So Blessed

{Landon, Randy & Grandpa}

"Every father should remember that
one day his son will follow his
example instead of his advice."
--Anonymous

• Being able to pay for the things we need
• A gorgeous day
• Family and Friends
• Righteous Examples
• Landon's face after his confirmation
  

{Our yard this afternoon in the rain}

"Anyone who says sunshine brings
happiness has never danced in the rain."
--Anonymous

• Early-morning blogging
• Finding a suit for Landon
• Rain and 20 degrees cooler weather
• Great mail
• Time alone
  

Neglected

{My semi-cleaned room}

"Happiness comes from spiritual wealth, not material wealth...
Happiness comes from giving, not getting.
If we try hard to bring happiness to others,
we cannot stop it from coming to us also.
To get joy, we must give it, and to keep joy, we must scatter it."
-- John Templeton

• So happy to be home today
• Finishing my visiting teaching
• Rainy morning
• No headache
• Good mail to send
  

Kittens

{Bert, one my parents' new kittens}

"It is impossible to keep a straight face in
the presence of one or more kittens."
--Cynthia E. Varnado

• Whitney's excitement about going to see the kittens
• Holding those tiny fluff-ball kittens
• Grocery shopping and buying whatever I want
• Reading on my bed
• Swimming at night
  

Time Alone

{My desk in the middle of loading cds into itunes}

"After silence, that which comes nearest to
expressing the inexpressible is music."
--Aldous Huxley

• Time alone at home
• Rediscovering my music collection
• Sending good mail
• Whitney making me laugh
• Landon playing soccer
  

Music

{My banished cd collection}

"[Music] takes us out of the actual and whispers to us
dim secrets that startle our wonder as to who we are,
and for what, whence, and whereto."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

• Not having to go anywhere
• Kids playing well with friends
• Loading cds onto the computer
• Loving my music choices
• I can hear!
  

Creativity restored

{The table at Michelle's house}

"The world is but a canvas to the imagination."
--Henry David Thoreau

• Being creative at Michelle's
• The kids getting along well
• Air conditioning
• Writing thank-you notes
• Reading a good book
  

Abundance

{Wonderful friends at the blog party}

"Whatever we are waiting for -
peace of mind, contentment, grace,
the inner awareness of simple abundance -
it will surely come to us, but only
when we are ready to receive it with
an open and grateful heart. "
--Sarah Ban Breathnach

• Going out to breakfast
• Great friends
• Birthday surprises
• Home and family
• Flowers on the table
  

Independence Day

{The flag in front of our house}

"We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty
and the pursuit of Happiness"
--The Declaration of Independence

• The American Flag
• The freedom to do what we want
• Safety and family
• Plenty
• Fireworks and rain
  

Togetherness

{Our little family}

"Let us grow together,
enjoy together."
--Sri Sathya Sai Baba

• Early morning balloon launch
• Seeing the sun rise
• Sleep
• Time together as a family
• A day off
  

Restful

{Our bed after Randy makes it}

"The bed has become a place of luxury
to me! I would not exchange it for
all the thrones in the world."
--Napoleon Bonaparte

• A peaceful Sunday
• A restful nap
• Talking to Amie on the phone
• Randy's perfectly made bed
• Air conditioning
  

Still thankful

{Flowers, flowers everywhere flowers}

"Where flowers bloom so does hope."
--Lady Bird Johnson

• Sleeping in
• The sound of the sprinkler
• Laughing with Amie
• JCW's for dinner
• A shower and almond lotion before bed
  

Sunset

{The sky tonight looking West}

"Clouds come floating into my life,
no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky."
--Rabindranath Tagore

• Shopping
• Air conditioning everywhere
• A cool shower after being too hot
• The sunset sky tonight
• Being home
  

Be Clean

{Our washer with towels & my robe}

"We should all do what, in the long run,
gives us joy, even if it is only
picking grapes or sorting the laundry."
--E.B. White

• Our washer and dryer
• Clean bathrooms
• Lemon scented Clorox wipes
• Our flower beds
• Happy Kids
  

Friends

{Landon, Benjamin & Whitney}

"The essence of childhood, of course, is play."
--Bill Cosby

• Staying home all day
• Talking to Amie on the phone
• Good friends for the kids to play with
• Excellent Enrichment activity
• The beautiful mountains so closeby
  

What's in bloom

{Freshly watered black-eyed susans}

"Everything is blooming most recklessly;
if it were voices instead of colors,
there would be an unbelievable shrieking
into the heart of the night. "
--Rainer Maria Rilke

• A sunshine-filled day
• The sound of sprinklers on our lawn
• Flowers blooming
• Spending time as a family
• Randy going grocery shopping
  

Father's Day

{Randy and the kids on Father's Day}

"A truly rich man is one whose children run into
his arms when his hands are empty."
--Author Unknown

• A good Father's Day
• Randy is a fantastic father
• Sweet kids who love their dad
• Feeling calm about camp
• My new digital camera
  

Love

{Lola's Legacy Display by Jessie}

"I may be here for a shortwhile, gone tomorrow into oblivion or
until the days come to take me away. But, in whatever
part you play, be remembered as part of a legacy...
of sharing dreams and changing humanity for the better.
It's that legacy that never dies."
--Anonymous

• Getting up early and being prepared
• Working on Lola's Legacy with friends
• Seeing Jessie accomplish her huge goal
• Laughing with Randy
• My 70's brick rambler
  

Kids

{The kids at swimming lessons 2005}

"If you carry your childhood with you,
you never become older."
--Tom Stoppard

• Getting things done
• Enjoying the kids
• Not being too hot
• Going out with Jenn
• Target sweet Target
  

Easy breezy

{The trees blowing in the wind today}

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up,
snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing
as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. "
--John Ruskin

• Cool breeze through the windows
• Good visiting teaching done early
• Finding stuff on sale at Target
• The kids having fun with friends
• Good mail--unexpected and sweet
  

Blessings

{The Cowboy Wedding}

"Our prayers should be for blessings in general,
for God knows best what is good for us.
--Socrates

• Phone call about wedding photos
• Unexpected finds at the dollar store
• A good day at Michelle's house
• Randy being such a good dad
• Cooler weather
  

Weird Weather

{Rainbow as seen through my car window}

"We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly,
but let us never lose sight of the
reason for the journey, or miss a
chance to see a rainbow on the way."
--Anonymous

• Spending the morning at home
• The kids saying "thank you"
  
• Delivering the cowboy wedding pictures
• Returning home after a busy day
• Seeing a huge rainbow through the clouds
  

Friendship

{My funny friend Amie}

"Laughter is the shortest distance
between two people."
--Victor Borge

• A beautiful day
• Huge mug of ice water
• Hanging out with Amie
• The pictures from the cowboy wedding
• A visit from my mom's friend Sherrie
  

Kindness

{Basket of kindness from Michelle}

"Kindness is the essence of a celestial life.
Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others.
Kindness should permeate all of our words and
actions at work, at school, at church,
and especially in our homes."
--Joseph B. Wirthlin

• Getting up early and getting prepared
• Not being a flake
• My sweet primary class
• Singing in primary
• Taking notes
  

Fleeting moments

{A bird close enough to capture with my camera}

"There's no economic motive.
The point is to capture, and share,
fantastic, fleeting moments."
--Chuck Olsen

• Having no obligations today
• Landon riding his bike
• Whitney happy after her bath
• The windows open
• Ice water
  

Friday

{A typical Friday at Michelle's}

"Your friend is your needs answered."
--Kahil Gibran

• Feeling so much better
• Waking up to rain outside
• Hanging out with Michelle
• Not being too hot
• Pride & Prejudice
  

Getting better

{My bedroom}

"There is nothing like staying at
home for real comfort."
--Jane Austen

• Feeling a little bit better
• Reading and napping on my bed
• Good mail from Amie
• A better day than yesterday
• Hope
  

Sick

{The great book I'm reading}

"A wise man should consider that health
is the greatest of human blessings, and
learn how by his own thought to
derive benefit from his illnesses."
--Hippocrates

• Feeling better after a shower
  
• Getting started with my family history
• Having a great book to read
• Being able to lie in bed to get better
• Randy bringing dinner home from Los Hermanos
  

Rest

{Our view to the Northeast at sunset}

"This art of resting the mind and the power of dismissing

from it all care and worry is probably one of

the secrets of energy in our great men."

--Captain J.A. Hadfield

• Getting a good night's sleep
• Being home alone
• Reading and napping
• Medicine and rest
• Gorgeous sunset sky and my new digital camera
  

Photo Frenzy

{Cutler Family}

"There is one thing the photograph must contain,
the humanity of the moment. This kind
of photography is realism. But realism is not enough -
there has to be vision, and the two together can
make a good photograph."
--Robert Frank

• Waking up to another day
• Successful family photo shoot
• Finding the perfect pink album for Kristi's pictures
• Surviving photo taking at a long, hot wedding
• Showering and going to bed after the world's longest day
  

Blog Party

{The group photo from our blog party}

"Friendship makes prosperity more shining
and lessens adversity by dividing and sharing it."

--Cicero

• My day of preparations going well
• Getting done ahead of schedule
• Seeing Kristi and her cute family again
• Good friends gathering together
• Having a great day
  

Preparation

{The front flower bed this week}

"There is in the act of preparing,
the moment you start caring."
--Winston Churchill

• Getting the house in order
• Happy, cooperative kids
• Randy working hard at his free-lance work
• Feeling satisfied with getting things done
• Falling into bed at the end of a long day
  

Doing

{Our car, but we say "escapeh" like in Finding Nemo}

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear.
Action breeds confidence and courage.
If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home
and think about it. Go out and get busy."
--Dale Carnegie

• Beautiful morning
• Puttering at home
• Running errands & crossing things off my list
• Watching "Elf" with the kids and laughing so hard
• Reading in bed until I can't keep my eyes open any longer
  

Productivity

{After errands today}

"Success is the progressive realization of
worthwhile, predetermined, personal goals."
--Paul J. Meyer

• Waking up early on my own
• Good walk with Randy
• Finishing errands before noon
• Our family's good health
• Flowers, trees, grass, sprinklers
  

Memorial Day

{The flags down Main Street in Lehi}

"I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.
I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. "
--Abraham Lincoln

• Flags everywhere for Memorial Day
• Family, food and abundance
• Home sweet home
• Our home
• Sleep
  

Sunday

{Rainy Day}

"Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week. "
--Joseph Addison

• Morning phone call with Betsy
• Being prepared for church
• Singing in primary
• A long nap
• Finishing my book (finally!)
  

Rainy Day

{Our view to the East after rain}

"Clouds come floating into my life,
no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky."
--Rabindranath Tagore

• Rainy day
• Tess' birthday party
• Safe travel
• Computer, internet and printer
• Knowing the gospel is true
  

Recovering from the blahs

{Me, irritated in 1978}

"The greatest part of our happiness
depends on our dispositions,
not our circumstances."
--Martha Washington

• A long shower
• Going out to lunch
• Feeling better after feeling blah
• Laughing at the Activity Days girls
• Hanging out with Whitney
  

Crazy day

{Whitney looking fed up after pictures}

"Life seems but a quick
succession of busy nothings."
--Jane Austen

• Getting my errands done
• Teacher gifts
• Safe travel
• Celebrating with friends
• Going to bed
  

Milestone

{Whitney after Preschool Graduation}

"A milestone passed, new things begun,
dreams as shining as the sun,
a goal achieved, a victory won!
That's Graduation!"
--anonymous

• Beautiful morning
• Vacuuming the car
• Picnic in the park
• Lori curling Whitney's hair
• Whitney's milestone
  

Time together

{The kids together}

"How we spend our days is, of course,
how we spend our lives."
--Annie Dillard

• Early morning walk
• Getting things done
• Fun outing with the kids
• Sending good mail
• Feeling good about myself as a mother
  

Monday

{Our semi-organized garage}

"Only in America-do we leave cars
worth thousands of dollars in the driveway
and put our useless junk in the garage."
--anonymous

• Cleaning the garage
• Catching up on much laundry
• Napping with the kids
• Finishing Landon's school year
• Butterfinger shakes
  

Blessings

{Our family}

"However many blessings we expect from God,
His infinite liberality will always exceed
all our wishes and our thoughts."
--John Calvin

• Early morning phone call with Betsy
• Hearing an Apostle speak
• Good food and a day at home
• Reading and napping
• Feeling love for others
  

Saturday obligations

{There's no place like home}

"I believe that every right implies
a responsibility; every opportunity
an obligation; every possession a duty."
--John D. Rockefeller

• A peaceful morning
• Fulfilling my obligations
• Fun game night
• Freshly vacuumed house
• Going to sleep
  

Creativity

{Our Friday Projects}

"Odd how the creative power at once
brings the whole universe to order."
--Virginia Woolf

• A clean house
• Day of creativity with Michelle
• Movie Date with Randy
• Reading in bed
• Buttered popcorn
  

Photography

{Me and my camera}

"The virtue of the camera is not
the power it has to transform
the photographer into an artist,
but the impulse it gives him
to keep on looking."
--Brooks Anderson

• Sleeping in
• Errands with Landon
• Surprise visit from Amy
• Successful photo shoot with Lisa & Kylee
• Watching The Amazing Race with Randy
  

Reading

{Happiness}

"A home without books is
a body without soul."
--Cicero

• Planting flowers
• Taking a long shower
• Reading on my bed cocooned with pillows
• Pancakes and bacon for dinner
• Air conditioning that works
  

Social

{Happy flowers}

"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made,
and forgot to put a soul into. "
--Henry Beecher

• Cleaning out my closet
• Having new clothes to hang up
• Finding loads of books at DI
• Watching American Idol as a family
• Feeling thankful
  

So tired

{Jenn's baby Ethan}

“You've got to get up every morning with determination
if you're going to go to bed with satisfaction.”
--George Lorimer

• Got up early to go walking
• Swimming
• An afternoon by myself
• Successful shopping
• Having a yard to work in