Spring Has Sprung-Cleaning's Begun-Birthday & Grandkid Fun Fun Fun

Okay- so Spring has NOT really sprung- but I do have a few green leaves and buds in my flower beds and on my rose bushes. 

Last weekend (18th & 19th) Jim's son Justin, his wife Nikki and our two grandsons Tanner and Tyler came to visit.  For an "early birthday" gift to Jim, they helped us with a couple of long overdue projects in the house!

Justin started the decluttering/re-organizing of Jim's gun storage room and make him a built in reloading station.  He re-inforced the shelves so Jim can store whatever he needs or wants in there.  It is amazing how much "junk" you can cram into a space.  We threw away several bags of stuff, took down several plastic shelving units and there is still a lot to do!  But there is room to move around and I think Jim is really going to enjoy it!

Then Nikki decluttered and organized the "toy room"... we have this big bonus room over the garage that has been used  as a catch-all room, guest bedroom and as the play room for the kids.  Over the years we had collected quite a bit of toys in a bunch of rubbermaid type containers and boxes.   She went through the toys and got rid of the broken/destroyed/useless items and all the other stuff that had made it's way up there.  Y'know- that room is quite large and roomy.  We bought some drawer/storage units and separated the toys into the drawers so the kids can play with a drawer ful and hopefully put those toys away before getting out another drawer ful! 

I think my next project up there will be to get some of that "chalkboard paint" and paint a couple of huge squares on the walls for the kids to draw on with chalk.  Also- I've GOT to get some kind of decorations on the walls now... it looks so bare!

I also made a cake to surprise Jim and the boys had a lot of fun helping him with the candles.  I was a little disappointed- I bouth "sparkler" candles and they didn't work very well-  just a couple of splutters here and there!  But the kids loved it!  Especially Tanner- we wrote Happy Birthday Grampa in green - which is Tanner's favorite color.

We had a blast playing with the kids... or rather Tanner and I had a blast playing.  Ty is pretty mellow and he was pretty happy just hanging out with Grampa.  Tanner and I played ball, wrestled, built a castle, bowled, and played "Zombies"--  they have a computer game called Plants Vs. Zombies which Tanner loves, but I do think he loved role playing it with Gramma way more!  One of us would be a Zombie- coming after the other one saying "BRAINS--BRAINS!"-  we used balls as the peashooters to kill each other-- but Tanner was a good Zombie, he made it to Gramma several times and ate my brains...hee hee!

It really was a fabulous weekend and hopefully we can share more with them and with our other kids and grandkids.  It's really great when they come here as Jim can't travel much yet he SO loves to see them! 

I took so many pictures I couldn't decide what to post- so I made a few collages and here they are!  Wonderful, wonderful memories!



The boys hangin' out with Grampa & Gramma



Here are just a very few of the fun pictures of the boys playing.

I didn't realize how much bigger this room is now that it is organized!  Nikki did a super

job - she is superwoman when it comes to cleaning and organizing!  

I can't show you all of Jim's gun room (for security reasons at his request)-

 but here is the reloading station Justing set up.  

We feel so blessed by all our children and grandchildren.  We have a wonderful family- we share a wonderful life- if we could change anything it would be Jim's health and we can't wait for this crazy economy to pick back up so we can sell our house and move to Pocatello to be closer to everyone!

Posted by a tired out Gramma  (who's setting out tomorrow to see more grandkids!) with love.

Pondering Agency- My Choices- My Life- "And All is Well"

I can remember a time, when my children were young, and it was the week for High Council speakers at church some of the people I knew would refer to it at "dry council" Sunday.  We would all laugh and go to church, spending most of the Sacrament meeting time trying to keep our kids occupied and/or quiet.  I always felt so blessed as mine for the most part were very reverent.  Good thing, as I had my hands full keeping Brooke Anne from totally disrupting the meeting.  We had wonderful wards though and she was accepted just as she is.

Anyway- today was High Council day. I am now in the stage of life where I thoroughly enjoy these men and the wisdom and love and inspiration with which they speak.  Both speakers talked about agency; choice; and how these gifts shape our lives. I took notes (I actually do that now quite often at church as was suggested by our Stake President a few months ago) and as I listened and jotted my thoughts down,  I had an epiphany- which I will share in a minute.

First of all I want to share some of what was said.  Regarding choice-choice, or agency, is a gift that we were given not only in this life, but even before we came here.  Lucifer was not cast out because of his plan, but rather he "chose" to rebel when his plan was rejected by the Father.  On the other hand, Jesus "chose" to be the Savior.  He was not forced- He chose.  I don't think I ever quite looked at it in that light before.  Then all of us "chose" which path we would take.  In the scriptures we are taught that God will force no soul to Heaven...  God is deeply serious about human joy and He has given us all we need to make righteous choices; the Holy Ghost, our families, prayer, the scriptures... many tools are at our hands.    Yet agency is not an easy thing.. we refer to those first choices as the "war in Heaven"- and as such, we are fighting our own war here each day as make choices... some minor every day choices and some choices with eternal consequences. 

The second speaker talked about the three "R's" of choice:   1- Right of choice- we were all given the right to make our own choices... it is an unconditional gift.   2- Responsibility- with this gift comes great responsibility to make clear, righteous choices if we want to return to Heavenly Father.  3- Results- each choice comes with it's results or consequences.  Analogy- a stick is like choice and consequence...you cannot pick up just one end of it, once you pick it up you are stuck with both the choice and the consequence.  Some consequences may require hard work to overcome, repentance. Some consequences will bring eternal joy.

So anyway, as I said- in the midst of these talks and writing down my thoughts, I had this epiphany.  I have long lamented that choices made by others took away my choices.  I felt cheated- specifically when Donovan and Kris made their choices and it completely changed the path of my life and the lives of my children.  As I have worked through this over the years, I have tried to live the best I can and yet no matter what I felt like I had failed at the most important duty we are given... family and marriage.   Oh I knew that I could still live the gospel and even  have found joy beyond what I ever imagined...I have long forgiven them and accept that I will always love them both... I just couldn't shake this niggling feeling of failure. Then today, like a beautiful flower slowly opening, or a cloud lighting up with beautiful colors, my mind and heart were filled with this message.   Yes- others made choices that affected my life- but I CAN still choose the right myself and by doing so, I have not failed.  I can't really begin to put into words how this message came to me ... it was like a gentle, yet soul shaking carress or whispered shout.... direct spirit to spirit communication from Heavenly Father to me.  Even now as I type this I have tears welling up as my heart and spirit swell again with confirmation and I hear the sounds of the song  "All is Well" from a CD Mike gave me when we got engaged.  I wish I could put that song on my playlist here, but alas it is not offered in the program (at least I can't find it).  I have not felt this, this magnitude of spirit communication since I was in the temple and was given answers regarding Brooke Anne.  Here I am, this very common, everyday person... and yet God has blessed me with these magnanimous moments of comfort, joy and answered some of my deepest questions and fears.  "And All is Well".... 

So now I carry this into my everyday life and I have some choices to make.  First of all I am choosing to work even harder on forgiving, to pray more ferventy and more often and for my own spirit as well as for those who I have worked to forgive.  I am going to express my gratitude more deeply and more often for the people in my life that bring such joy and love and blessings....  And. I am choosing to get over my feelings of failure and accept myself as I am...   "And All is Well" 

In closing tonight- I just have to mention the love and joy I have with Jim.  I love him- with all he has to suffer and go through, he is amazing.  His love for me and my children fills me with gratitude.... especially his love and acceptance for Brooke Anne.   She loves him so......  "And All is Well"....

Posted by a soul humbled and grateful for the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus and all I have been blessed with.

Oh How I Lo-ove To Sing!

This fall I joined the Boise Master Chorale (now known as Boise Philharmonic Master Chorale). We have around 100 singers! It has been such an amazing experience. I have missed singing with Camerata so much since moving from Pocatello... and although I don't quite have the same bond of love and friendship as Camerata (more like a family to me than anything)- it is delightful sharing classical music with such an awesome choir. Our director is the director of choirs at Boise State University and he is really, really good. He is fun and I am learning so much from him. I just adored Scott Anderson, the director of Camerata, I didn't know how it would be singing for another director. But it is just as musically fulfilling and he is just as fun. I haven't gotten into the tradition of going out to a restaurant/club each week following practice as a big group of members do- it's kinda hard since I live about 20 miles away. Not like going to Buddy's each week after Camerata.


This is the back wall of the Balcony at the Methodist Church in Boise, The Cathedral of The Rockies where we performed with the Boise Baroque Orchestra today. All the windows in the building were beautiful and acoustics were fabulous. After each number the hall just rang - practically breathed with the sound.

I have been thinking today about my love of music. I'm not an avid, educated musician- I know tons of music but couldn't really tell you the names or composers like some people can. I just know I have been blessed with this love that is so deep and so resonant in my heart and soul. A friend once asked me how I could "stand" opera music or classical music and I tried to explain but he just didn't get it. How do you verbally explain the visceral warmth and swelling of your heart to this music to someone who doesn't feel it and probably never will? I told him listening or participating in classical music or opera filled my whole being with joy....

I believe some people were created and destined to compose amazing, eternally enduring music- such as Handel's Messiah, and some of us were created and blessed with the pure love and ability to soak in that music - to let that music define the color of our hearts and spirits.

I also believe that though we lovers of music may not ever gain notoriety or fame- we are so much more blessed (and thankful) for this gift than the world may ever know. I believe that some of us were there, singing with the angels to herald the birth of Christ. I believe we will be singing again in heaven among the angels and the great composers of all times.

I see this love of music in my children- they may have different musical taste in some ways, but they too have been blessed with spirits open to the message and peace of music. I like to imagine us singing side by side at Christ's birth and through eternity.

Here are a few more of the pictures Jim took today- I was hoping for a picture of the entire choir and orchestra, but here's what we got... (my sweet husband does not take the best pictures, but at least he is there, always loving and supporting me.... in fact tonight when I thanked him again for being there he got quite emotional (teary) and told me how much he loves seeing me living my dream)....

This is me and a friend from choir. Her name is Carol and she just came up and asked us to take a picture with her. She's really nice and interesting. She has shared some really cool stuff about her heritage... some personal writings and items. I just love her! I am glad to be her friend (a couple of the ladies are not very nice to her... they are obviously wealthy and a little uppity, but I'm sure they'll come around....)

This next picture is one Jim took during a part where I and about 5 other ladies were singing. It was a part for "a few, angelic voices".... I was pretty excited to be one of the angels.... we all know how I LOVE angels!

These last couple of pictures show a little more of the group and a little of the orchestra.... and

a little more of the beauty of the building.

I want all my children and grandchildren to know that a big part of me is the love of music... and it is my fervent hope that they all develop that love and they are able to experience the pure joy of music in their lives.

posted by a "singing Gramma"