Serenity Prayer

God, grant me
The Serenity to accept the
things I cannot change.
The courage to change the
things I can, and
The wisdom to know the difference.

Help me to have a sense of humor, we are all ridiculous at some point in our lives. We all have insecurities, and ideal selves. For the most part, the difference between our ideal self and the real self can be great. If you think about it though, sometimes we don't even recognize when we have been closer to the ideal, because we often focus on the negative aspects of life and don't recognize the positive. So we need to have a sense of humor.

Help me to be empathetic, even when I am feeling terrible myself. I think that this is the greatest challenge, to reach out to others with care and concern even when you feel awful and want to hide. Or you might wish that someone would reach out to you instead. Many times though, people get so preoccupied with their own problems that they cannot see anything but their own.

Let me see others, their true selves, and let me not judge them for their weaknesses. We are all full of potential mistakes, I wake up every morning and I might drag my feet sometimes when I should have hurried. Then later I will pay for that mistake by the need to rush. We make mistakes all the time.

At the same time though, we don't need to allow people to do everything that they want to do, just because they want to do it. I think we need to look down on behaviors that cause other people harm, if not then society will be a ruins.

Let me be able to forgive though. If something makes me angry, let me be able to let it go, because holding on to hate and anger are not productive. If something needs to be changed, like the little poem says, have the courage to change it. But if it cannot be changed let it go, you will be a happier person, as well as those around you.

I hope that you all have a nice Sunday.

SG

W.A. Mozart Exsultate

Beautifully done, classical music.

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Friday Shootouts - Go Random (OK) :D

Well the challenge is to go random, let's see if you can follow me!! ;p




Cottonwood Tree's shed these fluffy seeds every year... the kids like to gather it and always have dreams of making pillows (that doesn't pan out). :D




Dandelion hangin on for dear life by the river...



Hmmm. what's that? An ant? Alrighty then... let's move on.
(Koli, Evan, Daniel)


Roxie Say's Hello :D:D:D ;p



This is the view from the hill (coming down, that I rode up yesterday on the bike. much easier going down!! ;p)





Interesting Wild Grass...



Hi From an Eskimo!!



Brent Brown Toyota (across the street from my house... I wanted to capture a picture of the guy standing there, probably goes to BYU. He looked ultra "Prepie," very amusing).



Still with me? ;p



Now for a drive by 7-Peaks, Down Center, to Geneva Road

7-Peaks



(hmmm. Karate lessons, Sione would like some)



Sam was driving until I dropped him off at the Rugby field on Geneva Rd. (This is the "Peaks Ice Arena" notice the Olympic Symbol... I tried to get a picture of the sculpture of this but...)



Houses along Center(Slow Down!! Slow Down!!)


Random Jogger




State St.


The Tabernacle


Dining establishments along Center (The Mayor turned it into quite a business center)









Hindselmans (Still need to get a better picture)



Flowers


Reams (The little grocery store in the neighborhood that I grew up in. They used to hold an event every summer with 10 cent hot dogs and 25 cent ice cream cones. Ahhh. the good old days). :D



There is an interesting wooden cut out of a Scottish Guy in a kilt on the corner of this store, but Sam was driving too fast for me to get a picture of it... next time. ;D

Looking Past Reams towards the neighborhood that I grew up in (the bag for our fish broke along here one hot summers day... we were rescued from a total loss by a good Samaritan who threw out the rest of their drink and gave us the cup)



Geneva Farmyard


"Spooky Old House" along Geneva (always wanted to get a picture if this one)



Sun Setting along Geneva Road






Vinyard Garden Center (Love to hang out there)



"Mountainlands Applied Technology Center" part of UVU the University that I graduated from in 2006.



The humble little shop that my dad has worked from ever since I was a little girl... it is fascinating in there. (This is off Geneva Road, on 400 South).



Dad


Orem used to be famous for their orchards, most of them have been cut down to make way for housing, but there are a few left. (There is a little insect trap on the left of the picture, they are monitoring the enroachment of the Japanese Beetle or something like that).



I'll Throw Some Kiddo's in there for good luck

Roxie, Arisa, Kaede (My neices)


Kiddos

Howdy All!!

Today, at about 10:26 am I realised... that Sam had the car and that I had an appointment for Angela at 11:00. I had missed the last one and feeling foolish I decided that we must make this appointment or die trying!! So we got on the newly fixed bikes (thanks Sam) and started out.

All was fine, a nice sunny day, lovely... then we came to the hill up to Orem. I asked Angie if they walk their bikes up the hill, nah, they ride them up. So I decided to try. :D:D:D Yep best decision I have ever made in my life. ;p

So about a quarter of the way up my heart, muscles, etc... all gave out and I was left panting while Angela leisurely peddled her way along. (How could she the wretch?) I got off the bike and walked!! Drank some water, and kept going.

We did make it to the appointment, and in a reasonable amount of time. SO it was worth it!! But I have decided that I need to exercise more (get off the extra pounds that I have been avoiding losing). ;p

Goal 18 pounds (though I would look alright if I lost 8).

Hmmm, to post or not to post a before picture, that is the question? I have one, it's not too bad, but still...

Alrighty, I will go with this one (notice how tall my daughter is!! 5'3" at 11 yrs. of age. I am only 5'3" (and 3/4...;p)!! Even my little sister towers over me at 5'6" or something like that, I have lost track with her ;p)

Limits

I have figured out that, I may wish to be this fantastic, with it homeschooling mom that can pull all of these entertaining activities out of my hat to help my kids reach this pinnacle of excellence. But... I just can't do it.

I know of families that have these top notch confidant talented kids. I can't give though, the musical ability that I haven't developed myself. The good habits that I don't have. My kids can't dress in sharp "with it" clothes, I can't give them fantastic knowlege about the stars, history etc.

I have this limit- I've gotta stop beating myself up about not being able to give what I don't have, and just give what I have got and hope they forgive me for my shortcomings.

I am trying to get them to be responsible for themselves, to take charge of their interests and run with them. That's about all I can do really...

In any case here's a drawing that my daughter randomly drew on the white board out in the hallway and in her sketchbook. :D (I wonder where she got it from... actually Angie has a really interesting sense of humor).

Today - Breaking Out!!

Dance Like No One's Watching!

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with.
We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.

The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges.
It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D Souza. He said,

"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time... and remember that time waits for no one...

So stop waiting...

until you finish school,
until you go back to school,
until you lose ten pounds,
until you gain ten pounds,
until you have kids,
until your kids leave the house,
until you start work,
until you retire,
until you get married,
until you get divorced,
until Friday night,
until Sunday morning,
until you get a new car or home,
until your car or home is paid off,
until spring,
until summer,
until fall,
until winter,
until you are off welfare,
until the first or fifteenth,
until your song comes on,
until you've had a drink,
until you've sobered up,
until you die,
until you are born again...

To decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy...

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

"Sing like nobody's listening,
Live like it's Heaven on Earth,
Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching."


No Ones Watching!! WAHOO.... :D

Lovely Little Day

Ahhh, today, I went on another lovely walk up the hill to the Orem bench. Took some pictures on the way down, rotated around to try and capture the panoramic view. It is a glorious view, the light filtering through the clouds, highlighting different aspects of the mountains. The spread of the valley neath' the spherical azure blue sky, filled with a copious amount of fluffy white clouds. The clouds now have gathered and a lovely fresh thunderstorm is smattering rainfall outside.

Afterwards I made some Gluten Free pancakes, some with raspberries, yummy!!

I seem to be endlessly thinking, thinking of what I need to become, who I want to be. In a way that is a weak position to take in life, always preparing to be ___.

What I need to do is be who I am, on the way to who I am going to be. I guess that means accepting myself, shortcomings and all.

We stopped by The Good Earth, and I wandered about a bit, taking in the atmosphere. I thought "I just need to buckle down and learn about herbs enough to come and work here."

Yes that is true, I think I need to push for those things like that, they will bring me joy. Then it will bring joy to my family as well when I am acting true to myself.

Plus there are so many great people that work there, a lovely girl named Jennifer that I love to joke around with, the manager Amy, and a lady named Tiffany who I chatted endlessly with about almost everything the other day. I saw her again today and we are going to add each other to our facebook accounts (yes I know, facebook is taking over the world). ;p

After that I wandered about in a little Antique shop next door. I love Antiques, I love vintage stuff. There is more to the stuff that they had back then, more character, more soul. I sometimes feel that I have been born in the wrong century, this I elude to in the poem that I did on my writting blog.

I just made some GF spaghetti and added some basil pesto that I bought (not quite enough zing I think). Plus I tried out an herb called Maca, supposed to balance/regulate your hormonal balance.

I did feel that it helped, yet now I am sleepy, though I need to work on some stuff. I suppose the Roobios tea that I am drinking doesen't help that (because it's calming) So I believe I will go take a nap.

~SG

Moments

I keep thinking "if only I could get a moment... I could sort everything out, get the house sorted out, find something to entertain the kids, I could figure out the direction that I need to take with things (actually I kind of have an idea, just need a moment to work on it)."

In between the clutter, I am trying to find moments of sanity. When I find some i'll let you know. :D

This comic strip is a perfect representation of me.

I have had it since I was about 15 or so. Every year, I always got complimented on how "nice" I was. The teachers wrote it, the students wrote it, that didn't meant that any of them were my friends!!

I think that people actually think you are crazy if your too nice! You get taken advantage of, people question your motives! Being nice means that you have to swallow all sorts of stuff in order to "keep the peace."

I am tired of "NICE!" What does that mean anyway? That I am nice and kind, don't make a disturbance...

What has "NICE" gotten me?... a whole lot of heart ache, that's what.

It is not that I am not assertive, I am most of the time (though I used to not be). I do stand up for myself, mostly.

The thing that gets me is that I think of other peoples circumstances, I think of what they had to grow up with.