Virginia, DC and Nauvoo Pics

Shipping Cupcakes

My sister Melissa has recently made cupcakes at Evan's 1st Birthday Party that still have people talking! She has promised to make me some and them ship them to me but she didn't know how....until now!! :)

Looky looky at what I found. http://cupacake.com/

Once you put a cupcakes in these containers you can turn them upside down and it still won't move. I can't WAIT to get a box of my sissy's cupcakes in the mail ;) Well at least get the recipe.....

Where dat gap go?

This is a picture of me where you can't tell I have a gap. I only have a few of these pictures and this one you totally can't tell I have one.

Dangers of Hand Sanitizers and Children

http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_062207HEK_hand_sanitizers_risk_children_LJ.522f7fd.html

Another Cooking Site

I have gotten a few recipes from this site that I LOVE and I wanted to post it here mostly for my addict sister :)

Creative Homemaking


p.s. I promise that I am actually going to start doing posts with substance very soon :)

Everyday Food

Here is a link to some recipes for my recipe-aholic sister (and everyone else). I love the show Everyday Cooking because usually the recipes they show really do have ingredients you have at the house.

Everyday Food

Dusty's Back!

And as you can see he had fun! I love this picture of him.

He's really in his element :)

Yummy Oatmeal Cookies

This was from a friend at work. She brought them in and they were so good I wanted to share. Nothing fancy but really good. I will try and post a new recipe every now and then!

Oatmeal Cookies

1 c margarine
1 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 c flour
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 c oats (quick oats I guess...)
1 bag chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together. Drop by tablespoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 mins at 350 and voila! Makes 4 dozen.

Decide to Decide!

I think that one of my biggest problems as of late is that I am indecisive. I hate being indecisive. It totally stunts your growth. It is a stumbling block for you and most of the time it doesn't need to be. I wouldn't say that I am paralyzed by fear (as it says below) but I definitely need to work on just making decisions more quickly. My focus lately has been making more decisions in a timely manner. It's still a challenge and I am trying to get over it! Below was an email from Dr. Paul here in Utah and I wanted to share it.

Many people are paralyzed by fear when it comes to making decisions. Look at the similarities between these words:

DECISION

INCISION

EXCISION

You will notice a common root to all three - "cision", which means "cut". An "incision" is a cut "into" something, like in surgery. An "excision" occurs when something is cut "out", like having a nasty mole removed. A "decision" is cutting something "off". Any decision cuts you off from the alternatives, which is why many people fear decisions. This concept is even more powerful when you realize that you are always making decisions. Even when you avoid a decision, that is the same thing as accepting the passive decision, which cuts you off from whatever you could have obtained by making an active decision.

Decide to decide!

I never signed up for this!!

I never thought that I would be married to someone who loved nature so much. Growing up I was never much the camping girl. Sure I would go every once in a while but never had this feeling of just HAVING to be there in nature. It has taken me a while to figure out the extent of Dusty's passion. I have since understood that nature, snakes, reptiles, zoos and anything closely related with be a part of my life forever. And I am OK with that. (Note that I say that now and not when I find lizards and snakes in their pockets while doing laundry....)

Everyone who finds out about Dusty's hobby immediately asks questions like "How do they breed?" "Have you ever seen them do it?" People who come over usually get the full educational version of how male snakes actually have two penises. And from that point on in the conversation they are fascinated. The conversation lasts at least an hour of a nonstop Q&A session.

Let me tell you, I know more about snakes than I EVER thought possible. I retain that information too. I can tell you which snakes give live births and which ones lay eggs. I can tell you what is different about the Loma Alta line of Subocs. I can tell you some genetics of the snakes we have. And I can even tell you the Latin names of some reptiles. Oh yeah, I am a herpetologist in training :) (Disclaimer: Herpetology is the study of reptiles...that explanation was mostly for Mike....it's not the study of herpes which is what most people think when they ask Dusty what he studies.)

Why do I tell you all of this? Well, Dusty just left yesterday for his big West Texas trip. He is going on 8 days of camping, snake hunting (no they don't kill them...), he gets to meet his publisher and he gives a presentation to 3 Herp Societies. He is way excited and I know he will do awesome!! I am so happy he is there.

However, we have a lot of snakes to take care of. There are a lot of mouths to feed while he's gone. We have eggs in the incubator that will hatch any day and a snake that will lay more eggs any day. Luckily he has a great friend that is coming over to help him feed them the live mice they require. I'm just not there yet! I might be able to feed them dead ones....we'll see.

Dusty left me a list of things to do while he's gone and if the one snake lays eggs I am responsible to put them in the incubator. I think the only thing that is helping me to overcome this obstacle is knowing that by me putting the eggs in the incubator...it means more money in my pocket :)

OK. I guess I am just doing a little reflecting out loud because it dawned on me how different my life is. Now to the point.....

Dusty is gone. He's miles away in the middle of nowhere. A old neighbor knocks on the door. He speaks very little English and hands me a Coke bottle. Upon further inspection I see a snake in it! Without much conversation he just leaves. What the?! Luckily Dusty was in range with his cell phone when I called. He told me to just give it back and tell him to let it go, but the guy was already gone! Then I was instructed to put it with the other snake the guy brought by a few weeks ago. My biggest fear was taking the lid off of the Coke bottle. Dusty would be ashamed because he would start telling me how stupid and irrational that fear is. (But don't worry honey, I was playing that lecture over in my head and it got me through...)

Anyway. I couldn't just open the bottle and stick it in the cage because the cage was too small and the lid wouldn't fit over it. So I was standing there for about 30 minutes waiting for the snake to come out of the bottle while trying not to have the other snake get out of the cage. Everything worked out in the end but I kept checking the lid to make sure it was fastened good.

I realized how "unique" my marriage is and how cool people think that Dusty is too. Our goal in life should be to do what we love and I can definitely say that Dusty is doing that no matter how many people have told him he's crazy or there's no money in it...he keeps on keeping on with his vision in sight. I know that he will go far in this industry...he knows it like the back of his hand. A passion for something and solid knowledge of the industry is a good combination. So, no matter if I signed up for this or not, this is the lot I have chosen and I am excited to see where this slithery path takes me!

Chance of snow?!

OK. Today I wake up and it's cold (high is in the 50's), rainy and we have a chance of snow! Dusty skipped out just in time. He's in west Texas where it's in the 100's. I don't know who got the better deal.

Rhoads Rolls Baby!!

This is our new version of "Rhodes Rolls". Dusty got up early and cooked me breakfast and made some croissant rolls too....except he forgot to roll them! LOL Maybe he thought you roll them after they bake...

Quote of the Day

"Of all the Republicans to run for president in 2008, the one who's only had one wife is a Mormon."

~Orrin Hatch

Catching up....

Well, it seems I have a lot to blog about, especially my Nauvoo trip. Things have been pretty crazy around the house lately so I am short on time for blogging....but it is coming soon :).......

Happy Birthday, Dusty!!

Today was Dusty's birthday!!! Hooray!!! He turned the big 2-7 :)

I Heart T J

OK. As some of you may know. I do Turbo Jam all of the time. It all started last year while vacationing at my Momma's house and I saw this infomercial (sp?) and I fell in LOVE with this workout. It started with 5 workouts on one DVD and then Dusty just surprised me with 8 more the other day!! I seriously have always wanted to continue to teach dance as well as also become an aerobics instructor. Well, come to find out you can get certified in teaching Turbo Kick which is the same as Turbo Jam. So, Dusty wanted to get me some more videos so I can practice!!

That was so thoughtful of him and I LOVE THEM!!!! I do them all of the time. Melissa and mom...I am going to bring them with me the next time I come home. I think there are 2 more DVDs I don't have that are next on my list! After that I will be good...for a while. :) They really are butt-kickin' DVDs and I love it.

Super Saturday!

So we had our little Super Saturday at Church on...well...Saturday and I used a sewing machine by myself for the first time!! (I didn't have to hook the thread of course but still! You should be proud!) I have included pics of some of the stuff we made. The blue bag is a little tote made out of ribbon and a placemat. Notice the bottom of the bag...that took skill!

The other little thingy is a piece of wook cut, sanded and painted with vinyl added. It is a little picture frame. Some people made them as recipe holders, but all I need right now is another thing on my kitchen counter!! I don't have any space as it is!

Let me know what you think of my mad skills! :)

Going to Nauvoo!

I am leaving tomorrow for a week long trip 1/2 work and 1/2 pleasure. I am flying out to a conferene in Richmond, VA with a couple of friends from work. We are going a day early so we can drive up to DC to go sight-seeing. I have never been to DC and am really excited. I remember in 5th grade one of the teachers always took her students to DC and I wasn't in her class. I was so bummed and thought that I would never have another opportunity to go :) Life was over in 5th grade ....wasn't it for everyone though...seriously!

The conference is for 3 days and then we are heading out to Nauvoo for another 3 days. I am SO EXCITED. I have never been. To top it all off I get to stay in Susan Easton Black's condo with her and her husband and two friends. Susan is going to show us around and we will have lots of time there. We are even going to do a temple session. I am so excited. This will be such a spiritual rejuvination that is long over due. I will try to take lots of pictures but I will make sure to write in my journal a lot!

This week even while on "vacation" I have a lot of stuff going on. I need your prayers that things will work out with my job (if it's meant to be of course!). I pretty much find out on the 18th if we finally get the long awaited funding or if there is another reason that it has been "pushed back". It's my fault for letting it come to this, but it has been a hard road to travel and one I am trying to figure out. If you remember, prayers are welcome!!!

I feel so blessed to be able to go to Nauvoo (for FREE at that!) with good friends and to be in such good company. Susan has written books on Nauvoo and has been responsible for thousands of the early Saints history and temple work preserved and done. This is so exciting and I am humbled I have had so many opportunities and blessing come my way in this life. I just hope I make the most of them.

I will blog again when I can!!!! Bon Voyage!

Kickin Trash and Takin' Names

So I had only played checkers once and the person kicked my trash and I didn't understand the game so I didn't play for years. The other day Dusty and I got out his game I bought him and he was teaching me how to play as we went. I BEAT HIM 5 TIMES IN A ROW!! Not only beat him, but STOMPED him! I had to take a picture and post a victory blog!

p.s. I am silver.... :)

Dusty's First Professional Presentation is Announced!

Absolutely Amazing!

http://tinyurl.com/yxewot

I think she understands the phrase, "Become as a little child" yet her expressions and understandings far surpass many of us. She is amazing and kudos to her mom for having the faith to let that child pursue her "visions".

Cheapskate Stories

OK. I am not at liberty to yet say what happened because it was with a business affiliate of Dusty's but we just had a really big cheapskate experience with someone. I wanted to hear some of your cheapskate stories. They can be either someone was a cheapskate towards you or you were a cheapskate towards someone else.

If you are having a hard time getting your brain flowing. Here is an example.

On February 8, 1986 my father thought that he had the perfect birthday planned for my mother. The children were gathered around the table eagerly waiting to see what my dad got for my mother--the love of his life.

The scene was set: streamers, birthday cake, ice cream, children and...the video camera so that she will treasure the moment forever. Here we go!

Present #1) Pack of Spearmint EXTRA gum
Present #2) Another Pack of Spearmint EXTRA gum
(by the way her favorite was the dark blue kind :)
Present# 3) Rubbermaid Tupperware for the kitchen
Present# 4) Another set of Rubbermaid Tupperware for the kitchen

.......and that was it folks! My dad has been sending us kids DVDs of our old VHS tapes and this one just got him landed with the 1986 Cheapskate Award.


I KNOW that working with Michael at Mr. Gattis in the ghetto that there were too many stories to count that constituted Cheapskate Awards too but I want to hear a few from everyone.

I need some laughter in my day. So take it away and let me hear what ya got!

Cann you see the Baby?

If you can't see the baby in the picture, don't give up.
It's really cool when it actually appears.
This is not a joke and ~ NO ~ Nothing is going to jump out at you!

You have to have an open mind.
Don't look for a Baby, and you will see the Baby! Once you see it you won't see anything else!!!

This is so cool. Do you see the baby?

My Easter Basket

This is my Easter Basket this year. 1) A basket we already had 2)A bowl of jelly beans we have had for weeks and 3) A peanut butter egg I bought like in February...

Happy Easter!!

I wish I could be there with all of my family :(

Mom, how did you Better Than $&# Cake turn out :)?

You Gotta Love It!

Lame Post

OK. I know this will be a lame post but I have been sick and in bedfor the past 68 of the 72 hours. However, one highlight was that I finally beat the computer game Mindsweeper! Have you ever tried that? I have like 2,000,000 times. I might be totally slow on the uptake but I finally did it. Another highlight is that I have eaten junk in bed, watched movies all day and wake up whenever I want :)

Other than that...hmmm.... I have taken up a new passion of scrapbooking. I am going to add a ton of pics of the pages I have done pretty soon. I have been using my fancy shmancy Cricut Dusty got me for Valentines Day.

I have some other stuff going on but I am getting tired and need to go to bed. I'll holla back lata. Ciao.

Published Author Comin' Through.....no not me....I'm next!!!

For those of you who don't know Dusty has been working on a book for a while. He is still not finished but is coming along great. He is writing about a particular snake that he is keeping and breeding. No one has ever compiled the information that he is gathering--this will be a first in this genre.

He sent a sample chapter to ECO the largest reptile publishing company in the world and THEY ARE GOING TO PUBLISH HIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SO PROUD of him. He has worked so hard. He told me that he has had this vision for a while and just knew if he worked on it, someone would publish him. Well, he did it and the best publishing company for his audience is going to publish it. They are going to publish 2,000 copies to start with and see how that goes. He has a really niche market but feels confident that this is the first of many books to follow. This will really catapult his status in the field as an expert. He also got invited to speak this summer out in West Texas at a Herpetological Society Convention and he will be the only speaker!!!! He will be speaking in front of his mentors and also in front of the guy who owns ECO, Bob Ashleigh. (I don't know if I spelled his last name right...)

Dusty will do great. I can't go but I am HOPING someone will video tape it for me. I might even go buy a video camera and send it with him. Let's all wish Dusty congratulations!!

Freelance Photography

This is the result of my first paid freelance photography job. I think it turned out quite nice. My absolute favorite picture I took they are blowing up really big to have on display at their reception.

I really need to practice a lot but I think these turned out great!

Just a few LDS books I want....

Has anyone read any of these books? This is just a small list of books that I want. I have been a reading machine for a while and I have a wish list for books in lots of different genres but here are a few ;) for the LDS market.


The Ten Virgins
by Emily Freeman and Simon Dewey


Ephraim, Chosen of the Lord: What It Means To Be of the Tribe of Ephraim
by R. Wayne Shute, Monte S. Nyman and Randy L. Bott

All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience
by Neal A. Maxwell


When Thou Art Converted: Continuing Our Search for Happiness
by M. Russell Ballard


When Your Prayers Seem Unanswered
by S. Michael Wilcox


Modesty, Makeovers, and the Pursuit of Physical Beauty: What Mothers and Daughters Need to Know
by Jeffrey R. Holland


If God Loves Me, Why This?: Finding Peace in God's Plan for Us
by Kim A. Nelson


A Heart Like His: Making Space for God's Love in Your Life
by Virginia H. Pearce

50 Signs of the Times and the Second Coming
by David J. Ridges


Prophecies: Signs of the Times, Second Coming, Millennium
by Matthew B. Brown

I found myself!

I work for a genealogy company and we often test out the databases that we have on our site for various reasons. I am the first in the company to find myself on a database. (Usually the people in our records are dead ;) However, In this one particular database I think that some of you (ahem..Ange, Jeremy, Chauntel) could find yourself too if you felt so inclined to do so.

OK, So I have a lot of pregnant friends...Come on! I live in Provo!!

So I have another friend that is getting ready to have her second baby. She is bummed cause she is not having a shower! So, she said jokingly that somebody better bring her something to the hospital room to help brighten the room up. So, I made a wreath.

I don't know if I like this one or not. She is having a boy. She doesn't like stuff on boys clothes like puppies, trains or sports...and that is basically ALL THAT IS OUT THERE!! So, I picked these colors but I couldn't find enough stuff that I liked to go on it. So I made the sign that says Mommy and Me and put a few scrapbooking pages that she can use on her new baby. So the wreath is for mom and baby. After I did it I started getting more ideas (of course after the fact...) on what I could do. The little scrapbooking pages say "I am a child of God" and "I love to see the temple".

Let me know your thoughts on this one. I have a little bit before I can change it. And BTW directions are coming soon for the diaper cake..... Glad you liked it!

Oh Yeah! Crafty Divas Comin' Through!

OK so my friend Laura's baby shower is tomorrow and my neighbor Marcie (which is Laura's sis-in-law) and I wanted to make this for her. It is a diaper cake made completely out of diapers and a diaper wreath (Marcie made that one) that is made out of diapers too.

We saw these at a craft store once and were completely intimidated on making them but wanted to anyway. Well, we tried it and it was super easy! It took about 1.5 hours or a little more. We think it turned out GREAT!! (The lighting in the pictures is bad...sorry about that....) There is so many themes you can do with these cakes and wreaths.

If you want me to write out specific directions let me know and I will do my best to do it! Or better yet, just fly me out to where you are I we can do it together ;)

A powerful analogy on the subject of thoughts!

A little over a year ago I heard an analogy that has given me a lot of mileage in my practice about the power of our thoughts. The analogy is from Wayne Dyer.

Think of your thoughts as a form of mental currency. Imagine that I give you a million dollars (you like this game already), and you take this bushel of money down to the mall. You can buy anything you want with this money. You go into the first store where they are selling plastic trees. These are not the nice attractive trees you might want for your home or office, but absolutely hideous, ugly, gross things. You look at an ugly orange one and think to yourself, "I hate this thing! Who would EVER want this thing in their house?!!" Then you look at the price tag and it says $30,000. You ask yourself, "Where do they get off charging thirty thousand dollars for this piece of junk?!" So you grab the stupid thing, drag it up to the front, plunk down your thirty grand and say, "I hate this thing! Send it to my place."

The next store is selling pots (probably for the plastic trees), and they are just as disgusting as the trees. Again you find a particularly yucky one and see that they are charging $10,000 for it. "WHAT? Ten grand for this?!? I hate this thing and would never want it in my home! - Here's your ten thousand, send it to my place!"

You would never do this, right? You would only spend your money on things you WANT. But how are you spending your thoughts? Take an accounting and ask yourself how much you are spending on things you DON'T want. Your thoughts are the currency with which you buy your life, and whatever you buy with this mental currency will follow you home and fill up your place.

Spend your thoughts wisely!

Paul H. Jenkins, Ph.D.
from M-Power Emailing List

Pee Pee Teepee

You gotta love this handy little invention! I just saw this at a baby shower last week. I am definitely getting one if these when I have a little boy!

Pee Pee Teepee

Happy Valentines Day

Dusty was really good to me today. It started at 6:30 a.m. with Cracker Barrel breakfast brought home to me. Then a card and a CD I have been wanting.....and then.....this: http://www.cricut.com/shopping/

Needless to say he did very good :) We usually don't do much for this holiday, but I must say it was very welcomed!!

God's Hands

All I gotta say is......

AWWWWWWWWW YYEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ref=pe_pe_14010_4011490_fe_img_1/?ASIN=0545010225

A few new pics on the photo blog....

http://amyrhoads.blogspot.com/

What a difference friends can make!

Well, Dusty and I were talking with our neighbors about some things in our life that we want to change. So, we decided to do something about it! What a concept :)

Every morning this week Dusty and I have gotten up and went to our neighbor's house at 7 a.m. for scripture study. It's like the seminary I never went to ;) Just Kidding.... Anyway, it is a great feeling to have such good friends that are good people and really care about one another. If one couple is late the other couple will call or just come over and get you out of bed. It is so good to have an accountability system in place. When you know that some one is counting on you to do something, it helps you even more to do it!

This entire week I have been able to do so many more things in my day and by night time (which really means around 11 p.m....) I am tired. I have had the hardest time going to bed. Dusty and I both have and getting up like this is helping that too.

It is such a blessing to have such wonderful people who will go to great lengths to help strengthen all of our lives and our families.

Freakin Book Readin and Birdwatchers

So, I used to make fun of people that were involved in "Book Clubs". I never really saw the point. I never used to really read a whole lot...until now. I am constantly reading. I think my reading obsession started on the drive to Utah from Texas. I was reading the Harry Potter series and I think I read two books in the drive. I didn't realize that I had picked up a new habit though. (Although it's good that I picked up a good habit...people are driven to madness while taking the "scenic" (ahem...long) route to Utah in a 27 foot truck pulling a trailer while holding a box of about 14 snakes in your lap...need I go on?);)

It has been said that I was a little over the top (a.k.a. reading Harry Potter books until 4 or 5 in the morning in bed with a flashlight under the covers...did I just admit that?) Then I went on to books like Becoming Women of Strength, The Peacegiver, Bonds that Make us Free, Richest Man in Babylon etc. etc. etc. My book list that I have read is the longest in my life.

Why am I telling you all of this?

Because I am reading all of the time and I love it. AND because my neighbor and I broke down and started a book club for women and I love it. We haven't even met yet but we are all reading the book and have a blog set up and it is just really fun. I can't ask for more than friends who really help you be a better person. We are just going to meet once a month for a Saturday brunch and then decide the next book to read and then keep up the blog with our thoughts and comments. I am really loving it and I never thought I would!!!

OK, so what does birdwatchers have to do with any of this? Dusty is in a ornithology class (Bird class for you people who need lamen terms ;) He LOVES it. His teacher is off the chain random and funny and keeps Dusty entertained. He loaded everyone in a van and took them to a Home Depot parking lot to look at birds. He also took everyone to his house to birdwatch. Dusty and I used to make fun of people that birdwatched too. I think mostly because we saw this guy in the Mojave Desert that was ALL DECKED OUT in camouflage, a freaking 100x zoom camera with a HUGE lens on it, big binoculars and I can't even remember what else. So that picture sort of sticks in my mind about birdwatching.

Well, Dusty really likes birdwatching and when I was doing dishes the other day he broke out his binoculars he checked out from school and had his bird book out teaching me what birds were in our backyard. I didn't mind it so much myself either. I don't proclaim to be a birdwatcher...yet!

I guess Utah really does something to people! I don't care. We like it here. We have met so many neat people and have some of the best friends I have ever had. (Besides you Ange, we all know that) It is a great thing to try new things and like those things you try!

I have a link to our book club and you can join in if you want even if you are far away. You can read along with us and I can add you to the blog and you can share your thoughts too. We are focusing on books that will strengthen our families and women as individuals. Please give us any book suggestions you may have too. Click on the link on the top hand page to the Provo Book Nook if you want to join in or see what we are reading.

Safety Reminder

Take a few minutes and watch this video that gives you a few tips on how to protect yourself from identify theft.

http://video.sheriff.org/psa_cartheft.shtml

New Favorite Quote

"A woman is like a tea bag. You never know strong she is until she gets into hot water."
~by Eleanor Roosevelt.

How to cut down on junk mail

Ask to be removed. Write to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, N.Y. 11735. Be sure to provide your name, street address and zip code. Request that they instruct their members to remove you from their mailing lists. Once you write, you'll remain on the opt-out list for 5 years, at which time you'll have to write again. The Direct Marketing Association estimates that listing with their mail preference service will stop 75% of all national mailings. You should notice a reduction of your junk mail within 6 months.

Courtesy of: www.GetOrganizedNow.com

Texas Trip

Well, we just got back from Texas and I think I need another vacation!! It was full of adventures. Dusty's sister Sunny got married and there was lots of stuff to help do for that and Makayla and Isaac got to spend three nights and four days with us. I think I have a title for a new Children's book...Isaac! That's it, just Isaac!! He is full of...hmmmmmm...what shall I say....spunk! Dusty and I both learned a lot!!!! I felt like the worst aunt in the world becuase I gave him a spanking. However, that is for another post all of its own :) We played hard though. We did lots of stuff together. It was nice to travel back to Texas and it was enlightening too. I do miss the kiddos and Dusty's family but Dusty and I know that we need to be here in Utah. We love it here and have grown so much in every possible way.

Anyway, here are just a few pics. I got so busy that I didn't really take many pictures. Or was it the fact that Dusty took over 100 pictures at the zoo of snakes and wouldn't let me erase them.... ;) At any rate here they are.

2006 Christmas Devotional

Well, I am just getting around to posting these pictures. Dusty and I had the opportunity to go to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional in December. It was beautiful. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang and the orchestra played. It was gorgeous. Here are a few pictures.

A New Kind of Timeout...

This makes me like this song now....

I have never really liked the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas however, after getting this from my dad and realizing that there is symbolism, I kind of like it now. Here's a little Christmas fact for the day :)

Enjoy! and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

http://www.crivoice.org/cy12days.html

Living Nativity

Our stake put on a living nativity. I almost didn't go because I thought it was going to be like the one that used to be at the end of our street: people sitting under a manger still for like 5 hours. However, Utah knows how to do it right. It was very cold and snowing/raining and there was still a lot of people there. There was backdrops set up, live donkeys, sheep and lambs etc. Costumes were awesome, speaker system set up etc. They had it all decked out. I wish I would have taken pictures but I didn't. It was a great experience and it really got me in the Christmas Spirit. If you ever hear of a living nativity, go check it out.

Every Little Bit Counts

One of the things that bothers me (of many) about myself is that I don't speak up about the Gospel enough. This morning I read a genealogy blog post that had a lot of questions about baptisms for the dead etc. I thought about it and then I posted a comment thinking that no one would even care or read it.

Not even 5 minutes later I had two direct emails one thanking me for my clear and easy to understand response and also thanking me for not bickering about theology. And I received another email with more questions. I am not sure exactly what she is trying to ask now but I will find out for her very soon.

Anyway, it was a good feeling and it literally took 30 seconds to do. I just wanted to blog about even the smallest things count and can make a big difference. It may not be a big difference for those people but it has given me more faith and strengthened my testimony of just opening your mouth (or keyboard) and doing something about it. :)

Here is my response if you want to read it. Dusty liked my analogy and it may help you when you talk to your children or friends. My only reason in posting this was to help give another in sight of how to talk to people about baptism for the dead.
______________

Jennifer, you are correct. I am a Mormon and by doing baptisms for the dead you are giving that person the opportunity to accept the work that was done for them or they can reject it. We believe that you have your agency before during and after this life. There are many people who never had the chance to hear the Gospel while on this earth, so we are extending that opportunity to them. And yes, "Rest in Peace" (<>

How the "Left" Stole Christmas

How the "Left"Stole Christmas

T'was the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.

Why the Politically Correct Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday".
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda

As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday

10 Easy Things You Can Do To Make Your Day More Productive

1) Wake up early. Set your alarm clock for 15 minutes earlier than you normally do to get an early start on your day. Get up when the alarm sounds.

2) Time your showers. Most people take way more time in the shower than is needed. Set your timer for 7 minutes. When the timer sounds, your shower is done.

3) Plan your outfits the night before. Put whatever you're going to wear to one side of your closet, or folded neatly on a chair. When you are done with your shower each day, your outfit will be waiting for you.

4) Never run just one errand. Try to always combine at least two to three errands in one trip. Start with the errand furthest away, and then work your way back.

5) Make and use lists. Don't try to remember everything you have to do. Always jot down tasks, errands, things to pick up, etc. Don't use sticky notes. Use a tool, such as the Get Organized Now! Easy Organizer:
http://www.getorganizednow.com/ezorganizer.html

6) Cook enough for two meals. No matter what you're cooking--breakfast, lunch or dinner--always cook enough for two meals. When everything is prepared and done, divide it in half. Immediately refrigerate or freeze the one half, and enjoy the other half now.

7) Clean and organize as you go. Rather than giving yourself huge cleaning jobs each day, as you make a mess, quickly clean it up. Dirty dishes can be rinsed immediately and placed in the dishwasher. Wipe off the bathroom countertop and spray the shower with shower spray as soon as you're done with them. Make your bed as soon as you get up. Vacuum any crumbs under the dining table the second everyone is done eating. File papers away as needed, rather than allowing them to pile up in a To Be Filed tray.

8) Enlist help. Whoever is living in your house, whether that person be a spouse, a child, a friend or a relative-- that person should be able to help you get things done in one way or another. A spouse can help out with the kids bath times every other night. A child can help fold clothes, help dust and/or help put toys away. Someone who is not able to help physically, may still be able to sit at a desk and help you sort the mail or shred some documents. It should definitely be a team effort and not a one-man or one-woman show.

9) Consolidate your phone calls. Rather than making and taking calls throughout the day, allow your answering machine to field your calls. Then, make or return calls during one consistently scheduled phone hour each day, such as between 1:00P and 2:00P. Before your phone hour, toss in a load of laundry. After your phone hour, toss those clothes in the dryer. Multi-tasking is one of the keys to being super-productive.

10) Reward yourself. There is nothing more draining than going through an entire day without doing anything fun. Sandwich small rewards between each task. For instance, when you're done with the ironing, read your favorite novel for 15 minutes. When you're done cleaning the bathroom, sit in front of the fireplace while you relax and sip a cup of tea for 15 minutes.

taken from:
Maria Gracia
Get Organized Now!

Suboc.com LLC

I just wanted everyone to know that Dusty has formed an LLC with his snake business this week. Congrats to him with many more to come :)

Also as a side note: He got bit on the lip from one of the snakes. I'll let Dusty defend himself on this one....

Hey Melissa..... (and everybody else)

GO U of K!!

Why some parents get gray hair faster then others.

A father passing by his son's bedroom was astonished to see the bed
nicely made up and everything neat and tidy.Then he saw an envelope propped up prominently on the pillow. It wasaddressed, "Dad". With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope and read the letter with trembling hands:Dear Dad:It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elopewith my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with you and Mom.I've been finding real passion with Joan and she is so nice. I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, her tight motorcycle clothes and because she is so much older than I am but it's not only the passion, Dad, she's pregnant.Joan says that we are going to be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood, enough for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children. Joan has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it and trading it with the other people in the commune for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want.In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Joan can get better; she sure deserves it! Don't worry Dad,I'm 15 years old now and I know how to take care of myself. Someday, I'm sure we'll be back to visit so you can get to know your grandchildren. Your son, Chad

P. S. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the report card that's in my desk drawer. I love you! Call when it is safe for me to come home.

Food for Thought from Simple Truths

"At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water comes steam. And steam can power a locomotive." Often the difference between success and "almost" is very small. The extra degree can make all of the difference. Think of how this could apply in your job, in your marriage, in fitness and health, in education, in your relationship with your children, or in anything else that you do in life. Resolve to apply the extra degree in something today. You might choose to perform an extra act of kindness, or to do a little extra in your job, or to spend another 10 minutes with your kids. You are already doing well - apply the extra degree and transform the hot water into productive steam.

Looking for a high paying summer job?
Make more than $20k without prior experience!

Call now and reserve your spot before December 31st 2006!


Join the ranks of the men and women of the 2006 #1 selling office who have flourished in the proven market of Sandy / Salt Lake City area in pest control sales. No experience is necessary. Thorough on the job training will be given the first week and throughout summer.

With sales ranging from 49-600, bonus payouts can range from $4,920 to $128,400 in just 4 months! Not only do we pay the most per sale, but our service contracts are approximately $50-100 less than our competitors, which make them much easier to sell! Most hard-working sales reps make enough in one summer to live off of for the entire school year.

Join the fun atmosphere where daily cash incentives and prizes are given, get $1,000 just for showing up to work, weekly dinners on the company, a cruise for those who sell 200 accounts or more and a bonus schedule that is unmatched by any company in the door-to-door industry.

Read of other’s success stories at http://preventivepestcontrol.com/company/salespeople.html
and learn more of our unprecedented company at www.PreventivePestControl.com.

Call Dusty Rhoads, Sales Trainer, at 801-404-9579 or email him at subocs@gmail.com now to learn more and reserve your spot on our summer 2007 team.

Thank You!

....to Angela and Reed and their adorable children for coming to see me in Provo!

THANK YOU. I LOVED SEEING YOU GUYS and I had a blast!! It's my turn :)

Dusty gettin' props on the other side of the world!

Well, we definitely got some experience this year with this snake breeding thing. We lost 4 baby snakes (they died) and we ended up with 7 males and 3 females. BOOO! The females sell for a lot more than the males. But I think we will still come out OK.

Dusty found this on a site in the UK. Pretty neat. Again, props to Dusty!!

http://reptilefanclub.co.uk/corn/index.php?showtopic=6945&hl=Trans%20Peco

(this is what it says...)

Dusty Rhodes has just recently launched his Suboc website and has some stunning animals ... although the sites not finished yet check out the paint job link ... some real yummies ... site promises to be THE Site for trans Pecos fans ... the bloke certainly knows his stuff !

... http://www.suboc.com

Also his blogg at http://subocs.blogspot.com/ has some great features

COMMENTS:

- That's gone in the favourites! Nice one.

- What a great site, didn't honestly realise there were that many morphs of Trans Pecos.

- oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

More Marriage Tips :)

What can I say? I am all about helping couples today...This is from a company that is a member of the Provo Labs Academy. Stuff worth sharing, so here ya go....

http://healthymarriagetips.com/respect.htm

http://healthymarriagetips.com/persistence.htm

Coupons4Dates.com

This is only for Utah County (I think) but here is a link for some FREE date ideas. I know that my brothers, husband and DAD may need some help on date ideas. Since you are all cheapos I hope some of these ideas will help you out :)

http://utahcounty.coupons4dates.com/

5 Simple Steps to Organize Each Day

I read this lady's blog a lot and wanted to share these tips...

5 Simple Steps to Organize Each Day

by Maria Gracia

Start off each day in an organized way, and you'll get more done than you can imagine. Here are 5 simple steps.

1. MAKE A TO DO LIST. Make a list of the things you have to do tomorrow, the evening before. Prioritize and organize each item in the sequence that it should be accomplished. Consolidate similar tasks together. When you wake up in the morning, you'll have a clear-cut guide detailing everything that must be done.

2. BE CAREFUL OF GETTING DIVERTED. Very often, a schedule gets thrown off track due to distraction. If you find that you constantly get off track, get a watch with a timer and set it so it goes off every 30 minutes. Every time it sounds, be sure you're working on what you originally said you would. If you're not, stop what you're doing and get back on schedule. Most distractions are not emergency situations.

3. CALL BEFORE YOU LEAVE. If you have an appointment during the day, always call to confirm before you leave your home or office. This will ensure that the person you're meeting did not forget about the appointment. Also, if there is going to be a long waiting time, perhaps you can do something else first, before you leave.

4. CHECK OFF ITEMS AS YOU COMPLETE THEM. Every time you finish something, cross it off your To Do List. This will give you a sense of accomplishment throughout the day.

5. DO A FINAL CHECK. At the end of the day, take a look at your list. How many items were you able to accomplish? Are there only 1-2 things left undone, or many? If there were just a few undone, simply move them to tomorrow's To Do List. If there were many undone, and you worked diligently on everything all day, then you probably had too many things on your list to begin with. Re-think how much you can possibly do in a given day. Remember, you only have 24 hours, and you should be using a third of those hours to sleep!

by Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now!
Want to get organized? Get your FREE Get Organized Now! Idea-Pak, filled with tips and ideas to help you organize your home, your office and your life, at the Get Organized Now! Web site
http://www.getorganizednow.com

Hang on...I thought Charla was the one pregnant?!?

Welcome Baby Elijah!

We love you so much!!!

Freelance here I come...

I have lots of goals for freelance writing. I have written for school newspapers, my intership and work--things that have been published on the Internet, press releases, papers and magazines. But I have wanted for the longest time to get published in a magazine and eventually books. I practice writing a lot and I have a lot more skills to learn but today I got a boost too keep me going and know that something will happen if I stick to it. The New Era from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bought an article of mine! It is a Christmas story so it probably won't be published until next year, but I am WAY excited! I got a letter in the mail with a contract to sign today. This is a minor/major milestone for me with hopefully many more milestones to come!