Country Thunder 2012

Country Thunder 2012

After living in Phoenix for 12 years, I finally got David to go to Country Thunder with me in Florence. He knows the one thing that is really important to me is my music! The setting is beautiful and the atmosphere is so fun!

I had such a great time pretending to be a cowgirl.

Here's my cowboy!

This is the Ely Young Band. I'm wearing their T-shirt from their title song "Crazy Girl".

Craig Morgan sang for an hour and a half!

But the highlight was Dierks Bentley. He is home grown from Phoenix. He was awesome and sang all my favorite songs.

I met up with one of my favorite co-workers, Nicole. Although she is 20+ years younger than me, she treats me like a sister. We couldn't stop laughing when we realized we had the same cowboy hat!

Caroline (Nicole's roommate), Nicole and Me

Such a fun night!

Easter Sunday Thoughts

1 John 4:19. "We love him, because he first loved us."

This scripture captures the beauty and majesty of our Savior Jesus Christ.

I love the fact that the first person the resurrected Christ appeared to was a woman.

I love reading books. I've recently read two self help books. I enjoyed them and learned from them. But the interesting thing is, these particular self help books are successful because they contain principles found in the scriptures. Principles Christ not only taught but lived. One of the reasons we are asked to read the scriptures daily is that the principles and power contained in them can help us solve our problems and become more like Christ.

Christ was not just a great teacher. He IS the Son of God. He is our Redeemer. I know He lives. The atonement is central to Heavenly Fathers plan of happiness. He did so much for us and asks so little in return.

Payson Family Retreat

We took a trip to Payson to stay in a cabin at Kohl's Ranch. It was beautiful and right next to a stream. This is Tristan enjoying the ride on our way there.

We had the grandchildren decorate buckets for them to put their prizes from Grandpa's store. For each good deed, they earned a ticket. They could "purchase" prizes from the store.

Lucy playing with the kids. Aaron couldn't come because of work so Lucy tackled her 5 kids alone!

Lindsay, Donnie and Gavin

This is a cool tree stump just above the creek. Lillian is standing on top. Our cabins are in the background.

My favorite picture of the grandkids of the trip.

David cooked 2 meals for us. He BBQ'd a selection of meats and fish. He also made his famous taco's (shown here)

Just before we left for the trip, Thurston busted his brow open on the corner of a table. :( We thought it would steri-strip but by the time we got to Payson, it had broken open. Kim and Ethan had to take him to the ER.

David playing in the stream with the grandkids.

Dinner outside our cabins

Ivy and Atticus crawled up and down these rocks! Kim planned a cool Easter project for the kids and I didn't get one picture!!

Elsie playing hide and seek.

The end.

Challenges

This past year has been a year of challenges for me. You wouldn't know it by looking at me. My marriage is strong and secure. We have jobs and income. I have a beautiful family and 11 grandchildren that fill me with joy.

My challenge is not outward or external, but inward and personal. I've decided since I no longer have the primary duty of raising children, which was always my joy AND my challenge, I need other methods to help me grow.

Because Heavenly Father wants and EXPECTS us to continue to grow, challenges and trials are HIS way of helping us to become a better person. This is one of the most basic principles taught by the missionaries. We were spirit children in Heaven, sent to earth to have trials and grow!

I am verbalizing this because I still continue to struggle and yet I have the faith, knowledge and desire to grow through my trials and become the person Heavenly Father wants me to be.

I know I'm not the only one that has these feelings. I hope that this will encourage you to continue in faith and growth through your trials, whether internal or external.

"....know thou, my son (daughter), that all these things shall give thee ^eexperience, and shall be for thy good." D&C 122:7

There are few places where the spirit is more strong than at a convert baptism.

David and I have been involved with two of these baptisms since we have been in the Ellsworth ward. Both were non-member women married to less active husbands. As the husbands became active, the wives followed, changed their lives and were baptized.

I keep thinking of the husband baptizing his wife, the children observing. As the wife emerged from the water, she reached up to her husband and gave him this amazing look and hugged him. This said it all. The room was electric with the spirit. They had gone through this journey together and arrived at the same place. Lots of love and lots of sacrifice. Lots more to come.

It is a poignant reminder of the blessing the gospel brings to our lives and never to lose sight of it.

New Years Resolutions

Yes, I realize its February. Where did January go? David and I completed our 2012 Family Goals and Priorities. Our categories included

• Physical
• Financial
• Spiritual
• Family priorities
• Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Yearly

Using our time wisely is such an important lesson we learn in this life. The eight chapter of Preach My Gospel focuses enirely on the wise use of time.

Elder Ian S. Ardern of the Seventy gave a talk in October General Conference on A Time to Prepare. In it he says that "the poor use of time is a close cousin of idleness. As we follow the command to "cease to be idle" (D&C 88:124), we must be sure that being busy also equates to being productive. "

Using my time wisely will be a lifelong journey in learning to balance family, work, wholesome recreational activities and serving the Lord.

Goodman Christmas Party 2011

The Goodman Christmas Party was held at my house this year. It was a small but comfortable group. We ate dinner, talked, took pictures with Grandma Goodman, talked, did a nativity with the kids, ate some more, did the white elephant exchange with the kids and talked some more. We had a surprise visit from Scott and Layla Crosby but I didn't get a picture of them. At the end the kids got to light sparklers and pop-its!

Michelle Cook, Kaylin, Hailey and Lindsay

The Cousins! Lindsay, Michelle, Stephanie and Cody

Beautiful Cody

Martin & Stephanie Jones, Olivia, Mattie, Sophie, Ben

Brother and Sisters

4 generations!

My personal favorite :)

Matt and Kay

Lindsay and Donnie

Barry and Dolores

We had such a great time together. It made me so proud to be part of this family!!