And the answer is....

I thought (with the vast amount of people that read my blog) I would have more guesses on what removes red fingernail polish from polyester/nylon Baby Gap pants. Oh well, the answer is....


Yes, bug spray. It works. You saw the result. Buy some next time you are at the grocery store and keep it in your laundry room. I wonder what else it is good for besides repelling bugs.

Bad Grandma. Bad. Bad. Bad Grandma.

For all you young moms that hate childproofing your home, be warned that you never outgrow it. As soon as you think you are done, there are grandkids. Let me tell you my story. Audrey and Eliza were over the other day. I was on my way home from my Institute class while a favorite aunt was hanging with them until I arrived. When I got home, I found out that Eliza (22 months old) had found my YW pedicure basket under the sink in the spare bathroom. Not only did she find it but she was able to open three, yes count them, three bottles of nail polish. Never underestimate Eliza! I had a small dab of red polish on my bathroom rug but Eliza had part of a bottle on her darling Baby Gap pants. See first photo for evidence of most of the spill. It did continue down to the hem.

I knew I had to do something to repair the damage since it was my fault. Thank goodness for google! I found the solution. After 25 minutes of scrubbing her pants with a toothbrush they were as good as new. See second photo.

I'm not going to post my solution. I am wondering if anyone can guess what I used to get out red fingernail polish. No fair googling the answer. And, Matt and Carly, you are exempt from guessing. I will post the answer in a couple of days. Good luck!

The grand total is....

On Friday night, we attended the annual Festival of Trees celebration dinner. This is when all the board members gather at the hospital with their companions and hear the grand total raised through our efforts in behalf of children in need. This year was a tough year for Festival just as it has been for everyone else. But the community still came through and did what they could to support us. Large ticket item sales were down but shops were up. We set a record for the Expo Center with our gate. Over 90,000 people attended our four day event. So, are you ready for the grand total? It was $1,495,840.74.

And, the answer to the question is, "yes." We are already working on this year's Festival of Trees. I have been asked to chair the Aisle of Wreaths. This will be a whole new learning experience for me. I'm excited about the possibilities.

For my friends and family that are always there, thank you for your generous support. I couldn't do it without you. And I really mean that! For those that haven't participated yet, plan on it for this year. It's the best way to start the Christmas season.

I Believe in Christ

I think it is time to put into writing my love for this hymn. Once upon a time, about 24 years ago I was a Relief Society President serving in the Union 20th Ward. When I was first called I was pregnant with Erica. Somehow, with the Lord's help and fabulous counselors, I was able to fulfill the calling. Over a year into the calling, David was put into the bishopric. That brought my concern level to an all time high. The day he was sustained, I remember sitting in the audience by myself with five children, looking up on the stand at my husband with much pride and gratitude for his worthiness. During the meeting we sang a hymn from the then new hymnbook entitled "I Believe in Christ." As we sang the words in the fourth verse, "I believe in Christ, so come what may, with Him I will stand on that great day; When on the earth He comes again to rule among the sons of men" I knew all would be well because I did believe in Christ. The Savior was going to be there by my side helping me with His work. This is when I first fell in love with this hymn.

A few years went by and we moved into a new home. One year after moving in, David was called to be the bishop. My concern level was now on red alert. I didn't know if I had what it would take to be a mother and the wife of the bishop. I remember thinking that if I could only relive my first experience with the hymn I would know Heavenly Father had faith in me. I was teaching Primary at the time. On our way to sharing time we passed by the Relief Society room. The room was filled with angels singing "I Believe in Christ." I stood outside in the hall and wept. It was a tender mercy from a loving Heavenly Father.

There have been other critical times in my life that I have prayed to hear the words of this song and Heavenly Father has answered my prayers. Some were during turbulant teenage years. Some where during personal struggles. The last critical time was when I knew I was being let go from my Young Woman's calling. Today we sang it in Sacrament Meeting as the closing song. Even though we were already five minutes late, the chorister led us in all four verses.

My children know that this hymn is to be sung by the congregation at my funeral. I would like it to be sung with joyful enthusiasm. I think I will have a note put on the funeral program stating such.

The bottom line is this.....I believe in Christ, so come what may.

Who reads my blog?

I thought it would be interesting to put a counter on my blog just for the heck of it. So I did last week. I just checked it and I have 48 hits. Who is reading my blog? I only have five children, a few friends and some family members that know the address. I know it doesn't add up to 48. So, I ask again, who is reading my blog? Leave a comment if you are so inclined. Through reading my entries I hope you have an understanding of how much I love my family and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Have a great day and continue reading....

My Testimony of Families

I was asked by the Relief Society to comment on this month's Visiting Teaching message for their newsletter. I thought I would post it in hopes that it gives peace to others facing struggles with their families.

Being a mother is the most difficult job on the earth. It is also the most rewarding job on the earth. And I know that as we come closer to the Second Coming, mothering is going to become even harder. The great thing about this hard job is that Heavenly Father has given us easy guidelines to help us be successful. I have reared five children and now have almost eleven grandchildren. It hasn’t been easy. If you have lived in the ward long enough, you will know there were some scary times for me as a mother. But I have been very blessed to have my wandering children wander back home before I anticipated that they might return. I take no credit for their return but I do feel strongly that we were blessed as a family because we made the choice to incorporate the following in our routine -- We read as a family each morning from the Book of Mormon and followed up with a family prayer. We knelt in prayer as a family at the end of each day. We held Family Home Evening. We served together. We worked together. We played together. We went to church together. The key word is “together.” The willingness level often left something to be desired, but we were together as a family.

There were times that I wondered if my children would return but I knew that I would be blessed through my desire to be obedient. I clung to this doctrine taught by Joseph Smith “....the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold onto the with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God” (CR, 4-29, p.110).

Serving as a Sealing Room Host in the Draper Temple this past month reinforced my love for Heavenly Father’s divine plan for families. Now I look forward to supporting my children in their role as parents. I anticipate they will have some tough times but I know they will be blessed if they make the choice to follow Heavenly Father’s guidelines. I am grateful for the Atonement. I am grateful our Savior makes up the difference after all we can do. I have seen His hand in my life and in the lives of my children. I am grateful to be a wife, a mother, and a grandmother!

Pama and Papa and Ten

If you know me, you know I love being around my family....it is the best place to be! At our last family gathering we attempted to take a picture with Pama and Papa and all our grandchildren. It was fun for us. Some of the kids didn't mind and some of them hated it. You can pretty much determine their personality types by the way they responded to my request for a photo. But we're all together on one couch for one minute and I have a memory I won't soon forget.

New mommies with new babies

We had a family dinner last Sunday at Clay and Jen's home. Here are the newest additions to our family. They are three weeks apart and I'm sure they will become great friends as they grow up together.

New Calling

What could be as good as working with 20 plus teenage girls? How about ten -- nine and ten year old girls in Primary? But I have to admit I'm a bit selfish. I wish I had them for Activity Days and that I taught every Sunday. I'm so excited to get to know them and fill my life with again with girls and giggles.

Draper Utah Temple Openhouse Assignments

Our turn to help with the temple openhouse is over and done. It was a remarkable opportunity. David spent his two shifts directing traffic into one of the four stake centers used for the starting point of the tour. Gratefully the weather held. It was cold and windy part of the time but it never rained or snowed on him. My first shift was to help in the reception area with the food (cookies and water). I was on the early shift -- starting at 7:00 a.m. Tours began at 8:30 a.m. We stocked shelves and filled trays and then sat on the stage, behind the curtain, for most of the rest of three hours. There wasn't alot of cookie traffic that early in the morning. My second shift was what I affectionately call, "Tour Guide Barbie." I rode on a bus that took 55 people to the temple. During the six minute ride I read a prepared script about temple work and the new temple. It took about 25-30 minutes for a round trip from stake center to temple and back. I probably did eight trips. It was much more interactive and interesting. I did learn not to wear a broomstick skirt on windy days.
After bus and parking lot duty we spent a couple more hours inside the temple helping visitors enter and leave the sealing rooms. I loved watching their faces as they came out.


Our very very favorite assignment was being Sealing Room Hosts. David and I did this together. We had about three minutes per group to explain the purpose for sealing rooms in the temples. David spoke of the sealing power given to Peter by the Savior. I followed by sharing what being sealed to my sweetheart and my family meant to us. We then invited them to look in the mirrors for a glimpse of eternity. We figured we were able to share our feelings about eternal families to over 800 people. I love the temple! I get to be with my family forever!

This is what I got for Valentines....

David and I planned "no gifts" for Valentines this year. Instead we wanted crab and seafood for dinner--preferably at Market Street Grill. We knew we had to go early to beat the Valentine rush so we planned for an early dinner. As we were walking out the door, Talya called and informed us that she was at the hospital being checked. So we modified our plans. We decided upon McGrath's in case we had to make a quick departure. It was good we changed plans. If the waiter had been on top of things we probably would have had time to eat. Instead we changed our order to takeout of clam chowder and crab and artichoke appetizer and we ate on the road to Ogden. We weren't too disappointed because we knew that Ogden Regional's famous cheese fries were waiting.

We arrived at the hospital around 6:30 p.m. and watched Tessa Marjorie enter the world at 8:38 p.m. She was a bit stubborn about turning and making things easier but in the last push she flew out and just about slipped through the midwife's hands. Talya used hypnobirthing again and did a fabulous job! I am so amazed at how easily she has babies. But considering how hard her pregnancies are, she deserves an easy childbirth. Tessa was 6 pounds 4 ounces and 19 inches long.

Grandchild #9 - Camille Mae Hansen

Clayton and Jenny welcomed Millie Mae into their family on Friday, January 23rd at 9:52 a.m. She weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. Everyone's question is -- "Where was Jen hiding her?" And the answer is -- "I don't know." She is a beautiful baby and very much loved by her parents and grandparents. We are so excited to have another blessing from heaven in our family.

Clayton has a new subject for his love of photography. Looks like Millie doesn't mind be photographed. Isn't she beautiful? She's a week old in these photos.

I Love to See the Temple

We just returned from doing a session in the Jordan River Temple. It's a good place to be when I can't go to Young Women's anymore. There has been a lot of emphasis on the temple in our ward the past few weeks - much of it about the Draper Temple since we will be in its district. We had a wonderful Stake Conference centered on the temple and eternal families last weekend. David and I attended the Open House a couple of weeks ago and then I went again with some of "my girls." We both have attended training sessions for helping out at the Open House. But the best was a phone call Sunday night from President Jensen. He asked us if we would be Sealing Room Hosts. We are excited to be able to share our testimonies of temples and eternal families with those attending the Open House. We are honored and humbled to be considered for such an incredible opportunity.

I have thought a lot about temples and eternity lately. If I wasn't already a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I would join the minute I heard this doctrine. I love my husband and my family so much that the thought of not being with them forever is more than I can bear. And if families are forever, then I know that friends are forever also. What incredible doctrine! It makes sense and offers comfort and peace. I am grateful to have the knowledge of eternity and the blessings of the temple in my life. I love to see the temple!

It's over....

The greatest period of time in my life of church service is over. I was released as the Young Women President on January 11th. There is a hole in my heart that will never be filled. It is selfish of me, I know, but I loved loved loved hanging out with the girls twice a week. How can you not love being with them?!? They are the chosen generation. What a privilege and an honor it was to be in their midst. Besides being with the girls, I got to rub shoulders with some incredible women! many of them I didn't know until we worked together. I will be forever grateful for their examples and their testimonies.

I started out back in February 2002 serving as Mia Maid counselor to Judy Saunders, then to Susie Steenblik. In August 2004 I served as Laurel advisor to Linda Hustedt. In June 2006 I was called to be the YW President. I was honored and thrilled with the call but I knew that when I was released the chances of staying in the YW program were pretty much non-existent. And I was right. I hope someday I can serve the girls again and not be considered "too old" to be with them.

I learned so many incredible lessons through the years from "my girls." Some of them are --
1- Don't be afraid
2- Be a friend
3- Learn all you can
4- Try new things
5- Be enthusiastic
6- Give it your all
7- Ask questions
8- Get involved
9- Share your talents
10- Don't waste time
11- Jump in with both feet
12- Live life to the fullest
13- Express appreciation
14- Have fun
15- Smile
16- But most of all, I learned how much Heavenly Father loves His daughters and with the Savior's help I can do what is required of me.

Candy Canes and Granddaughters

I'm glad the background of my blog looks similar to a candy cane. It is so appropriate for this story.... Friday night Matt was visiting my house with Shae (6), Audrey (4) and Eliza (18 months). Lindsay was with her family participating in a service project. After checking out all of my Christmas decorations, Shae spotted some regular size candy canes in my kitchen. She pointed them out and talked about them. I knew she was dying to have one of her own, so I asked her, "What do you think your mommy would say if I gave you a whole big candy cane?" (At this time of year I don't want to be too responsible for providing a sugar overload.) Shae hestitated and hummed and hawed, but Audrey immediately spoke up and said, "Mommy's not here." I couldn't stop laughing! She was right but Daddy was there and he heard her. We compromised and smashed the candy canes into small pieces. Sprinkled them onto vanilla ice cream with chocolate topping. It's a holiday story I won't forget!