Bonjour!

Bonjour!
I’m a 52 year old mother of five amazing daughters and wife to a caring, sensitive AND sexy husband. I adore my family. I’m dedicated to my faith. I enjoy a good laugh. I'm nostalgic and love to reminisce. "Remember" is my favorite word in the English language. I love life! I’m passionate about music, food and {dreams of} traveling the world. I wanna be a castle and waterfall chaser. I’m fascinated with anything European. {PARIS! Hello!} I love celebrating anything and everything! I love to read, especially a good biography, mystery, Regency Era Romance or Historical fiction novel. I love thoughtful gift giving. To me the gift wrap is almost as important as the gift itself. I have a bit of an obsession with gift boxes and gift bags. As well as old world maps & globes, apothecary bottles and jars! I love being creative…bolts of ribbon, coordinating scrapbook papers, producing a table scape, or planning décor for a themed party puts a smile on my face. I love the details! I’m a freak for anything theme oriented. I enjoy event planning, but oddly enough do not like to host or entertain. I enjoy fashion, but have to really be in the mood to clothes shop. I love purses and funky costume jewelry. Especially big rings! I’d rather wear wedges or heels any day than flats. I enjoy decorating and searching for the perfect decorative pillow or picture. However, you’ll never see me frequent high-end stores. I'm more of a Ross, TJ Maxx, Tuesday Morning kind of gal. My favorite decor style is an old world rustic Italian chateau/Spanish Villa look with a hint of bohemian! OR a vintage shabby chic French country cottage/English cobblestone farmhouse. My #1 cookie-Molasses! Autumn is my favorite season. I’d go through childbirth a million times. I enjoy biking with my man, Pilates, and power walking. You’ll never find me in a gym working out. I love movies, whether watching them in the theatre or cuddled up on the couch with my family. I enjoy a good chick flick or real life drama! I'm a sucker for movies on the Hallmark & Great American Family Channel. I have a tender heart for the elderly. I adore Disneyland. I enjoy being in the canyon on a summer or fall evening at dusk. I love my friends. While I have some extroverted characteristics. I’m a self proclaimed introvert. I’m generally quiet, calm, reserved and pretty darn private. Why in the heck do I blog? It’s a creative way to record family history. I enjoy photography. I really don’t like to write, although I write in my journal often. My journals, patriarchal blessing, scriptures, quote book, and beloved Christmas tree filled with ornaments of family memories are among my prized possessions. I love the beach. I enjoy WWII history. I love a clean, orderly house, but ours usually looks lived in. ;) PBS Masterpiece is my friend. I adore Jane Austen films. They transport me to another time and place. If I had to choose another time period in which to live, early 19th Century England would be my pick. "Sense and Sensibility" is my all time favorite movie. My 3 favorite TV series are...BBC's Larkrise to Candleford, the 1950's Spanish Drama "Velvet," and the travel/food show "Somebody Feed Phil." My biggest pet peeve is people who blow their noses in public. So gross! {Take it to the bathroom people.} I’d go on a wine tasting vacation if it wasn’t against my religion. I’ve always wanted to adopt a baby from a foreign country. I’m an avid BYU football fan. I'm a Educational Support Professional. I tutor elementary kids in phonemic awareness, phonics, reading, fluency and comprehension. I love our campfires at Scofield Lake. I have a 'thing' for fairy gardens, Gallic French roosters, fresh flowers in a vase, pretty bowls & plates, yummy smelling candles & soap. I love summer rainstorms and warm baths. I'm a scripture podcast fanatic. I'm also a fan of several Fox News shows; Hannity and Dave Ramsey Talk Radio. I very much miss Rush Limbaugh! I hate when my kids have homework. I'd rather clean 20 toilets than give a talk or prayer in church. I have quite a collection of Madame Alexander Dolls, children's books, Disney pins, and quotes. My favorite quote is "Don't underestimate me. I know more than I say, think more than I speak & notice more than you realize." True True LOL! I always prefer sitting in a back row versus the front. {I'm sort of a seat snob..yikes} I also have high expectations for my lemonade, salsa, and french fries too. HA! I work well behind the scenes. I love a good Dateline, 20/20 or 48 Hour Mystery. I’m a night owl. I'd rather be cold than hot. I love to budget our finances! I enjoy being a chauffeur to my children. I'm not a huge fan of social media. I don't snap, pin or tweet. All I want for Christmas every year is a ticket to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. It's my FAVORITE. I’m an Anglophile…a royal watcher who loves anything English! Especially tea parties! I would like to serve a church mission to England with Jaren someday. I'm queen of paper towel, used kitchen dishrags and sponges kinda make me squirm. You’ll rarely find me out of the house not ready for the day, except when driving the kids to school on the days I don't work. I feel naked without lipstick or lip gloss. Mismatched socks, chipped fingernail polish, chapped lips and brownie crumbs on the floor drive me nuts! I like to organize and BE organized..but not saying I always am. ;) I enjoy hiking to waterfalls, ATV’ing with my family and snowshoeing with the hubs. Although I enjoy collecting recipes and occasionally watch cooking shows... (Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade, Paula Deen, Jamie Oliver, and the Pioneer Woman are my favorites) I’d rather not cook. Eating out is so much more fun. I'm a foodie. I live to EAT! LOL Trying new foods and restaurants is a favorite past-time, and believe it or not so is intermittent fasting. I'm not good at a lot of things... but gosh, if you need help with a themed celebration or someone to enjoy good food with, I'm your girl. I love the joy of anticipation and the celebration of holidays. Family traditions are important to me. I'm a memory preserver. I'm a pathological picture taker ;) a visual storyteller, and a lover of happy lists!

My Fam!

My Fam!

The Hubs and I

The Hubs and I

My Girls!

My Girls!

Kyleigh Dawn (28)

Kyleigh Dawn (28)

Emma Abigail (26)

Emma Abigail (26)

Hannah Isabelle (24)

Hannah Isabelle (24)

Brielle Olivia (19)

Brielle Olivia (19)

Kate Evangelene Lyllie (14)

Kate Evangelene Lyllie (14)

Mr. Charles "Bingley" Wentworth III (5 yrs.)

Colonel Edward Fitzwilliam "Darcy", Duke of Westridge (4 yrs.)

My Man!

My Man!

Good Times!

Good Times!

Wedding Day 5*17*22

Lillian "Lilly" Belle

Disney Food Fun! 2019

Disneyland Tips

What I Believe!

Our Missionary

We Bleed Blue! {Except for the Poppi}

My list of favorite movies!

Learn more about Dyslexia!

Music To My Ears!

Monday, September 22, 2008

What's on my Happy List?

School Survival Kits- For Personal Progress in Young Women's we've been working on the Value Integrity...I will have the moral courage to make my actions consistent with my knowledge of right and wrong. A few weeks back, on activity night, we helped the Young Women make survival kits filled with items to help them remember to keep their Integrity throughout the school year.

School Survival Tips
*To remind you to “MARK” the right path (marker)
*To remind you how “SMART” you can be if you apply yourself (smarties)
*To remind you to “CHEWS” good friends and “CHEWS” the right (gum)
*To remind you to pray. Prayer can be a real “LIFE SAVER” (life savers)
*To remind you that your testimony is the “GLUE” that will hold you together (glue stick)
*To remind you to “PICK” the good qualities in everyone, including yourself (toothpick)
*To remind you to hold onto your standards and keep things together for they will provide you “SAFETY” in a world of confusion (safety pin)
*To remind you to heal hurt feelings, either yours or someone else’s (band-aid)
*To remind you if you “STICK” with it you can accomplish anything with the Savior’s help (tape)
*To remind you to be flexible. Things might not always go the way you want, but they will work out. (elastic)
*To remind you to be “LEAD” by the Spirit (pencil)
*To remind you to “COLOR” life with good opportunities and to try different things (color pencil)
*To remind you that everyone needs a “KISS”, a hug, or a compliment every day (chocolate kisses)
*To remind you to stay “CLEAN” by obeying the Lord’s commandments (hand sanitizer)
*To remind you that prayer will cure and heal all your woes (medicine)
*To remind you we all make mistakes, but you can “ERASE” them through repentance (eraser) *To remind you to “CUT” out the bad habits (scissors)
*To remind you that you hold the keys to your success, so don’t “BLOW” your chance by forgetting that Christ can be the light that leads the way to your true happiness. (kleenex)
*To remind you that your Father in Heaven knows you personally and you can take his “BREATH” away when you reach your divine potential (breath saver)
*To remind you to “POST” a note everywhere that reminds you that you are a Daughter of God….and don’t you forget it!! (post-it-notes)

This is a great gift idea not only for a student but a teacher as well. TEACHERS need survival tips too! LOL My dear "Archie" friend Shelley, is a teacher at a Catholic school in Calgary Canada. I just recently sent her one of these kits as a small token of thanks for getting me a personalized autograph from David Archuleta backstage at the Toronto concert. Whoot! I'm getting quite an autograph collection.


Speaking of David. One of our Young Women just turned "sweet sixteen" on Sunday. She has quite a "crush" on the Archuleta. Our lesson in YW's that morning happened to be on sacrifice. I decided to take the lesson to heart as I felt prompted to give to her for a birthday gift one of my autographs from David. Sacrifice!!!! I KNOW it sounds silly!!! I chose the autographed picture that I got backstage at the Utah concert and made an Idol themed birthday card for her. On the backside of David's picture were autographs from some of the other Idols too. That piece of paper holds many a memory for me, something that I would have liked to have had as a keepsake (not to sound greedy or anything..haha). BUT I knew it would mean just as much to her, but didn't know how much until later.
At our visit, it was well worth the sacrifice to see how happy she was to receive that simple gift. As we left and walked down the driveway I heard her squeal from inside the house. "I recognize that sound," I said to the other leader. From one diehard fan to another....that was a fangirl scream! ( Trust me, I know about such things!)
Her mother told me the next day... Yours was by far Taryn's favorite gift. I wanted to make it a special day for her, but I didn't really know what to do or buy. I'm glad she got her special gift of the day. Thank you.
Am I glad I listened to that prompting or what!

2 comments:

  1. You have got to be the best YW leader ever! I just got called to be Laurel Advisor so send me your good ideas! (Don't think I'll be giving up any autographs though) :)

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  2. You are better than me! I LOVE chocolate! I once hid...and ate a whole bag of Flipz pretzels from Katrina because I didn't want to sacrifice or give up even one! Later that day, I was feeling so guilty and horrible that I called her and confessed! I still feel bad! So way-to-go listening to the 'good angel' on your shoulder!

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