Sunday Thoughts

Our youth speaker today talked about the importance of having good friends and outlined these 3 things.

1. Choose good friends.
--Surround yourself with people who make you better and who lift you up.

2. Reach out and make new friends.
--Be aware of people around you who are shy but need friends.

3. Be an example to the friends you have.
--Live what you believe and and help them to be better.

I thought it was interesting that as this 13 year old boy spoke about the importance of choosing good friends I realized how it applies to all of us, not just the youth (who we normally think of in this context). I have been blessed with many friends in my life and am thankful that they are all good people who bring out the best in me. I try to be that kind of friend as well, but know that there was a time in my life when I was very unhappy and prone to negativity that I was NOT bringing out the best in my roommate. I didn't realize it at all (pesky blind spot) until she said something one night that made me realize how negative I'd become. We stayed friends for several more years, but we eventually grew apart and have since lost touch.

I have had to let go of several friendships over the years after realizing that I didn't feel good when I was around those people. It wasn't something I figured out right away, but over time as I found myself avoiding them I realized it was because they were lacking integrity or were a never-ending drain on me because of their negativity and dramas. It took me awhile to figure out that I couldn't save them from themselves and that it wasn't good for me to spend time with them. I saw these "break ups" as friendship failures on my part, but have since realized that it was for the best and was part of my growing up (during my 20's and 30's) process.

**Thoughts??**

Comment Window Tidbit: I survived doing another Sharing Time in primary today, phew!

March Book Club

Tonight we gathered at Jenn's house to celebrate Michelle's birthday (which is on the 14th) and to have our March book discussion of The Heretic Queen.


We didn't sit down to eat until after 7:30 so Collette was making her feelings known.

I managed to get us all in for a dinner table self-portrait.

We had Cranberry Roast, herb mashed potatoes, fabulous rolls, and spinach salad. I enjoy eating salad but have serious issues with making them, so I felt quite accomplished that this one turned out so well.


We had a brief discussion of the book, and all agreed that while it was a page-turner it had an unsatisfactory ending and felt like a young adult book (though the subject matter was NOT for young adults). I'm giving it 3 stars.

While discussing the book's unsatisfactory ending and lack of development, Collette said, "It's like there was low-hanging fruit, and she [the author] didn't take it". This totally cracked us up.


We hung out and caught up on everyone's life issues while freezing our nards off. Jenn's husband likes to keep their thermostat very low so their family is used to bundling up, but we didn't come dressed for that so we all ended up wrapped in blankets (which isn't a bad thing). Jenn is always such a good hostess, and set out a bowl of raspberries and one of spicy almonds rather than M&Ms because Michelle has given up candy for the month.

The hilarious, highlight of the evening was the gift of a pinata with one of our husband's faces on it (he deserved it). I'd love to show you the picture of it, but I can't.


Jana is 8 months pregnant and cute as ever, but is oh so uncomfortable at this stage of her pregnancy. It was hard to watch her struggle to get a good breath because I remember what it feels like to be claustrophobic in my own body.


We gave Michelle a $100 gift certificate to Amazon.com, which I know from experience to be a fabulous gift!

We had ice cream cake for dessert.

Isn't sliced cake always so pleasing?

We ended the night with a group hug (which was more like a huddle) surrounding Jana so she wouldn't have to get out of the recliner, which was rather sweet. We really have covered A LOT of life over our years together, and sometimes it feels necessary to acknowledge that and literally hold each other up.

**What time are you ready for dinner?
Do you have salad-making issues?
Have you read this book?
What's your favorite ice cream cake?**

Comment Window Tidbit: It's rare for me to eat onions, so after having them in our salad tonight I feel like my whole head is emitting onion.

Five for Friday--Contented Edition

1. Tulip season is coming to an end, which bums me out since I've enjoyed them so much this year. I will definitely be planting lots more in the fall though because the spring happiness they bring is so therapeutic.


2. Whitney and her cute friend Madison are so darling together. They've been best friends since kindergarten, and even though they're not in the same class at school this year, they have still managed to stay close. This is how I found them yesterday afternoon (I have never once sat upside down in those chairs).


3. After having the invitation to my high school reunion on my desk for over a month I finally wrote my response and mailed it back. I guess I'd be thinking I might end up going, but we're having our 2nd annual Girl's Getaway weekend to celebrate my mom's birthday that same weekend, and upon deciding not to go to the reunion I felt totally relieved. I guess I didn't really want to go, I just want to have another trip to see Betsy.


4. Patsy was in Provo all day yesterday for the big PTA Conference (remember I went last year?), so we arranged to get together for dinner on her way home.


We had a the best burgers ever and 2 hours of good conversation at JCW's last night, she is always a delight.


5. Not so delightful was waking up at 2:30am feeling ravenous (that's way beyond hungry people). I found myself taking blurry pictures of my middle of the night meal (I wasn't about to turn on the bright kitchen light for the sake of a clear photo) so as to document my the craziness of it all. Did you know the Snap, Crackle and Pop noise is really loud in a totally quiet house at night? Why am I waking up in the night to eat? Good grief!

**Will you plant tulip bulbs this fall?
Don't you just love a best friend?
Are you ever surprised by the relief
you feel after a decision is made?
Isn't that burger picture beautiful?
Do you ever wake up in the night to eat?**

Oh My Goodness

I haven't posted any good mail since March 2nd, so I'm way behind. This has been a good month for me that has brought a card in the mail almost every day (woohoo).


This envelope from Claudia was filled with quotes written on little notepad paper. I think it's cute that when she loves a notepad or stationery a lot she makes sure she uses it. I have never written a note on a notepad like that before, I'm way too much of an "in the box" thinker and would only use it for notes.


Jessie sent me this thank you card back in January for the baby gifts I sent her, but somehow it didn't get posted until now.


Lori sent this note to thank me and the kids for "heart attacking" her apartment for Valentine's Day.


This is another little note from Claudia, check out the envelope. I sometimes wonder how her letters make it to me at all.


Shannon sent me a copy of the magazine her home and garden were featured in this month. She had posted about this honor on her blog and I asked where I could get a copy of the magazine, so she sent me one. The photos are gorgeous, so I'm dying to visit her home and garden in real life. Wow, wow, wow!


Cheryl sent me this thank you note for the good mail labels she ordered from me. It was totally unnecessary and yet so nice.


Natalie sent me this thank you note for the good mail labels I sent her as part of my Pay It Forward post. She always has nice things to say about me and my blog, and I must say I really enjoy that about her. Ha.


Claudia always thanks me for the letters I write her even when they're full of blunt advice. I've sent her some things this year (I write her weekly) that I've been afraid might push her over the edge of friendship, but even when she bristles at something I say she still ends up thanking me for caring enough to say it. What a great quality to have, I need to be better about this myself!


Jenn (who started blogging again after a 7 month absence) sent me this thank you note for the birthday stationery I sent her. I always call her Jenn, but she signs her name Jennifer, so now I'm wondering if I should switch, though I'm not sure if I can.


Ann sent me this postcard, and cracked me up by pointing to where she lives in the picture. She wrote, "Can you see me waving?"


This is one of Claudia's signature swirling text cards. I don't know how she writes these notes without getting dizzy because I definitely have a problem when I read them. Notes from her are never boring, that's for sure.


Patsy sent me this thank you note for sending her a double set of good mail labels when I sent her order. She is great at sending good mail so I really wanted to make sure she had a good supply.


I got this note from Claudia complete with a napkin diagram of a little car accident/incident she was in.


Jen M. sent a super nice letter in this card. It has been a blessing to get to know her through blogging, and I love that we have become good friends.


Amanda L. sent me this darling card to thank me for some 3x5 cards I sent her awhile ago. She uses them for everything, so when I saw a colorful pack of them one day I got them for her.

A pretty card from Missy Claudia.

Kathleen sent me this nice thank you note for the good mail labels I made her, even though she ordered them from me. That was a nice thing to do, and it's always great to get feedback and find out that someone likes what I made for them.


Darlene sent me a thank you note for these notecards I sent her. She was one of my Pay It Forward winners from the last time I posted about good mail. Maybe I should Pay It Forward every time.

Claudia sent me this lovely card.

Robyn sent this thank you note for the birthday gifts we gave Ashley and Jared.


Esther sent me this nice thank you card for some good mail I recently sent her. She's Claudia's best friend so she calls me "Missy" too.


My sister-in-law Amy M. sent me one of her gorgeous photo thank you cards for going in on the birthday outfit we gave her as a family.


Kim Sue recently sent me a thick envelope of printed responses to comments I'd made on her blog posts (so sweet!). All this time she's been replying to things I've said or asked, and just recently found out that I wasn't getting any of them so she went back and printed them out. Wow. I don't know how to change my settings so that people can reply to my comments, does anyone know how to do this?


Amie (aka The Coupon Lady) has become the Queen of Rebates and has taken to passing some of them on to me. I was so surprised to get this check for $7.50 in the mail one day (from Coors Light no less) and thought it was hilarious that the day I took it to the bank to cash it I was also cashing two reimbursement checks from the church. I can't believe I didn't take a picture of them, and I wonder what the cashier thought. (FYI--Mormons don't drink, hence the humor.)


Tasha sent me this nice thank you note for the birthday stationery I sent her. She liked the cards so much she ordered another set of them through my Etsy shop, how nice!


Natasha sent me this rather creepy postcard last week. She's still not blogging because she gave it up for Lent, but hasn't forgotten her blogging friends. I am so NOT a Mardi Gras kind of girl, it totally freaks me out.

I am going to start Paying It Forward on all my good mail catch-up posts like this. So 5 commenters chosen randomly will be getting something from me.

**Have you gotten a swirling text note from Claudia?
Do you give friends blunt advice
when you're worried about them?
Do you have Good Mail Labels?
Are you a Mardi Gras kind of gal?**