Kindess Counts Retreat

Today the whole 4th grade participated in the Kindness Retreat sponsored by Youth Frontiers. It was an all-day retreat where everyone was treated with kindness. It was awesome. I took lots of pictures but in the end I love the last one of the day. Kindness really does matter! Thanks Todd and Eric!

Goal(s) Accomplished

So the last time I posted was about my goals for the new year. Well the lack of blogging is a result of getting things done! One of my goals is to go to the temple once a month (I figured that describes often). So when did I go....January 31. Every time I go I want to try to take a picture (to refine my photography skills). Also notice the sidebar addition of what am I currently reading which tackles two goals. The month of January I have written a journey everyday (something that I've never done)!! Although I'd like to read/study my scriptures in the morning, night time is when I am currently accomplish this goal. "Somebody get the fire hose I'm on fire"!! I am excited to see what February will bring, hopefully more posts.

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2009!

Some New Year Goals.....

Maintain a love for the scriptures
Write in my journal every day
Read and study the General Conference talks
Improve my cooking skills
Refine my photography skills
Exercise regularly
Learn to be a humble seeker of happiness
Smile more
Read one book a month
Go to the temple often

Happy Holidays!

So I know I haven't posted in a while but here are the past few holidays. I am really into the Picasa collage feature of Picasa 3, plus it helps when adding a lot of pictures.

Thanksgiving

Tyler, Ellen, Ciera, Josie, and Jensen came down from Utah. We had a blast! We went to the mall, saw Twilight, ate, went hiking, ate some more, laughed, ate cookies, went to Organ Stop Pizza.

Christmas

Lots of family fun. I read a great Christmas book called Gathering Christmas. I got some cute shoes. My mom has a blog now. Every year my family does a grandkid/year overview book which is something we all look forward to. We all had a relaxing time, even Sammy! Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday to me!

Yeah for me I'm 24! I decided to go to Bucca de Beppo this year for my birthday dinner. An added benefit of having my birthday the day after Christmas is that everyone's schedule it pretty flexible. Food was great! Lots of laughter and love!!

Please note (see picture below).... Bucca has some pictures that are inappropriate. It depends on where you sit. The little kids did a pretty good job of keeping it together (see Ray and George in picture collage above). When Claire was held by Mom her face was right in front of some naked butts. In fact everytime my Mom held her she softly whispered "naked butt". We all got a good laugh out of it!

New Blog

Welcome to the newest member of the Blogging community! My Mom has a new blog with a little help from Adam and I. My Mom's new blog is called Laugh Lines. Now her humor can be enjoyed online! Enjoy!

Christmas

Times change; years speed by; but Christmas continues sacred. In this
marvelous dispensation of the fulness of times, our opportunities to give of
ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are
hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given.
There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved. If we are to have
the very best Christmas ever, we must listen for the sound of sandaled feet.
We must reach out for the Carpenter’s hand. With every step we take in His
footsteps, we abandon a doubt and gain a truth. It was said of Jesus of
Nazareth that He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”7 Do we have the determination to do likewise? One line of holy writ contains a tribute to our Lord and Savior, of whom it was said, He “went about doing good … ; for God was with him.”8

My prayer is that at this Christmas season and all the Christmastimes to come, we may follow in His footsteps.

Then each Christmas will be the best Christmas ever.
~Thomas S. Monson

Christmas is coming...

President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor in the First Presidency, said

Christmas is “a time for families, it is a time for remembering, it is a time for gratitude. “The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of love and of generosity and of goodness. … The spirit of Christmas is something I hope all of us would have within our hearts and within our lives, not only at this particular season but throughout the year.”

President Monson said that when we keep the spirit of Christmas, we keep the Spirit of Christ. “The salutation ‘no room’ was not only heard by Joseph and Mary before the birth of Jesus, but was also endured by Him on frequent occasions in His ministry,”

President Monson said. “In our homes today we have rooms for eating, rooms for sleeping, rooms for recreation.

Do we have room for Christ?

We have time for … activities that are part of our daily lives.

Do we have time for Christ?”

Taken from the Christmas Devotional of 2007.

I'm listening to...

Over the Rhine :Snow Angels

My favorite songs:

White Horse

Little Town

Goodbye Charles

Snowed in with You

Snow Angel

At Last!

I saw this on NBC nightly. This story touched me and I just had to share. It's 2 minutes and 33 seconds. Do yourself a favor and watch it.

WWII vet earns Silver Star 63 years laterDec. 20: It took 63 years for the army to recognize what Corporal Carl DeBoard always knew: that 2nd Lt. Robert Bailey, the man who saved his life in a firefight with the Germans during World War II, was a true hero.

NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports.

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