Tonnes of pictures.

Okay, I'm not really Canadian. But lots of cool things come out of Canada.

Here are lots of pictures I pulled off the camera yesterday. I don't have the mad photography skills of my sisters and nieces, or a super great camera- put my point and click does the job for now.












I would love to have her auburn hair. And new couches.


Abby's first day of Kindergarten

The Kitchen Table

This table lived at my sister Lynda's house for probably 15 years before she passed it on to me. Her family is almost grown; mine is just getting started.

I spent a lot of time at Lynda's house growing up. It was a place of refuge, comfort, and understanding when my teenage life was in melodramatic turmoil. A lot of hours were spent at this table talking, laughing, crying, making things.

When she brought it to my house a few years ago, she apologized for the paint on the finish. She and Stephanie had done lots and lots of crafting there, and sometimes some paint was left behind. I'm happy that I got to share in some of that. Now there's even more paint from the projects I do with my own daughters.

The kitchen is the life of a home, I think, and the table is its heart. I think that might be why we're so often advised and counseled to share our meals together, sitting around the table as a family.

This year I decided to brave Thanksgiving dinner. I lost a week of sleep over it (I get myself so worked up!) When the day came around, I found myself doing something my mom has always done: I ventured outside to find whatever twigs and branches I could to use in a centerpiece. My friend brought some of her things, too, and created something beautiful. My mother-in-law brought the plates and goblets and cloth napkins that she's used on Thanksgiving for years and years. It was a beautiful setting. I wish I had taken a picture.

I have this funny habit of looking for metaphors and analogies in everything. As we put together traditions from my childhood, and my husband's, and some of my friend's, it was nice to see how well they all fit together. Life is kind of like that, I think.

I keep thinking about painting this table, or refinishing it. My inner sentimental sap doesn't really want to. We'll see.

Frog in the mud

be"Years ago when I first received an appointment that resulted in my picture being in the newspapers, one of my high school teachers, evidently quite astonished, was heard to say, “That just proves that you can’t tell by looking at a frog how high he is going to jump!”

The image of that frog, sitting in the mud instead of jumping, illustrates how inadequate I have felt when facing the responsibilities that have come to me.

These feelings fix it so that thereafter one can never feel superior to anyone, not anyone." (Boyd K. Packer, "The Weak and the Simple of the Church, General Conference, October 2007)

For weeks I've been thinking about what I want to make my life. I'm happy with what I've accomplished. I enjoyed working when I was in that time. Now I have three really great little girls. I'm not a perfect mom, but I'm always trying to improve. I have an incredible romance and marriage with my sweetheart. I'm teaching piano, and learning more than I'm teaching, I think.

Those are all things I've done. But I've been thinking about who I'm supposed to be. Who Heavenly Father wants me to be. Now, of course we become by doing. . . but first we determine who we want to become, and set that goal in our hearts.

I went to bed last night with a very heavy heart. So many people I know and care about are struggling. For some reason, right now I'm feeling really aware of the heartaches and trials of the people around me, and they're weighing on me. I was feeling very small and helpless to change the hurt around me. As it is, I'm having a hard time keeping up with my own stuff.

My own stuff. . . we all have our issues, don't we? Those dark little corners in our hearts where we lick our wounds and revisit old pain. Who has the energy to deal with anything beyond our own issues? Maybe when I'm feeling healed and whole, then I can reach out and help. . .

But I remember years ago when I was having a really, really hard time in my life. I was very inwardly focused, centered in on my own heartache. My sweet mom told me several times, "Lose yourself in service." I kind of rolled my eyes (when she couldn't see me) and thought it was one of those mom catch phrases that mothers throw around when they don't know what else to say.

She was so right.

We are called upon to bear each others' burdens, mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort. I don't think that that is only for the benefit for the ones we're serving. There his healing in comforting others, growth in mourning together.

There is Becoming in bearing one anothers' burdens.

So last night when I read about that frog in the mud, I thought about myself. I could wallow in my own mud, thinking of how pointless it would be to try to jump out of it, focusing on all of the cold, sticky mess around me. Or I could do my best to find the most steady ground I can and see just how high I can jump. Keep trying, strengthen my muscles, and maybe as I leap forward, I'll find better ground under my feet. That doesn't happen if you just stay where you are, does it?

This morning, I'm going to see how high and how far I can leap.

TAGGED! If you're reading this, you're tagged, too.

Yourself: happy, spacey, hopeful

Your partner: ambitious, tenacious, workaholic, funny, warm

Your hair: long-ish and blonde

Your mother: Amazing, angelic, generous, compassionate, selfless, musical, hardest worker I know

Your father: generous, musical, fun, gives great hugs, hardworking, unstoppable

Your favorite item: my wedding ring

Your dream last night: dreamed about seeing some old friends

Your favorite drink: when it's cold, Pero or hot chocolate. Otherwise, ice water

Your dream car: something with at least 6 seats would be nice!

Dream home: Something with a big daylight basement on a little bit of land with lots of big trees

The room you are in: TV room/den

Your fear: Losing someone I love

Where you want to be in 10 years: as long as my family is safe and happy and holding to the rod, I'll be happy

Who you hung out with last night: ....my family.

You're not: excited about cleaning the house today. Or patient.

One of your wish list items: A minivan, but I don't want a car payment again.

The last thing you did: Took my oldest daughter to the bus stop

You are wearing: jeans and a white tunic.

Your favorite weather: Fall!

Your favorite book: How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn

Last thing you ate: toast

Your life: content and sometimes a little chaotic

Your mood: mellow

Your best friend: my husband

What are you thinking about right now: thinking about what I'm thinking about right now

Your car: Saturn sedan

What are you doing at the moment: watching news and answering this stuff

Relationship status: very happily married

What is on your t.v: Matt Lauer

When is the last time you laughed: this morning when I was making up a wake-up song and dance and my oldest daughter shook her head at me and rolled her eyes a little. Success!

Christmas challenge

Well we made it through Halloween, and I actually exercised a certain measure of self-control in the candy department. Too bad I didn't have as much self-control with the cookie dough Sunday night. I got a horrible case of food poisoning. It's not a myth! Cookie do CAN make you sick! Consider yourself informed.

I'd like to issue a challenge to anyone that might actually come across our obscure little space here. The holiday season is on the doorstep. Most of us, at least those of us with computers and internet access, are very blessed materially. There are those who aren't. When it starts to get cold outside, my thoughts turn to those without a warm place to go. My heart aches to think about having little children, and what if they were hungry or cold, and I couldn't do much about it? Even Christmastime. We haven't been rich but we have plenty, and the kids get a nice Christmas. I feel blessed that we can do that for them, especially knowing personally of at least a family or two who are wondering how to even get a tree, let alone things to put under it.

So my challenge is this: step outside of yourself this Season. Help at a rescue mission. Donate food to the Ronald McDonald House. Help a family that doesn't have as much (again, I know of at least one, if you'd like to help us help them out). Donate to the food bank, or give money to Salvation Army every time you pass a red bucket. Look for somewhere to help anywhere you can. Christmas is sweeter when it's centered on giving.