So for Thanksgiving I stayed in town. I went to a friends house in Mesa. It was FUN! It was a good time just to relax and not worry about things travel, cleaning, baking, etc. watch some TV and listen to the rain that night. Then I was up at 5:30am the next morning to work at Eddie Bauer at 7. I wanted to get up early to get there some what early to get a parking spot in the mall. We weren't too busy. I left at 12.
Saturday I decorated for Christmas. I have a miniature Christmas tree, I have a couple of manger senses and a garland on my book case and a wreath that says "Will work for Snow". Several years ago my father did the snow removal for the church so we waited for the snow to fall for work.

The people I am Grateful for!

Tis the Season

I tag YOU! Post your favorite picture of the Christ.

The Reason for the Season

This post is really to help keep the focus of Christmas. I LOVE this picture. What a humble child? This is truly the reason for the Christmas season. This is why we have Christmas to remember His birth and His sacrifices. Every year my mom would listen to Christmas music Nov. 1st you might say that is early but why not yet in the Christmas spirit early to remember all of what he has done for each of us. Christmas is one month from today! WOW how time flies. I was reading today in the December Ensign. Here is a quote from President Monson "True happiness comes only by making others happy- the practical application of the Savior's doctrine of losing one's life to gain it. The Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to kind deeds of service." "Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit... To catch the real meaning of the "spirit of Christmas," we need to drop the last syllable, and it becomes the "Spirit of Christ."

I love this season of giving. My family every year would have a dinner and program for the older single ladies in the ward. My brother called them our old wrinkle friends. It was about 8 to 10 of them. We would go pick them up and take them to our house. Mom would make stew and homemade rolls and would make a pumpkin cake for dessert. Then we would do the nativity and sing songs. Then we would take them home, on the way home we would take them to see the lights around town.

Another thing we would do is find a few families that just moved in or someone who needed something for Christmas and do the 12 days of Christmas.

I love Christmas. My last post was not let it be a focus on me but to help my sister give her ideas for Santa. I try to give more then I will receive cause that is the meaning of Christmas. If fact I don't want anything.

My Christmas wish list

I was in Flagstaff this weekend visiting family and I asked my niece and nephew what they wanted for Christmas. They couldn't give me an answer. They like anything. My niece wanted some dolls with outfits that go with the doll, my nephew didn't really know what he wanted. But these kids are really easy to please. I am the same way. I will just be grateful to spend time with family and that we can all get along and be kind to each other!!!
Here is my wish list for Santa. Not in any such order.

1. The Twilight series book set
   


2. An iPod



3. Purse


4. Cookbook- some ideas of quick and easy recipes for on the go.


5. Beads /tools

Being a little crafty for the holidays

This is what I have been up too the last couple of days! Being crafty!!! I found this turkey on the Michaels website to make for Thanksgiving! He is easy, cheap, and fun to make.

Sparrow

Here is another picture from Greg Olsen. Our Savior knows each sparrow. He cares for something so small. He loves and cares for us. He loves us and wants us to be happy and to reach out to others. I am reading the book by Elder Eyring called To Draw Closer to God. He asks a question How can I touch a life with faith? What are some ways we can touch others lives?

He tells us to go to the Savior. I know that he will lead us to those that need our love. "Our everyday acts could have eternal consequences" (pg. 184). It is nice to be important but more important to be nice.

Great Weekend!

I had a great weekend! I walked with my father in the breast cancer walk and then I had a Skinner reunion Mesa. It was great to see family and visit with those that I didn't know.

Thanksgiving!

The things I like about ThanksGIVING: fall colors, turkey, mash potatoes, stuffing, pie, giving to others, sharing memories, love from family and friends, fall decorations, time to reflect on what I have been given and count my blessings and give thanks to those who have helped me on long my journey in life.

I remember one year my father brought a homeless man home for Thanksgiving dinner. In fact there was many times where my dad would bring someone over or we would take dinner to someone. My dad is a great example of serving others. My dad is no stranger and talks to everyone! It was great to share dinner with someone who was less fortunate as we were. I am grateful for that time when my dad did that for us to think of others at a great time of the year. I am grateful for my family and to have a mother and a father who cares so much for me.

Breast Cancer Awareness Walk

Tomorrow is another BREAST CANCER walk with Sundt Construction. The American Cancer Society is the sponsor for it.

I am excited to walk with my father in this great event.

I made signs for us to wear in memory of my mother.

I talked to my dad about the last walk that I went on and I thought that is would be a good idea for the family to get TOGETHER and walk. Well between me moving and working both jobs didn't get the family involved but next year. I think that it will be fun for my whole family to WALK and to SUPPORT in the cause to find a cure.

In Loving Memory of:
Barbara East Skinner

Conference

I just received my conference Ensign. I love conference. What I do with my Conference Ensign is I spiral bind it and laminate the front and back cover at Office Max or Kinko's and it is only 5 dollars. Then I put it my bag and take it every where I go. So when I do sit down anywhere doctors office, dentist office, lunch break at work, etc I have something to read that is uplifting and brings me peace and hope through the day. I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that through it's teaching I can have peace and that it has changed my life in so many ways. I know that we have a prophet today to guide us. President Thomas S. Monson is an amazing man and a great example of service and love, kindness, knowledgeable, humility, patience and the list can go on. I try to pattern my life after him and my Savior Jesus Christ.

Harvest time

On my mission I was able to enjoy harvest time in a rural area. I helped members can corn. Oh what a mess it was but really fun to do. The Elders cut the corn from the stock and shucked it. Sister Wainwright cooked and then my companion and I cut the corn off the cob.

Happy Halloween

This is as good as I get with this Holiday. My mom never like Halloween and so we never really did much. Once we turned 12 years old we were not allowed to go out. We mostly went to friends of the family houses and that was about the trick or treat we had. I have not really done anything since I was 12.

I like to see the beautiful colors of fall. I also like burning a pumpkin spice candle in my room to smell the aroma in the air of fall.

An Aunt again

My sister-in- law Janea is pregnant with their 4th child. It is exciting to have 2 new babys next year.

Elections

I hope and pray that we as a people can choose the best candidate for president. Let us work together to bring unity.

Rodeo

Picture from the Rodeo.

Here is the group of us that went. We all had fun.

Photo Tag

Mechelle tagged me! It is a photo tag. I am to go to my photos folder. Go to the fourth folder and the fourth photo and post the photo on my blog. Here it is:

I love birds. When I was on my mission my study desk was next to a window. There was all kinds of birds in Florida and I fell in love with them. I love nature and seeing what God had created for me. I love this picture.. How the bird is trying so hard to eat the berries. Just like how we try so hard to work for something that is great and wonderful like a berry. I know that through life's challenges and tests that we come out stronger and are better then going in. I know that our Savior is here for us through them.

And I TAG YOU!! Whom ever reads this.

LOVE

He is there waiting to hold us.

Sin

Here are some more pictures of Greg Olsen. I love these two. You need to see both of them to truly understand them. The first one is with a girl in a red dress symbolizing our sins. We need to go to the Savior for help. The second one is of a girl who's dress is white to show that are sins can be white as snow as we go to the Savior for help. Christ is holding the red dress. He has already taken our sins from us. When I first looked the picture I didn't realize that Christ was holding the dress. It took me a couple of times looking at it that I realized He was holding the red dress. I know that he is there and has taken that pain away from us through his infinite atonement. Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

Rodeo

I went to a rodeo Saturday night. It was a girl ask guy thing that the University stake put on. It was President Barney's arena in Queen Creek. Yes I did as a guy out. His name is Dan. He is new in the ward and my friends in the ward told me to ask him it was kind of a blind date. We had fun. We had dinner some western beans, mac & cheese, and a roast beef sandwich, a rodeo and a dance. They showed us events that happen in a rodeo barrel racing, calf roping, team roping, and then they made up some fun games for us to get involved. They had egg tossing, tug a war, riding a stick horse around some barrels, boot racing. We stood around after getting pictures taken and talked and it was getting really dusty from people dancing so we left early. We went at played pool at my new house.

moving/ ASU volleyball

So I finally moved on Friday night. It was fun. I had friends from work help me. We had tickets to the ASU volleyball game so we got the truck and cars packed and then took it to my new house and then we went to the game. Met some more guys there and then they came back to my place and moved my stuff in the house. We were all very hungry so we went to Red Robbin for dinner at 9:30pm. I usually am in bed by then. It is fun to be young still. :)

5k walk

Many of you know that my mom passed away 5 years ago to breast cancer. I had the opportunity to walk in a breast cancer awareness on Sunday. Iit was a lot of fun and a good experience for me. I thought about my mom a lot that day and will continue to think of her and she will always be in my heart. I love you MOM!!!