childhood memories...

ray, tree, irene, dad, mom

keith, brent, jacki (me), kent, jeff, steve

ginny,alan, kyle

kathleen

one of my fondest memories of christmas when i was young, was going to cut down our christmas tree with the 'ray and irene cattani' family. where we went, i'm not sure, but, we would all pile into the car and drive like what seemed for hours, before we could get out and hike around looking for the perfect tree. and... when i said perfect, i mean ~ it had to be perfect, or dad wouldn't even look at it. i remember one year, he thought that we had the perfect tree only to get it home to see that one branch was missing from the place dad thought it should be. sooo... he cut a branch from the bottom of the tree, drilled a hole in the trunk of the tree and ' walla!' the perfect tree!

gratitude .....

i just finished reading this book. amazing! is all that i can think to say.

it's makes me sad to think that there is stuff like this going on the world today. but, what an amazing story of faith in god! it goes to show that if we have faith in god and do our part, anything is possible. so as this is a day of 'THANKSGIVING', i am sooo grateful to live in a country where we have sooo many freedoms and that i don't have to go thru stuff like this woman went thru, (you'll have to read the book to know, there is more than i could ever explain). i am grateful for my family ~ all of them! i am grateful for the gospel of jesus christ. for the "book of mormon" (which i also just finished), and for the priviledge of having the priesthood in our home. and more so, for having a husband who is worthy to exercise that priesthood. i am grateful to live in this land of freedom, and that we are able to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us. i am grateful for good friends (you are all such great examples to me). i have sooo much to be grateful for and i hope that i show my gratitude by my actions.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

something to blog about !

yeah... donnie does spoil me sometimes (most of the time)! and look what i made ! imagine this... i came home from work at 5:30p.m., had visiting teachers, made this dinner braid and bread, and we ate before 8:00 (that would be p.m. also ~ not a.m.) not tooo shabby, ehhhh?

crazy! crazy!

okay... so last night i was inspired and i 'think' i want to start making homemade bread again! i know that some of you think i'm crazy (that doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out!), but if you would have been to our enrichment last night you might be crazy, too! one hour!!! that is all it takes to make this bread recipe! that is from start to finish! and... you can make like a million different things with it. one BIG problem... i need to get someone to put a bug in donnie's ear, that if he wants homemade bread, jacki needs either a 'bosch' or a 'kitchen aid'. think he'll go for that? i know it's not as exciting as a welder or a saw, or a saw table... but maybe i'd use it more;-) at least just as much!

take the time to be grateful !

so , as i have been looking thru magazines, and then the other day after the snow, i have started getting excited about decorating for christmas. i've been to 'roberts' a few times and have been gathering different new things to decorate with. well... this morning, kamryn came down stairs and when she seen the 'stuff' all gathered up in a pile in the corner of the family room, this is the lecture i got...
"it's fall! and everyone is starting to put up christmas stuff. don't you think we should be 'grateful' first!" this is from a 5 yr old. and yes, kamryn, we should take the time to be grateful, because we do have alot to be grateful for! thanks for reminding me.

quote for the day

"remember to love your family and your neighbor without condition - then life will become the joy it should be."

happy birthday hunter !

today is hunter's # 3 birthday.
donnie and i take the grandkids out to dinner ( where ever they choose, and shopping for their birthdays (starting when they turn 3). hunter has wanted 'papa and damma' to buy him noculars since july (when siona got hers). so wednesday night we took hunter to cabella's (papa's favorite store in the world!, so he doesn't mind shopping, there). so after we picked up the 'camo noculars' and ate dinner, we had to stop and feed the fish.

here is papa and hunter feeding the fish

and...

papa and hunter - twinneres!
happy birthday buddy !