Try, try, try...words of wisdom

Put your make-up on
Get your nails done
Curl your hair
Run the extra mile
Keep it slim so they like you, do they like you?

Get your sexy on
Don't be shy, girl
Take it off
This is what you want, to belong, so they like you
Do you like you?

You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to, give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing

You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
You don't have to try

Mm, mm

Get your shopping on, at the mall, max your credit cards
You don't have to choose, buy it all, so they like you
Do they like you?

Wait a second,
Why, should you care, what they think of you
When you're all alone, by yourself, do you like you?
Do you like you?

You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to, give it all away

 You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing

You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to bend until you break
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing

You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try

You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
You don't have to try

Mm, mm

You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to, give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing

You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
You don't have to try

Take your make-up off
Let your hair down
Take a breath
Look into the mirror, at yourself
Don't you like you?

'Cause I like you

Read more: Colbie Caillat - Try Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Who are THEY and why does THEIR opinion matter so much?
We know who we are, whose we are and where we're going.  Don't let THEM have any control. Not for one minute.  Be true to yourself and to your beliefs.  Like yourself because you are a person of great worth. It's so hard to do in a culture obsessed with outward beauty, fitness and perfection, competition and comparison.  Try, Try, Try for things of lasting value and of great worth.  The good opinion we need to worry about is the opinion of our Heavenly Father.  His good opinion of us is the only one we should be concerned about.  Hard to do, but something to strive for.

36 questions to help you fall in love (again?)

What if there were 36 questions that could help you fall in love? Would you use them?
Well, now you have your chance. There’s a study from almost 20 years ago called “The Experimental Generation of Interpersonal Closeness: A Procedure and Some Preliminary Findings,” authored by Arthur Aron and other researchers, which has recently resurfaced in the news thanks to a New York Times article. The purpose of the study was to see whether or not asking a person intimate questions could create an intimate relationship between two people.

Here is the list of questions to take on your next date, road trip or weekend get away.  

1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
2. Would you like to be famous? In what way?
3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?
4. What would constitute a "perfect" day for you?
5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?
6. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?
7. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?
8. Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common.
9. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
10. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?
11. Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.
12. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?
13. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future, or anything else, what would you want to know?
14. Is there something that you've dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven't you done it?
15. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?
16. What do you value most in a friendship?
17. What is your most treasured memory?
18. What is your most terrible memory?
19. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?
22. Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner. Share a total of five items.
23. How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people's?
24. How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?
25. Make three true "we" statements each. For instance 'We are both in this room feeling …."
26. Complete this sentence: "I wish I had someone with whom I could share …."
27. If you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know.
28. Tell your partner what you like about them; be very honest this time, saying things that you might not say to someone you've just met.
29. Share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life.
30. When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself?
31. Tell your partner something that you like about them already.
32. What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?
33. If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven't you told them yet?
34. Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?
35. Of all the people in your family, whose death would you find most disturbing? Why?
36. Share a personal problem and ask your partner's advice on how he or she might handle it. Also, ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have chosen.

A new year to make...

...a new beginning.  I have a new resolve to do better, be better, accomplish something worthwhile, work harder, serve more, be kinder, forgive, learn, be more patient, stretch, be happier, become more. I'm excited about it!  I'm turning 60 this year.  I'm retiring on May 1 from work, after 20 consecutive years of working nearly every day.  I'm starting some new chapters in my life and I'm very excited about it.  What will this next decade bring?
I'm hopeful that I've mostly done with visiting Dr. offices.  I've met our out of pocket deductible for three years in a row now and I'm ready for some good health and more mobility with my new knee reaching the one year anniversary since replacement on February 6.  My oncologist and my radiation oncologist said they don't want to see me again for six months.  Hooray!  That is such good news to me.  My other "issues" are stable now, so I'm ready to be healthy, eat healthier, get moving and just feel better.
I'm excited for a new decade to begin in my life.  New challenges to move forward.  New ideas for goals I'm excited about.
Here are a my goals for this year, 15 in 2015:

• Attend all 15 temples in Utah, attend the temple twice a month
• read the Ensign every month
• 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!)
• Lose 15 pounds
• Read 15 books
• support and love my mother more in her advancing years
• strengthen the relationships with people I care about
• serve at UVU in the Women's Success Center board
• finish visiting the rest of the 50 states I haven't been to including: Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Oklahoma

 I plan to report back here on my progress on my goals.  Wish me luck!

 "When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement accelerates" (see Thomas S. Monson, in Conference Report, Oct. 1970, 107).

He is The Gift

We had a wonderful Christmas with our family.  We were all together for four days and though a little hectic, it was a lot of fun.  Everyone was patient and treated others kindly and we had a great Christmas holiday together.  Lots of fun included -  attending the Timpanogos temple together,(thanks to Colleen and Mark for tending the grandchildren!!),  going to the annual P/R dinner party, sledding at MVHS, visiting Grandma Pat in her home, attending church, Sunday dinner, lunch with the adults at Blue Lemmon, three BYU basketball games, playing the game of Things, playing the present game, visiting the Lindley's new home, watching movies, going to movies, eating good food, just hanging out and playing with the kids. 18 people under one roof with 8 children and four kids in pack-and-plays makes for cozy accommodations.  

We were so happy to have everyone here and love them all so much.

I heard a man in my office today comment to another person about their Christmas holiday.  He said "the best part of Christmas was being with the one I love, having a happy marriage, being surround by my children and grandchildren and watching them have a great time together.  This was the best gift of Christmas. "  

I couldn't agree more.

Faith, family friends...simply the best gifts in life.

My beautiful tree this year.

Sweet Margaret in her new Christmas outfit.  So adorable!

Some of us went to three BYU basketball games.
 A good time was had by all.  

The loud noise and volume was a little scary to a certain young man.

Dave and Courtney happy to be "home."

Christmas dinner preparations with everyone helping.
Andy trying out his and Chelsea's new GoPro camera.  

So sweet.  Aunt/niece love

Our lovely Christmas eve spread

After the program (Andy was working again)

Christmas eve dinner

Grandma doing what she loves to do most!

Temple excursion with our kids and their spouses.  My favorite Christmas gift. (Andy was working.)

Our annual Christmas party at the Philipp home with a special guest appearance!

Christmas morning sweetness

Someone loved his new ball.  

A new dump truck!

Sweet baby Margaret enjoying her 1st Christmas.

Sledding, of course!

Another BYU BB game that everyone attended

Training them up right!

My new king size bedding!  Thanks kids!

I finished the baby quilt for Margaret.

Loving our time with these two kiddos

Christmas eve puppet show telling the Christmas story

Charlie singing some Christmas songs

Pure JOY!

Christmas morning fun

Buzz, his favorite toy!

7 of Grandma Pat's great-grandchildren

Sunday dinner with everyone present

After playing the present game, the craziness begins.

He is The Gift

With all the wonder and excitement of Christmas, it's easy for forget or ignore the fact that another world exists just below the surface of all the holiday festivities.  While all the parties, concerts, plays, and dinners are going on, there is another world fill with those who aren't invited to any holiday parties, who can't afford to attend any special events, who live on the fringes of society more concerned about finding a warm place to sleep and some food to eat or paying the rent or mortgage for that month.  It is the world of the lonely, those without family ties, the aged, some who are single, the ill, the homeless or barely surviving, the orphans, the less fortunate (as we like to call them), the marginalized, the mentally challenged, the... (fill in the blank) all those who struggle all year long.  We don't always remember them all year long however, we tend to reserve our benevolent concern for the month of December.  We who are indeed "fortunate" gather our families in our lovely decorated homes, eat our best dishes of the year, open wonderful gifts, play games, laugh and enjoy one another's company and do special activities reserved for the Christmas holiday to celebrate the birth of our Savior.

But what of those who have no where to go?
No invite for dinner?
No presents under the tree?
No kind words or welcoming arms?
No one bringing a neighbor gift or a warm loaf of bread and a cheery greeting.

I've had a small glimpse again this time into the lives of a few and know that this time of year is terribly difficult for them as they yearn for the family closeness that others have that for various reasons has alluded them.  As I've tried to reach out and help, I've sometimes been burdened down by the weight of their trails and my pitiful efforts to help seems to make such a little difference. Some have never ending trials.  Some have staggering trials that are often not of their own making.

We can and should do our part to help alleviate the suffering and burdens of others.  But, it will never, not ever be enough.  Our poor efforts can't make them whole.  Can't make up for what they lack. This time of year reminds us again, that there is only One who is mighty to heal, to help, to make whole, the make wrong things right, to comfort, to lift up, to carry us.  He is TRULY The Gift. He brings comfort, peace, strength to endure, more courage to forge ahead, and mostly importantly...the peaceful assurance that they/we are not alone.

So I send Christmas greetings to all the fortunate and to all those who are not quite so fortunate. Jesus Christ is the great equalizer and with Him, all things will eventually be made fair.  He came to earth in the most humble of circumstances and he rose to greatness from that humble beginning.  His teachings gave comfort to those who needed comfort.  He taught us a better way to live, to be, to give, to share and to comfort.  His example is supreme.  He is no respecter of persons and he does looketh upon the heart.  For that I am so very, very thankful.