Valentine's Day fun

Rick and I headed down to the land of enchantment over the President's day holiday weekend to visit our kids.  We started out on a Thursday and went half way, staying the night in the thriving country town of Monticello, UT.  We attended the beautiful but tiny LDS temple there and realized that everyone knew everyone else and that we were the obvious visitors.  It was a delightful evening.  The next day we arrived and headed to Hobby Lobby to get started on some crafts.  Grandma Vonnie went to town and soon cranked out a Superman cape and a homemaker apron with fabric chosen by the kids.  We went out to dinner that night to celebrate the fact that R was made a partner at his firm and to celebrate that accomplishment with him and Claire.  Congratulations to R for working so hard at his career!
Valentines Day was on a Saturday this year, and Claire "heart attacked" us all, writing nice notes with personal messages to each person.  So fun and kind of her.  We made cupcakes, went on a beautiful warm hike and tended the kids while their parents went on an over-nighter downtown.  We went to see our good friends Keith and Lorie who live nearby and got to visit their new lovely hacienda home on two acres of land.  We enjoyed a fun evening and tasty dinner with them.  Sunday was church, visiting, and helping to make dinner for Tina and Bob who are Rick's cousins who live in town.  We had a great time visiting and then watching Downton to cap off the evening.
We enjoyed playing with Lizzie and Will and hanging out with Claire and R.  They have a good thing going and we're always so happy to spend some time with them and see how they live their lives.  We love it when the children come running out to greet us when we arrive and then say they don't want us to go when it's time to leave. It's great being a GRAND parent.  We love it so much and we love these little ones.  Claire and R are pretty awesome too.

Two bumps in the road

Some of you dear readers may also read the blog of my daughter Jordan.  If so, then you know there has been a bump in the road with her husband Jake.  See here. While we are saddened that this sweet family faces another hurdle, we know that they will face that hurdle with hope and courage.  They have felt the love of the Lord in their lives and great comfort that they are headed in the right direction with the treatment options they have chosen.  We pray always for them and for all of us to know how to help them, what to say and not say, how to act and how to make them the center of our concern. This is a very heavy burden for this little family, but as I read the scriptures, I find great peace and comfort in the promises of the Lord as I know they do too.

Also....my sweet sister Carol and her husband Robert are going through a similar trial.  Robert too has a GBM brain tumor.  It seems surreal that Carol lost her first husband to a brain tumor and now after remarriage many years later, finds that her second husband suffers from the same condition.  Robert recently underwent a second brain surgery and is now home recuperating.

Our concern, hope and prayers go to both of these good men and their families as they go through surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and follow-up treatments.  It almost seems too much to bear, but my hope and prayer is that they and we as supporters will be equal to the task. 

I love this passage in the Book of Mormon,   Mosiah 24:14–16.

The Lord said unto them, I will … ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that … you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

“And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

“And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.”

^{And also this talk by L Whitney Clayton entitled "That their Burdens May be Light."}

^{We hope and pray that their burdens may be light and that they will have the strength to bear their burdens as well as possible (I don't know about the submit cheerfully part, with ease and patience), but that they will feel the love of the Lord in their lives, the love of family and friends and the knowledge that they are not alone and never will be.} 

^{Another promise of the Lord:}

 

Matthew 11: 28-30

 28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

January goal report

Here is a report on the progress of my goals.  It helps to report it here.  Feel free to spur me on!

• Attend all 15 temples in Utah, attend the temple twice a month

Phoenix temple with Jordan and Jake

new beautiful Phoenix temple

Salt Lake City temple lobby with niece
Stephanie after she received her endowment

• read the Ensign every month

January issue - check

• dejunk, clean and organize my home
• update all my photo albums, label and date them
• start writing my personal history
• sew something for each grandchild
• sew my Christmas presents 
• spend more time in my yard gardening, etc.
• walk 10,000 steps 5 days a week (thanks to my new FitBit from Rick and Claire, this will be measurable!)

I'm averaging about 7,000 steps over seven days a week, thanks to my FitBit for keeping track.  I need to kick that up once I can get outside more.  Making progress!

• Lose 15 pounds 

Put on two pounds.  What??

• Read 15 books

I've read Orphan Train and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

• support and love my mother more in her advancing years

Visited Mom at her home and took her to the Hardware Ranch, a place she use to visit as a child, call her several time a week

• strengthen the relationships with people I care about

Went to breakfast with a Kathleen, attended a concert with Shelley, Kevin, Marie and Cydnee, went to dinner at the Dixon's home, babysat for Adam and Syd so they could have a break, invited Cydnee over for a sleepover, visited Jordan and Jake and family

• serve at UVU in the Women's Success Center board

Met for two board meetings and contributed.  Signed up to mentor three college students, got training and met with them individually (one widowed mother of five, one 18 year old, one 20 year old from a troubled family) to help them work towards receiving a college degree

• finish visiting the rest of the 50 states I haven't been to including: Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma 

A visit down south

Miss Ellie getting ready for her Chinese culture night

Soccer champ.  So sad she got rained out and I could't watch her play. 

My darling daughter Jordan at the Phoenix temple

Phoenix LDS temple at night

Jake and I coming out of the temple

GREAT little volley ball player Lauren

Gotta love those knee pads

Look grandma Vonnie, no hands

Tommy trying on my grannie glasses

Hanging out waiting for a table at Oregano's.  Great food!

Miss sweet Ellie girl

Darling Lauren

Oh how I love these grand children!

Of course we have to be silly

Little darling Ada finishing up gymnastics, wow, what moves she has!

I had a great visit down south for five days.  It was fun to relax and just be with Jord and Jake and their darling family.  Andy and Chelsea had a couple of unused airline vouchers that were about to expire, so they shared them with me for an early birthday present.  I was thrilled!

The girls love to hear stories from my youth and Ellie (the teaser) now calls me "Vonnie is a stealer" after I shared an episode from third grade when I showed a lacked in judgement and had to face the sad consequences.  I told them about the time I was a tinikling champ and we even looked up some tinikling videos on YouTube to show them how it was done (thanks iPhone!) Other adventures included seeing Tommy boy fell into the bath tub fully dressed, picking up the girls from school and giving Jord a break while she did some of her own projects.  We ate dinner at Oregano's, shopped at Target and Hobby Lobby, got some good Valentines prizes for everyone, shopped at Last Chance, went to the new Phoenix LDS temple, went to see Ada in gymnastics, Lauren in volley ball and unfortunately, we were rained of of watching Ellie play soccer.  I got Lauren started with crochet and showed her how to roll the yarn, make a hat and how to make and attach a pom pom.  We picked out her 9th birthday present and got that all taken care of while I was there in person.  I attended church with them as their ward met for the last time before being dissolved and reassigned into new ward boundaries.  I got to hear Jordan share her testimony, and Ada give a talk in church about Heavenly Father and Jesus.  I bonded more with one year old Tommy and went through a bunch of his photos for this one year old scrapbook I am going to make.  We visited, watch Downton, ate great grilled food, and just relaxed.  It was a rejuvenating weekend and I loved spending time with this sweet family.  We are all so grateful to our Heavenly Father that Jake is stable and that life is going on as normally as possible for this young family.  We pray that it continues.

Happiness is a choice

We had a wonderful Relief Society activity a few weeks ago.   Members of our stake Relief Society presidency came and spoke to us about finding happiness in each phase of our lives.  They had such good advice to share.  Here are some things they said:
Finding happiness while being a young mother

• The joy of motherhood comes in moments.  Write down the funny things you kids say and re-read them often.  Take pictures and look back on your year.  Be aware and grateful for all you have, even in the challenges.
• Don't over schedule yourself and your children (or as least try very hard not to.)  Being overly stressed is a happiness killer.
• Find ways to motivate each child.  Methods will vary.  Find joy in their accomplishments.
• Find time for yourself.  Set a timer and give yourself time to do something you love.  Put your mask on first.  You can't give what you don't have. Trade some responsibilities with your husband to take a break from the daily grind.
• Pray, study and teach the gospel to your children. Write down what thoughts impress you.  Find your inner strength and share your thoughts and feelings and let them know what you value.
• Give yourself credit.  Don't be too hard on yourself.  Celebrate YOUR accomplishments!

Finding happiness while parenting teenagers

•  Stay close to heavenly guidance.  Pray and ponder.  Treat each child according to their needs, strengths and weaknesses. 
• Keep open lines of communication.  Be available when THEY want to talk.  These are some of the sweetest moments.  Help them see how well they are doing.  Their accomplishments bring them and YOU lots of joy.
• Clean their rooms with them, work with them in the yard, have them help you cook, clean and work.  Working with a parent is a great time to talk to teenagers.  They fill better when they contribute to family life and so will you.  Don't do everything for them.  Help them gain confidence by being more and more autonomous.
• Criticism tears teens down, humor goes a long way to lighten the mood.  Be happy and find times to laugh and joke around.  Lighten the mood.
• Give them your TIME.  Much good will come of it.  Building relationships that will last for years ahead.  You are building your future happiness with them.
• Do fun things with them.  Help them find out what they enjoy and do it together.  Fun family times are long remembered and bring much happiness.

Finding happiness while being single

• Appreciate those who are around you.  Value what other women/people do and their talents and experiences.  Ask them questions about themselves.  Get up, Get out.  Don' t wait for other people to invite you.  Take some chances and you'll be surprise how people will respond.
• Find ways to connect with those of similar interests.  Be the one to invite for an outing or to share something you have in common.
• Move ahead in life.  Don't wait until everything is perfect or how you envisioned it would be.  Don't feel sorry for yourself.  You will be much happier and will attract people to you if you don't complain about your single status.  
• Turn to the Lord.  Find comfort in his promises.  Read and study talks specifically to offer suggestions to singles.  Don't label yourself.  If you don't, others won't be as likely to label you either.  
• Show your competitence no matter your marital status.  You don't have to be married to accomplish a lot in life, serve in the church in every capacity and contribute to those around you.  Look for people who need you, don't always be looking for others to fill your needs.
• If you are lonely, step forward and serve.  It is the ONLY answer to help.  If loniless leads to depression, seek help. 
• Think of 5 good things that have happened in your life and review them often.  Train yourself to look at the good in life and be grateful.

Finding happiness later in life

• You now have TIME to do all the things you wanted to do!  Happiness!!
• Look for opportunities to contribute and ways that will bring much fullfillment and happiness:  Mission service, temple work, family history, education week, personal history, institute classes
• You now have more time to devote to children and grandchildren.  Track their birthdays and think of special ways to celebrate with them.  Call.  FaceTime.  Skype.  Take the initiative and stay up on what they are doing.
• Further develop your interests and hobbies
• Travel, near or far, go and see, learn and grow
• Exercise in new and different ways, get up and go
• Find shared interests with a spouse, do more and different things together
• Find ways to contribute as a empty nester parent.  Find the boundaries that work for grown up parent and child.  Much happiness can come with adult children.
• Work or adapting to different circumstances such as illness, decreased mobility, illness in a spouse.  Make adjustments.  Many people who live in the past experience regret.  Others who live in the future experience fear.  Live in the present to experience and FIND joy.
• Find your divine center.  Happiness that is centered on Jesus Christ.  Circumstances may change, but this relationship can remain constant.  Develop a knowledge of and a relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ.  Focus on the love of the Lord and the blessings he give us.