The Star Spangled Banner

Yesterday at church I loved singing The Star Spangled Banner. We always hear the first verse but here are the other verses which are so pretty as well.
The Star Spangled Banner
By Francis Scott Keys


Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Book of Virtue: the magic thread

Blah I'm sick and don't feel well. So something I love is Aesope Fables and Book of Virtues and anything like that.

One of my favorites is the Magic Thread found at:
http://www.noogenesis.com/pineapple/magic_thread.html "Too often, people want what they want (or what they think they want, which is usually "happiness" in one form or another) right now. The irony of their impatience is that only by learning to wait, and by a willingness to accept the bad with the good, do we usually attain those things that are truly worthwhile. "He that can have patience, can have what he will," Benjamin Franklin told us, and this French tale bears him out."

So what happens is Peter is a "strong, able boy" who would daydream of the future and what he would be when he grows up. "Peter found it hard to enjoy whatever he was doing at the moment, and was always hankering after the next thing. In winter he longed for it to be summer again, and in summer he looked forward to the skating, sledging, and warm fires of winter. At school he would long for the day to be over so that he could go home, and on Sunday nights he would sigh, "If only the holidays would come.""
He fell asleep in a forest and when he awoke, an old woman was there with a silver ball with gold thread.
"This is your life thread," the old woman replied. "Do not touch it and time will pass normally. But if you wish time to pass more quickly, you have only to pull the thread a little way and an hour will pass like a second. But I warn you, once the thread has been pulled out, it cannot be pushed back in again. It will disappear like a puff of smoke. The ball is for you. But if you accept my gift you must tell no one, or on that very day you shall die. Now, say, do you want it?"
Peter took it and when he was sick of school he would pull a little of the string so he wouldnt have to work or if it was during the week he would pull more so payday would come around. He would want to be married and when he pulled the string he was, he wanted kids then pull the string and kept doing that. When something was resolved another problem would arise. He became old, his kids left for careers of their own, his wife old and in pain and his mother passed on. He went to the forest and found the old lady who asked if Peter was happy.
"I'm not sure," Peter said. "Your magic ball is a wonderful thing. I have never had to suffer or wait for anything in my life. And yet it has all passed so quickly. I feel that I have had no time to take in what has happened to me, neither the good things nor the bad. Now there is so little time left. I dare not pull the thread again for it will only bring me to my death. I do not think your gift has brought me luck."
Anyway he wanted his time back and woke up as a young boy again.

What I loved today

Today I loved:
getting into the car and having every song being awesome on my way to work.
Getting cute txts from my husband during the day.
Eating peach rings
Having someone listen and make me feel better
Clear day
Wearing sandals once again
Talking to mi madre
Going out to dinner
Painting my nails

DAD!!!

I love my dad!!! Our movie is Father of the Bride and I loved at our wedding that I am kissing his check like the cover of the movie. All of us girls have been daddys girl and we've always looked up to him so much. I love him for his humor, kindness towards others, how he's a family man and puts us first. He honors his Priesthood and has been such a great example to us.

HE IS AMAZING. I love you so much Dad!!!

Freezer Pops

Some pop recipes for making frozen pops:

Watermelon Pop Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups watermelon chunks
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch of salt

Malted Milk Ball Pop Ingredients:
For the malt base:
3/4 cup milk
4 oz. vanilla pudding (1 individual serving cup)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup Ovaltine Classic Malt Mix
1 1/2 tsp. agave nectar

Fruit and Yogurt Pops Ingredients:
1 cup strawberry yogurt
1 cup orange juice
1 1⁄2 cups raspberry juice

Fruit juice Pops Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fruit juice or 3/4 cup fruit juice concentrate combined with 3/4 cup water

Triple Berry Pops Ingredients:
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1 cup raspberry juice
2 oz. honey
6 Tbs. blueberries

High School: Five Year Reunion

Wow, it's been 5 years since I graduated from high school this last week. I am so relieved I'm not in high school anymore. At graduation from hs I was so done and moved on it wasn't even funny, I loved my experience so much more at BYU but either way there is a time to move on and it makes me sad when people continue to live in the high school or college state of mind instead of moving forward. As great as my experience was at BYU I knew it was time to move on and create even better experiences ahead. Anyway, it's crazy how time has gone by so quickly. I was thinking of things about me to share from high school here are some of them:

School mascot: Maple Leaf
Activities: softball, track, musicals, orchestra, honors society
Worst grade: US History
Best achievement: 5 on my AP Calculus exam and medal in track in the 4x200 I believe
I was: the nice good girl with good grades
Biggest dream: BYU
Work: my uncles law firm during the school yr around my activities and in the summer
Getaways: we would go to FL every February for mid-winter break
Members of the church at my school: 4
Favorite classes: loved science, foods classes, photography, japanese
Favorite music: Kelly Clarkson and country
In the summer: full time work and hang at the swim club. Tennis too and lots of babysitting
Avg studying each day: 5-7 hrs every day
Avg wake up time: 5
Car Issues: My car died because I didn't change the oil in my car
Fun events: football games and Field Days (huge deal been going on for 70+ yrs)
Family Facts: my dad and his siblings went there and my grandpa did some projects in designing or overseeing it being built
ACT: Hated it, took it 4 times
Greatest Feeling: In musicals when the curtain opened for the first time and the crowd would go wild and when the curtain closed because you felt relieved.
Most influential teacher: Mrs. Rudy. I TA for her too
Embarrassing moment: giving a speech and when I was making a joke I couldn't stop laughing at my own joke. Teacher gave me bonus points though.

Sunday Thoughts: Do you know your spouse's Love Language?

So in Relief Society today we were talking about service and I really liked some comments that were given. We were talking about serving our spouses and how their ways of giving and receiving service could be different from ours and we need to know those so we can better serve each other.

I'm not a huge advocate of the 5 Love Languages or anything, but I really think it is important to know which ways you show love and know how your spouse shows love. I just figured Chris was the same as me, but we went through them after church so we could know how we can better serve and know how to love each other. Here are the Love Languages from 5lovelanguages.com:

1) Words of Affirmation
Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten.

2) Quality Time
In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful.

3) Receiving Gifts
Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous—so would the absence of everyday gestures.

4) Acts of Service
Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter.

5) Physical Touch
This language isn’t all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face—they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive.

I am definitely the words of affirmation (I love the reinforcement of doing good things or knowing that I am loved) and also the acts of service. Chris has quality time and physical touch of just holding hands and knowing that I am there. So yeah, I encourage you that have spouses to learn each other's love languages to see how you can better serve them.