Even Better

:)

Stay Tuned

HELLO SPRING!!!! OH, these blossoms are so refreshing. They get me every time.

The guesses began a few weeks ago... and a few days still remain before my call arrives... so leave your guess in a comment or send me a message if you want to be eligible for a special prize if you are closest.

I got this skirt for a dandy little price at the GAP.

I have intentions to build a purse out of it..... with all my free time. So, Time, have at it, and my Tee-shirt quilt.

I planted these tiny seeds out in my Grandparent's garden last week.

LOOK! They started sprouting up. Welcome precious little sproutling!

My little peach blossom.

Tony The Tiger

On a quick trip to Vegas, we gathered a fun group and rode the Big Shot at the Stratosphere. I really like roller coasters and prefer them to "car-coasters". It was quite thrilling and different than I had remembered. This time I could keep my shoes on. I guess I felt slightly less vulnerable.

Randal, Kody, cousin Trevor, Moi, Ashlee, McKenzie

We were all the way up there on the red tip.

After our high in the sky adventure, we enjoyed a delightful treat here. Mom took us there a few times in high school and its apparently quite famous for being a small stand tucked away behind a gas station off of Las Vegas BLVD... I ordered a Jr. Western Special... hot fudge, caramel and pecans-so good. I get it most every time. I enjoyed a few rich bites while sitting on the corner with Randal and Trevor when a scraggly old street comfortable man came over with a grimy vase full of fake flowers. He set the vase in front me and basically asked all three of us, "What can you spare?" Randal made it known that we didn't have any cash leftover and so I extended my custard bowl and said, "Sorry, but you can have this if you like."

He just about lit up like a Christmas tree and said something along the lines of, "Oh boy! Really?! I like ice cream even better than I like women! Thank you! God bless you." And so we traded. He also declared that if anyone bothered us he would take care of them.... He only gave me one of the flowers, but I think it was priceless.

Before we left, Randal asked him his name and got more of his stories.

What is your name?

-Tony the Tiger..... You know what they call me around here? The Godfather. I have 309 Godchildren.............

Oh dear. Typing that out, I find it a bit creepier than I did in the moment. There is more, but that may be Randal's story to tell. I could fill you in if you are really curious and want to call me.

Turns out Tony was handing out flowers even after we left... Suhaila got one with her date for a dollar. We just missed each other at LUV<3>

A Favorite Baby Trick

My niece Anne keeps busy and entertains herself, me and now you with her fun lip buzzing!

I love babies!

Tumble Weed Truck

At about 5:40 AM on a foggy, wet I-80 East, Randal and I were about 3 miles out of Kearney, NE (we didn't know that at the time) on our way to the DC area to visit our sisters (his in Boston, mine in Hershey). Randal was driving at this point and we were both awake and chatting a bit. We were passing a semi-truck when mid-semi Randal felt some slippage toward the truck on the wet roads and over corrected. Off we went across the grassy median and west bound highway. We rolled over a few times at least and gratefully we didn't hit any other cars. I remember seeing the headlights of a semi as we were flailing out of control over the other highway. I guess we were going fast enough to miss its path. I think it was the driver of that truck that pulled over to call 911 and came down to assess the situation.

I was too late with the camera action to get a picture of the truck how it landed sideways. In this picture you can see the driver's window that we crawled fairly easily out of after unbuckling.

Most all of our luggage bounced undamaged onto the grass or was secure and uncrushed in the truck. The Sherif who came out to report the accident even found my cellphone in the grass. Even my ipod that was attached and playing at the time

I almost feel silly posting this picture but if you look closely at my right hand you can see that one finger nail is not as long as the others. That one broke during the roll over. One broken nail, a couple of bruises on my left leg and some soreness/stiffness in my shoulders and neck= happy day after a wild car wreck.

This was taken at the tow yard. Sad truck, but happy alive passengers. Thank you trusty truck.

So maybe everything happens for a "Riesen"

We did manage to scavenge some of our travel snacks (yogurts, chips, candies, string cheese, celery, summer sausage etc.) from the wreckage at the tow place.

I feel so blessed and grateful to be alive and to see more of the miracles that the Lord has in store for His children. I always want to be in tune with His Spirit and live worthy of His many blessings.

October is...

almost gone...

Some things I have loved about this month...

GENERAL CONFERENCE

President Thomas S. Monson

There was so much goodness and truth shared with the world about families, choices, faith,

LOVE, service, CHARITY, hope, virtue, GOD, and Jesus Christ. All can be viewed, listened to and read again and again in so many languages right online!

http://lds.org/conference/languages/0,6353,310-1,00.html

The beautiful leaves changing colors!! I observed some youth doing a project where they used rocks to pound leaf prints into fabric squares... very cool- I will try this!

SUHAILA reunion + HONG KONG friends + Emily Hillstrom's wedding= HAPPY

Suhaila came to town! It has been 1 year ++ since we parted in Macau! It was so fun to have her around and all the friends that were gathered for dear Emily's wedding!

Suhaila denies trampling some youngins to be the winner of this prize! (She should deny it, because she didn't really, but sort of... she made an exerted effort at least! And we all celebrated with her!)

The Harvest

My friend Matt and I carved this last year... we made up our own stencil.. Guess who?

Driving around the neighborhood, I am reminded of the approaching season with all the Pumpkins I see popping up! I could have caused an accident by the way I was startled by the size of one of these pumpkins on my drive home from church the other day.


I have also been so fortunate to live back in the Steele neighborhood. They have been very generous with peaches and tomatoes! And others have imparted squash and zucchini and Asian pears! I love it all and I am so grateful! I will have garden when I grow up and learn the art of canning! Hooray for the Harvest and General Conference this weekend!