Many years ago, I bought two hot water bottles, but until recently, I have been almost the only user. This year, our pup is my new hot water bottle buddy. It got really cold all of a sudden around here. Sorry about a post about the weather. Life isn’t always very noteworthy.
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I wish that this video was available in a different way, since you probably need a Facebook account to see it. I am posting it as a place marker in time, as these are the missionaries from our ward. Tim is in it, too.
Tim begins his missionary service in 32 days. We have all the gear to prove it.
I’m on my knees about his passport, which had a hiccup in processing. I could use some fellowship in prayer on this.
Someone had her hair styled this weekend. Happy day, I have moved through my creative slump. I’m setting up my doll factory for Christmas and I have a few more dolls planned.
This is the doll I was making for the blog tutorials in early 2021. To see the tutorial posts, you can click here. I made changes to the hairline on the back of the head before I created this twist and fold hairstyle. She’s come a long way.
I have opened a miniature art museum on my front porch. It delights me to find the children in the neighborhood are displaying their art here. I got the idea online and sent invitations to create pieces no bigger than a library card. Slowly, the art began to appear. Paige kindly contributed a piece early on just in case no one showed up. 🙂 I have never “caught” anyone leaving art, and that is part of the fun. What will I discover in the museum today?
This year for our church conference, our family paused the t.v. after each talk to write a summary statement together on a white board. It didn’t take long, but it was a good way to review quickly and work together. I love autumn light, and it comes in many forms: sunrises, sunsets, golden afternoons, and general conference talks.
Here are just a few of my favorite talks.
I have been thinking about the way things were before I had a smartphone. Things were simpler because I wasn’t connected to news and images all the time. I used to get a magazine each month of beautiful decorating and home ideas, but now I can see the equivalent of a magazine in images online in about 10 minutes. It is a great tool, and I used the phone to take this photo, but I don’t think I benefit from the incessant information. It has been a goal since August to be phone-free for the morning hours, and I decided on this goal after praying to know what I needed to do help improve socially. The idea came easily, but I have been surprised how big a difference this has made. Obviously, this extra morning time opens my day to more possibilities. I have mostly used the time to study, read, and spend time with Tim working on mission prep. Another benefit is that I have felt more sure in myself. Being my authentic self in my interactions with others is taking away some of my intensity and fussiness. It has been a good thing to go back to the old times before I had a smartphone, even just part of the day. I find that spending the morning “off” tends to spill into lighter phone use in the afternoon and evening, too. My next installment should be to read the news like we used to when we had a daily newspaper, just once a day.
Slowly, I am thinking more about my grandmother. I think it hurt too much to look at photos or read her writing after she passed away. A few days ago, I read her last message and looked at a few pictures and it didn’t kill me. I listened to her voice, recorded on my phone, and I didn’t cry.
I packed up a bunch of pictures right after she passed away and they spilled in my car on the way home. Every few weeks I discover another picture I didn’t find when I cleaned things up. If I make a sudden stop, this tends to bring them out of their hiding places. It’s like I have been showered in pictures since she left us. She was a little mischievous and LOVED being surrounded by photos. I like to think she smiles as I find these happy old memories.
When Tim’s friends became missionaries, reality hit pretty hard for me. I missed them! It was such a sweet surprise to see them at our house this weekend for a few minutes, eating cookies and watching an MTC training video together. They are both completing their missionary training at home. They have a little free time, and they are careful to always be with a companion. They are happy! They are also hopeful, despite all the unknowns right now about missionary work, and you know, hope is very contagious. Way to shine, elders.
This was our weekend. One went to Elko; one went to youth conference; some stayed at home and worked on projects; we had Richard’s parents here for Sunday dinner; and we found ourselves all home together later on Sunday evening so we played a game. The end.
This is my new view from my kitchen window. The dead cherry tree is gone from the neighbor’s yard, so I have a clear view of the mountain. The colors from the autumn leaves on this little patch of mountain just delight me.
The house behind us is being renovated, the mean dogs are gone, and my tree has grown tall this year, blocking the 70’s era windows in the neighbor’s house. Everything is very pleasant lately.