The Car Show Tradition

 Every year in January Derek and I head off to the car show.  Sometimes we are just looking at which car would look best with us in it.  This time we were wondering whether, when the time comes, we would replace the van and the truck with a truck, or if we'd just replace the van with an SUV and then get a truck too (which sounds extremely expensive).  Who knows when any of that will be.  We also just like to see which impractical and way too expensive cars we like, or imagine driving those huge camping vans that are missing the all important bathrooms.  Here are the pictures from this year.

Jaguar

Derek in a Jaguar

Derek's choice this year:  The Honda Truck

The breast cancer awareness / tribute jeep (and me)

Derek in the Nissan Z

My impractical car choice:  The Toyota Supra

The Toyota Rav 4.  I'm hoping they would throw in the kayak for "free".

Sunshine!

Teddy has pretty much taken over the bean bag.
He was a little sleepy and is always cute.

 Today was sunny which was really nice.  It was not warm.  But it was sunny.  And, through the sunshine, a whole flock of giant turkeys came flying across the canyon to our yard.  I mentioned yesterday that I like to see those big birds fly - and I do!

Today was driving practice with Dan.  He drove us to the antique store in Spanish Fork, and we walked around in there for a while.  I enjoy seeing old things.  I would enjoy buying them if they didn't cost so much and if I needed them.

Later I got to go and visit one of my friends named Maria.  I have two friends named Maria.  This one has a new grandbaby girl who is beautiful.  She is maybe 7 weeks old and was really cute and smiley while I was talking to her.  I love babies and I always enjoy talking to Maria.  A win for me!

Later I did my Christmas dog puzzle.  Derek helped me finish it.  After that we watched BYU almost win the game against Gonzaga.  Sigh.  So close!   

Questions

This is about a year ago.  It's hard to find pictures of us together!

Tonight, to break up routine, I looked up "questions for couples" and went out and asked some to Derek because I don't think we are very creative in how we spend our time together.  That ended up being my favorite time of today.  I like talking, I just can't always think of something to say without a good prompt!  

My other favorite was Teddy, the abominable snow dog, chasing turkeys with gusto.  It's fun to see those giant birds fly!

I also enjoyed buying new glass containers with lids to keep leftover food in.  Sometimes it is the small things in life :-)

One Thing

I couldn't find a picture of Isabelle fast enough, but she is beautiful like these flowers!

I worked at the temple today answering the phone and I got to talk to my niece Isabelle!  She is preparing to go on a mission to Denmark.  YAY!!!  That was my favorite part of what really was a good day.

Dan and The Wright Brothers

Dan and I are reading The Wright Brothers by David McCullough for a part of his school.  It is very well written and Dan and I are both enjoying it.  It is fascinating to me how the Wright brothers could so consistently be curious and fascinated enough with flight to write to experts, do experiments, build models, and then test models on the beach.  They did this while running their bicycle shop to earn money for all they did.   They did it even though the beach at Kitty Hawk wasn't necessarily a comfortable place to live!  Once an awful cloud of mosquitoes came that they couldn't get away from (Yikes!) They lived in tents for months, cooking over a fire.  It sounds like a miserable adventure!  I'm sure some of it was really fun, but wow!  I wonder what it would be like to be so very determined to learn to do something nobody has done before, and many people said was impossible!

This Savior Who Loves Me

 This Savior Who Loves Me

Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash

Did you ever wonder why the Savior came?

Did He really love me that much?  

Was I really worth the pain?

I imagine Jesus kneeling in the garden all alone

And He sees my face before Him when we were both at home.

And I was very little thinking He was very tall.

I loved Him very much.

And I looked at Him with awe.

He knew when I was born that though He’d remember me,

I would not remember all the things I cannot see.

He knew I’d make mistakes as I try to follow Him,

And He loves me very much and wants to save me from my sin.

I then imagine soldiers who are being very mean,

And hurting Him so badly, worse than anything I’ve seen.

And Jesus thinks of me and how I never intend pain,

But I will make mistakes and I will count upon His name

So I can call upon Him to release me from my shame.

I can see my brother carrying a large and heavy beam

As those who line the streets - spit on Him and scream.

And He knows I won’t be able to carry all my load

When I am here on earth walking on the earthly road.

So He keeps on stepping forward so He can do His part

And lift the heavy load that would be upon my heart.

In my mind I hear the pounding of the nails

As they drive into the hands and feet of He whose love won’t fail.

He doesn’t even cry out as He sees again my face

And He knows there is no other who can ever take His place.

Without Him I’ll be lost and He will not let that be

And He swallows all the pain.  Even more than I can see.

And finally it’s finished.  He’s rescued me from sin

And all I need to do is keep turning unto Him.

This is a blessed miracle, but there is one more still.

I watch as Jesus’ body is carried down the hill.

Tears roll down my face for this brother that loves me.

This will not be the end!  I keep looking and I see.

The stone is rolled away.  The tomb is empty there.

And He lives again.  He took more than I can bear.

And I know the final miracle is that I can live again.

And I also know I want to live my life with thanks to Him.

This Savior who loves me more than I can comprehend.

By Sherie

The idea for this poem came during the Sacrament at church today. I was afraid I would forget and so I started writing it down and had half of it finished before the meeting was over. Hopefully I'll be forgiven for not paying very good attention to the testimonies given. The parts I heard were good!

Visiting

 Kayli and I drove up yesterday to visit my parents.  We kept them up late chatting and then got up late with them to make some pancakes for breakfast.  Pancakes with pecans.  Kayli and I spent a lot of time with my Mom today doing some thrift shopping and working on food for our dinner at Jenny's this evening. Trisa came at a little after four and Kayli, Trisa and I played Jenga.  We played four times.  I lost twice.  At least I didn't lose every time! In the meantime Derek was mostly hanging out with boys.  Brigham in the morning, and Connor, Jake and Dan (and Teddy) in the afternoon / evening.

I don't have many pictures but I do have some!

My Wonderful Mom

My awesome Dad with Lizzie

Lizzie

The fancy decorated Christmas tree at the clubhouse for my parent's neighborhood.

A very happy Brigham and Grandpa Derek

Good Chats

 These pictures have nothing to do with good chats.  They are more about a good grandbaby playing outside with his good Mom.  I just love him so much! (And his parents too)/

This afternoon I got to drive Kayli and Me to my parent's house.  During our ride we had good conversations and also listened to some good conversations on a podcast.  Then we got here and had a very nice evening having good conversations with my parents.  

We covered things from setting boundaries, to reframing the unpleasant and untrue stories we tell, or have told, ourselves, to the signs of the second coming of Jesus Christ.  We talked about our dog friends chasing cats (and deer and cars and turkeys).  We talked about recent tragedies and the favorite, or least favorite places we have lived.

I love having a good chat, and am feeling blessed to have had several good chats in one day!

Also, it's awesome that the quilt on the guest bed was used by my Grandma C. from Kentucky.  It is beautiful!

Sitting With My Feet Up

 Sitting with my feet up is what I really wanted to do today; maybe accidentally fall asleep in front of a mind numbing show, or doze off while reading.  Naturally, this was not that kind of day.  It was a fine day.  I was just tired.  I drove around a lot today taking Dan to seminary and back, driving to a friend's house and back, making a Walmart trip and a trip back home, and taking Jake to buy a car.  What a day!

Jake is a hard worker.  We are proud of him.

Thankfully, this was a day when my daughter-in-law's Mom and her Mom's friend decided to bring us dinner.  How nice!  I probably would have settled for cereal again because it's really easy!  Instead we got lasagna and salad, both of which were really delicious!  

Somewhere in this day I also managed to finish Jake's puzzle that I got him the Christmas before the one that just happened.  It was NOT what I would call a fun puzzle and so nobody wanted to help, including Jake.  He did help a little though.  It was a Star Wars puzzle of Boba Fett and the colors just didn't vary quite enough.  It was a new puzzle that ended up having 3 repeat pieces and one missing edge piece.  Weird.  

I had a picture that showed all three extra pieces but it had more glare.
I took this one in the dark so there is only one glare!  :-)

What Sparks Joy For You?

I  finished "Spark Joy" by Marie Kondo last night.  I bought it a few years ago; maybe after reading her book "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up".  It turns out that I love tidying up!  For me it is fun.  I never did read "Spark Joy" until now.  I just glanced at it now and then and somehow thought it was just going to be instructions on how to fold clothes properly, or how to organize your clothes to spark joy.   I am glad I finally read it.  She told some of her story and I really found the book interesting.  Today I quite enjoyed walking around and pointing out to myself the different things around that spark joy for me.

There were two things outside of the windows today that sparked joy.  One was a black helicopter flying low in the canyon by our windows.  When it got out of sight I ran to a different window and saw it hovering across the canyon as a herd of deer ran across the hill.  That was pretty cool!

Not the helicopter I saw.  We had a blue sky today.
Photo by Creative Illustrations on Unsplash

Later I was doing the budget (which wasn't sparking any joy really) when I heard turkey noises.  I turned and saw one lone turkey out back, but then I looked to the side and saw 30 or 40 marching their way through the snow and up the hill.  It also turned out that the one turkey had a few buddies and they scratched away under the bird feeder finding the seeds the birds threw out with their picky beaks.  After they were done eating this smaller group of turkeys followed the other group up the hill.

These may be some of the same turkeys.  Just from earlier this year.

I also heard a bird yelling.  I figured it had to be my bluebird friend who comes to our bird feeder sometimes and yells to let his friend bluebird know to come.  At least that's what I am guessing though maybe she's just letting the little birds know they have to stay away while she eats.

Not the same birds but they are at least similar.
I need to work on my bird identification skills!
Photo by Liz Guertin on Unsplash

It turns out that there really are a lot of things that spark joy if you look for them!

Words Worth Overhearing

Today was my shift working in the office of the temple.  As I worked I overheard the ladies who were recording in the back talking about another lady who had gone home a while before.  It went something like this:

      "Do you know Karen?"

      "Yes."

      "Isn't she the sweetest?  Every time I come in she gets up and           greets me so enthusiastically that I think I must have done               something really great!"

      "She is very thoughtful and cares about everyone."

I really enjoyed hearing a conversation that was all about the good qualities someone has.  When we speak like that there is no worry that anyone will overhear and be hurt or offended.  It made me want to always have conversations that are worth overhearing! 

A Fun Surprise

Today when Dan's friend got to visit.

Last year Dan had a rough time in high school.  He hadn't been in regular school for a year and a half and had gotten a bit behind with online school.  He had some friends at the beginning of the year that didn't end up being so grand and the whole year was turning into a disappointment.  He wasn't feeling very smart and he was lonely.  And then one day, while he was sitting in the hall eating lunch by himself again, J. stopped and asked him if he would like to join her group.  It turned out to be a very good group and J. a very good friend.  He was invited to activities in the summer and he goes to see them before seminary in the morning.

Today we finally got to meet J. and her Dad (since she came here and he didn't know who we were).  When the knock came at the door I went over to meet her and found that I knew her Dad!  J.'s aunts and uncles and grandparents had been in our ward for years.  I taught one aunt as a young woman at church.  Another aunt is friends with my daughter Tia.  One of her uncles is good friends with my son Connor. I sang in the ward choir with another uncle, and her Dad's twin brother used to be our home teacher!  Her Grandma and one Uncle were here just a couple of weeks before Christmas.

Dan never knew J.'s last name and she never knew his and so it was a surprise; a good one.  I was very thankful to get a chance to tell her Dad how thankful I have been for J..  She came along when she was needed and made a huge difference.  Everyone needs a friend and I am thankful that Dan found a good one. 

A Word For The New Year

I like to pick a word every year that represents something I want to work on.   This past year was "hospitality".  I read a few books on it that I really enjoyed!  I still have a few to finish, but it's okay to still read them:-).  I generally try to work on one word, and then keep working on all the past things as much as possible.  The plan is to learn something I can keep using, or create habits that I can keep up with.

When I pick words, I have learned that it has to be something that I want to work on or not much will happen except guilt for not doing anything.  I also allow myself to pick a new word any time in the year if the one I chose isn't working like I hoped, but usually when I hit upon the word I want to work on, I feel joy, and peace, and excitement for the learning and practicing ahead of me!

This year, after reading a book my sister Tina gave me called "The Power of Fun", it struck me that I want to play more.  I can't choose fun, because the thought makes me panic.  What if I don't have fun when I play?  What if I forgot how?  On the other hand, I can play more, and try to give myself more chances to have fun, to laugh, and smile, and connect with people I love.  So this year my word is "Play".  

Today I played a game with Kayli and Jake that Kayli got for Christmas.  I do think it was fun.  The game is called "The Worst-case Scenario" and it was funny.  We have to put worst-case scenarios in order according to what we think is bad and awful, etc.  We also take turns guessing what others picked.  The scenarios were really pretty ridiculous.  I doubt I'll have the opportunity to be shot out of a cannon, or paddle a canoe through a river of crocodiles, or have to spend the night in a port-a-potty at a construction site any time soon!

We saw goats at the Christensen reunion too.

I do have fun sometimes!  This past year both reunions provided good fun.  I felt like I was in college again at the Christensen reunion while I played volleyball and ran in the grass barefoot playing kick ball!

Brian is awesome.
He was a great
Elvis!

  At the Fuller reunion the combination of lots of wonderful family with my brother being Elvis and singing made for a rollicking good time for me!

Whether you choose a word, a list of goals, or nothing at all, I hope you have a year of joy.