Rasmania 102

 We gather together---then get sick!  Roy spent the day after Thanksgiving in bed.  I was blessed to make it through my lesson on Sunday, but after my nap felt blasted with the virus.  We haven't been laid flat (other than Roy on Friday) just slowed down.   Wednesday night we had tickets to see Beauty and the Beast at the Hale Center Theater.  We invited Yuna and Ori.  Ori overheard Sara tell Roy on the phone that they had tickets for next week and Ori was going to be able to see it then.  She spoke right up, "I'll see it twice!"  Yuna didn't tell us that she'd already seen it.    Our bishop's wife is Yuna's activity days leader and she works for HCT so she took them all for their activity.  They got a tour of the theater and sat in the VIP seats. However, even if they'd had dual opportunities, it was good for the cousins to be together and I know they both loved the play.  It was fabulous!  Sometimes I think tha...

In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness.  Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity and build strong relationships. People feel and express gratitude in multiple ways.  They can apply it to the past (retrieving positive memories and being thankful for elements of childhood or past blessings). the present (not taking good fortune for granted as it comes), and the future (maintaining a hopeful and optimistic attitude).  Regardless of the inherent or current level of someone's gratitude, it's a quality that individuals can successfully cultivate further. Ways to cultivate gratitude:   Write a thank-you note.   Thank someone mentally.   Keep a gratitude journal.   Count your blessings. Pray.  Meditate. In addition to the above suggestions from Harvard Medical school, we can apply counsel fro...

 When there is an unused companion fare on Delta that has to be used before the end of Thanksgiving, it's time to go to Georgia.  This isn't the first time because we often spend time with the Jackson's for Beverly's birthday.  She was 7 on the 22nd of November (which means at some point next year or early 2026, we'll be back for her baptism!).   We try and take all of our grandchildren on a birthday date when they turn one year older.  The Jackson's don't usually miss out because they don't mind us taking the whole family when we visit.  We started out with just the kids at the toy store and got gifts for both Beverly and Maverick (Mav's birthday is in January), with the other boys getting a little something just for being there.  We took all of them for lunch to make up for the times they don't get to do this, and had Elise and Andy join us for the meal.  Harvey, Elise, Catharine, Mav, Andy, Bevy, Max and Roy The kids like the all you can e...

Harvey's school picture.  He's such a handsome four year-old! Roy and I made another trip up to the Gorge.  This time Roy wanted to set up a Ham radio station in our master closet.  While he was doing that, I went over to Cindy Larsen's and learned some more about quilting with a long arm.  We're both beginners, so I've made mistakes each time.  I'm sure glad I'm not trying to do it to make money!  Everytime we go the scenery is so beautiful.  These deer are always feeding on the top of the ridge at dusk.  This trip there were more buck than we've ever seen (it's the season, apparently).  We saw a huge one (with a wide, four-point rack), but it steered clear so that we couldn't get a picture. On the left: the Gorge is beautful in any season;  On the right: Roy's ham radio station (and printer) We saw this buck on our way home from church, but it was nestled nicely in the shade behind this chain link fence so he was hard to see. ...