Why do people search for their Ancestors?

One of the questions you may ask about Family History is "Why do people do it?"  There are so many reasons why.  Some people want to find out if they are related to any famous people, some people want to connect to those who came before them, some people are interested in where their family lines originated from.  For me I started because someone told me as a member of my church I should do it.  Then I kept doing it because it was challenging.  It also helped me to understand families and all their crazy problems.  I do not come from a very stable family.  Mines one of those ripped apart and patched together type.  When I started I only had my parents and grandparents information.  I didn't think I'd get much further than that.  My mom was always being teased and told she was Irish.  It was fun when I finally found information about her family to be able to tell her she was not Irish, but Scottish.  There is healing in Family history.  My mom found out the reason why she never met her grandparents.  It wasn't that they didn't love her, but that they had died before she was born. 
One thing you should know is that most families have some secret, a black sheep, a problem that they wish to hide.  The Book I'm currently reading says it best " What I'm about to tell you is our family's big secret.  Every family's got one, you can be sure of that.  Some are just bigger than others..." Pg. 20 " The Forgotten Garden." By Kate Morton.  Another quote I like is " ....The things we take for granted are important. You know, family, blood, the past... They're the things that make us who we are...."  It is fun to uncover the secret in the closet.  But what I love most about researching family history is finding the "Love Stories." 
I'm  a big romantic at heart.  I love to read at least one romance novel a month.  I'm not reading them for the explicit scenes which I skip over.  I love to read about people falling in love, when they realize it, and that wonderful first kiss.  I also like the books that take place in the times of kings, queens, dukes and such.  It's a bit silly but still it's my escape from the world.

So here is the first of many love stories I've found along the way as I've researched my family tree.  Well this one is actually from my Husbands family tree.  But I love it.  It's love, and going against parents wishes and a skeleton in the closet all at once.  But who can deny a young couple when they are in love?

Here is Lewis Bowlby....He fell in love with Minnie Dineen...  English Presbyterian falls for Irish Catholic Lass.... Oh the troubles will abound...

Here is their story:
Just as John and Margaret Dineen where pillars of the Catholic Church, Peter Bowlby was a pillar of the Presbyterian church.  Their respective children, Minnie and Lewis were very much in love but could not reach an agreement as to what faith any children they might have would be brought up in.  So they ended their relationship.  They didn't "See" each other for over a year but did manage to keep tabs on each other through mutual friends.  They were both thoroughly miserable without each other.  So finally Lewis in order to be with Minnie went to her and her parents proposing marriage and promising that their children would be raised as Catholics.  And so Minnie and Lewis where married in a catholic wedding ceremony and all of their children were raised as Catholics.  Much to the dismay and consternation of Lewis' father peter as well as the rest of the Bowlby family.

After they were married awhile Lewis promised Minnie that he would convert to Catholicism, but only after his father had passed away.  Lewis was working in the rail yard of the central rail road of New Jersey in Jersey city when he was critically injured in an accident at the yards.  Realizing how serious his injuries were he asked that a priest be called to the scene.  When the Priest arrived he baptized Lewis shortly before he died.  And so Lewis Bowlby died a Catholic.  Unfortunately Peter Bowlby was still alive and this was almost too much for him, not only had his son died but he had died a Catholic!  He never really got over it and remained bitter up to the time of his death at age 96.

For years Minnie Bowlby had asked the nuns at St. Joseph's grammar school in Bound Brook (where the Bowlby Children attended school) to have the children pray for a special intention. (Namely that her husband would convert to Catholicism)  Only the principal of the school knew what the intention was.  The day after Lewis died Aunt Minnie was sent by her mother to school to tell the principal what had happened and explain that was why some of the Bowlby children would be missing school for awhile.  Aunt Minnie made sure to tell the principal that her father had died a Catholic.  So  the Principal went from classroom to classroom telling the children to pray for the soul of Lewis Bowlby and to offer a prayer of thanks also because their special intention had been answered.

I hope you enjoyed this love story.  I find it funny when my husband talks about his family being "Catholic" Or "Cult"   As the Bowlby's really were not Catholic until Lewis fell in love.
G.G.

A Year of Family History

As I prepare for 2012, I have thought a lot about this blog and where I want to take it in the next year. I feel I've had little focus since I've left the original losing my job subject.  That seems so far away now.  If you have read from the beginning you know I started this blog when I lost my precious job as a library assistant.  Then I kept you up to date on the struggles I went through as both my husband and I went through unemployment and new jobs.  I have to say I fared better than my husband.  His job loss led us to the move to the west, which you have been reading about this past year.  And I apologize as I have not been to focused in this blog writing.  I often go off in strange directions.  So as I have been pondering my life and my path for 2012, I have finally found a focus for the coming year.  I'm going to share all things that have to do with Family History.

I may not have ever mentioned this before but I am a Family Historian.  In fact it is one of my greatest passions in life.  I spend hours a week researching my family history.  I have a great talent for this, I find about 10 new names in my family line each time I go on to my family history sites.  I have collected some great stories about my ancestors.  And so this year I feel compelled to share their stories.  I will also look for books that are written about family histories with skeletons in their closets, and I hope to put my own book together.  I will tell you I am no great writer so bear with me on this.  But this book and it's characters continue to bug me.  So I need to sit down and type their story.

I will also share with you my love of Temple worship.  I have been reading some awesome books about worshiping in the Temple.  I find my self a babe in the woods.  I'm at the just dipping my toes in the waters of the river of worship.  I want this year to learn how to swim in this river.  I hope to go to the Temple at least twice a week.  I hope to find the questions to ask, so I may learn the answers that help move us in this world.  A Latter Day Saints biggest job in this dispensation is to do Temple work.  I want to be there and do this.  Over the Christmas season, I have felt a longing for a place that I could not understand.  Then I realized, I long to go home.  Not to an earthly home, but to my Heavenly Home.  I long to be in that peaceful world.  But I know it is not my time.  The closest I can get to that home is to go to the Temple.  And so I hope to go often.  I hope you will enjoy my new focus this year.
My first novel is "The Forgotten Garden."  By Kate Morton.  Funny thing many of the novels I've read lately focus on England and Scotland.  Could it be my ancestors calling to me.  Showing me what their world was like?  I look forward to this new book.  I got it as a Christmas gift.  The funny thing is it fits just perfect with my focus. 
Happy New Year to you all!
G.G.

Christmas City Lights, When in Salt Lake In December you must go see them..

I must admit that all the while I lived in New Jersey, I never once went to New York city to see it decorated in lights for Christmas.  New York City was just a very big and scary place for me.  But here in Utah, I feel so much more at ease, and begged my husband to take us to the city to see the lights.
Finally it all worked out and here are some photo's we took.  I find it amazing how many lights they get wrapped around the trees.

Be advised that there will be tons of people out looking at the lights with you.  My husband thought the best way to be spotted was by raising their arms up.  It just happened that at this point no one else was in the way.

With my camera I learned when taking photo's with people use the flash.  I didn't in this photo.  When taking photo's without people, don't use the flash.  So that is why this photo is a little blurry. But look at all the lights.  It hurt your eyes there were so many!

The Temple just looks so beautiful!  It took the saints 40 years to build this.

My son took this photo!

My daughter took this photo. I'm frozen by this time. You actually had to wait in line to get a photo in this spot.  We took a second one to get the whole temple in.

The best part was as we entered the Temple area out side the gates a man was playing the bagpipes all dressed in the Scottish Kilts!  I just thought that was so cool.  It brought me to tears.  We also had hot coco and cookies.  We didn't like the cookies though, they had candy canes crushed into them.  It just didn't go well.

See the man with no coat on.  He must be super man!  It was freezing out. We left after about an hour.  My husband could have stayed longer but the rest of us were frozen!

There is so much to see. Luminaries, nativities from different countries, ton's of trees all covered with lights.  There are horse and carriage rides, hot coco and cookies, movies, the live nativity.  It was wonderful.  So if you are ever in Utah in December you need to go!

Thinking of You've Got Mail..." I lead a small life...

I've been thinking that I need to watch "You've Got Mail"  again.  I love the whole movie it resonates with me on so many levels. Lately I've been thinking of this one quote " I lead a small life- well, valuable, but small- and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because i haven't been brave?"
I have always felt I live a small life.  I love things being simple.  I don't look to deeply at the world.  Yet lately I've been thinking, and pondering about life and the meaning of things.  And I've realized that in the coming year that I'm going to begin a whole new way of life.  I'm going to begin a very spiritual walk, where I look and question those things that are before me.  I've been having my eyes opened lately to the meaning of things symbolic.  But to understand I must study, and question.  So 2012 will be my study and question those things I see year.  I'm hoping the spirit will answer my questions and show me what I'm to learn.  I know this may seems cryptic.  But to me it all makes sense.  I've realized that the most important part of my life is about to open up.  My destiny is about to be fulfilled.  A dream I had as a child is opening in a grand way.
When I was young I told my mother that God had a work for me to do.  I'm there now, I've figured out my work and I'm excited to be moving forward.  It's nice to finally have the pieces fall into place.
Our family is still living in the barren world of who ville.  We do have a tree with lights on it, but still no Christmas decorations.  But you know.  The spirit of Christmas is here.  There is love, and there is room for Him.  Our hearts are open to receive our Savior and King.  How thankful I am to be a servant to our Lord Jesus Christ.  May you all have a blessed Christmas. 
Tonight we go to the city to see the lights.  I can't wait.  Our other news is my daughter started Karate.  I think this will be a good thing for her.  I'm very interested in all that they teach.
G.G.

Playing Santa: My year to pay it forward.

Here is one of our many Christmas photo's taken this year.  My scanner has pretty much died so it does not look that great.  Have no fear, a new scanner is on the way.  But I don't have the time to open it and read all the instructions yet. 
Today I just want to say that I'm paying it forward!  Have you heard that phrase?  Well last year was tough, Christmas was going to be small and rough.  Then Santa's came in all forms.  They bestowed our struggling family with little gifts that made the difference.  The Kids felt that Christmas was wonderful. This year we are in a better position.  And so my family is playing Santa.  We are making stockings up for some friends who are finding life to be a bit rough.  I feel Christmas is more special because we are able to give and show love to others.  So if you are having a good year, and you know someone who is in need.  Be a Santa for them.  Help make their Christmas I little more brighter letting someone else know they are loved.
For a good Christmas song check out Amy Grant's "I Need a Silent Night."  I found this song last year and just love to listen to it.
GG.

All I want for Christmas is........

There are some interesting songs about all I want for Christmas.  My favorite this year is Kenny Cheseneys "All I want for Christmas is a real good tan."  But in thinking of what I want for Christmas I would say "All I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS MY HOUSE TO SELL."  At least I have learned this week that people are looking at my little house in New Jersey.  I find the things people worry about to be a bit silly.  But I guess a house is a big purchase and so they are entitled to want things to be the way they want them.  Yet I find for the price I'm asking and the condition my house is in, that people would be a little bit more interested.  Most houses in the range we are selling in are the type you have to gut and totally remodel.  Ours is in almost perfect shape.  Oh well.  I don't really believe I will get this Christmas wish. 
My other wish is for my children to have a White Christmas.  My daughter lucky girl got taken by a friend to down town Salt lake and got to see all the Christmas lights.  I hope we get to go next week. 
Our Christmas decorating this year is much like the Who's from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"  after the Grinch took everything.  And yet in this thinking I know that "Christmas comes despite it all."  It is not the decorations, gifts or flashiness.  It is something so much more.  It is God's love for us, his perfect gift."  I'm thankful for this perspective.  Sorry I haven't written in awhile.  I've been working 40 hours a week. I'm hoping that we get our moving bills paid down so we can visit the east this summer.  If the house would sell, it would happen a lot faster.
G.G.

Moving Lesson Learned: When you need help ask for it!

Here is a photo from one of my recent visits to the Draper Temple.  The Draper Temple is up on the side of a mountain.  It has some awesome views.  The mountains look so beautiful with all the snow on them.  I can't wait to go out today as it has snowed again.
Lately I've been thinking of the weeks I spent in New Jersey pretty much alone with my children.  I went many weeks, doing everything on my own.  I kept thinking surely one of my friends will call and see if I need help.  You know they never did. Am I hurt or complaining?  No.  But I learned a lesson.  At some point it all became too much for me.  I could not get my son to help, he would not focus unless I stood over him.  And some days it was all too much and I'd curl up on the couch and sleep half the day away.  Then one day while I watched my daughter swimming, I broke down and new I needed to ask a friend for help.  So I called my friend and from that point on, I had help.  Things got done, people came to help and there was less stress.  My one neighbor commented on our last day in the house, I knew you were doing a ton of work, but I never realized just how much you had done on your own.  My friend and those that helped us made a huge impression on them. 

But the point is that I needed to ask for the help.  I read a scripture recently, and it reminded me of this.  The Lord pretty much said in the scripture, " If you are not receiving the answer, then you are not asking me."  The Lord expects us to ask in prayer for the help we need.  He knows what help we need, but he still wants us to ask.  My friend when I called her said, " I had hoped you would call me, I was waiting for you to ask for help."  And so I've learned to ask for the help I need whether it be from the Lord or from friends and family.  It is a humbling experience, but it is a blessing.  I have also learned though to offer help, when not asked.  Why?  Because I know there are a lot of people out there who have not learned yet to ask for help.  I have one new friend who I go to the temple with and I've told her, if you need help, ask for it.  Don't do everything on your own.  You are not expected to carry your trials on your own.  Ask for help.  I don't live close enough to her to help as much as I would like, but I do try to help others as much as possible.

This is Draper Temple.  The views from the outside are breath taking.  The beauty within is wonderful.  The spirit within the temple is so wonderful, I never want to leave.  I try to go each week at least once, and have made a new goal of going twice a week.  Life becomes so much more simple when you go to the Lord.  Each time I leave I want to sing the song "High on a Mountain top."
Have a wonderful weekend.
G.G.  PS.  I'm working on chapter two of my book.  Hope to have it typed out sometime soon.

So many books, so little time to read!

Ah fall, don't you love to see all the colors of the leaves.  I love the yellow leaves of the tree outside my apartment, especially when the sun is shining through them. 
I found two good books for you.  The first is "So Many Books, So Little time. A year of Passionate reading." By Sara Nelson.  It is a book about a woman's quest to read a book a week for a year.  How she chooses the books she reads and how this relates to her life.  She is an insomniac.  So she does most of her reading past midnight. On some days I wish I had this, just so I could read more of the books I take from the library.  I'm either renewing them or bringing them back not quiet finished with a note to myself to go back and renew it soon.  My daughter saw the front cover of this book and said, Mom it looks just like you.  Here is a woman surrounded by books with really short curly kind of blondish red hair.  I think I may just have to buy a copy of this book.  Even though I'm trying really hard to not buy anything that is not necessary.  Perhaps this is necessary.
The other book is a book to read in October.  In fact I've started thinking since reading "So Many Books, So little time."  about a year of reading for me.  But reading books that go with the season.  October could be my spooky book month.  Any ways this book was just kind of cute and easy to read. It's "Singled Out"  By Trisha Ashley.( Sorry I couldn't find a link to this book) Perhaps I liked it because the main character is an author of horror stories.  So you get these moments where she leave the world and is in her own story world.  Or perhaps it was because I'm close to the age she is and understand that mind set she is in.  It was just a very funny little romance novel.  It had a lot of Ocotberish ( think I made this word up.) things in it.  Her dressing up like a vampire, writing horror stories and pretending to be a ghost.  Any way's if you are looking for an escape that doesn't make you think to much this is a good book to read. 
The book I've just started goes quiet well with the holiday season, perhaps I choose it because it looked like it would deal with Christmas.  I have to keep thinking of this book a month or every other week idea.  But I'm not an insomniac and have so much else to do.  I don't think I could keep up the pace. 
Hope you have a great weekend. 
Sorry no President Obama letter this week.  Can't think of much to complain about.  Wonder if that is a good thing or a bad thing. 
I'm thankful for the Temple.  I went yesterday after not going for 6 years.  It was such a blessing.  I look forward to going every week now. 
G.G.

Dear President Obama : Health insurance in the US is awful!

Dear President Obama,
For 14 years my husband had a good job, and we had good health insurance.  Thankfully I had my two children during this time.  We paid only our co-pays and the insurance covered the rest.  Now in the past two years our health insurance has been sketchy at best.  First my husbands company started going under and the health insurance through the company was the first to go, unknown to us.  It wasn't until we received a letter in the mail that we had no insurance!  What a scare to find out that you haven't had insurance for over two months and no one said anything.  Then due to the loss of my husbands job, and the loss of my job we had no health insurance.  We put our children on the state medicaid, and tried to pay for our own health care.  It is really hard to understand what you are getting for a policy.  There is so much legal stuff it is hard to know whats covered and what is not.  We went for flu shots and ended up paying more going to the doctors office than if we went to walmart.  With the state health insurance for the kids you are treated like a second class citizen.  What an awful experience. My daughter got sick on a Sunday when our doctors office was closed.  We took her to a priority care office and they said in front of my child " Oh you have state health insurance we can't see you here.  That type of insurance means you are too poor to be able to afford us."  They would not even let us pay by credit card.  The next office said something similar, but accepted our credit card as payment.  My poor sick daughter was in tears.  We both now are employed, in a different state and my husband makes a good wage, but there is no health insurance through his company.  AND WHY IS THAT?? BECAUSE OF OBAMA CARE!  Yes his new company was going to get health insurance for their employees but because you had to pass OBAMA CARE they decided to wait and not get health care until they knew exactly what your health care program would make them get.  So we are paying for insurance for our whole family, waiting to see what OBAMA CARE will make companies do.  My health care right now is scary to me.  I don't really know what is covered and to afford it my deductible is $7000.00.  I figure one day in the hospital is $7000.00 and then the rest will be paid.  But here is a question where does the $411.00 I pay every month for health insurance go, if I'm not going to the doctors because I'm scared not only will I have to pay the health insurance company but I'll also have to pay the doctor everything too?  Where is all this money going?  I would rather have a plan like my cat has.  I pay the Veterinarian $20.00 a month and she goes and gets a physical and shots with no other charge.  I would like to pay my Doctor a monthly fee and get all  my shots and tests done.  Then have some other insurance for a major hospital issue.  I'd like to get rid of insurance companies and just pay the doctor or the hospital.  I think the insurance companies are getting rich off of all the people who have no clue.  Yet I don't want to have no insurance and have some horrible thing happen and totally lose everything I have.  Isn't there anything you can do?  There has got to be a better way! 
Your concerned citizen
G.G.
Today I'm thankful for friends.  I have a lot of good friends:)

I DREAM......

I dream of gardening again someday, this is the last of my garden, some hen's and chickens in a small bowl that sits in the window of my apartment. Sad fact of this is that it isn't even from "MY GARDEN" because the pot I made got stolden off my back porch before we left, and my neighbor had dug up my others a week before knowing i was moving and wanting part of my garden.  So these are actually one of my other neighbors hens and chickens.  I dream of owning a small cottage like house someday.  I dream of working either in a library or vets office someday.  I dream of going back east in the summers to visit family and friends.  I also dream of some day being a published writer.  Though I have to admit I'm not the best writer.  I have this story stuck in my head.  I've written a few chapters, but lately I've realized I need to change it a little.  But here is the first chapter.
                                                                "THE RECORD KEEPER"
                                                                           BY: G.G.

                                                                       Chapter 1.  ANNE

Death separates "The spirit and the body [Which] are the soul of man." (D&C 88:15) (Doors of death Ensign May 1992 Elder Russell M. Nelson)

     I died today.  It was one of those freak car accidents.  The light turned green, I proceeded into the intersection and BANG! Someone running the red light slammed right into the driver side of my car.  That was it, I felt no pain, a part of me just slipped from my body.  I'm not the religious type  I've been to church, and I've heard people talk about your "spirit", but I never thought of it as a physical entity.  I stood there as a spirit next to my car, looking in at my disfigured body.  People rushed to the scene, called the police, and stared also at my body crunched up in my little car.  They did not see the spirit me, did not realize that a part of me was still there alive in some spirit way.  I wondered where is the light that you are supposed to follow?  you always hear stories of people following a light, and yet in some respects I was still stuck with my body.
     The ambulance came and they got my body out of the car and put it in one of those black plastic bags and onto a stretcher.  I felt compelled to follow it into the ambulance.  Still no one noticed I was there, or should I say my spirit was there, they all tried hard not to look at the bag that contained my body.  Next it was brought to the morgue.  There it was put in a vault to await verification from my family that it was in fact me.  I stood by my vault door, others were there by their doors too.  We could see each other, these other spirits and I, yet none of us talked, we waited.  I was not sure if I could talk, I did not know what this spirit part of me could do, and why I still existed.
     My parents came, my mother crying broke down and had to be carried out.  My father said it was me.  How awful for them.  I hadn't been the best of daughters.  I'm 35, unmarried, career driven.  Their constant question was always " When are you going to settle down, get married and have children like your cousin Lynne?"  They desperately wanted to have grandchildren to spoil.
     Time passed and then my funeral came, still no light to follow.  I wondered would I be standing at my grave for eternity? Iis that what really happened?  Should I have paid more attention the few times I had attended church?  Had I missed some important detail about what happens when you die?  My relatives filed in, they were dressed in black.  They all hugged and talked about me, and my life and their memories.  I wanted to shout, "I'm here, I'm here!"  And then a man appeared. He did not walk into the room, but seemed to appear in the light, in fact he glowed.  He noticed me, and moved towards me.  Smiling he said "I'm John, I'm here to guide you."
    I stared at him.
" You can talk. " He said.
"I'm Anne."
"I know, nice to meet you Anne."
" Where are you guiding me too?" I asked.
" You will see, but first look out into the room, do you see that lady in the light blue dress?"  He asked.
How could I miss her? It was my cousin Lynne.  Perfect homemaker Lynne.  The type of girl my parents wished I would be Lynne.
" Yes.  It is my cousin Lynne."  I said, rolling my eyes.
" She is very important to you now.  She is the record keeper.  Remember this."  John said.
" Lynne, perfect mother and record keeper, what do you mean by a record keeper?"  I asked a bit annoyed that not only would I be compared to Lynne all my life.  But now even dead she was to be important to me.
"I'll explain it later, now come follow me through the veil."
"What veil?" I asked looking around.
" The veil of death, you need to cross over to the spirit world, look for the light, follow me." John said as he moved towards a bright light.
"Why are you so bright?  What is that light there?  Why can't they see us?"  I asked as we walked into the bright light before us.
"  The living often can not see the dead.  I'm bright because I carry the light of Christ.  Come now we must go, you are late."  John said as he took hold of my hand and pulled me through the light.

Well that is my first chapter.  What do you think?  I have to redo the second chapter before I share.
Since it is November thought I'd share something I'm thankful for.   I'm thankful that I feel well today, because I was pretty sick last night.  I'm thankful for my family.  I love them so much.
Have a great day.

I Know where the missing socks go....

Do you ever lose something, like say a sock when doing laundry and wonder where did it go?  Are you the type of person who hunts up and down, over and under and all through the house trying to find the missing barbie shoe your daughter lost?  Does it drive you crazy not knowing where the two sweat shirts your son had went?  Or did you lose something like your mothers lucky rabbits foot when you were little and still feel bad it never got found? 
If so then here is the book for you to read "There's No Place Like Here"  By Cecelia Ahern.  This book is about a woman obsessed with finding lost things, from lost socks to missing people.  In the beginning of the book she tells one other character in the story "what has to be worse than not finding what is lost, would be to be lost and never found".  Well in the book she becomes lost in the world of "Here" and the book is all about the world of  "Here"  where all the lost objects of our world go, and how one man is determined to find her.
I have to say when things go lost I don't really look to much for them.  If my keys are lost then yes, but if a sock or other item goes missing I'm not one to search the house to find it."( Of course at this point I have learned where my missing socks go they are either on the walk way between the house and the car or the walk way between the car and the laundry mat at our apartment complex.)  I guess my children have inherited that trait from me.  They lose a toy and it's gone, and they don't look for it.  My son has lost two sweat shirts and a pencil holder in the past few weeks and has not looked for them.  Oh he'll complain they are gone but will not put any effort into finding them.  His math teacher finally after 3 weeks gave him his pencil case back. 
So are you a frantic searcher of lost things or do you just simply go on without?

Dear President Obama: There are many part -time workers who want to work full time HELP!

Dear President Obama,
     Sorry I did not write last week, I worked crazy part time hours.  I get up at 3am two mornings a week and help unload a truck where I work and then I had one evening shift ( If you saw a photo of me you would say "You help unload a truck?"  At least everyone who knows me says that, but it gets me 10 hours more a week).  at a grand total of 24 hours.  The adjustment to the morning hours kept me from writing.  The sad thing is that I would like more like 30 to 35 hours a week.  I'm not even looking for 40 hours that's a retail workers dream, that only the stressed over worked managers get.  I have to say everyone is so excited about the hiring of people for the holidays by retail stores.  But if you work at one you know that this is to keep the regular crew under 40 hours a week.  Yes it may get busy, but with more people you can keep everyone at the same low hours.  Is there nothing you can do?  There are so many people out there who would like to work more, who would like to be able to support their families, and put money away for their children to go to college, or even for retirement.  That just is not happening.  When will you and the other political leaders see that for many the "RECESSION"  is not over and perhaps its really a "DEPRESSION!"
Well if you can figure out how to help all the part time workers who would really rather work full time it would be a great bonus to you.  In my opinion one of the reason employers are this way is so they don't have to pay for full time health care benifits.  Perhaps in my next letter to you I'll share with you my adventures in the world of health insurance.  I have to say at this point I'm happy to be insured but hope no one in my family gets sick, because I really don't know what my health care covers.  All the pages of legal jargon is just beyond me.  Hope you enjoy good health care with no worries, for most Americans that's just another dream in this supposedly "POST RECESSION" world.
Sincerely
G.G.

Draper Park: A new Utah Adventure.

The first thing that caught my eye at Draper park was this giant tree in the middle of a field.  I love trees.  When and if I ever have another house I'm going to have a "Tree" room where I have all kinds of tree art.  I think I love trees because I love family history and you are always working on a family tree.  I remember when my kids were young we watched a Winnie the pooh movie where tigger looks for his family tree.  He goes off climbing all kinds of trees hoping to find all his relatives.  Only to find that all his friends were his family.  I could go get a blanket and a book and just sit under this beautiful tree and read all day. 

Draper park is more like the park that we visited when in New Jersey.  It has pavement trails that you can walk on, and it has a bunch of play grounds for the children to explore.  A playground for every age seems to be there.  Some for the little children with a cool train play ground.  And then one for adults where you can work on strength training if you choose to. 

We didn't take a long walk so I can't tell you how large the park is.  The kids wanted to check out the big tree and the play grounds.

This is the area that I think adults would like.  Or at least my husband would like to try out all this exercise equipment.  Each one has you work against your own body weight.  My kids did not have much luck with working with them.

One thing about where I live in Utah, you are never very far from a beautiful mountain scene. It's hard to tell from this photo but the leaves are changing.  The mountain is more red than green. there are also patches of yellow and orange.  And yes that white at the top is snow.  I'm determined to love the snow this year just so my dad can't  have the last laugh with our move out here.  One day the mountains had clouds surrounding their tops and it was just beautiful.  Unfortunately I did not have a camera.  Well off to do laundry.  I have lots of ideas to share later though.  Thanks for reading.
G.G.

Two months of this new world and yet I feel like it's been so much longer!

My family has been here together now for two months.  Yet some days I feel like we have been here for an eternity.  I can't remember what my house in the east looks like, and I try hard not to think of what has happened to my garden.  I have asked the realtor to hire a landscaper for us to have them mow it down.  With out my daily care I'm sure it has become a giant mess.  I remember loving the sun coming in the window, the too big kitchen in my favorite colors.  I don't long to be back, but sometimes wonder how we all got here.  I sometimes look at life and think had we made a choice differently would we still be there?  If my husband had left his job sooner and gone back to being a mechanic years earlier would we still be there?  If he had taken college courses earlier would we still be there?  Or should we have taken the offer of this job on one of the earlier offers.  Would we then be more settled here?  I don't often think this, but every now and then I do.

I can't say that I miss New Jersey.  I miss my friends, but I'm making new friends and I have what is most important my family.  I have not been called out as a non-Utahan.  People don't pick up an odd accent or way of being that makes me stick out like I did in New Jersey.  In fact I feel I blend in quiet well here.  So do my children.  They are doing so well here, I'm happy for them.  I'm not sure my husband feels that he fits well.  He still misses the ocean.  Though we barely got there this past year.
I'm beginning to feel like I belong at work.  I enjoy doing the different jobs that I'm asked to do.  I look forward to having some more organization and not having to run around so much.  I hope that my husband's work levels off a bit so that we see him for awhile before bed.

One thing I'm trying hard to do is live in the moment, in the day.  I try not to look back on the past, or look to far into the future, but just enjoy the moment.  It helps me to keep calm.  I found that this is called "Mindfulness".  I'm beginning to look more into this. Just being day by day.  My parents are having a hard time with our move.  It surprises me as we only visited a couple times a year.  But my mom will e-mail and say "don't you feel sad this was the weekend we would come visit and go to the pumpkin patch."  Honestly I hadn't even thought of it.  I guess I'm not a big person for family traditions.  They ask me aren't you sad you won't be able to come for Thanksgiving.  But I wouldn't have been able to anyways as I would have to work black Friday at my job.  I don't plan yearly events and have to have them happen.  I think it is better that way.  In my mind I don't let myself hope for great things to happen.  I find when you do you are typically let down.  I just hope the day brings a bit of joy.  A good memory to tuck away.  I'll let you know how this living for the moment goes. 

Have a wonderful weekend.

Dear President Obama, Please Help Displaced Home Owners!

I've decided that every week I'm going to try to write a blog letter to President Obama on a subject that is causing me stress.  Will he read them of course not.  But it will help me with my stress. 
Dear President Obama,
I'd like to tell you about something that is happening in our country.  There are lots of displaced home owners.  I'm one of them.  I own a home in New Jersey.  Which is for sale, but the market is not good.  People are looking at homes, but not many are being sold.  While I would love to be living in my home, I'm not.  I'm living in a two bedroom apartment in Utah.  Why?  Because that is where my husband has found a job.  It's a good job, and we like Utah, but it would be nice to have our house in New Jersey sold so that we can afford a little bit bigger place to live in.  I don't even mind if I can't ever own a home again, I just don't like having to pay a mortgage and bills for an empty house, plus rent and bills for an apartment.  Isn't there anything you can do? 
I have to say though I feel lucky.  My husband and I both now have jobs, and we are making enough to afford both.  I have met several people here in this apartment complex who are also displaced.  They are barely making ends meet or they have lost their house from the state they were living in.  I met a lady last week who is living here and has had her house on the market for a year and a half.  She and her husband are now ready to sell their house at a price where they will walk away with no money made.  They can't afford to pay the mortgage, rent and college payments for their children.  I wish there was some way that people in this situation could be helped.  This is probably one of the causes of foreclosed houses.  The job market is so bad, people have to move when they get an offer and sometimes the move is not around the corner but across the country.  I hope soon that this economy will get better.  But I fear it will not.  While I keep seeing reports that we are out of the recession, I can't say I feel that we are.  I have always felt that we were actually in a depression.  There are a lot of depressed people out there.  So please think of a way to help the displaced home owners.  There are lots of us out there.
Sincerely,
GARDEN GIRL

If you read this and you are living in one state and waiting for your house to sell in another please tell me about your story.  I'd love to see how many displaced home owners there really are.  Seems like there are many in the apartment complex I live in.

Our First tour of Salt Lake City!

This past weekend we took our first day trip into Salt Lake City.  Here are my children and husband in front of a log cabin that the early Latter day saints lived in.  Have to say I'm glad for my falling apart apartment.  The photo is taken in the Church history museum.  There is so much to look at and read.  Of course two kids even their age don't stay focused that long.  My husband was still in the log cabin area while we had walked all the way up to the top floor.  The top floor has all the Latter day prophets.  I loved the portrait of President Hinckely.  It looked like he could just come right out, it was so life like.  We kind of hummed the Latter day prophet's song as we walked by each portrait.

Here is one of the Sun Stones that I think are found on the Navoo temple.  The work that went into making the temples is unbelievable.  So much hard dedicated work.

Here is our family sitting on the steps to the Salt Lake Temple.  I think it took the early saints 40 years to build this temple.  I can't imagine how much work that would take.  It is so beautiful.  The kids liked walking through the visitor center and seeing what the temple looks like inside.  There were a lot of weddings taking place when we were there.  My daughter met a missionary from Japan and was able to share some Japanese words.  We had such a great time walking around the Temple and the Temple grounds it is so beautiful!  We also went and watched the Joseph Smith movie.  It was a good movie if you are in town go and see it.

We walked down main street.  My daughter wanted to go window shopping.  It is amazing how you can look down a street and see the mountains in the distance.  This is a view you wouldn't see in New York city.  Can you see the snow on the mountains.  Kind of cool!  I like the grid system out here.  Once you understand it you can figure out how to get places really easily. 

Here are the kids at the conference center.  We hope to go back this weekend and take the tour.  I want to go to the top of the building and see the gardens.  I didn't realize they had trees up there.  The waterfall coming down the building is so cool!  We also want to check out the art museum.  The biggest blessing was having a day together as a family.  It's been a long time.  I'm just glad we are all back together.  Hope you enjoyed the photo's.

My First UTAH SNOW!

I remember one day in September walking from the UVM main campus to the horse farm and having snow flurries, but I don't ever remember having snow that accumulated in October in either Vermont or New Jersey.  But Here is a photo from the balcony at the apartments in Sandy Utah.  Snow accumulating on the ground.  It is October 6th and we have snow.  Granted it will be gone before the kids come home as it has turned back to rain.  I can't wait for the clouds to move so I can see the snow on the mountains!

My Kids will be jealous that they have missed this grand event.  They can't wait to play in Utah snow.  That is one thing they talk about constantly.  I have to say I'm excited too.  I hope we get to some good sledding hills this winter.  I guess our motto might be "if life gives you snow go sledding!"  Perhaps we'll even try skiing out.

Today in the laundry room I met a woman from Oregon.  Her husband has been living here for a year and she is back and forth between both states.  They too have been displaced by the economy.  They have been trying to sell their house for a year now.  They are to the point where they are willing to walk away with nothing.  They are in their 50's and having to start over with two children in college.  I feel blessed that we are here, and able to afford rent, and the mortgage.  People are looking at the house and there seems to be someone who may be interested.  Keep praying for us.  One thing I've learned these past few months is to give my life to God.  I have placed my hand in his and let him lead.  I no longer worry where he takes me I just follow.  I have less stress that way, I feel calm, I feel blessed.  I ask for his guidance and I do what he wants.  I told my husband I felt I had had the harder trial.  I'm not sure he has seen it that way.  I don't think he comprehends the work I did alone in New Jersey.  I once told a neighbor, I'm no longer stressed.  I realized that you could only get so stressed and then there was no more stress that you could take.  I think the Lord did this to make me bend to his will.   And in bending to his will he has made me strong, and made me see how silly some of the things of the world are.  I am happy to have a warm place to live, food, clothing, a job for me and my husband, cars that run, healthy children and my computer.  I've begun what I'm here for in my mind.  I'm here to finish my family history research and to work in the Lords temple.  That is my purpose and I look forward to many days of this work ahead.  Each day as I get on my computer I find 10 to 20 more family names.  If this is my work, I better get to it. Next time I write I'll let you in on some good books I'm reading.  Good luck to you and have a wonderful day:)

Dear President Obama: how your back to school speach inspired my daughter.

Here is one of the best photo's I have of my daughter.  It catches her true attitude as a daring, determined person.  Recently her school played President Obama's back to school speech.  After listening to the speech her teacher had her write a letter to my husband and I about how she felt about the presidents speech.  I was very impressed by what she wrote.  Here is her letter:

Dear Mom and Dad,
     Today we listened to President Obama's back to school speech.  I liked when he said that life goes on after high school.  I find that true. I want to go to a good college so that I can be a veterinarian.  I was really interested in hearing that we can make a difference now.  I want to figure out how to save an animal with out having to put it down.  Finally, he really made me think when he said that our country used to have the most college graduates, now we are at #16.  That makes me determined to get good grades and get a scholarship so I can go to a good college and make a difference.

Love,
Your Daughter.
I'm glad that the presidents speech has made a positive impact on my daughter.  I know that once she puts her mind to something she will work hard towards that goal.  Right now she is working hard to try to do chin ups so she can get money from her dad.  She is also trying to teach herself Japanese because she wants to go to Japan some day.  She works hard at school and gets pretty much straight "A's".  I hope that the economy turns around so that when she is ready to go to college there are scholarships for her to have.  I hope that the economy turns around so that when she is ready to go to college my husband and I will be employed so that we can afford to help her go to college.  And that there will be jobs for her and those her age after college.  I hope that President Obama and future presidents will be able to strengthen our country so that these children who have been inspired by their words will have the ability to go to school and make a difference.    I know my daughter will work hard, I can only hope those in charge of our country will actually do their part. 
I'm told that by the end of the week there will be snow on the mountains.  I hope to see it.  My family is very excited about Utah snow!

The Mommy Wars: Why we need to give each other a break!

Over the last few weeks while I have surfed the Internet I've discovered some news articles by the Huff Post about motherhood.  I've found them quiet interesting.  One mother who I take from the article is a working mom who takes a week off and finds out what life is like as a stay at home mom.  Which she calls a SAHM(.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-puhn/an-experiment-in-being-a-_b_965352.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl9%7Csec1_lnk3%7C97386 ) How do you pronounce that.  After a week she is glad to be back to work and praises the women who stay at home calling it a truly difficult job.  Then there is the Under Cover Working mom article.  So is she a UCWM?  She is a mom who works from home, so everyone thinks she's a SAHM but she isn't.  She gives good advice on how to get a little more respect when out with the kids.  Basically dress like you are a corporate manager and you won't wait as long as if you dress like you are about to go to yoga class.  Does the SAHM really want to buy a suit though to get waited on faster at the doctors office?  Is it worth it?  The last article was about the SAHM who has a hard time making MOM friends.  I can say that is hard.  If you are a SAHM it's hard to make friends and have time to visit among all the crazy schedules you have to balance for your children.  And as your children age you find that you lose contact with some friends, and have to work hard to keep contact with the friends you have.  As your kids become teens and don't need you at their "Hang out date".  My kids have told me they are so not play dates anymore!  You have to forge your own new friendships.  Plus sometimes that mom that you are friends with has a child that your child is no longer a good friend with.  That can make it awkward.   
As I read the articles I thought where do I fall in to this now?  I'm at home during the day, and work nights but only part time.  I still feel I'm a full time mom, but I'm working too.  I guess I'm lucky as I now have an idea of what it is like from both views.  I know it is hard to be a SAHM.  Not only is it hard it can be very isolating.  And people have such varying opinions on the subject.  I left many social gatherings with my husband absolutely annoyed at the working men and women who told me I should be working.  I also felt pangs of embarrassment when someone would ask what I do for work and I said, I'm a homemaker.  The peoples eyes would glaze over and they would seem to not know what else to say to me.  But for all of it I wouldn't have changed those at home years for all the money and success the world had to offer.  I loved staying home with my children.  I taught them to read,count, and other academic things.  But I also gave them a sense of security in a world that seems ever more insecure.  Now that I'm a working mom.  I find the balance hard some days.  But I enjoy working.  I enjoy visiting with people where I work.  I enjoy getting a paycheck, and just having time where I do my own thing.  I have an identity outside of my children.  I enjoy that.  Plus the kids are gone more than at home so it keeps me from being lonely.  I do have to say though, lets as mothers give each other a break.  If you are a working mom then that is your choice and I'm happy for you.  It's hard to be a working mom.  You miss your children, and you still have house work to do.  Unless you are lucky enough to have a cleaning service.  You are still a mom though and being a mom is tough.  If your a stay at home mom.  Enjoy every moment with your children.  And don't worry about what others think.  You chose this for your children and someday they will be thankful for that.  It's tough to stay at home with your children all day.  It's harder than any job out there.  Hopefully someday the rest of the world will see that.  Anyways whether your a working mom or a SAHM.  Feel happy in the choice you have made and be kind to others who have made a different choice.  We all have to do what is right for ourselves.

LDS Confrence Center Salt Lake City : My First Big Mormon Adventure!

Here is the photo of me in the LDS Conference Center for the  General Relief Society Meeting that took place on Saturday, September 24, 2011.  This was my first big LDS adventure out here in Utah!  All I can say is "WOW".  It was such a great experience for me.  I could have stayed all night long.  I can't wait to take my family there for a tour.  It is such a beautiful building.  I've linked you to a site that gives all the details about the conference center.    It was so amazing to see it packed with women.  I think other than the wonderful talks the best part was standing up and singing with all these other people.  It was just really wonderful for me to do that.

Here is a photo from the outside at night.  This is what I saw as I left.(well except for on the ground not in the air!)  My photo did not come out as good as this one that I found on the Internet!  There are gardens at the top of the building so I'm told.  I want to go and see them.  But isn't it just beautiful?!  I have read that this is the largest theater-style auditorium ever built.  When we got to the Conference Center their were masses of women standing in line to get in.  I was amazed at the amount of people there.  I'm not sure if it was filled to capacity, but it seats 21,200 people.  That's just amazing!

Here is a nice photo of the inside that I found. I had a seat way up in the top of the terrace section.  I was supposed to be in the balcony, but I walked in with a member of my ward who was handicapped so we got closer and better seating.  The speakers were so far away that they looked like little dolls.  I was told I missed the most exciting part, (as I went to get water for my friend.)  I missed the Prophet walking in.  I was told the whole place becomes totally quiet.  All the talks were wonderful.  But to make my experience just the top for me was that my favorite speaker gave a talk.  President Uchtdorf was the last speaker.  I just love to listen to his talks.  And his talk had a reference to flowers!  Could my night have been any better?  I don't think so.
After conference I rode with my friends to burger restaurant.  It was nice to have a night out with the women of my ward.  I hope at some point to get to go to General conference at the conference center.  That would just be a great LDS Utah experience for me!

You've Got Surveys: Can you really make money with online surveys?

Ah life in Utah, where it never seems to rain.  Here is a photo of one of my friends roses.  I could just stay at her house and photograph roses forever. 
So for the past month I have been unemployed and at home playing on my computer for a lot of my time.  So you know how you get those emails..."Sign up with us and do surveys on line and make money".  Well having nothing better to do and thinking I'd be able to share my opinion and make a little extra money I signed up for a few.  I can say this it's a good thing I got my night job now! Can you make money doing online surveys?  Probably, but from what I have found you are not going to make very much, and most of the so called surveys are just companies trying to get you to sign up for their product.  One site which I'm going to cancel out of e-mails me daily with a supposed survey to take.  You click to take the survey and they want you to actually sign up for a different companies product.  What is funny is they will pay you $1.50 to sign up for a product that will end up costing you $10.00 to $20.00.  Or they ask you to sign up for a chance to try out a new laptop for free, but when you get to the end of the survey to be able to proceed you have to sign up for two other products that cost you money.  So in the end at least with this survey company you would end up parting with more of your money than you would actually make.  I always end up closing out of the surveys early, I'm not that stupid!  There is one other company that sends you e-mails.  I think I've figured out you get paid two cents for each e-mail you open.  Again it's all a way to try to get you to purchase some other companies product. Through this web-site you can also watch video's which pay you three cents, or take other surveys.  They also want you to play on-line video games which you somehow would get paid for.  The attempt there I think is to get you to think you are a really good video game player and then make you want to play and bet money.  Not into that.  So I've watched some of the video's and I've been opening the e-mails.  Hey that's not to hard.  And I've made so far about $6.00.  Now I'm not too sure I'll ever see that $6.00 but I'm definitely not going to go to far with my survey taking money am I!  Seriously I thought I'd be asked some grand questions about products I used and that I might get some little reward.  I have to say it really just isn't what I thought.

Here is a photo from behind my daughters school.  You can't see it but the mountain is starting to get red blotches all over it.  Fall is coming.  I'm not sure how many trees on the mountain change color and how many are evergreens.  It will be interesting to see the first snow on the mountains.  Vermont won in that category as my mom has said their is snow on the mountains. She thinks that means it will be a hard winter.  My children are very excited to have snow.  To go for walks in the snow.  I guess it is good that they have something to look forward to.  I hope that the road crews are good out here as I work nights and I don't look forward to driving home in snow storms. 

Well I hope you had a good week.  I kept very busy.  Tomorrow I get to go to the Womens' General Relief Society meeting.  I actually get to go where it will be occurring.  I'm very excited about this.  To be in the same room as the Prophet of the Church.  How greatly blessed I feel. I hope I can get a few photo's to share. Oh if you know of a good survey site or if you have made real money on surveys let me know.  As I'm quiet convinced it's all a big scam!

Have a great weekend:)