One Christmas when I was four years old, a grandpa that I loved very much, came to visit. I noticed that grandpa did not have a present under the tree so, I proceeded in fixing this problem.
I looked everywhere in our home to find grandpa the perfect present, but could not find a thing. Then my eyes came across them. Two pennies! I couldn't believe my eyes and good fortune. With no available wrapping paper, I found some toilet paper and wrapped the prettiest present ever. When it was time to open presents I was so excited about giving grandpa his present that I do not remember anything else. When it was my turn to give grandpa his present, I ran to the tree and handed my "treasure" over to him. I will never forget the look in his eyes! When he finished unwrapping the present , he made me feel as though I had given him a million dollars. Which, I thought I had!
It wasn't until I was much older that I realized two pennies could by nothing. But grandpa knew the real present was just saying "I LOVE YOU" So, in this special season I would love to give all of you, a couple of pennies "full of love". I love you all and feel so blessed to have each and everyone of you in my life.

TAG YOU TOO!

This is fun Sami,


5 things I was doing 5 years ago:

1. About this time I was probably ending up watching basketball season (That Year Sami's team won North Section Championships in both basketball and volleyball!) And getting ready to watch Sami play tennis!

2. Starting to breath again when Sami was finishing up driving lessons so she could get her license in about a month.

3. Anticipating the birth of TWO new grand babies.

4. Starting a Executive Secretary job at School.

5. Turning the big 50 !!!!!!


5 things on my to-do list for today:

1. Work on Primary Sharing, Our Ward Conference is Sunday

2. Visit Teach

3. Watch a video I want to show to my After School Kids on Friday to see if appropriate

4. Start jogging(running very slowly) again.

5. Call and text Sami FIFTEEN times because she is traveling back to Rexburg today.


5 things I would do with a million dollars:

1. Tithe and immediately put the rest into into the bank. Then wait one year to decide.

2. Travel! Anywhere any Everywhere! Dragging all of my family with me.

3. Buy every person in my family a new car.

4. Buy a beach home that all family could use at anytime

5. Save the rest to use as needed for family and friends. Who wants to be the only one enjoying
it?


5 places I have lived:

1. Stockton, CA

2. Modesto, CA

3 San Jose, CA

4. Greenview, CA

5.


5....5 jobs I've held:

I am assuming this does not include mother, sister, friend, daughter, nana, wife etc..etc? By far the best jobs in the world. :-)

1. Waitress

2. Cashier

3. School Aide

4. School Secretary

5. After School Site Coordinator


5 years from now:

1. Go on a mission with dad (maybe a bit early for this)

2. Spend all spare time with my grand kids.

3. Be learning a new skill

4. Traveling with my family

5. Still believe every single day is a gift from God.


I tag:

1. Gail

2. Tarron (Can use Sam's blog)

3. Roger

4. Amy

Creativity Anyone?

We were visiting my my kids in Washington this Spring break and my sweet daughter, Rachel, took Carolyn and I on our first "couponing trip". It was truly amazing. Carolyn left the store with bags brimming for .49cents. I spent a bit more....less than a dollar!
Rachel was in heaven sharing her expertise, as well as her coupons (pure gold) with us. We left town with a car full of merchandise and coupons to boot, with instructions on how and where to use them when we get home. Couponing is not for the faint at heart and is a LOT of work but you feel like a million bucks (no pun intended) when you walk out of the store with your goodies. On a serious side, in this economy, I am so blessed to have a daughter taking such good care of her family. She now has two full times jobs, her beautiful family and her devotion to staying solvent and abundant amongst worry and lack in the rest of the world. Good job sweet girl.

Way Too Sneaky

This one is for Sammy. Cloe her cat, is always trying to sneak into the house. She is very resourceful and usually succeeds, at least for a short while.
The funny thing is she hides in the exact same place behind the couch, wow very tricky, and thinks we can't see her. If we come closer, she turns her head thinking if she can't see us then ,of course, we can't see her! Unfortunately, she has these same skills trying to catch birds. Lucky birds! I guess "sneaky" has never been in the Siemers' genes. Lucky us.

A Little Heaven on Earth

Well, I know I do not need to qualify that my first and foremost "Heaven on Earth" is my family. When I was just tiny, I would lock myself behind a door and arrange my "babies". I would tend and nourish them, with bottles I made out of jars, protect and love them.
It truly is amazing what personalities we come to earth with. My second great love is books and movies (Hmmm, I wonder where my children get this?) My summers consisted of walking to the library, spending hours pouring over the shelves of books, loading up my arms with books, walking home, sitting on the grass and reading for hours. "Eat? Gosh, grandma, do I have to come in for dinner? Just a FEW more minutes OK?" My dream job would be a Librarian. (lucky Gail)
I love all kinds of books and movies. That is why it is risky recommending books and movies because we all internalize differently. Three great reads that I have enjoyed this month are: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak A Story narrated by Death. Yes, I said Death. It is not what you would expect and the writing is terrific. It is set in WWII. Expect to cry near the end.
My next book is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas byJohn Boyne. Also WWII. Both are fiction but are based on facts. The point and feelings are there though. I loved it.
My next book is The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan. It is Terrific. It is a true story of a woman in the 40's and 50's with an alcoholic husband and 10 kids. It is inspiring and reminded me of growing up in a shack(it really was a shed) and how my grandmother taught me to" make do. " Something I know how to do well but forget to do! :-) Books can inspire and these three books reminded me that we are all leased a little piece of earth to live in. You might be in Washington, Etna or China. Where ever. We need to lift our heads, open our eyes, see and hear. We need to help, share and experience our surroundings. We are accountable and we are so blessed. Have a BEAUTIFUL Day.

WOW! Who Knew?

About 15 years ago I was sitting across from a sweet 80 year old (young) woman. I will never forget her saying that her mind and heart still felt 18 but when she looked down at her hands she was shocked every time. Whose hands are these? she would ask. I looked down at my young strong hands and walked out a little bouncer at the appreciation of my own youth. Well, there comes a time in everyone's life that you look down at your own hands and say, Who the heck is that? I knew it was coming but did not expect it to be so noticeable or rapid. Not, that I expected the fountain of youth or anything, it just sneaks up.
One day you go to bed with a flat tummy and and a round bottom and you wake up with a round tummy and a flat bottom! Your hair is thinner and your skin everyone used to say was "peaches and cream" is not so much. Practically all your life everyone is older than you and then one day suddenly everyone is younger. There will always be someone younger and always be someone older. We need to look at each other as ageless and ETERNAL. A quote I like is "Enjoy the moment of NOW , it is certain and safe." Also, always make something beautiful out of Plan B . If one plan is derailed ...have a dozen new ones to take it's place.
There no use feeling old because we will all be even older tomorrow.
Kisses to my loved ones.

New Experiences

I have realized lately that even though I have experienced many things in life, there are tons of things I have never done. So, like many people I have a list of things I would like to do. Part of why I have not done some things is because I have wasted so much time in my life being shy and being so responsible(first child syndrome) . Things like riding bumper cars, people might be looking at you , after all! So, I rode my first bumper car this summer with my grand son Caden. We had a blast and people actually watched us and I survived. :-) I went to Medford the other day and I took some time to actually go to a movie BY MYSELF and it was great. Everything was actually fine when I walked out, the world had survived without me for an hour and a half. So, what is something you want to do? Big or small. Life is Beautiful. Who wants to go play with me? :-)

One for the History Books

What a truly amazing day yesterday was. (no matter what your political beliefs) To really internalize what happened, it was be an incredible day in history. Ever since I can remember, especially as a little child, my mind could never accept that we could be treated differently because of the way we look , what we believe or even how much money we make. My very first LOVE in my life was in Kindergarten and his name was Willie. He had a hugh smile and the sweetest eyes I had ever seen. It didn't hurt that he ran across the gym to me, as fast as his little feet would go, to stand by my side to be my partner in P.E. We were learning "Oh, Johnny Oh' and the "Virginia Reel" and I still to this day, join in at school, with a happy, happy, heart. I told my mom all about Willie and then one day she showed up to pick me up and there I was holding Willie's hand excited for her to meet him. From that day on I was never "allowed" to talk to him again. I had never noticed that his skin was black, he was just beautiful to me. Well, if you know me at all you know I still talked and danced with him, my mom just didn't hear about it. But, my point is, my mom just did not know any better, she was raised in the 40's.
We moved the next school year but Willie was always a part of my heart. He was my very first LOVE after all. Who knows, Willie could be the NEXT president! :-)

Life is a Pathway

A Quote from "Broken Trail"
This life is a pathway between the two Eternities.

What's in a Name ?

I just finished a book titled "Someone Knows my Name" by Lawrence Hill. It's about a fictional character (a young African girl who is stolen into the slave world of the 1700's) written with historical facts. Any way, the honor of her name is a major theme in this novel. It got me thinking this week about my own name and how people perceive it. Now... Take a minute and think of a name.. like Santa...Your best friend's name...Hitler...Elvis...Jesus. Whenever you think of a name, an image pops into your head of that person automatically. Good or bad, it is never neutral. You can't help your reaction. It is in direct proportion to the way they make you feel. Now think of your own name, how do people think about you?

I remember a thought and I do not know the author. It says:

I may not remember what you said
I may not remember what you did
But I always remember how you made me feel.

My goal for this year is to have anyone hearing my name think of it as a positive.

P.S. How come even in a crowded store when you hear mom or nana. You happily look around for a second, even though you know it's really not for you, hoping it is?

HAPPINESS

I admit it... I am a smiley face junkie and I like happiness. I add them to my notes, I collect them. So fun. An article in LDS Living had some facts about my smiley face and happiness I didn't know.
* 1963 was when it was invented. It was a graphic for an insurance company who wanted a logo to improve their employees moral.
* 1988 was when the phrase"Don't worry be happy" was coined by Bobby McFerrin in his hit song.
* 1 in 3 Americans rank themselves very happy.
* 1 in 3 Americans rank themselves very stressed.
* 71 is the average age of the happiest people.
* 18 minutes was the average time people in the 1950's laughed each day.
* 5 minutes is the average today.
* The U.S. is ranked the 13th! happiest Country in the world.(Shame on Us)
* 5 months is the age in which babies can distinguish between a happy or sad song.
* Every person in the world recognizes the smiley face to represent happiness.
* 112 times young children laugh during the day, the average 42 year old only 6
So don't worry be happy! When things are OK store up your smiles in your happy bank to get you through the hard times. Hey, am I the only one blogging? I thought this was for the family??? :-)

PROGRESS.... It's all in your perspective

Every summer from my 12th year on, we would travel from San Jose and our well trimmed, edged yard to visit Aunt Zelda and Uncle Orville in Fort Jones. (Prior to my manicured lawn, and having a dad, from birth to age 12 I lived among gangs and had full responsibility for two younger siblings.Time for that tale in another story. I actually have been blessed with many "perspectives" in my lifetime) For a week each summer we visited my cousin Cindy. Scott Valley to me, was a world of horses, cowboys, Indians (for real!) pine trees, logging, ranching, farming, fish in the streams and about a million deer. At age 16 my dad decided to move us to Scott Valley. I told him I would run away if he took me away from my friends, we did not move. As I look back, more perspective, it probably would have been a good move. I love it here. I probably would have married a Friden, Heitt or a Thackeray. All really good people. The valley grows really good people.
In 1977 I finally did move here and with $4000.00 we started the very first cable company in Scott Valley. Up to that point they only had access to T.V. through antennas. In 1982 we sold the cable company to the phone company because the cost of operation was becoming prohibitive. In 2009 the cable company is now shutting it's doors because the cost of operation is ..... you guessed it too prohibitive. Customers must choose to use a satellite dish or ANTENNAS.
Well, 32 years later and we still have horses, cowboys, Indians(for real!) pine trees, logging, ranching, farming,fish in the streams and about a million deer. We still grow good people and we still don't have Cable!