Thankful Me

Isn't it funny that getting stuck in a rut is a bad thing, but finding a groove is positive? As far as blogging goes, I think I've been stuck in a rut for a long time, but recently I'm starting to get back into a regular blogging groove. I'm excited to explore new ideas and hope I can provide interesting, positive content.  Speaking of positive content, thanks to founder Lizzi , each week the Ten Things of Thankful community gathers online to share those things that each member is thankful for. We are a diverse group of people from all over the world, yet we are connected through our expressions of thanks. I hope you will join us! 1. I'm thankful for the tool of technology.  2. I'm thankful for those who understand how to fix technical difficulties. (Calling tech support is on my to-do list; I trust I'll be able to get some help.) 3. I'm thankful for the participants of the TToT. It's not always easy to compose and publish a post, yet people ...

Photo: "God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other. . . ." (Spencer W. Kimball) I'm thankful for quotes like this to help me remember to watch for ways to help others. 

We've been living in our house for over two months now, and I realized that I haven't shared many before/after pictures since we moved in, so I thought I'd give you a peek at the living room today. Before, the walls were a color that I don't know the name of, but imagine it is something like "gruel gray." Although the entry had wooden floors which extended into the kitchen, the living room was carpeted. Overhead lighting consisted of just two little recessed lights. On the plus side, the room had a window seat and another big window. Photo: A view of the living room from the stairs We painted (more accurately, we hired someone to paint) the living room a pretty blue (Skydiving), had the carpet removed and hardwood flooring installed, had new baseboards put in, and had a overhead light fixture added.  Photo: The window seat area of the living room, after the walls had been painted, and hardwood floors and baseboards installed Photo: The newly-in...

Some tourist attractions have instant name-recognition; others, like the Crandall Historical Printing Museum, might not even be well-known in their own town. However, those sites can be just as enjoyable as their more popular cousins.  Photo: The small brick building that houses the Crandall Historical Printing Museum In this age when online newspapers are growing, and books can be read on electronic devices, a museum dedicated to the printing press might seem archaic and dull, but the tour given here is surprisingly engaging, entertaining, and yes, educational. It holds the attention of everyone from grade-school age on up.  Perhaps the biggest claim to fame the Crandall Historical Printing Museum has is its working replica of Gutenberg's printing press. The museum's webpage includes the following video that demonstrates the press in action: During the tours, a lucky visitor is selected to actually pull on the handle of the press and print a page.  ...

Seven years ago, I followed the television show, The Amazing Race, because my parents' friends, Bill and Cathi, were competing. With that connection, I cheered them on week after week. Just when I thought they might win the entire season, they ended up going home. However, they played well and made all of us proud.  This year, I am watching Relative Race. The show is similar to The Amazing Race, in that the teams are traveling (in this case, all over the United States, as opposed to all over the world) and that there are challenges to complete. The key difference is that each team gets to meet (formerly unknown) relatives along the way. Though the teams are competitors, the teams also rejoice together (and mourn together) as they learn more about their families. The emotional roller coaster compels me to continue watching each week. Relative Race airs Sunday nights on BYU-TV, or it can be viewed online on byutv.org . Here is a trailer for this season: I'm thankful for ...

This week marks the official end of summer and the beginning of fall. I'm thankful: 1. . . that summer was not as hot as the previous sixteen. I'm starting to enjoy summers again. 2. . . I can look forward to crisp autumn mornings and the coziness that comes with fall. 3. . . for my parents, who celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary this week. 4. . . for my oldest grandson, who turns 3 on the same day as my parents' anniversary. 5. . . for continued healing. I've discarded the crutches. 6. . . for grasses. I've decided I really enjoy the impact they make in the landscape. Photo: A clump of decorative grass 7. . . for the fall harvest.  Photo: A pear hangs from the tree 8. . . for neighbors who share their bounty, whether that be carrot cake, cookies, or zucchini. 9. . . for the chance I have to attend a social media convention today and tomorrow. I'm looking forward to learning how to improve the blog and better utilize other ...

I've been fortunate to take some wonderful vacations in my life, but when I read this week's Six Sentence Story prompt word (trip) I knew immediately what story to tell.  The classified ad sounded perfect: an old upright piano in excellent condition, and at a price that the tax refund would cover. After speaking to the seller on the phone, the young couple loaded their two children in the car and set off to find the Seattle address. After pulling into the apartment complex,  she carried the baby and he held the toddler. In her excitement, and perhaps due to rain hitting oil spots,  she tripped in the parking lot; as she was falling, all she could think was, "Don't land on the baby!" Miraculously, she saved the baby from harm, but unfortunately, her face took some of the impact.  "We're here to look at the piano, and, by the way, do you have a Band-Aid?" Photo: The old upright piano, with fall decor on top

When my husband and I moved into this house, I was excited to find four big square planting containers in the yard. I moved them to the steps leading up to the house, and there they have sat, waiting for me to finally do something with them. I did plant some bulbs in one of them last fall, but the blooms didn't last long, and I want the boxes to look good for more than one season--and without constant attention from me. Photo: Four square wooden planter boxes line the steps I'm glad I waited, though, as it gave me time to observe that the boxes get only partial sun during the time of the year the maple tree in the front yard is in bloom. I'll have to find someplace else to plant roses.  After thinking about what would grow well in a container in partial shade, and what would give multi-season interest, I decided to plant yew, specifically dense spreading yew (taxus x media 'Densiformis'). I probably would not have chosen it if we still had young children ...

One of the joys of moving is discovering new places to visit. John and I have lived in Utah for just over a year now, and I'm excited to share with you some of the places we have found. I plan to make "Tuesday Travels" a weekly feature, and while I have quite a few posts already in mind, I'm also looking forward to doing further research. If you have suggestions for places you would like me to feature, please let me know.  Today I thought I'd share my experiences with The Soap Factory in Provo.  Photo: The Soap Factory sits above the Lotus Garden Chinese Restaurant on Center Street in Provo, Utah The Soap Factory, as you might guess, is a place where you can go make your own soaps. It's located in an upstairs office on Center Street. Though labeled, it is easy to miss if you aren't looking for it. Photo: The unassuming glass door to The Soap Factory Once you reach the top of the stairs, you enter a big open area which is The Soap Fac...

Have you ever needed crutches? I hadn't, until a week ago.  I'm pretty sure I strained a muscle while running a half-marathon.  (That sounds kind of cool, doesn't it? I'm not actually that cool; the last time I strained a muscle it was from carrying too many shopping bags at once.) In any case, I found myself in need of some crutches. I sent my husband to the store to get some. Photo: A pair of crutches leans against a wall  Not that crutches are all that complex, but because I hadn't used any before, I wondered if I could figure out how to adjust them to fit me properly. I shouldn't have worried. John came home from Walmart with their generic store brand of crutches, complete with instructions. First, I needed to take out a long bolt that went through the hand grip. Then I needed to find my height range, push down two metal pieces, and slide the crutches until the little metal pieces came up in the hole near my height range. (Having two people for this...

In my last Ten Things of Thankful post, I reported that I ran a half-marathon and that my leg was paying for it, but that I hoped I'd be back to normal soon. I published that post on Saturday. During the middle of that night, I tried to get out of bed and realized that I greatly underestimated the extent of my injury. Thankfully, I am doing much better after a week of lots of rest. 1. I'm thankful for crutches, which have allowed me to get around. I've never had need for crutches before, and didn't realize just how useful they are. (As thankful as I am for them, I'm also thankful that I went the entire day today without using them!) 2. Although normally I am thankful that many stores here are actually closed on Sundays, I am also thankful that a Walmart was open. I'm also thankful that although the closest store didn't have any crutches in stock, John didn't have to drive too far to find one that did. 3. I'm thankful that Drexel is such a good ...

Last Saturday, John and I were in California visiting our daughter and her family. Today, we ran races in Utah (John ran a marathon, and I did a half-marathon.) It's been a busy week, but I am thankful. 1. I'm thankful that John was able to bless our newest granddaughter last Sunday, and that we could spend time with all of the grandchildren. Photo: John holds our youngest granddaughter. She is wearing a light pink lacy long dress. 2. I'm thankful that the Labor Day weekend traffic was manageable, and we drove to and from California without incident. 3. I'm thankful for nice car shops. When we returned from our trip, one of our cars was due for an oil change. The guy at the shop mentioned that our windshield wipers need to be replaced. I had already purchased replacements, but we hadn't gotten to installing them yet. The guy at the car shop told me that if I brought the wipers to the shop, he would install them at no charge. Even though John will also ins...

This is Thankful Me. I'm in the (long-overdue) process of refreshing the look of the blog. Please be patient with me as I make some changes! Kristi

Back-to-school time (with all its trappings of new supplies, clothes, shoes, and hair-cut) builds excitement of change, transformation, and possibility--a publicly-mandated participation in the equivalent of New Year's resolutions for the K-12 set. Even as an adult, I find myself taking self-inventory as summer draws to an end and welcome the re-establishment of old routines and the introduction of new.  No longer am I required to write essays titled, "What I Did this Summer," or "What I Want to Be When I Grow Up," yet I find myself pondering the answers--especially regarding that latter topic. That might seem strange, as I've been an adult most of my life. What I wanted for my future, I've obtained: a Bachelor of Arts degree, the opportunity to stay at home and raise a family, seeing my children grow up and start families of their own. Check. Check. Check.  While I had wished for those things, and I'm happy they happened, I'm not sure I'm...

Dad, as a school-teacher and all-around smart guy, excelled in thought-provoking conversation. My brother and sister and I learned to listen carefully to questions like, "How many animals did Moses take on the ark?" so we could answer with confidence, "None!" (Moses didn't build the ark; Noah did.)  Dad's question to top all questions and put us all in a fit of laughter, though, had to be this classic: What's the difference between a duck?  Its left feet are the same! 🦆 Linking up again for Six Sentence Story Thursday!