Thankful Me

Last week started with a bang (literally--Tuesday was Pioneer Day , and fireworks were legal in many areas from Sunday through Wednesday.) I'm thankful for pioneers. Regardless of whether or not our ancestors were pioneers (Mormon or otherwise), we all benefit from those who came before us.  I'm thankful for a better-than-expected outcome. On Pioneer Day, John and I ran the Temple to Temple 5K. I felt like I wasn't doing well; I took some walking breaks (and this was only a 5K!) and I just wasn't really into the run. However, as we approached the finish line and I noticed the clock, I had a change of attitude. Our pace was in the single digits! It was barely in the single digits, but it was! I'm pretty sure I was a teenager the last time that happened. (I ran two 5K runs as a teen, then didn't participate again until I started running in my 40's.) Photo: John and I, with the Provo City Center Temple in the background, after our run I'm thankf...

You might not know it, but today is a holiday--at least here in Utah. One hundred seventy-one years ago, Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, after traveling over a thousand miles. July 24th is now a state holiday. Communities have parades, fireworks, and other gatherings. This morning, John and I ran the Temple to Temple 5K race. We started at the Provo Temple and ended at the Provo City Center Temple. Over ten thousand people signed up for the event! Many chose to walk, and I even spotted a couple who were pulling a handcart--which is a much more historically accurate way to celebrate Pioneer Day.  Photo: John and I smile for a selfie after our run. The Provo City Center Temple stands in the background. For those of you not familiar with the history, Mormons had been living in Illinois, where they had gone after the Missouri governor had signed an extermination order in 1838. (Not to worry, the extermination order was officially rescinded in 1976!)   Mobs in...

We've been living in our house one week now. There are still plenty of settling-in tasks to complete, but most of the main living areas are fairly presentable and comfortable to live in. (My office and the entire basement are not included in the definition of "main living areas," fyi.)  I'm exhausted and energized all at once--tired from just everything (including stairs--I'm getting little mini-workouts all day long!), and energized to see the once-blank canvas of a house becoming my home.  1. I'm thankful for watching thunder and lightening storms from the safety of my own bed. 2. I'm thankful for sunsets, and the vantage point my house offers to see them. Photo: Dark mountains are silhouetted against a red sky. The Mount Timpanogos temple shines brightly on the left-side of the photo.   3. I'm thankful for my dad, who celebrated his birthday this past week. There are many things he taught me, but one that I have been pondering since see...

Recently I was in the Los Angeles area, helping my daughter for a couple of weeks. As she was having issues with her washer, on several different occasions I took her family's clothes to the laundromat. Usually this provided me a short "Grandma break," a chance to re-energize before returning to the cheerful chatter of little children. The final time I went to the laundromat, I did not have a zen-like experience. I did, however, have an experience that  made me realize that I had valuable information that needed to be shared. Though I don't consider myself an expert in the fine art of flirting, I do know what doesn't work on me. Photo: A line of stainless-steel, front-loading washing machines form a line in a laundromat Flirting Tips from an Old Married Grandma 1. Don't confuse politeness with interest. I accidentally dropped something; you picked it up; I said, "Thank you," and you interpreted that to mean, "Let's chat for the re...

It's Sunday morning, and I'm relaxing on the couch with my computer on my lap. Empty boxes sit in the upstairs hallway and downstairs family room, and lean against the wall in the entryway. Photo: View from my couch as described above. I'm home in this not-yet-familiar house. John is here, Drexel is here, and my belonging are here (though in which box or cupboard is still anyone's guess--referring of course to the belongings; John and Drexel roam free in the house.) We still don't know which switches control which lights but, over time, we'll get the desired effect with fewer tries. In short, we're in the "unpacking and settling in" phase of moving--a phase in which what should be second nature is new and exciting. This week's TToT theme is homecoming.  1. I'm thankful for this house, which we plan on making our home until our knees give out and age forces a change. It's obvious that #1 would make the list, especially given...

I've been away from my blog for the past little bit, as I spent some time in California with my daughter and my grandchildren, but I arrived back home in Utah in time for the 4th of July.  I'm thankful: 1. For my sweet grandchildren. We sang together, read together, talked together, ate together, worked together, laughed together, prayed together, and basically just had a great time! Photo: a collage of photos of my grandchildren. On the left, the baby grandson smiles up at the camera. In the middle, youngest granddaughter and oldest grandson stand together. Granddaughter has her arm around her brother. She holds a "wishing star" and he holds a toy sword. On the right, oldest granddaughter sleeps on the couch, and her black-and-white kitten naps next to her. 2. For all of my children. Even though I didn't see everybody at the same time, in June I was able to spend time with all of my children. They are far beyond the little kid stage, but I am deli...