The UN-Birthday Party

David and I decided to have an UN-birthday party for Madison, Kennedy, Dakota and Bodee! We live too far away to celebrate with them each year, and we wanted to see them open presents and have some fun. WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!!!!!! It turned out even better than I had imagined. The kids were so excited, and to hear them laugh and giggle was music to our ears. Of course MY boys (David, Matt, Mark) seemed to have just as much fun with the helium. I haven't laughed so hard for so long....

Mikki and Kristen took several videos, in the interest of time and space, I just chose one. But the picture says it all!

A little piece heaven

I bought a bail of hay so the little girls could see the deer in our back yard....we woke up to 20-30 elk right off our deck! They were beautiful and majestic, we loved having them here. We only put a couple of flakes out, which of course wasn't enough for them, so they ate the rest of the hay out of the back of our truck. To say thanks for breakfast....they washed all the windows of our little truck by licking them!

Tristen and Jedda!

We are having so much fun with Tristen and Jedda. As you can see our "puppy" has grown so much she hardly feels like a puppy anymore....36 pounds and she's almost as tall as Selena. We are loving having Trist with us, for as long as she's here! She's still trying to get a plan in action. All we know is that this town is way too small for our city girl!

Miner Family at Three Rivers Petroglyphs

Our Rock Wall Project

Below you can see how much work Tanji, Scott and the girls did on their summer vacation to see us! This is the second year they have come to be rock haulers! We loved having them here, Shelby Kate hauled BIG rocks, while Rachel collected rocks from 2 acres of ground to make me a stream bed for the over flow of rain that comes from our rain gutter in front.

THANK YOU MINER FAMILY! WE LOVE YOU

Don't let this angelic face fool you!

This is Jedda, the newest member of our family. She is a 8 week old Golden Retriever. She is so much fun! She loves to chew, and I mean everything (cactus, sticks, toes). I just follow her around trying to stick things in her mouth that she is "supposed" to be chewing on. I totally forgot how much work a new puppy is. I think it's because Tristen was there to help me with Selena 11 years ago! Dad is stepping up to the plate and takes "the girls" for a long walk everyday to wear Jedda out. She is extremely smart, say "take a break" and she instanly goes potty (Jamison taught her that one); She sits on command (most of the time) and Dad has taught her "give me your paw" and she does it! We're still working on not jumping up on Selena, who sees her coming and high tails it for another room.

Best Trip Ever!

I have changed the picture on our blog! This is one of my favorite trips. It was taken in Hawaii about 4 years ago, when we went to visit Mark and Kristen. This is where I let my mind wander when things are a little tough.

David lost his largest account last week (through no fault of his own, it was all political)...which was 3/4 of our income. Before anyone panics, we will be fine. Retirement just got pushed back a few years. David is a great salesman, when one door closes another one opens, this just will free up his time to get accounts closer to home, which will take him less time.

Selena is recovering nicely from her cancer scare. They removed her stitches today, now we just have to keep an eye on her to make sure it doesn't grow back anytime soon.

My health is improving everyday. We are enjoying the beautiful weather on our deck, and LOVING having Mom and Dad here visiting with us. Even though we have been really busy with our church callings, they're troupers, and just go where ever we need to go. They are great guests, low maintenance and fun to be with!

We've been planting flowers and of course lavender. I'll post some pictures in the next couple of days.

Stairway to Heaven

This article was posted by Lacie, a good friend of mine on our Relief Society blog. Thought I would share it with you!



Some people look at life this way....up, down, up, down. On the other hand, there are people that strive for better times, and when they experience some, they get comfortable there and level out.

Eventually they become dissatisfied with their circumstances, and what was once wonderful becomes commonplace. They may feel low. But it isn't because they are low; it is because their divine nature beckons them to seek even better circumstances. They'll feel like they are on a low, and have come down from a "high." But from God's perspective, I believe it looks more like eternal progression, higher levels of awareness, continual learning, continual growth, and approaching their potential.


That horizontal wavy line can be rotated just forty-five degrees, and the ups and downs instead become...a stairway. True happiness comes from the feeling that our soul is expanding, that we are learning and applying something new that brings us closer to God. This is taken from "Hidden Treasures" by Leslie Householder...yep the same woman who wrote Jackrabbit Factor. I love that thought that our "divine nature" wants us to stretch ourselves!

Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without!

I set a goal at the first "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without". My friend Moneta passed away on my birthday this year and this was one of the last conversations I had with her. I also was so-o-o motivated by Christina fixing her washing machine (a friend's daughter) ....well at least until my first test came! My couch is almost 10 years old, and was sagging (I actually felt like I was sitting on the floor). It's my favorite color green leather, which still looks great. It's the only new couch (meaning it actually came from a furniture store, and not someone else's living room) I've had in the 40 years we've been married. I had a lot of "conversations" with myself, and decided I deserved a new one! A couple of friends went with me to Las Cruces (which is about 3 hours one way from here) to look for the perfectly comfortable couch I knew was out there waiting for me....I looked in Roswell, and Alamogordo, and finally online. I found one on line for $3,800....scary to buy something that expensive without sitting on it first, not to mention that I've Never spent that much money for furniture! What was I thinking when I bought leather????? I will never be able to justify spending money on a new one when there is no sign of wear (other than the sagging of course). So, I started trying to "make it do". I took the stuffing out of the cushions on the back of the couch, and put it in the cushions we sit on. Then I bought 30" pillows to use as the back cushions. All of you know how eclectic I am anyway, so needless to say....I love it! David loves it too, he thinks I'm awesome for saving so much money. But the best part for me, was when listening to the conference talks on provident living and staying out of debt, I felt no guilt!!!!!

From a Grateful Heart

Easter didn't seem much like a holiday to me this year....no colored Easter eggs, no peanut butter or marshmallow Easter eggs with my name on them, no hidden Easter baskets or children running around the house looking for plastic eggs either. I felt pretty sad. After church I moped around and sat on the couch, and then fixed hot dogs for lunch...where was the ham, the potato salad, the desserts? MY FAMILY? And then I remembered what one of the Sisters at church had said when I asked her how she got Easter done, and enjoyed what the Easter bunny had brought before she needed to be in the library @ 8:30 am....she just looked at me and said "oh, the Easter Bunny always visits our house on Saturday. Sunday is the Lord's day". I am ashamed to say that in missing my family so much....I missed the celebration of His Resurrection too.

The picture above is of the beautiful sunrise David and I shared on Easter morning. With each beautiful sunrise, I want to remember that my Savior lives. He died and was resurrected for me. Jesus Christ our elder brother came to earth and did what he promised to do. He suffered for my sins, and still loves me....even if I pouted about missing my family and chocolate eggs!

The Important Things.......

I loved getting a copy of this letter! How refreshing it is to see things through the eyes of our grandchildren!

Rachel called her Papa to ask him which Beatles song to use in her class talent show..She chose Yellow Submarine

After seeing so many skunks killed on the road at night,
Madison wanted to know "Why skunks stay up so late"

Starting another stressful day at the hospital, Dakota said "relax, just tip your hat and say howdy partner"

Shelby asked her teacher why they didn't say the pledge of allegiance everyday in their classroom...She volunteered to lead them each morning when school started for the day.

Zoie wants to move to "new tah" (Utah) to be by her family. She asked Tanji if she would save a cow for her.

After getting a telescope for Christmas Tyler asked "do y'all have the same stars in the sky in New Mexico as we have in Texas?"

Count Your Blessings

These were the words that David left me with as he walked out the door to work in Texas this week. It's no secret how down I have felt because I still don't feel well. No voice, no energy, and this diabetic diet.....YUCK! But his words triggered a memory of my mom, sending me to my room with those exact same words! It might surprise you all, but when I was younger I was quite the pouter (not really a surprise huh?)! Mom took it one step farther though, (I'm sure David would have too if he dared), she had me write a list of the things I was grateful for before I could leave my room. I couldn't leave my room until I had enough things written down on my list. So I have come to my room and, I'm making the list, THANKS MOM!

Here are the prints we found on the back deck after it snowed Tuesday morning...we also found them just outside the sliding glass doors of our bedroom! Dad measured them, this pic doesn't do them justice. There were two sets of tracks..one set was 2 1/2 inches, the ones in this picture was almost 4 inches. Dad was excited, I was not. I love the wildlife here, But not on my deck!

Beautiful animal isn't it! This isn't a picture we took, but we've been told that we have a breeding pair of mountain lions in our little valley. They were spotted by our neighbor on the hill behind our house.

What do you want to do for Valentines Day?

Dad asked me what I wanted to do for Valentines Day, and I can't think of anything!!! The truth is, that although some days we have our differences, and we get frustrated with each other, they are few and far between. He makes me feel loved, important, and special pretty much everyday. I love being in our home here in the mountains. I have fresh flowers on the table, just because he knows that I love them. I get to have "Valentines" day more than once a year! It hasn't always been this way...but we work at it every day.

What's my point? I want all our children to have the joy in their relationships that Dad and I do now. When I say "our children" I'm not talking about just our biological children...Scott, Jana, Mikki, Kristen we love you as our own. True love lasts forever. It is eternally patient and forgiving. It believes, hopes and endures all things. It's the same love that our Heavenly Father has for each one of us. We all yearn to experience love like this. Even when we make mistakes, we hope others will love us in spite of our shortcomings, even if we don't deserve it! Dad and I pray that all our family can love each other no matter what. That your lives can be filled with love, and that special feeling that only comes from love.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT FOR VALENTINES DAY!

January 17th......40 Years together

We spent our Wedding Anniversary at Three Rivers Petroglyph Park. It was AWESOME

Tylers's First Snow and 3D Viewing

And the snow started to fall.. out to the deck... Wahoo! Then 3-D Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Day After Christmas Snow!

Sledding and coloring by the fire.

Elk Suprise In Back Yard just after Christmas. Wow so beautiful

29 Dec.. Play'n on the Wii.. Family Bowling & Who is the real Guitar Hero?