#60

It is the day after my birthday, and #60 of the things and people I love is nothing sentimental or profound - but very wonderful and practical and makes my life so much easier - online shopping. I am rarely in a shopping center anymore. I can catch those sales/deals from my laptop in the comfort of my own home. 

My sister in law, who is a master shopper and deal finder, just texted Reggie to let him know that Black Friday shopping is pretty much nothing out there. You can just get the deals online, and that makes me happy. And yesterday Amazon had some "Black Friday Deals" so I was able to almost finish my Christmas shopping. 

#59 - my kind of gardening

 I've always thought that I would like to take up gardening - maybe flowers, but especially herbs or vegetables. However, after trying it a couple of times in the last few years with my grandchildren-flower-pots, I've decided it's probably not for me. It was just too stressful! Everyday I would look to see if anything was growing, or if anything was dying - which they did. But finally, this year, I've realized that succulent plants are my kind of gardening. I looked up the definition:

    "Succulent plants store water in their fleshy leaves, stems or roots to survive in dry climates."

Unfortunately the recent wicked winds have knocked some of my sturdy plants off the porch, and broken the pots. But the plants have still faired pretty well. 

Yesterday I received an addition for my birthday - a cute, little, wooden fairy-house succulent plant holder. At our most recent trip to Filoli Gardens I saw it at their 30% off sale and wanted it.  It looks so welcoming on our porch! 

Natural Light, #58

 When the sun is out I do everything I can to keep lightbulbs off and exist in natural light. I love windows and need to have the curtains open during the day. I don't know why - no conscious reason - it's just what 's comfortable to me. I also have realized, in the last few years, that I'm a morning person. Part of that is the natural clock my body has, that just wakes up with the sun, out of habit of a work week I guess. But I have even found myself not wanting to be up or awake very long after dark. I think I feel a little scared and disoriented. I used to love staying up late and working on projects into the night. But now, I just feel better and rejuvenated and motivated in the morning, with all that natural light.

In looking for and choosing the above picture off the internet I came across a lot of articles that explain the benefits of sunlight - especially morning sunlight. Maybe I will do a part 2 someday and blog about them. 

#57 - Ben Chandler

 In the last 10 years I have come to know, even more how amazing my nephew Ben Chandler is. For years now he has been my country music partner in the family. We both do our best to keep the family educated and current in the best country music out there. He is also always willing to go on a hike in the Logan mountains whenever I visit. He also let me, the only one in his life, call him Ben instead of his preferred nickname of Benji. Therefore I allow him to call me any nickname he likes, as long as he doesn't call me late to dinner.

#56 - That Graham Cracker Ceiling

Right now I am getting the family room ready for Thanksgiving company, and I still just smile when I look up at that Graham Cracker ceiling. My Dad built the downstairs rooms before I was born. I always thought the ceiling looks like graham crackers. Sometimes I take a nap in there and let the memories flow. That ceiling reminds me of everything my Mom and Dad were about; how they shared this house, always welcoming, always making room for more. 

I just can't even with this day (insert smiley face here)

😃 I heard that phrase once and it cracks me up - I know what it means, and I can certainly relate to it: that this day is just too much - I can't even describe how hard it is and I can't do it.

BUT! Sometimes it also means "I can't even describe the goodness of this day!"  Thankfully, right now,  I am feeling the latter. And that is because of those bless-ed school agers!

So . . . I can't even describe how adorable the school agers are that I have met and worked with, in the summer and on the other days when the elementary schools are closed and they come to our center for "back-up care". I wish I could take pictures of them to blog about. I wish I could mention their names. I wish I could take the time right now to describe why it's so fun being with them. Like one who brought her yarn and crochet hook and started a scarf for me, and gave it to me to take home and finish. Like one who goes to the same elementary school that I left, and we know some of the same people. Like the ones who sit around and fold origami paper with me, and gather around to hear stories that they might otherwise think they are too old for but just can't help being interested, like the ones who enjoy making rubber band bracelets, like the non-verbal boy who gives me one of his cars each day to hold and play with him, etc. etc. etc.

I will definitely have to blog more of my time and experiences with them, to just keep me happy and keep me going. But I just can't even do it now, because I've got to get ready for work. It's a 3 day, Thanksgiving week, and though I love the preschoolers, I am looking forward to being with those school agers!

#55 My Testimony

 When I did my "50 Things" 10 years ago I was specific about some spiritual things that meant so much to me. Now, I'd like to be more broad and overall encompassing in adding "My Testimony" to the list.

To say the last 10 years have been hard is an understatement. To say that Jesus was my rock, my foundation, my lifeline through it all is also an understatement. He was only a prayer away - and not even just that, but I know he was with me in every moment. I did absolutely rely on prayer, and still do I guess.  I am especially thinking of when I was my Mom's caregiver; in helping her live and helping her as she died, I constantly had a prayer in my mind of "Please help me". Adding the fact that Reggie's Mom had just died, and the pandemic was going on . . . . I might be tempted to say - I don't know how we got through it - but I do know, and it is carrying me through everything else that has come, is coming, or will come my way. I am grateful for my Testimony of Jesus Christ.

Though I've posted this song before, it runs through my mind quite often, and I think it needs to be here again.

#54 PB&F

 I've heard of the term PB&J, standing for Peanut Butter and Jelly. But in the last several years, my daily routine is to have some PB & Fruit. 

I have always loved peanut butter. It's been a regular around this house my entire life. 

I have not been much of a fruit person though. (Please forgive me if I've blogged about this fact before). My Mom said that as a baby I did not want the baby-food fruit, but did like the baby-food vegetables - for most babies it is the other way around.  But two children changed my perspective years ago, and got me to try and even love fruit:

1. One year, as I was working the summer-school special-ed program, I sat with a little girl each snack time whose mother always packed her blueberries. I guess because I wasn't a fruit person I found it interesting that she liked them so much - they weren't combined with anything sweeter, and nothing processed. She just enjoyed eating handfuls of blueberries. So I decided to give blueberries another try - straight, and not as part of a dessert. And I loved them! I've since heard that blueberries are a superfood, so I am very grateful for this little girl's example.

2. A few years ago I heard my little granddaughter Isla mention that she was eating a "luscious peach". Again, I thought that was intriguing - eating a fresh peach, whole, and not part of a dessert was just so yummy to her. So I gave peaches another try and yup, they are luscious!

Since then I have added strawberries, watermelon, olaliberries, oranges, pineapple and grapes to my menu, along with the peaches and blueberries. I admit - I don't usually eat them straight though. My favorite thing is to eat them with peanut butter and bread (who needs jelly or jam!) or toast, or yogurt or even sweet bread like pumpkin or banana. And sometimes I even let them all get together for a wonderful fruit salad. 

feet friendly

 #53 of my people and things that I love list is a collection of tools that make my feet happy. I think my feet and legs are what have undergone the biggest change from 10 years - actually just 5 years ago. As much as I wish that wasn't true, I am grateful for the things that make it possible for me to still be active:

hiking poles

HOKA shoes for work

Non-HOKA shoes for the weekend, because they are cute and give me some variety; I have a lot of shoes now!

pumice stones and other tools to rub away the calluses

lotions, vaselines, aquaphor and body oil to soften the feet

pedicures - yup, I used to refuse pedicures but now I understand why people like them so much

#52

 My Laptop - which is my lifeline. Ten years ago I used the dining room computer, and was on quite a bit, which meant facing the wall. Reggie & I decided a laptop might be a good idea. I admit, I like it much better to be sitting on the couch in the living room with people, rather than facing the wall. And I do SO much with it - I just can't imagine being without it. For instance:

paying the bills, 

being on ZOOM meetings, classes, etc.

writing on this blog

managing all the pictures I take

checking emails from work, our finances, church - everything

keeping in touch with the news and with people on social media (though I'm trying to keep that under control)

listening to talks & music, books and movies while I'm working in the kitchen and other places

looking up recipes and having them handy while I'm cooking

taking it with me when going out of town, so I can do all of the above

making and checking on Dr. appointments

looking up phone #s and websites (as in everything the yellow pages used to do)

reserving books from the library

shopping

writing, writing, writing

reading

#51 of the things and people I love

 When I turned 50 we had 4 grandchildren. As I turn 60 we have 8 more! It is so fun being with them all, and watching them be with each other. The oldest is 13 and the youngest is 3. They still, and I hope they always will, love being together, and think of themselves as a group. In fact, they call themselves the "California Cousins", and like to make up and perform songs about the family. This year they are all obsessed with "K-Pop Demon Hunters" and go around singing that together too.

When I was out Christmas shopping I found something on sale that I couldn't resist. But I called and talked to the teenagers Moms specifically, to see if they are still okay/still enjoy matching with their cousins. It was a resounding yes. And so I laid it all out when I got home and couldn't stop laughing and smiling - there are 10 of one kind and 2 of the other, for the 10 girls and 2 boys.

I am sure they will branch out more and more with different interests, etc. as time goes on. But I hope they will ALWAYS build each other up and know they are loved by their crazy family.

Unfortunately, no picture of the 12 of them right now, but I'm sure that's coming this holiday. So instead, here is their current favorite song:

 

10 more

 As I turned 50 years old in November 2015 I made a list, and elaborated on the blog of course, of 50 things and people I love. Now that I am turning 60 I thought it would be fun to add 10 more representing the last 10 years. They will be things that I did not mention before. But first . . . . . . .

(How's that for being optimistic about life!)

Thanksgiving Daily

 I've been thinking a lot this month about the Book of Mormon Scripture that reminds us to "Live in Thanksgiving Daily" (Alma 34:38). I'm really trying to access a sense of peace and joy and gratitude. I listened to a couple of conference talks that are really helping. The following is from 2020, as we were all surviving a pandemic, and still seems relevant today as we are always in the position of surviving something.

Filoli in the Fall

This November we remembered hearing about a place near us that had 6 different, giant trolls on display, in the woods, like the one we saw in Oregon. We decided to check it out, and got the family annual pass figuring we would want to take the family throughout the year. Well, we were so impressed, and enjoyed it so much that we've gone several times this month just to get everyone in. (We can get in 3 adults and 6 kids at a time.) Actually, I take it back - it never quite fit in to Lester and Luke's schedule - but we hear it will be all decked out for Christmas, (minus the trolls which are gone now) so we are planning on going back soon! 

Reggie said this is the way our youngest grandaughter holds his hand.

Fun to see how they are constructed. Just look at those fingernails!

THE FOREST

The above reminded us of the movie "Klaus". Can't wait to watch it again!

THE MANSION OUTSIDE

THE MANSION INSIDE

(all decked out Haunted style!)

THE GARDENS

We didn't see much of this at all; ran out of time. But we will make it our priority in the Spring!

I love lavender (above)

and I don't think I'd ever seen Holly before.

It's beautiful!