~I Finished My Goal~

Remember this post. My goal was to clean my garage by June 15 which was the next Bishop's Youth Discussion. I lucked out that BYD was pushed back one week until today. How crazy was I thinking that I could clean my garage during costume/end-of-school year season. But, on Friday I did it. I paid my kids to help me clean my garage. See the new and improved version:

Shelves for the Bear, canning jars, painting supplies, and some of our camping supplies (rest is under stairs).

I finally put all the stuff I use outside in one place. Mona Lisa and Ratchet both commmented on how they don't have to "try and separate their bikes from everything." And I can actually get to the door to unlock it from the inside.

Another view of the outside stuff.

This is my shelf for items to give to relatives and friends and Goodwill stuff. The top shelves have a few house project items for easier access.

It feels really good to have an organized space. My house is in complete disarray and I was tempted to clean it first, but I realized the problem with the rest of my house is that I really need to purge and I needed a space to purge it to. Now I feel I can really start to declutter and rid myself of the unnecessary items that fill my life.

~My Little Girl Is All Grown Up~

Our neighbor Mrs. B. is a substitute teacher. Today she substituted in Mona Lisa's class. I asked her if she got any special privileges because she knows her. She said, "I don't think so but, she wants me to babysit for her."

Um, two things. Mrs. B. doesn't have any children at home. And my daughter is only nine.

But apparently Mrs. B. has a meeting every Thursday and one of the attendees has a five-year-old daughter. She wants to pay Mona Lisa to come over and entertain the little girl during the meeting so she isn't a distraction.

Mona Lisa says, "I think I want to try it. (and then she does her scientific, list-making, analysis thing) I could learn how to babysit. It's what I did when with the twins when we went to help out with the triplets. You could just walk me over or I could climb the fence. I don't really care about the money, I just want to learn to be a good babysitter."

Analysis wins. It looks as if my little girl is getting her first job at the ripe old age of nine. Even the Bear was impressed.

~Have and Have Nots~

Neighbor Jane Payne is blogger who writes a newsletter. In honor of her 200th newsletter she put out this list of 200 things. She invited anyone who wanted to put them in their blog as a way of journaling some things they have or have not done in their life.

All you have to do is copy the list and bold what you have done.

200 Have and Have Nots!

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
(going tomorrow for the first time)
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress perston
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
(I'm getting there)
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

I was hoping for at least half. I only have 97. I think I have some work to do!!!

Do it. It takes less time than you think.

~Always Abounding In Good Works~

The theme for Young Women this year is: "Be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works" (Mosiah 5:15). As a presidency we decided to emphasize the Good Works part of the scripture. We have a poster board with the words Good Works divided into squares. Each week we ask the young women and leaders if they've done any good works during the past week. If they have then they get to color in a square and after it's all filled in we'll have a party.Recently we "upped the ante" and are encouraging them to go out of their way to serve others. I've been very conscious of this and have really looked each week to do something so I can be an example to them.

So, today I had an amazing experience and wanted to tell someone so I decided to blog it.

I was grocery shopping and I was on a time constraint. It seemed that in my errands throughout the day people were just being inconsiderate. For example, parking their cart in the middle of the aisle and walking away or having conversations in front of the item I was trying to get. So, by the time I hit the grocery store I wasn't feeling very charitable at all.

On my list was cereal. In the cereal section they were having a special of buy 3 for $7 and then get a free gallon of milk. Because my family is allergic to dairy, I wasn't going to get the milk. But, as I reached the dairy department, I felt really strongly to get the milk. And I was frustrated because then I knew I would have to go out of my way to get rid of it. But, I thought, I'll just give it to B. (our neighbor) when I pick him and my kids up from school. Then as I was leaving the store I saw a family with three kids. I stopped and explained that it was free and since they had three kids I thought they might be able to use it. They were very surprised, but said yes and took the milk. As I walked out of the store (and even now as I'm writing about it) I started to cry. The spirit has been so strong in regards to this. I don't know the family and I will probably never see them again, but for some reason I know I was supposed to give them the milk.

I am so grateful for experiences like this to remind me that Heavenly Father can see the big picture and knows what people need. I know that I really needed this experience today and am grateful for the promptings of the spirit.

The hymn "Have I Done Any Good?" has been going through my mind so, I'll leave you with the words:

Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone's burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?

There are chances for work all around just now,
Opportunities right in our way.
Do not let them pass by, saying "Sometime I'll try,"
But go and do something today.
'Tis noble of man to work and to give;
Love's labor has merit alone.
Only he who does something helps others to live.
To God each good work will be known.

Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love.

(Text and music by Will L. Thompson)

~Fun Game~

I found this fun game. You answer questions and then choose a picture that describes you. This is mine: Comment if you decide to play along so I can see a description of you.

The concept:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.

The Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name