November 2022 Randoms

I watched a super-helpful webinar about financial aid for college. It's a whole different ballgame figuring this out as a parent instead of as a student. And a considerably more stressful ballgame, I might add!

It's pretty intimidating to figure out college for your kid as a divorcing parent who hasn't worked full-time in 18 years and whose spouse once made good money but who got laid off and is currently unemployed. I never thought that would be our situation when John was getting ready to go to college. But I have confidence that things will work out. John was accepted to his first-choice school, Southern Virginia University, a week ago! 🙌 It's an LDS school where he can do NCAA wrestling and where he'll be supported in his desire to serve a mission after his freshman year. It seems like the perfect place for him, and I hope things will work out for him to be able to go there.

I was tempted to get this pretty owl I saw at The Paper Store, but I didn't. 

It would make a good sleeping owl, and my current sleeping owl is getting kind of old, but it's still so cozy. Yes, it's true, I sleep with an owl and I have for years. 😁 I use it as a prop for my arm because I'm a side sleeper, and it's more comfortable to have my arm resting on something or wrapped around something when I lay on my side. If it can't be a husband the next best thing is an owl! 

I'm a Megyn Kelly fan, and when it's on I listen to her show on Sirius when I'm in the car.

This was the lovely scene of a very delicious dinner for one of my best friends (Meredith) for her 40th birthday. It was cooked entirely by her loving and devoted husband Neil. I think there were five courses! It was a really nice evening of delicious food and great friends.

This is John's first pair of wrestling shoes that he wore in 8th and 9th grades. We didn't know at the time how important wrestling would become in his life! 

I made two loaves of iced pumpkin bread that I didn't have the right size pans for so I had to get clever with the cooking times. Luckily I prevailed and other than the mushy middles that I had to throw out, they weren't a failure. They actually turned out much better than I expected! 

The missionaries have been coming over to meet with us about once a month for awhile. It's really good for the boys, and it's good for me too. This was our last time meeting with Elder Bontempo, in the gray sweater, before his transfer. He was awesome and we miss him! All of the missionaries are great and I very much admire them for the hard but very important work that they do. 

When I go to the temple it's almost always during the day, but I went with some friends from my ward for an evening session and it was really nice. Being there at night makes the temple stand out like the beacon of light that it is even more. 

'Tis the season for tons of catalogs!

I want to see the BBC version of the funny show Ghosts. The American version is pretty good, but it has some stuff in it that I don't like. I've heard the BBC version isn't like that, and I want to see it!

I was clothes shopping for the boys and texted this picture to John to see if he wanted this hoodie or not (he did).

I still can't figure out if this is supposed to be an owl or a fox stocking. My instincts say owl but I'm not sure!

This is correct. I think it's so cool that DNA can (kind of) predict things like this!

I saw this at Trader Joe's and for some reason it still cracks me up: "Gingerbread cookie folk" 😂

This is a good idea for a healthy snack 😋

I spent a night at the Cape house to check in on it and get it ready for an upcoming weekend with friends (which will probably be one of my first posts of 2023!).

I'm thankful for the "random" things that bring happiness to my life. I'm thankful that 2022 was a better year in just about every way than 2021 was. I'm thankful to be alive, healthy, and happy. I'm thankful for all of the good people, things, and blessings in my life. Despite the continuing challenges of life, I have so much to be thankful for. I'm looking forward to 2023--in many different ways, I have a feeling that it's going to be a big year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Wisdom, Humor, and Inspiration in November

I thought this was so funny! 😆 The Babylon Bee's humor is definitely my type of humor.  

Grey rocking works!

I'm still working on not needing to have the last word or proving my point. Just because I don't get the last word or don't engage in debate doesn't mean I'm wrong or that my points aren't valid. It's hard, but for my own peace and well-being I need to get better about this. 

So true! 😂

The importance of the family to societies and the good of nations can't overstated.

"The future of this nation will be decided by the state of the family." It's true, and that's what I'm worried about in our current climate.

Sense and sensibility (which is also one of my favorite movies!)

Good advice for the holidays

A funny and relevant meme featuring one of Sam's favorite actors (Ryan Reynolds)

Hilarious! 😂😂😂

Subversive humor is my type of humor...

I loved this talk of President Nelson's from the last Conference. "In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior's power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns...He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful." That is so exciting!

I continue to find this to be true in my own life: "You can overcome the spiritually and emotionally exhausting plagues of the world...you can find true rest even amid your most vexing problems." This really is true--I've found that out for myself, and it continues to be affirmed as the various challenging situations of life continuously present themselves. 

When I was going through an especially difficult and painful time last year, my bishop (now stake president) came over and visited with me and shared Mosiah 2:41 with me, part of which is quoted above. The message of that scripture has stayed with me and I've come to internalize it in my thinking and outlook. I've found that as I've kept the commandments and my covenants, I've had the ability to not let the trials of life sink me. Instead, I've been able to rise above these problems, and if anything, they've elevated me to higher spiritual heights than I think I've ever experienced before in life. This really is "a blessed and happy state," and if you put consistent effort into it, it's entirely possible to achieve even in the midst of sorrow and difficulty.

✔✔✔

Interesting that "pride" is the LGBTQ movement's calling card.

Clever 😄

Home sweet home!

I'm thankful for the "things of good report" that inspire and motivate me in my life. I'm thankful for funny things that make me smile and laugh. I'm thankful for wisdom and for learning and for growth and for the opportunity to improve and have joy on my journey back to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 🤍