So Many People......

..... That need your smile. Even if they don't show it. 

*Winter Balloon Festival 2013*

One of the many adventures I want to pursue with this blog is to go to different places, whether it be in state or out of state, and make a video of 'What Makes Them Smile'.

The family and I went to the Red Rock Ballon Festival and I am so grateful for the people that contributed and were a part of this video making. It was so much fun and a happy mood booster.

 Enjoy!!

Blessed by the Military

My husband sent me an email with this Christmas poem and it is so touching that I wanted to share it.  Read it all the way to the end, you won't regret it.

  A Different Christmas Poem
 

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
 

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
 

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
 

My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
 

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
 

Transforming the yard to a winter delight.


 

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
 

Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
 

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
 

Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.


in perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
 

So slumbered I, perhaps I started to dream.




The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
 

But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

 

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, 



Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

 

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
 

And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

 

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
 

A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.




A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
 

Perhaps a Trooper, huddled here in the cold.

 

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
 

Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

 

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,


"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!



Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
 

You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

 

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
 

Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.

 

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
 

Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
 

I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."


"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,


That separates you from the darkest of times.

 

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
 

I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
 

My Gramps died in Europe on a day in December,"


Then he sighed,

"That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
 

But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

 

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
 

The red and the white and the blue ... An American flag.
 

I can live through the cold and the being alone,
 

Away from my family, my house and my home.
 

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
 

I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
 

I can carry the weight of killing another,
 

Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.
 

Who stand at the front against any and all,
 

To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall." 


 

"So go back inside," he said, "harbour no fright,
 

Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
 

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,


"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
 

It seems all too little for all that you've done,


For being away from your wife and your son."
 

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
 

"Just tell us you love us, and never forget. 



 

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
  To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
  For when we come home, either standing or dead,
  To know you remember we fought and we bled.
  Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Exciting Discovery

This holiday season I really REALLY wanted to help out and volunteer at a soup kitchen and food pantry and truthfully I want to volunteer anywhere I can.  I never was able to get a hold of the soup kitchen but I did go into our local food pantry to ask them what the rules are about volunteering.  We can pretty much go in during working hours and help  out where ever they need help.  It is even more exciting that our kids can come as long as there is an adult present.  SCORE!!

My husband has seen my excitement to volunteer so he has been asking places about their volunteer policies.  We have found that it is mostly for non profit organizations but anywhere will take volunteers.  Some have a little more paper work than the next but there are still many good causes to help out with.

If you google you city and volunteer options you will get a ginormous mother load of options to pursue. One site I found was Volunteer Match where you can put in your city and what cause you are interested in and it will magically bring one up.

Check it out!!  Make someone SMILE today!! :)

Who's Smiling. . . . .

I was at church having the best day of my life (not really).  There was a child that got away from his mom and started to cry and get frustrated.  So being the motherly person I was I tried to comfort the child and tried to make him feel better.  I ended up taking him in after awhile because I didn't want the mother to get worried about him.  I handed him off and he calmed right down and then I thought I should of just did that to begin with.  

Anywho, I was being a sour puss and decided I needed to shape up.  So I got some scrap paper, wrote the words, "What makes you Smile?" and gave it to some friends.  These people have been so inspiring and have helped my family smile many many times.  Grateful for good people!!

Grateful. . . .

A friend posted this on her Facebook and I felt it perfect for this Thanksgiving grateful holiday!!

Room Mom. . . .

The funniest thing. . . . while away for a weekend with the girls I got a call from a friend who I used to work with at an elementary school.  She called and said she had the most amazing idea and she wanted to run it by me.  I didn't quite know what to expect but I said, "Lay it on me."  She ended up asking me if a wanted to be a room mom of sorts and come in to do different activities with her class.  Now is a normal situation I would of said 'NO'.  I don't like committing myself and having to worry about coming up with creative nice things to do.  It is an overwhelming thought and something I feel uncomfortable putting myself in.  But given that it wasn't a normal situation and I was feeling the excitement of life on this get away I said, "Of course, let's do it"

Not to drive the point but I get completely overwhelmed in these types of actions as well as am  a complete procrastinator until the day of.  I came home and couldn't believe what I have agreed to, especially since I have no kid in this class. hahahaha On top of that I VOLUNTEERED to do something in my three kids classrooms; might as well since I am already doing something in one class.  That is FOUR classes that I am contributing to.  Shaking my head in disbelief.  I am really going outside of my bubble.  WAY OUTSIDE!

I want to give a BIG shout out to Pinterest because I would never have considered being a room mom.

I ended up making a different dessert for each class and doing a simple and small craft.

 Found this treat here and here.  Shortbread cookies turned upside down, reese's peanut butter cup, yellow frosting and an orange tic tac.  Super easy.

I chose to do this activity because it brought the real meaning of Thanksgiving which is being grateful for all of our blessings.  The kids really enjoyed it!!  find it here

Oreo Turkeys

Rice Krispie Turkey

last but not least

Pilgrim Popcorn

(which I liked for the preschoolers)

You should of seen all the kids smiles!!!  

They liked the activity but they lived for the treats.

Mental Awesomeness. . . . .

Time Out For Women got me thinking hey I can really make this happen.  Hey, I can make people happy on a regular basis!  I can bring smiles!!  That is one thing that is my passion, is to bring happiness and more of a light heartedness to those around me. (sometimes sarcastic)  Granted there is a time to be serious and I completely have those times but there are other times to where we don't need to let things tear us down. (easier said than done)

This event was SO strengthening and so inspiring that is made me think how each person needs this time to get away.  Kind of a refresher and uplifting time to help us keep going and push us through the next stage in our life.  

What is even better is this event is for everyone not just those that are Latter Day Saints women.  It gives messages and hope to get through that trial, get through being a young mother, that there is light at the end of the tunnel and much much more.  For EVERYONE!!

Forgiveness

Whether big or small; grudges or anger is not worth the pain, the burden, and the heartache.  If I know that I have offended or hurt someone I try to make it right.  I don't want people to hold on to that anger.

Sometimes we as people don't even know if we have done wrong so it is hard to make thing right if we are unaware.  Don't hold on to the negativity, get it out and work through it.

Forgiveness and forgiving is so important to be able to move forward, to have happiness and to truly smile.

What prevents us from smiling?

Believe it or Not

You know when you go to different places it is kind of an unwritten rule to eat where you cant eat at home, shop where you cant shop at home, visit places you cant visit at home so on and so forth.  When going to visit my childhood home it is a must MUST must to always get some good REAL mexican.  I mean the really good kind with real tortillas and beans and everything that is yummy!!  

Anywho, I decided to put my ideas and question to the test:

What makes you smile?

Like any person the cashier lady was curious if I was doing a survey.  I responded, "No, I just want people to remember what makes them smile."

I grab my food and tell the peeps 'thank you so much' and a lady said that she hopes I find what makes me smile.  That caring made ME smile. :)

A Stop In the Road

Have you ever went on a road trip and saw and little stop on the trail?

I have traveled this road FOREVER and have always wanted to stop at this park trail and I figured now that I was kidless I could take my time and enjoy the view.

The view in the forest was amazing. 

The weather was perfect.

The smiles were endless.

When I stopped, there was no body at the rest stop but then people started to show up and I took advantage of the time.  I asked them a question that I hope to continue to ask people:

What makes you smile?

Thank goodness I had a pen and my hand to record this. lol

My idea behind this picture which looks so goofy now but in my mind I was thinking, "I'm free!"

BFF's are awesome!

Usually whenever I go home (meaning where I grew up) I try to see my BFF.  She makes me smile A LOT but this time I didn't get to see her so I left her a nice surprise to see.

 Isn't she beautiful?!!

 All windows were covered except for the windshield.

 I did this for the man!! Didn't want her hubby to get upset over some lipstick

The wildest ride. . . .

The excitement began when I started looking at pictures of a friend.  It seems no matter who it but we always know someone that takes pictures or does photography.  This person was actually being made-up and photographed by her daughter and as I was looking at her photography site she gave a link to her sister site which is The S.I.P. Project(Service is Painless).

Reading this site and the idea behind it, giving service for photos, just clicked for me.  Not necessarily the pictures done which would always be cool to do but the 'Service is Painless' part .  On the site is gives different ideas of how to give service and how you can tailor it to your own likes and own family passions.

Going to my thinking spot, (my bathroom), I came up with different ideas that I thought would be awesome and fun for our family to pursue.

In order to get my family on board I wanted to do a service for them to get them excited for giving service.  More to come on this adventure. . . . . . .