Thursday, February 16, 2012

forever mine....



The girls and I were faithful to our tradition...
and made dinner for Danny on Valentine's day!
He loved it!
I bought 3 treasure box charms for us to give the girls and Danny wrote them each a personalized letter.
He wrote a nice card for me too.

Before dessert, they gave me much cooperation and we took pictures with my studio equipment in the family room.
I think that will be a new tradition!

We are so lucky to have each other forever...
I love each of them so much and feel so lucky to be loved by them!
xoxo


I just listened to this the day after Valentine's Day.
I love that idea of gift giving!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

will you be mine?




Thank you Pinterest!
There are many options out there for guilty-time-wasting-online pleasures...
Pinterest is NOT one of them for me.
It is my online library!
It is full of information!
AND saved me for Valentine's day!!!!

The girls were having so much fun putting these together.
Children make holidays so much fun!

We are excited for school parties, seeing friends and our traditional V-day dinner for dad!
The girls wanted to make lasagna for him (one of his favorites).
I am going to try to set up our strobe lights and a back drop for formal pictures!
I hope I get it all done!!!
Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!!!

Sunday, February 12, 2012

a day off...



Earlier in the week Danny suggested he take Friday off.   
When he told me he had nothing planned...did I want to hang out????...my heart leapt!
I love days off just hanging out!!!!!!!!

We got the two school girls ready and Danny drove them for me!!!!!!
On Fridays I usually stay and help gather and grade homework for Kate's teacher.
Danny offered to do it---so Sophie could sleep in.
He picked us up in time for Sophie's violin lesson.
We suggested a reward for playing her piece memorized---
a trip to lunch on the train.
We ran an errand, looked for a fuzzy sticker for Sophie's violin, then headed downtown.
We hit one more store and then met Nana to take TRAX to lunch at Haagerman's deli.
After lunch we hung out at the planetarium.
We picked up drycleaning...and then our girls.
We took them out early to go pick up frozen custard. 
(We told them it was going to be liver & onions...they have no idea what that is...but it is the worst thing I remember being fed as a child!)
We picked up...and played instruments.
Nana came to play with the girls....
and Danny and I went out to sushi with friends.

Little things make a big difference~
It was my favorite day of the year!!!!!!


xoxoxo

Monday, February 6, 2012

top of the world

 pictures taken in Aug. 2010 @ the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum


I'm on top of the world lookin' down on creation...
and the only explanation I can find...
is the love that I've found ever since you've been around 
it has put me at the top of the world...  
-The Carpenters


How did I get so lucky to be with him?  He truly is my better half.  He helps me laugh when I am taking things too seriously.  (I always take things too seriously.) He supports me in every goal or ambition.  He is my best friend---I can tell him anything.  He understands me.  He cares about us.  I love him.

I was asked to teach a Sunday lesson at church to the Relief Society (a women's group).  The assignment was on LOVE & MARRIAGE with the emphasis (taken from Daughters in My Kingdom) as follows:  "The cultivation of Christlike qualities is a demanding and relentless task..."

As I thought about what I could say, one thing that kept returning to my mind was something Patricia Holland said, "If I were Satan and wanted to destroy a society, I think I would stage a full blown blitz on women.  I would keep them so distraught and distracted that they would never find the calming strength and serenity for which their gender has always been known."  One Thing Is Needful, Patricia Holland; Ensign Oct. 1987

It left me wondering in which ways I am distracted and how I could improve my relationship with Danny.  I decided on three specific distractions to overcome for myself-

selfishness
"I have heard President Hinckley teach publicly and privately what I suppose all leaders have said---that most problems in love and marriage ultimately start with selfishness."
How Do I Love Thee, Jeffrey R. Holland

being easily provoked
"Think of how many arguments could be avoided, how many hurt feelings could be spared, how many cold shoulders and silent treatments could be ended, and, in a worst-case scenario, how many breakups and divorces could be avoided if we were not so easily provoked, if we thought no evil of one another, and if we not only did not rejoice in iniquity but didn't rejoice even in little mistakes."
How Do I Love Thee, Jeffrey R. Holland

criticism
"Bite your tongue if you have to.  'He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city' (Proverbs 16:32)  At least one difference between a tolerable marriage and a great one may be that willingness in the latter to allow some things to pass without comment, without response."
How Do I Love Thee, Jeffrey R. Holland


As I studied these distractions I found some wonderful solutions that I need to work on:

for selfishness---be deliberate
find ways, on purpose, with thought and genuineness to show love
don't assume that it is assumed--show love by my actions
Mother Theresa said, "Do small things with great love."
plan dates and time to be together
turn off phones and electronics for said dates
remember making memories is more important than receiving things

easily provoked---laughter
I love this from Joseph B. Wirthlin-
"The first thing we can do is learn to laugh.  Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors all the way back to Adam?...Our laughter created cherished memories for us...The next time you're tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead.  It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable."

criticism---seek optimism (or bite my tongue)

"'The Spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things.  The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God, looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains, and is slow to yield obedience.'  (Orson F. Whitney) We should honor the Savior's declaration to "be of good cheer.'  Speak hopefully.  Speak encouragingly, including about yourself.  Try not to complain and moan incessantly.  As someone once said 'Even in the golden age of civilization someone undoubtedly grumbled that everything looked too yellow.'"

Another thing I could do better...posting pictures of Danny and I.
I could take a few more too.
I hardly ever post pictures of the two of us.
Next time it wont be so wordy.
xo