Sunday, December 16, 2012

It's A Wonderful Life

If you know me at all, you know my all-time favorite movie is Frank Capra's "It's A Wonderful Life," the story of a man who sacrifices all his own dreams and desires for others, and serves, and gives, and can't seem to make things happen for himself. He reaches a point in his life where because of the mistakes of someone else, his company is in dire straits, and he feels so desperate, he considers suicide. Heaven intervenes, sends a guardian angel, and shows him what a 'wonderful life' he has, and what it would have been like for those he loved if he had never been born. I don't know how many times I've seen this movie, but every time it makes me cry. Every time it touches my heart. Every time, by the end of the movie I feel more grateful for my own life -- with it's bumps and bruises and failures and successes and all that life brings.

My fabulous "It's A Wonderful Life" village on top of our entertainment center -- in a new corner this year!
As has become our tradition for the past several years (see more HERE), we went to the viewing of the movie on the BIG SCREEN at War Memorial Theater in downtown Nashville again this year with our friends, Becky Pinney and Jesse & Diane Hubling. Becky's sister, Barbara and her husband Lawson (read more HERE) work with the "Wonderful Life Foundation" and they sponsor this viewing each year as a fundraiser for the foundation.


This photo is terribly blurry, but shows Jesse & Diane Hubling (back) and Becky Pinney
and her sister Barbara with us at the silent auction following the movie on the big screen.
After the show, we all enjoyed a DELICIOUS dinner at J. Alexander's in Cool Springs. Steve and I like to each get the big house salad, and then split the "Rattlesnake Pasta" which is a spicy chicken dish. YUM! And of course, we saved room for J's FABULOUS CARROT CAKE! They serve it warmed up, and it has lots of walnuts and cream cheese frosting. Simply perfect!
 
 
Salad, Rattlesnake Pasta...and CARROT CAKE!
 
It's all about the great movie, great company, and great food!!



Friday, December 7, 2012

Thanksgiving

Randi and the boys came over on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, and we enjoyed a couple of days together celebrating the holiday. We did NOT go out on Black Friday -- are you kidding me?! We are crazy, but not that crazy!


Not included in the photo were mashed potatoes & gravy, green bean casserole,
pumpkin pie and probably something else I'm forgetting...
The boys were SUPER EXCITED about cherry pie! They LOVED it!
 
Delicious homemade turkey pot pie made with leftover Thanksgiving turkey a couple of days later.
 

Second Harvest

As part of the community outreach efforts at Corizon, about 15 of us went over to the Second Harvest Food Bank in Nashville and donated an afternoon to inventorying and boxing food items for the needy in the Nashville area. Since it was open to 12 years old and up, I brought Grayson & Sam with me! My co-worker, Melanie Taylor also brought her 12 year-old son, RJ, Scotty Lee brought his wife and daughter.



Back Row: Jennifer Chambers, Scotty Lee, me, Grayso, Schuronda Hodge, Jennie Latimer, Briana Andersen,
Melanie Taylor. Front Row: Scotty Lee's wife & daughter, Melanie Taylor's husband Rick/son, RJ,
with Sam in the middle of them.
Our first assignment was in the FREEZER sorting meat and other frozen items...BRRRR!

Our next assignment was in the food sorting/boxing area, where we worked with about 25-30 other volunteers.



Grayson and Sam were so thrilled to pose for a photo.
Jennie Latimer, Melanie Taylor and I
We all went home counting our blessings.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Megan's Wedding




 
My friends, Brian & Pamela Hayes, from Ambest days (1993 - 2001) have a daughter, Megan, who got married on November 9th. They asked me to sing at the wedding and the reception, and I was honored to do so!

Megan married Brian Gage in the historic Scarritt-Bennett Methodist chapel in downtown Nashville. It was a beautiful ceremony, and she was a gorgeous bride!

I sang Carrie Underwood's "Mama's Song" at the beginning as the mothers and grandmothers were being seated. Then after they exchanged vows, I sang Linda Ronstadt's "Feels Like Home to Me."

 
Proud father of the bride, Brian





The reception was held at Loveless Barn, an event venue behind Nashville's famous Loveless Cafe. Since (husband, not dad) Brian is from Texas, and Megan is from Tennessee, they went with a 'country' theme with their decorations at the rehearsal dinner Friday night, and the reception on Saturday. It was fun!
 
 
 



Pamela, mother of the bride
 

 
As part of their 'country' theme, they asked me to welcome the crowd to Nashville with a couple of Patsy Cline songs, so I sang "Sweet Dreams" and "Walkin' After Midnight."
 
With some family & friends of the bride/groom -- Standing by me are Burt & Patsy Newman from Ambest
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Megan is Randi's age, and I remember them playing together at our house, doing puppet shows, we all went to Hawaii together with Ambest in 1996, with the two grandmas coming along to watch the kids [Granny Nannies] at the beach and at the pools, shopping, etc. -- while Pam and I (and Brian & Steve) worked! Wow, I guess just a few years have passed since then... 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The Election


It's been three weeks since the elections, and I am still in mourning. If you don't agree with my political views, and don't want to hear about my disappointment, that's fine. Quit reading my blog post. :o)

I really felt like for the first time in history we had a candidate who would do what this country needs to get us back on track and set a positive path for the future (no, not marketing jargon -- the real thing). I don't pretend to have massive political insight or knowledge, but I did do my homework this year moreso than any other year. And I'll tell you why it was important to me...
 
I got very irritated with the American public in 2008 when so many openly voted for Obama just because he was "black" (1/2 black). Many stated in exit polls and in 'on-the-street' interviews that they didn't even care about anything he said or promised to do! Race should not be the issue one way or the other!
 
I did not want to vote for Mitt Romney just because he was a Mormon. Even knowing the solid foundation living this religion would give him, religion should not be the issue one way or the other!
 
So I tried to become more informed than I ever have before. I talked to my knowledgeable son, Chris, at length about his candidate Ron Paul -- who also would have been an excellent choice. I watched almost every debate, I read articles, I actually listened to talk radio discussions (gasp!), and I even watched political analysts on FoxNews and CNN to try to get a real feel for the issues and who followed my beliefs and desires the closest.
 

Again, better than ever before, but still not an expert on issues such as foreign policy and the specifics of our national deficit, I felt like Mitt Romney had the best platform, based his plan on sound principles, and had experience in the business world and a history of turning organizations in financial ruin into successes! I feel like he could get us out of the financial mess we're in, and make us the world leader again. I believe he would be true to his personal (and LDS) principles, and know we would not have ever had to worry about a "Watergate" or "Monica-gate" or even lies about weapons of mass destruction.

I also wondered if for the first time in history we might have an LDS president who would do more for exposure of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than ever! I wondered if the time had come for use to come even more "out of obscurity" and into the spotlight to a point where missionary work would explode and the church would grow ten-fold! I wondered...

There were many factors behind me wanting Mitt Romney for president. It has been hard for me to hear friends and acquaintances cheering for Obama and AGAINST Romney. But I have remained relatively neutral in those conversations, being cordial yet standing my ground, and not letting loose with what I really think of our communist, socialist President.

I fear for our country's future, and I fear for my children and grandchildren's future. It's a scary thing to let myself go down the road of trying to imagine living any way but 'free,' and that is my biggest fear for them.


BUT...(and that's a big but) I know that although our country is led by our president, our church and our world is led by our prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I know that we will ALWAYS be safe if we put our faith in God and the men HE chooses to run HIS church and HIS plan. Although things will likely 'get worse before they get better,' I know the ultimate fate of the world -- and my personal fate -- is not in the hands of the president of the United States. That is the only thought that has given me peace over these past three weeks.

So with that in mind, I will continue to pray for our president and political leaders, and our prophet -- and continue to hope for brighter days to come.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

November BDays

November is a busy month of birthdays for our family! Chris' birthday is Nov. 3rd (same as Grandpa Wilding), Addie's is Nov. 7th, Cielo's is Nov. 13th, and Nathalie's is Nov. 17th!

It's hard to believe that Chris and Nath are both the big 30 this year...can these parents (us) possibly be old enough to have 30-year old kids? Staggering...







Addie turned ONE!

 
 
 
We went to Pancho's Place for Cielo's 4th Bday dinner...
 
 
And he loved wearing the BIRTHDAY SOMBRERO...!
 
 
 
 
Nathalie's birthday was mostly spent with the kids only, because Chris was travelling with his interviews for where he'll be teaching next year and got stranded at the airport...but he made it home in time that night to take her to her favorite sushi place for dinner!
 
 
 
 
 

Halloween

Running a little behind, but wanted to post some fun photos from Halloween. Sam had a great idea for a costume this year -- a FACEBOOK PAGE. But not just ANY page, he wanted a very SAD page with no 'friends,' no 'likes' and no photos. He told me to make his cover photo some stick figures, and call them his IMAGINARY FRIENDS.

 
Comments are: From Sam: "Well, at least my dog 'likes' my page."
From Mom: "We don't have a dog."  HAHAHA

I liked his idea so well...I did a similar one for myself to wear to work!


Love the comments: from "MOM" -- 'I like you, but I don't know how to use Facebook...'  And from "Random Stranger" -- 'This is a sad, sad page.'

Randi and her boys came to our ward "Trunk or Treat" that started with a chili dinner.


Then after dinner, the youth manned booths for the kids to go around and play games. This was one of the first 'official' assignments Sam had as the new Deacon's Quorum President, was to coordinate this booth. He did "LadderBall" which was a big hit, and he did a great job at the booth! Hard for me to believe he's one of the 'big kids' now providing the booths, instead of coming to the booths. (Grayson had a soccer game that night.)



 
 
 
Our Nebraska PEEPS had a fun Halloween, too, as a lovely damsel in distress, two knights in shining armor, and a court jester (and daddy and Gigi)!
 
 
And...reminiscing on fond memories of our "Halloween" party at Mom & Dad's Golden Wedding Anniversary in 2009...Great times!