Wow, I bought a new pressure canner (something I have always wanted to do) and this weekend I am attempting to bottle chicken.

I really miss the days of just being a mom. Spending time, working and playing with my family was the highlight of my life. Planning, cooking meals and making mixes, putting up food storage, gardening, sewing and having the time to just clean my house the way I want to. I am very grateful for my job and the associations and friendships I have developed there. But, oh how I loved being a stay at home mom. Thanks to all of you who have made my life wonderful. I love you all!

Ummm

Well, here I sit day after day at work.. My typical day? Up, Work, Home, Sleep, Up, work, home, sleep, Up work, home, sleep...The only redeeming factors (and ray of sunshine)are my husband, my children and my grandchildren and going to church on Sunday. They make me smile :)

Today is Annies Birthday and I wish her a special day and may her fondest birthday wish come true! I can't believe that it has been 25 years today since I held a sweet and beautiful little newborn daughter in my arms, now she is the mother of her own (2) beautiful children. We can always count on one thing and that is that things always change and never stay the same.

Annie has always been a delightful child, with a unique and funny sense of humor. She is a talented, thoughtful, considerate, loving and concerned sister and daughter when it comes to her family and others. I am so grateful for you Andrea and the joy you bring into my life. Love Mom

I was in charge of our friday lunch bunch group at work. We had the most delicious chicken/mushroom/ cheese quesadillas, spanish rice with black beans, chips, fresh fruit, fruit juice and chocolate layer bars for dessert. I thought quesadillas would be easy because you can put them together really fast, but carrying in all of the equipment and precooking the food this morning took alot longer then making a lasagne. Hmmm maybe lasagne next time.

Greg has been out of town the last couple of nights and it has been pretty hard sleeping without him. I enjoyed the time alone but was also very lonely at the same time.

I sure love you Greg, I will be glad when you get home!!!!

Find Forgiveness

The poet Alexander Pope said: "To err is human, to forgive divine." Medical research has shown that forgiveness is good for the heart as well as the soul. One study found that when people dwelled on slights from their past, their blood pressure, heart rate and muscle tension all increased. Indicating that their bodies were physically stressed when they were in an unforgiving state. Harboring a grudge or resentment against someone or something can only have a negative effect on your health. Forgiving someone can release this negative energy and positively affect how you feel. Today, I'd like you to perform an exercise in forgiveness.

Forgiving someone when he or she has hurt you can be extremely difficult. But true forgiveness can set the stage for a deeper relationship, help prevent disagreements about inconsequential things, and improve your health.

Many people find that writing a letter to the person who hurt them is helpful. So today, get out all your feelings and frustrations on paper. Pretend you're facing the person who hurt you, and tell him or her how you feel. Then rip the letter into tiny pieces or burn it to symbolize that you are putting the incident behind you permanently. Alternatively, you can try talking to someone close to you about what happened - this may allow you to vent and gain perspective.) Then make a conscious effort to let the incident go - don't keep bringing it up. Dwelling on it, especially with the person you've forgiven, may prevent you from really forgiving and moving on.

When we hold a grudge the person it hurts the most is us, the other person is usually not even aware of what we are feeling. So lets make ourselves happier and forgive and move on.

Yesterday was the Hyrum and Nellie family reunion at Val and Ed's home. As usual their home was beautiful. They have an amazing back yard with mature trees that almost form a complete canopy over the yard. They have two wall sections with large purple flowers and other plants flowing over them. A dry creek bed runs behind the two wall sections filled with rocks and beyond that is a field with horses, the horses of course came up to the yard fence. The kids loved it.

It was wonderful being with the Yorgason family. Everyone contributed to a delicious buffet of sandwiches, pulled pork and beef, salads, chips and miriad of desserts. We enjoyed being with Dads cousins and seeing how their families have grown. My goodness, soooo many darling grand children. Most of our family with there: little Emilie was darling in a cute little outfit with a knit hat and every time I saw here she was carrying someone elses baby doll. She loves dolls. Kaden was darling and asked Grandma to help him get something to eat. And Bailee was hilarious when she grabbed a spoon off of the table filled with mayonnaise (doesn't sound good to me but she still ate it and said "yummm".

It did rain for a short time but the trees pretty much protected our family. I went to get umbrellas for Aunt Beth and Grandma Lucy.

Like I have said before "Our family is the greatest" I love you all,

Mom

Well it looks like this blog printed in black ink (because it was a cut and paste article) and I can't get it to change. So tomorrow I will either rewrite it or start anew.

Friday July 10, 2009 Welcome to today's edition of Healthy Living with Ellie Krieger.

Today's Small Step: Forgive and forget. Find Forgiveness The poet Alexander Pope said: "To err is human, to forgive divine." Medical research has shown that forgiveness is good for the heart as well as the soul. One study found that when people dwelled on slights from their past, their blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension all increased, indicating that their bodies were physically stressed when they were in an unforgiving state. Harboring a grudge or resentment against someone or something can only have a negative effect on your health. Forgiving someone can release this negative energy and positively affect how you feel. Today, I'd like you to perform an exercise in forgiveness. Forgiving someone when he or she has hurt you can be extremely difficult. But true forgiveness can set the stage for a deeper relationship, help prevent disagreements about inconsequential things, and improve your health. Many people find that writing a letter to the person who hurt them is helpful. So today, get out all your feelings and frustrations on paper. Pretend you're facing the person who hurt you, and tell him or her how you feel. Then rip the letter into tiny pieces or burn it to symbolize that you are putting the incident behind you permanently. (Alternatively, you can try talking to someone close to you about what happened — this may allow you to vent and gain perspective.) Then make a conscious effort to let the incident go — don't keep bringing it up. Dwelling on it, especially with the person you've forgiven, may prevent you from really forgiving and moving on. Now mamamootys words: The past is literally gone. Those minutes are no longer here, only the present is here. When we hold a grudge it only hurts us. Let it go, chances are that the person who offended you never ever thinks of that incidence and your the only one suffering. Free yourself. Lets learn to love and open our hearts so that we may be like the savior and make our lives and others lives happy. Love mom

Rain, rain, rain, believe it or not I miss the rain and the cool weather and the breeze which comes with it. I do not do well with warmer higher temperatures.

Today, I am grateful for my wonderful spouse. I am grateful for his "I know things are not going the way I want them to, stop, regroup, start again and keep on going attitude". He is amazing and a great example to me. I hope all of you appreciate the wonderful father that you have.

I am also grateful for my own wonderful father. He has always been a great example of faith. He didn't just teach us the words he actually walked the walk and we learned more from his example then words could ever teach us. Just a few examples:

He always honored his priesthood and tried to keep the Lords commandments. He was an intelligent business man and worked with many prestigious people in the community. During his business activities, other individuals would offer him alcohol but he never gave into peer pressure. In fact the President of Reynolds Aluminum would jump in an say "Give him orange juice, he doesn't drink" even before my father could speak for himself.

He was always generous with his money, And he always paid his tithes and offerings. When ever he saw missionaries on the street he would go up to them and give them each 100 dollars to help them out.

He was most diligent in fulfilling church callings.

As a child I remember going to the Garden Gate ice cream parlor for parfaits, the popcorn store for different flavors of popcorn, the drive in for Ice Cold root beer in frosty mugs, Artic (?) Circle for Fish and Chips and fresh lime squeezes and hostesses wearing roller skates. Wonderful trips to California, Disneyland and Knottsberry Farm. And wonderful Lake Powell. We were blessed with amazing opportunities because of him. He expected a certain kind of respectful behavior, but mostly I remember that he always loved me through out my life and I know that he always will. I could say a millions more things about him and maybe someday I will, but for now, I love you Dad, thank-you for everything.

I have been reading articles and comments about people being indicted for stealing indian artifacts from the 4 corners area. Greg and I have had some association with Jeanne and Jim Redd who were two of the people indicted and it seems that Jim Redd decided to end his life, I am sure that it must have had to do with other circumstances in his life and not just the indictment because he probably would have done a plea bargain and had to pay a fine (possibly some jail time). I am very sorry for the family and their loss and offer my condolences at this time. And I am sickened at the cruel words and rudeness of some individuals in our society who think they can say what ever they want no matter how crude or unkind, not caring who gets hurt.

But it has got me thinking about the law and respect for people and their beliefs. On one hand I have looked with awe and amazement upon indian artifacts that I have seen in museums and it has given me an ability to feel apart of their culture and see things that I never would have the opportunity to see anywhere else in my life.

But I can also understand the sanctity and reverence of places where these items came from. As you know we have Cherokee in our Davis Genealogy. My great grandmother was a Cherokee Indian princess, her name was Laura Irene Bishop and she lived in South Carolina, she was a real person to me and of great value. I do not like the idea of people digging up bones and skulls to use as home decoration. I do not like it anymore than if someone were to dig up my own grandmothers grave and take her bones or possessions. I especially do not like it when thoughtless individuals mar and destroy hieroglyphics and Indian sights just to be malicious , self serving or leave their own initials carved into the rock.

I think there is a great deal of disrespect for things of importance and for people.

But I am grateful to see and admire and enjoy artifacts (pottery, clothing, tools etc.) in a museum, giving me a world of insight I would never have known. So there is a muddled line here between what some people see as crime and desication and sharing beauty and culture with the world. I am grateful for my beliefs and good parents who taught me to be respectful and reverent concerning other peoples good values and different lives. That doesn't mean I condone or respect everyones beliefs especially when they are cruel, crude, evil and disgusting or disrespectful of others. This world is filled with diversity and that can be bad but also very,very good.

First of all I would like to thank Jenny for helping me set up my blog. She was amazing and I could not have done it without her.

We had a totally fun time this last weekend camping as a family up AF Canyon. I would have turned off the rain switch however, if I had the chance. The Canyon was beautiful, green and lush and right down below our 5 tents was a stream that sounded like rain during the night (just not hitting the tent). Thanks to Adam for the canopy over one picnic table or we would not have had a dry table to eat at. Everyone did a marvelous job with their part of the food, we enjoyed Hawaiian Haystacks, Foil Dinners, Meat Sandwiches and PB and J Sandwiches with all the extras and delicious pancakes, bacon, sausage, OJ and eggs for breakfasts.

Sorry to say that Kristiena and Ryan were sick, but what troopers they were and they missed their own foil dinners to head home to the insta care.

Life got a little confusing, and sad during an incident with the camp nazi's over shooting a gun outside of camp limits (target practice). Talk about a hot head (the head camp director). We were very sad to see Adam and Jenny go, it all happened so fast and I was cooking dinner, it seemed like 10 minutes later and they were gone. Camping wasn't quite the same after that, there was a down feeling, and we really missed our family. The next day it rained and rained and rained. Trying to cook breakfast in the rain until I was soaked and the make shift tarp dripping, falling down and water running off the edge into the frying pans was quite the adventure. Breakfast still tasted good and then we decided to leave. Everyone packing up in the rain. The tents were wet and kind of dirty. We were Soaked!

Still, we will always remember this camp out with fond memories because everyone had such a great time laughing, reminiscing, riding 4 wheelers and fishing at silver lake.

What a great family we have! I am so grateful for each one of you, the direction you are going in your lives and the wonderful job you are doing raising your children, our Grandchildren.

Love Mom

I thought I would have lots of wonderful sage wisdom to impart in this blog. But today, no such luck, go figure!

Help!!

I don't have a clue how to set up a new background.  I have tried at least 30 times and nothing sticks.  Oh well, I will keep on trying. 

I am excited to get this going.