This Girl

On Tuesday and Thursday Makenna has her classes at the college.

She won't be able to get her license until the beginning of next year, so naturally I'm the taxi driver.

Yesterday after I picked her up I had a meeting that I needed to go to at 4 o'clock. 

She was going to sit in the hall and work on homework during my meeting.

We had some time before that and so we decided on the VeHo (Valley Hotel) to get french fries.

Seriously, if you live in Alaska or if you are ever in Alaska, go to the VeHo in Palmer.

They have the BEST french fries in the entire world.

I am not even kidding.

For $7 you get a huge amount.

We shared it and still couldn't finish it!

Before the fries came I convinced Makenna to take a package of the orange marmalade jam and some tabsco, mix it together and eat it.

I couldn't believe she did it, but she did.

She said it was really gross.

Then she was worried about burping it up.

It was really funny.

The thing I truly love most about this girl is her happiness.

She has a light and spark about her that I don't see very often.

I'm grateful she is part of my life.

I wonder what other things I can convince her to eat....

 

Preparing for winter

Yesterday we spent quite a good chunk of our day splitting and stacking wood for the winter.

Last year we just bought propane for heating and it was incredibly expensive so we decided to use our woodstove as our main heat this winter.

It was just the right time to do it because this morning the temperature read 16 degrees in the car when I took Makenna to school.

There really is a sense of peace knowing that we will have heat all winter no matter what happens.

That is kind of cool!

We borrowed a wood splitter from our friends and it made the job so much easier than it would have been.

 

The Best Day

Last night was the best of the best.

Brittan took out her endowment in the Anchorage Alaska Temple.

Temples are awesome because inside we learn how to get back to our Heavenly Father and we make covenants with Him that make our lives so much better.

She was so much more prepared to go through the temple than I was at her age. 

I hope she now lets the temple go through her.

It has been the biggest blessing of my life to return often.

She had some great support there too. 

The Breshears, Jenwood, Christina Hancey and Wendy Greathouse all came.

It was pretty great for me to have two of my adult children (Brittan and Dallin) with Matt and I there, as well.

I love what the gospel of Jesus Christ does for us!

 

 

Incredible

This autumn has been incredible.

On Wednesday we were harvesting for deliveries and this photo was taken from outside.

The sun had come out and the 40+ degree weather felt so warm.

We havested about 60 pounds from the field.

I feel incredibly blessed that we have been able to continue harvesting outside for so long.

It hasn't even frozen out there yet.

It's gotten really cold but has not froze.

That will all change this next week if the weather man is correct.

I believe it is supposed to snow on Sunday and Monday.

We made our last big deliveries on Thursday and now we will end the year with just a market and some CSA customers.

I'm truly grateful for this growing season.

It's been a great adventure working with Matt and the kids so much.

It's about time to tuck in for the winter.

However, this was the temperature yesterday and I was loving it!

(don't mind the dusty dashboard)

 

Smattering of Better Things!

I am convinced that we make our lives better or worse by our attitudes about what is thrown our way.

Some days it is harder to choose the better part when the worse part is looming like grey skies that seem to have no end.

I've been thinking of the better parts of the last few days and wanted to share.

First, is time with Afton.

His cute little smile and voice melt my heart.

We get to play with him today and that is always better!

 Good friends who give good gifts!

My Esther friend gifted me with three pieces of pumpkin cheesecake on Sunday.

My two favorite things to eat!

I did share one piece with Kenna and Corby, but I ate the other two.

Good friends are better things!

 Warm autumn days are better.

Yesterday I did take advantage of the sun and the warmer temps.

I climbed into the kayak and paddled out to the middle of the lake.

Trapper complained that I was too far from him while he stayed on the dock.

I just floated and let the breeze carry me around for a while.

I closed my eyes for a bit and felt the water rocking me and the sun on my face.

The word that came to my mind was "Peace".

I am grateful to be able to feel that a lot out here at the farm.

 Cool water bottles (aka hydro flask) are better.

Matt bought it for me this summer.

I have been adding vinyl stickers to it ever since.

My newest sticker is my gnome.

I have a harvest point farms sticker, family search sticker, hiking stickers, xtra tuff boots sticker and more.

All things I love.

It's easy to get enough water in everyday when I have a cool water bottle and it holds 40 oz! 

 Funny kids are better.

I have been so blessed in this department.

If my kids have ever hated me, they have never told me to my face.

Or any other way, for that matter.

Brittan decided to put a new quote on the board, "Bravery is continuing on even when you're afraid" and then someone added "of Makenna."

I think that perhaps Makenna added the last part.

But it still made me laugh out loud when I saw it.

One other thing that is SO better is that there may be an end in sight in the custody case of my niece, Bellamy.

Erin has had all three kids since March.

Because the two older ones have a different dad it has been a mess.

So many court dates.

So much anxiety about how it will all work out.

We still don't know exactly, but Erin found a loophole and it appears she may be able to get complete custody of Bell by the end of the week.

This is HUGE!

I feel so completely relieved and grateful.

I've been praying so much for those kids.

We have a ways to go but it looks like things might be turning in our families favor.

Reminders

The skies have been grey for a long time.

This time of year is usually hard because of the weather.

Thoughts of wanting to move inevitably enter my mind.

However, they are saying we are having the warmest autumn in 100 years.

It is still in the high 40's.

I haven't even gotten my heavy jacket out yet.

This time last year we already had snow.

This is good for several reasons.

Number 1 is that we still have lettuce growing to sell.

Number 2 is that we haven't had to turn the heat up and have only had to use the woodstove to take the chill off the house a handful of times.

 This morning when the sun started to some up I found myself grateful to see that the clouds are just wisps and that today we should get some full sun.

I need some sun.

I was reminded that the sun rises every single day even if it is covered in clouds.

I might even go kayaking on the lake this afternoon since it hasn't frozen yet and enjoy the last moments of the warmer weather.

10-Day Social Media Fast Results

The invitation to fast went like this:

"First, I invite you to participate in a 10-day fast from social media and from any other media that bring negative and impure thoughts to your mind. Pray to know which influences to remove during your fast. The effect of your 10-day fast may surprise you. What do you notice after taking a break from perspectives of the world that have been wounding your spirit? Is there a change in where you now want to spend your time and energy? Have any of your priorities shifted—even just a little? I urge you to record and follow through with each impression." President Russell M Nelson

 I chose to fast from Instagram, Facebook and Candy Crush.

I think I already mentioned that.

He said the effect of the 10-day fast may surprise me.

I actually am surprised at the results.

I went into it wondering how this fast would help gather scattered Israel.

I immediately noticed that I had a lot more time on my hands.

The fast ended on Wednesday but I wanted to record what has happened because of it.

He asked what we noticed after taking a break from the perspectives of the world. 

I've noticed that those things do not interest me in the least anymore.

It's kind of strange.

Matt was telling me about something he had seen on Facebook and I just had no desire to hear about it.

It didn't really seem to matter to me at all.

In fact, I have no desire to even be on Facebook anymore except to connect with people through the messenger app.

I am not longer scrolling mindlessly.

He asked if there was a change in where I now wanted to spend my time and energy.

I've been neck deep in family history work.

I have notes ALL over my desk of scribbles to remember and point me in the right direction. 

I helped an adoptee find her living maternal aunt so she could contact her and get some family health questions answered.

I served in temple with Matt.

I've added so many names to my family tree that I didn't even keep count.

He asked if any of my priorities had shifted.

I have noticed that my mind is clearer- which was very surprising to me.

I am more attentive to my family.

I was able to pinpoint some negative feelings I was having and face them head on.

My house has been cleaner because my time wasn't being wasted on other things.

I even was able to make dinner for a family member who has been terribly sick with morning sickness.

In his closing remarks of the talk he left a blessing on the sisters of the Church:

"I love you and thank you and now bless you with the ability to leave the world behind as you assist in this crucial and urgent work. Together we can do all that our Heavenly Father needs us to do to prepare the world for the Second Coming of His Beloved Son."

He asked us to do these things because we need to leave the world behind so we can fully assist in the gathering of Israel to prepare the world for Christ's Second Coming.

That feels important to me.

I want to be part of that.

 

Happy Birthday to Matt

Today Matt turned 47 years old.

It's crazy to think that we are at this middle life stage.

I still feel like time has not passed that much.

But here we are.

I've actually loved this last year with Matt.

I have learned things about him that I didn't know before.

Which is interesting since we have known each other for 31 years on this planet.

We celebrated with German chocolate cake and serving in the temple.

Then we went and had more dessert at Lucky Wishbone- the strawberry shortcake.

Our last stop was Bed, Bath and Beyond to get him a weighted blanket.

He is in love with it!

And I am in love with him!

Family Dinner and Head Colds

We decided to recommence with family dinners each month.

There were many reasons that we stopped for a bit.

Our last one with everyone was in December last year.

It was good to get together again. 

I mugged on little Bellamy for a lot of the time.

She is freaking adorable.

Also, Garic snagged my phone and took about 37 selfies before I caught him.

I can't figure out how to do a collage on my phone since I got a new one, but I made this beauty-

 Here at the farm we are suffering with head colds.

Four of the 6 of us are down.

It's like someone turned the snot faucet on.

Hopefully it passes soon. 

The Redeemer

Brittan took the social media fast challenge was well.

She's realized that she has a lot of time on her hands now.

It's funny because both of us did not realize how much time we were really spending on social media until doing this.

She has so many talents that it is pretty easy for her to pick something to do when she's not sure what to do.

The other day she painted this canvas of Christ.

I fell in love with it.

She gave it to me and I searched several places to find a good frame.

I found this one at Michael's and thought it would be the perfect frame.

Her spending time on this piece that is now hanging in my bedroom will remind me daily of Him.

That is a fabulous way to gather scattered Israel.

Well, at least gather me to Christ!

 

Long, but good day

Today was a really good day mixed with a little sad.

Brittan was without her car because Dallin needed it to take stuff to market and his car is not working.

So she decided to come hang out all day with me.

Thursdays are the day that I am in town the entire day. 

Makenna gets dropped off at the college at 8 and Corban gets dropped at his school at 9.

I then run into Anchorage to do produce deliveries.

We got all that done and then we went to a thrift store to try and find a frame, a vintage shop to check out the cool stuff, and a book store.

We shared an order of french fries at the VeHo (Valley Hotel).

They have the BEST fries anywhere and really good ranch.

Then we got some desserts at Vagabond blues.

After that we went to the river and played around.

It was beautiful!

 Evidently Justin is a deceitful cheater and a loser.

Shame on you Justin!

After we picked the kids back up we went and got Little Millers!

I really shouldn't eat dairy but I love Little Millers.

Now the sadness.

Last week, Amy Thomas died.

She is my niece and nephews, Austin, Lacey, Andrew, Lyla, Aden and Ammon, grandma.

We loved Amy!

Her memorial service was tonight. 

She was a happy, joyful woman who loved people.

She will be greatly missed.

I was able to get pictures of my kids with their cousins though.

I love these kids!

 

 

Day Three Social Media Free

First and foremost I have to explain this picture.

Today I bought my first pair of readers.

That is right.

I have gotten so old that I now need glasses to read.

It's been coming for a long time and I finally just gave in.

I was amazed at how clear everything was that I was trying to read.

I guess I have now jumped on the geriatric train.

On Saturday evening during the Women's session of General conference our prophet invited all women to do a 10 day social media fast.

It was the first thing in a list of 4 things that he said, if we did, would help to gather Israel.

I was trying really hard to figure out exactly how doing a fast from social media would help gather Israel.

Well, it only took one day and I had my answer.

I decided to fast from facebook, instagram and candy crush.

I don't really feel like this blog is social media because there are only like four of you that read it.

Now candy crush is not really social media, but I am on level 1296 and I figured I was probably wasting a fair amount of time on that.

In my defense that level achievement has taken place over probably 5 years time.

I was thinking about quitting it all together when I get to level 1300, but....we'll see.

Anyway, it only took half a day for me to realize how much time I had been spending on social media.

(and candy crush)

In the last three days I have found myself wondering what to do with my time.

There have been some fun ways that I have been able to gather Israel though.

The first day I decided to fill my time with family history work.

I was working on gathering information for a family and learned that there were 5 children born to the family but I could only find records for 4 of them.

I had three girls and one boy.

I looked and looked.

For hours I looked.

And then, just when I was about done I found an obituary for the only listed son. 

At the end of the obituary it said that his brother had died as an infant.

I think heaven rejoiced a little as I added child number 5 to the family.

His work can be done and now he can be sealed to his mom and dad for eternity.

 That is gathering Israel.

I have also checked in with one of my ministering families and had a good conversation with her, sent a Book of Mormon to a high school friend with my testimony, held a family council on keeping the Sabbath holy, and planned out regular temple nights with Matt.

In addition, I have had time to do tons of dishes, laundry, weeded garden beds, planted lettuce and read 19 chapters in the Book of Mormon.

I also cleaned my room which was crazy.

We have a down comforter and I probably extracted the feathers from about 6 geese from under my bed.

Sometime this week I will probably clean my bathroom.

Interesting things are happening over here with this challenge.

I'd love to hear about how it is going for those of you who are still following along.

You can call me if you want.

I probably have time to talk! 

 

General Conference

This weekend we spent 10 hours in front of the television.

It was not a Netflix binge but a binge of spiritual things.

General conference is one of our favorite weekends.

All the kids gather around us and we gather around the tv to hear counsel, invitations, and encouragement from living apostles and prophets.

Elder Anderson's talk made me cry.

I have heard people say that they felt like entire talks were written just for them.

I never had that experience until today.

I received more promptings to do things this conference than any other I can remember.

Nine things total.

Then we were counseled by our leaders to do specific things.

I have a lot of work to do in the next 6 months. 

Not this conference but the last conference President Nelson said, "Not only have the messages been edifying, but they have been life-changing." 

I asked my gospel doctrine class how their lives had changed since last conference because of the messages given at conference.

For me the answer was that I felt I could hear and feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost more.

I am excited to see what the next 6 months will bring and how my life will change as I implement the counsel and promptings I have received. 

Twelve new temples were announced all over the world.

Argentina, Brazil, California, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Guam, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philipines, Puerto Rico, and Utah.

With each announced temple cheers went up in the conference center.

It felt appropriate and I felt that heaven was cheering as well!

I look forward to the day when it is announced that the New Jerusalem is being built.

I hope I'm alive for that!

Until then, I will move forward in faith.

 

Meaning

Today I had the opportunity to take in the last of autumn.

I did farm deliveries first thing and as I was driving back to town I decided to stop at Reflection Lake and take in the beauty.

It was incredible!

The path was littered with brightly colored leaves and the air was crisp.

The sun kept trying to peek through the clouds.

A lady had lost her dog and I helped for look for awhile.

We never did find the dog.

I am still hoping it turns up.

I was able to connect with so many people today:

my kids, the dog lady, my nephew Landon, my sister Reahna, my SIL Brittany and my friend, Kelly.

Landon works at Burger King and Corban wanted a burger so we drove through.

While we waited I talked with Landon for a moment and asked how life was for him.

He said something that made me pause for a minute.

"Same stuff, just a different day."

Then I mused on that and the question formulated-

What gives life meaning?

I asked Makenna but she just said she didn't know.

Maybe the answer is different for everyone.

For me, it is all the beautiful things.

My husband, my kids, my Afton.

Sunrises and sunsets.

Good food.

The daily chances to help others on their earthly journey.

The words of prophets, living and dead.

Family history work.

My relationships with good people.

And the hope that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I'm grateful to be alive and live in such a beautiful place.

 

Blooming in October

To say that the world is in commotion would be an understatement.

We live in a unique time in the history of the world. 

There is both so much evil and so much good.

However, because of human nature, I think we tend to gravitate toward the bad more than is necessary or healthy.

I had a rough couple of days.

A phone conversation led to a pattern of thinking that was neither productive or helpful.

It's been a rough two years or so for me and my family (both immediate and extended).

I don't generally post the rough stuff here on my blog.

This is my place to discover and remember the good.

But the last two days I was having a very HARD time seeing the good.

Yesterday, Kenna and I stopped to get the mail.

She likes to go in and so I was waiting in the car.

We parked across from where we usually park and that area has a dirt strip before it gets to the main road.

As I sat waiting, I noticed some flowers in the dirt patch.

It's autumn here.

Actually autumn is almost done.

Everything is preparing to sleep for the winter.

It's in the high 30's and low 40's each morning.

And there in that dirt patch, were not one, but two kinds of flowers that had bloomed recently.

When I saw them I felt a measure of heavenly love and a reminder that even if everything around me is dying and the dark is starting to set in, that I can choose to bloom.

I can't forget that there is MUCH good and many blessings that are being poured out.

I'm grateful for flowers that bloom in October.

 

Hygge

The kids were all complaining that they were cold.

Brittan even told me to feel her nose because it was cold.

So, with that, I decided it was time to start up the wood burning stove.

I grew up in a house with a wood burning stove.

I wish I had a picture of that thing.

It was the coolest looking stove.

I always thought it resembled R2D2 from Star Wars.

It was the only heat we had in our two story house off of Reed Rd and my dad would always get up early to start a fire.

The belly of the stove would glow red when it was really, really hot.

We would all gather around it wrapped in our blankets and sleepy eyed before getting breakfast and heading off to school.

I have cozy memories of that.

I probably actually really hated it and complained about being cold as well.

We do have heat in our farmhouse.

In floor heat actually.

But propane is super expensive and we are trying to reduce our cost of living any way we can.

I love the smell of a wood burning stove.

Except when it is filling the house with smoke.

We still haven't figured out how to get the fire started without a ton of smoke.

I'm sure we'll get better as the season draws on.

It is the season of Hygge now.

I need to pull out my wool socks.