New Years Eve

We had a fun night playing games with friends. Ron and Michelle Jorgensen hosted and Cleve and Carol and Gina and Blair were there also. I think it has been 25 years since I had spent New Years with Blair. We had fun playing this new game that I have never played before. It was so interesting to see how Don and I did trying to match our cards. It was pretty funny to see that Carol, Gina and I's cards matched more often. It was really good for us to get out on a date - no matter what we did. Now us old folks are home trying to stay awake to pick up kids from the dance !!!! Hope we don't fall asleep !!!

Happy New Year my friends !!! Hope 2012 brings us JOY and happiness !!!

One Little Word : JOY

(**something funky is up with blogger and the words that are underlined with a dot just direct you to another search engine. Tried to get rid of them, but it won't go away)
I love a new year. I love new beginnings. I love getting a fresh new calendar. I love a clean slate.  I love picking a new word. There are so many words that I could have chosen for 2012. The thing to remember is there is not a right or wrong word. It is not for anyone else but me. In past years I have chosen words such as HOPE, FOCUS, FAITH, SIMPLIFY, . . .

At each time in my life, each word has truly been an anchor to hold onto. This year my word is JOY. It is going to be about consciously trying to find JOY in everything I do.

Let's just be honest with each other - LIFE is hard !!! LIFE is challenging !!! And many of times I scratch my head and wonder "What did I sign up for" ? I sometimes think to myself that in my premortal life I must have been super confident and and I stood in line to sign up for every challenge and struggle I could, you know because I could see the big picture back then of how our challenges and trials refine us and help us grow and how strong they make us. So that must have been me thinking I could do it all and take on anything. Now please don't get me wrong, I am stronger and wiser today from each and every lesson I have learned along the path of this journey back to my Heavenly home. But sometimes I think that I may be lacking in the ability of finding "JOY" in journey. So this year I have made the resolve to find more JOY in my life. Daily, hourly, minute by minute. This year is going to be about bringing JOY, finding JOY, sharing JOY and being sure to enJOY every minute. To wake up every day and remember to pray that I can find the JOY in my life and that I can seize the opportunity to bring JOY to lives of those around me.

2012 will be a year of finding JOY in the things that are really important to me. It will be a time to find JOY in the simple tasks of my everyday life and it will be about bringing JOY to those around me no matter the situation. Somehow when you turn things around and you look at it from a perspective of finding JOY in everything you do - it changes things.

"Joy does not simply happen to us. 

We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day."

 - Henri Nouwen

Women of God

Primary

I "LOVE" new beginnings and the start of a new year. This years Primary theme is 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT. Who would not be excited about teaching children to         "CHOOSE THE RIGHT"

I am searching for ideas for my Sunbeam class. Looking for the perfect resources for a Class Poster, Prayer chart, Singing Ideas, etc . . . My new class is YOUNG - so looking to help make a smooth transition from nursery.

If you have any fabulous links / resources please, please share !!!!

Thinking I need this for my home . . .

Such a good reminder . . . .

No Christ, No peace.  

Know Christ, Know peace

Wise Men Still Seek Him

I love, love, love the Christmas season. Every year I try to work really hard to get into the Christmas spirit and bring the spirit of Christ into my home. I am getting a late start this year getting all the decorations up. We were a little busy with having a sweet little grand baby and getting our missionary package sent. (Which I am so excited will be hand delivered to him in Peru tomorrow night - what a blessing) It is not much. A new pair of shoes, some new ties and some treats. But the one thing I hope he will be most excited about is "Home Baked" cookies. I baked him an entire container of his favorite cookies. I am sure him and his companion will have them devoured in one night. But I hope he loves them. I am pretty sure he will.

I have a busy weekend with work tomorrow and I have been feeling a bit under the weather, but hoping to get Christmas up Sunday after church. I love the house all decorated, Christmas music playing, pumpkin candles burning, baking in the kitchen and homemade Christmas presents. 

That is what this month will be filled with. 

I wanted to share this wonderful blog I found  http://ashadowcanyonchristmas.blogspot.com/

It is an Advent Blog filled with short thoughts, scriptures and quotes that center on our Savior and the true meaning of Christmas.