Friday, January 30, 2009

A Little Bit of Trivia Game

The game is , you copy and paste it into your blog and bold the ones you have done.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (twice and it was very scary)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (No, but have been there)
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train ( I went to Seattle from California, over 25 hours)
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. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run ( I guess I Wii Sports doesn't count)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (yes, some of the ones born in Massachusetts, I would still love to go to Italy some day)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing and collecting not rapeling
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen 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. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie ( I guess home movies don't count)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia (No, but I've been to Moscow, Idaho, USA)
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies ( have eaten way to many in my life though)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (it's nothing to write home about)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square (and visited Central Park, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island)
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been 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
80. Published a book (my blog book, and it's time to make another one!!)
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 Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (I have met Jay Leno, Tom Brokaw, Katie Couric, Al Roker, Ann Curry, and David Hasselhoff, the Knight Rider guy.
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby ( 6 of them)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument (the flute and little tiny bit of piano)

Anyone can play. Who is willing to give it a try??

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Reading Program


Did you ever participate in a summer reading program as a child?? Or sign up your own children every summer?? I did both. Guess what?? Now my library has an "Adult Winter Reading Program". What a great idea!! Those who finish get a book bag and a chance to win a gift basket. I am all signed up and have two books checked out, The Alchemist and The Life of Pi. I need to read 8 books by April 15th (ha ha, they knew everyone would remember TAX DAY). Eight books in three months. That sounds easy. However, five of the books have to come from certain categories. That helps us read "out of our comfort zone". Here's the categories:

An American classic

A work of historical fiction

A Pulitzer Prize Winner

a childhood favorite

Read a book/watch the movie

Three of my own choosing

The bottom three are easy as pie, I have them covered. But, I'm wondering about the top three. Can you give me some idea's in those categories. Please share your favorite American Classic, work of historical fiction and Pulitzer Prize winner. Thank you.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

God's Hands

Did you ever meet anyone who lived their life going about doing good assumingly? I know someone who lives that way everyday. He is an amazing 80 year old gentleman. Brother Miller is my home teacher, my friend and my fellow family history compatriot. We both serve as family history consultants for our ward (LDS congregation). Brother Miller must be the most technological savvy octogenarian I know. He actually has a iPhone!!
I really appreciate how Brother Miller is willing and happy to share his resources. He has a computer projector and a little wireless satellite internet modem for laptop computers that he brings to help me teach my family history Sunday school class. (If he is going to be out of town he will even entrust his expensive equipment to my care. Scary.) This great resource allows me to log on to the internet and teach those in the class how to use New FamilySearch. I really appreciate all he does to help me serve in my calling. Brother Miller is an instrument in God's Hands that blesses my life.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

What Is Wrong??


There are two things very wrong in this picture. You can click on it to make it bigger if that helps you. There are a some things missing. Do you know what they are or do you give up?? Maybe you would like a hint??
One big hint is, that was taken two days ago, that's January, as in winter time, our rainy season, the wettest month of the year.

Well, one really big thing wrong is, that the hills should be a beautiful lush green by this time of the year. The other thing missing is a creek. The Pismo Creek should be flowing to the ocean. Those people ahead should not be walking on sand, they should be trodding in knee deep water.

We need rain!!




Tuesday, January 6, 2009

La Befana

La Befana was spotted last night!!

We were invited to a have Family Home Evening with a few families in our ward. The Italian mythical character, La Befana came as the children, and adults too cried out:

La Befana vien di notte
Con le scarpe tutte rotte
Col vestito alla romana
Viva, Viva La Befana!

English translation :
La Befana comes by night
With her shoes all tattered and torn
She comes dressed in the Roman way
Long life to the Befana!




La Befana had a bag filled with wrapped candy for all the good little boys and girls. Strange, but La Befana looks a lot like my friend, Stella. Stella is more than a friend she is my daughter's mother-in-law and Tommy's other grandma.



Stella was born in Italy and every year she celebrates Epiphany by sharing the story of La Bafana. I'm always happy to be invited because this tradition is part of my heritage too!!




Here is a good book to learn more La Befana, the poor old lady was too busy sweeping and cleaning to go with the Magi to worship the Baby Jesus. She has a change of heart, but is too late, so she wonders Italy giving gifts of candy to children. It is a great lesson to be learned. We should never be like La Befana, sweeping is never more important than the Savior.


Thank you, Stella, we enjoyed our evening!!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Monday's Memories

MOVING DAY!!

Twice in my life I have had big moving days in January. The first was in 1960 when I was only six years old. My family traveled by car clear across the country from Laconia, New Hampshire to Inglewood, California. That old Rambler was loaded up and pulling a trailer with all our belongings.



It was such an adventure for our family!! I remember it being a very long drive. We slept at Travel Lodge's across the country and had fun looking for the Sleepy Bear logo!! I can't believe it is still around today.



Back in those days, there were no DVD players in automobiles or electronic toys to occupy bored little boys and girls. I'm just not sure how we possibly survived!! We had fun with coloring books and my favorite travel game, sliding puzzles!!

(Anyone else remember these?? I used to be really good at this!!)

The one thing that totally surprised me in our travels was the desert!! What a difference from the freezing, snowy land we left behind. Sand, sand and more sand. Oh, and a few cactus thrown in here and there!! When we arrived in Los Angeles it was a little culture shock. We rented a little house. I remember my Dad burning trash in the incinerator one day, when the police came by for a visit.
Apparently it was against the law to use the incinerator, but no one told us. I think that back East a friendly neighbor or even the landlord would have warned us first before calling the authorities.

Anyway, that's how I became a California girl!! I'm a nice one too!!

Next week, I will tell you about our fun move from Humboldt County to the Central Coast. When U-Haul says "Adventures in Moving" they aren't kidding!! Do they still say that?? Do they care, that I'm advertising for them by providing a hyper-link?? Probably not.


New Year's Eve

We had a fun filled New Year's Eve Day!!

I was finally able to visit the recently renovated San Luis Obispo Children's Musuem. They had some pretty cool exibits as the next few pictures will attest!!


This was a water mill. When you turn the wheel, water is suctioned into the tube and travels up to the top. If you go fast you can make water go over little dams. There is something about water and children that really go together!!





This was a great pipe organ! You could change the tone by putting your hand over the pipes.






Off go David and Spencer to catch a bad guy!!




I just got a tickle out of the name of this Trucking Company!! San Luis Obispo has fun with it's initials!!




Fire equipment is always big with the boys!!



And volcano's too!!





The cleverest idea was the Noon Year's Eve Celebration. They passed out noise makers for all the children, and little cups of apple juice for a toast. Then right before noon they counted down to celebrate the New Year!! Too fun!!







This was a great little spinner thingie!! I don't even know what to call it, but Andrew and Leah certainly enjoyed it!!





Right before dinner we went down to the beach to watch the sunset! What a special treat!! Venus was sitting under the moon. Later on when it was little more dark we also saw Mercury and Jupiter!! That is the most planets I've seen in one night in my whole life!!


Rachel and Joey enjoyed a quiet stroll.








Brad fixed dinner for us, New Years Eve!! It was yummy pizza. Four different kinds!!!

Pistachio, this was very tasty.





This on was actually gluten-free!! Joey appreciated that!!





There was also meatball!! Brad said this one didn't come out well, but we figured out he just wanted to eat it all himself!!



Spencer and Andrew were very satisfied customer's. Thank you, Brad!! Your the best!!

(p.s. Will you please take the ugly picture of me off your blog? I was nice to you!! LOL)





Rachel and Joey trying to get in a New Years kiss!!

Throughout the day I actually celebrated New Years four times!! At noon at the Children's Museum, at 9 pm for Andrew and Spencer before they headed off to bed, at 11 pm for Rachel and Joey who wanted to stay on Mountain Standard Time, and at midnight!! I wonder if that is a record??? I'm grateful for all the blessings of 2008, and looking forward to a wonderful 2009!!
Happy New Years!!


Sunday, January 4, 2009

GOD'S HAND

Recognizing God's Hand in my life is one of my resolutions for this year. Actually, I like to think of resolutions as gifts. Gifts to the Lord. Gifts to myself. I know I will be blessed as I take time to more fully recognize how much God's Hand influences my daily life, both with good things and with challenges.

This week I was touched by God's Hand in protecting my family members who visited over to the holidays to arrive here, and then back to their homes safely. We always pray for family members who are traveling that they will be safe. It's wonderful to get that phone call that they their way home went smooth without problems. I feel God's love as he continues to protect my family.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Our Christmas

We had a fun Christmas holiday that lasted almost two weeks. We were surrounded by our children and grandchildren that we only see rarely. What could be better?? Everyone was able to make it to our house except for John and Amy and we missed them dearly!! But, work must come first and it did!!

Here's our Christmas in pictures. I hope you enjoy!



Christmas Eve we lite a fire and it was so beautiful with the Christmas tree. The warmth of the fire and the lights of the tree reminded me of our Savior whose birth we celebrate and the warmth and light He brings to all.



Katie and Rachel brought beautiful music into our home.





Little Leah and Tommy our two youngest grandbabies! Now isn't this adorable!!



All four grandchildren together for the first time. Spencer and Andrew were so happy to see little Tommy. By the time we put all four together for a picture the babies had just about had enough!!





Evan was thrilled to receive a Weird Al DVD to drive his mom crazy!!



Spencer was a little snuggle bug!!






David, Sariah, Spencer, Leah and Andrew show off their Cougar pride!!



We had lovely weather in the 70's!! (I know we are spoiled.)




Everyone had fun with the Wii!! Spencer loved helping Rachel with Wii Fit!!




Leah finally let me hold her!! David put her to sleep and I held her while he packed. Otherwise this would have never happened. She just likes her Mommy and Daddy!!


I have a ton more pictures and will post about our New Year's Celebrations soon!!


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