More pictures for your enjoyment!

This was a fun day, but as you can see I'm exhausted. It is a Sunday and who said those were a day of rest??? No, really, I was doing my calling and substituting and going to choir all day. I was beat. But I sure love to have my fam over for dinner so I can laugh! And look at Brayden and his beautiful smile, can't beat that, can you?

Pumpkinland!

Look at these beauties! This was a wonderful jaunt to "Pumpkin Land" the saturday before they left and we had a blast! The girls were enthralled with choosing their pumpkins, (would have been nice to take one of those ginormous ones home!) THat was all they needed! When we all got home, Grandpa immediately helped to carve out a spider in Chloe's. Ahh, the memories of when our kids were little. The only thing lacking in us is energy! We did get one very large pumpkin and that one I'm saving for thanksgiving and getting the inards to make a pumpkin pie!! Sounds so good to me right now I could eat a whole one!!! Yikes!!!

The Great Pumpkin!

I LOVEEEEE October! It has the most beautiful weather, and the most beautiful colors present, and just the feeling of what is coming in the form of Halloween, Thanksgiving and then Christmas! It is just glorious! So recently we've had a lot of activity around and it brings us great joy! Having our children come to visit and bringing the coveted grandchildren is something we all treasure. I love how we laugh, and we laugh hard and a lot! The kids tickle our funny bone with what they say and the things they do! So here are a few shots we took to capture the day, with our little ole'camera (wish it was more like yours Lara, but oh well).

Thinking, thinking!

Perception! Those of you who read this, have you thought about perception before? As of late, I have come to realize I give people the benefit of the doubt just too easily, maybe too generously (so I'm told) but I guess it is better to err on the side of generosity. However, it is still important for all of us to realize that we may be the one being difficult, or stingy, or unkind. So often, there is a victim attitude in this society (kind of like the politics that is going on right now!) But take a look at how you may be blocking things from happening because of impure motives. Just like my last post, take a look at the motive of the heart. It will tell you everything you need to know and then try to improve. It will change the world around you. Oh, and the more needy an individual we are, the more we need approval, when all we really need is to know our standing with the Lord.

Have a good day! Oh, and it is my favorite granddaughter #1's birthday today! I will dedicate a post to her when I get back! Love, love her!

When things just don't make sense!

I've been thinking a a lot lately about certain sayings and what they could possibly mean and if they were always true. One was "what comes around goes around" or "cast your bread upon the waters". I used to think that what comes around goes around was a fallacy and was kind of vindictive, but I have definitely changed my mind on this to a degree, especially depending on the individual. It seems what we do does come back to us, even if it isn't fair or just or even if it is minor.
Checking our hearts' motive is huge as we go about our lives and, as we go about understanding the things we perceive is happening or what we feel is deserved or undeserved!

I've been reading a wonderful book by Brent Top, titled, "When You can't do it alone!" Plus listening to wonderful conference last week and the facts that were brought up concerning the Savior as He was with the people (us). That his responses were just right according to the circumstances. Sometimes, he didn't respond to the injustices, other times he taught a lesson, and other times he showed emotion as in the cleansing of the Temple. His example is very clear, but yet we don't see it so easily. Also, for some people, even our close loved ones, we may have to walk away for a time because of distance, or rejection, or lack of time etc. The Savior clearly points out that He goes to those who want him and need him.

This book, is relating to us how we must "Focus on Christ". And it isn't an easy take to do. But that we must "allow" Him to rescue us. There are several ways to move towards practicing this, one is to "Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly", wasn't Sister Dalton's talk on "returning to virtue" so divine??? Virtue is not just clean thoughts, but ones that lack "self-pity" or "the victim". Rather, look for "because God has been good to me, and count your many blessings".
Pity potholes are emotional quicksand. It is wallowing time. How many of us do that???? But Top brings out that in all the conditions and circumstances of our lives, is to reach out and grab on to the rescuing arm of "Him who is mighty to save." I love his point in how Peter's failure to walk on water and the Master's rebuke of, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? that is isn't one of failure or doubt but one of triumph, not on focusing on Peter sinking, but focusing on the Savior "lifting". It was after Peter began to sink that he became stronger because through the trial, Peter allowed the Savior to "rescue" him. Hmmmm, great food for thought.

Virtue, rescue, focus. Hmmmmmm. Teaching.

Thanksgiving daily for Him and our circumstance. Ingratitude is like a mirror that constantly reflects back to us our problems, weaknesses and worries. It is like a carnival mirror that distorts reality. But failure to see the Lord's hand in our lives in true perspective actually leaves us with a warped view of our real circumstance and our real true selves. Count your many blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done!! This opens up a panoramic view of what has occurred in our lives with grandeur! Because we recognize His tender mercies! A thankful heart increases our spiritual strength. Can I tell you this has happened to me! It has given me more strength to endure the difficulties that come tailor made for me, plus those that come because of other's use of agency. It gives me strength to face the difficult tasks that I have, plus to see more clearly What I must do. You truly can't say "woe is me, when you are saying how blessed I am" they simply can't exist together. However, gratitude doesn't just happen. It has to be practiced daily, and especially with our enemies or those who despitefully use us. I believe we all have people who do this to us, it is part of life.

Hmmmm, virtue, gratitude, focus, rescue!

This is as far as I have gotten, I'll share more thoughts later. This book is profound, even though I know in my heart of these things, it takes FOCUS again on it as I am in hard things. Remember, life is hard but life is simple.

Focus on the Savior for now.


"In my extremities, He has cradled me.
In my discouragement, He has buoyed me up.
In those moments when I have been at a loss for explanations, He has given me understanding."

So awesome!!