Grandma's Ceder Chest

I was very little when my Grandmother died. I was 5 maybe 6 years old, there isn't much i remember about her. But, my Grandpa Harmon gave me her ceder chest soon after she died.  I didn't know what it really meant, and how important it would be now.  It has sat in my basement for about 10 years now, and we haven't taken good care of it.  I am ashamed to say that drinks sat on it, hunting gear, and many other unkown items.  I am now wanting to make it look like it did when it was given to me.  Well, i found out i couldn't possibly make it look like it did 10 years ago.  However, I was able to make it look pretty good. From now on I want to take good care of it.  I do hope that one day I will be able to pass it on.  It's quite a cool thing to realize that this isn't mine it belongs to me and my family.  So.... here is the finished product. 

Little Man, this picture is for you... being a MAN! we worked on the crafts and he was getting his hands dirty workin on the four wheeler. I love you little man. 

The Projects of the Day

jenni's chalkboard that is magically magnetic

The corn whole board

Grandma's Ceder Chest

Find the Good in EVERY DAY!!!

    Love Life and See Good Days is a great little book.  Everyone should read it.  I learned that saying "have a good day" is different than finding the good in the day.  Sometimes we think that our life is so hard and that there are times when every day is a bad day. However, I am learning that there isn't really a bad day just a bad moment and we chose to go with that moment. Whether we go with it and let it run our life or go with it and try to SEE THE GOOD... of course in the book it gave many ways to help us see the good.

To see a good day.... CHANGE your perspective

To see a good day... RISE ABOVE and CONTINUE your journey, knowing the Lord is with you

To see a good day... Make PRAYER and SCRIPTURE STUDY your foundation

To see a good day... Live HAPPY

To see a good day... Look for GOD within the DETAILS

To see a good day... Learn to RECOGNIZE the ANSWER you need

To see a good day... Ask for an UNDERSTANDING HEART

To see a good day... List what you LOVE

To see a good day... Remember that after tears there will be JOY

To see a good day... Remember the SPECIAL days

To see a good day... Recognize the great things as TENDER MERCIES of the Lord

To see a good day.. Let the OIL of GLADNESS permeate your heart

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

Its not my moms birthday till the 7th but with work schedules and other obligations we got her present set up and ready for when she came home from work today.  The other day she was explaining to us (kids with dogs) that her back yard now belongs to the dogs and she can't have a beautiful yard that used to belong to her. SO... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! we bought a gazebo that will allow you to sit in your beautiful back yard and the dogs can't get to you. because they are almost trained to never come inside. all we need is a few more attempts and they will be too scared to invade your space inside the gazebo.

WE LOVE YOU MOM. 

"Contentment can be found by walking into a home that is freshly cleaned, because order always brings a certain amount of gladness.  There is something about a spiced candle burning on the counter, fresh-cut sunflowers from the side of the road sitting in a vase on the counter, and chocolate chip cookies in the cookie jar that all hint toward an abundance of contentment.  It's a fresh coat of paint, a fire burning in the family room fireplace, ripe garden tomatoes growing in the backyard, or fresh bread cooking in the oven. All of these simple pleasures remind me of a home filled with rejoicing and gladness, a home in which we can be content."

"Its not the size of our home, its the feeling we have when we are inside our home."

The Promise of Enough

          Abundance is to have enough and some to spare

     Imagine a car running on gas, a water pale that feeds the garden.  Now, imagine not having enough gas to get to work, and the annoyance we go through when we realize its our fault we didn't fill up.  The water ran out just before the garden was given what it needed.  When its time to harvest it just wasn't enough.  The book "The Promise of Enough"gives seven principals of abundance.  It taught me how to live the abundant life. I am so excited to put it into play in my life.  I can feel it working already. :) 

ABUNDANCE IS...

Turning our will over to God 

and allowing Him to do wonders

in our life

    ABUNDANCE IS...

Recognizing our full potential

as we give ourselves to the Lord

ABUNDANCE IS...

Unmeasured blessings that come as a result

of sacrifice and service

ABUNDANCE IS...

Blessings predicated on 

obedience and belief

ABUNDANCE IS...

Knowing that we cannot begin to understand

what great blessings the Father has prepared for us,

and learning to remember and express gratitude 

for those blessings

ABUNDANCE IS...

Finding contentment because

we remember to see the good things

ABUNDANCE IS...

Understanding that the Savior loves us, 

and is aware of our circumstances

and that he will send blessings

above all that we could ask for or imagine

       when I think of service I think of giving money, giving time, giving effort.  However, the book touched on two little words. BE THERE.  When I am at work I often catch myself helping my residents but my mind is somewhere else.  Or when a friend comes to me with a story, TEXTING is a big way of saying I AM NOT FULLY HERE.  I am going to fix that for myself.  

   

      "We are part of a covenant people, a community of saints who encourage, sustain, and minister to one another.  I believe that a covenant person is one who knows how to bear another's burden, to give comfort to those who stand in need, and who is willing to mourn until the joy returns."

      -I want to be that covenant person.... who was THERE to help.

Once I am working on these seven principals  I will feel the Love of Christ and Heavenly Father, and I can finally live the ABUNDANT life.    The car will have more than enough gas, and the garden will never go dry.  There will always be more than enough as long as I continue to pray and follow His will with gratitude, be content with what I have been given.  Obey and serve with all my heart.

Can it be summer yet....

even mom shot with us

Mckay was teaching me how to model.... 

they make the best of friends. :)

Jenni and I used to get the most wicked fires going last spring/summer

we went from a pie tin fire, to dog house fire (wish i could find my pictures)

to a fire pit on our drive way.

we started as soon as it was warm out side. best part is we didn't roast just 

any marshmallow, they were PEEPS!!!

we went shooting,  we tried so hard to convince the weather

it was supposed to be warmer and let us get ready for spring but its still just so cold.