The Dueling Lawn Mowers

So last Saturday Jeff got up about 8:00 am to mow the lawn. Jeff usually mows in the evening but decided to get it over with so we could do other things. This summer Jacob has been "mowing" the lawn with Dad, stroke for stroke. This particular morning he was still asleep. I was enjoying a few minutes of solitude when I hear his door fly open and then hear him running down the hall towards my bedroom.
"He started without me," he shrieked!
My son who was sawing logs just a few minutes earlier had heard the lawnmower and jolted out of bed, quickly got dressed and headed to my room looking for his shoes. We quickly found his shoes and I headed outside with him. As I was helping Jake with his shoes he kept saying "I am dressed just like Daddy is." I didn't think much of the comment until I went outside to see that he was indeed dressed just like his Dad with a White Shirt, Red Hat, and Levi's. His Dad is his hero and very best friend. I hope he always feels that way!

One of My Hobbies

So this is one of my hobbies. Re-finishing Furniture. I got these nightstands at the DI for $15.00 a piece. After a lot striping, refinishing and staining, and varnish, they transformed from super ugly to gorgeous. I've been refinishing furniture on and off for about 11 years. The first two projects were two "blond" dressers from the 1950's we inherited from my grandparents and Jeff's Mom. We had nothing and I couldn't pass up all wood and veneer dressers with dove tailed drawers! I had no clue what I was doing. I now need to go back and redo those dressers, they've seen better days since they are now 11 years old!

Re-finishing is hard work, but it comes with a great pay-off. You truly see the fruits of your labors. It is a rarity these days to see something completed and that is why I so enjoy doing it!

Our Trip to Twin Falls Idaho. August 2008

Our Trip to the Twin Falls Idaho Temple

So here it is! The long awaited blog for our family. I must admit, I have never been a good scrapbooker or journal writer so we'll see how this goes...... I love everyone else's blog and it is fun to see what you all are up to and to learn things about you and your family I never knew.

So here is a picture of the Twin Falls Idaho Temple. Jeff, Jake and myself made the 3 hour trip up to the temple so our Jake could see what inside a temple looks like. He has been asking us this for a while.

There is always such a special feeling at these temple open houses. The people are always so excited and anxious to show off their new temple to their friends and family in the area.

I was moved at the short video presentation they showed us at the adjacent stake center on the same property as the temple.

They showed images of the Bountiful and Salt Lake Temple's and Jeff and I both were in tears remembering what it was like when the Bountiful Temple was dedicated in 1995. Jeff and I can cry with the best of them!

Jake was great during the movie and sat on my lap so he could see and listened to the whole 15 minute or so video. Pretty good for an almost 6 year old.

Jeff and I have our weaknesses, but one of our strengths is temple attendance. We try to go once a month as consistently as possible. I am glad I understand the temple covenants as well as I do. I know it is only because of attending often and contemplating the measure of our creation, that I love the temple so much. It blesses my marriage, our family, and my whole well being as a person.

There were a FEW protesters of course 3 to be exact. The smallest amount I ever seen at a Temple Open House. At the Alabama Temple Open House that Jeff and I attended in 2000 their had to be at least 60 to 100 people holding signs, even at the stoplights and intersections.

I don't worry about these people or question my beliefs because of them. Can they offer me a forever family? Can they offer me the blessings of a priesthood holder in my home? Can they truly offer me a chance to know the Savior and his teachings the way we do in our church? Can they offer me exaltation? No. They cannot. I find it interesting that they can't leave us alone.

Ok, back to the temple. It was gorgeous inside, lighter woods, travertine floors, rich moldings and a gorgeous picture of the snake river and the Shoshone Falls that was painted in one of the ordinance rooms.

In the baptistry, I had to tell Jacob that the cool "oxen pool" was not for swimming. In the celestial room I sat on the couch with Jeff and Jake and thought, "This is my whole world, life can't get better than this"!

It is a smaller temple not near as small as the Alabama temple but significantly smaller that the temples we are used to having here in Utah.

Yea for temples! Yea for forever families!