLyICh3lTJI_wCMsvOJR/s320/IMG_0089.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And then, there was this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlV8Bf08Re6I69WNlJUbPuniKHfX8QtaqO5gW8B3gPENMVF2Y_D01Zwx4pW8b6lCW2528HnpuUDk6HmFRlWd_UGRxEtJDyZZ2ngEzH_t7XWmV_KpLD4yf0szVPpDp8hK_f7OelOsrlKfBp/s1600/IMG_0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlV8Bf08Re6I69WNlJUbPuniKHfX8QtaqO5gW8B3gPENMVF2Y_D01Zwx4pW8b6lCW2528HnpuUDk6HmFRlWd_UGRxEtJDyZZ2ngEzH_t7XWmV_KpLD4yf0szVPpDp8hK_f7OelOsrlKfBp/s320/IMG_0087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And this too:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcQuRhczqsvubPqkzHFjSsrBKDeVkXbStxGa3VskwIVNty79ivcjnfvrOeW05LQ4D2IONVUrzvjy7_5tTTCLNL4E2j9lSMpAE9p28bP9R0cxOnWdRn3y3ImYGXYAZuVV8__UOsz6xZ3WX/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcQuRhczqsvubPqkzHFjSsrBKDeVkXbStxGa3VskwIVNty79ivcjnfvrOeW05LQ4D2IONVUrzvjy7_5tTTCLNL4E2j9lSMpAE9p28bP9R0cxOnWdRn3y3ImYGXYAZuVV8__UOsz6xZ3WX/s320/IMG_0088.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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So naturally, that meant this: <div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVrpXowln8n9UJSK9FCPBVwPztnngbaJHO8hIL-vNrnfkMTNNenpolPiyXrv7kfotJAzV9czMkRUBaFcUR9-Ts8A0HvpoWES4ZIO9xqnH5nAQZtUI4TgyNfn8ljr652DxzP4M1SVB8GK3/s1600/IMG_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVrpXowln8n9UJSK9FCPBVwPztnngbaJHO8hIL-vNrnfkMTNNenpolPiyXrv7kfotJAzV9czMkRUBaFcUR9-Ts8A0HvpoWES4ZIO9xqnH5nAQZtUI4TgyNfn8ljr652DxzP4M1SVB8GK3/s320/IMG_0102.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We love Spring! (Our Spring Break trip will be covered in my next post...)<br /><div>
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Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-34846271369658940512013-02-24T19:49:00.000-06:002013-02-24T19:56:51.600-06:00Lesson Not Learned<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oops, we did it again. First, a little background. Tim is very allergic to both dogs and cats, and I have always said that this is just one of the many reasons I know he is the right guy for me. Let's just say I am <i>mentally</i> allergic to dogs and cats and, really, and any other pet. Nevertheless, we have still had birds, fish, hermit crabs, and most notably, hamsters way back in 2006. Here's a journal entry describing that memorable experience:</span><br />
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Well, I knew all along we were not, shall we say, 'pet people.' But we succumbed to the boys’ pleading and surprised them by driving to the pet store (amidst much shrieking for joy when we arrived!) and purchasing the hamsters and all their paraphernalia the weekend before Tristan turned 9 and Gavin turned 5. The entire weekend they were beside themselves with joy and
excitement."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4D_8A0Lzl3wsR2Ihrh-tj9F3zQAF-C_ZBX7rkVS7GzL9ODB4FKbWts3ML1ozEJ2psYVaxg7SCOXt77mBrRzl-sjtLB8cszuRxtnT4apYYHCey7TzH_YdxDpHSOjsUknos_31_1uaiN6W/s1600/dsc00299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4D_8A0Lzl3wsR2Ihrh-tj9F3zQAF-C_ZBX7rkVS7GzL9ODB4FKbWts3ML1ozEJ2psYVaxg7SCOXt77mBrRzl-sjtLB8cszuRxtnT4apYYHCey7TzH_YdxDpHSOjsUknos_31_1uaiN6W/s320/dsc00299.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Honestly, by the time their b-days arrived (W/Th), the excitement had
already petered down a bit. Well, this week we said good-bye to the
hamsters—having made it nearly three months with pets. Tristan proved himself
entirely responsible and was great about feeding them and cleaning their cage
once a week. But both boys had many other priorities (like soccer), and those
poor hamsters never got a chance to get out of their cage except when it was
being cleaned. No one paid the slightest bit of attention to them, other than
to move them to the bathroom at night because they were so darn noisy that the
boys couldn’t sleep. And can we talk about the stench???? Even with the super
deluxe bedding material that was supposed to mask the smell, our entire house
was starting to reek. I couldn’t even go in the boys’ room without wanting to
gag. It took a little while to convince Gavin (Tristan was easier since he was
the cleaning guy), but since we gave them away, I haven’t noticed anyone at all
missing Henry and Harry. As for myself, I cleaned, polished, and sprayed
odor-out spray everywhere, and I just go around sniffing the “No More Hamsters”
smell with a sense of thrill. The nice thing is the girl that took them
was utterly thrilled and right away was reaching in to hold them (which always
terrified our boys). In addition, her mom felt it was essential that she pay
something for them (much to my objection) to increase her sense of
responsibility toward them. So each of the boys got five dollars, which eased
the pain of giving away their birthday gifts."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPLQg7ATHf-vrIOCL2HBd2gUXPTFAfXrmrfc9nnU-foypupKC-OEMGbXkRFsWoJzis1RraI8DlxqOz_xkTP_805x_E1AHwnuDtFJcoHZ6wCSnJiMycZBGnHt3mJPjy6gPUE18wvnVSWcnx/s1600/dsc00298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPLQg7ATHf-vrIOCL2HBd2gUXPTFAfXrmrfc9nnU-foypupKC-OEMGbXkRFsWoJzis1RraI8DlxqOz_xkTP_805x_E1AHwnuDtFJcoHZ6wCSnJiMycZBGnHt3mJPjy6gPUE18wvnVSWcnx/s320/dsc00298.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passing Henry and Harry on to their new owner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"If we have learned this lesson
for good, it was well worth the initial investment of $100! After they were
gone, Gavin said, “I know what pet we could have!” I said, “What?” and he said, 'A pet we make, like we draw or something. Because it wouldn’t smell, and we
wouldn’t have to feed it or clean it…' I told him that was the best idea ever." (4/02/06)</span><!--EndFragment--><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Alas, did we learn this lesson for good? No, we did not. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigo6swvR8ru7heeaHPJW9DV944QHGcbM-AjrWNrD5zW9-huAI26wop0VJ1MtKh_Q-sARPfuo3dmNHG7j_oXkWTuu4G4bVoZtAUci4ipRifDn8-4LNuJBNiTqlgXfBh0INUjlLqd0J45dkU/s1600/IMG_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigo6swvR8ru7heeaHPJW9DV944QHGcbM-AjrWNrD5zW9-huAI26wop0VJ1MtKh_Q-sARPfuo3dmNHG7j_oXkWTuu4G4bVoZtAUci4ipRifDn8-4LNuJBNiTqlgXfBh0INUjlLqd0J45dkU/s320/IMG_0083.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caden and his new best friend, Monty.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-8040564658694998192013-02-19T17:58:00.000-06:002013-02-19T17:58:49.567-06:00How about that beam?In the midst of downward dog this morning at yoga, I allowed myself to get distracted by the goings-on around me (a sure sign of a yoga novice!). A woman had come from behind my friend, who was next to me, to whisper to her that they were too close together, and that she (my friend) needed to move forward. My friend quietly stopped her practice to move her mat forward and reposition herself. I reflected that<br />
<br />
1. My friend had been in her spot first,<br />
and<br />
2. The woman behind her had <i>far</i> more room to move back than my friend had to move forward.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnYQLZq-meyuLWoUItv-9zPCMWRz111ReeN4VYlWIlyB8n2ZQUbsI1aT5t5KgUlD7cjtds0fJCYzAD-oBTO4GthPSzYBlbEL_gGRXu7M11pIXgiJJIQ1pCVhU6JVVOjJhKs8m-yrCO96r/s1600/trek2befit-p90x-downward-dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnYQLZq-meyuLWoUItv-9zPCMWRz111ReeN4VYlWIlyB8n2ZQUbsI1aT5t5KgUlD7cjtds0fJCYzAD-oBTO4GthPSzYBlbEL_gGRXu7M11pIXgiJJIQ1pCVhU6JVVOjJhKs8m-yrCO96r/s320/trek2befit-p90x-downward-dog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Why was it that the woman could so clearly see the problem (collision risk during leg extensions), but not the fact that she could fix the problem entirely on her own? Why was her first inclination to ask someone else to change in order to fix what was essentially <i>her</i> problem? This behavior is so utterly typical and so typically human that Jesus said:<br />
<br />
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<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h3 style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #3c424e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/6.41?lang=eng#40" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #486fae; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Luke 6:41</a></h3>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
41 And why beholdest thou the <span class="highlight" style="background-color: #fefbbf; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">mote</span> that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the <span class="highlight" style="background-color: #fefbbf; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">beam</span> that is in thine own eye?</div>
</li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h3 style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #3c424e; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/6.42?lang=eng#41" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #486fae; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Luke 6:42</a></h3>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the <span class="highlight" style="background-color: #fefbbf; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">mote</span> that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the <span class="highlight" style="background-color: #fefbbf; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">beam</span> that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the <span class="highlight" style="background-color: #fefbbf; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">beam</span> out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the <span class="highlight" style="background-color: #fefbbf; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">mote</span> that is in thy brother’s eye.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
I reflected on how often I fall into this trap of thinking problems could be resolved if only <i>other</i> people did the changing. It's something I've thought of many times before, but life handed me a reminder this morning.<br />
<br />
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Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-9129538130343380542013-02-15T17:31:00.003-06:002013-02-15T17:31:58.904-06:00The Boots<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Apple Chancery'; font-size: 15px;">At first glance, you might think this is a Christmas or anniversary story, but it's really a love story. So, to keep the Valentine's Day spirit going a little longer, I am sharing this little peek into our holidays...</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Apple Chancery'; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Apple Chancery'; font-size: 11pt;">I
love boots. I love boots so much that I have seven pairs of them, even here in
Texas where it’s hardly ever cold enough to wear them. Alongside my passion for
boots is my passion for a great deal, so let me be clear: I have never spent
more than $30 a pair for any of my boots, and most I have had for a </span><i style="font-family: 'Apple Chancery'; font-size: 11pt;">very</i><span style="font-family: 'Apple Chancery'; font-size: 11pt;"> long time. However, after eight
years in Texas, I found myself wanting a pair of authentic cowboy boots. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;">One
Saturday morning mid-December, Tim took the boys for their annual
“shop-for-Mom-have-lunch-out-with-Dad-have-a-super-fabulous-time” adventure.
This tradition has evolved to where the boys shop for some specific suggestions
at some very specific stores, and I love it that most of their time is spent just having fun together: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlSwVFhyphenhyphennvt2wNkfsP1hTVPKl2FLc4BlFzR47tctB4NkXoeUNBU1hkX150DlURDzeC2n4ovqkiGjev0VQaQhTzOJvgXwMyQM6kznM5nwU6Nq97BYAFcnAelF6fln_ZnpcOa5FAJcTVeMS/s1600/IMG_1064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlSwVFhyphenhyphennvt2wNkfsP1hTVPKl2FLc4BlFzR47tctB4NkXoeUNBU1hkX150DlURDzeC2n4ovqkiGjev0VQaQhTzOJvgXwMyQM6kznM5nwU6Nq97BYAFcnAelF6fln_ZnpcOa5FAJcTVeMS/s320/IMG_1064.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch at Babe's...<br />(Or, heart-attack-on-a-plate. I am thrilled that they go here <i>without</i> me.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFbO0lmVwN28yMXOkmV_9FFQbSMthQCkoC_O1jecGzvNTH5k0h_N6fE3i5q9tsEPh0BtOySJUJ6oLWdmWvlsbeRrKqCjUKOWmtJkSQXaYNkPf9UtGrNlNW-G7SW6SS2vpcrEUWpqBHir_/s1600/IMG_1062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFbO0lmVwN28yMXOkmV_9FFQbSMthQCkoC_O1jecGzvNTH5k0h_N6fE3i5q9tsEPh0BtOySJUJ6oLWdmWvlsbeRrKqCjUKOWmtJkSQXaYNkPf9UtGrNlNW-G7SW6SS2vpcrEUWpqBHir_/s320/IMG_1062.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfmTghTLBoatAqRsM8fFbom1RepxoytEbFtsqTWmNov92ySzwiE785gFSnEncJ3uaeRc3tTAv8kVZ3qDyoVtG-xTl-St6HvfwWKlO-m_Tve493Yd8Ra2hANIcuo7TJBYY595t1Jn_58jH/s1600/IMG_1059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfmTghTLBoatAqRsM8fFbom1RepxoytEbFtsqTWmNov92ySzwiE785gFSnEncJ3uaeRc3tTAv8kVZ3qDyoVtG-xTl-St6HvfwWKlO-m_Tve493Yd8Ra2hANIcuo7TJBYY595t1Jn_58jH/s320/IMG_1059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working hard shopping for me at Charming Charlie's.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;">While all these shenanigans are going on, I am supposed to go look for
something I need to pick out myself. (This is by request from Tim...it makes his holiday shopping so much easier.) This year, I headed to
Justin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Justin
is a tiny Texas town--only about twenty minutes away, but it feels like a
lifetime. There is essentially nothing in Justin but four huge discount boot stores, and
thus it is known as The Boot Capital of the West. I just had to go. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And
I found them. The Perfect Boots. Everything I had dreamed of without really
knowing what my dream was, until I saw them. Chocolate Lizard. Are you kidding
me?! Boots with the word “chocolate” in their title? It just couldn’t get more
perfect. They were perfect in all ways, until I looked at the price. Heart
attack. Even at discount boot prices, these boots were not $30. Not by a long shot. So they were not for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When
I met up with Tim and the boys later that day at our church Christmas party, I
was telling my friend about The Perfect Boots. My friend said, “I shop at
Thrift City for everything else so that I can buy my boots.” Tim said, “How
much were they?” I responded and he said, “You should have just gotten them.”
No, no, no. I couldn’t even think about it…or stomach it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
knew Tim was anxious for me to find some boots (my big Christmas present…he
didn’t want to be left high and dry without a gift for me), so I continued my
hunt the next week. Nothing came close to The Boots. Chocolate Lizard,
remember? I am a very content person, and truly can’t think of any material
thing I have ever really yearned for. As much as I liked The Boots, I decided,
“Well, no matter. Those are a want, not a need.” There was no part of me that
could justify paying the price.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;">On
December 21, our anniversary, Tim called me in the afternoon. He had left work
early (wow!) and was heading home to celebrate. He wanted to start our evening
with a little boot-shopping. He arrived home with a single red rose, instead of
the huge bouquet he normally presents to me on our anniversary. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEx3XF5peyeiofiQiMe6UxISoNbknK0VlMH6ycyh3TMoGbxq4r9bZ5pDl70CFQYngGTeN_gKf1ERK0hFE_wPTxnN4oOQcZGeQCu9g22Gid1xcZ2dqtHRFEt3Ble3J9yc0E2Wf-QxrUMKUm/s1600/Copy+of+winterspring+089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEx3XF5peyeiofiQiMe6UxISoNbknK0VlMH6ycyh3TMoGbxq4r9bZ5pDl70CFQYngGTeN_gKf1ERK0hFE_wPTxnN4oOQcZGeQCu9g22Gid1xcZ2dqtHRFEt3Ble3J9yc0E2Wf-QxrUMKUm/s320/Copy+of+winterspring+089.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Last year's anniversary, including an example<br /> of the typically fabulous anniversary bouquet...)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;">He explained
that he’d thought it through, and that he normally spent X amount on
anniversary flowers, and X amount on a fancy anniversary dinner, and that maybe
that amount, combined, could bring The Boots down to a price I could feel OK
about. It did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;">My
heart was so touched that my husband would minister to my wants…<i>and </i>my needs! My heart was filled to
overflowing at how well he knows me after our 23 years together. He would have
happily bought me the boots regardless; he knew we could afford them.
However, he also knew what I needed in order to feel at peace about such a
purchase. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
love my Chocolate Lizard Boots. But I love my husband of 23 years even more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGxvTtbwlMmmZnQlCXgCOLvJlynkQvBNvDD-FZYMAmyyNhjq7NoTfkjUg-Dv2MieqyTIdwdOfTV6OtKqgFDing4f_nudoIB7sUsLI5QjkKxaJgDtTTeJ1UB4IePdmIjesL4_EI7yKKod_N/s1600/IMG_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGxvTtbwlMmmZnQlCXgCOLvJlynkQvBNvDD-FZYMAmyyNhjq7NoTfkjUg-Dv2MieqyTIdwdOfTV6OtKqgFDing4f_nudoIB7sUsLI5QjkKxaJgDtTTeJ1UB4IePdmIjesL4_EI7yKKod_N/s320/IMG_0002.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-30094892533859462202013-02-14T16:54:00.000-06:002013-02-14T16:54:25.682-06:00Happy Valentine's Day!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Apple Chancery;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Happy Valentine's Day! As pointed out in my sister's <a href="http://nokungfuinthekitchenplease.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>, no doubt this is a holiday created by retailers. I know--even within my own extended family--that people often aren't receptive to being told when and how to celebrate their love. However, in our little family, we like to celebrate anytime possible. It interrupts the often mundane tasks of life with joy, delight, and wonder. A holiday, even a retailer-created one, is the perfect excuse to celebrate, and we do! What I like about Valentine's Day, especially, is that the little things we do for each other are typically gifts of the heart. For example, this year, I especially loved Caden's handmade crafts that he made for his brothers. I also enjoyed getting up extra early with Tristan (5:15!) to make him a special Valentine's breakfast before he headed off before 6:00 AM.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Apple Chancery;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">My gifts for the boys included a copy their "journals"--the birthday letters I write them each year, funny things they said when they were little, snapshots of their lives that I'd written over the years, and even lots of letters they'd written to their grandparents. They were cracking each other up this morning reading funny things they'd said when they were little. This had all been on the computer, but getting it to a format they could read and enjoy was well worth the effort! They also each got their own special box of <a href="http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/12/peppermint-bark-popcorn/" target="_blank">Peppermint Bark Popcorn</a> drizzled with Valentine-y melted hot pink Andes peppermint candies</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Apple Chancery'; font-size: 15px;">. Tim got "Valentine's In a Bag" with lots of different date ideas/items. He has been out of town this week and flew in mid-day today, which helped to make our day extra fun. We never get a chance to go out to lunch mid-week, and it felt like well-deserved playing hooking after his 15- or 16-hour days this week. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9o9v2d4Ci1fKALxlj8esSjTGd9SIeTY9eD5pO8qwnRp71DMgCYkhG45sfTS7Gf33sSrITLkZ1fJlXg1CuH_q60svjoOkfhS6y-W2qi9boo_cQ5X2qvzzIT4J-nKEv4RCbUUlg-7aEPAtD/s1600/IMG_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9o9v2d4Ci1fKALxlj8esSjTGd9SIeTY9eD5pO8qwnRp71DMgCYkhG45sfTS7Gf33sSrITLkZ1fJlXg1CuH_q60svjoOkfhS6y-W2qi9boo_cQ5X2qvzzIT4J-nKEv4RCbUUlg-7aEPAtD/s320/IMG_0054.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Celebration Station! <br />Where the party always begins at our house. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Apple Chancery;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">This morning I was thinking that all the extra things we do during holidays help to build cherished memories, strengthen family bonds, and increase the love we have for each other. But even the most delightful holiday traditions could be hollow if the foundation isn't there in a family. In that light, I close with these profound truths from Gordon B. Hinckley: </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1971/04/except-the-lord-build-the-house?lang=eng" target="_blank">I know of no single practice that will have a more salutary effect upon your lives than the practice of kneeling together as you begin and close each day. Somehow the little storms that seem to afflict every marriage are dissipated when, kneeling before the Lord, you thank him for one another, in the presence of one another, and then together invoke his blessings upon your lives, your home, your loved ones, and your dreams.</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1971/04/except-the-lord-build-the-house?lang=eng" target="_blank">God then will be your partner, and your daily conversations with him will bring peace into your hearts and a joy into your lives that can come from no other source. Your companionship will sweeten through the years; your love will strengthen. Your appreciation for one another will grow.</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1971/04/except-the-lord-build-the-house?lang=eng" target="_blank">Your children will know the security of a home where dwells the Spirit of the Lord. You will gather them together in that home, as the Church has counseled, and teach them in love. They will know parents who respect one another, and a spirit of respect will grow in their hearts. They will experience the security of the kind word softly spoken, and the tempests of their own lives will be stilled. They will know a father and mother who, living honestly with God, live honestly also with one another and with their fellowmen. They will grow up with a sense of appreciation, having heard their parents in prayer express <span style="background-color: transparent;">gratitude</span> for blessings great and small. They will mature with faith in the living God.</a></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-88319415689001794082013-02-07T15:35:00.000-06:002013-02-07T15:43:14.945-06:00Wherever Two or Three are GatheredI've been so grateful, especially lately, for the blessing of living in such a strong faith-based community. We moved here 8 years ago (almost exactly...February 3!) from Draper, Utah. Though Tim and I both grew up in California, we loved living in Utah after we married. We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (although most people refer to us as Mormons, due to our belief in the Book of Mormon as a companion book of scripture to the Bible), so we fit right in with all the other Mormons in Utah.<br />
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When the time came to move from Utah to Texas, I wondered about all the changes the move would bring. I knew there was still a lot of bias against Mormons in some areas of the country. Would our little neck of the woods be one of those places? I learned quickly and with relief that not only would we be accepted here, but we would be accepted as fellow Christians. Further, I recognized early on that although my new neighbors, friends, and associates did not for the most part share my particular faith, they would abundantly bless me with their own.</div>
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As witness to that fact, I share a few examples:</div>
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<li>Just yesterday, my utterly delightful Catholic neighbor and I decided to join together on a specific goal to observe Lent. While observing Lent is not part of the Mormon faith, I have used it as an opportunity to strengthen my spirit and to work on self-mastery in the past with other Catholic friends. I was grateful for the chance to do so again. I am also grateful to feel an instant connection with a new neighbor, a connection made much stronger because of a mutual belief in Christ.</li>
<li>Two days ago I was blessed to attend a prayer meeting at another neighbor's--someone I don't know well, but someone who felt called to invite people in our neighborhood together in order to unite in prayer over a current issue that deeply concerns us (school re-zoning). This neighbor, also of another faith, shared a scripture from the Bible, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20 KJV). She then said a prayer that brought tears to my eyes, because I felt that the scripture she read had been fulfilled as she prayed. The tears were also tears of of gratitude to live in a community where we can openly share our beliefs and our faith in God. I felt His spirit blessing our little gathering that night.</li>
<li>Less than two weeks ago, my son Tristan got his drivers' license. I have a little OCD about driving anyway...in my mind it's a necessary evil. So the thought of my teenage son driving off all alone was a little more than my worried mother-heart could take. Strong comfort came in the form of reassuring words from, of all people, my insurance agent. In eight years I've never even met this man face to face, but I have had enough conversations with him to know he is a deeply faithful man. With complete sincerity, he reassured me that they prayed for their customers every day. I was touched and comforted.</li>
<li>A couple of years ago, Tristan needed surgery on his finger due to an accident. Right before the surgery took place, the anesthesiologist came in, sat on the edge of Tristan's bed, and asked if he could offer a prayer. Of course we said yes. I was so moved by that faith-filled gesture, and so grateful for a fellow Christian willing to "walk the walk" and live like he believed without knowing ahead of time if we would be receptive or not. Again, God blessed that little gathering of three believers and Tristan and I both felt at peace.</li>
<li>Over Christmas, we attended several concerts for the high school choir that Tristan participates in. One of them was held in a local church. I was once again pleasantly surprised by the beautiful and sacred music that the choir performed. My husband and I both commented that such sacred music would surely not be welcome in some other communities throughout the country, and how grateful we were that it was still welcome here.</li>
<li>Over the past year, we have attended a number of interfaith concerts, where people from many local churches, including our own, joined together to perform music that uplifted us all. I have been blessed by the efforts and talents by so many people of faith who want to share their love of the Lord by praising him through music. </li>
<li>I've learned that we can find common ground even beyond other Christian faiths. A couple of years ago, we were invited to attended a dinner at a local Muslim church in celebration of Ramadan. We were welcomed, we were friend-shipped, and we were fed in more ways than one. We found common ground in our love of God and family. </li>
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So, while I remain utterly committed to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I am deeply grateful for the blessing of being surrounded by people who grace my life with their testimonies of God and Jesus Christ. Whenever two or three are gathered in His name, wherever it may be, He is there. And I am thankful.</div>
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Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-82876162262125768992013-02-06T22:23:00.001-06:002013-02-06T22:25:32.820-06:00Setting Things DownPrior to starting my blog, I was always impressed with all the bloggers out there who seemed to come up with interesting, entertaining, and delightful things to post--often on a daily basis. Since starting my blog, I have become even more impressed. Because I most definitely don't have things that merit a blog post happening on a daily basis...or maybe I just need to pay closer attention.<br />
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Just yesterday I read this great line in our book club book for this month, "As she [referring to the narrator's sister] only cries about once a year I really ought to have gone over and comforted her, but I wanted to set it all down here. I begin to see that writers are liable to become callous" (<i>I Capture the Castle</i> by Dodie Smith). I cracked up at that, especially since the book was originally published in 1948 and takes place in the early 1930's. I wondered what this quite delightful teenage narrator, Cassandra, who is striving throughout the book to become a writer, would think about things like reality TV, social networking, Twitter, and yes, even blogs. "Setting things down" might become ever so much more overwhelming than the journal-writing Cassandra already finds it to be. Sometimes I have to wonder how people manage to live their lives when they are so busy documenting every detail. It's a puzzle, and it's far too daunting a task for me.</div>
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But, I also believe that writers, to stereotype and generalize quite liberally, are definitely not callous. I know that "setting things down" always helps me be more thoughtful about experiences I have and the people I interact with every day, which is the very opposite of callous. It often helps me sort through what matters most.</div>
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I hope I can strike a balance between living my life and "setting things down." For starters, here's just a little shot from this weekend. As a very land-locked Californian, who manages to keep moving further inland, I am immensely grateful we have a lake five minutes away. If you squint just right, you can imagine you're at the ocean. Or, you can just look in wide-eyed appreciation that at least there's a big body of water so close by. It's one of my favorite places to be here, especially on a beautiful day in early February with my boys and their friends. I am reminded of a quote I have loved since I was a teenager: "Whenever I stray too far from beachland, the ocean calls me back" (Robert Murdoch). The ocean is calling me, loudly, but the lake keeps me patient, just enough, until the next time I can get to "beachland." I am grateful.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of my boys, with two of their friends, contemplating the beauty of the lake...<br />
or, more likely, all the S'mores they just ate. </td></tr>
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Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-81902125206316799882013-01-20T14:58:00.002-06:002013-01-20T14:58:56.461-06:00The Magic Doesn't Always Happen Outside My Comfort ZoneI enjoy exercising every day, but I like to vary my workouts. My husband has maintained the same workout regimen--with fabulous results, I might add--for years. My results, I have to confess, are definitely more sketchy than his, but I certainly don't get bored. Some days I do yoga, others I lift weights and use the elliptical machine, other days I flash back to the 80's for a burst of heart-pumping aerobics. Hands down, though, my favorite workout of the week is on Wednesday, when I hike around the lake nearby with a group of friends. It nourishes me--body, mind, and spirit. I love it!<br />
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Last week, alas, we got a very rare snowstorm and so hiking on Wednesday was out. I decided to seize the opportunity to go to the Zumba class offered at the same time at my community gym. I tried convincing all my hiking buddies to go with me, but had no takers. I got to the gym, got moving, and the lessons started coming fast and furious:<br />
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1. If none of my friends want to join me on an adventure, they may be on to something.<br />
2. If two minutes into something, I already feel awkward, tortured, and humiliated, that probably won't change after 60 minutes. This is particularly the case when an instructor is shouting things like, "Bootie! Bootie!" or "Shimmy! Shimmy!" at me.<br />
3. My sister, Nicole, who is hilarious, gorgeous, and also a fabulous dancer, has this statement on her <a href="http://nicoleriding.blogspot.com/">blog</a>: "My philosophy of life is this: every song deserves a good shimmy. And a jazz square. With maybe a lunge thrown in, if you are extra fancy. Like me." Apparently, I am not extra fancy. And she definitely got all the shimmying ability in the family.<br />
4. On the bright side, I can handle most things for an hour. . .like eating my Brussels sprouts, I just have to get through them. Getting through something <i>without</i> friends around to witness my humiliation can actually be a really good thing.<br />
5. There will be no need to alter my Wednesday morning hiking time in order for me to participate in that Zumba class again. Ever.<br />
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Bottom line: This little diagram I found on Pinterest helped inspire me to start my blog, but it turns out that the magic doesn't <i>always</i> happen outside my comfort zone. Sometimes it's best to stick with what I know and love!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Illustration originally from Alexandra Popovic via Pinterest.)</td></tr>
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</span></span>Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3341002165105886416.post-66616502829234872342013-01-18T11:24:00.001-06:002013-01-18T11:35:47.846-06:00It's time!My name is Carolynn and I like to write. My husband and biggest fan, Tim, has always been supportive of my passion. I still remember when we first married (23 years ago!) walking through a bookstore with him and seeing stacks of Martha Stewart books on display. I enjoyed homemaking, crafting, and decorating at the time and he pointed out the books and said, with complete confidence, "See? You could write a book like that!" At the time, he'd never heard of Martha Stewart; I had, and I had no illusions whatsoever that a book by me would sell like a book by Martha Stewart. You have to be <i>known</i> first, to sell a book like that; the mere idea was ludicrous.<br />
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Tim has continued to encourage me over the years, and when our youngest, Caden, started Kindergarten a couple of years ago, I thought, "What am I going to do with all the wide open spaces of time I will now have? Maybe the time has finally come to write a book." I even began outlining the book I intended to write. It didn't take long for me to find that the wide open spaces of time I'd imagined never materialized. Nor did my book, obviously. I knew this was part time-management, part fear. Did I have so much to say about one topic that it would take a whole book? One of my college roommates--also a mother of five children--Janette, just published her nineteenth novel. I am so inspired and impressed by her! But I knew I'd never write a novel. Coming up with creative stories was never my forte.</div>
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When blogs first appeared some years ago, I was initially opposed to them. Why? I noticed my friends and family that started keeping blogs stopped e-mailing or even responding to my e-mails. I guess they thought I could get updates about their lives through their blogs. This felt dissatisfying to me; I missed the back and forth of a chat or e-mail conversation. I felt blogs were inward-focused, shouting, "Look at me!" when an e-mail or phone call was outward-focused: "How are you?" </div>
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However, over time I have come to anticipate and treasure every update on my friends' and family members' blogs, and Tim kept encouraging me that a blog was the way to go for me too. When I tinkered with the idea of an online Christmas greeting this past year, he decided an e-mail with a picture attached wouldn't do. He thought a full-fledged Christmas blog, complete with pictures and videos, would be just right and that's what we did. It was a bit of torture for me, as I am technologically-challenged. But he knew what he was doing; he knew once I got started, I'd finally realize, "I can do this," and my latent desire to write would find a way.</div>
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With further inspiration from Gretchen Rubin's book, <i>The Happiness Project</i>, I slowly realized that creating my own blog as an outlet for little bits of manageable writing didn't mean I needed to stop corresponding with friends and family. It would just be a place for me to share, once I figured out what I wanted to share. Suddenly, in the midst of my first and last Zumba class*, I realized that I am typically compelled to write when life has little lessons to teach me that I want to capture and remember. The process of writing, for me, helps fragmented thoughts crystallize and preserving these thoughts helps the lessons sink in. Would this framework work for my blog? I decided it would. Of course, my blog will still be part-family history, because my husband and children are the ones who walk with me on my daily journey through life. They help me learn its lessons and make every day magical. Thanks for joining us.<br />
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*Watch for additional lessons I learned in Zumba class in my next post!</div>
Carolynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09337202363673255527noreply@blogger.com4