RECIPE FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR - Looking forward to 2009!

Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past—have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time. Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way) but prepare one day at a time. Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing— don’t do it), prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor. {Anonymous}

Wishing everybody a healthy, wealthy and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Christmas Without Our Dad - 2007

I wrote a couple of poems last year at Christmas time because it was the first without Dad and we were all feeling his absence. I had read a story about a child that had passed away and was spending the first Christmas in Heaven, so I wanted to write a poem for Dad. This one was written before Christmas, and the next one afterwards. Kacy put the poem on this background which I love!(You may need a magnifying glass because double-clicking does not seem to work. Hope you can read them).

Denice was here for the holidays last year and before coming we all were thinking what we could do on Christmas Day that would be special for our 'first' Christmas without Dad. I wanted to share this particular one because for our "something special" we went down to the Bountiful Cemetery and decorated his grave. I believe it was Denice's idea (correct me if I am wrong Whitey) to make snow angels for him. That is what we did. Because it was such a hectic day, it was hard trying to find a time Mom and the four of us could all go together. Unfortunately, Cheryl was unable to be there with us at the particular time the rest of us could go because of previous plans with one of George's daughter's and her family. She had gone down earlier to put her tree on. Clydene had kids to go visit at their homes so between visits she was able to go and I ducted out on my family and told them to finish getting dinner prepared, or as close to it as possible and I would be back soon. Mom and Denice were just waiting to see when the rest of us could go. Kacy also helped with this one and put the picture of the snow angel I made as the background for this poem.

After writing my poem this year, next post down, I felt it was a little easier to get through Christmas of 2008 than it was last year. Whitey made a comment "it was a little easier than last year without Dad, signs that we are healing". I think we are. I still think about Dad and the Christmases of our past,....I still cry,..... alot!, but I know he is where he is suppose to be. It does not mean we won't miss him anymore because we always will, but like on the ornament Cheryl gave to us all last Christmas, it says " Merry Christmas From Heaven - I love you all dearly, Now don't shed a tear, I'm spending my Christmas with Jesus this year". On the back it says, "Merry Christmas, Always With You, Love, Dad". So,....as hard as it is, I am for once listening to my Dad! Every year I'll try a little harder to at least not shed 'as many' tears knowing that he will always be close by. Besides, we still have our Momma and it is her we need to appreciate and enjoy! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that your new year will be a happy one! Love to all those who read my posts and put up with me!

A CHRISTMAS POEM - 2008

Christmas 2008

By: Janette
Christmas two-thousand-eight is now upon us
It’s time to sit down, relax and end all the fuss.
It’s hard to believe it is already here
I feel the Christmas spirit near.
It is the second Christmas without our Dad
The first we were all somewhat very sad.
But I’m confident he is in Heaven looking down
Telling us he is well with loved ones all around.
We love him a lot and miss him so much
I wish there was a way to keep in touch.
We know he is with Jesus and all angels above
This time of year our Dad is who we're thinking of.
It helps me to sit back and ponder the Christmases past
And how much I wished the years had not gone by so fast.
But I think of the Christmas Eve's when I would lay in bed
And think of ole’ Santa,… his reindeer and sled.
The four of us girls would be anticipating
What would be under the tree upon awakening.
It seemed there would always be lots of pleasure
For Mom and Dad made sure there were lots of treasures.
They made us all happy and tried to make sure
We had what we needed and made us secure.
Christmases back then were the best we had known
And now look at us all and how we have grown.
With families of our own and grandchildren galore
Made our Mom and Dad the center of this family core.
It isn’t the material things that make Christmas good
It’s all about Jesus and all that he withstood.
Merry Christmas and a Happy 2009!

It's the Hap-Happiest Time Of The Year ! ! !

What a fun time we had at our Christmas party at the office last Tuesday, the 16th! In fact,…I think everybody had a great time. The food was good,….the games were fine and the Christmas music put us in the mood. Our Director read my poem. I had added four lines to it since posting it the first time to include the education department of HR. My boss loved the poem and so did everybody else. We had an “ugliest Christmas sweater” contest and guess who won! Yes folks, it was ME! I went shopping at the “Deseret Industries” and “Savers” for a sweater I could use but could not find one. I used one of my old sweaters that was too big for me and was pretty gross looking. I loved the sweater at one time but would not wear it again because it was too old and had a couple of holes in it. I added a lot more. I made and then whipped stitched a snowman on to the one side of it and put buttons in the appropriate places for the eyes and nose and the three buttons down the front of him, and,…I put a black hat on him of course. It was Ashley’s idea to make it a “tilting” snowman. And boy! was he tilting! I rubbed the white part of the snowman until he had lint balls and ickies all over him. The sweater had lint balls all over it along with other stuff like imbedded dog hair along with other things. I also buttoned it up crooked for the party so it would look that much uglier. I must say, it did the trick! Here is a picture of the sweater. Like I said, it was a lot of fun and now we can just look forward to the holidays! Goodnight all !

WEEWEECHU !

I got this email from my sister-in-law, Sylvia. She's Dave's oldest sister who lives in Plano, TX. I thought this was so cute! I noticed I received it from a couple of other folks also so it is going around. I thought you all could use a smile. Enjoy!..........Oh, c'mon baby, let's you and I do Weeweechu. I love you and it's the perfect time," Pedro begged. "But I wanna just hold your hand and watch the moon." replied Rosita. Please, corazoncito (my love), just once, do Weeweechu with me. "Rosita looked at Pedro and said, "OK, one time, we'll do Weeweechu. "Pedro grabbed his guitar and they both sang....."Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year."MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

CHRISTMAS DOOR DECORATION CONTEST - 2005

I wanted to share this picture with you all. When HR was still in our older office building the Christmas before we moved, we had a door decorating contest. Because Sunnee's office and mine were one in the same at that time (separated only by filing cabinets and shelves) we shared our door for the contest. This is looking at the door from Sunnee's area, my desk is to the right of the door. I wanted to do something special so her and I talked about it and decided what we wanted to do. We decided we wanted to do something with a fireplace look to it. I was thinking of contact paper or one of those plastic hanging door decorations. I can't remember what Sunnee was doing the day I went shopping, but she was not available so Nathan (my 2nd son) and I went looking for 'something' we could use. We went to Home Depot and was starting to think I just wasn't going to find anything when I remembered there was a paneling out there that looked like bricks. So we went over to the panel department and there it was! I was so excited! I had already measured the door and before I bought anything, I called the HR Manager and asked her if it would be ok to use nails in the door since we were going to be moving 2 months after Christmas. She didn't have a problem with it so I hung the phone up and we had a worker there at the store cut me a piece of the paneling the size of the door. After Nathan and I got the paneling home, he built a mantel on it out of 2" by 4"'s and covered it with the paneling. The next day, Sunday, him and I went down to the office and he nailed it up on the door. He was working at the Veteran's Nusing Home at the time and had to go to work after he got it done. Then Sunnee and her son came down and we started decorating it. I told my sister Clydene what we were doing so she had some decorations that she let us use for the door, plus Sunnee and I had a few things also. It turned out absolutely wonderful! We were so excited to have it done and looking so good. On Monday Nathan came to my office before going to work and he couldn't believe it! He was amazed. Behind my fireplace screen Sunnee and I tacked a piece of black poster paper on the paneling to give it a fireplace effect. Then Derick, her son went out and found some twigs that was used for the wood in the fireplace. I had bought some red and gold tinsile that Derick helped us make it look like the fire. We really didn't spend very much on the panel and everything else was provided for us by Clydene or ourselves except the little stuff. Well,....needless to say, Sunnee and I won the contest. We had judges come from other offices on the facility to pick us as the grand champions. Anyway, this was the result of the door decorating contest. "Twas' the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there" (Double click on the picture and it should make it bigger).

We're Gonna Have A Party

So,....I'm on the Christmas party planning commitee at work. We are having our party on the 16th and we are allowed ONE hour for it. We aren't going off station like to a restaurant or anything, just to the building across the street from our's that has the Mult-Purpose Center (MPC) in it. It's like a large open room where they hold a lot of the staff trainings. Anyway, it is going to be a 'potluck' and we're having a couple of games. We are also exchanging 'White Elephant' gifts. The way we are going to do that is one of the other ladies on the commitee is going to read a short story about "Mr. and Mrs. Right". In the story whenever she reads the word 'right', we'll pass the gift to the right. Whenever she reads the word 'left', of course we'll pass it to the left so that we all end up with a gift at the end of the story. Good idea, right? or is it left? I guess it is a good thing my little sis won't be at the party with me because as you all know, and it is a well known fact,....she does not know her right from her left, or her left from her right! Sorry Whitey! We'll have Christmas music playing also. I got creative last night and wrote a poem that I will read at the party. Let me know what you all think. It goes like this,.....

Tis’ Nine Days Before ChristmasPoem

By: Janette
Tis’ nine days before Christmas it was plain to see,

HR was buzzing and getting ready for the tree.

The lights need to be hung and there are ornaments galore,

Looks like the tree will be beautiful with its Christmas décor.
The cubbies are cheerful, it’s time for displays,

Looks like HR is expecting Ole’ Santa on his sleigh.

It will soon be Christmas, let it snow, let it snow!

The angels have been singing since a long time ago.
On the other hand there was much whimpering and whining,

For there was so much to do and actions to be signing.

The piles were growing and there seemed not an end,

It will soon be the holiday, the boss will not bend!
Another year of training is quickly approaching,
The folks in education are ready for coaching.
You can’t be a sissy if you work in HR,
You have to be tough and that’s what we are!!!
There’s discipline actions on hold, and filing a waiting,

And numerous employees that want reinstating.

There is coding to be done and appraisals to review,

There’s a whole bunch more for us all to do!
Oh my, oh my, we’re in a terrible state!

Most of us here need to give our updates.

The workload needs editing, the leave requests need granting,

Get the lead out now, there’s no sense in ranting!
The work keeps coming, there will soon be relief,

The spirit of Christmas will hit us, …. that’s my belief!

We have to get done with all our piles of work

So we can go have a party, so we don’t go berserk!
It’s time to be festive, and put our worries away,

It’s time to be jolly and be on our way.

Come on, let’s go to the MPC for some fun,

There may be some prizes there to be won.
We’ll all gather round and have a bit of a feast

For ONE AND A HALF HOURS today the work has been ceased.

It’s time to be happy without a care for a while

This is the season that makes us all want to smile.
May this holiday be one of your very best,

And all of you certainly will be wonderfully blessed.

It is our wish for a happy holiday season,

Whatever your Faith or whatever the Reason!