January

.... opens the box of the year, and brings out days that are bright and clear.  And brings out days that are cold and gray.  And shouts, "Come see what I brought today!"  Leland B. Jacobs

Another year.  Hard to believe.  Last year was so long… but, where did it go?  Wow!  It can only go up from here!

Last year brought about some health challenges.  My right eye decided to wear out when my retina detached.  I had a sinus infection like no other.  I had two polyps removed from my colon.

Mother passed away and it hurts so bad.  It’s hard to imagine living without her.  Life will never be quite the same.

Gratitude, I’ve heard, can heal all wounds.  So I will start 2012 with gratitude in my heart…. for health, home, food, clothing, family, scriptures, a living prophet, the temple, a testimony, the Savior, personal revelation, security, freedom, beauty of the earth…. for starters.  Every day I get up, I’ll count my blessings with gratitude in my heart.  So….

Here’s to 2012!

January 2

Christmas has come and gone, and it's time to put it away for the year.  My favorite decorations were mom's hand painted nativity and carolers, and grandma Bates' porcelain tree.  With each piece of the nativity I wrapped for safe keeping, it became evident I wasn't ready to see it go. The tears just kept coming. I decided to keep the last nativity mom bought, permanently set up.  It's home is now in the library on an end table.  Although far from its first home, I will love it just the same.  Mom kept the miniature nativity on the stereo, and it was always one of the first signs that Christmas had come!  Now, when I am having a quiet, missing mom moment, I can shut myself in the library and enjoy the soft glow from the nativity light, and sit with mom for awhile.  I will like that.


January 3

The kids' ice skates have been in the barn far too long.  I got them out today and hung them over the old sled and set it on the front porch.  When we lived in Logan I bought all the kids ice skates for Christmas.  It was our second winter in Logan... 1991, when the snow and cold would not stop.  A good portion of Merlin Olsen park, made into a perfect oval ice skating rink, was just around the corner.  We spent many an afternoon on that pond.  I loved sitting on the bench watching the kids skate their hearts out!  They looked like bundled up snowmen in their new skates, mittens, hats, scarves, snow pants and coats.  A scene that vividly fills my mind.  "Mom, watch me!" was the most common yell out.  After all, a mother is her children's greatest fan!  The ice sculptures, old green shack -- standing around the pot belly stove warming frosty toes and fingers and drinking hot chocolate are some fond memories of the ice skating rink.  Logan was a good place to raise a family.  I'm glad I got the ice skates out! 


January 4

This little girl knows the characters in the Book of Mormon (BOM).  After family home evening, Alia got her BOM, "Who Said" cards out and could match almost every single prophet or other character to what they said.  When asked who her favorite BOM character is, Alia said "King Benjamin, Captain Moroni, Nephi."  Amazing!


January 5

Audrey was sick today so I spent the day helping her out.  She wrapped herself up in a blanket and lay down on the couch.  Ben soon found his way to her side, giving the best kind of comfort he knew how to give.  Sweet!


January 6

Winter snow has finally come!  Heavy, wet, snow.  It was such a beautiful sight, I got my camera out and snapped a bunch of pictures.


January 7

Wayne turned 12 years old today.  Here are some of his favorite things-- colors of orange and yellow, motorcycles, pedal bike, chocolate cake, ice cream, Danish pastries grandma Sorensen makes.  He's like a big, soft teddy bear.  He is tender hearted, loves everyone, and is a peace maker in the family.  Happy Birthday!


January 9

Ben had surgery today at Primary Children's Hospital, Riverton site.  Boy stuff!  He sailed through it like a champ. I had a fun day watching Alia.  


January 11

Another day spent at Audrey's.  Alia helped me make cupcakes for Young Women's.  When we were going though the storage room at mom's house, Leslie found this old cupcake pan.  It's been loved, used, and burnt a few times. Now, it's on its second time around! Lucky me.  I love mom's old cupcake pan.


January 13

Senator Mike Lee in center

There are benefits to having a child in school.  Kelsey invited me to attend a Political Leadership Institute luncheon with Senator Mike Lee.  It was held at Weber State University in the Alumni Building.  The room held only about 50 people.  It was small and intimate.  We started out serving up lunch from a potato bar.  While eating, Senator Lee gave us a background on how he became interested in politics and gave us a good overview on the Constitution of the United States.  He is well spoken and knowledgeable.  I learned something else.  His father was President of Brigham Young University when he got accepted to BYU.  After his speech, Kelsey and I shook his hand and introduced ourselves.  He looked at me and said, "don't I know you?  You look so familiar.  Haven't we met before?"  I brushed it off and said "I get that a lot.  I guess I just have a familiar face!"  (it is actually a common occurrence to be asked that question.... makes me wonder why!) Afterwards, I wondered if our paths had crossed somewhere in this life, maybe the pre-existence.  I'm passionate about the Constitution and what our founding fathers stood for.  I'm patriotic!  Hummm.... and I can daydream too!  


January 15

Misty is all about RED!  Her favorite color is red.  Her favorite flowers are red roses and red tulips.  Her favorite cake is red velvet cake. Other favorites-- reading, writing poetry, camping, planting the flower bed, GIANTS football team (go team go!).  Also likes to watch Nascar, go jeep climbing, and garden with Steve.  Misty is 38 years old today.  Happy Birthday!

Since Steve and Misty's birthdays are only a week apart, they usually celebrate them together.  This year they went to the Cowboy Club in Wellington and ordered up some steak and lobster. 

January 18

I am finally getting to dusting today after putting the Santa collection away a couple of weeks ago.  I armed myself with polish and a dust rag and started the ritual of dusting the piano.  The ritual that started almost 50 years ago! One of my many chores at home in Spring Glen was dusting the furniture.  I started, first, by taking down the school pictures of us kids on top of the piano.  Dusting the top, around the delicate wood carved panels, down the sides, top of the keyboard, around the turned legs, and ending at the pedal panel.  Same way every time.  And it hasn't changed a lick! 


January 20

It's been almost a year since my retina detached from my eye. I still have some distortion in my vision.  Lately, my sight has been more blurry than ever.  After spending hours at the eye doctor going through tests, there may be a light at the end of a very long tunnel.  A test showed that my retina has fluid buildup and is very swollen.  I'm back on eye drops.  Will be a month on a steriod and Ibuprofen to get the swelling down.  In the meantime, my new prescription glasses came in.  Bi-focal's have been hard for me to adjust to, so I got glasses with a close up lens and another one for distance.  I'm starting to get a collection of glasses!  Does that mean I'm getting older than I want to admit?


January 21

Dave was home alone today while I went to check on Audrey.  He went outside and found a beautiful bouquet of flowers on the door step.  When I got home, I put them in a vase.  They look lovely in the kitchen!    I found out at church the next day that my visiting teacher, and friend, dropped them off.  Samantha is kind, thoughtful, and sweet.  She is from England, and her soft spoken accent is so fun and intriguing to listen to.

January 26

I was organizing mom's genealogy today... the white cardboard boxes with handles on them.  The ones she has had forever that sat underneath the cupboard in the laundry room.  Family names of Bentley, Hamilton, Perry, Bird, Bennett, O'Carrol.  She was organized in her own so unorganized way.  I think I must have inherited the same trait! Well, anyway, I found some oxygen tubing stuffed down in one of the boxes.  It made me cry.  I wouldn't mind listening to her oxygen machine run right now.  In fact, sometimes I miss it... the constant rhythm of air puffs, the hum of the machine.  Just knowing that mom was on the end of the line.  What comfort! 


January 27

Ben's favorite word... BOO!  His favorite game... PEEK A BOO!  Today Audrey came out to the house.  The first place Ben heads for is the staircase.  He stops on the first landing, presses his head against the banister, and makes sure he catches our attention with his funny facial expressions as he shouts out BOO over and over again! Love that boy.  He's such a joy to follow around and watch. 


January 29

Clint is 35 years old today.  Some of his favorite things-- colors blue and yellow, motorcycles, his mother's spaghetti, and raspberry cheesecake.  Amie beams with pride when she exclaims what a good husband and provider he is.  He is a very good dad, loves kids, and kids love him!  Happy Birthday!

Hailie thought it was pretty cool because her daddy turned 29 on January 29.  Steve's favorites-- green and blue, watching sports (football, basketball, Nascar), and playing basketball. Steve's favorite team is the running UTES. Anything outdoors is fun, like camping, fishing, and jeep climbing.  He is an avid coin collector and is good at saving money.  He is not a "sweets" fan, but will eat steak and fresh fruits and veggies any day of the week. Steve is the king of the grill! He also loves to garden and enjoys raising animals for fun and food. His favorite cake is cheesecake with any red berry sauce on top. Happy Birthday!

Steve recently shot a skunk in the front yard.  The pesky little critter had made a home for himself underneath the house, so when he made his way out, Steve seized the opportunity to rid him once and for all! Or so he thought. The skunk did not go down easy.  He made sure he sprayed until he could spray no more.... stinking the place up to high heaven.  The next morning Steve got up, put a gas mask on, scooped up the dead skunk, and hauled him off to the animal graveyard. So much for that stinkin' skunk!  Steve said the gas mask actually worked... he didn't smell a thing.  

January 30

Tuna fish sandwiches are my favorite!  My favorite way to fix them, is just like mom did.  One of my fondest memories of living in Spring Glen was having a sick day (not so much sick) and getting to stay home with mom. Sounds a little strange, but the benefits of having a sick day was the tuna fish sandwich for lunch.  Mom always toasted the bread just right, spread it with butter, mixed a generous amount of mayo with the fish, chopped up and added dill pickles to it.  So yumm!!! Sides included a bananna, bottled peaches or pears, and potato chips. Lunch was perfect today!  


January 31

I have a goal of attending the temple once a month this year, that is until the Brigham City temple opens this Fall. Then I will step it up.  The Ogden temple, which is in my district, is closed and undergoing major construction, so I went to Logan.  It's almost as close anyway.  It was so busy.  There were no parking places available so I had to park out on a side street.  And the lines to the restroom were like lines waiting to go in a store on Black Friday (ok... I'm exaggerating just a little).  I won't wait until the last day next month and I will get there earlier in the morning so I can get front or second row parking and be the first in line to use the restroom! 

I took this picture of the Logan temple in 2006.  I took it from the ice skating rink, on the Island, at the Merlin Olsen Park.  This is where I took the kids ice skating when they were little.  I don't think the city has made the ice skating rink since then.  The temple looks like a beautiful castle on a hill.  But much, much better... it's the Lord's House.  Today was a nice January ending.


January in Review