Happy Birthday Laura Lee

Today is Laura Lee's 24th birthday. I am beyond words  grateful for her! She is a joy in our family's life. I wish to honor her and highlight her life today. I am a better person having her in my life. God blessed William and me richly when he sent us our little girl!

I am grateful for the joy Laura Lee brings to everyone around her! Laura Lee has a spunk and enthusiasm for life! She is fun to be around! She has an energy which is contagious.  She lights up a room. She is a breath of fresh air. Others love to be around her!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's sense of self. Laura Lee is true to herself. She is real. She is not afraid to discuss her opinions with others. She sets an example in the area of self authenticity!

Laura Lee is a good friend to others. I am grateful for the friendships she has developed over the years. Since she had no sisters, she has reached outward and found good friends to share life with. She is loyal to her friends and gives honest feedback. She is generous and giving with others!

 I am grateful Laura Lee understands priorities in life! Laura Lee is a wonderful mother who knows how influential she is in Addie's life. She is a stay at home mother as her husband goes to school. She makes many sacrifices and is embracing the joys, yet challenges of motherhood. I admire her greatly for placing her husband and child at the top of her priority list. When Laura Lee was a  junior in High School, she was in a pageant, in which she placed first runner up. When asked the question "Where do you see yourself in ten years?", she responded "being a stay at home mother with lot of kids around me". She also spoke with respect about seeing me in my role as mother and wanting to follow that. She spoke with conviction about  how important a mother is in her child's life.  Many people afterwards told us they were in tears after she was done with her answer. It rang true to everyone. Also, in High School when doing a "career report" she wanted  to focus on the "career" of being a mother. She was told this was not an acceptable career choice and she needed to choose something else. It has been sad at times when others around us don't understand the importance of motherhood. Laura Lee has always innately understood this!

I am grateful Laura Lee understands the importance of home! Laura Lee seeks to make her home a beautiful place. With the little resources she has, she has made her home lovely. She has painted, sewn, crafted, bargain hunted, learned from others, etc., and because of this her home is inviting, warm and beautiful! She continually seeks to improve her surroundings to make it a place a beauty!

Laura Lee is a great homemaker. This one developed when she had HER OWN HOME! She has learned the homemaking skills of cooking (she's a great cook) , keeping a home orderly, budgeting, laundry skills, etc., It's a blessing to her family! She is talented at picking up homemaking skills quickly. I am learning from her at this point, and love to be taught the skills she has developed! I am grateful we can have this mother/daughter relationship  where my daughter is the teacher!

Laura Lee is a nurturer. She has taken her brothers under her wing and has been a second mother to them. She has been amazingly loving as she has helped her younger brothers (especially Michael and Tanner) in their development to manhood. I appreciate her support, her kindness and her sincere help. She has been a friend and confidant to Ryan and Jeffrey. It's a blessing  beyond words, one I can't even express adequately.

Laura Lee married well, very well! We are so proud of Marc and love him like our son. We are so grateful for Marc!  He is so good. He has so many amazing qualities. He is such a hard worker. He is  intelligent, unselfish, and  such a protector for his little family. He is so committed to his church service and to helping others when they need it. He sacrifices greatly for his family! Laura Lee and Marc work so well together. They are devoted parents. They are such givers! They are awesome together!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's talents. She has helped me in the dance arena much of her life. She embraced the love I had for dance. It was a joy watching her perform on stage all those many years. (She also competitively cheered  in High School and it was fun to see her in cheer also.) She had passion in her dancing and was an example to so many of my students. She assisted dance classes and then taught them. Later she was a backstage manager at my dance recitals, and now helps me with costume orders. Laura Lee also has the talent of thoughtful gift giving. This is such a hard thing, but she is amazingly good at this. She makes her own cards, sews many of the gifts she gives and is generous in this area. Laura Lee was first chair in flute most of her High School years. She was captain of her competitive flag corp and always placed superior.  Laura Lee is a woman of many talents and continues to develop them!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's search for truth. She had steadily gained a strong testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and of his gospel. She seeks to live by the Savior's teachings. She is unselfish, dedicated, and serves willingly. She has faith, hope and charity!

I am grateful for Laura Lee's strength. She stands for what is right. She is a leader. She has strong convictions! 

If I were to describe Laura Lee in one word it would be wise. She is wise beyond her years. She understands the plan of salvation and her role in it and seeks to follow it.  She understands priorities and choices.  She is becoming "a mother who knows" in all she does. 

Another word to describe Laura Lee is nurturing. She has become unselfish and seeks to make others happy. She seeks to help others when they need help. She is a friend to those who need a friend. She cares for others in her own special way and helps them to be their best self. She is a nurturing mother and wife. She is a nurturing sister and friend. 

Our family is so blessed to have this choice daughter and sister to be among us. We love you Laura Lee and are so grateful for your life!

A DELICIOUS PARTY FOOD!

I had a party at my home for some community friends last Saturday and had lots of food, but this was THE HIT of the evening. I found it on a website and it sounded delicious! IT IS!! 

It's a relatively healthy snack with a good balance of protein, healthy carbs, and healthy fats (and sugar which is not at all healthy, but this just wouldn't be the same without the caramel). 

ENJOY and let me know how you like them!

Caramel Apple Squares

12 ounces Brie cheese

6 - 8 ounces caramel sauce

1 cup chopped pecans

5 - 7 apples (I used Granny smith and really liked the tart/sweet flavor)

Core apples (peel if you wish - I didn't) and cut in slices. Soak apples in a pineapple juice while completing the following steps to avoid premature browning of the apples.

Pell the outer layer off of the Brie (I had to trim it off ) and slice the cheese into bite-size squares and lay out on parchment paper or a baking sheet.

Heat the caramel sauce over low heat until it will drizzle slowly of off of a spoon (just a couple of minutes)

Drizzle caramel sauce over the cheese and then top with pecans.

Drain apples

Place each Brie square on a slice of apple and place on a serving platter. (I think these are best when the Brie cheese is really soft (left out for a little bit) and melts in your mouth!

Today I'm thankful for my SKIN and BENADRYL!

I had a major problem last Thursday. I broke out in a rash and hives. I was teaching an exercise class (cycle and sculpt) and my legs started itching. I looked down and saw red bumps (a rash appearing) on my legs. As the class progressed, it got worse and worse. It was extremely uncomfortable, irritating and confusing. I have never had any problems WHATSOEVER with rashes, skin irritations, etc., By the time I got home, my  legs were  was covered with hives and I had some on my arms also.  Now I didn't even know what a hive was until my class members told me that's what I had. They said my exercising made it way worse. (I am completely ignorant of skin issues). 

I promptly took Benadryl and got in a cold bath and then shower (another thing my class members suggested.)  I was able to get some relief. I went back to the YMCA to teach a yoga class and when I mentioned I had had a rash earlier in the morning, everyone backed away from me. It was funny.

Anyway, within a few hours the rash was gone and I was terribly SLEEPY! I am figuring it was a side effect of the medication. I was so relieved to have the rash and itching problem gone. I have new sympathy for allergy sufferers and people who have allergic reactions to anything!

Now comes the hard part. What did I react to? What was I SO ALLERGIC to? I began to rack my brain. Was the problem the wool leg warmers I had worn the day earlier? (I've worn them several times before). Was the problem the breakfast I had eaten (grapefruit and cottage cheese)? Was the problem the Mexican restaurant I had eaten at the day before and had never eaten there before? Was the problem the Agape (similar to Goodwill) store I had been to the day before to donate items and had stayed there a half hour to sort clothes? I RACKED my brain trying to figure out WHAT WAS DIFFERENT and what could it be?

I still have not figured it out except for I KNOW it wasn't the Mexican food, because I had a doggie bag and decided to eat it the next day to see if that was the problem. I need to "expose myself" again to wear the leg warmers and  eat a grapefruit to rule them out.  Should I go to an allergist?  

Well, hopefully the mystery will be figured out sooner rather than later. I'll keep you posted!!

AND I have a new respect and appreciation for my SKIN  which has been so good to me for so long and has done it's job of protecting me. And I am thankful for Benadryl which saved me hours and maybe days of suffering!

Any ideas, comments, or suggestions would be appreciated. I am new to this problem!

Isn't technology wonderful?

Today I'm counting my blessings which involve this amazing technological world. I'm thankful for email, blogspots,  ichats , itunes, ipods, digital camera's, scanners, computers, Dish network, etc., 

It really is all a marvel. I was talking to my daughter Laura Lee and reminded her that when I had my first child, Ryan, his big time entertainment (when he was Addie's age) was a record player! No joke!  He and Jeffrey listened to "Tawny, Scrawny Lion" over and over and over again on that record player. I have been reminded of it as our grand daughter Addie wants to watch  the DVD "Nemo" over and over and over again. My conclusion - children/SAME ----technology/WAY DIFFERENT!

I have been so grateful for the blogspots and emails lately. Some of you will remember when we had to write letters to everyone to communicate in written form. If someone was really on the ball and wanted family members to know what was going on in their lives - they would write a letter and mail the letter on and  each family would write their current happenings until all the family members had received the letter.  I light up every time there is a new posting of someone I love. I cherish the photo's that are readily available and free! I love that someone can post and a minute later I can read and see everything. It's been an amazing blessing in my life. I am really big on trying to let people know how much they mean to me and how much I care about them. Keeping in touch with people I love through this method is the BEST!

I think email is such an amazing convenience!  Number one, it's free. Number two, it is so efficient. Number three, it's immediate!  I love email. I have especially appreciated it lately with a son on a mission. Our oldest son was never allowed to email while on his mission. We had to wait for letters from the Philippines. Now, I get news from my missionary the minute it's sent. I have also been emailing to Japan, Madagascar, Honduras lately and it's trouble free. I've  also recently sent emails to missionary mom's who have missionaries in our branch. I've  sent pictures and letters about their missionary son. It took me all of 10 minutes to do each time.  Every mom has been so grateful! One mom in Japan said she had not received a picture of her son in over 6 months until she got the pictures I sent through email.  What a blessing!

I think i-chat is wonderful! We watched our grand daughter take her first steps on i-chat. We met Marc and Sarah and Jenn on i-chat. We often talk to our parents, and loved ones on i-chat. It is an amazing tool and is the next best thing to being there!

Being able to watch or listen to any church talk given, get our Church's General Conference live,  dig up anything  written in a church magazine on the internet, store photographs so conveniently, retrieve information so readily is all an amazing blessing! I remember the days we would write to the TV networks thanking them for putting one session of General Conference on a station. I remember "saving" Church magazines because they were so precious and had so many good articles in them and I wanted to have access to them. I remember the library being the ONLY place you could do research. The need to store information, memories, and profound wisdom is ageless. We just have a better method now! 

Conclusion - people/SAME - --technology/WAY DIFFERENT 

The music world is INCREDIBLE now, and at our fingertips so readily! The world of photography is such a blessing. 

Well, I could go on and on like I typically do. I think I've made my point. The younger generation needs to have these blessings pointed out. It's so convenient and easy to keep in touch now,  to store our treasures, and learn from Master teachers!

One last thought  ------------ I don't think technology has made us a better people. Only as we make choices from good to better to best, and become from the inside out who we really are (sons and daughters of God) do we become better people.

Only as we put away our selfish, prideful, carnal selves  and become a Saint through the Atonement of Christ do we truly begin to reach our potential. 

Technology has made everything more convenient and easy (like washing machines and dishwashers and microwaves). People in "the olden days" treasured what we treasure today. They loved connecting and communicating with family,  they loved music and song, they loved  connecting with God, they loved capturing memories, they loved what we love today and they found the best ways they could to do that, no matter what generation they were in. We just have things so much more readily available and at our fingertips. And anything that contributes to  these fundamental needs of humanity and makes them easier IS INDEED A BLESSING!

I'm thankful for the FOUR SEASONS!

Today I am thankful for the four seasons. Over the last few days it has snowed in Ohio.  The older I get, the less I like the cold weather. However I couldn't help but notice the tremendous beauty of the snow as it came pouring down.  I couldn't help but feel the excitement of the first snowfall of the season. Yesterday the snow covered the trees, grass and bushes. It was lovely and picturesque. There is something ever so cozy about snuggling up in a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate! There is a purity about winter. There is a stillness. I heard one little girl exclaim about the recent snow  " I love it!". 

The Fall colors recently had their chance to shine and it was brilliant as well. Autumn has a  harmonious feeling about it!  There is a richness and a bounteous attitude about fall.  God's handiwork is cleverly highlighted and no one can deny the gloriousness of it all. 

The Summer is also spectacular! The flowers in various stages of  bloom are my favorite thing about Summer. God's detail to each flower, each petal is amazing! I love a green world. Ohio, during the summer,  is alive with bright green shades everywhere. The blue shades of sky mixed with the white cotton clouds blend so brilliantly with the green hues.  The flowers pop their amazing colors and the earth feels vibrant, full of life, and full of goodness!

The Spring is the most welcome time of year for me! I am so grateful when the first blades of a Tulip bulb burst through the ground, the first robin appears, and the first buds of my Lilac tree turn green. I love the Springtime. We sense an awakening of the earth at springtime.  The sun and warmth are so appreciated and so embraced. The symbols of the awakening earth sink deeply into my soul and remind me about our resurrected Savior.

Wow, I didn't expect to get so carried away about the Seasons. However, I just gave a talk in church last week about gratitude. It has helped me see and recognize God's hand in about everything in my life. I have a long way to go yet. I still take so many things for granted. I still 

need to work on this principle - but I am feeling so thankful in so many ways for so many blessings. This lovely earth God made for me and for you is incredible!

 

I LOVE YOU PAST THE NUMBERS

I just wrote a letter to my missionary son. As I completed the letter, I wrote:  "I LOVE YOU PAST THE NUMBERS!". In our family this is an expression of the infinite, inexpressible, vast,  love we have for each other.

It all started when our son Jeffrey was just a little boy. We were telling him, and our other children how much we loved them.

I love you "this much" we would say as we opened our arms as wide as possible. This would go on as we tried to describe our love and go beyond the previous statement of love expressed. 

We tried to make the love seem bigger. "I love you as big as this house", "I love you from here to California", "I love you from here to the stars", - anyway, you get the idea.

We  were all doing our best to describe the indescribable. Finally Jeffrey said these simple words that have profound meaning to our family - I LOVE YOU PAST THE NUMBERS!

We were all caught back and recognized the profoundness of his words.  That was the best description of our love we could come up with - and it stuck!

Michael is in LAS VEGAS!!

I was so blessed to receive a short phone call from Michael this morning from the Salt Lake City airport. (: I can't tell you how good it was to hear his voice. It brought tears to my eyes just hearing him talk. He was flying to Las Vegas with 10 other missionaries. Michael was district leader over 9 of them and knows them all very well. He says he's made some good friends. This group was to have breakfast with their mission president once they arrived.

He has grown a great deal in the last 3 weeks and we are so grateful he is doing well. His mission address is:

Elder Michael Austin Davis
3127 East Warm Springs Road #200
Las Vegas, Nevada 89120-3134

He would love your letters and we all appreciate your prayers!

I love being a missionary MOM!

She's a beauty!

Laura Lee and Addie came to visit us this past weekend! We had a lot of visitors on Saturday including our daughter and grand daughter, the missionaries and some friends that graduated at BYU with William in the Industrial Design department.

I was able to get this great picture of Addie's smile!

There's hair to comb!

Look at the hair Addie finally has!

A carpet of leaves

The leaves have fallen and fallen. This picture is the first of the "crop". We raked the second crop today.
The trees are almost bare. I am glad most of the work is now DONE!

I'm grateful for the right to vote

Yesterday when I sat down to vote, a wave of gratitude swept over me. I have never felt more grateful to vote. That freedom alone is so marvelous and is such a blessing to all of us who have that privilege! Lives have been sacrificed for our great liberty and I hope to never take it for granted!

Now, I was more involved in the political process for this election than normal, passing out right- to -life pamphlets until I had blisters! My candidate did not win and I am very concerned about the future of our nation. I pray for this nation and her leaders and will continue to do to. I know God will watch over her as long as her people will turn to Him! I think that's my biggest concern!

I believe my vote did count and it counted for every other person who had the right to vote! The people have spoken. My prayer is that American's will realize how much we need God to help us at this critical and crucial time and will ask for His help and guidance!

God bless the USA!

A Tribute to our parents!

Today my blog is about how thankful I am for my parents and for my husband’s parents. They are wonderful people! We feel so blessed that they are in good health and are so active! They set such great examples in so many areas. In their golden years they have faithfully and unselfishly served in many capacities and they are enduring so amazingly well.

Both of our parents served missions in their later years which include Nauvoo, Romania and the Philippines. We are so grateful for their example and for what they have taught us by their sacrifice and dedicated service.

My father has served in the Bishopric in a BYU-Idaho University ward for the last several years. My father was just called in September to be a Bishop of a BYU-Idaho University Ward. Now some of you may not know what that entails but there's a great deal of time, energy, and commitment spent in this endeavor. It involves many meetings, getting to know many new names and faces, callings of service for EVERY college student in his ward, the planning of worship services, activities for college students, etc., My dad is so committed to his new calling and it's been wonderful to watch him be so dedicated! I was so grateful I could be there as he was ordained a Bishop and especially to be able to hear his testimony about Jesus Christ.

This calling would tax any man at any age, but my father is in his 70's and is going strong. It's been a testimony builder for me to watch that whom the Lord calls the Lord qualifies. I know God is his strength.

My mother served in the Relief Society organization (A women's organization in our church that was started in 1842) for the BYU-Idaho college girls as an advisor. I watched her in her role as she taught a lesson one Sunday. It was a lesson that was powerful and spiritual! She is a tremendous support to my Father and is sacrificing right now to be alone more as my Father fulfills his calling.

Before my Father was called to be Bishop, my parents were workers in the Temple. They would get up very early every Tuesday morning (like 4:00 AM sometimes) to fulfill that responsibility.

William's parents were just released (this month) from their church calling with Dad being a member of the Idaho Falls Temple presidency (for three years) and his mother serving as an assistant to the matron. This also involves amazing stamina, sacrifice and energy. I have often thought how demanding that calling would be for William and me at our age, but it is very obvious that the Lord strengthened them in abundance to fulfill their responsibility. They had willing minds and hearts and did all they could do and the Lord made up the rest! They would work three or four times a week in the Temple, sometimes getting up at 3:00 AM and work rotating, changing schedules. They would work about 40 hours a week there, (ten hour days, four times a week). It’s simply amazing and faith building for me!

I would like to emphasize to our children that this is an amazing feat which both your grandparents have done! Your heritage is great and you are expected to carry it on!

Thank you mom and dad for exhibiting your faith and living your testimony!

Fall in all its glory!

Actually, this post is to invoke sympathy from my readers! Fall is glorious. I love the colors and sights of fall. I love the aroma's and tastes of fall (apple cider and pumpkin pie/bread are two of my favorites). We have had an incredible fall this year. HOWEVER, there is one thing I dread about autumn. My children know what it is!

We have 6 very large maple trees in our yard. Every year we must RAKE their fallen leaves all to the curb. Now that we are down to just Tanner the workload will be shared between just the three of us. (Okay adult children, I know you are gleeful about this!) We just bought a new leaf blower {we wanted the backpack kind - but it was $500.00 ):} but someone still has to rake the leaves.

And so the leaves have turned their brilliant gold/yellow color and will soon fall. (Tanner and I already did one small raking.)
And so WISH ME THE BEST! It's a TON OF WORK! Our neighbors have few trees and our leaves all blow into their yard. This makes this time of year even more stressful, because they don't necessarily like raking OUR leaves. (We often go into their yards and rake our fallen leaves.) New Bremen residents are meticulous about their yards and often mow up or rake up every leaf!

I at least need my granddaughter here to PLAY in the leaves at least ONCE before they are taken away so we can ENJOY THEM!
They are one of God's best play toys!

A quiet home

With Michael on his mission and William out of town our home was quiet this last week. A quiet home is something I have always loved! My family is LOUD. They are boisterous. They have energy and excitement and passion. I have yearned for peace and quiet most of my married life. And yet now, I am realizing that I NEED some excitement and noise. I didn't realize that a home can be TOO quiet if it's for a longer period of time.

Now, I still love a quiet home. I love silence when I read, or write or study. But, I am coming to the conclusion that there needs to be a balance. I've grown accustomed to the noise and I amazingly DO miss it. I guess it's not the noise I miss, but my family!

I suppose this is my introduction to being an empty nester. I am grateful Tanner is still home and that we can enjoy two more years with him. He is a wonderful son. I was grateful to be able to spend some one on one time with him this last week.
( It was very strange for me to cook for only two this past week. I haven't done that in 28 years. It feels foreign to me! I still had a fridge full of food by the end of the week.)

And so I will learn and adapt in this new phase in my life. I thoroughly love having adult children who are examples to me and teach me! I love being a grandmother and having Marc and Laura Lee live so close by.( It would be a much harder stage without them near.) I love to watch my children become... I love the fact that Ryan is getting married next month to such a wonderful young woman. I love to watch Jeffrey strive to reach his potential in his talents. I love to watch Marc and Laura Lee be such devoted and loving parents to Addie. I love to witness Michael's transformation into a missionary. I love to see Tanner set goals and be so motivated to achieve them.

And so for now, I will bask in this new stage of life. I will enjoy the quiet more reflective times. And when the louder, more chaotic times come, I will be grateful!