Beneath the Wraps

         We arrived in Salt Lake before 10:00 pm mountain time.   I texted my families to let them know we were in town but that we'd be calling it a night and they could come visit the following day.   Three times Randy had asked if we would be going to church with him and Carrie.   Truthfully, I thought that we would still be on the road and so hadn't packed any church clothes.           I don't know what time we ate breakfast, but we had enough time to make it to a ward (church) that we had formally attended (had we thought about it). Kayla had also invited us saying her church started at 12:30.   I had never been one that was a big fan of the afternoon time - especially while traveling.   If Kayla's ward had started earlier, I may have gone as I do know other members in her ward.   I think Bill and Kayla were the only family members to attend services that day as at least two of my b...

     We had pretty great driving weather.  Jenna and I are used to taking several pictures at many stops, but did not seem to get as many as it was cold.  Here are some that we took in Oregon and Idaho.  Roland was not happy about having to stand in the cold to get the one of Jenna and me. earlier we had seen a dinosaur with a wreath around his neck Jenna brought along an extra hat and used both for these photos Jenna doesn't like herself in this photo, but I couldn't very well cut her out and have it make sense. Oh, look.  Roland managed to get himself in the shot as well

       I believe it was just before Thanksgiving when Roland decided to tell me and the boys that we would come to visit them in Salt Lake this Christmas.   We are still in a financial bind, and Roland had changed his mind before I mailed out the packages and told the boys that we weren’t coming after all.   But something kept nagging at him.   He took out a loan and we were back on.      Randy, our youngest, had said we could stay with him.  But we didn’t wish to appear we were playing favorites – although it would have been more practical.  He and Carrie recently purchased a house much larger than they need in an area about 45 minutes (without construction) from where we ended up staying.  Instead of visiting each boy individually, we would make them come to us.      In all honesty, neither Jenna nor I were looking forward to the drive or the changes that we had known occurred during our absence –...

This song had been going through my head prior to Christmas.  I don't know why I didn't post it before the 22nd.  Probably not worth the wait of having missed a week but will have to tie my reader's over until I'm alert enough to post.  Rather a boring video, but it's the song lyrics that I want to convey I realize change is necessary . . . . That doesn't make it any easier . . .

         We have a lovely tree skirt which I had mentioned in this post.  Each year I put it out, I would think about the day I had purchased it.   It was terrible of me to experience such  negative emotions each time I looked at this. It's such a cute skirt.        I don't recall having those triggers our first year in Oregon.  Somehow I had managed to misplace the above skirt.  I noticed this when we were setting up for our first Christmas in Tri City.  As I couldn't seem to find it I went out and purchased another. It was not as big nor as beautiful.          I have since found the first tree skirt I purchased in 2005 when Jenna was just a baby. I am happy to report that I no longer have those negative triggers.  I can now look at my tree skirt and appreciate its beauty.

These are some of my favorite quotes from the abc series: Once Upon a Time Fairytales are real, but you don't know the whole story. . . a hero is someone who can do the hard things even when they thought they couldn't "You want to ruin me the way the world ruined you.   You choose hate.   But I choose love." -         Alice as Tilly "Love is Hope, it fuels our dreams"   - Belle "No one decides my fate but me" - Belle "It's time for all of us to believe - not in magic, but each other" - Emma Swan " I've been writing everone else's stories.   I need to figure out what my story is ." - Henry Mills " Home isn't a place.   It's the people in it.   And they'll always be with " - Henry Mills " Everyone wants magical solution for their problems and everyone refuses to believe in magic " - Mad Hatter "I would rather die than to have you fill your heart wi...

          Before I had a chance to sit down after I arrived in the chapel yesterday, a sweet sister came up to me and put her arm around me and asked if there was/is something wrong.   She is one of the very few people who saw me the week prior.   She had seen me on the stand along with the primary.   Many others hadn't noticed me.   Those who sit directly in front of or to the left side of the pulpit may not have noticed the primary as a whole.   We are out of view even when we're standing unless it is at the  pulpit.           I have been rather melancholy this entire month.   I didn't know why but have since figured it out.   While I truly love this sister, we really don't have that intimate of a connection.   I've seen her outside of the church on occasion , but for the most part I know that our contact is only two or three times a month at bes...

             For those who enjoy watching the abc series "Once Upon a Time" and have not yet seen season seven, you may want to return to this post later as I am about to reveal many spoilers. Thus far season 7 is actually my favorite.   I must admit that I did quite a bit of skipping around with seasons 3-6, reading the synopsis of each episode.   Season 7 has peaked my curiosity.   I also like the story of Cinderella better than the entire Snow White ordeal.   I also like looking at fairytales from other perspectives.             Season Seven starts out with Henry saying good-bye to Regina.   He tosses a magic bean onto the ground and drives his motorcycle through the portal into the enchanted forest. Next thing we see, Henry is a grown man.   He has his adventures and chooses to live in the enchanted forest - for at least a decade, I assume.   Another cur...

I've been working at various schools substituting for aides who need the time off for whatever reason.  This week I observed two different classes react differently to the same set of instructions:             "We will be doing these problems as a class.  Follow my instruction.  I will give you time to finish each problem.  Stay on task.  Do not go ahead of your classmates.  It's important that we do this together."             The first group did not even make the attempt to follow the directions.  Each had a private race against the other classmates.  Most of them really did seem to understand what was expected on the worksheets but still lacked in following the direction of staying on task and not moving ahead.             The second group stayed on task and focused....

                 I serve in the primary at my church.   I also do (and have done) things for the Relief Society, though I often forget as I feel as if my contact with the RS is so rare if at all.   The other day the presidency stopped by to give me a gift and card.   While I appreciated the hugs and the card and the sentiment of the gift, it was a plant that I am allergic to.                   I took the Poinsettia to my friend Carolyn.   She was happy to receive it as she had no other Christmas decorations.   Happy that it has benefited us both.   Thank you RS for thinking of me.  

            In November of 2016, I felt impressed to write a talk about Mother's Day.  I started my research and played around with different ideas.  May came and went and I wasn't asked to talk.  In fact, there was little mention about it even being Mother's Day.  The first speaker truly loves Mother's Day and I th i nk must have desired for a Mother's Day program.  She expressed her gratitude for Mother's Day and then went into her talk which had nothing to do with Mother's Day at all.             Perhaps the Bishop had changed the theme to spare the feelings of oh, so many who despise the holidays as it may trigger reminders of estranged relationships, imperfect relationships, non-existing relationships, or discomfort.   I realize that not everybody loves Mother's Day.   I know of several women who refuse to attend meetings on that day because of painful rem...

                As an accountant major, I am required to take 25 accounting classes                 Thus far I have had 22 classes, 11 instructors -                                 one of them four times.   Two of them three times.                                          Three of them two times and six of them only once.   There are three who have had flair for making accounting better than completely boring.            ...