RED,WHITE AND BLUE

     What a beautiful and breathtaking display it was on JULY 4TH, 2013!  My husband and I found an amazing park to head up to where you can see the whole Utah County Valley.  As the beautiful sun set over the western mountains the night sky lighted up!!!!!


     What a colorful display of fireworks.  One right after the other one and not to mention the delayed booms that followed. I loved hearing the cheers from the young and old.  The smiles that shown on all their faces.  I wondered what it would have been like to be in space or flying on a plane and seeing how WE, the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, CELEBRATE, the great birth of our FREE NATION in each of our hearts.

     My husband and I couldn't help ourselves, we started singing and humming to so many of our favorite patriotic songs.  No we didn't get up and sing in public ha ha.  But with tear filled eyes and a heart that was ready to burst with LOVE and GRATITUDE to our forefathers who made all this possible with the very God of our great nation by their sides.  I thought about all the men and women who so boldly continue to protect each and everyone of our freedoms and uphold what those past have worked so hard to create.

     It is my prayer that WE NEVER FORGET, WHAT THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE FLAG MEANS.......  That WE ALL CHOOSE TO NEVER FORGET THE GOD WHO MADE THIS GREAT NATION AND THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND THOSE WHO VALIANTLY STRIVE EACH DAY, EVEN WILLING IF NECESSARY TO GIVE THEIR OWN LIVES TO KEEP US FREE AND UNITED AS "ONE".

     On the positive side of life I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!!!!

BORN TO SUCCEED!!!!!!!!

     I am sure you have all heard the story of the UGLY DUCKLING right?  What great lessons we can learn from this story about succeeding in life. I mean here is this poor little duckling newly hatched and already it is told just how ugly and different it is.  How it doesn't fit in and never will.  How it is shuned and left alone.  Does any of this ring a bell in our own lives at times?  How many times do we feel like a failure an outcast.  Sometimes as little children we don't even realize that we are different until someone points it out to us that they think we are.
     I hope with all my heart that WE ALL skip to the END of the UGLY DUCKLING story where he finds out that ALL the things he ever THOUGHT or were TOLD to him WEREN'T TRUE!!!!!!!!  That he did matter and even found out how AMAZING AND TOP NOTCH HE REALLY WAS.  HE WAS A SWAN, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND GRACEFUL OF THEM ALL.......
     When we look at others, let us ALL look at them as if they have something wonderful about them to succeed in life......

     I mean just think, WHAT IF??????, ON THE POSITIVE SIDE!!!!!

I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WHEN IT CAME TO THE END OF DECEMBER THAT INSTEAD OF THE WORLD ENDING IT WAS TIME TO THINK ABOUT STARTING A NEW BEGINNING WITH THE NEW YEAR?

     I first want to say how much I appreciate all those you take the time to read each and everyone of my posts.  What a wonderful year this has been.  Yes full of ups and downs as life teaches us lol.  But the cool thing is that it doesn't matter there is always something POSITIVE that ends up happening.  To actually think that the world would end in December sounded so crazy to me.  I guess for some it was a true test of faith.  As a member of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints.  I am grateful that we have a living Prophet that leads and guides our church.  What a LIGHT he is in a time where some really believed that the world was going to end. 

     I LOVE this time of year.  In fact my son told us on Monday night that one of his all time favorite Christmas songs is by 98 Degrees, Called IF EVERYDAY COULD BE CHRISTMAS.  I love this song to.  Boy how I really do wish that EVERYDAY COULD BE CHRISTMAS.  Can you imagine what impact that would have on everyone.  I can and I would love it.

     Is it possible to start this January off thinking like that?  What an amazing beginning to a New Year that would make.  Perhaps we would really come to know the true meaning of Christmas, I mean you can't buy presents everyday so you would actually have to think of other clever ways to celebrate the magic of Christmas in your lives.

     Well whatever you chose to do to begin this New Year off to a great start, be sure and make it a great goal....... And ON THE POSITIVE SIDE..... you might just want to add a little attitude of CHRISTMAS in your everyday life.

                              MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!!!!!!

http://mormon.org/me/68S7

http://mormon.org/me/68S7

What it means to be THANKFUL!!!!!

     What does it really mean to be THANKFUL?  Does it mean to just be able to know in your heart that for one day everything is calm.  Perhaps it's being able to sit and ponder about all the ways you have been blessed in your life and writing them all down in your journal.  There are so many ways to find the real meaning in the word THANKFUL.

     I found out that one of the real meanings of the Word THANKFUL is to be HUMBLE.  Does it really do any of us good to just be able to sit and be content or thankful for just what we have?  How do the words THANKFUL and HUMBLE really relate in your own personnel and family life?  As I have had the chance to read and ponder on just this thought I have truly come to know how it all fits together.

     When we are TRULY THANKFUL don't we want to SHARE THAT WITH EVERYONE AROUND US, and in order to do just that don't we have to get out of our comfort zone. By doing that don't you soon find out what it means to actually become so HUMBLE that you have the desire and want to show others why your THANKFUL for them.

     I believe that this is the one way to fully understand what it really means to be THANKFUL! 

     On the POSITIVE SIDE!!!!!!  It's my hope that all of us will truly be THANKFUL and in so doing become so HUMBLE that we can find only the GOOD in all others and actually show EVERYONE whom we know and meet just how THANKFUL we are that they are apart of our lives.
    
      I for one am so THANKFUL for ALL of YOU!!!!!  Even those I haven't had the chance to meet yet.  Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my blogs and sometimes even comment on your feelings.  I learn so much each and everyday and I LOVE IT!!!!

When Life Hands You A Pillow Hit Someone On The Head With It!!!!!

     Ok, Ok, how many times in my life do I wish someone would have hit me on the head with a PILLOW??????  Probably a million plus times, besides, at least there SOFT!!!!!!

     I should have learned a lot of things but being stubborn, old me I didn't.  Oh how I wished I would have.  The funny thing is that now I am trying to get my own family members to listen to me........  only to find out that I am the only one listening to me time and time again.  Of course I have gotten wiser now and I just so happen to keep A LOT of PILLOWS at my house and on occasion end up using them.

     I guess what this all boils down to is trying to be a parent.  Trying to help your posterity learn what mistakes NOT to make in life.  Teaching others to avoid the pit falls so that they don't have to stumble and get stopped in their tracks.  Basically trying to SAVE THEM TIME AND HEARTACHE.

     I decided to have a discussion with my children on this matter and even some of their friends.  It was a wonderful discussion and they all had such great points of view and yes all of them were true.  But the one thing I learned about all of this was.........

     Mom, you have taught us, you have helped us and you have even tried to protect us from all of life's tests, but Mom, eventually we have to GROW UP and LEARN and yes EVEN MAKE MISTAKES.  Come on Mom didn't you do all of that?  Yes even my own children and their friends teach me.  No Mom you aren't a failure, you have done it all and to your BEST.  I mean look at all of US!!!!!!  That's when I fully understood what they were saying. 

     On the POSITIVE SIDE OF LIFE, YOU HAVE TO TRUST US AND BELIEVE IN US AND NOT RESCUE US BUT SUPPORT US AND YES KEEP HELPING US TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND ACHIEVE!!!!!!!!!

     Like my Son asked me, Mom what does a Mother Robin Bird do to her Little birds when she feels they are grown?  She PUSHES them OUT of the NEST!!!!!!!!!                           
                                               xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

FAMILY DINNER TIME!!!!!!

     You know what?  If there was ever a important event in a families life I would have to say it would be the simple, moment of FAMILY DINNER TIME!  Sounds crazy but after 30 years of married life and 26 of those with children added to our little family, we are STILL having family dinner time.

     It was pretty easy to achieve when we first started out, but as technology advanced and busy lives that NEVER seem to STOP came into play, I am not going to lie it has been a challenge to achieve.  I remember that I could turn off the T.V. and leave the phone hanging on the wall or on the counter and simply walk into another room all together.  Then the answering machine came along to take the calls and the days of recording your favorite shows was possible so you didnt miss out on anything.

     I could handle those days.  But along came technology that all the sudden CAME WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU WENT, it seemed to NEVER LEAVE YOUR SIDE or TURN OFF.  Well that is when the so called DREADED FAMILY DINNER TIME RULES CAME INTO FORCE!!!!!!!  They were simple!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"  ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES ARE TO BE TURNED OFF AND REMOVED FROM THE DINNER TABLE.  THE WORLD CAN WAIT, BUT FAMILY DINNER TIME CANNOT"

    Trust me, I had more than one member not to happy, but they respected what we were trying to do and it sure was nice to see their bright shiny eyes and smiles for once.

     Now I am sure you are wondering why I chose this topic.  Well even after 30 years of starting with two in my family to adding a few more, we still have FAMILY DINNER TIME.  Good old fashioned sit down at the dinner table and gather all around time. We turn off those electronic devices and just for a brief moment, but a lasting moment we do what ALL FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS SHOULD DO AT DINNER TIME.....

TALK AND LAUGH AND SHARE AND EAT AND ENJOY EACH AND EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!  AND ON THE POSITIVE SIDE OF LIFE................

"THATS WHAT COUNTS"

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo