My new toy!

This past month has been so fun! We have gained some financial freedom with Geoff's new job and been able to reap the rewards abundantly!! I got my new bench - pics to come soon, after I finish my front yard - and Geoff ordered his new BBQ and we got a Sirius portable radio for the van and we gave the kids my old laptop and I got my new one! :) YEA for me!!
I got myself a Dell and even upgraded to the better one than I had planned. It has loads of memory, the disk drives works!(unlike my old one), I can use it for the theatre and has some fun options that I'm loving. I had to buy Microsoft Office 2007, which wasn't cheap, but I'm loving the programs. Having loads of fun!
Amazing what can happen when you live right and pay your tithing! :)

Perfect Ending to a so-so day

Not the greatest picture but . . . yummy!


It's common knowledge that I am trying to lose a little more weight - I went to Walmart tonight after the show for a few things and found this at the register! So excited! Only a few calories and just the right size . . . and extra yummy too!

It was pretty long day. Hospital visit, chores, 4 1/2 hours of teaching, 4 hours at the theatre, shopping on the way home, etc. I was needing to hit the store for a few snacks for the boys cub scout hike in the morning and a basket for my co-op pickup, but I wasn't wanting to go. I was in hopes of meeting a friend there but it too long at the theatre for me to get out and she gave up on me. (Sorry J!) So alas, I went alone but got done pretty quick and home to get my contacts out before they burned anymore. And I got myself a somewhat healthy snack that I really enjoyed on the car ride home.

Well, I'm off to bed! Nighty night.

Life is so fragile!

This morning I got a call from my sister who said she had just logged onto our family website (www.myfamily.com which we LOVE and keeps us all posted on each others news since we are all across the western states now) and asked if I had logged on yet. I hadn't, so she updated me over the phone how our Aunt was in the hospital.
My Aunt Karen (lovinly nicknamed our "Cussin' Aunt") is my dad's older sister that has lived between the valley and St. Johns, AZ for many years. I have so many great memories of her! We loved to go to Uncle Kelly and Aunt Karen's! She always had soda in the fridge, goodies to eat, a smorgasborg of all sorts of entrees on the stove, a windchime collection on her porch (there was always wind to enjoy them too), we played kick the can into the late hours, we walked to the Maverick for a Vanilla Coke and the list just goes on and on. She loved us for who we were! She was very supportive and taught us that life was too short to be taken too seriously!
Today as we dressed in a gown and gloves and walked into her ICU room, it was quiet and calm and sad. My sister and I tried to be positive in talking to her although there was no response. She is a medicated coma - although she is not completely unresponsive, as when the doctor came in to check on her and was poking around I think she would've punched him if she could! She winced and grimaced at every touch. I found this somewhat encouraging though as it meant was not completely "away" from us yet! Her husband died a year or so ago and she has been so sad since . . . I think she really wants to go "home" to him. Although her children and family here are wanting her here - we are all so selfish - she is tired and misses Uncle Kelly. He was the love of her life since she was 16! She's 71 and has a fruitful posterity with many children (6), grandchildren and now even great-grandchildren. Aunt Karen we love you but you can go home now!

Update on Reflections

After I blogged about this exhibit, all I could think about was my student who has been thinking about God lately. He and I have had some very deep conversations where I know the spirit has been there to testify. I text him and asked when he might be available to go somewhere with me, thinking sometime later this week. He text back almost immediately saying "Have a couple of errands to run but then I'm available - see you at noon." I was shocked and so excited!
He arrived and we drove to the temple. He was excited to go inside the visitors center. He had only been on the outside when attending the Easter Pageant. We went in and asked for directions to Reflections. As we entered it had the same spirit as the temple! He felt it and wanted to soak it in. He started by reading the entire Proclamation to the World. He then proceeded through the room, looking, pondering on the pictures. I don't want to give anything away, so I just encourage you to go! It's absolutely inspiring!!
We went into the documentary film and watched, where again we felt the spirit so strongly and he was touched about the humble photographer (our sweet Bro. Mabry) kept repeating that he was not the one who was on display but the Savior. He was just the messenger. After we finished watching, we re-entered the display and he immediately went to the picture of the crucifixion. He stood for what seemed like an eternity. He then moved to the portraits of Christ in Gethsemane. He so very moved and thus I was moved too. He said he connected with the one of him face down. "I have had my back turned to Him for so long. And although I do - He is always there for me." This touched me beyond words!
THANK YOU to ALL who put this together and PLEASE go see it!

Reflection

I have the incredible opportunity to visit teach some amazing women!! First, Mikki - our wonderfully amazing Relief Society President. I am in awe after each visit as she inspires me to do better. She is beautiful inside and out! Next, Tara Mabry - an incredibly beautiful woman inside and out as well! She is always so giving and wanting to please all around her.
Today we finally had the chance to visit Tara. She has been so busy with her husband's new project (I'll explain in a moment) that it's been hard to get with her. This morning as we arrived Mark (the above noted hubby) was still there, eating his Wheaties. This project, "Reflections of Christ", has been the talk of the ward and valley. We had a chance to visit with him about it and then Tara invited us to watch a video about it. It was so inspiring and humbling! It is a project that the church leaders have asked him to do. It's a photographic depiction of the life of Christ. The spirit from just watching this video can only be a glimpse of what it must be like at the exhibit! The pictures are so real and as Tara told of an email they received "you can almost hear the sound the Savior's feet made in the sand"! I am planning to attend - more than once! - and wanted to invite you to read about it and go! It is phenomenal!! And what a missionary tool! It's on display at the Arizona Visitor's Center until Easter!
Here is her hubby's website that has a few videos and 'sneak peeks'! ENJOY!!
http://mabrystudios.typepad.com/reflections_of_christ/

I got Tagged!

Lara tagged me with this one.

Everything you ever wanted to know about my relationship with Geoff. Because I don't tell you all enough about us anyway! HA!!


What’s his name? Geoffrey Stephen

How long have you been together? In October, it will be 13 years! Can't believe it's been this long!

How long did you date? Would you believe we met June 30th and got engaged July 11th? If you really "know" then you "really" know - huh? We didn't get married til Oct. 21st - so you could say we dated almost 4 months. :)

How old is he? He will be 39 this next April!

Who eats more? He's a big guy but doesn't really eat a lot. He could probably eat more than I but rarely does. He just doesn't eat the right things. :) Although we bought a scale this past weekend and he has lost 20 pounds since Christmas!! Loving the new job!!

Who said I love you first? He waited FOREVER to even kiss me! Well, forever in our whole whopping 2 weeks of dating. He when he finally did - the day before our engagement - I believe when he did - he said it first! I wasn't going to jump the gun or ruin a good thing!

Who is taller? He is but not by much. I am 5' 8" and always dreamed of marrying a really tall guy, but Geoff is 5' 10" and tall enough for me! I do miss wearing heels a bit but sacrifices are worth his love!!

Who is smarter? Depends. If it's grammar - me. If it's math - HIM! We take turns knowing trivial items - sports, music, entertainment, etc. Gospel principles - HIM! He is so well versed in the gospel and has an admiration for Joseph Smith that no one else can top!! His true hero!

Who does laundry? Yes he does. He can sort, load, change and fold them all! He doesn't do it all the time but when I need him to do it - he can!

Who does the dishes? We share it. I do it more now that he is back to work, but he does them over the weekend most of the time. He is great about loading them. He hates to unload them, which I'll gladly do if he'll load them! :)

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? That's a tricky question. If you are laying in bed, I do. (closest to the bathroom) If you are looking at the bed, he does. He likes to be closest to the door, but will accommodate whatever.

Who pays the bills? I do. He has never been good at that. Although he is the first to remind me of bills that need to paid - even if I've already done it. :)

Who mows the lawn? Ummm.....the lawn service! Don't we love the trade!! :) I teach a weekly voice lesson for our lawn to be done. Right now it's not pretty and we hate it, but with the freezes happening, we can't cut back anything without the fear of killing them. One more month and I'll take a picture of our pretty yard.

Who cooks dinner? We share. With my teaching and theatre schedule, Geoff is very good to take over dinner. I try to have something ready but it doesn't always happen.

Who drives when you are together? Geoff for the most part, but he will ask for me to if he is tired. It took time for this - he gets nervous when others drive. :)

Who is more stubborn? (not changing this one - thanks Lara for the words) I think we can call this one a draw. We're both quite stubborn, although in different ways.

Who kissed who first? As I mentioned above - Geoff kissed me. He was so respectful and although we had only been together a short 2 weeks, I was housesitting/nannying for a friend and he was over every day! We spent A LOT of time together and he didn't try anything. I did get a hug after a week! UG!

Who asked out who first? He did. :)

Who proposed? We really didn't have much of a proposal. We just looked at each other and he said, "So when should we get married?" It was a very mutual agreement. Although he did go see my dad and ask his permission!

Who has more siblings? I do. I have 4 sisters and 1 brother. He has 2 brothers and 1 sister.

Who wears the pants in the family? (again, Lara's words that fit for us too!)Hmmm....this is a tricky question. I think a lot of people would look at our relationship and say that I do. But I feel like we do a pretty good job of sharing them, and Geoff would say the same thing. Whatever it is, it works for us and we're happy.

As for tags, let's hear from Julie, Lacey, Laurie and Courtney. And anyone else who wants to is certainly welcome.

I LOVE YOU GEOFF!!!