GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

So, I've been sitting here for way too long, I won't even say that it's been at least 2 hours, trying to make a great collage for Christmas cards this year. First I selected the photos I wanted, made a collage and they were in a weird order. Start over (because I can't figure out how to change this even after reading about how to change this!!). Select the photos, make the collage, still in a weird order and I discover that unfortunately I've left someone out. Start over. Find a photo of the missing person. Spend a lot of time adding and deleting to make sure they are in just right the order. Whooppee, SUCCESS! Now I want to order the photos for my Christmas cards. Go to the site of my choice, get all the way to order my prints only to discover that they have cut off both sides in order to make them photo size. I try enlarging to 5 x 7s and then 8 x 10s (as if anyone wants our family photo in that size!) but it doesn't work. So I just try to print a copy thinking that I can do a cute letter and include a color copy, same problem, faces are cut in half. FRUSTRATION IS GROWING, GROWING, GROWING. I decide to try another site for prints, maybe someone local can print just one little picture and I can go in and pick it up to check. And then I discover a million other photos that have somehow ended up in my cart. Delete, delete, delete, this is taking way too long, goodbye other site. Try another site. Well, well, well, this one seems to be working. Yes, just one image, yes, it looks right, yes let me go to order my prints. NONONONONONONONONO - half faces again. HELP - I'm going for a walk with the viscious little dog in the photo only he's happy and it's my teeth that are showing and that growl you hear, yep, it's coming from me!!

Sunday

10 Memories of Sundays past:

1. Walking to Church - it was so close

2. Wanting to be a "door keeper" in Sunday School

3. Fabulous dinners with homemade rolls - mmmmmmmm. And the incredible smell in the house!!

4. Having the same dress, different color as one of my best friends

5. Playing the piano before going to church while the sun was streaming in through the front door

6. Watching the big boys, Deacons, pass the sacrament. I must have been really young!!

7. Making babies and a cradle out of my mom's "hankie"

8. Going to Sacrament meeting in the evening. The windows were open to allow the evening breeze to cool the chapel and we could hear the night sounds from outside. Lovely!!

9. The day the organist marched, MARCHED, down to the row where her noisy daughter was sitting, grabbing her by the ear, and marched, MARCHED, her back up to sit in the choir seats.

10. And weirdly, after walking home from Church sitting with my feet, which had developed blisters which had broken and then bled, in a sink full of cool water. I could not get my socks off until I had done this. I don't remember any pain though, just annoying!

10 Things I love about Sunday:

1. A day of rest, I don't have to go to the store or do yard work or do laundry or do anything work related! And I don't have to feel guilty because it is a commandment!

2. Spiritual rejuvination, so needed!!

3. Being with friends and sometimes even family - lovely!!

4. A fabulous dinner and since I love to cook I never mind fixing it!

5. Singing hymns except when the organist plays them tooooooooo slow.

6. The quiet and solitude - it wasn't always this way though. Little children have a way of changing quiet and solitude and teenagers are even more proficient at it!

7. The weather almost always seems to be beautiful.

8. Thinking about things that are most important.

9. The opportunity to help others.

10. Phone calls to family, catching up.

Disclaimer: The photo is of the Salt Lake Temple.

Will anyone know I was here?

As I was walking Mr. Bear today I couldn't help but notice that he is very intent on leaving his mark on the world. In fact, sometimes I have a hard time encouraging him to move along. There are just so many spots to "address." And it made me wonder if I have left my own mark on the world. Oh certainly not in the way that Mr. Bear does it!! That wouldn't do at all. But I do wonder from time to time if people will come along after me and know that I was there, that somehow I made a difference.

People are Strange!!

The other day I was in Hobby Lobby, I like it because among other reasons they play hymns as background music - nothing like buying scrapbooking supplies to "How Great Thou Art" played on the steel drums : - anyway, I walked past a very pretty woman. It was her eyes that really caught my attention but as I thought about her eyes I suddenly realized that she also had hot pink hair!! It could have been a wig (or not) but it was definitely HOT PINK!!

I resisted the urge to turn around for a second look. I have done that before and have either gotten a comment such as, "What are you looking at?" or rolled eyes or some sort of negative response. So I just kept walking. But I was thinking about the fact that some people wear the strangest things, or choose very unusual hair styles or colors, or put earrings in places that make you want to clean them up a bit (ie. the nose ring) or have tatoos that - well, just really, really catch your attention! And then when you give that particular item your attention they act like you are the rudest person in the world or worse than that they challenge you for noticing - as if you could help but notice!! And the thing that is even stranger, they act as though they are the most normal looking person you would even run across.

But the one that I will never forget, I mean it caught my attention in a way that nothing every has, was a man in WalMart. He was pretty chubby, okay he was way big in the stomach area. And he had his shirt pulled up to just under his arms exposing his rotund belly and nearly his entire chest. I guess it must have been a very hot day although the store had great air conditioning. I couldn't help but check him out twice as I tried my best to figure out if he just didn't notice that his shirt was pulled up to his arm pits or if he actually intended to expose himself, and I mean EXPOSE himself. And all I can say is it was a very very very very ugly sight, shocking, disgusting, gross, unbelievable, etc. etc, etc. And the really sad thing was his wife was shopping with him and acting as if this was the most normal thing in the world!!

SLEEPY TIME

I almost forgot to write today but now it's 11:20 and I'm so tired so it's bedtime for me. But I will just say a couple of things first, I am so thankful for my blessings and especially for my Heavenly Father who blesses me with answers when I need them the most. Answers that I would never have thought of on my own but at this moment seem to be exactly the right thing to do.

"The Lord is my light, then why should I fear?
By day and by night, His presence is near.
He is my Redeemer, from sorrow and sin.
This blessed assurance His Spirit doth bring."

the RED purse

When I was little I really didn't have a favorite color. Whenever anyone would ask me I'd think and think and would usually end up saying that I liked all colors. I'm not sure why, maybe I just didn't want any of the colors to feel left out. Then one day, and it was only a few years ago so I've had a long time to think this over, I KNEW which color I liked the very best. I'm not sure what made me decide. Maybe it was a boiled wool jacket that I bought. Or it could have been when I BOLDLY painted my kitchen (I should add, thanks to my daughter and her wonderful bathroom of the same color). It could have been the coat that I saw at Wal Mart and loved so much. I have received so many compliments on it that I won't EVER get rid of it. Possibly it was when I went to a junk sale and bought three huge enamel ware cups with lids, MY FAVORITE COLOR AGAIN. Well whatever it was I knew which color was the best in the whole world. I loved it because it went with every holiday. And I loved it because it made me happy and warm and comfortable. I loved it because it was spicy and delicious. I loved it because it was bold and when I wore it I felt powerful and in charge. Now I would be the first to agree that too much of one color is a very bad thing so I've tried to limit it to just wonderful accents. There are times though that I probably go a little, or maybe a lot, overboard but ------------ as one of my sons would say, "that's okay!!"

So now the dilemma has been to find a new purse. I had a garage sale and my favorite purse found it's way onto a woman's arm. It rode around with her as she checked out all of my wares and as I looked at her I thought she looked very smart. I almost decided to tell her, "No sale, that purse has to stay with me!" But in the end I understood that it was time that my purse and I had to part company. (Let me tell you though, it was a steal! I should have charged twice the price. And I just hope that purse is as happy with her as I am sure it was with me!)

So fall has come and the purse I had been using just didn't work anymore. I looked high and low for something wonderful. And what I found was just not wonderful enough. I had my check list: 1. it had to be a deal (expensive looking or actually but cheap), 2. it had to impress me as being fabulous, 3. it had to be roomy but not too large, 4. it had to look like genuine whatever it was, and 4. well, it would be best if it was my color but I was willing to consider other contenders, I seriously considered a yellow purse, looked for silver, and although I don't like purple I thought about that too! I looked at several stores several times in a row and found nothing, NOTHING. So the other day I was returning my most recent disappointment and decided to stop in at TJ Maxx just in case, although I had been there many times and they just didn't have anything, I mean nothing at all that even tempted me to test drive it on my arm. But, low and behold, to my absolute astonishment, there it was. Just hanging there looking at me. It tipped it's handles and winked a little. I walked over, took it off it's hook, and placed it on my arm and I felt just like Cinderella with the glass slipper. It fit. IT FIT!! I walked over to the mirror and checked out the total picture and man oh man it was good. And that was that. I marched right up to the check out and checked out. And we've been very happy ever since!

the post script - in a restaurant today a woman said to me, "Where did you get that purse?" "Oh I found it just the other day at TJ Maxx!" "Did they have any more?" "Well, yes, as a matter of fact they did. However, the TJ Maxx I was shopping at is in Arkansas (at that moment I was in Oklahoma City)." "Oh," she laughed a little sadly, "well, who is the designer, I might be able to find it on the internet." Now that is a sign to me that I have done the right thing!

I love fall

Fall is my favorite season. The days are warm but gently warm and the nights are crisp. The trees gradually change from deep green to yellow and orange and red and brown. And they are so beautiful. There is just something soft and golden about these autumn days. They are warm and comfortable and leave me feeling relaxed as though everything is just about to turn in for the night. A gradual and gentle drifting off to sleep.

CAMPBELL ELIZABETH GLAUSER

Now if she isn't the cutest little thing you've ever seen!!

A year ago in August I was on call to watch the big sisters when the new little sister was due to arrive on the scene. It was a lovely late August day and we were on pins and needles all day long until we got the long awaited call, "SHE'S HERE!!" We rushed to the hospital for our first glimpse of Campbell.

I've often thought if you could just project yourself ahead a little bit you would be able to know exactly what a baby is going to look like. Unfortunately it's not until this child is a little older that you recognize features that were always there. Well, I remember thinking she looked a little like Brooke and a little like Kate and wondering what she would really look like. And now I know that she looks a little like Brooke and a little like Kate and she is absolutely adorable. And the best thing of all is that when I was visiting in September she liked me! When you don't get to see your grandchildren very often there is always the concern, that the child will take one look at this creepy looking stranger and hide her little face in mom or dad's neck and refuse to come out until you have finally gone away! But she didn't do that, HOORAY!!

I'm learning

I was just trying to read the post about my new shoes and it's darn hard to read. I'm just lucky I know what I was trying to say!! But I'm learning, maybe the biggest print isn't the one to use!!

We saw this boy fishing in War Eagle Creek in October. Just so cute. I took the photo from the bridge, wish I could have gotten closer. What a great way to spend a beautiful fall day!!

My red and brown shoes

The problem is choosing just one! When I was visiting Adrianne in San Diego we ended up in Nordstrom (or maybe Macys and I'm just trying to impress someone by saying Nordstrom) and there right before our eyes was the shoe department. I wanted some red shoes so I quickly checked through the shoe displays and there they were, unbelievably cute red shoes. They were ballet slipper style, patent leather with a darling big buckle right on the toe. Both Adrianne and I loved them. Time was tight but we each tried on a pair and they were comfortable and perfect - except they were $120. Well, I was on vacation! So I thought what the heck? I was ready, I know it sounds nuts, but absolutely ready to plunk down my credit card for a pair for me and a pair for Adrianne. That's two, count them, two pairs of shoes for a grand total of $240. I believe I may have been wearing my $1 black flip flops with the flower on the toe at the time. Between the tightness of time - meaning no time to throw caution to the wind, that probably sounds strange - and I guess a little common sense we walked out of the store without the shoes in hand!

Did I mention that the sales guy actually said, "These are THE shoes to have this fall in San Diego County. Really everyone will be wearing a pair of these shoes!"

Well, they don't carry that brand here in Northwest Arkansas. But I've continued my occasional looking for red shoes the equal of those. And finally I found some that I really liked and the best news is that they were no $120 pair of shoes. But by now I needed a pair of brown shoes too. And although it seems a little too strange I bought two pairs that are exactly the same, one brown and one red. And today I wore the red ones and two people made admiring comments about my shoes. SCORE!! Next test, the brown ones!!

Brooke Hulie Hoops

Kate Hulie Hoops!!

HULIE HOOPS

I absolutely love being with my granddaughters. We play blocks, and play buy, and have treats, and take bike walks, and go to the park, and, and, and. But once in a while we find something new that is fun/funny. Well, we were in WalMart and there they were - HULIE HOOPS (that's what the girls called them). We just had to give them a try and I have never seen such hip action as they were able to use trying to make those silly hulie hoops go around. We laughed so hard. I just had to buy them so we could continue to practice at home. After a few complaints that "This is too hard!" and "I can't do this!" both Kate and Brooke got the hang of it and were really good at it. Campbell got into the act as well but just didn't use a hulie hoop. MMMMMMM - I miss my girls!!

It's the little things

Today in my Institute class we talked about becoming children of Christ. We listened to an excerpt from a book by President Eyring. He told of a young man who wanted to know if he had been forgiven by God fo mistakes he had committed earlier in his life. President Eyring considered questions about his attendance at Church, if he was on time, if he sat in the front at the meeting, if he fulfilled his hometeaching responsibilities and did he take care of them early in the month, did he do them more than once a month, etc. The young man was indeed doing all of these things and so it was clear from the little things he was doing that he had indeed turned his life to the Savior.

So I started thinking about little things. Those are the things that really make the difference. The little kindnesses, the little smiles, the little words of love and support and encouragement, the little thoughtful actions that help. Tonight I called Matt's girlfriend Kelly to express my love and the fact that she is in my thoughts and prayers since her father passed away and I could tell that this little thing made a difference. Bit by bit little things add up until they have become a much bigger thing. Like the scripture that says, "line upon line, precept on precept, here a little and there a little. . ."

sometimes it's hard not to be obnoxious!!

DISCLAIMER: This photo was actually taken in Utah at Aspen Grove. However the colors are the same in Northwest Arkansas, the trees may be different.

I love fall. I was walking Mr. Bear, the wonder dog, today thinking how much I love fall but I was also thinking that it is November 3 and I am walking outside, in the morning, in a short sleeved t-shirt because it is warm and balmy. And after having spent 23 falls in Minnesota I was absolutely loving that! I still remember "The Great Halloween Snowstorm!" We got a total of 3, yes that's right, 3, feet, yes that's absolutely right, FEET, of snow.

A long time ago a friend moved away from Minnesota. She was rather smug about the fact that not only was she moving but she was going to a more temperate climate. Actually she was moving several hundred miles west and south enough to make a little bit of a difference in the average temperatures, beginning and ending of the winter, and other things that she seemed to think were very important to share with us. In fact, after she had moved and was settled in she sent out an OBNOXIOUS letter which actually charted and compared her new weather to our old weather. It showed each of us how good her new life was going to be weather-wise and indicated in a not very subtle way, "Poor you who have to live in the frozen north!" Did I say it was OBNOXIOUS!!?? It was so OBNOXIOUS that every time it snowed in her new location, especially when it was unusually early or late or heavy, many of us called each other and laughed about her bad luck. I dare say there were times that we even wished inclement weather on her and her new city. On the other hand, whenever it was frigid or snowy or unpleasant we tried not to think of her in her more blessed state. I can say that more than once we quietly said to each other, "Why do we live here?" Her letter came more than a decade and a half ago but we still talk about it.

But now, I am in the more temperate climate, even better than the one she moved to! And it is a real struggle to control myself when we are having warm sunny days and I know it is freezing beyond belief in Minnesota. I have to absolutely fight the urge to pick up the phone and innocently ask, "So how is your weather today?" I didn't control myself though when it snowed 2 maybe 3 inches, yes I did say INCHES, here and the entire place closed down, not just for a day or two but for an entire week!! My son said he got more snow days here in one winter than he did in all of his time in Minnesota!

So, tomorrow, I'll get up and put on my walking outfit including the short sleeved t-shirt and head out the door with Mr. Bear, the wonder dog, and I might even get just a bit sweaty from the warm, balmy air. Oh and don't worry, cold weather is coming our way. Why just the other day it was in the low 40's with the wind chill and we were all freezing. I know, that's OBNOXIOUS!!

"Don't spit into the wind!"

This presidential campaign has ramped up even more, if that is possible. I was listening to ad after ad, and comentary after comentary. One station knows that Obama is the only one who can save the nation and another knows the McCain is the only one who can save the nation. I've already made up my mind as to who to vote for so all of this blather is meaningless to me. It either convinces me all the more that my choice is the correct one or makes me angry about what the other is saying and fearful for the future. So I went outside for a break and to shake the rugs and started thinking, "What do I believe?"

Well, I know what I believe but the bigger question is how did I come to my beliefs? And right away the Jim Croce song, "You Don't Mess Around with Jim!" popped into my head. Not the whole song but just one particular line, "You don't spit into the wind." Up until that very moment I had not given that little saying more than 2 seconds thought but all of the sudden I was thinking, "That is so true." But how do I know that? Well, for one thing I have spit into the wind, literally, and it was a nasty experience. And then I started thinking about all of the different ways we can "spit into the wind." My life was first blessed with people to give me great wisdom, not only while I was growing up but actually throughout my entire life. When I have been smart enough to think about and then follow their wise council my life has really gone quite well. And sometimes I have found that I didn't even need to think about their advise, just shutup and follow it. Secondly, throughout my life I have been able to see just exactly what has happened to others who continued "spitting into the wind" when they had been told not to do that and often when they had already experienced the nastiness that comes from "spitting into the wind." And I am smart enough, or maybe just chicken about the consequences, to learn from the mistakes of others!

So I have come to my beliefs by following wise council and avoiding the heartache and pain that comes from making mistakes. And I have watched people around me who have disregarded wise council and then they have crashed and burned, sometimes literally!

But there is one more thing. Age and experience. I have come to my beliefs by living. The test of time is so valuable and sometimes it takes a lot of years for the consequences of bad choices to begin to show their ugly faces. But show their ugly faces they do and then the messes are so big and hard to deal with! I love this saying, "We raise the dust and then complain when we can't see!" And I love this, "Wickedness never was happiness."

And in the end I am so greatful for my beliefs, for the blessing of having smart people to help steer me in the best direction, for the times that I followed wisdom, that I wasn't the ultimate example of what not to do, and that I've lived this long to gain the small amount of wisdom I have. Now if I could only find people who wouldn't roll their eyes when I share my wisdom and experience with them!