Day 22--Ten Things I Love: Letter "Y"

My last day of listing the things I love which means I obviously will not do all the letters. (I'm going to try to do a wrap up of what I've learned tomorrow--however because that is when I fly to go see my little Xander that may not happen) Obviously you know I've selected "Y"--good guess, heffalump. (E-mail me your address and I will send you a surprise--and it won't start with the letter "Y". Let me explain "Y", I mean WHY, I chose "Y", besides the obvious answer--IT'S ALL ABOUT ME!!!

I knew I would never do Z--which in Canada you say "zed". I like to see Zebras when I go to the zoo, but I have no real reason to love them. Also, I have an uncle that I adore, but no other reason to try and think of ten things I love that start with "U". I do love quotes, quilts, and definitely quiet--but couldn't come up with ten "Q" things. And X--well, other than Xander,not a thing.

When your first name starts with the letter "Y" and people send you those little tags where you have to come up with different things that start with the first letter of your name--I hate my that it starts with a y. But I decided to give Y a try with this list. So here are my last Ten Things I Love:

1) Yvonne--I always think of the scripture--"Love thy neighbor as thyself", which tells me I need to love myself. I have worked very hard at it. There are still many things I need to work on, but I do love the person I am striving to become.

2) Youth--I love the youth of the Church. I marvel at the great people that they are. It is such a privilege for me to have the opportunity to spend time with them each morning. We have great discussions. I appreciate so much their honesty and their desire to understand.

3) Yearbooks--I love having my old yearbooks. I didn't carry a camera when I was in high school, so I am grateful for the memories that are triggered as I look through my old yearbooks. I also love looking at Allan's old yearbook.

4) Yosemite--I have great memories of going to Yosemite. Such a great place. There was a family in CV years ago that Stephen and I used to go to Yosemite with--Janice, if you read today's post, do you remember all those trips??? Such great times. One day I'll have to post about my scary hitchhiking in Yosemite story--BOY WAS I DUMB!!!!

5) Yarn--I know when I get old (or should I say older) I will be spending many hours sitting in the rocker with my yarn and my crochet hook crocheting away. I do wish I was better at following patterns. I love being able to create something. Have you seen the youtube clip of Elder Uchtdorf's talk dealing with our desire to create? Thanks liam's mom for posting the link. You can find it here on liam's mom's blog.

6) Yachts--Not that I've ever been on a yacht, but I marvel when I see them all docked. When we were in Cabo a year ago I couldn't believe the size of some of them. What do people that own yachts do for a living???????

7) Yogurt--I never thought I would love yogurt, but I have really grown to love it. I have to say I am not a fan of plain yogurt but I do love the fruit yogurt. My favorite is coconut/pineapple/banana yogurt.

8) Yards--We live in a beautiful neighborhood and in the Spring when everyone is out working on their yards I LOVE to see the great job they do with their landscaping. Some people are so creative and I am amazed.

9) Young Women's Camp--I love going to Young Women's Camp. I have not gone for a few years. The problem is our camp is always the first week of July--which means it's always around the 4th of July. We have had a few family gatherings around that same time. This year we will have Trek instead, so no Young Women's Camp. It has been a great experience for me--in spite of some bruises (from canoeing) and then one year I got bit by something near my eye had looked like I had been hit in the eye. Still I'd go back in a heartbeat!!!!

10) You--If YOU think I'm talking about YOU I probably am ; ) When I first joined the Church, I was bothered when people would stand up and say, "I love you all". I'd think how can they say they love me, they don't even know me. Then I realized what they love is that we were all striving for the same thing. That's the way I feel about those of you whose blogs I read and who read my blog. We're all trying to raise families and help each other and be there for one another. That's what I love about you. I love to read what you write, and I try to leave a comment that will let you know I think  you are doing a good job or to thank you for making me smile or for sharing yourself, or to give you a cyber hug if you're having a bad day. I love when I receive the same things from you. So thank you, and I DO LOVE YOU.

Day 21--Ten Things I Love: Letter "F"

This is what made our trip to the temple on Tuesday not so much fun!!!

Before I begin my ten things letter "F", let me mention one I forgot yesterday. I was thinking about it on the way home from the temple and can't believe when I got home and typed the list I forgot it. The thing I love more than anything else on that list is-- MOTHERHOOD. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a mother. I have been blessed with such wonderful children. When I would be at a business dinner with my husband, I'd love when business people would ask what I do "for a living". I would mention I'm a stay at home mom which would be followed by their response-- "Oh". Why the "Oh"--I've never been embarrassed. I think it is the greatest profession I could ever have. My children are my legacy and they have been worth every minute I have spent teaching, mothering, and nurturing them.

With that said, let me now proceed with my Ten Things I Love:






1) Family--Obviously, the number 1 thing I love that starts with F would have to be FAMILY. I am a part of a fabulous family. My parents were wonderful people and I love my 5 sisters so much. I have a great family. My husband is great, and we happen to have some fantastic children and grandchildren. I don't want anyone to ever think that I think any member of my family is perfect--believe me, you'd only have to meet us to know better. I just prefer not to use my blog as a place to bash my family members. They get enough of that from others--I want them all to know they are loved and I think they are all pretty great--warts and all ; )

2) Friends--I love my friends--the real and the imagnary ones. No lists--I don't want to accidentally leave anyone off. The best part about friends is when you haven't spoken to them in awhile and then talk on the phone and it's like you just talked to them the other day. We have a couple of friends who we hadn't seen for years (like 13 years) and when we visited with her last August, it was like we had just seen each other (minus a few wrinkles--in my case ; )

3) Flying--I will be flying to see my new great grandson on Saturday and I'm so glad we get to fly and we don't have to drive. I don't mind the drive to Utah--maybe because I'm so used to doing it, but the drive to Indiana (which actually we fly into Louisville) is a little further. Kyle hates to fly and I really can't figure out why--he says it takes too long!!!!






4) Future Grandchildren-in-law--(Let me begin by saying this is one of the pictures that my DIL Macy took. It came from her blog. I hope you've all had a chance to visit and see her amazing work. Heather and Darren will be marrying into our crazy family in a few months. I love these two.

5) French Toast--I think french toast is one of the first things I learned to cook. I could eat french toast morning, noon or night. I especially love them with fresh strawberries on top--even without whipped cream.

6) Fireworks--I don't necessarily love playing with fireworks, but I do love watching fireworks. They are so pretty and I'm willing to stand wait until it gets dark for a fireworks display to begin. Most of the time it is WORTH THE WAIT!!!!

7) Fruit--There aren't too many fruits that I do not Love. I have mentioned before that I am trying to eat more fruits and vegetables each day. I know they are healthier for me than all the sweets that I normally eat. I was going to start listing the fruits I love, but the list got too long.

8) Food--You're probably tired of hearing me talk about how much i love to eat--but I do. I love food--all kinds of food.





9) Flowers--I LOVE all the colors and the smells of the various flowers. I can't wait for Spring.

10) Freedom--I can't say enough about how much I LOVE freedom. We are so blessed to live in a free country. I'm grateful for those who work so hard to ensure we continue to enjoy that freedom.


NOW LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN GUESS WHAT LETTER WILL BE MY LAST LETTER TOMORROW????????? Maybe there will be a prize for the person who gets it right ; ) The post is pretty much ready, so I can't change it, so I won't be cheating.

Day 20--Ten Things I Love: Letter "M"

I was supposed to work on this post when I was at the hotel last night and get it ready for today, but I went off and forgot my list ; ( I had most of them, but couldn't think of them all. So here is today's Ten Things I Love:



1) M&M's--Yum. I have loved M&M's forever. People can say Smarties are better, but I'm sorry--NO WAY. The candy coated shell is not as good and it is too thick. My biggest problem with M&M's is I just can't stop eating once I start.

2) Make-up--It's not that I love make-up, it's just that the thought of going without it is scary, and believe me it would be scarier for you if you saw me without make-up. (Not that having make-up on makes a HUGE difference, but it definitely is an improvement. (NO WAY AM I GOING TO POST A BEFORE AND AFTER SHOT!!!!) I would love to one day take a class on applying make-up--oh, hey, I've done the make overs and the department stores and I always end up looking like I should be walking the streets somewhere. I would especially love to do a better job with the eyes.

3) My Macbook--Years ago Neal got me hooked on Macs and I've never been able to use anything else. Last year when Allan bought me my laptop, I had no idea how much I would love it. (I don't think he had a clue it would be so much a part of our lives ; )






4) Macy--Macy and Neal have been married since 2005. She is a great daughter-in-law. I really wish they lived closer or that we lived in Utah because she and Neal get out there quite often, but it's rarely at the same time we are there. (That means I don't get to see my little grandson as often as I would like. She is incredibly talented--she can sing beautifully. She is a great cook--she's makes great sugar cookies (something I can't do AT ALL) But probably the talent that I'm jealous of is her photography. I've always thought I did a pretty good job, but I can't believe how good she is. This is something she just recently started. You need to check out her photography blog. I know everyone brags about Pioneer Woman's photo blog, but the thing that amazes me is Macy has been doing this for only a few short months. It will be fun to see how her business grows and what she is able to do.

5) Mountains--Considering where I live that must seem kind of odd. Winnipeg is so flat (How flat is it???? Well, if you stand on your tiptoes you can see the curvature of the earth!!! There is something so majestic about mountains--I just love them--snow covered or not, they are amazing.

6) March Madness--I've mentioned before that I am a real sports fanatic and this time of year is definitely my favorite sports time of year. I love College Basketball. When the tournament begins I sit in front of my TV and watch every game I possible can. My biggest problem is I don't like to watch anyone lose--and if the players cry because they lost, so do I. (I don't even care if it's a team I wanted to see get beat--at that moment I feel so bad for them. Our family always conducts a March Madness pool, and we have a big party on Championship Monday. I can't wait.

7) Movies--I also am a movie person. I love going to the movies and I love watching them at home. It doesn't matter. I love just about any kind of movie, except horror.

8) Memories--I love that we have been equipped with a memory chip (or at least sometimes it feels like that). I love that I have memories of walking to the store with my mom, going to my first and only S F Giants baseball game with my dad, waving to my mom when she was in the hospital, the day the doctors put my son, Stephen, in my arms and asked me, "Now what are you going to do?", the day I married the love of my life, the day each of my children was born, the first time I looked at each of my grandchildren, and so many others.

9) Missionaries--I love the missionaries. I love their enthusiasm, their sacrifice, their determination, their unconditional love for people, their desire to see the Gospel move forward, and their great examples. I appreciate so much the sacrifice their families are making.

10) Music--I love music. Our house has been filled with the sound of music these past few years as Kyle has experimented with various instruments. He has taken piano for as long as we have lived here. In the last couple of years he started playing the guitar, and recently the drums. (Not sure if I mentioned that he rented a drum set for the month of February--probably another reason I can't wait for March 1st. (Drums are very, very loud ; ) Most of the time when I'm on the computer, I have my iTunes playing--which is why when I visit blogs that have a playlist, it's tough)



Sidenote: Made it home safe and sound from the temple. Scary drive going out.

Day 19--Ten Things I Love: Letter "N"

Today is a very special day for a very dear friend, and so I had to post my Ten Things I Love that begin with the letter "N" in honor of her. Mrs. Nancyface has a birthday today, but because this post also includes two of my children I cannot post her as #1. I know SHE WILL UNDERSTAND. Happy Birthday, nancyface. You know I love you and still wish that we could be next-door neighbors.


Now for my Ten Things I Love.




1) Nancy--This girl was one of my young women before she ever became my step-daughter. She was such a talented, fun loving girl. Believe me she made Young Women classes and activities very lively ; ) When Heidi was born she was such a little mother to her. She and Heidi had so much fun together. She was so patient with her and Heidi loved her big sister so much. She is the mother of two young men and the grandmother of my little Xander. It will be fun to see her this weekend.





2) Neal--Technically Neal may be my step-son, but it sure has never felt that way to me. He is such a caring guy and tries so hard to make everyone happy. He is a tecnological wizard. He is very patient when I call him and ask "stupid" questions. Just recently we had problems installing a new router and he was able to "take control" of my computer from his computer (he lives in Massachusetts) and fix the problem. He is a world traveler. He has a blog that I love reading. One day I would love to be able to go to the Japan or China with him. He knows that part of the world so well. He is a fantastic husband and dad to 3 great kids.






3) Nancyface--She is such a wonderful lady who I had the privilege of meeting last April. (And let me just say she is as beautiful in person as in her photographs). She is such a positive person--which is one of the things I truly love about her. I don't think I've visited her blog and ever had her sound like she is the least bit down in the dumps--frankly, I would love to know how she does it. She has a fantastic family who obviously adore her (and with good reason) I am so glad I can call her my friend. If you haven't stopped by her blog to wish her a happy birthday, please do so.

4) New York--I had always wanted to go to New York and was so excited when we finally went in 2003. I don't know what it is I love about it, but it is such a great place to visit. I don't think I'd ever want to live there--I definitely know I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE THERE!!! My dream is to one day go to New York (with a credit card with no limit--and that we don't have to pay) with all my daughters/daughters-in-law. We'd have a blast!!!!!! Macy would take us to all the great Broadway shows; Wendy and Daphne would find the best places to shop, Heidi would want to find the places for heatlhy food, and Nancy would be helping us all have a good time.

5) Nuts--I love all kinds of nuts. For years my mother-in-law used to send us pecan roll for Christmas--yum, was it ever good. I love the combination of carmels and nuts. I love smoked almonds. I love almonds in salads. I love nuts in brownies.

6) Numbers--I love Math. I love anything that has to do with numbers. At one time I worked in the Planning Department in a hospital and I loved working with statistics. I think it is fascinating to try and project things based on





7) Nativity sets--I have been collecting nativity sets for quite awhile. I love them. I try to find them when we are traveling to different parts of the world.

8) Nursing--I loved nursing my children. I always kidded about how I am lazy and hated sterilizing bottles and this was so much easier, but I loved the whole experience.

9) Night--I love night because it means I get to go to sleep. No, really, I do love night. I love the stars and the moon.

10) Nachos--I really love Mexican food. Nachos are a real favorite of mine--especially when they are loaded with everything. I could probably have them every day, but thank goodness I don't.


Sidenote: We are off today to go to the temple. I sure hope the weather cooperates. It's supposed to snow today ; (

Day 18--Ten Things I Love: Letter "W"

This is it, the last week of my ten things. Sheila asked if I did these all ahead of time or just posted them each day. I did work on the list throughout the month--I had a little pad on my nightstand and when I would think of something I loved I would write it down. I wasn't sure if I would come up with Ten Things I Love for the letter "W", but it was a fun list to do:

1) Walks--I love walks because when Allan and I were dating we went on walks ALL THE TIME. (I think it was a way for us to get away from his kids and mine (goodness knows they wouldn't have wanted to go walking with us ; ) We both loving being outdoors and it did wonders for my keeping weight off so I could fit in my wedding dress ; )

2) Washing machines--I know I could never live in pioneer times--washing my clothes by the side of a river against a rock would not be my idea of fun. I like just throwing them in my washing machine, adding soap, and not worrying about them. Of course, I'm still looking forward to the day when they invent a machine that will take them out of the dryer and put them into the dryer. Better yet, will take them out of the washer and PUT THEM AWAY!!!! When I was a little girl we had a wringer washer (most of you young little things won't know what that is--maybe you've seen them in OLD, OLD, OLD movies. I was always afraid I was going to get my hand stuck in the wringer. Fortunately never did.





3) Wendy--I love Allan's daughter, Wendy. She used to be my hairdresser, and although I appreciate my current hairdresser and what she can do with my hair, I LOVED the fact that Wendy always knew just what to do. When she was young, I was her CTR-B teacher and still remember attending her baptism and bringing her chocolate chip cookies. She and Stephen are the same age and they were both 12 when we got married. When I would meet people later and they would ask about the ages of our children it was always confusing to say I had to children the same age who were not twins ; ) She and her husband, Tony, are such a cute couple. I just love to watch them together--they obviously love each other.

4) Water--I used to drink a whole lot more soda, but today I really prefer water.

5) Whip Cream--You know I'm not sure if it is whipped cream or whip cream, but whatever it is I LOVE IT. Whenever I get a sundae or banana split and they ask if I want whipped cream, I look at them like, ARE YOU KIDDING?????? You are all probably much more clever than I am, but a little trick when you are whipping your own whipped cream, put your bowl and beaters in the freezer for a couple of hours before and it whips up much better.

6) Wildflowers--I love when we are driving and we pass a field of wildflowers. I wish I knew my flowers better. I used to work for a seed company and used to know the names of some of the flowers--there are such gorgeous ones.

7) World--As I was thinking about the wildflowers, I thought about what a beautiful world we have and I LOVE IT. There may be some things that are not good, and it can get a little scary. For the most part, I think we have a pretty terrific world and I'm grateful to be living at this time.

8) Weekends--I love my weekends. I love Saturdays because I get to relax a bit more than I do the rest of the week and everyone is home--well at least more than other days. Sundays may not be much of a day of rest, but I still love them.

9) Weddings--I'm so excited about our upcoming weddings in May and July. (I should have gotten permission from Macy to post one of the engagement pictures of them that she took, but I wasn't on the ball and didn't. They are copyrighted ; ( I am excited because Allan will perform the wedding of our grandson, Chris and his fiancee, Heather. It will be so great to have Heather in our family. We also will inherit a grandson-in-law when Darren and Amanda are married in July. I attended a wedding reception on Saturday night for one of Heidi's really good friends. She was married last weekend in the Cardston Alberta temple. Jacquie looked so lovely and so happy.

10) Windows--My house has lots of windows and I love the windows because I love the light that comes through. I love to sit on my couch and look out the windows when the snow is falling. It's so pretty. Or when I'm on vacation I love looking out he window of my hotel room at the beautiful mountains or lake or pool or whatever else is out my window.

SIDENOTE: I just received a little Valentine surprise in the mail from NCS. It was a cute Valentine, some yummy chocolate candies and a cute pencil and pad. Thanks, NCS, that totally brightened my day. Hugs.

Day 17--Ten Things I Love: Letter "I"

There are so many things I'm learning while I do this--it's been great for me. Wondered about doing it for letter "I" but here are my Ten Things I Love:

1) Ice Cream--Yum, yum. I love Rocky Road or chocolate chip mint or jamoca almond fudge--hey face it, I'm not picky.

2) iTunes--I really don't have a large collection. I love music, but I don't download that much. When I remember a song, I go and download it.





3) In-Laws--I prefer them to outlaws. I have the best mother-in-law around. She is 90 years old and is such a sweetie. She is a great example. Not only that she raised a pretty terrific son, too. The rest of the in-laws are great, too.

4) iPhoto--Still working on getting my 1300 pictures out of iPhoto and onto CD's or DVD's. I do love the iPhoto program. It has allowed me to make some corrections to my pictures.

5) Improvements--I love that I can make improvements in myself. I am a work in progress and have lots to work on but I love that I can do whatever I need to do and that I have great family and friends who help me in my quest to be a better person. I love that about life.




6) Irises--I love when I receive a flower arrangement and it has a couple of irises in it. I don't think they have any fragrance but they are just so beautiful.

7) Islands--There is something so wonderful about islands. In fact, sometimes I would just like to grab my hubby and head to a deserted island.





8) Infants--I love babies. Hey, can anyone figure out which one of my kids this is???? It's either Neal, Nancy, Wendy, Stephen, Heidi, Brent, or Kyle. I am so excited about getting to meet my little Xander a week from today. Nancy sent me a text picture the other day with a caption, "He can't wait to meet you". I wish I could figure out how to pull the picture off my camera--it was so cute.

9) Ice--It has so many purposes. Each morning I make myself a smoothie--just wouldn't be the same without ice. I really love crushed ice--when I was a kid I used to love snowcones. When I was pregnant, sometimes ice was all I could take--however, most of the time even it didn't stay down.

10)Internet--I love the internet. It has been a great way for me to communicate with others. We have a family website and I love keeping in touch with everyone. I had to laugh on Valentine's Day when I talked to one of my older sisters who still doesn't know how to use a computer. (Actually, I felt sorry for her. I think she is missing out on so much.) I love getting to see pictures of my sisters and their children and their children's children and to banter back and forth with my sisters. It is so fun. I'm just now getting the hang of facebook. It's kind of fun.

Day 16--Ten Things I Love--Letter J

Thanks to those of you who are still reading and commenting--it means a lot to me. I haven't had a 5 comment post in a long time. I appreciate you for taking the time to read and comment.

Had a great dinner out with friends--dinner and a movie. We went to see Taken--enjoyed it very much.

I had a little bit of a tough time with "J', but here are my Ten Things I Love:

1) Jesus--Obviously, number 1 would have to be Jesus. I'm so grateful for Him. Grateful that I get to bear my testimony of my love and gratitude for Him on a regular basis. I LOVED our study of the four Gospels at the start of this Seminary year.





2) Jack--I told you when I did the Ten Thing I Love--Letter "T" that when I got to "J", Jack would be here. Frankly, I'd like to think there is a Jack out there somewhere. I saw a t-shirt that said something like, "if you wkoe up this morning it's because Jack Bauer saved your life". (I don't think it's copyrighted, but I don't want to take any chances)

3) Jackets--This time of year I'm grateful that I have a jacket to put on whenever I go outside.

4) Jacuzzi tub--I love my tub. There is nothing like a good soak when my bones ache or when I just need to relax. Sometimes I turn on the jets after I've used lots of soap and then I get lots of bubbles ; )





5) Jason--I have enjoyed watching this grandson grow up so much--although some times I wish he was still a little boy. When he was little he had this blonde, blonde straight hair (don't know when it went curly), but I'd have to say his dad had pretty straight hair when he was little, too. Because I am such a sports fanatic, I have watched him participate in sports. I had a ball going to his football games (but then again I love HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL) He is a great older brother. He is currently going to working and going to college.




6) Josh--Josh is another fantastic grandson. Like his brother, Evan, he has a southern accent, but I don't notice his as much as Evan's. He is a big, strong guy, but it was so fun watching him this past summer with his great-grandma. He was so sweet to her. He loves sports and is quite athletic. I'm looking forward to seeing him next week. He graduated last year and I know he is working hard to get into the university his girlfriend attends.

7) Jewelry--I love jewelry. I am not a yellow gold person. Most of the time I am lazy and forget about putting on earrings or wear the same pair, but there is something about putting on jewelry that just makes me feel more "dressed up".




8) Jelly Beans or Jelly Bellies--I LOVE either. One of the biggest challenges I have is once i start eating them I CAN'T STOP. (That seems to be a problem I have with most foods.

9) June--I love June because it means school is out and summer is here. Warm weather and vacations are always great.

10) Journals--I love going back and reading my journals. I wish I had my diaries from when I was younger (I really don't know what happened to them. So many memories. The best part of having journals is they help me REMEMBER whether it be the good times or even the bad. I think as I read about the bad and realize I got through it and whatever it is that I was supposed to learn AND HOPEFULLY DID LEARN. (I can't wait to read about all of this when it's finally behind us ; )


Sidenote: Working hard at doing my cards--even cleaned out my nightstand and my dresser drawers today. Washed a few windows. Feels good.

Trying to be healthier so I'm attempting to eat more fruits and vegetables. When I was eating one of those little cherry tomatoes, I did a silly thing. Bit into it with my mouth open and it squirted onto the door post. I was pretty glad I wasn't standing there talking to Allan. Speaking of Allan, here's a shot of him when he got back from his 5:00 a.m. walk on Monday.

Day 15--Ten Things I Love--Letter E

This is probably getting pretty boring for you, but I want you to know that it is helping me stay somewhat positive. I try very hard, but I know it's even getting hard for my husband to be unemployed. As I focus on the things that I love, it puts me in a better frame of mind. Thanks for reading and commenting.

I've been giving this a lot of thought because I decided today to try and tackle a difficult letter--E. I finally came up with some. So here we go my Ten Things I Love:





1) Eating--I have to start here with my favorite. Let's face it I REALLY LOVE TO EAT!!!!



2) Exercise--Not that I love exercising, but I do love the results and how I feel after I have exercised. It's a great feeling of accomplishment. One of the things I love is when I'm alone at the gym and a song I really like comes on the CD Player and I can sing (not very loud mind you, but just loud enough). I really love when Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" comes on and I really go to town ; ) We had a fireside for our upcoming trek and I immediately fixed my eyes on the page labelled "conditioning schedule". The next day when Kyle came in our room, he said, "Did you see that page with the list of what to do to get in shape". I told him I didn't know how I would ever do 30 sit ups. He started laughing because he said he and his friends looked at it and thought someone was kidding. Who couldn't do that??? Are you kidding--how about your old mom ; )


3) E-mail--I prefer handwritten letters and cards, but it's so nice to get e-mail and keep in touch with people. I don't know if anyone saw the Mormonad in the latest New Era. I thought it was fabulous. It had a young lady kneeling down and it said: "Send a Knee Mail" and the caption was "When you send an instant message to Heavenly Father, He is always there". I LOVED IT.


4) E.R.--I have been an E.R. fan since it began, and I will definitely miss it when it goes off the air this year. It has been kind of fun to watch them bring back former cast members. I thought it was very clever the way they brought back Anthony Edwards. I am a fan of shows set in hospitals--I used to love Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare, Marcus Welby, Chicago Hope, Trapper John and for years was a huge General Hospital fan.

5) Extreme Makeover Home Edition--I'm not a huge Ty fan, but I love the show. Someone pointed out to me recently if he wasn't so loud, we'd probably all be bawling our eyes out through the whole show. At least we have time between tears.



6) Evan--My grandson, Evan, is such a kind-hearted, sweet young man. When he was young we got to see him a couple of times every year and it was so fun whenever he was around. He was very entertaining. He would make the most adorable faces. He has the cutest little southern accent. I love hearing him talk. I'm so looking forward to going to see him next week. It will be so fun to spend time with him and his wife and their new baby, Xander.

7) Eggs--I love ham, mushroom, and cheese omelettes as well as scrambled eggs with ketchup. I also enjoy soft boiled eggs on toast.

8) Entertainment--I love movies, shows, tv, music. I'm not much of a critic when I go to the movies--may be critical of other things, but if I go to the movies and come out feeling like I've been entertained, I'm happy. I've been disappointed by quite a few movies, but for the most part I only go to those that I feel will be worth my time and money.

9) Emotions--Isn't life fantastic because we are able to feel emotions. How awful would it be if we were just existing--I have to admit, I could do without some of those negative emotions I feel some times. At the same time, I'd rather deal with those than not have love, joy, happiness, excitement...... But, I don't really like it when as the BeeGees say, "it's just emotion that's taking me over".




10) Elf--I LOVE this movie. If I'm in need of a good laugh it's one I'll pop into my DVD player and it's not just because "I like to whisper, too", or because I stick to the same 4 basic food groups ; )


Wouldn't it be nice if I could have said I LOVE EVERYBODY. I hope one day I can say that, but I'm not there yet. Here's hoping.

How about you, can you think of something you love that begins with the letter "E"?

Day 14--Ten Things I Love: Letter "K"

Only a few more days to go, I bet you are relieved. I can't tell you how focusing on the things I love is helping me--of course, the sunshine is helping, too. I figured the letter "K" was going to be tough, but I had to give it a try. So here are my Ten Things I Love:





1) Kisses--I love Hershey's kisses--I can't stop at one. But my favorite kiss by far are the kisses that come from my hubby--I don't like to stop at one of those either.

2) Kittens--I'm sure I'll get lots of flack for this, kittens are great I love them, but I'm not a cat fan. I always think of that line from "Adventure's in Babysitting" -- "he doesn't want to help, he just wants to scratch our face off".

3) Kitchen--I love my kitchen. Actually, I love kitchens in general. So much of what we do revolves around food and there are so many great things that take place in the kitchen. We have had some of our best conversations gathered around the dinner table. My kitchen is nice and bright and I love spending time there.




4) Kyle--I love this kid. It was so fun being at his band festival concert last night (where he played several instruments (no, not at the same time--he's good but not that good ; ). He played the xylophone, bells, a customized snare drum, and the gong. I was laughing with one of the other moms about how funny it would be if he forgot what instrument he was supposed to play next. He loves music--he plays piano, guitar and drums. (He rented a set of drums for the month of February--can't say I will be sad when it is March 1st) He amazes me when he plays the piano--it seems so easy. He tries so hard to help me when I'm struggling to learn a new piece. Sometimes I feel sorry for him being alone with us, with no siblings around. At the same time, sometimes I think he enjoys having ALL THE ATTENTION. He has a part-time job as a dishwasher at a local restaurant and is very organized--especially with his money. He is a great young man. I will miss him so much when he goes away to Idaho, but I know it will be a wonderful experience for him.

5) Ketchup--I love ketchup on so many foods. Ketchup makes so many things taste better. I prefer my fries with ketchup. And I love ketchup on my scrambled eggs, but I almost gagged when one of my Seminary students put ketchup on their french toast ; (((((((

6) Kiwi--I love kiwi (the fruit, not the bird) Now, I do not eat the skin. One of Kyle's friends does and I almost gag every time I watch him, but I guess it is very good for you. I'm participating in a challenge right now. I have to eat 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. I love fruits and vegetables, but it's hard to find space on my meal plan for that many servings--actually, it's that hard for me to eat that many in a day.




7) Kiah--My beautiful granddaughter, Kiah, was born when I was 4 months pregnant with Kyle and in the hospital due to dehydration. She looks a lot like her dad, and since he is my clone, she looks like her grandma, too. One of our favorite stories with Kiah has to do with Allan. When Stephen and Daphne and their family was living with us for a few months before we moved here to Winnipeg, Allan had gone to the school to pick her up from kindergarten. She did not want to leave and, in fact, was hanging on to the fence. He finally pried her fingers off the fence and put her in his car. When he walked around to his side to get in, she pushed down the automatic locks and HE WAS NOT IMPRESSED!!! Kiah still laughs about it today. She is currently working and in college. She is a beauty, and I love when I get a chance to spend time with her.






























8) Kangaroos/Koalas--I think they are so cool. But then again, marsupials in general are cool. Isn't it neat to stop and think about all the different species of animals. Oh, I'm getting off track. When we went on our So Pacific cruise we saw kangaroos and koalas at a zoo in Australia and I was so impressed.

9) Knowledge--I love trying to gain more knowledge. Today there are so many different things we can do to learn and increase our knowledge--and so much to learn. I don't want to be left behind as the world changes--I want to grow with it. It's such an exciting time to be alive.

10 Kites--Maybe another one of those "LOVED" things. I used to have a ball flying kites. I'm a plain old regular kite person--we used to make our own and had fun. Of course, one of my favorite memories when I was pregnant with Stephen involved flying a kite and having to climb a fence to help one of my niece's. (I was 8 1/2 months pregnant at the time--would never have been able to do that at 8 1/2 months pregnant with Kyle--come on, I was 40!!!)

Sidenote: If you wanted to see some amazing snow sculptures, go to sheri's blog. Her husband is very talented.

Day 13--Ten Things I Love: Letter "R"

There are so many things I love that start with the letter "R", but let's see if we can list Ten Things I Love:

1) Red-- I love the color red. When I did "b" I told you I loved blue and red, so now I have to list red.



2) Remote Control--Goodness, I can't even imagine life without a remote control. How in the world did we ever get up and turn the station on the TV or turn it up ; )




3) Roses--When Allan and I were dating, I can't tell you how many times I would receive roses at work. I loved getting them. One of the men I worked with assured me that after we were married the roses would stop. He didn't know my little hubby. They haven't stopped--I still love getting them. Some times I'm too practical (very rarely, actually) and will tell Allan not to send me roses because they are too expensive. Actually right now I won't let him buy them for me--just seem like something a little extravagant.




4) Roller coasters--I love roller coasters. They are fun and exciting--I especially like the ones where your feet dangle. I have been guilty of tricking my children into riding roller coasters. They always thank me later. When I was young, I was afraid of so many things, and I didn't want them to go through life being afraid. You may argue and say that wasn't the best way to handle it, and maybe it wasn't.



5) Rockband--I love it, and I have so much fun when I go down to the basement and play. We had a little birthday gathering here the night of my birthday and the ladies and I went down and played Rockband and WE HAD A BALL!!! I guess the big question is what will I do when Kyle goes away to school and takes Rockband with him??????

6) Ribs--Messy, but OH SO DELICIOUS.





7) Rivers--I've mentioned before that I love lakes and oceans, (and even baths) so maybe it's just safe to say that I LOVE BODIES OF WATER!!! One of our favorite little get-aways was a trip down the Rogue River. We had a ball. One day I would love to do that again. I think whitewater rafting is so fun.

8) Raspberries--I love fresh raspberries, especially when you sprinkle them with powdered sugar and put them in cream. ANOTHER YUMMY THING.

9) Repentance--I'm not sure it's right to say I love repentance--maybe I should say I'm grateful repentance is available. No details, just love that I can ask to be forgiven of the things I do wrong.

10) Recipes--I've mentioned before that I love to cook (aka EAT). I'm not one of these creative cooks who can take meat and a few spices and whip something up. When I call my MIL to ask for a recipe, she'll say, "Oh, you just add a little of (this) and a little of (that) and stir it for awhile and throw it into the oven and bake it until it's done ". OH SURE--I'LL JUST DO THAT AND THEN WE'LL MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR DINNER SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!! For that reason, I'm grateful for recipes. There are some pretty great cooks out there and I don't mind trying some of their tried and true creations. I'm starting to organize my recipes and put them all on the computer--that way I'm not going through recipe books looking for a particular recipe.


Sidenote: I have enjoyed 24 so much, but this season is so much better because my hubby has become a fan.

Day 12--Ten Things I Love Letter "H"

Because today is a Holiday, I will do Ten Things I Love that begin with the letter "H".  Since I wrote about my Hubby on Sunday I won't include him, although he is obviously one of the things I LOVE.

1) Holidays--Today is the newest holiday in Manitoba--this is the first year it is being celebrated.  It is technically called "Louis Riel Day".  Louis Riel was a Metis leader who eventually was executed.  He is somewhat controversial, so I'm a little confused as to why the holiday is called by that name, but apparently school children submitted recommendations and that's what is chosen.  But, whatever, I love holidays because it means I GET TO SLEEP IN.

2) Hawaii--It is one of my favorite places to visit.  I really don't care when I visit, but it's always nice to visit in February (because it is so cold here).  Aside from our honeymoon (which was my first time there) my favorite trip was this last one for my MIL's 90th birthday celebration.  





3) Heidi--this young lady is such a sweetie and I love being her mom.   It has been so fun watching her grow up. She is such a beautiful woman--not only on the outside but on the inside, too.  I'm so grateful that the teaching experience is a good one for her.  She is a fantastic teacher.  She loves children.  When I talked to her on the weekend and she talked about her little class and buying candygrams for all the kids because she didn't want any of them to feel left out, I was so proud of her.  She is always thinking of others.

4) Honda Odyssey: Allan and I both drive them. I've had mine since 1999--it has been smashed up a couple of times, but it still looks great and runs great. Allan's is not as old as mine but his has leather seats and a DVD player. Some of the kids ask us when we're trading them in for newer models--CAN YOU SAY NO CAR PAYMENT!!!!

5) Hand lotion: I've mentioned before that I am part lizard and I have such horribly dry skin. Living here in this climate doesn't help, so I really need to use hand lotion. I love it, but I'm just a tad lazy when it comes to remembering to put it on. I love the Warm Vanilla Sugar as well as the Cotton Blossom Healing Body Butter.

6) Hairdressers: When we finally finished our family challenge in January and I could spend money again, I knew I needed to call my hairdresser and guess what--SHE WAS OUT OF TOWN. There are not a lot of people I trust with this mop. So, I was so thrilled when she finally returned.  I feel like a human being again.  It's tough when you have to get up before the crack of dawn and when my hair is a little shorter it is much more manageable.

7) Hugs: I love hugs.  Hugs from my hubby are great--nothing as nice as having the arms of a big strong man around you.  But I have to admit I especially love hugs from my grandkids.





8) Hannah: Speaking of grandkids, I love this one--Miss Hannah. She is such a sweetie.  She shares her birthday with her grandpa and I think they both love that fact. She is going to be a little social butterfly--she is only 8 and I can see that in her already. When she was a little girl she had a very raspy voice--it was so funny. Like all of her brothers and sister, she is athletic. She participates in soccer, gymnastics and is currently competing in junior cheerleading.

9) High School: Once again another past tense--I LOVED high school. I have such great memories. Now, you have to know I WAS A NERD. It's funny I think that's why I still struggle today--not that I want to be popular, but I don't like feeling like I'm forcing myself into a group. I'm not outgoing AT ALL.  I loved the friends I had--Friday nights cruising the strip, the basketball games, football games, classes, yearbooks--and I loved the whole learning experience. But there is NO WAY IN THE WORLD I'd want to go through it today.

10) Hope:  I love hope.  I try very hard to be hopeful.  I was reading something the other night that reminded me of the importance of hope.  "There is a moment of epiphany after the soul has doubted all it knows, when it begins to reach out for solid answers and firm ground.  This moment is defined by one emotion that sustains and creates a desire for change.  Before faith or knowledge is found, before joy or happiness is experienced, before the healing process begins, one emotion starts to stir from deep within the depths of despair.  It is hope."  (Emily Freeman, 21 Days Closer to Christ)

Day 11--Ten Things I Love: Letter "A"

Happy Valentines Day. In honor of this wonderful day of love, I will post Ten Very Special Things That I LOVE






























1) Allan--I have tried very hard not to put these in any kind of order, but today I have to put ALLAN first. After 26 1/2 years of marriage we have so many wonderful memories. Life is just so much easier because we are experiencing it together. I have so many love letters that he has given me throughout the years that I will cherish forever. Even through the tough times he stands so strong and faithful--I just admire him so much. So many nights when there is a challenge we are facing, I go to bed and am tossing and turning while he is snoring away. It used to bother me, but now I realize he does not worry because he just knows it will all be o.k. I love him s much for his great faith. He serves so faithfully whatever he is called to do and loves the people he serves. He tries so hard to help me see the good in everything and everyone, and that is one of the things I love most about him.




















2) Amazing People Like Helen and Les. As I mentioned when I started these "Ten Things I Love" posts, this day is very special to me because of these amazing people. Even though they have both passed away, they are such an important part of who I am. I was trying to put an article here that ran in our local newspaper when we celebrated our 15th anniversary of living with Helen and Les, but can only post this picture of Les with 4 of my sisters. Les said to the reporter who interviewed him, "I don't think it was anything special. I still don't think it was. I got much more out of it than I put into it. It was something we wanted to do and we did it." Just kind of tells you what kind of couple they were. I remember working on the house with him when he was remodeling it to accommodate the addition to the family--it was so fun. Tomorrow these 4 of my sisters (who all live in California) will gather together to celebrate the lives of these two special people. They will play games and have Italian take-out from our favorite restaurant--which was a tradition when we would get together. I wish I could be there and not just for the ravioli, french bread, and barley soup ; )

3) Airplanes--I feel terrible writing this in light of that horrible accident Thursday night, but I am very grateful that airplanes are available to make travel so much better. I'm not exactly happy with the airlines charging for every piece of luggage--for crying out loud, just charge more for the ticket. I guess one day it really will be like that youtube video where you pay for every thing (including the oxygen mask ; )





4) Amanda--She is my oldest granddaughter and is a very special young lady. She never ceases to amaze me. She is a beautiful and caring young lady. I have so many great memories of her visiting us when she was just a little girl. She, Heidi, Brent, and Chris would play together for hours. Just the other day when I posted the picture of Allan and Kyle in their respective offices, Amanda's comment was "I miss jailbreak". Too difficult to explain, but they had so much fun. I am so excited that she and Darren will be getting married this summer and they will begin a new chapter in their lives.

5) Atonement of Jesus Christ--I love that the Atonement is available for all of us. It is such a blessing in my life. This year as we have been studying the New Testament, I have made more of an effort to seek to really understand what the Atonement means to me and every day I am more grateful for it.

6) Air Conditioning--Maybe not this time of year, but in the summer I so love being able to turn on my air conditioning. Hey when it gets too cold, you can always throw on another sweater or a blanket, but not much you can do when it gets too hot ; )

7) Air Freshener--I can't say enough about how much I love air freshener--sometimes, well, I NEED IT PRETTY BAD ; ) I even carry that pocket stuff in my purse because not everyone has it in their bathrooms.

8) Academy Awards--I love movies and for years have enjoyed watching the Academy Awards. I have to admit, most of the time I haven't seen a lot of the nominated movies. This year, is an exception because I haven't seen a single Best Picture nominee.





9) America--Of course, I love America--I am proud to be an American. (For all my Canadian friends, and that includes Kyle, that does not diminish the fact that I love living in Canada.) (The above picture is from Girls Camp a few years ago--our Stake has a unit that is in the U.S. so we fly both flags--isn't that cool ; )

10) Aurora Borealis--We have been fortunate to see the Northern Lights here a few times and they truly do take my breath away. When we first say them, I didn't have a clue what it was (actually, Heidi was the first one to spot them ; ) They really are something to see.