Why I Blog. Why do you?

I was reading a post from Audra over at Frugal Missus where she talked about how it had been a while since she had posted on her blog but it was always on the back of her mind and she wondered if she should start again and if anyone really wanted to read what she wrote. Then she came to the conclusion that her blog is her diary, her way to keep a record of what is going on in her life.

I kinda went "Amen" in my head because that was one of the major reasons why I started my blog. I've always loved to write but hated to write long hand with a pen and being able to just type on a screen sounded like a great idea to me.

And it was...in the beginning I would write three or four posts a day. Just random stuff, not always personal. But then somewhere along the way I got sidetracked into wanting lots of followers and trying to write about things that might interest them. So now when I get an idea about a post I think, "no one wants to hear about that."

Reading Audra's post reminded me that I started writing for ME and I should continue writing for ME, no matter how boring and dull my life might be, it's my life and my thoughts and I should write about them if it makes me happy, right?

That's what I think I should do. For instance my plans for today include a trip to Goodwill to try to find some sweaters so I can make these awesome sweater pillows that were featured by Yvonne at Frugal Missus. Will I actually make them? Probably not. I'm great at getting excited about projects and buying all the supplies and then putting them aside for another project and starting all over again. But I get such joy from the thought of doing it and purchasing the projects that it's almost enough except for all the crap I have in drawers and boxes!

I also plan to go get groceries and have lunch with my mom. I plan to wash all my bedding and maybe wash my car. I plan to watch a few movies and read a little of my book. So I guess with all this planning going on I best get off of the computer and get to getting right? Ya'll have a great day!

OH...almost forgot, what about you, why do you blog? Or what's your typical Saturday like?



 

A Touching Love Story

A few days ago I posted about an elderly couple that had been neighbors of mine.

I was in shock because the husband had murdered his wife and then killed himself and I was in total disbelief and apparently so is our little community. I just know that the husband had to be in some form of mental or emotional distress because I never saw anything but gentleness and love from him towards his wife. Here's some further information on this story that brings be to believe this more than ever. This is a story from one of our local news stations, 23ABC.

SHAFTER, Calif. - Circumstances surrounding the murder-suicide of an elderly couple in Shafter reveal a touching love story.

"Johnie and Claudine are perhaps one of the most loving couples I have ever met in my life," said their church pastor Mike Polley.

Whether out at events or at home, Johnie and Claudine Saulsbury were always side by side, unable to go without at least slightly touching each other.

Neighbors and the couple's pastor say every afternoon they would walk hand in hand around the neighborhood.

"They told me it was because they had to hold each other up and I saw the look in their eyes and they just needed to be together. They loved each other desperately," said Polley.

So desperately that Johnnie said he wanted them to die together.

And they did.

Thursday morning, a relative went to check on Johnie and Claudine at their home in Shafter and found them dead inside.

Shafter police say Johnie had stabbed Claudine to death and then hanged himself in the garage.

One day before they were scheduled to move to an assisted living facility.

"He didn't want to move away from here. He decided he didn't want to move into Bakersfield," said a neighbor who did not to be identified.

Friends and family say for the past 50 years, the couple had lived in that Shafter home and raised three children there.

They were active in the community, especially at Valley Bible church.

The neighbor said Claudine was more willing to move than Johnie.

"[Claudine] said [to me] 'I won't even have to cook in there unless I want to'," said the neighbor.

She said the couple were in poor health and Johnie was taking medication.

"I'm sure without him taking that medicine that he would not have done this. There's no way. He must've snapped," said the neighbor.

Everyone 23 ABC spoke to are shocked, saying they will miss the couple who loved their community and even more so, each other.

"Johnnie and Claudine are pillars in this community...and they have had a great impact on their family and friends and all the people in their neighborhood," said Polley.

Johnie and Claudine Saulsbury would have celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary this month.





Such a sad situation. I drove by their home this evening on my way home from work and there were several cars parked there and there were people moving things out of the home. I'm sure it was their children and people from their church. That was not the way they had planned to move.

Stand Ye in Holy Places

Serving the young women has been such a blessing. 

I just love my girls.

It is the most rewarding thing in the world.

One of my favorite things is when it is my turn to teach on fast Sundays. 

It’s pretty selfish, but I just I love indulging in the youth curriculum.

 It is so inspiring, and always seems to be something I need a reminder on.

 I always go into the lessons thinking I am going to teach the girls something new,

 but walk away feeling like I have learned the most.

As a presidency, we decided to kick of the first week of the year 

by introducing the new mutual theme,

 “Stand ye in Holy Places”.

 I taught the lesson this past Sunday, and it turned out really well. 

The girls were really receptive and happily participated.

 Here was the outline from my lesson and a few ideas!

I encouraged the girls to think throughout the lesson how they could “stand in holy places” this year.

 I made three suggestions of how they could personally strengthen their testimonies and live the mutual theme.

Stay close to the spirit

 We talked about the power of the Holy Ghost in our lives and how it helps us to 

“Stand in Holy Places”.

We also discussed how the Holy Ghost is very sensitive and can be easily offended. 

Together we brainstormed and talked about ways we can stay close to the spirit. 

Have a good attitude.

Steer your thoughts away from yourself & direct them in gratitude and love.

Choose to accept challenges.

Pause to think about the Savior.

Flee from the appearance of evil.

Selflessly sacrifice.

. After our discussion one of our Laurels (who I had assigned earlier in the week) 

stood up and  shard her testimony on the how the Holy Ghost had blessed her life. 

It was great hearing her perspective and we were all very touched to hear her testimony.

Seek to be Obedient

We talked about the importance of PRO-ACTIVELY living the gospel.

 I remember once growing up, I had an encounter with my Stake President. 

I had a picture of the temple and one Sunday he asked me a little about it 

(it was a picture of the Cardston temple where my parents were married). 

During our conversation I mentioned how I would “try” to go to the temple one day.

 He abruptly stopped the conversation and asked me, “You will try, or you are?” 

That  moment has had such a great impact on me

 and the way I look at my life and how I live the gospel. 

Do I try to read my scriptures, or do I read my scriptures.

 Do I try to  stand in holy places, or do I stand in holy places. 

Am I trying to be obedient, or am I obedient. 

Granted it’s not a matter of being “ perfect,  but rather, a matter of eliminating excuses,

 and simply doing our best. 

Living the gospel.

I then had the girls close their eyes and think to themselves how much their Heavenly Father loved them.

 I had them think about all the good qualities and potential He sees in them. 

I then bore testimony on how much their Heavenly Father loved them and had in store for them. 

I had the girls open their eyes and I was holding a picture of the temple.

Never settle for less than your 

Heavenly Father has in store for You

The point we wanted to get across was this -

 remind the girls about their potential and never settling for less than they were worth. 

As I taught, I reminded them of their ultimate goal of going to the temple someday, 

and how that journey starts NOW.

At the end of the lesson, I invited the girls to go home 

and think about what they wanted to do this year to “stand in holy places” 

(whether it be get closer to the spirit, seek to be more obedient,

 strengthen their relationship with their Heavenly Father, etc).

 I gave them each a silk hanger that read, 

“Hang on to your values, hang on to the spirit, hang on to your testimony,

so one day you can hang your temple dress on me”.

 I told the girls that once they had set their goal, they could hang their hanger up in their closet as a daily reminder of that goal and their ultimate of going to the temple.

All in all, the lesson turned out really well.

For some of the downloads, you can click here!

 Feel free to use any ideas and leave your comments!

My Heart is Heavy

My heart is heavy today. Tragedies happen all the time, but then it hits close to home and you just can’t comprehend why things happen as they do.

Yesterday was a day of shock and sadness. Let me begin by saying none of the things that happened affected me on a personal level, they did not happen to me… but yet they did affect me on an emotional level.

Yesterday morning my co-worker came into my office to tell me that one of the truck drivers we insure, a regular client that we speak with all the time had contacted her to report a claim. A fatality. He hit an individual with his truck-tractor and that individual was dead. The driver was in shock as you can imagine. I don’t believe it had still fully registered with him that this tragedy had actually happened, that someone was dead.

The news made our local news and newspapers, so I don’t feel that I am divulging any personal or professional information. This is the story as reported on bakersfieldnow.com:

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A 63-year-old man is dead after walking into the path of a semi truck on Interstate 5.

Ira Eugene Bennett, of San Diego, stopped his car around 5:30 a.m. Thursday on the shoulder of I-5 between Millux Road and Bear Mountain Boulevard, southwest of Bakersfield. He called the California Highway Patrol and reported having medical issues. The CHP didn't give specifics of the medical problems. Arriving officers found Bennett's car but not Bennett.

Officers found a stopped big rig about a half mile up the highway, and the truck driver told officers he had hit an unidentified object. A search of the area revealed the truck had hit Bennett, who had walked into the northbound lanes of I-5.

The CHP didn't say whether it had determined exactly why Bennett stepped into traffic.

I’m not sure what Mr. Bennett’s medical issues were, but I do know that our client, the trucker will never forget this. He will never forget the sound the impact made as he hit this poor man.

I had a friend who was a truck driver, his name was Oscar. Oscar was driving West on a local highway in clear weather and coming up to an intersection where he was had the right of way and no stop. The other person had a stop sign. The other person did not stop.

Oscar told me that as he looked down from the cab of his truck he saw the face of the woman looking up at the oncoming truck and on her face was sheer terror and then he saw her mouth something which he thought was “Oh God” and then he hit her.

Oscar never forgot or got over that moment. He continued trucking but his confidence was gone. He hesitated at intersections. Every day that he had to go out there and earn a living for his family was sheer hell and he didn’t have any relief from the fear and stress until he turned the key to the off position and parked the truck for the day.

Now this other poor truck driver will always and forever remember that tragic day. All day long my coworker and I commented on how badly we felt for this trucker and our hearts hurt for him and the family of Mr. Bennett.

After work, sitting in my chair at home, getting ready to watch a little TV I get a phone call from my brother Fred who is calling to ask me if I heard about the suicide. My brother is also a truck driver and I just assumed he was talking about my client. So I told him yes, the trucker was one of our clients. Fred said, “No, I’m talking about your neighbor.”

As it turns out, my neighbors across the street from my previous house where I had lived for four years had suffered their own tragedy on Thursday as well. This is the story from our local news:

SHAFTER, Calif. - The Shafter Police Department is investigating an apparent murder-suicide. Officers say the bodies of two elderly people were found just after 7 a.m. Thursday and their deaths have left many community members in shock.

Shafter police say the bodies of an 84-year-old woman and an 86-year-old man were found inside their home, a place neighbors say they lived for several years.

Police are not releasing their names, but say the husband stabbed the wife a number of times and then hung himself. This all happened on the 200 block of Walnut street in Shafter.

Police say family members found the bodies after they went to their home to check up on them. According to neighbors, the home was sold and the couple had plans to move into a nursing home.

The neighbor says the couple left behind three adult children. Two live out east and their oldest daughter lives in Bakersfield.

A neighbor we spoke with – who did not want to be identified, says she is still in shock over their deaths. “They were good people, good neighbors. They attended church all the time. I’m extremely hurt and I’m hurt for their children and for what they are going through right now,” said the neighbor. She also tells us the 84-year-old woman use to be a teacher before retiring and her 86-year-old husband use to work in the oil fields.

I have to agree with the neighbor they interviewed. They were good people. When I first bought the house across the street from them, my sister and I spent about a week cleaning and painting the inside and the woman came over right away and introduced herself and invited us to her church.

At Christmas the first year she brought us a plate of cookies.

When my mom moved in with me a year after I bought the house the woman came over and introduced herself to my mom and would frequently invite my mom over for coffee. She and mom became walking buddies and would walk early in the morning after my mom came home from church.

I would frequently see the woman and her husband around town on their daily walks and I went to the yard sales she had and once purchased the whole set of the Left Behind series of books from her.

Her husband would be out puttering around in the yard every day and they seemed like the perfect couple. No one knows what goes on behind closed doors but I believe they loved each other very much and if he did stab her I choose to believe he was insane due to old age or perhaps some medication he was on or maybe he just didn’t want to go to a nursing home.

My mom had run into them a few weeks ago at a local restaurant and the woman told my mom they were selling their house and moving into a nursing home as she needed help caring for her husband.

I am so sad to think that this couple that had been together for so many years both met such a tragic end. I am so sad for their children who will always wonder what their mother suffered at the hands of their father, maybe even doubting that the father killed their mother, that maybe someone came in and made it look like a murder/suicide. I will always remember Johnie and Claudine with fondness and picture them walking around our neighborhood always talking to each other.

I don't understand why this had to happen to them and to the poor truck driver. I just don't understand. But my heart is heavy.

Books Read in 2012

I've been keeping track of the books that I've read each year on my blog. In 2009 and 2010 I read 24 books each year. In 2011 I read 29 books. For 2012 I set a goal of 30 books but unfortunately didn't reach my goal as I only read 26! I was so close! The cool thing is that I've started keeping track by using Goodreads.

By using Goodreads I can keep track of what books I've read, what books I want to read and I can review the books I've read and read reviews of the books I want to read that other readers have already read. Wow...that sounds like a tongue twister!

And another thing I love about Goodreads is that I don't have to go search for all the book covers...they save them for me! Gotta love that. Here's the first 20 I read. Of these twenty the book Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is my favorite, but the book and the movie The Help are a close second.

Here's the rest of the books...

So my goal for 2013 is to try to reach the goal that I didn't reach in 2012...30 books. Can I do it? I think I can. Maybe if I turn the TV off a little more often and reach for a book I'll make it!

What's your goal for 2013?

YEAR IN REVIEW

I am so grateful for all the experiences and opportunities 2012 brought us.

We look forward to seeing what the new year brings. 

Last night as the new year rolled in, 

Brett and I lay in bed reminiscing about all that has happened to us in 12 months. 

We laughed and smiled as we talked about the things we loved, the things we learned,

 and the things we look forward to next year. 

Adios 2012! We loved you!

2013--- Bring it on. 

Stand Ye in Holy Places Kickoff

Draper Temple

We really wanted to get the girls something for Christmas this year that they would cherish.

We decided that since the mutual theme for this upcoming year is, "Stand ye in Holy Places",

we would get each girl a picture of the temple.

To make it more personal, we got a list of each girls favorite temple.

We found these beautiful pictures of their favorite temples and printed the 2013 mutual theme on them.

I found some pretty white frames at ikea and topped them off with a little note and bow.

The girls really loved the gifts and had fun sharing their pictures of their favorite temples with each other.

It was a great way to introduce the new theme and celebrate the Christmas holiday. 

Laie Hawaii Temple

Denver Colorado Temple

Jordan River Temple

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Boise Idaho Temple

Manti Utah Temple

St. George Utah Temple

Idaho Falls Temple

Washington DC Temple

Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple

Provo Utah Temple

Recife Brazil Temple

Logan Utah Temple

Oakland California Temple

New Zealand Temple