December...my favorite time of the year.


There is no snow yet, but the cold has set in. The Christmas tree is up and lit every night. I love to sit in a dark room and stare at the tree. I let the lights and reflections of light off the glass ornaments blur a little. It is a magical place to sit and think for a while.
    I think of the year past, my family, my goals, and sometimes I don't think of anything at all. I just sit....and let my mind empty of the stress of the day. I let my body relax until I am ready to sleep for the night.
       Merry Christmas! I hope you have a stress free month to celebrate with family and friends. The end of the year is here...what did you do with the opportunities you had this past year? What will you do with next years possibilities?

December.......New book  

"A Home for Christmas"
Read all about it on my Fiction book page..(click above to change page.)

Kindle available  A Home for Christmas (click here!)
Print coming in two weeks, or sooner!!







November

This month is a favorite of many...It is the beginning of the Holiday season! This time of year fills me with happy thoughts. It all  means only one thing to me.... family and I mean "FAMILY" in a big way!! Its not about the shopping or the shiny gifts that are now displayed in the stores from now until Christmas...its about Family fun, love, and the time spent together.

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas....it all means the same to me......
Happy Family Time!!
 

October....I love fall!

Here is a beautiful fall picture taken by my sister, Barbara. She was out for a nice break from her day. She and her husband went for a drive to see the changing of the Aspen tree leaves near Flagstaff, Arizona.

We all need that kind of day. Just walk away from the messy house, the bills waiting to be paid, and the many other things that keeps us busy. Sometimes we deserve that moment to take a breath and rejuvenate. Even if it is a few minutes.

If you can't take a drive to get away...then take a walk down the street. Just a leisurely stroll is all we need sometimes. Take a deep breath, enjoy the scenery. Take in the peace and quiet of nature.

We all need that. You deserve it!





If you enjoy my blog....share it with a friend this month! Thanks! 

Check out my new page added.....
"Authors Corner...Meet a new author!"

First of all ...my heart goes out to those in Texas experiencing so much loss. I'm humbled by all those who have rushed to the aid of the people there. I'm touched mostly by the way the people in the area have pulled together and helped one another.  I'm also impressed by those in other states, famous and just "Regular" folks, that have donated to help those who have lost so much. 

September!

The beginning of fall is on its way.

The temperature is changing and the toilet paper is hanging from our trees like Christmas lights! Yes, homecoming has arrived for our school and this year my boys weren't home to guard the yard.  Both me and my teenage/junior in high school, daughter dared to go to bed by 10:00 p.m. My daughter was SO excited that we had been teepee-d. Earlier she had sadly stated, "They only toilet paper the cool kid's houses, Mom. They won't get ours." Frowny face and pouting to boot! When the culprits had knocked and rang the door bell. (New for me! I thought this was a hit and run kind of activity.) She leaped out of her room and started shouting. "Yes! Yes!" As she ran downstairs. I pictured her throwing the front door open as she jumped up and down! She gleefully ran back up stairs. "They got us, Mom!"
    Then she ran back downstairs the second time shouting, "Come on, Mom! You gotta see this! They got us good!" I told her I would wait until morning, as I muttered, "Worthless dogs!" Three dogs had let the yard get vandalized without a single bark!
     Sure enough, the next morning I saw 'how good they got us!' Every tree, bush and weed, picket fence, pillars on the porch, arbor, back yard and the house....and all over the grass....oh and down the lane (Sorry about that good neighbor!) All I could think of was, "Wow, that was a ton of toilet paper I could have put in my year supply...almost a full acres worth!
     But my daughter was happy and felt very loved. Later she was told 30 kids showed up to pull off the job. They must really like her!





New release!

   "Doodle Journal" Check it out on my "Non-fiction" book page above.

August 2017


August...what does it mean to you? Back to school? Fair time? Harvest and canning? All of that comes to mind for me... along with my anniversary. This year my husband, Greg, and I will be married 34 years!
    That sounds like such a long time...for some it is. For me...it feels like it's only been a few years, but then I look in the mirror and realize that time has past.
    So much has happened in those flying 34 years. We have six children and 10 grand kids. We have moved twelve times, owned thirteen different vehicles. We owned three different homes along with the rentals in the beginning. Greg has supported us with different jobs. I taught music for 30 years and preschool for thirteen. We homeschooled for nineteen years.
     We raised two Eagle scouts. four tennis players, three cross country runners, two football players, one wrestler, four musicians, three  college students ( and two more coming up.) We raised a cowboy and rancher, a musician and mother, a business manager and corrections officer, a carpet layer, a construction worker, a well driller, two missionaries, and a pro tennis coach.
     Life has been good to us. We have had our trials....cancer came and left, along with other illnesses....jobs have changed, but here we are, still married...still raising our family.
      We are together forever. We are here to stay!

Happy Fourth of July! Have a happy Family fun day! 

How will you be celebrating this year? Family picnic, a barbecue? Boating, Camping? and last but not least...Fireworks!

Enjoy your holiday!

 New book Released!! Check out my fiction page . Click on the tabs above!

JUNE....

Summer time has started with strange weather and a AC that went on the blitz.
 This is the time to think of summer family fun...family reunions, swimming parties, picnics in the park and in the mountains...camping!!  We love camping!
    And of course, the most fun of all Fourth of July!
   What is your favorite summer fun activity?

But June has other holidays that are very important....June 14th is Flag Day. I love seeing the flags waving in the wind. I love what that flags represents. Our country and the freedoms that we have.
    I know there is a lot of political conflicts nowadays, but we need to not forgot the goal of this country. Freedom....if you have have forgotten what those freedoms, are spend time reading about it and be reminded. Though, I will say, you might have to go hunting for some of that information since people nowadays tend to try to destroy the stories of the founding fathers and all they represented.


The other great day of June is Father's Day.
I want to tell you about my dad. He was an amazing man. I learn so much from him. He had a very big heart. Always giving to others.
    I remember him getting up in the middle of the night to rescue broken down cars and fixing them in the middle of the night and then getting up to go to work.
     He served the community in 4-H  until he passed on! The kids loved him!
    He was active in the LDS church and involved in the scouting program for many years also. He loved the mountains and hiking with those boys!
    He took our family camping and hiking. He was always there at ever activity we were in. Always cheering us on.
  . He always had a smile and a hug. He had a great sense of humor.
   LaVon Max Johnston has been gone from this earth for 8 years now..but he is still with me. I miss him every day.  His birthday is also June 27th. A lot of reminders of him this month.

I love you, Daddy.

May....

May is a awkward month. It can be full of sunny, spring days or cold, windy, rainy days.We had three days last week that started out rainy and cold, and then ended in sunshine. Like Mother Nature couldn't make up her mind.    
      But for sure, the flowers are amazing! I love Spring flowers. It makes my day to see new flowers blooming.
       May is a transition month also. School is out, seniors graduate. Spring cleaning hits us. Out with the old and in with the new! It is a time for new paint in the living room. Everything gets a face lift and feels new again.
  
    

April!....Spring! Spring! Spring!

I love spring time. Flowers are so beautiful. New green grass, fruit trees begin to bloom. Life is renewed!
   Sometimes we just need that renewal time for ourselves. I believe in new beginnings, but sometimes it isn't about starting over, but maybe a new look all together...new hairdo. New paint on the house, new nail color, plow up the old garden and change what you will do with it for once. Spring is about change for me! And as I said in the past...CHANGE IS GOOD!!
     SO let it happen! Give yourself permission to do something different. I am adopting an old habit....in the spring I used to get rid of everything in my house that I haven't used for 2 years. After I went through  my cancer-- 4 years ago-- my energy level to get stuff done was just gone. It is finally flowing in my veins again! So let the fun begin! Last week I burned all the old broken furniture in my house! It felt GREAT! Okay..maybe the chair wasn't broken..but it was ugly! So it had to go! I tried to give it away...no takers so it had to go. Now to continue my deep..and I mean DEEP spring cleaning! It is long over due! OVER HAUL TIME FOR MY HOUSE! Happy spring cleaning to all of you!



New Children's book released!

Check it out on  "non-fiction Author page"!

How to help teach your child to read! A book written from my 13 years of experience teaching Pre-school and 18 years of Homeschooling.

Happy St Patrick's Day!

March......

 Top of the mornin' to ye!

St Patrick's Day was always simple, a bit dreaded, but a fun holiday. Wear green or get pinched! In our home, it goes a little deeper! We keep trying to catch that pesky Leprechaun.
     Every March 17th...our milk turns green! It's been happening for years! My 6 children spent years trying to catch the tricky little man. My youngest is 15 and the tradition still goes strong.
    Along with trying to catch the Leprechaun in action, our meals for the day take on a green tint also. Green pancakes, lunch and dinner-- everything about the meals through out the day is green! ...Green salad, asparagus, green jello, green mashed potatoes, green rolls, lime green punch, etc. 
     One year the chicken was suppose to be green, but it turned out looking like yellow slimy chicken. It was difficult to eat at first for some. But it was a great family time! Since then we steer clear of trying to taint the meat--it is a little difficult.

    Family traditions are a great thing. They can be started at anytime. It is never too late to pull together a simple dinner, send out a few text to have your family members clear their calendar. 
      The time you spend with your family building memories is priceless. Just do it! It may take some time and energy to get the family all together in one place, but it is well worth it.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you and yours!

February... The month of...LOVE.
What do you love? I love to Read! I love to listen to uplifting music as I work. I love to sit in a clean house...but that means I have to clean it too! I LOVE my family. I appreciate the great times they have shared with me! I love hearing them come home!

    I love friends and making new friends!

I love Chocolate! Makes me feel happy to share it with someone too!..with popcorn! Yummm!

    Just find a little happiness by loving the little things in your day.
The cat laying on the chair, the bird playing in the yard outside the window. That small piece of Chocolate melting in your mouth. The taste of a cool glass of water! The smile in someone's eyes as they greet you! I love my bed! My house!
   
     Every day is filled with loving blessings...count your blessings today!

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February...a new month. A new start to begin....again!
     This is a great time to reset those New Year's Resolutions you have already balled on...and START AGAIN!
      February...can you believe it? Here in Parma, Idaho we have spent our first month of the year covered in snow. Some New Year Resolutions may not have even had a chance to begin...so here is another opportunity.
      "Exercise? New Job? Diet? Spend more time with family?" Whatever the plan was.... Just  reset your goals and get back to work again.
     

Happy Valentine's Day!  Don't forget to plan that special date with your valentine.