my snuggle bugs

Home sick from school.
Cuddles on the couch.
Love these two.

My Talk on Happiness

HAPPINESS

This is something we can all appreciate or want more of in our lives. Learned that there is a HUGE difference between Happiness and Fun.

Fun is just a fleeting moment, but happiness is a lasting thing.

Both fun and happiness are fine, but certainly happiness is the most worth seeking.

Dictionary:

Fun is play, pleasure, gaiety, merriment, source of enjoyment, amusement, to behave playfully, playful, often a noisy activity, and teasing.

Happiness is contentedness, joy, delight, and satisfaction.

Happiness can encompass fun as well, but fun alone will not assure us true happiness.

Children are the best examples of demonstrating true happiness.

Benton- “Best day ever, Mom.”

Do you take time to discover each day how beautiful your life can be? How long has it been since you watched the sun set? Or listened to your children converse with each other? Or took a walk with your spouse for enjoyment? Appreciated the smell of rain? Listened to classical music?

We can find happiness is the simple joys of life.

Sadness, disappointment, and severe challenge are events in life, not life itself.

Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Ne. 2:25).

“And … the burdens … were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord” (Mosiah 24:13–15).

Select something like :

music, dance, sculpture, or poetry.

Being creative will help you enjoy life.

It engenders a spirit of gratitude.

It develops talent, sharpens your capacity to reason, to act, and to find purpose in life.

It dispels loneliness and heartache.

It gives a renewal, a spark of enthusiasm, and zest for life.

Make a list of things you can do for happiness, such as:•

Ponder the scriptures to understand the plan of happiness.• Pray with faith in Jesus Christ.• Love and serve others.• Receive the temple ordinances. Return to bless others.• Listen to the prophet and obey his counsel.• Be grateful for what you have.•
• Take a bubble bath
  
• read a good book
  
• indulge in some chocolate
  
• make cookies with your kids
  Smile more. *
  

In High school I made it a point to smile and say hello to everyone that I passed on my way to class. Even if I didn't know them. It made my high school experience so much more enjoyable because 99% of the time my smile was returned with another. :)

No matter how difficult something you or a loved one faces, it should not take over your life and be the center of all your interest.

Challenges are growth experiences, temporary scenes to be played out on the background of a pleasant life.

Don’t become so absorbed in a single event that you can’t think of anything else or care for yourself or for those who depend upon you.

Remember, much like the mending of the body, the healing of some spiritual and emotional challenges takes time.

You will learn that sadness and disappointment are temporary. Happiness is everlastingly eternal because of Jesus Christ.

Elder Talmage:
“Happiness is true food, wholesome, nutritious and sweet; it builds up the body and generates energy for action, physical, mental and spiritual; pleasure is but a deceiving stimulant which, like spirituous drink, makes one think he is strong when in reality enfeebled; makes him fancy he is well when in fact stricken with deadly malady.
“Happiness leaves no bad aftertaste, it is followed by no depressing reaction; it calls for no repentance, brings no regret, entails no remorse; pleasure too often makes necessary repentance, contrition, and suffering; and, if indulged to the extreme, it brings degradation and destruction.
“True happiness is lived over and over again in memory, always with a renewal of the original good; a moment of unholy pleasure may leave a barbed sting, which, like a thorn in the flesh, is an ever-present source of anguish.”



*Money can't buy happiness.
*Studies show that the novelty of buying something new only lasts 8 months.
Let us search for true happiness in each day. Look to our small children as examples of finding joy in simple things.

The Lord is intent that each of us finds joy. enjoy the beauties of this earth and enrich your relationships with others.

A pebble held close to the eye appears to be a gigantic obstacle. Cast on the ground, it is seen in perspective. - Elder Scott

Likewise, problems or trials in our lives need to be viewed in the perspective of scriptural doctrine. Otherwise they can easily overtake our vision, absorb our energy, and deprive us of the joy and beauty the Lord intends us to receive here on earth.

You are here on earth for a divine purpose.

Let us prove to the Lord:

* patience

• appreciation
• Love for others
• ready to receive more blessings

Learn from inspiring individuals who have made peace with their challenges and live with joy amid adversity.

Not anyone of us are free from challenges, trials or temptations. We can't let them defeat us and we need to be able to find the happiness among the thorns.

Sisters Trip

All of my sisters, except Rachel (we missed her!), jumped on airplanes and met up in Arizona for a weekend get-a-way. Our first stop was to spy on Taylor and Janelle because he had plans to surprise her with the ring. Our job was to deliver the hundredth balloon of a previous series of 99 with reasons he loves Janelle. We dropped off the balloon to the "spot" and ran to hide. We were able to videotape the entire proposal from our secret location without them seeing us. It was great!

Right after the proposal we ate a fabulous dinner at the country club. 

Taylor and Janelle were so cute. After the proposal we assumed they would want to be alone since they are living in separate states at the moment but they wanted to stay with the whole family that night...and all weekend. We had so much fun getting to know Taylor. I think he will fit in just fine!

In the 3 days we were together, we ate out at 5 different restaurants!! We had to get our fill of the yummy food we don't have by us. 

Poor Taylor was the only boy ALL weekend long. And he was such a good sport...even about sitting in a nail salon for 2 hours while we all got mani's and pedi's. 

Alexis joined us and we had a fun visit and a nice soak in the hot tub.

Christine and I sneaked away with Erica for dinner at The Cheesecake Factory one night. We came home with over 5 different cheesecakes! It was so much fun to catch up.

Aunt Heather and Uncle Paul were so generous to all of us and rolled out the red carpet for this wonderful trip.

We played tennis...then took a stroll down memory lane visiting all our old homes and we got to see the new Gilbert Temple...then we relaxed by the pool and picked juicy oranges from the trees in the yard.

(Heather Sandstrom, Laurel Udall)

We got some good shopping in at Scottsdale and Dana Park in Mesa.

The LOVE BIRDS...Taylor and Janelle

On our last night in town, Taylor set up all his DJ equipment and put on a dance party for all of us. 

We dance and jumped around for two hours straight. It was so much fun.

We try to get together as sisters once a year and this year we were able to ALL sneak away without kids...and husbands! 

We love having Hand-Stand-Contests. We've done this since we were kids. My mom just happened to snap a picture of it.

This is a group picture of us sneaking a peek at the proposal of Taylor to Janelle.

We are in the locker room at the Superstition Mountain Country Club.

(BarbaraJo Hatch, Louisa Matheny, Mom (Laurel Udall), Ashlyn Sandstrom, Christine Hull and baby Lincoln, Heather Sandstrom)

Bragging Rights

Ever since Benton was in diapers he was obsessed with "shooting it". ...basketball, that is. He would find anything round and throw it into any sort of basket or box. He got his first hoop when he was one and could barely walk. It has since been his favorite thing to do.
We finally have organized ball for the little kids and it's my turn to watch my boy shine.

I always said I wouldn't be one of those parents who constantly brags about their child's talents...now I am eating my hat.

My three oldest are loving every minute of basketball and having their dad as their coach.

To watch them play with smiles from ear to ear is worth every second!

They have a lot to learn but they are improving each day.

I can tell this is just going to get more and more fun with the older they get. Go Little LOBOS!

The Day of LOVE

We LOVE Valentine's Day around here.

I have a tradition of getting all my kids a special Valentine.

They get to open it first thing in the morning.

I had a bouquet of balloons delivered to them later in the afternoon.

Adalyn was found on top of my dining room table ALL day long with her hands in the candy jar.

Good-morning my loves.

It took Benton the entire day to finish this lollipop.

I even attempted to style the girls' hair in hearts. If you look closely you can see.

Everyone enjoyed a day filled with Valentine parties...a Primary activity...and a romantic steak dinner prepared by Daddy and Benton.

I made these individual heart shaped cherry pies for the parties. I will post the recipe later.

We have been celebrating all week long. It started last week with a Grade School Fundraiser Dinner then we had a special Valentine's Family Home Evening with all the neighbors at the Johnson Home last night. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! 

Luncheon

I planned a birthday luncheon for my good friend Jen.

Everything was PINK.

We had about 15 ladies from town there to celebrate, visit and eat.

Our guest of honor had to go in for a D and C that morning and wasn't able to make it so we celebrated in her honor. I took her all of her gifts and a plate of food when she returned home from the hospital.

For her birthday she found out she miscarried her 12th...she got rear-ended by a bus...and learned she had to get a D and C. Not the most desired birthday surprises.

And yet, she still smiled through it all and even was able to laugh at certain aspects of the day. I really look up to her. She is a great example to me. Happy Birthday Jen!

the weekend...

We were invited to attend a fun birthday party at an indoor pool. We were all enjoying ourselves...splashing...swimming...sliding...and then...

Benton slipped and hit his chin on the side of the pool. He split open his chin. Seconds after this happened I was surrounded by two nurses, a lifeguard and a wife of a surgeon. It was then decided that he needed stitches. The wife of the surgeon got on the phone with her husband and had him bring his sutures home. We were able to escape a trip to the ER thanks to these other party guests. Benton is getting a nice history of injuries to his little 4 year old self.