A Woman's Simple Daybook~May 16, 2016

Our lives pass swiftly by!  I want to do something 

to remember the everyday moments and 

my thoughts about them.  

This is what a Daybook is all about.

Focusing on the little things that become my life.

One entry at a time our story is built.

Just for Today~Monday, May 16, 2016

Outside My Window...It's sunny with a gentle breeze.  It's nearly 10:00 AM and I have been up for five hours.  It's a fabulous day. Everything is glistening as Jim washed down the house Saturday in preparing for summer!   White houses need washing after the winter storms.  It makes the paint look new again..I love that.  Spring cleaning is a must when you live in a country setting.  I also love the black trim on our white house, it has a crisp clean look when it's all fresh again.

I Am Thankful For...my improved health and fitness since I have been working on that for the past six months.  What a difference when you make optimal health a daily priority.  I recognize the spiritual help I have prayed for and received.  

From The Learning Room...There is always something new to learn.  I wish I had appreciated that much more when I was much younger.  I've always been an eager learner but now it is really accelerated with so much more information so readily available.  I can't stand to just remain stagnant when there is so much that can improve the quality of our lives as we educate ourselves and also make that a daily priority. 

My Spiritual Thoughts...That the Lord expects us to be our best selves by continually making progress in our lives.  We have been given the gifts that surround us for our well being and to help others and to build his kingdom here upon the earth.  He has given us sacred stewardships and he expects us to do our part.  Which is so small compared to the blessings he gives us.  With those blessings we are to lift and bless others within the sphere of our influence.  We are to be the one that makes other people's days better.

I'm Praying for...America to see the best possible results from the Presidential Election which looks very problematic at this point.  But with God nothing is impossible.  I pray everyone will really ponder what is the best way to preserve the liberty that this country was founded upon.  Before we cast a vote consider that its implications should go beyond our own personal wants, to something concrete that makes this country better not worse. This country is ensconced in sports.  This is not an athletic event.  You vote for your team but the game is not as important as what the winner does after the buzzer sounds.  What we choose is what we and our posterity will live with for a long time.  It's something we all should be praying about and soon perhaps.

I'm Working On...Spring cleaning and parting with a lot of things I can't use.  The stuff gets overwhelming and we are trying to downsize the junk and quit buying it.  At this time in our lives we don't want to be chained to managing belongings.  The purging is empowering.  Everything feels lighter.

I'm Reading...Dr. A's Habits of Health, by Dr. Wayne Anderson, General Conference Talks April 2016 by the Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a book I received for Mother's Day, To Mothers Carrying the Torch of Faith and Family by Jeffrey R Holland and Patricia T Holland.  Many many things on Family History also get read each day.

I'm Quoting...Dr Seuss 

Jim and I have been talking about the state of the world a lot.  One thing that keeps becoming a critical common thread is the idea of personal responsibility and how we need to take the only out of the phrase, "One person can only do so much!"  One person CAN do so much!

Truly one person can do so much to make this a better place to be.  On our day trip to San Francisco this week we went to Stern Grove.  Out in the middle of this huge park we saw a little building with some notes posted on it.  Right there we saw this poster just as big as life.  It was a cool experience since it summarizes our exact feelings to the letter.   

Recent Big Screen Choices...Movie and Popcorn on Friday nights are a scheduled event in our home.  This week we watched Memoirs of a Geisha.  We had forgotten most of it but loved revisiting it.  During the week on occasion we will watch British productions.  We Love PBS Grantchester and have almost finished Season 2.  We are always waiting for the next season of something from Britain.  I have also started Land Girls..that is an interesting one too.  

I'm Dreaming About...our Family Reunion in July.  We've got to get some activites and fun things planned.  Cabin is locked in, food menu is a standard so we don't have a lot of planning in that department but will do some cooking when we arrive in Utah. If you have some fun ideas..please share. I'm relying on our kids a lot to come up with things their family will enjoy.  Jim's mom is turning 90 so we will have some things centered around that for sure.  Anyway time to stop dreaming about it and get on about doing it.

I'm Happy About...working in the Family History Library each week.  It is challenging and fun and a great way to serve.  We just love it and the people on staff with us and the fun we have as we learn together and help our patrons. Looking forward to continuing the training meeting for the staff on Tuesdays and always looking for something new to share with them.  My goal is to help everyone have an easier time of it as they help others find the family members they are seeking, in our vast pool of resources.  

In The Kitchen...mostly I am l cleaning it right now.  You know the deep cleaning that is required a few times a year. That is one of my goals for the week. 

Jim barbecued a bunch of meat yesterday afternoon and today I will weigh it, package in individual serving portions and freeze it.   That makes the rest of the month very easy in the kitchen.  I love it.

Around The Cottage...we are doing a lot of work to summerize the house and yard because this weekend we are providing the venue for the wedding open house of our good friends' son Matt and his new bride Allison.  They got married last month in Texas but are coming to California for a fun party with all their friends out here.  

We enjoy having a deadline for this big annual project of washing away winter and this party is the perfect time of year.  There will be at least two more big events here during the rest of year so we are happy to be underway with the prep.

A Favorite Thing...Working on a database of early Italian ancestors and relatives with our cousin weekly.  I am learning so much about early life in Italy.  These people and what they did to survive can stun you into silence.  And it definitely gives one cause to thank God all the more for the way of life we mostly take for granted.

To Do List...all the usual things and then adding in washing windows, finishing in the kitchen, planting flowers with Michelle for the event, and getting the guest room completely ready as the newlyweds are staying two nights with us.  Thier parents' home is bursting at the seams right now with other family members.

Loves and Passions...Day trips with Jim.  I love these days passionately.  They are too spread out and far between to suit me. They are so revitalizing to the soul and our relationship.  This week we went to San Francisco.  It was heavenly.  I'll add in some photos at the end.

Pet Peeves...This blogger platform is starting to really annoy me. Now I cannot change my red ink to black.  And the font size is unstable I have tried everything...nothing has worked. I've been doing this since 2007. This process is not new to me but the problem is.  I don't want to learn a new platform but I will if needed.  Seeing RED! And big and little...Arghhh! No time to fool around with it today.

Family News...Lot of family birthdays this Month of May. Four more cards to send out for the month yet.  Sheesh! Spencer went to his junior prom and the photos are fabulous. Coming soon on another post.  Ross went to Band Camp. Chris returned from a three week trip to Eastern Europe yesterday and is safe and sound and happy to be home with his family again. Piper had her wisdom teeth out and Hazel had her back surgery so hopefully they are all ok. I have a text out to check on them.

Photo Share...

Land's End

All the rest of the pictures we took in Stern Grove

As you can see the grove was nearly empty on this weekday.  Jim and I know how to find solitude and peace in a city of a million people which includes the many that commute into it for the work week.  Only a handful of neighborhood strollers with their well behaved and leashed dogs.  It was so uplifting.  My first trip to Stern Grove was when I was a Brownie in GSA.  We took a bus from Sacramento to go to Stern Grove for lunch and then on to our first ever cinerama movie.  I thought of that day often as a child, it was magical.  I didn't know the name of the Grove but knew it was in SF.  I was thrilled to find it again after we were married and living there.  And it is still magical today.

Until Next Time...

Think About Building Your Legacy,

One Daybook At A Time!