HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!

The 'SUPER FUN so HAPPY TO BE 48 Years old BIRTHDAY TRIP' began early Wednesday morning as the four of us headed to St. George for the home show. (yes, I just BARELY got back from there for Sam's tournament). It was alot of BROWN and RED houses like this one above...I just don't like the look. Give me a front porch. AND SOME GREEN SOMEWHERE!!! I am not one to go for the whole look of Star Trek's version of hell scenery. The house I liked the best on the inside was placed in the middle of a bed of BLACK LAVA rock. The windows were incredible to the outside and they did such a miracle with where it was located...but WHO would spend millions building a home in the middle of a black lava rock patch where NO ONE wants to go outside and BE in the yard? That family did I guess. Oddly it was decorated in purple and lime green and was BEAUTIFUL!!!! They definitely know how to do the window thing down there. We ate brunch at the Bear Paw and I was surprised to see my Dad's girlfriend Kris with her friend.
We headed to Vegas where we were joined later by 2 other friends who had to leave later that day due to work. We stayed at the Summer Bay Resort. A bit nippy for swimming, but they had heated the pool to 85! The hot tub and work out room was as gorgeous as the room. We had one last and favorite friend fly in and join us the next morning, so we happily squeezed 7 of us into our 6 sleeping suite.
Thursday night we went to the O SHOW...there are NO WORDS... forget the Olympics....give those athletes the honors. I felt like I had been hit by a truck by the time it ended. I kept trying to relax, telling myself they do this EVERY NIGHT and no one dies....but my heart kept screaming "WHERE ARE YOUR MOTHER's???? DO THEY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING???" They call it the O show because you say "O" outloud about a thousand times before you get through the whole hour and a half! And then they would have SO MUCH going on at the same time you hardly knew where to look. I wonder how many times you would have to go to feel like you had seen it all. At one point they leave this guy ON FIRE for what seems like an eternity and I just wanted to scream ENOUGH ALREADY...I GET IT...NOW PUT HIM OUT!!!! And the contortionists just made your body hurt and your eyes feel like they were wrong. So I have this love /hate relationship with it. I so want the kids to see it. WHERE did they find so many out of this world athlete's to bring together in one place....and like...how does one train for that craziness...and what ever possessed them to try??????


Friday night we went to Phantom....and even though I've seen it a number of times, I'd never seen it in Vegas...I LOVE it.
The Masquerade scene costumes where SPECTACULAR!!!!!!! I wanted them to just STOP and let each person walk out and slowly twirl around so I could see all the detail.
Our seats were lousy so we asked if they could change them and they did!!!!-- putting us in the FRONT MIDDLE section...and the chandelier came crashing down just above my head and scared the hajeezbus out of me!!! Sara laughed her head off! I can't quit humming the music from it.
The BEST part of the whole trip was the laughing. Okay...maybe the sharing. I can't remember the last time I spent DAYS laughing. And it was so GREAT to share REAL feelings and realize I am not all that much stranger than the average woman. I feel like I was starting to get these empty sad like holes in my soul that I didn't even know were there...but then being loved on like that by my friends and all the laughing ---just seeped in and filled them up. I LOVE being loved. I LOVE being LIKED. Oh how I LOVE THEM!!! THANK YOU FRIENDS!!!!!!!!
I could write a whole entry just on the food we ate--twice at Cheescake Factory :) I had my first pretzel wrapped hot dog and it was LOVE at first bite! We had pie ---sweet and chicken pot pie at Croshaw's in St. George (new must have often). Now instead of 30 lbs to get off before my July reunion I'll have 50!!!!
I am SO SAD that we didn't get pictures....so sad so sad so sad....but what can you say when you are so enthralled with ALL that you are doing you don't even THINK to take one?? THAT IS A GOOD TIME!!!
In the days we shopped the outlets, went to the movies, ran, slept in, hot tubbed, ....perfectly perfect. Happy Birthday to me. SO GRATEFUL for 48 years with 48 years of people to LOVE.

Ummmm...it got wet...

So, if you've been trying to call me or text me...so SORRY. And I mean REALLY REALLY REALLY SORRY.Sorry for me. I dropped my phone in the toilet at the ball fields in St. George while at Sam's tournament. Gross. I know. I had it in my hoodie pocket. I leaned over. IN it went. UGH. But I have LOVED this phone. I was smart this one time! I bought the monthly insurance. I thought washing the other cell phone was embarrassing. This is a whole new level of embarrassing. I will have my replacement tomorrow. And then give me a few hours to get caught up.

Did you SEE that FULL MOON on Thursday???

Sam and I were driving down to St. George for his Baseball tournament games...but we stopped in Cedar City to be with Stepen Rockhill when he opened his mission call ( San Fernando California, Spanish Speaking). He's going to SUU there. Spencer and a few car full of friends had gone down earlier in the day. ANYWAY...the moon was just coming up over the mountain as we pulled in and looking at it made your whole body feel in awe...like someone was bookmarking that place in your soul as a SPECIAL place, one to be remembered. I wondered what it looked like in Lindon, in Argentina, in other places in the world.....and what made it look so much bigger than usual?

RED BOOTS

I've been wanting some I AM ASTONISHING; (capable of overwhelming with amazement; astonishing greatly; stunningly surprising) MY LIFE IS FILLED WITH MIRACLES boots. I've always just known that they would be RED. I am going to wear them every time I lose 10 pounds, when we pay off the house, the next time I purchase an Idaho Power Ball Lottery ticket, after the marathon, to all my closings...oh, I have a WHOLE LIST of days I am anticipating. They are POWER boots. I don't just WANT a pair. I NEED a pair. Pretty quickly. Miracles happen to me almost EVERY DAY. Maybe I need 2 pair?Either of these will do...I like the top pair just a bit better, has a little more cowgirl swagger to them. The sad news is that they are out of size 9 in both styles in the few places I CAN find them. These are THE BOOTS. FINALLY I have found them. God bless whoever designed each of these. Now you know Universe. I am waiting with credit card in hand. Next time you see them I WILL BE WEARING THEM with an astonishing miracle to report.

Charley

Roger lost his Dad the night of the 12th...even though Charley was Roger's Dad, he has been apart of our lives as long as Roger has. Charley...thanks for a 1,000 different things, but mostly,THANKS for Roger!
Mr. Charles Allen Bell

• BORN: December 20, 1926
• DIED: February 12, 2011
• LOCATION: Lindon, UT

Charles Allen Bell, 84, was born to Willis Milton Boutwell Bell and Sarah Ellinor
Teasdale on December 20, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. After a long life filled
with service he passed away on February 12, 2011. His wonderful sense of humor and
infectious smile will be missed by all who know and love him.

Charlie spent most of his boyhood years in Southern California where he met the love of
his life, Darlyne Cosby. They were married January 31, 1948 and sealed for time and all
eternity with their three children in the Los Angles Temple on June 19, 1976.
Charlie served in the Merchant Marines during World War II. He later worked for
Rockwell International as an electronic engineer while living in Anaheim, California.

Family and friends congregated at the Bell home over the years for barbeques and trips
to Disneyland. Charlie’s generous and comical nature made it a place filled with love,
acceptance and laughter for all who came to stay. Charlie’s great sense of adventure
led him to get his pilot’s license and anyone who flew with him can attest to a state of
fear that was induced on more than one occasion by his flying pranks. After retiring and
moving to Lindon, Utah, he faithfully attended almost every BYU football game. Charlie
will be remembered for his kindness and for the evident concern he displayed toward
those less fortunate than himself. He deeply loved his family and was a devoted son,
brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend. He loved to attend the events of
his six grandchildren and talk about their accomplishments, reveling in their successes.

Charlie served diligently in many auxiliaries of the church over the years. He and his
wife Darlyne were examples of missionary work in action; they brought many people to
the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout their years together. Charlie and Darlyne served a
mission on Temple Square from November 1994 to January 1996. This calling brought
them immense joy.

Charlie is survived by his two sons, Roger and Robbie; his daughters-in-law Liz and
Gina; his son-in-law Karl Pittman; his six wonderful grandchildren Kaylie, Evan,
Matthew, Brennan, Haylee, and Trevor along with nieces, nephews and friends. He was
preceded in death by his loving wife Darlyne and his beloved daughter Diane. There
will be a viewing on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Walker
Sanderson Funeral Home, 646 E 800 N, Orem, UT 84097. A memorial service will be
held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 325 Canal Dr., Lindon, UT 84042.
An additional viewing will be held from 9:30AM to 10:30 AM on February 17, prior to
the memorial service.

Rabbi Schmuley

I woke from a dream the other night where I had been watching a Rabbi with his darling redhaired wife. They loved each other. REALLY loved each other...I was watching to see HOW they did it? I asked from the side "HOW Do you LOVE each other like that"? I could FEEL their love. They couldn't hear me. They couldn't see me. It was like I didn't exist. I was frustrated that I could feel it but didn't know how to replicate it....I awoke frustrated.
Then, like I often do with my dreams I went to the dream dictionary...nothing I looked up seemed to sync....so then I googled Rabbi with marriage and up came a picture of this Rabbi and it looked JUST LIKE THE ONE IN MY DREAM...and then I thought and laughed... Do they all look alike? I am dying to know if his wife has red hair. But this is the article that came up as well...

The Centrality of Marriage in a Cynical Age

Still unclear about WHY I had the dream...but I LOVED this Rabbi's voice. So clear, so funny...and so true...the part about women wanting to feel CHOSEN. I'm excited to explore and see what else he has to say...and if I can find a picture of his wife! I love my dreams.

Daily "fix"

Just wishing this morning as I was taking my daily body "fix" that I could just pop a pill and BE graciously honest. Or surely one for pure hearted and pure LOVING. And forgiving--mostly of myself. I'd swallow it down and it would integrate with the good I am, but make up for all that's lacking. Each would transform my soul and I would just BE love and light. And it could still "work" under the current plan since I was using my AGENCY in CHOOSING to take them. You know, still just trying to make whatever THIS PLAN IS--- EASIER.

It's not a pill to pop, but reading Tessa's blog this morning made my head tingle and lips smile...if you haven't read her...you'll LOVE me when you do!!! These are two excerpts from recent posts that I wanted the world to read:

It’s no mistake that John came, wild and woolly out of the wilderness, crying “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” I don’t think John meant for the Jews to turn from sin. I’m sure there were your garden varieties of usury, adultery, hypocrisy and prideful neglect going on in the shadow of every synagogue. But, that’s small change compared to the change John asked of the Jews. He wanted them to change the way they thought, the dreams they dreamed. He wanted them to demolish the very form of the Messiah on which they had pinned their hopes. Only with a changed mind could they actually “see” this Jesus, who looked, for all they knew, exactly like “Joseph’s son.”

The Greek root of the word “repentance” denotes a change of mind. Given this etymology, at the heart of all repentance is the work of changing what’s in our head. It’s about putting in new ideas about God, about ourselves and about the outside world. Paul says it this way: “Be ye not conformed to the world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Ryan Bingham told me this morning to “take yourself out of your mind, away from everything [you] say you are.” It’s different words for the same idea. The change we seek starts with a repentant mind, dismantling the ideas and visions that prevent us from experiencing the truth of the life before us.

___________________and then this:

This was what I was thinking today in Sunday School (I only teach every third week; I'm up next week).

The question--probably straight out of the lesson manual--was "In what ways today are people not willing to recognize or embrace Christ?"

The answers were all outward-looking. People who don't believe he's the Saviour; people who don't have a sense of his divine mission. The comments indicated that they were all people outside of our church. As if to say that members of the Church all embrace the divine mission of the Savior.

So, I raised my hand, (and I confess that some of these ideas are attributed to my sister Laura), and said, "Have you ever read the description of the Pharisees in the Bible Dictionary?" I read a portion of the description: rule bound, separatists, liked to keep themselves apart from the gentile, reduced all observations down to formulas, encouraged self-sufficiency and spiritual self-reliance, believed fervently in an afterlife and a resurrection. (Sort of like this life really blows, but the next one's going to be so great). Then the clincher is, the Pharisees (a group of Jewish elect) were a major stumbling block to the reception of Christ and his gospel.

Then I made the comment that when people develop a mindset that relies on colors of shirts, inches of hems, minutes of scriptures read, numbers of children, percentage of hand touching head of infant in baby blessing circle, that that mindset find it almost impossible to accept Christ's gospel of miracles.

And no, the Pharisees are not the Baptists, as one dear sister commented in my sister's class, they are alive and well and living within us. They're there because in every religious order where people are required to be committed there's a portion of people, and even a portion of each of our brains that likes to go "nazi." To be hypervigilant, to be completely fixed, to have no ambiguity and no mess. It makes our position more definite that way.

It also makes it really difficult to tell light from dark.

That was my thought today.
___________________________so, I knew you'd love me! I am 47 and WEARY of the Pharisees around me and especially IN ME.
Maybe that is WHY I wanted to take the whole HANDBOOK theme from Stake Conference and put it where the sun doesn't shine? WHO has those GRACIOULY HONEST pills?

**I wanted to thank my husband for preaching Christ at that stake meeting.
*** And I want to THANK BARB who when I told her I wanted a break from church but wasn't sure HOW to take one...you know, a break just until I missed going...she clarified..."You want a break from the institution and certain people, NOT from the gospel of Jesus Christ...The Gospel of Jesus Christ IS LOVE and FORGIVENESS...and NO ONE gets tired of LOVE AND FORGIVENESS..." Is there a Barb Pill?

Valentine's Dinner--Loving LOVE!

Megs invited a whole slew of friends and then there was all of us of course PLUS GrandMom Harris who was visiting (left yesterday with Meg and Don for Chile and Argentina)..."we" weren't allowed to sit at the tables because there wasn't enough room...but we know she loves us!
The FRIENDS...
These are the Strauss twins and their Daddy (Tom) grew up in Ocala, Florida, but he was 6 or 7 years older than me so I don't remember him, but he was in my Stake growing up. They religiously go to Cresent Beach every summer for a family vacation...I am so envious. BUT I'M GOING THIS YEAR!!!! It seems so many things are "taking me back home" lately...and how about Miranda Lambert at the Grammy's winning with THE HOUSE THAT BUILT ME????....I'm going to run me some beach listening and singing at the top of my lungs to that when I get there!!!!

THE SPIDER BITE

So Sam wakes up with this HUGE (half a baseball) bump on his head...and it grow and grows and he thinks he's knocked himself in the head in the middle of the night, or maybe a zit gone very wrong, but NO....it was a SPIDER BITE!!! Took 3 days of "emptying" to get it to go down and just now it is healing. Poor guy...not so fun to go to school with this huge "leaking" knot in the middle of your forehead. Life. I washed all the sheets, vacuumed all the upstairs, didn't see a single spider.

Colombia South Carolina Spanish Speaking

WAITING for all the BAND of BROTHERS to arrive...
Some of the "Brethern" but more came...
GrandDad came.
Josh and Greg drove the 2 hours home to be here.
Megan videoed it for us, but for the life of me I can not get it to download here. When she gets back I'll have her add it.
I know it's taken me almost a week to write about it...I am afraid some of you will think I am still a puddle on the floor. But I'm not. Yes, I still hate that he is leaving. (May 4th) THAT PART NEVER GETS EASIER. But, this call was a love note from God themselves letting me know how crazy mad in love with me they are...that they KNOW my heart--and HIS...and they hear my prayers. He gets to stay stateside so I can send a package every week if I want to...he will be my first child to get a taste of the "south" that I have so longed for them to know...and HE gets the language he hoped for...AND access to the little conveniences like McDonald's and hot and cold running water :)
Did you know that South Carolina currently has their first female governor? Trueville...Nikki Haley! Did you know the state drink is MILK? and the state bird the wild turkey? and the state fruit a peach? And let us not forgot the MOST IMPORTANT parts....the GOLF COURSES at Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head!!! Spencer has LONG wanted to go. He may not get to golf them while he's there...but this Momma is gonna MAKE SURE he gets to Golf them AFTER he's done. Spencer, South Carolina has NO IDEA the GOODNESS coming their way. I am SOOOOOOO gonna miss you love bug.

Proud OWNER of Cutco knives

So for YEARS I have been using the cheapo whatever I get from Walmart when in need knives...except for this ONE precious cutco trimmer that I basically use for EVERYTHING....UNTIL NOW!!!! Yesterday this darling GO GET EM' girl came representing Cutco (she didn't need to give me a demo, I was already sold)...and now I am the proud Mama of some REAL WORKING knives...they will be here in 3 weeks,. Now there will be no more moaning and groaning from family members at the holidays when it is knife and carving time.Crazy that a knife set could get a Mom so excited.
Today is the day. Spencer gets his call. He won't open it until tonight when Josh gets here. My stomach is upset.

Jury Duty Call

Yesterday (Feb 7th) I was called to appear to be considered for Jury Duty at the Federal Court in Salt Lake. My first time ever. What an interesting process...and I was so schizophrenic. I really didn't want to be chosen because I have SO MUCH going on with work and Spencer getting his call this week...but then I really WANTED to SEE the process...and then there was the whole REJECTION thing when they DON'T choose you. I was amazed at how few of the 36 had ANY college education. And amazed at again at how few of them had children, and when they did how few children they had. I wanted to ask WHERE they got these people...this is NOT representative of the Utah I know. It was so intriguing to listen to each prospective juror answer the questions asked...my favorite and last question was "what bumper sticker(s) have you personally purchased or is now on your car due to your placing?"...I explained that my husband didn't like bumper stickers on our cars, but that I have bought 2---1. THERE IS ONLY ONE COMMANDMENT and 2. THE REAL REVOLUTION WILL BE LOVE.
It was a sexual harassment case, 4 women ( age range early 20's to mid 40's) against a big oil company. A man who looked to be 90 years old and could not stay awake was the "face" of the oil company.
They asked 22 questions...if you answered YES to any of them they called you in privately to ask you to explain. The one YES question that they called me in to talk to me about was "as a woman, have you ever been discriminated against?" (I am sure the wording was better) I just looked at them and smiled and said YES. One attorney asked me to be specific...I said, "I am a member of the Mormon Church, it is Patriarchal." There was an uncomfortable silence then laughter. (pretty sure over half of them were LDS) Then he asked if I could give a SPECIFIC instance to which I asked if he had ever sat in a Youth Planning Meeting where the boys were not only allowed, but FUNDED to go on a BIG excursion while the girls were told NO they could accomplish what they needed to close to home?" Silence. Besides me, the room had 13 men in it and ONE woman...the woman was the stenographer. I then laughed and said, "and at the moment there is a slight imbalance of testosterone in the room". They looked around and many smiled at me. The same attorney asked me if it was mostly a church issue...could I think of any other times...
I laughed and said "YES, I was raised in Florida..in the SOUTH...where they weren't so crazy about a GIRL running for Student Body President in 1980...and then actually winning! I told how my FEMALE adviser repeatedly told me throughout the duration of my Senior year while I served, that I had wrongfully taken a talented young man's place. I said I didn't think that that was just a SOUTHERN issue. I told them how when I was a young married and hired as a teller and had more experience AND responsibility than an even NEWER hire, male teller, --but they started him at a HIGHER wage than me because "he had a family". Interestingly, he was married as well, but no children...we were identical in the "family" way. I explained that I don't sit around feeling "roasted" by these situations, but they are factual and MY LIFE situations, so yes, I can say in all honestly, I have been discriminated against because I am female. In Church, in work and in life in general. They dismissed me. Then, they did NOT choose me.
At the start of the morning, and older gentleman missing at least one tooth at the front leaned forward and said to our row..."If you want to make some money today, don't answer YES to any of the questions...." And sure enough...they never called him in for a personal interview and he was chosen to be on the jury. With all my heart I was grateful DEEP to my bones that I was not in need of that $40 a day.

Spencer's Packer's WIN SUPER BOWL for him

...before he's gone for the next TWO Super Bowl's...he gets his call tomorrow...we'll open it around 7 ish....once Michael gets here from work. Going to get Josh in Logan and bring him down...
Just SOME of the guys lovin' the game...more were downstairs...and this table was FULL of food...these man child folks can put away some MASSIVE AMOUNTS of food...
I need to get a picture of Spencer with his shirt off...he is getting seriously ripped with his daily work outs...( that's Chuni with him---of course)

Sam playing with his hair AGAIN

Saturday was the BIG BASEBALL AUCTION & BANQUET...so glad its over. Sam also had a Jr. Jazz Game and wanted to "Look" intimidating...he LOVES to play with his hair...so for banquet set up he just wore his beanie so the coached wouldn't see, then he went is full glory to play his game and won...so maybe it worked. Then he buzzed it before the Banquet. We raised $31,700 and still counting at the Banquet....not so shabby...and the efforts of SO MANY...makes me excited for some BASEBALL!!!!

SO, I'm NOT Crazy

I'm just a FLAMING CO-Dependent :) These are interesting reads. This is stuff I could preach about. Once I get it settled a bit better in my mind I'll share more about my feelings about it. I have a diagram to share as well...pretty much no explanation needed with the diagram...just read and insert self. I love smart people who have walked the path ahead of me..AND FEEL RIGHT MINDED when I read their hearts.

Megan's new car ....

Finally a car with a GOOD color at our house...the blue sparkles when the sun hits it. White and Silver just don't even seem like a COLOR, you know what I mean?
Yes, the snow is mostly melted, but do NOT be fooled...MINUS 9 here this am when I headed out to run...so I was WISE in my old age and did the circles at the REC. SO SO SO SO Happy my Ipod is loaded and running.