Happy to feel so HAPPY

I woke up to run at 4 and just didn't want to...It was 9 degrees again and I didn't want to be cold...so I DIDN'T...and I don't even feel paranoid or sad...EVEN after 4 Krispy Kreme donuts yesterday:) That surely started the whole HAPPY HAPPY feeling thing... . I LOVE our YOung Women. They are so FUN to be with. New Beginnings went even better than I had hoped and the girls were grateful not to have another typical meeting. When they are allowed to relax they are so quick and whitty. We laughed the night away. Whitney Ware could be a stand up comic I'm sure. Our Bishop was ADORABLE as Alex Trebec. He really loosened up, the girls can't get enough of that. There was a sweet, loving feeling in the room throughout the whole night. I just feel so HAPPY...happy for me, happy for them, happy for my life, my kids, my opportunities on this planet...SO GRATEFUL!

And other HAPPY HAPPY FEELINGS...Yesterday I was working with a wealthy YOUNG landscaper on a commercial property and he knows how much I've ALWAYS wanted a pool....you should see HIS pool...right out of a resort paradise...you think you're in Hawaii! Anyway, he looks at me as serious as serious and says, "Natalie, when are you going to take a pool as a commission, I think we should plan on this summer." My heart started beating a gazillion miles an hour because the possiblity FELT SO REAL....Of course that means I either have to SELL him something with that large of a commission OR I have to sell something for him that large...but, IT COULD HAPPEN...I've been humming and hunting ever since---and it hasn't even been 24 hours yet. IT COULD HAPPEN. Some of the sweetest things of my life have happend just in the last couple of months!!!! Geez...the last couple of days. I want quiet time to think about this law of attraction and why suddenly it seems to have opened itself up to me. Hello Law of attraction an WELCOME to my world.

Life just gets better and better

Yesterday I'm buzzing around checking out investment condo's for a North Carolina investor when I hear on KBULL 93 that RASCAL FLATS are coiming to Salt Lake March 7th!!! I tried to win tickets twice before Megan called and said that they'd go on sale today!! Megan has Tuesday's off, so she asked if I'd go to see 27 DRESSES with her at the matinee. I had a crazy day, but decided to just do it anyway...you know how I'm a sucker for a romantic comedy and to see it SO SPONTANEOUSLY!!!...we met for lunch and Don joined us...at lunch, Don surprises me and says he's taking Megan and I to RASCAL FLATS for our birthdays:)I've never had the law of attraction work so fast in my life!!! As we ate, I called Josh who hadn't been feeling too well and asked if he wanted to join us at the movies...30 minutes later we had all the boys checked out of school and at the matinee with us!! IT WAS SO FUN!!! I was queen MAMA for a few hours anyway. It just makes me want to be MORE spontaneous.The boys would have preferred a different movie, but they didn't say a word:)

If you go see the movie...check out Kathryn's necklace. I am SO not a jewelry person, and it was probably her neck...but I LOVED the tiny heart and especially when she layered it with the other thin necklace. After all the unexpected fun yesterday I'm excited to see what today will bring...right after work. Tonight is NEW BEGINNINGS with the Young Women so at least that will be great!

Our Prophet Dies

It is strange how happy I feel that he is DONE...97 years of GOODNESS. I am so thrilled that he gets to be with his wife again. It was still surprising to hear the news even at his 97 years...he was in such amazingly good health. I love him.

Don't forget..MANSFIELD PARK tonight

27 DAYS until North Carolina Nieces and Nephews

I was pretty bummed at the beginning of the week when I found out Sheri and Gene and kiddies would NOT be moving to Utah, but to Cincinati, Ohio instead. We REALLY wanted them to come HERE...but we understand that great jobs are hard to find and Gene found a great job there. THE BEST NEWS in all of that is that I get to go stay with the kids February 23-March 2 while Sheri and Gene house hunt in Cincinatti. I LOVE my nieces and nephews...I'll be able to see Kelly and Jax too!! I'll be there for my birthday and we're going to make up for too many birthday's not spent together!!! And maybe a few other holidays...like egg hunts:) It will be a bit strange because the kids will be gone at school for most of the day. SOOooooo, I guess I'll just work from my computer and take really long lovely runs (if I can get brave in the neighborhood) and maybe watch a Rachel Rae show or two:)Actually, there are a few graveyards and county record offices I would like to buzz to if they aren't too far for a day trip before the kids would get home. This year keeps getting better and better!!!

I have been AMAZINGLY good not to moan and whine and complain about BOTH My laptop and desktop dying about 2 weeks ago. The family has been very kind to "share" the family computer with me. Yesterday I ordered this lovely DELL 1520 Inspiron Laptop to replace my 8 year old Dead Inspiron Laptop. The technican in hopeful that he can replace my hardrive so all will be restored. I'm praying so. I have months of work plat maps, due diligence, soil tests etc., on there...but MOST importantly in my family history. I have back ups on it, but the most current updated stuff is on that laptop. My desktop may just have to die...they still don't have a price on the repair...it needs a new mother board...anyway.I was so excited to have a RED laptop, but when they said I could only have VISTA on a red, I said NO THANKS, give me XP and BLUE. It will ship this Friday. I'm just a little excited...think of it, a CLEAN computer:)to start afresh:)

I LOVE my sister in law JEREMI!!!!!

This coming Wednesday is the annual NEW BEGINNINGS program for all the Young Women in our church 12-18. As you've probably figured, I'm over all the 14-16 year olds...and I LOVE THEM. We meet weekly on Wednesday's and have camp for a week in the summer with a few weekend overnighters during the year. ANYWAY...the program is to help bring them closer to Christ and help them become who they choose to be. This New Beginnings Program is always at the first of the year for personal goal and project setting. We have the parents there and remind them of what is coming up and welcome the new girls coming in and highlite the girls who are graduating and recognize their projects and accomplishments. Sometimes it can be boring...well, I'm in charge this year and its NOT going to be boring. We are going to play Jeporady and I've inserted our Bishop's face and our YW's PResident's face on the invitation. THe girls are going to laugh!Actually, it's my DARLING smart talented sister in law Jeremi who did it for me. I already loved her, but I love her even more if that's possible. Anyway, just tickled with how it turned out and thought if any of you in Young WOmen's want my ideas for the night I'd be happy to share.

Lovin my YOUNG WOMEN!!!

Last night Kay, Britta and I took the 14-15 year olds to Magelby's for dinner...this is a really nice restaurant in town. You would have laughed to hear one of them ask if they had chicken nuggets...the tiniest of the group ordered a steak!!!The chocolate cake came out and the slice covered the WHOLE plate. You should have seen their eyes! Almost everyone had a box to take home. They are so easy to love. They are so AMAZING...so much smarter than when we were their age. We barely talked about their goals and projects, but sometimes, a girl(s) has just gotta have a litte fun:)

Stepanie says YES

Josh asked Stepanie to the Sweetheart dance by delivering her a darling gift bag full of candy with a note that said, "Bag the rest and let ME take YOU to Sweethearts". She answered with this jello creation with the word YES written on a 3X5 card in the middle...(like the way the guy put the stapler in the jello on "the OFFICE"). It is so much fun to have teenagers!!! I love the way they bring laughter and so much FUN into the house.

www.matthewmcconaughey.com

Just because he's gorgeous and playful

I remember my mom picking up any magazine that had Burt Reynolds on it or in it and how nutso I thought she was...it just felt WIERD to have her think this man that she'd never even meet was attractive and interesting. Okay...so now at 44 years old I not only wake up and see my mother in the mirror...I have this thing for Matthew McConaughey (and so must ALOT of other people or else he wouldn't be on the cover of so many magazines). Poor Matthew. He'd have nightmares if he could see the women that are mezmorized by him. In case your one of them...I read in PEOPLE magazine about his web site...okay, keep breathing, I LOVE PEOPLE magazine and I love them even more now that they hooked me up to his website. ENJOY!!!

Hand and Foot

We had Kym and Matt Peterson, Ron and Danielle Torgerson and Kay and Steve Clegg over for dinner and cards last night. The Sanders were suppose to come but they had out of town family show up at the last minute. We missed them. Danielle and Kay taught us this great new game called HAND and FOOT...the instructions are on the net...it is SO FUN...okay...mostly THEY were SO FUN!!!! I love to play cards. This game was especially fun because you play in partners. Want to play? Kym brought dessert--German chocolate cake AND caramel vanilla custard...both to die for!!!So far I'm doing great on my resolution to enjoy my life more in 2008.

Sam survived his scout camp out. Spencer got to go to Los Hermanos with Don for lunch. Josh arrived home safely from his GUY trip to Idaho with his Senior friends. Megan sold 3 houses in her subdivision. A persistent buyer for GrandDad's farm if we could ever get him to agree. So, a lovely week overall.

Don has left for Quebec City and then to Ottawa so he will be gone this week. I feel late night quilting coming on....
PS...DON'T FORGET the Jane Austin show tonight on Masterpiece Theatre.

HAPPY 25th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY to US!!!

Don came home all smiles last night and handed me a file folder with flight and hotel reservations in it for April 24th -29th. Our 25th anniversary is the 27th ...and now I am all smiles!!!! We are finally getting a real honeymoon!!! No, two nights in the Washington DC Marriot with meals bought at the grocery store so we could afford cheap yuck hotel rooms on the drive back to Boise does NOT count!

He is taking me to CANCUN!!! I've put a few pictures of the resort here...you can see why I'm in love with it...all that WATER and SUNSHINE...and everyone knows how I LOVE a pool! You can lay on the cabanas on the beach all day if you'd like and they will come and serve you treats and drinks there. I am so going to read magazines and books and listen to my IPOD and try not to bake in the sun too much. I may have to count the days. I don't plan on leaving the resort!!! I love Don...even if there weren't going to be a 25th wedding anniversary trip. What I really love is when he "gets" me. His idea of his favorite vacation would be going to a destination to DO everything...scuba, paraglide, fish, site see...GO GO GO...but I just want to go lay very still and do NOTHING. Well, except eat and veg. And that's what he got me. After 25 years I'm happy that he still wants to celebrate! IF you run into him, make sure you tell him how AMAZING he is, how tickled I am, and how great of him to PLAN it all by himself.

I found this DIsney comic on a 12 year old girl's site and that made me laugh twice as hard...the only thing missing in the comic is me in running clothes with a caption
"my husband treats me like a princess"

SAM the MAN

The CAT SCAN came back only showing a palyp that has grown in his sinus that is quite sizable. THANK HEAVENS Jeremy is a doctor...he was able to pull up the scan on his computer and agree with the diagnosis. The palyp needs to be checked out, but the headaches are from a nasty concussion and he is banned from all physical activity for the next two weeks as it aggravates the healing of the bruised brain and gives him the horrible headaches that make him throw up. There. Finally.We know. NOW...any takers on trying to keep Sam down? He just goes until his head about bursts off. THANK YOU for those of you who prayed. I had a few phone calls today and THANK YOU for those as well. A worried mom just can't be thought of enough.

Laura Day

Can you tell I'm a little nervous waiting for Sam's CAT SCAN results? I just keep thinking happy thoughts and then I decide I should share them with you. This gal is one of my favorite reads last year. I have slurped up ALL of her books, but I especially have loved chewing on THE CIRCLE and WELCOME TO YOUR CRISIS. I am always fascinated by the gifts that others have to share that make our lives more. I've included this blurb from the net to help you get a better feel of who she is.

Bestselling author Laura Day has spent over two decades helping companies as well as individuals use the power of crisis to create their dreams. Her global clientele include celebrities, scientists, business executives, and other professionals. Laura’s books include The Circle: How the Power of a Single Wish Can Change Your Life and the New York Times bestseller Practical Intuition. She speaks regularly both here and abroad, and has appeared in numerous publications and on shows including CNN, The View, and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

RACHEL RAY made our day!

It was snowing last week and I had the TV on when Rachel Ray made this Asian Glaze and put it on pork chops with a testimonial that it was a 30 minute or less dinner...I know it was the orange marmalade that hooked me...memories of our Melrose orange groves, that and the 30 minute promise...SO,anyway,.... I made biscuits,Potatoe wedges---thick cut potatoes mixed with 2 TBLSP olive oil and a package of Lipton onion soup mix spread on cookie sheet and broiled for 12/ hour, pan fried the pork chops and put this glaze on 5 minutes before serving, and served with snow peas, onions, zuchinni and yellow squash vegies and it was SO YUMMY!!!! And it REALLY was done...the whole dinner from start to putting on the table in 30 minutes!!!I'm never home to see her show, but I'm going to try a bit harder...and at least browse her 30 minute recipe book. This glase would be amazing on chicken or fish as well. Hope you like it! That fresh ginger root really rocked my socks. I was cooking 7 chops, so I used at least a 1/4 jar and I substituted soy sauce for the Tamari (about 5 tablespoons)ENJOY!!!

ASIAN GLAZEIngredients
1 almost-empty jar of marmalade (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons Tamari
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 inch fresh ginger, grated

I decided to include this recipe for Orange Sunshine Jello...since I've got oranges on the brain and it just picks you up on a winter's day and is great served with any heavy meat and potatoe dinner.

1 lrg box orange jello 3 cans mandarin oranges
2 cups hot water 1 sm pck instant lemon pudding
2 cups Orange juice 1 8 oz cool whip tub
8 oz cream cheese

Dissolve jello in hot water, add orange juice and mandarin oranges. Let set until firm. Make pudding as directed on the box. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Spread on jello. Top with cool whip.

Enter to win TRIP FOR TWO to St. Maarten's Island!

Hi!
I was reading my SHAPE magazine and came across this contest. It was pretty obscure in the magazine, but everyone has the same chance as anyone else and it took less than a minute to fill out...SO...if you're interested, it is a 3 day 2 night stay with airfare paid to the Westin at St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort. Go to www.Shape.com/stmaarten before Feb. 11th to enter! I hope one of US wins!!!

Missionary Michael

We got such a great package from Michael this week, and as always, my FAVORITE was his camera card. I'v downloaded his pictures to Photobucket if you're interested. There are almost 300 of them with a few video clips,...so if it's something only a mother could love and want to see....I don't feel a bit bad if you never go there. He IS beautiful though. And kind. And SMART. And funny. And a JOY to do chores with. And trivia fact filled. And a great singer. ANd Handsome. And musically talented...can play most anything he picks up. And dedicated. And a reader. And FUN. And. And. ANd....thousands of miles away.

To see the pictures, go to photobucket.com type in my login and password thingee..
NatalieHarris44 believe11
They aren't arranged nicely or in order, but it's the best I could figure out.ANd I got that far because of Aunt Jeremi...so thanks Jer!!! I want blog lessons from Megan Tenney...check out her site and see how BEAUTIFUL it is...it makes you WANT to click on all the stuff and look at the cool pictures. Oh yeah...you have to click on Kristen's blog and check out the CHIN PEOPLE video they made New Year's Eve...I promise...you'll laugh! And we LOVE to LAUGH.

Sam has had horrible headaches for over a week. They think it has to do with a nasty snowbaording spill a week ago Saturday so he is scheduled for a CAT SCAN at 2:30 tomorrow. I'll update you later and let you say a prayer or two until then. Even as I type he is in there killing his brothers in HALO and not seeming so bad...but when it does get bad he just holds his head and it's not pretty. Seems like we should just camp out at the hospital with Sam this year.

Jeremy and girlies left right after dinner with ELle sick and crying. Even the Otter Pop didn't make it all better. She kept sticking her whole hand in her mouth so my bet is either a nasty sore throat or molars. It's so hard when they can't tell you and they are in such pain. It breaks my heart.

I'm getting ready to snug in with Jane:)It's been a LONG week...real estate calls started the end of last week and I've been so popular this week that the market MUST be turning around. I didn't get home Saturday till almost 5pm and I started at 9am!!
You know I HATE to leave dirty dishes until morning...but I'm gonna, and I'm gonna hope the ELVES surprise me and have them done in the morning.You never know...it COULD happen.XXOOXXOOXXOOXX

Austin, e-mail me again, my computer crashed this week and I lost all of my addresses so I need you to send it to me again.

GrandDad says he'll come after the 19th when he gets his dental bridge for his lower mouth. We'll see. Olive hasn't answered her phone all week so I have no idea if she's coming along.

It just keeps snowing and snowing...it's breath taking. I can't remember a winter like this one for years. I was showing condo's in PRovo last week and the snow plows had plowed the extra snow in these deep gullies off the side of the city street that I didn't know existed and I had to be pulled out...even with my 4 wheel drive...( I'm sure my clients were super impressed). The resorts are running out of places to put there extra snow...I'm going to make a snow baby this week. And I'm going to cut out my new fall quilt. And I'm going to go get Fannie Flag's book that everyone keeps talking about and have a good read inbetween mother chauffering and work stops. And I'm going to keep thinking about YOU. And make daydream plans for when we can be together and what fun we'll have.

Do you love Jane Austin?

OK ladies, it's time to set your DVR's for Sunday, January 13th. PBS is kicking off their 4-month-long Jane Austen special, and trust me, you don't want to miss this! Masterpiece Theater will be presenting all of Jane Austen's novels in mini-series format, every Sunday night, right in the comfort and privacy of your living room. Along with 1995's Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle), as well as 1996's Emma (Kate Beckinsale), there will be four new versions of Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, Sense & Sensibility and Persuasion. Eeek! It's enough to make any girl with a smidge of romantic inclinations burst her bodice! Consider yourselves officially warned. The series kicks off with Persuasion, starring the handsome Rupert Penry-Jones as Captain Wentworth (from BBC's MI-5 and pictured above). Time to bust out your smelling salts, handkerchiefs and petit fours; 2008 is shaping up to be a great year for dramatic television!

I totally stole this whole written blurb thing above from Megan Tenney Holdaway's site...like Anne of Green Gables said "to copy someone is the highest form of a compliment"

Now really...if any of you need a lovely, comfy, treat provided place to spend the next 4 months of Sunday nights... you are officially invited over...you must bring your own druel cloths however for when Colin Firth hits the screen. AND you cant' talk alot while it's on. I would also suggest a delightful side reading of AUSTENLAND by Shannon Hale this next week to keep you pumped up for the weeks to come:)

It's been a busy week with work and just life. School is at the end of term so the boys have been super diligent. A mom really loves that...super diligent. Makes her feel like she's done something right that they can buckle down and produce:) Megan thinks she has found the car for her...it's a black 2006 Altima with only 15,ooo miles. It is more than she wanted to pay, but 1700 below low book so check out her site to see if she did it. She is driving Don's camry and Don and I are playing tradsies with my Sequoia so we are ready for the deal to be DONE.

Another make a momma smile moment happend yesterday when David Bean got home from his mission...he looks SO GOOD...check him out single women...he looks MANLY.

I threw in a few of our Guitar Hero Pictures from our activity last night at Kay Cleggs. All of us loved it and we topped it off with Pizookies...I might be famous for those yet:).

Rachel Bean, Maren Reeves, and Chad Clawson informed us when they came by for the party that they all have the same New Year's Resolution of getting their picture on OUR picture board...it'll be there by first of next week guys...

The whole car thing put us behind so we dropped the kids off at home after our lunch and then after setting up for the "PARTIES" to happen at our house, Don and I left for the movies. We came home to a mess of kids that kept rotating in and out...I have no idea how many kids came and left...but you wouldn't have known it by the amount of food they ate....I had tons left...of which I am still battling myself. The pantry is NOT my friend.

2007 has been a long, strange and awakening year. I'm thrilled to embrace 2008...We already know that the hilight will be Michael coming off that plane AUG 1.. And the low point will be Josh getting on in OCT...may my mother's heart endure. I'll just focus on snowmobiling at Daniel's Summit the end of January, gardening in the Spring, all the great books I don't even know about that I'll get to read, long runs up the canyon with Becki, board games with the family on Sunday's, new country music songs I haven't even heard yet that melt me, new babies to be born, Sun in the summer...hot tubs, swimming, vacations and YOU!!!!!

Annual Measuring Day

I know this practice is shared my many of you...but New Year's Eve or New Year's Day we always measure everyone....Sam is THRILLED with his 3+ inches. Spencer feels ripped off with his two, Josh just smiles and towers over his brothers with his broad manly tall body ( about 2 inches taller than Michael when he left), which you'll never see because he loves the camera so much...no fear of him being a movie star...but hey...Sam is already 3 inches taller than Josh was at Sam's age so Sam might be the "winner":)

The Day got better...

All of the kids wanted to ditch us for the night to be with their friends. SOooo...we made a deal that they could if they went to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory with us and then to a movie, and we would have them home and free by 5pm. Not such a bad deal huh? Megan left from her house to meet us there. We get a call about 15 minutes outside Salt Lake and she is panicked saying smoke was flooding out of her car and she just pulled off the freeway and turned it off and jumped out afraid to get near it. Miraculously, we were literally less than one minute behind her, so we pull over and it looks BAD. Smoke was pouring out her tailpipe.(Yes this is the car she has had paid for a year ago and wanted to last for at least another 3--it was a 2000 Mazda 626)Another miracle was our AAA membership. They came within 15 minutes and away it went. Only to find out later that evening that some belt thing broke and got oil on the pistons? and it fried her engine and the repairs are more than low blue book...so pray for Megan. She is pretty bummed out about REAL LIFE and having to get a new car with a new loan to bust her rear to pay for again. Megan, when you read this, just know that my buttons are bursting that I have a 22 year old girl who has already bought and paid for a car, bought her own Condo...I know it's not a comfort, but it'll be alright and you can do it again. Everyone is impressed that you are smiling and laughing in this picture less than one hour after it happend.

Could I just say the new way to spell heaven is CHEESECAKE FACTORY?

Josh is obviously the one behind the menu. His wife will ask me one day WHY I have no pictures of him and I will smile and say...the same reason you won't unless your love converts him to a camera.

New Year's Eve

Much to Don's DELIGHT, Sam broke down and let him cut his hair. Sam wanted to grow a "fro" like Michael. THens pictures don't represent the real Sam hair affect...he took a pick and picked it out here so you can't see how curly curly it is. Sam's the baby...I wonder if this will be the last time we go through this or if one of them will have to have second go at it. Kudos to Don for his patience this time around.