Well I thought I would tell a really funny date story. I have already told it to some of you but I wanted to tell it to the rest of you. So Mom has already heard it and i am not to sure what she thought of it but that is okay. Anyway, on Saturday I went on a date with this really cool girl. We had a group date with some of my roommates. We made fruit pizza. We made like a sugar cookie crust and some of us cut up fruit. We put mango, kiwi, strawberries, blackberries, and bananas on it. It was really yummy. So in all of this I was talking with this girl and she was asking me about my major. I haven't decided yet but I am kind of leaning towards biology or business. Then after getting my major I am thinking of going to optometry school. She asked me what did optometry have to do with and I looked at her and she at me as I winked at her I said the eyes. She was like oh I can't wink. Then after the date we texted for a little bit and in one of her texts she sent me a winky face. I said look you can wink. She said you should go into optometry because I think you just fixed my eyes.
Anyway it was pretty funny. ;)
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Sunday, November 16, 2014
A Long One-- Written For Jared with all of you in mind
Disclaimer: Other parallels can be me drawn, This is based on personal experience of one soul---
At Lydia's school, these eight habits, are taught and ingrained in all the curriculum. They come from a book called Eight Habits of Highly Effective People.by Stephen Covey.
It has been great to learn right along with on how to be a more effective person.
I say this to myself..... a lot lately...I sometimes want to blame my circumstance or life. " Oh I didn't get this done so its because Ben's always gone!Or its my houses fault that it doesn't stay clean. If only it was nicer. Or its because I moved...again." While some of this is true I decided that I didn't want to become a victim of circumstance.
Seeing it through the eyes of a child, Lydia, has helped me know that I can learn, grow, and become, no matter what.
Begin with the End in Mind- Keep an Eternal Perspective!
Oh! An eternal perspective.... Can't put it into words. I have learned that you can be happy no matter what and that an eternal perspective can add to that happiness.I thought of you that other day when I was studying the commandments in Preach My Gospel. I was surprised that I had never really thought about scripture study and prayer as being a commandment. Through this outpouring of personal revelation I discovered a joy. Keeping the Commandments =Happiness. I felt a great connection to my covenants and I was happy, truly on a spiritual happiness high!! I felt so blessed even though Ben had been gone for twenty days straight.Such a blessing and tender mercy to know there is eternal happiness.
He has been working in Broadus Mt.He was was even working weekends and he couldn't come home. He finally came home for about twenty four hours on day 22 (November 10th) and now he will be home on the 21st. After Thanksgiving he will be able to com home every night( sigh)On December 12th he retakes his failed portion on his lineman exam and then ..... That's as far as we know.
He also has been working in -20 to -30 below zero weather and he shot a a buck white tailed deer.
Seek first to understand then to be Seek to be understood!-- Find out what the Lord would have you do!! Be humble! Listen to the spirit.
Kind of hashed this one already but I have been learning about how to find my voice! but also to listen better!! See habit Find your Voice.
Put first things first!-- Put the Lord first!
Work first then play--as they teach Lydia! I know I was taught this one too - Thanks Mom and Dad" I have been attempting to prioritize my day--
Think win, Win!- -This is described as a finding solutions that can help everyone feel happy and loved- Gospel parallel-The gospel is the answer to a lot of problems but the love of the Lord comes first. - "A person to be loved is more important than a problem to be solved."- Thomas S Monson.
Synergize!- Work together to get results.-- Gospel connection-- Gather together visiting teaching/home aching Be There for others Serve
I am proud of your service buddy!! Keep going!
Sharpen the Saw!- This is so include activities that provide a sense of physical, emotional/social and mental/intellectual renewal. -- Study scriptures, Pray-- Article of Faith 13
I have a goal to study Hebrew fifteen minutes a day! Would you check up on me and see how I am doing?
Find your Voice!!--Be true to your self!
So I have been reading this book called Daring Greatly by Brene Brown.
I am only eighty pages into and have already learned so much. Its all about being vulnerable and true o yourself and others especially those that you love. When I think a self conscious thought.. like when I am worried about offending someone. I stop myself and think why worry I am showing them who I am! Especially when it is towards someone that I care about. I hope to become more confident and bold in sharing ... My testimony, my feelings. My not worrying about myself I actually start thinking of others more. I feel more connected in know what they need. Hence the reason why I wrote so much in this email. I have been quiet in sharing what is going on in my life.
Eli and I are doing home school preschool. We are going to start studying animals around the world.
Anna is such a character. She defiantly has a voice. She loves eating at the table with us. She mimics us. She know please and more ins sign language. When you say ready set go! She will race you up the stairs.
Whew ! Well Love you bro!
Hurrah for Israel!
Linda Lee
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
1,2,3
Dating one, two, and three.
Well it is November and things are cooling down in Rexburg. It has been a pretty good semester so far. I have gone a quite a few dates and I am about one step closer to understanding women. It seems that women are about as easy to understand as it is to see polar bears eating marshmallows in a snow storm. Don't worry I have had some good advice and sooner or later something will work out.
Going back a bit I really enjoyed the hunting trip. It was great fun with the family. I seemed to always lose out and I had to finish off all of the food. It was probably the fullest that I have been for a really long time. Anyway there was some really good cooking. We were also fortunate to see a moose. I think next year I will have to put in fora moose tag because they are so calm and don't spoke because they are the king of the forest. Now speaking about Joshua. He seems to not be getting his fair amount of beating on because when he was with Joseph and me he sure dished it out. He would even dish it out if I didn't eat like a piece of bread or drink some soda. Of course i dished it back out to him and he had to fight unfairly.
Well I will let you all know more later.
Love you
Well it is November and things are cooling down in Rexburg. It has been a pretty good semester so far. I have gone a quite a few dates and I am about one step closer to understanding women. It seems that women are about as easy to understand as it is to see polar bears eating marshmallows in a snow storm. Don't worry I have had some good advice and sooner or later something will work out.
Going back a bit I really enjoyed the hunting trip. It was great fun with the family. I seemed to always lose out and I had to finish off all of the food. It was probably the fullest that I have been for a really long time. Anyway there was some really good cooking. We were also fortunate to see a moose. I think next year I will have to put in fora moose tag because they are so calm and don't spoke because they are the king of the forest. Now speaking about Joshua. He seems to not be getting his fair amount of beating on because when he was with Joseph and me he sure dished it out. He would even dish it out if I didn't eat like a piece of bread or drink some soda. Of course i dished it back out to him and he had to fight unfairly.
Well I will let you all know more later.
Love you
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Champions, Heros, and Family - Part I
Champions, Heros, and Family. They are synonymous in my thesaurus. Everyone in the family is my hero. I look up to each member. I want to be just like them. We are all champions too. I was actually thinking that we could have "We are the Champions" as our theme song. We could each learn it on our respective musical instruments and then play it to kick off every reunion. :)
The first hero I would like to write about comes from the hunting trip that happened a little less than a month ago. Eliza, Hyrum, and I drove miles and miles and hours and hours and days and days to go spend some time with family and hopefully get some much needed meat in the process. Hyrum could be the designated hero for how well he did in the car, but this story is about another hero. We were all excited to be in the mountains together, but we were also very excited to perhaps get a deer. For some of us (John, James, and Cody), it was a first chance to shoot a deer. The excitement was high as we headed out the first morning. We walked up a mountain while it was still mostly dark. At the top we decided on what we thought was the best plan of action, and split up. After a couple hours we hadn't seen hair nor hide nor even feces of deer. The excitement began to fade and the two younger hunters who had never before shot a deer went to try their luck for rabbits using bows.
We decided to try a new location. It took a couple of stops and some serious map studying before we found something we liked. Papa Tillery had James, Cody, and Mckay in his truck. Luke and Papa Erickson were in the front of his truck with Joshua, John and me in the back. One of the curious things about all the stops, was what happened each time we got back in the truck. There seemed to be a ceremonial scuffling that took place before the back seat of Luke's truck was filled. I can't quite pinpoint the origin of the ceremony, but once inside the truck, I do know that the brother in the middle seemed to get roughed up by the other two sitting on either side. John seemed to spend a lot of time in the middle. I also spent my fair share, but Joshua, either by his knack for lollygagging or smarts, didn't ride in the middle, until finally John and I cornered him. This turned out to be a bad idea. It was like cornering a badger or getting between a mother moose and her calf or like trying to get a peaceful sleep with a toddler between you. Joshua was "rowdier than a bull in a china closet." John and I did all we could to restrain him, but I think we both knew that sitting in the middle was the better alternative. Before we even got to our destination, all three of us were worn out and we ended up playing bobblehead in the back. This is where you fall asleep and let the bouncing of the car determine where your head goes. This was fun. I think that I only hit the window with my head a few times. :)
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We arrived at the next camping spot mostly unscathed and started to get excited for the evening hunt. Somehow we started talking about who would get the first shot if we saw something. Luke said that it should go to the person who had traveled the farthest. Although I appreciated the gesture, I said that those who hadn't shot a deer yet should get the first shot. Somewhat jokingly I said I would be happy to claim the first deer meat. The evening hunt came, we split up, heard gunshots, wondered who got the deer, and went back to camp. Come to find out, Cody made a great shot and downed a doe. The first thing he said to me was that I could have the meat as long as he could have the heart. Now that is a Hero. He generously gave Eliza and I his first deer. Not only that but his example of wanting to say a prayer of gratitude right after getting the deer made him a hero worth emulating.
The first hero I would like to write about comes from the hunting trip that happened a little less than a month ago. Eliza, Hyrum, and I drove miles and miles and hours and hours and days and days to go spend some time with family and hopefully get some much needed meat in the process. Hyrum could be the designated hero for how well he did in the car, but this story is about another hero. We were all excited to be in the mountains together, but we were also very excited to perhaps get a deer. For some of us (John, James, and Cody), it was a first chance to shoot a deer. The excitement was high as we headed out the first morning. We walked up a mountain while it was still mostly dark. At the top we decided on what we thought was the best plan of action, and split up. After a couple hours we hadn't seen hair nor hide nor even feces of deer. The excitement began to fade and the two younger hunters who had never before shot a deer went to try their luck for rabbits using bows.
We decided to try a new location. It took a couple of stops and some serious map studying before we found something we liked. Papa Tillery had James, Cody, and Mckay in his truck. Luke and Papa Erickson were in the front of his truck with Joshua, John and me in the back. One of the curious things about all the stops, was what happened each time we got back in the truck. There seemed to be a ceremonial scuffling that took place before the back seat of Luke's truck was filled. I can't quite pinpoint the origin of the ceremony, but once inside the truck, I do know that the brother in the middle seemed to get roughed up by the other two sitting on either side. John seemed to spend a lot of time in the middle. I also spent my fair share, but Joshua, either by his knack for lollygagging or smarts, didn't ride in the middle, until finally John and I cornered him. This turned out to be a bad idea. It was like cornering a badger or getting between a mother moose and her calf or like trying to get a peaceful sleep with a toddler between you. Joshua was "rowdier than a bull in a china closet." John and I did all we could to restrain him, but I think we both knew that sitting in the middle was the better alternative. Before we even got to our destination, all three of us were worn out and we ended up playing bobblehead in the back. This is where you fall asleep and let the bouncing of the car determine where your head goes. This was fun. I think that I only hit the window with my head a few times. :)
We arrived at the next camping spot mostly unscathed and started to get excited for the evening hunt. Somehow we started talking about who would get the first shot if we saw something. Luke said that it should go to the person who had traveled the farthest. Although I appreciated the gesture, I said that those who hadn't shot a deer yet should get the first shot. Somewhat jokingly I said I would be happy to claim the first deer meat. The evening hunt came, we split up, heard gunshots, wondered who got the deer, and went back to camp. Come to find out, Cody made a great shot and downed a doe. The first thing he said to me was that I could have the meat as long as he could have the heart. Now that is a Hero. He generously gave Eliza and I his first deer. Not only that but his example of wanting to say a prayer of gratitude right after getting the deer made him a hero worth emulating.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Well lets just start with the last few weeks.
I went to a Homecoming dance. It was the semi-formal one, so we dressed up. I really enjoyed it. My roommate and I were going to get a group of people together to go, but we ended up just us two as the other people went out of town or withdrew support. That night I had a spanish test (I did well on it for those of you who weren't asking), so I got home a little later than planned. We had planned on making dinner and eating at 7 and then dancing at 8. Well I got home around 6:45 or 6:30 and my roommate John was still out shopping. He said that he was going to pick up his date at 7:30. So I told my date the same thing. John is a great guy... bless his heart (I heard you're supposed to say that before you say something remotely negative) Anyhow John decided to do his whole weekly shopping and he didn't get back to the apartment until 7:10 or so. So I laid down our options. John opted for making the food with the girls. We both went to pick up our respective dates at 7:30. The girl I took lives in the same building as we do, but on the other side close to the street. On the guys side is a parking lot, so I drove over to the other side, picked her up (taking care to open her door) and then I brought her back to our apartment. :)
We made coconut breaded chicken, a greek salad, green beans, and rice pilaf (from a box). I worked on the chicken. My date helped me with the chicken, and she worked with John's date on the salad. John worked his box magic.
"My date", "My girl", "My dance partner" - shall hereafter be referred to as Erika.
"John's date", "John's friend", "John's girl" - will be known by her name of Tatiana.
Tatiana is the one with blond hair... Oh wait! that can't be right... She is actually the one on the left... my left...haha.
Anyhow. we just talked and made dinner. I drizzled some honey on the chicken and we ate that. It was tastified! The salad was awesome too.
We left for the dance.
We danced at the shop at Riverwoods. It was good. They had some cool lighting and a cookie bar. They had a fondue fountain and dipping treats. They also had chocolate milk and regular milk. (byu creamery of course) So Erika and I, even being full from dinner, made sure to get a glass of milk. After they dance they handed out sparklers and lit them up as we went outside. :) that was fun too.
This last weekend I went to Vera Lyn's and Scott's house for a halloween shindig. Aaron and Angeana, Evan and Ann, Chris and Chrissy, Corey and Sydney, Kent and Denise and Braden, and Vera Lyn's neighbor family were all there. It was good. There was baked potato soup, and a seven layer dip and other good yummy things. Vera Lyn had some ginger, rice, and sweet potato and corn chips. They were spicy and they were faintly sweet, but they didn't have a stong ginger flavor. You couldn't even tell that it was ginger until you looked at the bag.
I played with the kids. It is fun to get to know the little astle girls as well as Aaron and Angeana's kids and of course Vera Lyn's and Scott's.
We had a contest of eating doughnuts off a string. I wasn't going to go in the second round of competition. I had planned to go in the third round, but there was an extra doughnut, so I got off to a late start. I was eating next to Aaron, so I would reach around him and poke him in the side. He is kind of ticklish, and he had a hard time laughing the doughnut into his stomach. I think that my braces have expanded my mouth because I was able to take huge chunks out of my doughnut. Braden was doing well, but Aaron kept elbowing him (I don't know if he thought Braden was tickling him or not). I was relatively untouched, and I zoomed to victory with my nitro braces!
Then other people did it too. It was funny to see Addy (Evan and Ann's girl) She just started going before everyone was ready because she just wanted to eat a doughnut!
Other people got some good sticky faces. Christopher was going at his doughnut daintily (he had eaten one small bite) and everyone else was close to finishing, so Vera Lyn pasted his doughnut on his face when he went to take a bite. haha!
PS I dressed up as a pirate...
And this week for halloween I also dressed up as a pirate.
I dressed up as Jimmer Fredette for one occasion earlier this week. My roommate Paul has a King's jersey that says Fredette on it.
My pirate yesterday and my pirate last week are definitely different, so I will try to get a picture of both of them.
:)
And somewhere in there (Two weeks ago on sunday)
Sara Bingham and I went and visited Grandpa Stratford. We ate some raspberry cream cheese, byu creamery, ice cream with him. :) one thing I learned as I talked to Grandpa was that he really enjoys the stuffing in a Thanksgiving dinner. he also really enjoys the cranberries and the cranberry sauce I haven't really known what grandpa stratford enjoys about Thanksgiving dinner I think because we haven't had Thanksgiving dinner with him a lot and it was good to talk to him about some of his likes get to know him more
I went to a Homecoming dance. It was the semi-formal one, so we dressed up. I really enjoyed it. My roommate and I were going to get a group of people together to go, but we ended up just us two as the other people went out of town or withdrew support. That night I had a spanish test (I did well on it for those of you who weren't asking), so I got home a little later than planned. We had planned on making dinner and eating at 7 and then dancing at 8. Well I got home around 6:45 or 6:30 and my roommate John was still out shopping. He said that he was going to pick up his date at 7:30. So I told my date the same thing. John is a great guy... bless his heart (I heard you're supposed to say that before you say something remotely negative) Anyhow John decided to do his whole weekly shopping and he didn't get back to the apartment until 7:10 or so. So I laid down our options. John opted for making the food with the girls. We both went to pick up our respective dates at 7:30. The girl I took lives in the same building as we do, but on the other side close to the street. On the guys side is a parking lot, so I drove over to the other side, picked her up (taking care to open her door) and then I brought her back to our apartment. :)
We made coconut breaded chicken, a greek salad, green beans, and rice pilaf (from a box). I worked on the chicken. My date helped me with the chicken, and she worked with John's date on the salad. John worked his box magic.
"My date", "My girl", "My dance partner" - shall hereafter be referred to as Erika.
"John's date", "John's friend", "John's girl" - will be known by her name of Tatiana.
Tatiana is the one with blond hair... Oh wait! that can't be right... She is actually the one on the left... my left...haha.
Anyhow. we just talked and made dinner. I drizzled some honey on the chicken and we ate that. It was tastified! The salad was awesome too.
We left for the dance.
We danced at the shop at Riverwoods. It was good. They had some cool lighting and a cookie bar. They had a fondue fountain and dipping treats. They also had chocolate milk and regular milk. (byu creamery of course) So Erika and I, even being full from dinner, made sure to get a glass of milk. After they dance they handed out sparklers and lit them up as we went outside. :) that was fun too.This last weekend I went to Vera Lyn's and Scott's house for a halloween shindig. Aaron and Angeana, Evan and Ann, Chris and Chrissy, Corey and Sydney, Kent and Denise and Braden, and Vera Lyn's neighbor family were all there. It was good. There was baked potato soup, and a seven layer dip and other good yummy things. Vera Lyn had some ginger, rice, and sweet potato and corn chips. They were spicy and they were faintly sweet, but they didn't have a stong ginger flavor. You couldn't even tell that it was ginger until you looked at the bag.
I played with the kids. It is fun to get to know the little astle girls as well as Aaron and Angeana's kids and of course Vera Lyn's and Scott's.
We had a contest of eating doughnuts off a string. I wasn't going to go in the second round of competition. I had planned to go in the third round, but there was an extra doughnut, so I got off to a late start. I was eating next to Aaron, so I would reach around him and poke him in the side. He is kind of ticklish, and he had a hard time laughing the doughnut into his stomach. I think that my braces have expanded my mouth because I was able to take huge chunks out of my doughnut. Braden was doing well, but Aaron kept elbowing him (I don't know if he thought Braden was tickling him or not). I was relatively untouched, and I zoomed to victory with my nitro braces!
Then other people did it too. It was funny to see Addy (Evan and Ann's girl) She just started going before everyone was ready because she just wanted to eat a doughnut!
Other people got some good sticky faces. Christopher was going at his doughnut daintily (he had eaten one small bite) and everyone else was close to finishing, so Vera Lyn pasted his doughnut on his face when he went to take a bite. haha!
PS I dressed up as a pirate...
And this week for halloween I also dressed up as a pirate.
My pirate yesterday and my pirate last week are definitely different, so I will try to get a picture of both of them.:)
And somewhere in there (Two weeks ago on sunday)
Sara Bingham and I went and visited Grandpa Stratford. We ate some raspberry cream cheese, byu creamery, ice cream with him. :) one thing I learned as I talked to Grandpa was that he really enjoys the stuffing in a Thanksgiving dinner. he also really enjoys the cranberries and the cranberry sauce I haven't really known what grandpa stratford enjoys about Thanksgiving dinner I think because we haven't had Thanksgiving dinner with him a lot and it was good to talk to him about some of his likes get to know him more
Updated my blog
And I did a lot of little posts so be sure to scroll down, maybe even to another page.
threekindsoftanners.blogspot.com
threekindsoftanners.blogspot.com
Thursday, October 23, 2014
John's fun Coming Home weekend! Now in HD!!
You might just click on the YouTube button to see it in a bigger screen.
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