30 Day Blog - Day 7

Someone and/or Something that Has the Biggest Influence on You

The Someone-

USU Graduation -May 1981

UofU Executive MBA Graduation - 2007

25th Anniversary - Cancun, Mexico

The Something -

30 Day Blog - Day 6

A Favorite Book

"There are the books you read, and then there are the books that change your life. We can all look back on the books that have shaped our perspective on politics, religion, money, and love. Some will even become a source of inspiration for the rest of your life. From a seemingly infinite list of books of anecdotal or literal merit, we have narrowed down the top 100 books that have shaped the lives of individual men while also helping define broader cultural ideas of what it means to be a man. Whether it be a book on adventure, war, or manners, there is so much to learn about life’s great questions from these gems. " Read more: http://artofmanliness.com/2008/05/14/100-must-read-books-the-essential-mans-library/#ixzz1AKGpyiex

That is a hard one. I have been trying to figure out my all time favorite book. I looked through some of the lists of of top books on the internet and although I have read some of them - a lot of them I wouldn't be able say that I loved or would even recommend.

When I was in elementary school, I cried through Old Yeller. I loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond and have tried to get all my daughters to read it.

I remember two books that I loved as a teenager. I can't remember which one I read first but they were some of the first books I couldn't put down.

Gone With the Wind got me into a lot of trouble with my dad. I would stay up late, late at night to read and would read when I was suppose to be doing my chores or homework or whatever. My dad finally took the book away and hid it. It took me a day or two to find where he had hid it, but I finally found it and finished reading it.

The other book was Magnificent Obsession by Lloyd C. Douglas. This lead to reading The Robe and The Big Fisherman by the same author which I also really enjoyed.

Some of my other recommended reads: Mrs. Mike, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, I Didn't Plan to be a Witch, The Last Lecture, Charlie, Sense and Sensibility,

But despite all the great books in the world - if I had to choose one book to read again and again, it would have to be the Book of Mormon. There is so much to ponder and learn from it. I always find such comfort and peace when reading it.

30 Day Blog - Day 5

Someplace I've Been

I can't think of any one really spectacular place I've been that I would never tire of going to, to the exclusion of all others. Here's a few of the places I've enjoyed -

Arches National Park and the National Parks of Southern Utah

Costa Rica - probably the most random place we've ever been.

Holland - The only other country I've lived in.

Mont St Micheal - Normandy France

Matterhorn - Switzwerland

Hawaii

30 Day Blog - Day 4

A Habit That You Wish You Didn't Have

I have a few habits I'd like to change but probably the one that would make my life much easier is not feeling the need to take charge of other people's business. (Dennis says it's not fair to say I wish I didn't have this habit because I enjoy doing it.) Okay, so I'm trying to learn not to butt in quite so much. I really got in trouble at work this year for trying to be "to helpful" i.e. "usurping responsibility." One of my co-workers has been trying to teach me to say - "It's not my problem" even though I instantly feel the need to step in and fix the problem. I know that I have stepped on many people's toes and I have to apologize. I'm trying to work on it but it is a challenging work in progress.

I've tried to pin point while I feel the need to take charge/be in control/butt in.... what ever you want to call it. It might have come from being the oldest of four in a home with a handicapped mother and an overwhelmed father. I felt I was expected to solve the problems or get the job done. I'm not sure if that is the cause but it seems likely.

So, if you see me going into action, feel free to tell me that, "It's not your problem!"

30 Days: Day 3

A Picture of You and a Friend

This is my friend Lori. We became friends about 24 years ago when we were young mothers living in the same apartment complex in Scotts Valley, California. My oldest kids came to know her as Aunt Lori. Even though we haven't lived near each other for 20 years now, we keep in touch and see each other as opportunity allows. She came out for Lisa's wedding and it was wonderful to spend a little time together. We are hoping to take a trip to Reno to see her this year.

30 Days: Day 2

Short Term Goals for this Month and Why

It seems rather appropriate to put this one right near the first of the month. There is so much I want to get done or that really needs to be done. I am having a mental battle as to whether it is better to be practical and set goals for the amount of things I really feel I could get done or to make a goal of the many things I'd like to get done this month and if I were super woman, or Bonnie, I might could get them done. Hummmmmmmm.......

1. Get my bedroom cleaned out and organized. While getting ready for Christmas, all the presents and all the junk from the house ended up getting put in our room to the point that it is difficult to even walk to my side of the bed. I know it will make me a lot happier when all the junk is cleared out and all the Christmas gifts find a place. At the moment we also have 4 suitcases in our room. I really think 2 should be sufficient bedroom decor.

2. Clean the basement. That is a two part job. The part that really needs to be done has been on the "to do list" for several months but it was a lot easier to ignore before. I need to clean out the food storage room. We once again have a can of pineapple something oozing black stuff all down the shelves. It is a sticky icky mess. Also, with all the shopping for the holidays, we have just taken a lot of stuff down and left it on the floor in bags. I'm sure I will find some of the party food I thought I had bought but couldn't find when I go through the bags. The second part of that job is the holiday boxes and holiday storage room. I think I have just one last arm full to take down, so now I just need to finish packing everything up and get them put away. I will have to remember to save a space for all the outside garlands and lights since they are frozen in place.

3. Clean up the sewing room. I sewed quite a few different things for Christmas and didn't get done till the night of the 23rd. It's nice to have a room where things can just stay where I left them till I get back to them but it is a mess right now and needs to be cleaned up. This will be the one I want to do first but I will have to save it till last. When I go in there, I will want to do the projects that are set out and waiting to be done.

4. Figure out which blog publisher to use and get my blogs for the last two year printed. I started looking at this last year but it got a little to overwhelming for me so I gave up. If I get those two done and it isn't too bad, I would like to get a book done of our Holland experience. I also started to look into that but didn't find one that could handle the volume/length that I wanted. Suggestions or advise would be very much appreciated for this one!

5. Start an exercise program. I already walk every morning, but I need some flexibility and strength work. Can I do it on my own or do I need to go to a gym? Can studying all the options count as exercise?

6. Go a month without drinking a caffeinated drink. That will be a hard one. Me and Dr. Pepper have a thing going, not an everyday thing, but at least 4-5 days a week. Alyna challenged me to give it up but during the holidays didn't seem like a very good time to do that. I may have to come home from work now and take a nap.

6. All the usual - be better/more regular at personal prayers, scripture study, teeth brushing, saying more positive things, etc.

30 Day Blog - Day 1

Last month, some of my kids did a 30 day blog challenge. I really enjoyed reading and seeing how they answered the blog heading and there were some topics that I have pondered how I would respond to them. Since I was impatient to see what the kids would write about next, I Googled "30 day blogs" and found lots of different lists. Some of them I didn't like at all but there were quite a few that I liked some but not all the topics. So I am combining several lists so that the things that I get to think about each day is something that is interesting to me or I think might be interesting to someone else. So here it goes:

Day 1: a Recent Picture and 15 Interesting Things about Me

1. I’m the oldest child in my family which may explain some of by bossy tendencies.

2. I’d rather sew – especially quilts but I enjoy other creative types of sewing - than cook dinner.

3. I love flowers!! Probably more to come on that subject.

4. I have traveled to places I never would have thought I would go.

5. I enjoy looking at all the different architecture of the places I visit even though I don’t know all the technical terms for what I am seeing.

6. I learned to love listening to audio books when I was a teenager and my family was able to get “books” from the Center for the Blind.

7. I love watching football games and the Olympics. Otherwise, I rarely watch any sporting events.

8. I hate taking care of things that might cause people pain – like removing slivers, pulling out wiggly teeth, cleaning out wounds,etc. Good thing I have a wonderful sister-in-law who takes care of my kids for me.

9. When I grow up, I want to be like my Grandma Merrill. She was an amazing woman. She was very patient, loving and talented.

10. I have an incredible husband who is always encouraging me to learn new things.

11. I live in an old home that I love even though it has very limited closet space and a roof that always leaks.

12. I like to decorate for every holiday and season. It’s always nice to have something new to look at.

13. I have tried several times to learn to knit and have yet to even make a washcloth.

14. I have always had bad eyes (got my first pair of glasses in 1^st grade and had to have the lenses changed every 6 months till I finally got contact lenses at the end of 4^th grade) and bad teeth (I think the most cavities I had in one check-up was fourteen.)

15. I have amazing children, at least they amaze me. They are so smart and talented. I need them to all live close to me so that they can keep teaching me.