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Today, it has been 7 years since I started my blog!

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It’s my blogiversary!!

So here’s a list of 7 things I’ve learned blogging for 7 years:

1-Always remember why you do it.

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I don’t spend a lot of time on other peoples blogs. I am trying my best to get a grip in my life and sitting on the computer all day doesn’t help. So if I don’t have a lot of visitors, because I’m not commenting all the time on others blogs, I’m ok with that. I am leaving a journal with stories and what not for my family and anyone else who would like to visit. I love you all!

2-Put your best foot forward.

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Emily and Anthony’s cute socks and shoes on their wedding day!

I struggle sometimes. I prefer to not focus on complaining. It’s really not me anyway. I am a joyful person! I am always looking for the blessings in life.

3-Have variety.

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If I always focus on one topic, it’s like I’m talking in a monotone voice. That’s not very fun! So it’s good to mix it up.

4-Be totally honest.

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I am, what I am. I love to share what I feel and the adventures I’m having. Sometimes, life is challenging. Maybe if I share how I’m working through a challenge it might help someone else. Who’s to say…;)

5-It takes a lot of effort sometimes, and that’s ok.

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Remember Dory? Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!

6-“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

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I am a firm believer that love conquers all. I don’t agree with everyone on the internet, and I know they don’t all agree with me, but we can be kind and show love for other humans when we communicate.

7-Sharing what matters most to me is fun!

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Sunday’s really are Best! Family History is so fun! Missionaries make me happy! Beautiful Places are beautiful! My Darlin, First Born, Janet, Dream Come True, Most Quoted, Amber, Bonus Baby, Anthony, Grandbabies, and Tayzie mean the world to me! Someday this blog will be a treasure for the people I love, maybe it is already. Either way, it’s here and waiting for a visit from all!

Thank you for visiting! I hope you return often!

Love, Joy

Birthday Celebrations!

How do you celebrate?

How do you celebrate your birthday?

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My darlin said to me, “It’s your birthday Tuesday, what do you want to do?”

I answered, “What do I really want to do?”

He told me it really only matters what I want to do on my birthday.

I agreed!

“I want to clean the basement,” I announced.

He couldn’t believe it, “What?”

“We’ll do some work, take a load to the thrift store, then have dinner with family!”

Sounds like a perfect day to me.

We spend the first 5 hours of the day cleaning the basement. It hasn’t been organized since we moved into our new (old) home in March. When we moved, we downsized a bunch! We, as well as those helping us move just put items here and there. There was no rhyme or reason to the rooms. We had food storage with seasonal decor, sewing supplies near cleaners. It was very full, with just a pathway leading to the far corner of the room.

I don’t know how you feel about that kind of situation, but to me that is very overwhelming and frustrating. I learned from reading a book written by an organizer named Daryl Hoole, that you need a place for everything and to keep everything in it’s place, like put it right away once you use it.  We didn’t even have a place for everything yet, how could we keep everything in it’s place? This drives me crazy, so to me this was a great way to spend my birthday, and then have the peace that comes from keeping it clean, and organized.

It went very well. We got a lot done. We took a load to the DI (thrift store) and met the family at the restaurant. It was so fun to see them.

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We have a tradition in our family on birthdays. We go around the table and say something that we love about the person whose birthday it is. We usually go around a few times. I love it! It was the perfect finish on a wonderful day. I got to love on this sweet little grandbaby! My daughter-in-law Janet gave me the cutest thing from my grandbaby. She traced his cute tiny hands on paper, and cut it out, and attached a accordion piece of paper from one cut out hand to the other. On the one hand was written, “Happy Birthday” and on the other, “Grandma, I love you this much!”  Oh my stars!!!! I love it!

It really was a great day!

Birthdays are fun when they’re spent doing what you want, with who you want to be with!

Six Years!!!

It’s been another year of blogging!!! 

It’s been SIX years!!!

Let’s see…what has happened in this last year? 

I became a Grandma for the second time to the cutest “Lil’ Dude.”

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I got a new job,

welcomed home my sweet missionary and “Bonus Baby”,

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 and moved to a new home after 18 years in our old home.

photo (24)It has been a very busy year!

I feel so blessed and life is full.

I haven’t been super good at posting:(, but I do love sharing fun stories and pictures and things about myself and my life. I hope you have enjoyed coming to visit and I hope you’ll come again! Leave a comment if you’d like, that way I’ll know you where here. 

I keep blogging a long mainly so my family has a history of “US”. Here’s a great quote that explains how I feel:

“Every family has keepsakes. Families collect furniture, books, porcelain, and other valuable things, then pass them on to their posterity. Such beautiful keepsakes remind us of loved ones now gone and turn our minds to loved ones unborn. They form a bridge between family past and family future.

Every family has other, more valuable, keepsakes. These include genealogies, family stories, historical accounts, and traditions. These eternal keepsakes also form a bridge between past and future and bind generations together in ways that no other keepsake can.”-Dennis B. Neuenschwander

Please visit again!

Love, Joy

Ready for Baby!!!

My new grand baby is due in about a week and a half.

I have been sewing my guts out!!!

Ok, maybe not my guts out, but I have been trying to fit sewing into my schedule and…”slow and steady, wins the race!” I got it done.

Janet and I went on a fabric hunt about two months ago. Trying to find the perfect fabric for our sweet baby. When we saw this fabric with the cars all over, and especially the advertisements for cars, we had to get it. You would have to know Riley to truly understand why, but let’s just say, he loves cars and he is constantly buying and selling cars.

No kidding!photo 3I paid a lady to machine quilt the quilt, but I put the edging on it, and did all the rest.

I love how it turned out!photo 4photo 1I am so excited for the baby to come!! Maybe he will like cars like his daddy!!!

Waiting on Someone Else!

This last Saturday was a wonderful, fun, and beautiful day!

It was the day my “Dream Come True” daughter and I planned a baby shower for Janet. Janet is having a baby in May and we are so excited, we can hardly stand it.

We planned and planned, and bought, and sewed, and decorated, and baked. It turned out wonderful!

I think it was perfect.

I have been wanting to write the post, but I only have a few pictures to share and I have been waiting for the picture takers to send me their pictures.

Well, they are busy and maybe they forgot. Then I get busy and then I forget.

So here are a few pictures of the wonderful, fun and beautiful day!

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photo 3 (4)More pics!

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13 Things I’ve Learned From Posting 1000 Posts!!!!!!!!!

I have reached a milestone!!! Today I’m posting my

1000th post!

Here are 13 things I’ve learned from posting 1000 posts!!!!!

1-It’s ok to be yourself. 

I have learned that even though I’m not perfect, I am lovable.

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2-It’s a great way to tell your story. 

I love to read over my stories and relive my experiences.

3-I love to talk about my family, and their history.

I have wonderful children! My grand baby is adorable! My ancestors are the bomb! We are all basically pretty great people!!!

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4-It’s actually very fun to have a blog.

It’s a happy, fun, exciting place to share my life!

5-I have lots of heroes, friends, and memories.

My heroes are the good examples in my life. I try to emulate their lives. My friends are golden and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Well, my memory may go, but I’ll still have my blog.

6-Funny things happen in life.

Laughter really is the best medicine. I wrote a post once about laughing at inappropriate times, and yes I have been known to do that. I just innocently try to live my life and funny stuff just happens. I start to giggle and it’s all over. Next thing you know I have a stomach cramp, and tears are streaming down my face. I am thankful that I laugh easily. Life is too short to not laugh hysterically when the opportunity presents it’s self.

7-There are some wonderful movies and TV shows out there.

Dory: “Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming….what do we do we swim, swim!”

I need that reminder a lot.

8-Sometimes I don’t Have anything to say, believe it or not. And that’s ok.

I have been amazed at the lack of things to say, or when I can’t think of anything to post. I never thought I’d see the day. I am very social, I can talk to anyone, but I do like to be by myself and just sit still and read or relax sometimes.

9-Life is busy!

Life is busier than ever before. We’re all busy. It makes living adventurous! Sometimes finding time to do a blog post is very difficult, but I’m always glad when I do.

10-I really love Sunday’s the Best!

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Peaceful, inspirational, and spiritual! Spending the day thinking about God and His precious gifts, and looking for ways to bless others lives!

11-The world is full of Beautiful Places!

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Always focus on the beauty in this world. We are so blessed by Father above to live in such a beautiful place. Look for the beauty!

12-I have learned lot’s of lesson’s. 

I’m so glad I’ve written them down. I love to learn and I’m glad that challenges are not wasted by having to repeat difficult times. I so appreciate the lessons!

13-It takes a long time to write 1000 posts. 

Who knew it would take almost 5 years of blogging to reach 1000 posts, but I did it!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!

Something New!

I have been having a super fun and busy life these past few months. I just realized that I have not told the world my most exciting news! I am going to be a grandma again!!! Riley and Janet are having a baby!

photo (3)This little guy is due in May. I am thrilled! It will be fun to have a little one to hold and love, and then send him home to his mom and dad!