You can read my tribute to our beloved leader, President Gordon B. Hinckley here, but I need to write about how I feel about my son's tribute.

Just yesterday my second oldest was expressing to me his extreme dislike of church clothes. He hates feeling all choked up with a buttoned up shirt and tie. I empathized and told him it was OK by me if he undid the top button and kept it covered by his tie and loosened his tie a bit so he could breath.

This morning at 6:20 he was bolting out the door for early morning seminary. I noticed he was wearing a white shirt and tie again. I told him he looked niced and asked him what was the special occasion. "To show respect for President Hinckley," was his reply.

Somewhere in the late hours of the evening last night as the news spread, young people around our state got the word out to each other to wear best dress in honor of President Hinckley.

Appreciating now more than ever what a sacrifice it was for this son makes that gesture even more touching to my heart.

Sometimes the best part of my day is having an 80-lb. 8-year-old climb onto my lap, wrap his arms around me and snuggle his head under my chin.

I'm going to miss that, especially in another 8 years when I gaze up at his 6-foot+ gangling (no, it's not really a verb, but it works for me) way over my head and wonder where the time went.

I love how sometimes when you think you just cannot do one more thing a friend invites you to share in an act of service with her and you agree and you get more out of that--being with your friend, getting to know better other friends and just plain participating in a tiny act of kindness in a world that seems full of meanness--than you put into it.

I think I liked it better when I was looking for and posting about something every day.

Over the past week the following things have made my days a little bit brighter:


Waking up to a the calming quiet of heavy snowfall one day. From a meager window in our office I could watch as it kept falling for hours. When I finally left, however, the sky was the most brilliant blue--made brighter by its contrast against the snow.

The funny part of that story is that as I was leaving the building I commented to a woman who was coming back in on how beautiful the day had become. She agreed and remarked on the extremely fresh air. The irony? She was returning from her smoking break.

I'm grateful that irony still makes me smile.


For at least one month I have been successful in at least one of my goals this year. While Elder Richard G. Scott spoke to us during the reorganization of our stake he mentioned how because of our proximity to the temple it is easy for little things to get in our way of attending. Oh how I know this is true. This month I did not let that happen. And it's early enough in the month I might even go back. That feels good.


Big hugs and warm cuddles.


Hot chocolate.


Yesterday afternoon I was on the phone catching up with a favorite friend when we both noticed out the window the beautiful snowflakes. I believe they were the largest and most fluffy snowflakes I've ever seen. They didn't stick around long, but just watching them was an experience.


Saturdays off. Well, "off" is relative. I'm still working hard at my non-paid job at home. But it's good to have a day to get things done.


My family. We've got problems, worries, struggles and heartbreaks. But we've also got each other. There are moments amidst the mayhem that sometimes is our life that I know and feel the significance of family. Sometimes I think that's one of the only things keeping me from flying off this swiftly tilting planet.

I just have to tell you my oldest child started his first class at BYU today.

Can you believe that?

I can't.

I love me a good Saturday.

Since I had put the most obvious parts of the house in relative order on Friday, when I came home this morning after spending last night handling my mother's post operative care I had no big plans to be productive. As the rain turned into steady snow I knew it was going to be a perfect day.

All but the two youngest were still asleep when I got home. K~ was curled up in a blanket watching a movie and L~ was on the laptop. The house was quiet and cozy. I went to the grocery store to stock up, knowing I didn't want to go out again today.

I browned and seasoned some cubed beef and threw it in the crockpot with generous amounts of carrots, potatoes and onion for stew, then I wrapped myself in one of my favorite quilts and curled up with Rodin.

I took two naps!

Now I'm shutting myself away in my laundry/quilting room to clear a path to my sewing machine and knock out some quilt blocks. If I can keep my life and my house in better order this year I'm going to reward myself by actually finishing a few projects.

I love me a good Saturday.

Leisure time.

I have really enjoyed the complete lack of any sort of a schedule the past 11 days. Except for going to church mostly on time, we did whatever we did whenever we wanted. And I loved it.

Today the kids go back to school. Fortunately the boys have a late-start day so they can ease into it gently, but my daughter is sleeping through her snooze even as we speak (yes, I've tried to wake her up, but I get yelled at either way and so I will let her deal with the consquences of her own choices). I think I might go back to bed. I'm not quite ready to say good-bye to leisure time just quite yet.

Happy New Year!