Nail in the Fence

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails & told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the # of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it & the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.The days passed & the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand & led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the Holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man & draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. " A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile & encourage you to succeed.They lend an ear, they share words of praise & they always want to open their ♥s to us."
Please forgive me if I have ever left a hole in your ♥.

♥ From Me to You ♥

The first 5 people to respond to this post
will receive something fun, from me Just for you.
Of course there are some restrictions & limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It will be done sometime in 2009.
4. You have no clue what it will be... it may be a batch of homemade caramels, fun stickers, or poetry. Who knows?
5. I reserve the right to choose. The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must leave me a lovely comment. Doesn't this sound fun? Can't wait to see who responds!

♥ Happy Valentine's Day! ♥
I hope you all enjoy your long weekend, I know I will.

Security

One of the greatest human needs is a sense of security.

In all aspects of life, we naturally gravitate towards anything that makes us feel safe. When we put ourselves trustingly in His arms we do not have to fear or worry. Little children have that inherent kind of trust in their parents.

My Child

An intimate, up-close-&-personal feeling of the Savior's love.

The only thing that could compare (even remotely) to Christ's compassion for us is the love of a parent for her child.

This image is also intended to put things in perspective. Above all, we are God's children first. He allows us the privilege of experiencing parenthood for ourselves & we are entrusted to be the mothers & fathers of His children here on earth.

Innocence
The Savior tells us we need to become as little children to inherit the kingdom of God. Children are innocent with clean slates, seeing the world & others through untarnished eyes. Their hearts are pure, without the baggage of cynicism & self-doubt. I've tried to imagine how a child would act upon meeting the Master for the first time. Without reservation or inhibition, I think he would simply want to play with Him. He would be at complete ease, allowing his pure little heart to soak in the love & laughter of His pure, infinite heart. Its no wonder Christ delights in these little ones & sets them up to be our examples.

For more precious art go Here !

Give your l♥ve away there's someone needing you.
Give your l♥ve away reach out in all you do.
For you have his l♥ve, it's sent from above.
GIVE YOUR L♥VE AWAY!
Thank you Julie for helping me today,
I think you are amazing, so organized! I love you.

♥Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

♥Don't compare your life to others'.

You have no idea what their journey is.

Advice

Love is an act of endless forgiveness.
♥Forgive everyone for everything.

Andrea has some great pieces of advice on her blog,

& I really wanted them on mine too!

Thank you so much Andrea!

♥Life isn't fair, but it is good.

I believe the best is yet to come.

♥ Happy Birthday Mom ♥

I wish you the very best today, you have earned it!

Thank you for l♥ving me & enriching my life. I have heard that

the first 100 years are the hardest, but you make it look easy. Yesterday Julia said, "Grandma is the best sewer girl I know,

she makes it look so simple. She can crochet without even looking at what she is doing!" You are so great at everything you do.

We l♥ve you.
Julia also said the best artist she knows is Julie Young,
& the most l♥veable girl is me. My daughter is so kind.

♥Loveable Quotes♥

♥Love one another & you will be happy.
It's as simple & as difficult as that. ~Michael Leunig
♥Whether or not you choose to keep your covenant to always remember Him, He always remembers you.-Henry B Eyring
♥Work will win when wishy washy wishing won't.
~Thomas S. Monson
♥If every day is an awakening, you will never grow old.
You will just keep growing. ~Gail Sheehy
♥Friendships multiply joys & divide griefs. ~Thomas Fuller
♥Be one who nurtures & builds. Be one who has an understanding & a forgiving heart, who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them. ~Marvin J Ashton
♥Happiness is the by-product of an effort
to make someone else happy.
♥To live will be an awfully big adventure. ~Peter Pan
♥Forgiving those who hurt us is the key to personal peace.
~G. Weatherly
♥To the world you may be one person,
but to one person you may be the world.
♥It is better to keep your mouth shut & appear stupid
than to open it & remove all doubt. ~Mark Twain
♥Even if you're on the right track,
you'll get run over if you just sit there. ~Will Rogers
♥We gain strength, & courage, & confidence by each experience
in which we really stop to look fear in the face...
we must do that which we think we cannot. ~Eleanor Roosevelt
♥No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
~Eleanor Roosevelt
♥Good timber does not grow with ease.
The stronger the wind the stronger the trees.~Willard Marriott
♥I find that the harder I work,
the more luck I seem to have.~Thomas Jefferson
♥Whether you believe you can, or whether you believe you can't, you're absolutely right. ~Henry Ford (1863-1947)
♥Well done is better than well said. ~Benjamin Franklin
♥I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. ~Abraham Lincoln
♥I have so much to do today that I shall spend
the first three hours in prayer.~Martin Luther
♥There are two lasting bequests we can give our children.
One is roots. The other is wings.~Hodding Carter Jr.
♥A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth
has a chance to get its pants on.~Sir Winston Churchill
♥To laugh often & much, to win the respect of intelligent people & the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics & endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded!~Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
♥May the Lord be as welcome in your world, as you are in His.
♥If we feel a distance between us & the Lord;
remember, it's not the Lord who has moved.
♥It's easy to say no when you know what your yes's are.
♥Instead of grumbling about what you don’t have,
be grateful you don't get what you deserve.
♥Words that soak into the ears are whispered, not yelled.
♥Blessed are those who give without remembering,
& receive without forgetting.
♥Don't cry because it's over.Smile because it happened. -Dr. Seuss
♥Those who do not find time for excercise
will have to find time for illness.~Earl of Derby
♥Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey♥
♥If you ever drop your keys into a river of molten lava,
let'em go, because man, they're gone.
♥I wish I had a dollar for every time I spent a dollar,
because then, Yahoo!, I'd have all my money back!

Have you ever?
Have you ever done anything on this list? If you feel like it, join the fun and highlight the things that you've done on your own list.

1. Started your own blog (Thank you Andrea)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given generously to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Lived in Italy
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had chickenpoxs
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Sat in a jury(called but not chosen)
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Ran a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Had a baby girl
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Seen Grease in a theater(once in Italy when I was little & again in California in 1997)
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Had you own business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Bought girl scout cookies
62. Gone whale watching with your child
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving (no, thank you)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter with your child
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Book of Mormon
86. Visited the White House
89. Saved someone's life
90. Lost a loved one
91. Own a Blackberry
92. Been stung by a bee

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. ♫