Virtue is Gold

"Now is the time for a return to virtue!"

I am excited to hear that the value of virtue has been added

to the Young Women theme. "Virtue is a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards. It encompasses chastity and moral purity. I believe one virtuous young woman led by the Spirit can change the world."

♥ Beauty ♥

Audrey Hepburn l♥ved this poem. I do too.
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored,renewed, revived, reclaimed, & redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand,

you will find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands;

one for helping yourself, & the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,

the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows,

& the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

-Sam Levenson

Eat for Good Health

♥A Tomato has 4 chambers, our heart has 4 chambers. Tomatoes are loaded with lycopine & are indeed pure heart & blood food.



♥A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left & right hemisphere, upper & lower cerebellums. The wrinkles the nut are like the neo-cortex. Walnuts help develop more than 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

♥Kidney Beans actually heal & help maintain kidney function.



♥Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries



♥Onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. Garlic helps eliminate waste materials & dangerous free radicals from the body.

♥Oranges & Grapefruits look like the mammary glands of a female. Citrus fruit assists the health of the breasts & the movement of lymph in & out of the breasts.

♥A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. Carrots greatly enhance blood flow to & function of the eyes.



♥Avocadoes target the health & function of the womb & cervix of the female. When a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, & prevents cervical cancers. Did you know it takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit?

♥Celery targets bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium & celery is 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. Celery will replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

♥Figs are full of seeds & hang in 2's when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm & increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility.





♥Grapes are heart and blood vitalizing food.

Christmas Gift Ideas

♥Pen: "Draw" near unto the Lord this Holiday season!
♥Twizzlers Licorice: "Twiz" the season to be jolly! ♫
♥Soup or soup mix: Wishing you a "Souper" Holiday Season!
♥Apples & Hugs: A teacher can't live on apples alone, she needs "Hugs" too!
♥Loaf of Bread: No matter how you "Slice it", you do a terrific job loving Others.
♥Jolly Ranchers: Have a Holly "Jolly" Christmas!
♥Chex Party Mix: Remember Santa "Chex" his list twice to see who's been naughty or nice...so be good for goodness sake!
♥Wire wisk: (Filled with kisses) "We WHISK you a Merry KISSmas!
♥Jar of Jelly: jelly is like love - you can't spread it around without getting some on yourself!
♥Jam: "Hoping your Christmas is "jam" packed with cheer"
♥Scentsy: "May this sweet scent bring back thoughts of warm Christmasses long ago!"
♥Measuring Cup: "Wishing you Joy Beyond Measure!
♥Bananas: If we could choose our friends, and we searched the whole world through, we'd go bananas trying to find a better bunch than you!
♥Wooden spoon: Whether stirring up cakes, cookies, soups or souffles; You'll find this spoon useful in so many ways. But whatever it's use, it says, Merry Merry Christmas from us to you!
♥Hugs: A friend always knows when you need a little hug!
♥Basket: Wishing you a basket full of Christmas blessings
♥Candle: May the you feel the light of our Savior this Christmas & always♥May your days be happy, your heart be light, your Christmas merry and the New Year Bright!
♥Oranges: Orange" you glad we're Friends!?
♥Mints: Friends like you are worth a Mint!
♥Light Bulb: Have a bright and radiant Christmas
♥Bubble Gum: May your holidays "Bubble" over with fun!
♥Pencil & pad: Merry Christmas from our pad to yours!
♥Hope your Christmas is something to write home about!
♥Mug & Hot Chocolate Mix: We wish you all a cup of Cheer!
♥Muffins or Muffin mix: " You're getting "Muffin" for Christmas!
♥Crayons and Coloring Book: Hope your Holidays are Colorful!
♥Soda: We're "soda-lighted" to wish you a Merry Christmas!

♥ I remember when Santa told me about the JOY pin he was wearing on his hat. He said....The J is for Jesus. O is for Others.

Y is for Yourself. He told me to find true JOY in your life...

You should first think of Jesus, then Others & then Yourself.

♥ I will never forget that. ♥

Jesus vs. Santa

Santa lives at the North Pole. Jesus is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh. Jesus rides the wind & walks on water.

Santa comes but once a year. Jesus is an ever present help.

Santa fills your stockings w/ goodies. Jesus supplies our needs.

Santa comes down your chimney. Jesus stands at your door & knocks, & then enters your heart. ♥

You have to stand in line to see Santa.

Jesus is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap. Jesus lets you rest in His arms.

Santa says "Hi little girl, What's your name?"

Jesus knows our name. He knows our needs & desires.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly.

♥Jesus has a heart full of love.♥

Santa offers a HO HO HO. Jesus offers health, help & hope.

Santa says "You better not cry".

Jesus says "Cast all your cares on me."

Santa's little helpers make toys. Jesus makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes & builds mansions.

Santa makes you chuckle but Jesus gives you joy.

Santa puts gifts under your tree, Jesus died on the tree for us.

There really is no comparison. Jesus is the reason for the season!

♥ Every child needs a stable beginning. ♥

Words to live by...

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. ~Robert Brauit

The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache. ~Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
How did a nice girl like me get into a mess like this? ~M. Hinckley
"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived." ~Marjorie Pay Hinckley

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
~Winston Churchill

Feeling gratitude & not expressing it is like wrapping a present & not giving it.
~William Arthur Ward

If you want your children to turn out well,
spend twice as much time with them, and half as much money.
~Abigail Van Buren

President Ezra Taft Benson said it best when he urged “unrushed & loving” time with your kids...Here are his 10 suggestions.
1. Take time to be @ the crossroads when they are coming & going.
2. Take time to be a real friend to your children. Listen to them, talk with them, laugh and joke with them, sing with them, play with them, cry with them, hug them, honestly praise them.
3. Take time to read to your children.
4. Take time to pray with your children.
5. Take time to have a meaningful weekly home evening.
6. Take time to be together at mealtimes as often as possible.
7. Take time to daily read the scriptures as a family.
8. Take time do to things as a family.
9. Take time to teach your children. “Mothers, you are your children's best teacher. Don't shift this precious responsibility to baby sitters. A mother's love and prayerful concern for her children are her most important ingredients in teaching.”
10. Take time to truly love your children.
“A mother's unqualified love approaches Christ-like love.”

♥ SnOwFlaKeS ♥

* Great Templates! *

Body Worlds

Today I attended an Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies. It was fascinating & educational for both Julia & I.
We were able to discover what we are made of. Among my favorite parts was the stages of a fetus from conception to birth.
I was most interested in the 9 week old fetus with 10 beautiful tiny fingers, it was amazing. I learned that athletes have really big hearts. I know that when you exercise your heart gets stronger, but I did not know that it can weigh up to 17 ounces. The average heart is 10 ounces. Looking at a set of black lungs made me glad that I do not smoke. There were many quotes throughout the exhibit, I want to document a couple of them.
"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." ~The 14th Dalai Lama (1935-)
The Case of Happiness
Optimists - those who think the glass is half full - are less likely to die of heart disease than pessimists - those who think the glass is half empty.
Is the glass 1/2 full or 1/2 empty? You decide.

Give Thanks

I want to give thanks for my bounteous blessings. I am grateful to dine with my family & friends today. I am thankful for a warm home & clean drinking water. I am thankful for my car that is safe & reliable. I am thankful that my wonderful family is healthy. I am thankful that gas is cheap. On July 15th I paid $4.15 a gallon, now it is $1.50! I am thankful for sunshine. I am thankful that I have enough. I am happy.

♥ Twilight...I loved it! ♥

Favorite scenes:

• Port Angeles ~ Edward saves Bella. What a guy!
• Walking through the parking lot at school & Edward says "I'm going to hell anyways" & puts his arm around Bella. SO CUTE!
• The baseball Game
• At the Prom ~ "...isnt that enough?"

It was a great movie and can't wait for New Moon! Julia loved it too. She says she can't stop thinking about it. Julia drank too much Lemonade so she missed the whole ballet scene.

Sharing Time

I am in charge of Sharing Time in Primary on the 23rd.
My lesson will be centered on the November theme.

I am thankful to know that we are all children of God.

Did you know that being thankful is a commandment?

D&C 59:7 "Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things."

One of the ways we can show our gratitude is to show respect

& kindness to all of His children. After my lesson, I will compare people to jelly beans. Thank you Lauren for the great idea.

Every jelly bean has something special which makes it different from the others. Each one is uniquely colored, & some are even spotted! Some are tart, some sweet, some sweeter.

Some get scooped up right away & some get saved for later.

But although each one's different & some favored over others,

Put 'em all in a basket & they all go great together!

Jelly beans wouldn't be so attractive if they were all identical.

Do you know exactly what a jelly bean is like if you don't taste it?

Jelly beans are like people ~ you've got to get to know them. I appreciate everyone & the many talents that they have.

I am so grateful that we are different.

How boring would it be if we were all exactly the same?

Thank you for being such wonderful jelly beans. FYI: Tutti Fruitti is my favorite.

♥ I'm Lovin' It! ♥

I am honored to be awarded an I'm Lovin' It Blog Award!

Thanks Andrea!

Five Things I LOVE:
1. Julia ♥

2. My Family
3. My Friends

4. The Gospel
5. My Life!

I can hardly wait! Even though I just read the book last month. I will always be Team Edward.

Joy

Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are. -Marianne Williamson

Full of Grace

McCain's concession speech. Well done.
A big day in history. I'm proud to be an American.

A Sweet Reminder...

Please vote, if you have not already.

Cherish

Julia has beautiful handwriting & she is
a great speller, but I will translate anyway.

Dear Mama,
Hi. I love you. Your the best Mom in the whole world! I could not have a better Mom! Thank you for making me delicious dinner, you are very very good at it. I love it when you read to me.
Happy Mother's Day!
Love,
Julia

I know that Julia will not remember me

for the material things I provide,

but for the feeling that I cherish her.

I cherish every letter from my daughter.

I cherish Julia & the life that I have.

For the L♥ve of PoLkA DoTs!

Julia & I had a great time this year carving pumpkins.
This one is our favorite!

I have to admit Julia did most of the work.

Julia said it was easier to do without

my help, so I took pictures!

We both used gloves so we would not get so messy.

Julia loved using this cool tool...

I purchased this apple corer from

Williams-Sonoma to making carving circles a snap!

My mom carved stars in her pumpkin...so cute. ♫

Award for Best Picture?

This is the best Halloween picture I have.
Happy Halloween!

Mark, is that a nail in your head?
I will never forget Dec. 4th 2007.
Mark said to the doctor, "I think when the nail hit my cheek bone, the nail bent & went around the bone.
The doctor said, "You don't think the nail went right through your cheek bone?"
Mark said, "Well, I drink a lot of milk."
Mark cracks me up, even when he has a 3 inch nail in his head!

The Witches Inn

What can I say, this witch is beautiful!
I absolutely love her. She is flying above my bed.

I think her painted toenails are adorable.
Thank you Andrea for finding her for me.

No other witch can compare.

Bedroom Makeover

Now that Mark is on his mission, it was time to
do some work in his room. Andrea motivated
me to get this room done over UEA weekend.

We tore out the carpet, that was a nasty job.
Thank you so much Udo for all your help,
you are the strongest man I know.

We painted the walls, the closet & even the ceiling.
Thank you Andrea for painting with me until the
wee hours of the morning! I would have never attempted this project without your help.

Thank you Julia for painting this closet,
you have more patience than anyone I know.
You did a fabulous job!

I love the how the new paint lightened up this room.

We changed the Cookie Monster Blue carpet

to a beautiful Neutral Brown.

We changed the light switch & all 4 outlets to bright white instead of ivory. It is amazing how something so small can make such a huge difference. I am so grateful for Andrea who taught me how to do this without getting electrocuted. Safety First!

There was no light fixture, so I bought a new one.

I am so glad that Andrea talked me into painting

the ceiling, it looks great!

My favorite picture "Perfect Love".

The lap quilt at the end of my bed was made by my Mother when I got married many moons ago. When my Mom came to look at the progress I had made, she gasped! She had thought I had given it away because she had never seen me use it. I assured her that it was always safely stored in my hope chest, waiting for the day it would match my bed spread. I love anything homemade...why would I ever give it away? I love you mom, & I will always treasure the things that you make for me. I painted the headboard & foot board black, it looks fantastic! Does anyone remember the blue blinds that used to be here? UGLY! I decided to hang window treatments instead. I love the new look.

Thank you to Andrea, Udo, & Julia.

I could not have done this without you!

Thank you Mom for letting me do this project.

I know Mark has no idea what has happened to

his room, but I want to thank him. Mark, thank you

for letting me enjoy your new room...I Love It!