The Twilight Everywhere

Even in a parking lot at Disneyworld

unspectacular quirks

It is really fun to see your friends blogs. We travel so much and I am sad when I am missing the blog loop so here are a few catch ups from over the summer which I combined I think it is legal. One was quirks, one was strange facts, one was you'd never guess...
Jody
1. I can't smell- drives Aunt Sue and Scott nuts with me always asking about this or that.
2. I do not have a purse or cell phone. I think it may be tied to my Peter Pan syndrome of not wanting to grow up. The bright side is I never lose my cell phone or purse:) It does drive my friends mad.
3. I do not like to shop, for real. I am a strange duck but I detest shopping in all it's forms. That might stem from my frugal father.
4. One of my best friends is my ex boyfriends mother. I'm not sure he knows. (By the way... If my mom were best friend with one of my Ex's I would not mind as long as I did have to know or hear about it.)
5. I never eat red meat. I have never tasted steak. I never want to eat read meat it is gross.
6. I do not like germs and have some weird phobias. Like touching door nobs or rather not touching them.
7. My super power would be to fall asleep fast and stay asleep. I would be a nice super hero and help other to also fall asleep fast and stay asleep.
8. I prefer one piece, along with all the old ladies:)
9. I do not have crushes on movie stars... but I do like Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables.
10. My mind goes 100 miles an hour which makes me my own best bud. Never a dull moment up there.
I'm not sure who is left to tag... but if you have not done this and you do fill out 10 similar questions... email me so I can see because it is a fun thing to really know how strange your friends are:)

Would You For 10 Million Dollars?

“All that is not eternal [is] too short, [and] all that is not infinite [is] too small.”

I was talking with my buddy Laurie about her dating life and money. You see, she was about to date a millionaire. She was very turned off by the idea of his wealth. Not that she has taken a vow of poverty, she just thinks there are way more important things in life than money. I believe it is right up there with oxygen- without it we would not have Temples or missions or roof over our heads. In reading a church article I saw this interesting section. My answers I hope would be obvious. "The results of a survey conducted by a reputable organization and reported in a national magazine. The survey was entitled, “Would You, for Ten Million Dollars?” Let me ask you the same questions which were asked in the survey:
*For 10 million dollars in cash, would you leave your family permanently?
*Would you marry someone you didn’t love?
* Would you give up all your friends permanently?
* Would you serve a year’s jail term on a framed charge?
* Would you take off your clothes in public?
* Would you take a dangerous job in which you had a 1-in-10 chance of losing your life?
* Would you become a beggar for a year?
Of the people polled, 1 percent would leave their families, 10 percent would marry lovelessly, 11 percent would give up friends, 12 percent would undress in public, 13 percent would go to jail for a year, 14 percent would take the risky job, and 21 percent would beg for a year.
Where money, rather than morality, dictates one’s actions, one is inclined away from God. Turning away from God brings broken covenants, shattered dreams, vanished ambitions, unfulfilled expectations, crushed hopes, and ruined lives.

See James Patterson and Peter Kim, The Day America Told the Truth: What People Really Believe About Everything That Really Matters (New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1991), 65–66.

Blog-iversary?

Hey- I just saw it has been over a year since I started Miss Glimpse:) Thanks to smarty Melissa (for helping me set it up) I have kept a great journal for over a year. Hip Hip Hooray!!! I also should thank cute AMy in CA who was one fo the first family blogs I ever saw and fell in love with. Miss Glimpse has been a great way to keep up to date with friends and family and to keep me on my journaling/ expression toes. It is very therapeutic for me to write- it helps me sort out my mind. Here is me taking my own photo to remember this day:) You have to love self photos. The angles are always weird and it is hard to get the smile thing down! Here is Scott humoring me with a photo while he is one the phone that I think may have become a permanent part of his body. What did we do before cell phones? This no smile face is me thinking of life before blogs and cell phones. I'm sure glad we went digital with the photos... then it is no waste to have a no smile strange photo!

That makes me think about all the new gadgets we have we didn't have in the past and what new ones we will have that are not even invented yet. I remember our first personal computer a commodore 64 and I can remember when cell phone weighed 5 pounds and were huge. I have decided just now that my miss glimpse is one of my new favorite things:) I talked to Anth tonight who had this strange thing called beggars night in IA- everyone came trick or treating the day before Halloween. I'm not sure what that had to do with this journal entry but that is me random.

REAL= reeal = ReAL?

If you are into soccer you would like to see these photos that are in our church boundaries for the new stadium. It is in a field but they are buying up land and houses. It has been a huge controversy. I'm not sure why. I used to really be into politics and talk radio and controversy. Not anymore. I now like happy endings and ignorance is bliss. The only thing I know about soccer is the players have cute legs. That part I remember from High School and my friends boyfriend had cute legs and he played soccer. So if you come to town for a REAL game you can bunk with Mungo or Aunt Sue for a steal of a deal.

Life goes on

I just love Mungo!

I don't love this quote.

I think it is true.

ALl the times I have wanted life to stop so I can get off, it never has. It just keeps going and usually at the other end of life I am happy it is. It is like the poem about the ships one going east and one going west but with the same wind.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox made this observation while she was a passenger on a steamship and noticed that one ship went west and another east in the same wind:
One ship drives east and another drives west
With the self-same winds that blow;
'Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales
That tells them the way to go.
Like the winds of the sea are the winds of fate
As we voyage along through life;
'Tis the set of the soul
That decides its goal
And not the calm or the strife.
["The Winds of Fate," by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, in World Voices (New York: Hearst's International Library Company, 1916), p. 51]

My anchor while calm seemed fine but as storms hit I realize I needed to sure up my own anchor, because Life Goes On...

What is it?

I can't relax. I don't usually watch much T.V. but while at the hospital more than not in the last month I have seen enough to last a lifetime. I think that is because they really don't have many channels and the ones Aunt Sue choose were very violent or sad. I cried a few times and went for walks in the hospital. She is into the Animal Planet and the abuse is just horrid. My question is "what kind of fruit is that green fruit of the loom guy?" There is the apple and the 2 colors of grapes but what is he? Is he really a fruit? He looks like spinach- which is a veggie-- right? Aunt Sue is finally feeling better after a blood clot scare. Now my mom is on her 3 day in the hospital but to far away for me to sit with her there. That is because she is stubborn and will not move closer to us-- we offer all the time. That has not stopped her from having her friends call and guilt me. They all say including her "get rid of Aunt Sue and take care of your mom". The real sad part is how much Aunt Sue loves my mom. She prays for her and her cousin Al every night. She just adores them. When people say get rid of her-- it is very offensive to me. We adopted Aunt Sue, I happen to love her and we really treasure her in our lives. I am more than happy to take care of both my mom and Aunt Sue but not at a 5 hour distance. We tried living where she lives and we didn't make enough money. My brother doesn't get guilt calls and he moved to corn land. I'm sure they mean well but I wish I could disappear with Aunt Sue and Scott for a few years and live on a tropical island or in the mountains with no contact from well wishers. I love my mom but I think she needs to move closer so we can help take care of her. So if I could just know if that green thingy is really a fruit I just know I would sleep well tonight:)

4th of July

I think I was most excited to have a new set of memories to scrapbook for 2007 4th of July. Guess what I did instead? Laid in bed-- the entire day. Yep- call me the party girl-- fast asleep. I don't even look cute for a photo, so perhaps we will do something for the 24th. We had wonderful invites to a Birthday party, to see the 6pm Sandy parade, to a Cowdell/ Christensen BBQ, to a Lagoon get down with my friends parents, for Scott to go shooting, a picnic, and a water fight. So at least we had people wanting to adopt us. We could have started with a church breakfast and been entertained the entire day. Why I could have even supported my friend in a race. I am tired just thinking of all that. I'd better get back to bed! OH by the way the reason we are inside in bed is because Scott is really sick with we hope just a cold:(

Change

"All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward." -E. Glasgow

I was reading today that when asked "where you feel the most at home? the most comfortable?" in general people would respond with.. my parents home or grandma's home. The author explained why... it didn't change much. I thought about one of the reasons I love to be at my uncles is he has so many things from my grandma's home in his home. It was clean and classy but things did not change. How often do we in general crave the latest and greatest? Why? I think because it is the "latest and greatest" and the whole keeping up with the "Jones". Who are the "Jones" anyway? Do we sometimes make changes for the sake of making changes? The quote reminds me of Ms. J. my beloved teacher from JR High. She always said move forward not straight. I just loved her. I have called her up and told her of the difference she has made in my life. SO I was thinking about how sometimes we want change because we are bored or because we have out grown something. I'm glad Scott has not out grown me:) He is very attractive and I love to just watch him. I'm glad he is steady and does not change. I think God is also steady. So why am I so often looking to change things? Then I thought about how the more things change the more they stay the same. This year could be one word for me and it is change so perhaps that is why I am craving the same old comfort of grandma's house. A house I have not been in for almost 30 years. The photo makes me giggle, it was taken in her house. You see her in the right corner, me trying to turn baby Anth's head to face the camera, and was I cute or what? That is weird that she has been dead that long. I ran into one of her friends at the Temple awhile back. He told me again how funny she was, how creative she was, how original she was. he thinks we would be really great buddies as adults. I adored her as a child so I can only imagine how nice to be with her as an adult. And we could talk about change.

Time Travel Key

I just love this ah-ha. The key to time travel is in the present and future. I'm going to use one of the comments to show you how it works. I'll show you step by step. First identify the do over--

1. run a marathon 2. write a book 3. great singing voice 4. draw and paint 5. piano virtuoso 6. green thumb 7. morning person 8. complete family history (see the entry--)

Love this blog entry - got me thinking a bit. One of my dreams is to run a marathon. Another is to write a book (paper-crafting based). I also wish that I had a beautiful singing voice, could draw and paint, and that I could play the piano (like so many others I didn't stick to it when I was younger!)I wish that I had a green thumb and actually enjoyed yard work and gardening. I dream of one day becoming a morning person (may sound silly, but I am so much more productive when I am up early, it just doesn't come at all naturally to me!). And finally, one of my biggest dreams is to have a complete history (scrapbooks) of my family, myself and my ancestors.

OK now this may come as a big shock to you but-- you are still alive. Yep you are alive and any day above ground is a good one to still live your dreams. Here is what I have figured out, using the above example. If you start to make changes today you can still live your dreams.

1. marathon- there are many types of marathons, even Disney World has a fabulous one Scott and I have attended. So you can start today and being training and pick one and do it. They even have half marathons.

2. write a (paper craft) book- I hope you have started this because we are all waiting to buy a copy. For now we will enjoy your blog.

3. beautiful singing voice- they make a CD of voice lessons and if you have a desire and are willing to work at it, you can learn to have a nice voice. My cousin Kelly has developed this talent- amazing results. Plus God likes us to make a joyful noise in praise so everyone sounds good singing hymns (at the angels and God at least).

I won't go through each one (however- the family history complete one will not work because if it were to be 100% complete you would have to have all your family dead so no more history was happening. How about a compromise on that one of up to date?) because you are starting to get the idea. Even if it is a regret you have for how you treated someone, and they are dead, then how does it work? Well first of all you have to forgive yourself. If you could take it back you would, you know better now, you did the best you could then. If they are not alive to say I'm sorry to in person you can make amends with God and do something wonderful in the memory of that person. Say they loved gardens-- go take a child to visit a beautiful one, or donate time or money to a local charity garden. Jesus Christ has paid the price for all of us to be forgiven is we will trust in him. He doesn't even require you to be perfect. He just requires you have the desire to be perfect and trust that you have worth. It is also healing to forgive others- (that part is not an option.)

SO if you are still struggling thinking it is to late for you. WAKE UP and live. Do some research on the web. Many people achieved dreams as old people. To eat an elephant you must do it a bite at a time. We really under estimate the power of daily repeated actions and how the little choices add up. Think about it with fitness... if we put all the times we have be exercising together in consistent action we would all be really healthy. Really give some heart time to what you want to be as a person, qualities or talents and start practicing them today.

Because the best is yet to be!

Question about time and DREAMS

Guess what? I have found out a wonderful thing. I have figured out time travel. I know it seems crazy but I think you will be excited when you see how it all works. First think back on your life. Do you have things you wish you could do over or things you wish you had never done at all? How about opportunities missed or hindsight? Think of this moment as a crossroads for yourself. Be honest and really think if you could go back in time and do something different, be something different, choose something different... would you do it? I know the canned response is... well I would not trade who I am now. What I have learned or what I have become. Ignore this thought knowing that with this crossroads you will have all the knowledge and experience you have gained but you could just do some things different. Do you think it could make some of your dreams come true? What are some of your dreams. I think most adults have forgotten what it is to dream. Reality can have a way of grounding us. Imagine for a minute that you can dream again. What are some of your dreams? There is nothing better than hearing peoples dreams. Not the ones you have a night but the ones where you get excited. Some of mine are... be an Olympic Figure Skater-- I love the sparkly costumes, the drama of the music, the strong flexible body I would have. A concert piano player-- I pretend sometimes that I never quit piano, that I followed my mothers advice and stuck with it, I also would wear a sparkly outfit to perform in and I would be able to express my emotions with music. Speak a foreign language-- I have a hard time with English, imagine conversing in a different tongue, many more words to describe feelings and record memories with when you speak more than one. Be a mother-- I know it is strange to ponder, I wonder if I could have done it, would my kids be little monsters, would they know who they were and be confident? Be a famous author-- this one would only work if I had used a nom de plume, I like my space to much to be famous where I have no privacy, but I would have liked to carry on the tradition of writing from my Grandma. Expert Chef-- You may know how this one is far fetched since I can't smell, but wouldn't it be neat to whip up healthy yummo meals? So WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR DREAMS? After I read a few of yours I will give the time travel key to all of you.

Debate

OK- the Grand Opening is fast approaching. They have put ads in the news paper stating that starting Monday you can come and camp in line for the opening. They won't be doing the major 1-2-3 gifts rather they are giving a ton of stuff away to the first 2,500. I love showrooms with house models set up. However I don't love crowds. Would it be nuts to go on opening day? Just for the fun of it? They have the virtual floor plan of all 310,000 square feet set up. It is huge!!! They will have 3 complete model homes inside plus hundreds of other mock rooms and closets. SO I keep debating with myself... go... not go... go... not go...GO?... NOT GO???

I know He lives

I know that God lives.
He gives me feasts for my eyes.
I feel gratitude in my heart.
I know He is aware of my needs. I wish I was.
I love spring for the first time.
I know I don't want it to end.
I know I can find beauty, I just have to look.
This is a tree in my front yard.
It helped me feel alive.
I love my new camera- what freedom!!!

IKEA Draper

I know that this is a hot topic of debate. To IKEA or not to IKEA. Some say the furniture is a death trap. Others say it saved their life. Since I don't own any from IKEA-- I'm undecided. It seems for certain things (not kids beds or Aunt Sues bed) it may be perfect. I love to looks at knobs and lights and kitchen utensils and bookshelves... so I really enjoy visiting IKEA when we travel. Now they are opening one in Draper, a neighboring city to Sandy on May 23 at 9:00am. I can only imagine the lines as Utahn's love deals and they love to shop. Many times we would pass a UHaul headed back to Utah from a IKEA in CA or AZ. I love how they have interactive design tools on the site, I love the full size model homes, and showrooms all set up and organized. Great for inspiration. We have not bought anything large from IKEA. We have not bought any furniture our whole 13 years of marriage. I take it back, 7 years ago we bought a Fridge and 2 couches. Before that we had and still do all seconds from our parents who both retired several days after our wedding and left the State. Scott says it saved our marriage- not the furniture-- but the being away from mom and dad. I could not run home to mom or dad when we had an argument. I don't they would have taken me in anyway- they love Scott. But it does help to kind of make your own way and rely on each other. Boy can I get off track. SO IKEA will be opening soon and I look forward to some window shopping. The photo, is from Lisa's scrapbook room (who adores IKEA).

Stretched

What do you do when you are being pulled in all directions? When Gods plan for you is painful because it requires stretching and your faith feels weak? Not because you don't trust God but you doubt yourself? How about when you disappoint yourself under the pressure or be unkind to innocent bystanders? I think prayer is foremost for peace. I think Jim Hensen is foremost for humor. Bert and Ernie are very different. Bert likes paper clips, pigeons, bottle caps and lentil soup. Ernie likes rubber duckie, bubble gum, playing jokes and jelly beans. But though they don't always like the same things... they still like each other.
Ernie: You know, Bert, you're a real friend. I'm messy and you don't like messy, but because I'm your friend, you don't mind too much if I'm messy.
Bert: Well not too much.
Erine: But that is what a friend is, Bert. I mean not minding too much because you like someone. That's a friend Bert. A pal. Not minding, that's what friends are for!
We have never been so busy and under so much pressure. Yet I can feel Gods love and the blessing are all around. I know that I am not alone. I love seeing Scott serve and it is amazing seeing him in action. He has always been an incredible man but now he is him. Like he has completely stepped up to all God had in store for him. His compassion and love, his hard work and loyalty, his humor and cuteness-- all intensified. He is a humble man who I adore. He is a leader I love to follow. He is a hunter and a little obsessive but I love that too. He is getting attacked and he forgives, he really loves these people.
If just one person believes in you, deep enough and strong enough, Believes in you hard enough and long enough Before you know it, someone else would think "If he can do it, I can do it" Making it two. Two whole people who believe in you. And maybe even you can believe in you too. Robin and the Muppets
So when I am ready to quit life keeps on going. But I'm not alone and I can get better and somehow I will find out who I am and be the me I'm meant to be.

Love and words

Today I smiled when I saw this. It made me think of Scott and I. Then I smiled because of how different we are. To illustrate here are two words that describe up both-- very different in nature, yet with roots.

"jaunty= Me" and "genteel= Scott"

Did you know? You might not guess that the words "jaunty" and "genteel" are related — but they are. Both words evolved from the French word "gentil," which carried the sense of "noble." At first "jaunty" was used, like "genteel," for things aristocratic, but as the years went by people stopped using it that way. Today "jaunty" is used to describe things that are lively and perky — not things that are aristocratic and elegant — and the only remaining clue to its noble origin is in its pronunciation. And Scott and I. I can be elegant, he can be lively, yet generally we are opposite. I do love that we come from the same roots-- in belief of God, the importance of Family, and love for each other:)

Why

With this being Valentines week I have been thinking about love. In fact I gave a talk about love in church. I received very sad news this week about some dear friends and the break up of their marriage. Did you know that there is a 60% chance of first time marriages ending. However there has never been a higher remarriage rate. How come love starts with boxes of chocolates and ends with fighting over the empty box? My one friends reminds me we each came to earth with the great gift of agency. So even if we love our spouse and do our best they still get to choose whether to remain true to the marriage or to use their agency for selfish pursuits and hurt those that love and depend on them. I know there are 100s of reasons but I was thinking about the big picture. I really believe that if we could only see a glimpse of what we will be like in the next life after we have learned more, grown and been perfected we would just adore and worship our spouse. Not that we would place them above God, he is always first. But we all have such greatness inside and when we are further along on the road of refinement imagine the possibilities. I am so sad when I think of all my divorced friends, they are unhappy and lonely. Most if asked if they could do it over say YES. I understand there are exceptions to every rule and it is a personal thing but I just ache for my friends. My parents had a hard marriage, it was not perfect, but they stuck it out. I am really grateful to them for that. I know in the end they started to really love and care for each other again. I have also learned that just because a couple doesn't act like Scott and I that doesn't mean they are not in love. There is a wonderful talk about marriage I wish everyone could hear called "the Awesome power of Married Love" by Truman Madsen. I also wonder if some major unexpected event happened if any of these wanting to end their marriages would have a change of heart. I know that after 9-11 most of those who had filled for divorce changed their minds. I guess many things in life come down to perspective. I think that in life often people are tempted to place short term gains in front of the long term wins. This same principal destroys businesses and it is cheating us out of the the things that matter most... our forever families. Plus we have the atonement of Jesus so we can repent and come walk with God again, he loves us so much and wants us to be happy.
http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,1149-1,00.html (happy family site)
http://www.mormon.org/mediapopup_hr/0,8857,8388-1,00.html (cute movie)
http://www.divorcemag.com/statistics/statsUS.shtml (sad stats site)

Statistics

There is not a very good chance I will be dying on an airplane this week. It is far more likely I will die on my way to the airport... my research shows from the nsc.org website. If you are curious as to how you might die in the form of odds check out this site: http://www.nsc.org/lrs/statinfo/odds.htm

I do not like to feel like I have no faith, I do not like to feel this great fear. I do not like to feel like a disappointment, I do not like to have a headache. (I do not like green eggs and ham either... but I do like occasional ham with non green eggs.) I know God lives and loves me but I wonder why I am so weak in trusting that I will be OK flying. It is mind blogging to Scott that a few years ago I jumped on a plane no problem and that we were always flying off somewhere. He tells me that if I did it once I can learn to do it again. That seems to make sense. We are headed to Chicago. I've been there many times. All but once by plane. Here are some other stats I found for us living in the US.
Cause of Death
Lifetime Odds
Heart Disease
1-in-5
Cancer
1-in-7
Stroke
1-in-23
Accidental Injury
1-in-36
Motor Vehicle Accident*
1-in-100
Intentional Self-harm (suicide)
1-in-121
Falling Down
1-in-246
Assault by Firearm
1-in-325
Fire or Smoke
1-in-1,116
Natural Forces (heat, cold, storms, quakes, etc.)
1-in-3,357
Electrocution*
1-in-5,000
Drowning
1-in-8,942
Air Travel Accident*
1-in-20,000
Flood* (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-30,000
Legal Execution
1-in-58,618
Tornado* (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-60,000
Lightning Strike (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-83,930
Snake, Bee or other Venomous Bite or Sting*
1-in-100,000
Earthquake (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-131,890
Dog Attack
1-in-147,717
Asteroid Impact*
1-in-200,000**
Tsunami*
1-in-500,000
Fireworks Discharge
1-in-615,488

Sudoku- from wikipedia def.

Sudoku (数独, sūdoku) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudoku is a logic-based placement puzzle. The objective is to fill the 9x9 grid so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3x3 boxes contains the digits 1 to 9. The puzzle setter provides a partially completed grid so that there is only one solution.
Completed Sudoku puzzles are a type of Latin square, with an additional constraint on the contents of individual regions. Leonhard Euler is sometimes cited as the source of the puzzle, based on his work with Latin squares[1].
The modern puzzle was invented by an American, Howard Garns, in 1979 and published by Dell Magazines under the name "Number Place"[2]. It became popular in Japan in 1986, when it was published by Nikoli and given the name Sudoku. It became an international hit in 2005.

This is a logic FUN game. I love doing it. Salina has her nose in a vampire book and I have mine in a sudoku book and Anth and Scott are going nuts. You can play one everyday at usatoday or in the newspaper and Santa brought one in my stocking:) I first saw Marj play it. George is addicted so is Lynda.

Baby Shower

Today I gave a baby shower. It was fun to see my buddy from up North. It also made me realize how much a baby changes your entire life. I also was very grateful for all the help Scott gave to me. He made is famous meatballs. Candice let us do it at her condo. It was cold outside. LaNae will be a great mom I only wish she didn't live so far away now. I was asking a ton of questions at the shower, thinking once again I really missed my calling as a talk show host. I still am feeling under the weather, but it was nice to be outside today around people. Showers sure seems to make it easier for the new moms, I like showers.