Happy Birthday Mary 2.18

Happy Birthday Mom!  February 18th We Love You!  I have been terrible with keeping up with the blog and I am so sorry!

It is awesome when your 72 year old dad calls you accidentally (he was trying to text me on his new cell) from a party where the music is way loud. I am in a different time zone two hours earlier watching a show on my computer in bed. He said the music was too loud so he would catch up with me tomorrow.

Which are you? Carrot, Egg or Coffee?

I didn't write this but found it on Facebook and liked it!




Carrots, Eggs, Or Coffee

A young woman went to her Grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling.

Her Grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans.

She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her Granddaughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?" "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft and mushy. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hardened egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee.

The daughter smiled as she tasted its deep flavor and inhaled its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What's the point, Grandma?"

Her Grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - boiling water - but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin, outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her Granddaughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong? But with pain and adversity, do I wilt and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a fluid spirit but, after death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water - the very circumstance that brings the adversity, the pain, the hardship – into something quite wonderful. When the water gets hot, it releases it's fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better, and change the situation around you for the better.

When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level? How do you handle adversity?

ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?

Valentines

Addy dressed herself for her haircut on Tuesday. She must have been feeling very safari-ish. She had giraffe print pants, leopard shirt and vest, and the best was when she picked out two different shoes. I guess when you have so many cute shoes it is hard to wear just one pair. I helped with their valentine party on Thursday and they had fun making cookies, playing bingo, go fish and coloring. Our awesome neighbors dropped off homemade cookies that night. I dropped a few goody bags at girlfriends houses, Daron got me a beautiful plant, Addy got some puzzles and candy and Daron got roasted nuts, whoppers and milk duds. Hopefully Addy and I won't eat all his candy! LOL.

Thankful For...

Today I am thankful for "Fast Eddie" who we are doggy sitting. His "Dad" is traveling to the east coast so he is driving my cats crazy for the next week and a half. Eddie was a stray in L.A. and one of our Best Friend dog trainers rescued him from a kill shelter as she was passing through California. Turns out he is pretty good with cats and he doesn't care at all about our chickens. Whew! Best of all Eddie likes to cuddle and shed and cuddle. I do not like the shedding but when those chocolate eyes look up at you longing for a lap who can resist? Ugh I am such a sucker. I am thankful today for the beautiful winter day (60 degrees) and sunny.  The clouds are amazing.  I am also thankful for the nice girl from Chicago that stayed with us while she volunteered at Best Friends.  She adopted Daniel one of the coolest rabbits ever.  Look at those feetsies!

Online store

I have been wanting to start selling something on Etsy for years.  Etsy sells handmade and vintage items and I am always complaining about how everything is from China.  Now I can buy folks handmade items and some are truly amazing. Some of my favorites are the glass, wood and ceramic artist. The artist are worldwide and you can see a bio on each artists page.  I tend to go for the artist from the USA, Turkey, Greece and Africa.  No shocker there.  I have made fine art prints of my paintings and created  little pendants.  I have also made some with Addy's artwork.  I add new ones every other day or so so check back often.

Click here to view my online etsy store.

Thanksgiving and other things I forgot to post.

Thanksgiving Day 2012

Addy and Brax at Best Friends

Kim and I helped the boys cut wood in November

The coffee maker carafe broke so we improvised. 

Kentucky and the Nagle Christmas

On December 20th my little sister turned the big 40! I wish I could have been there to celebrate but luckily my parents and twenty of her closest friends were there for her. This is a pic of Dad, Lisa and her buddie Billie. Billie sent my dad an awesome flag (signed by 20 Seals) and special buttons to Dad because of his special interest and appreciation of their feats.

Andrews Family Photos

TEXAS

Grammy and Grandpas House

Addy meeting a beautiful horse

The Christmas tree on the front of the jeep

Showing off her outfit and shoes from Grammy!

Danielle and I finally reconnected at her beautiful house.

Texas Ya'll

Addyson and I had a great travel day Dec 12.  We drove 1.5 hours from Kanab to St. George then hopped on a 2 hour shuttle ride to Vegas.  We then hopped on a plane for a 3 hour flight to Austin.  Addy met a nice little five year old boy and sat with him and his mom on the airplane.  I sat a row behind with his dad and little brother!  We then took a two hour drive from Austin to Inks Lake with Grammy and Grandpa.  Their house is lovely and Addy helped grandpa feed the family of foxes and deer.  We went and cut down a Christmas tree the first full day there and then Addy came down with a cold and ear ache.  Visit to the medi clinic. Fun times.  Two days later she was feeling better and Mom had to visit the medi clinic.  Fun times.  Luckily, Granny and Grandpa had LOTS of activities planned and Addy would wake up in the morning asking "What project are we working on today?"  While I laid in bed and watched Scandal on Netflix Addy did the following:

1. puzzles with grandma
2. lumber store with grandpa where he bought her a tool box and tools
3. make a birdhouse, paint a birdhouse, hang a birdhouse
4. paint, color, draw
5. paint and decorate fairy houses
6. create a fairy garden
7. press cloves in lemon, limes and oranges
8. decorate the Christmas tree

I am sure I forgot something but you get the idea! 

Dad flew in on Dec 19th. Yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.  We had a chance to go to Austin and see my old house and stompin grounds.  Addy chose to stay with Grammy and Grandpa and do puzzles, move the Christmas tree and presents and go to Tamale King for dinner.  Addy, Daron and I also went to visit one of my very first Texas friends Danielle.  She lives near here and her daughter is an equestrian. Addy was able to ride her horse Cotton.  It was great to see her again and I hope she and her family come and visit us in Utah.

Week one at the Grandparents-Andrews house

They are listening!

Daron and Addy are in the other room talking about what makes me yell.  Apparently when Addy has been eating too much sugar I yell and I yell when Dad leaves a fire burning in the backyard all night. They both agreed that Mom is always right (although I know Daron said it just because he knows I am listening. )

Addyson chimed in and said I make sure to turn the Christmas tree lights off before we leave so we don't burn the house down.  She also mentioned that I like mice but I don't want mice in the house because of their poop. 

I guess they really do listen to me!