Poor Tatey!

Isn't it so sad when kids are sick?? Well, our furry kid was sick and I had to take him to the vet yesterday and he wasn't happy about it! Poor Tater was sneezing and sleeping like crazy (which is funny because I'm doing the same thing due to allergies!) and he just wasn't himself. So, I hauled the little stinker in and had him checked out...which was quite amusing! He got mad at the vet for checking his teeth, ears and then...his temperature! I was laughing hysterically when the vet stuck him with the thermometer! We got him some medicine (which is no treat to give to him) and after one dose of an antibiotic, he's back to his mischievous self! Josh and I are glad he's feeling better...well I am at least; he dumped over Josh's chocolate milk today just for the heck of it! Things are back to "normal" with our little feline!

Birthday Bash!

We had our Relief Society Birthday Bash on Wednesday, 3/18 and it was fantastic!! We literally had a huge birthday party, with a pinata and all! My calling in the ward is the Enrichment Coordinator and I really wanted it to be a party where we can all celebrate the sisterhood that we share. So, thanks to my committee, you did a fantastic job! And thanks to all the sisters who came, you made it so great! I do have to admit that my favorite part of the evening was seeing the Bishop's wife whack and destroy the pinata...hilarious!

Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch

which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly

as possible before handing it on to future generations.

~George Bernard Shaw

I really loved this quote today...strangely enough, it was at the bottom of an email from Hobby Lobby! Gotta love a craft store that provides total inspiration!

My Favorite City

We had a good time in Albuquerque, even though the weather was awful!! We went to Old Town and the temple. These are just some random pics from the greatest city! Enjoy!

This is Old Town...so quaint!

Well, how could I not take a pic of this hot sauce?! Hilarious!

This church is over 300 years old and is beautiful. We went inside and it truly is a work of art.

The marker outside the church.

After we went to the temple yesterday...I made him pose.

I wanted a pic of us in front of the temple and there was a group of boys at the fountain as we walked up. I thought it was great, figuring that they could take a pic of us...I was wrong! They ran off as we approached, so we improvised. Oh, well!

The Albuquerque Temple - my other favorite temple. It is so special to me and I was so happy that I was able to share it with my husband. We had an amazing experience in our session. I am so thankful that we are blessed enough to worship our Lord in His house.

The stained glass window that is in the Celestial Room, it is gorgeous.

The Angel Moroni.

After we went to the temple, we saw an Einstein Bros Bagel shop...we had to stop! We don't have Einstein's in Grand Junc, so we had to bring some home with us. If you have one, don't take it for granted!!

Just as we approached Durango, the weather changed and we went from sunny skies to this...it was not fun! We had to drive on the twisty-windy roads in a terrible snow storm. But, we made it home safely.

The American Dream

Ok, so I was talking to my pal Ruth last night and we were discussing the "American Dream" story and she didn't quite remember how the whole (hold) story went...so here it is! One time (LOL!) when Ruth and I lived back in Provo at 625 N. 1100 W. (aka Gladys), we watched a biography on Jared the Subway guy. They interviewed lots of people and George Foreman was one of them. He talked about how great it was that Jared was able to loose weight by simply eating sandwiches. He said, "It's the American Dream to have a sandwich!" Somehow, this phrase just stuck with us and every time we would eat sandwiches, we referred to them as "American Dreams". Now, this post may only be funny to Ruth and I, but I needed to record it for posterity's sake and all...LOL! Why am I really writing about this silly story?? Ruth just saw a sandwich at a shop called the American Dream!!

The Land of Enchanment

Josh and I are spending the weekend in Albuquerque, and I am so excited!! I was called to serve in the New Mexico Albuquerque Mission 10 years ago, so coming back is like coming home. We arrived late last night and so far, we have had a blast! We just ate some fantastic green chilis and are going to spend the afternoon at Old Town Albuquerque...yay!

The Thoughts of my Heart

Today is an interesting day...I've been reflecting a lot about my life and the course it has taken. Why? Well, because 10 years ago today, my life changed. I was living in California, preparing to go on my mission and on this day in 1999, I went to the temple for the first time. I went to the Oakland Temple (my all-time favorite temple) and it changed my life. As I look back, I really can't believe that it has been 10 years! Holy cow! I remember how wonderful that day was and how excited I was to go on my mission, it was a good day. I consider that day to be the stepping stone to all the wonderful things I now have...a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a loving husband that I will be with for eternity, and a family that I am sealed to. I am so grateful for the blessings that I have been given.

Just For You, Mi Nalga!

Alright, Gloria...I'm doing the tag...although I am not one to normally do these! The pic is of my little brother, Mike, my nephew Brennan and my niece, Meredith. They're outside the Oakland Temple waiting when Josh and I got married. So, there ya go! As for tagging others, I'm taggin' anyone who wants to do this! Here are the rules of the game: 1. Go to your my documents/my pictures 2. Go to your sixth file 3. Go to your sixth picture 4. Blog about it 5. Tag six people.

Choose the Right!

"We stand at the crossroads, each minute, each hour, each day, making choices. We choose the thoughts we allow ourselves to think, the passions we allow ourselves to feel, and the actions we allow ourselves to perform. Each choice is made in the context of whatever value system we’ve selected to govern our lives. In selecting that value system, we are, in a very real way, making the most important choice we will ever make.
Those who believe there is one God who made all things and who governs the world by his Providence will make many choices different from those who do not. Those who hold in reverence that being who gave them life and worship Him through adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving will make many choices different from those who do not. Those who believe that mankind are all of a family and that the most acceptable service of God is doing good to man will make many choices different from those who do not. Those who believe in a future state in which all that is wrong here will be made right will make many choices different from those who do not. Those who subscribe to the morals of Jesus will make many choices different from those who do not.
“Since the foundation of all happiness is thinking rightly, and since correct action is dependent on correct opinion, we cannot be too careful in choosing the value system we allow to govern our thoughts and actions.
“And to know that God governs in the affairs of men, that he hears and answers prayers, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, is indeed, a powerful regulator of human conduct.”

I was reading an article by M. Russell Ballard in this month's Ensign and I fell in love with this quote! It is so true that each and every day, we make vital choices. They may not seem like it at the time, but they are all important. I am so grateful for the blessing that we have to be able to choose for ourselves. Some of the greatest lessons that I have learned have been from my mistakes, and I am glad to have had these learning experiences. I think that with the world we currently live in, choosing between right and wrong becomes more and more important every day. I am so glad that not only do I have my "iron rod" to hold on to, but that I have the freedom to choose to do the will of the Lord.

Thoughts to Ponder...

My pal Karen sent this to me today, it's a nice reminder for us all. Thanks, Karen!

“Marriage requires a high degree of tolerance, and some of us need to cultivate that attribute. I have enjoyed these words of Jenkins Lloyd Jones, which I clipped from the
newspaper some years ago. Said he:
“There seems to be a superstition among many thousands of our young [men and women] who hold hands and smooch in the drive-ins that marriage is a cottage surrounded by perpetual hollyhocks to which a perpetually young and handsome husband comes home to a perpetually young and [beautiful] wife. When the hollyhocks wither and boredom and bills appear the divorce courts are jammed. …
“Anyone who imagines that bliss [in marriage] is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed.
“[The fact is] most putts don’t drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. …
“Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.
“The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride”
Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Conversation with Single Adults,” Liahona, Nov 1997, 17

Oh, What a Day!!

Honestly, does anyone like Mondays??!! I most certainly do not and it has been a true Monday here! Work has been crazy and sometimes I truly do believe that I will drown in all the paperwork that clutters my desk...I will most likely end up going down from the wave of meeting notes I take...but that's another story for another day. So, I have a case of the Mondays and I was texting a friend about my tiny drama today when I get a call from Josh, someone stole his prescription sunglasses! It just keeps getting better and better! But, when all is said and done, it's alright - we have each other and we that's all that matters. Besides, tomorrow will be better, right?!

From the Mouths of Babes

Sitting in Sacrament Meeting today, I was pondering a few things in my heart. As I prayed to myself about things in my life, I sat and pondered about the Savior and the Plan of Salvation. Being the girl that I am, I let my mind complicate my thoughts (as I normally do). It was Fast Sunday, and as people were baring their testimonies, I listened. But then, a bunch of children got up. As I listened to their simple views on the Gospel, I was again taught a great lesson. The testimony that struck me was that of a little girl who said that she was grateful to know that no matter what, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will always be with us and will lead us. Such simple words, yet so profound. I needed to be reminded that the Gospel of Christ is simple; follow Him and He will never lead you astray. I am eternally grateful to my Father in Heaven for giving us His Son, my Savior. I know He lives and loves each and every one of us.