tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1613338299525052532024-03-14T02:26:21.726-07:00Victoria's Place<br>Victoria's Blog <br>
& Some of Her<br>
Favorite ThingsVictoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-39567794454997184402010-01-11T14:50:00.000-08:002010-10-18T11:19:16.860-07:00=The Girl in a Whirl= is Doing Well in So Cal!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Whirl-Victoria-Gunther/dp/1935217321/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425881335610569090" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 219px; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyYPNEzj1HVXmL-4Ofo-s002Du2xLcRFr-XueDTi22484SOL17VRYvnIkq57VPuR8h5MZU5dVYxQXVOmD8ZV1XcANfMqb_2sZEWt_7xWv-4hvz5obwv2JX4kSftct3jpYUR-Z9jBuzxSi/s320/girl+whirl+cover-edit.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Two weeks before our house burned down (which was on October 11) my book came out. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Girl in a Whirl by "Dr. Sue" and Other Things that Women Do </span>had already gotten really good reviews and I was excited about it coming out. But because of the fire and all the things we've needed to take care of and make happen, I haven't had much time to do all the book promotion that's involved. I did do several book signings, but not a whole lot more than that. But despite all that, it's still doing pretty well here in southern California where they at least know something about it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">On December 29, I got this email from the editor of the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >Latter-day Trumpet</span><span style="font-family:georgia;">, which is a monthly LDS newspaper in southern California.</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;">______________________<br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Victoria,<br /><br />Our January, 2010 issue of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Latter-day Trumpet </span>is going to press within a few days and I thought you'd enjoy knowing that each month we publish the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Top 5</span>, a list of books, CDs and DVDs from all reporting southern California bookstores and your book, <span style="font-style: italic;">Girl in a Whirl</span> is #4.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The actual <span style="font-weight: bold;">Top 5</span> for Books, Fiction is:<o:p></o:p></span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">1) <span style="font-style: italic;">Undaunted</span>, Gerald Lund<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">2) <span style="font-style: italic;">Dickens Inn</span>, Volume 1, Anita Stansfield<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">3) <span style="font-style: italic;">Christmas Sweater</span>, Glen Beck<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">4) </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">Girl in a Whirl</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">, Victoria Gunther</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">5) <span style="font-style: italic;">Christmas Jars Reunion</span>, Jason Wright</span></p></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><br />Each reporting LDS bookstore store in southern California provides us with their top 5 best selling products. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">You are in very esteemed company.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Congratulations.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;" class="MsoNormal" face="arial">______________________</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:';font-size:14;" ></span><span style="font-size:180%;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:';font-size:14;" ><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Oh my gosh<span style="font-family:georgia;">!</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:';font-size:14;" ><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;">Actually, a couple of weeks before that, our friend Pat Lovell had given Jay the then-current <span style="font-style: italic;">Latter-day Trumpet</span> which showed this from the previous <span style="font-weight: bold;">Top 5</span>:</p><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Books, Fiction<o:p></o:p></span> </span><p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">1) <span style="font-style: italic;">Undaunted</span>, Gerald Lund<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">2) <span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Christmas Jars Reunion</span>, Jason Wright</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">3) <span style="font-style: italic;">Christmas Sweater</span>, Glen Beck<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">4) </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">Girl in a Whirl</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">, Victoria Gunther</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:arial;" >5) <span style="font-style: italic;">Saving Madeline, </span>Rachel Ann Nunes</span></p></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >I was SO surprised, and felt honored even to be anywhere on the same list with those authors! And while my book technically isn't fiction (okay, some of the funny stuff in it is, but a lot of it's not....) it's not a book that's mostly about doctrine either, like the books on the top five nonfiction book list that the <span style="font-style: italic;">Latter-day Trumpet</span> compiles.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;font-family:georgia;">Anyway, I figured that <span style="font-style: italic;">Girl in the Whirl </span>somehow got on that list due to <span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >the people who had come to my first book signing</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > (mostly wonderful people from my ward!) </span>and so on. </p><span style="font-family:georgia;">And when it came to any kind of "top list" on whatever happened in December, with so many books out there from big time authors that people could be buying as presents, plus all the new Christmas books that come out every year, I would never expect a little book of mine to be on that list!<br /><br />But when I was at a bookstore for book signing where I had done one a few weeks before, the manager there told me that people who had bought my book because it looked good or because of me being there for the book signing or whatever, were calling in asking the store to set aside some of my books for them because they wanted to buy more as presents for other people.<br /><br />Yeah, I have to say that made my day.<br /><br />My hope is that the <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">reason</span> they wanted to buy it for their friends or loved ones is because it <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> funny and fun to read--and because it's <span style="font-style: italic;">also</span> something that can help people feel a desire to be kinder, better individuals and more faithful followers of Christ in an encouraging way, without making them feel all overwhelmed or anything.<br /><br />So if people think it makes a good gift because it's a fun present that can also bless someone, that sounds good to me (meaning, that's probably the kind of gift <span style="font-style: italic;">I'd</span> like to give, especially when I'm not exactly sure what someone wants.)<br /><br />Anyway, I was pretty surprised and happy about all this, as you might imagine!<br /><br />(Hmmm. Now if only the rest of the world somehow knew that this book exists . . .)</span> <p></p>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-89879003142458742512009-12-24T11:12:00.000-08:002009-12-24T13:46:48.339-08:00More Book SigningsI've did lots of book signings in December and November. They've been SO fun!<br /><br />I haven't updated here for a while because it's been so hectic at home with everything going on--helping everyone get the things they needed in all the different areas of their lives day to day after the fire, working on all the insurance stuff, doing the massive paperwork involved, putting together plans for rebuilding our house, in addition to just regular life!<br /><br />I'll put up just a couple of pictures from a book signing in Arcadia for now.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKoLXxYEVyEq0aouZWcieYrkB7NzE6XQlT_B23UL6ke5WK5GHfPWCsB-CAuwdDInxqgQHgtKg__8QS9xWEl6DboYTM1hSt4WW_tqbHVbrdJACP8rbi0vAgZC3_tNs-KDdbPd2Aa46PXHk/s1600-h/book+signing+arcaria+Elizabeth+Urie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKoLXxYEVyEq0aouZWcieYrkB7NzE6XQlT_B23UL6ke5WK5GHfPWCsB-CAuwdDInxqgQHgtKg__8QS9xWEl6DboYTM1hSt4WW_tqbHVbrdJACP8rbi0vAgZC3_tNs-KDdbPd2Aa46PXHk/s400/book+signing+arcaria+Elizabeth+Urie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418883677269735922" border="0" /></a><br />Me with Elizabeth Urie, a wonderful flutist who has a beautiful new CD.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5LwDFror7resLsx72TAHpQkKqF87M0anqXnuJTwCrtKVSqFYY_ufQ8LN-JrcFtvBab2cu3USRNCG71-nPiSgWzsbaHvyOqV7kS9WRstfh1bWPtlsC4G_Zqqkx9nsLG4CkzzqqlHHLGpG/s1600-h/Booking+signing+arcadia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5LwDFror7resLsx72TAHpQkKqF87M0anqXnuJTwCrtKVSqFYY_ufQ8LN-JrcFtvBab2cu3USRNCG71-nPiSgWzsbaHvyOqV7kS9WRstfh1bWPtlsC4G_Zqqkx9nsLG4CkzzqqlHHLGpG/s400/Booking+signing+arcadia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418883673555152306" border="0" /></a><br />A couple of Elizabeth's friends who stayed for about an hour. We all had so much fun together!Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-22078065908066984912009-11-22T15:56:00.000-08:002009-11-22T23:22:01.603-08:00In the Arms of His Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-teFn4FXCSUAl1B8d2GDhu2ver8C44incgylHvWMOAlFOWZNLG0jsV_021uXJ8xfEq7D-ANjYQzEYAZujkcyZTWsljg9TwzyituPnJe6gGP9FBUHH74VqAESgduyMXb1WBo9abP24u2N/s1600/christ+statue.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 404px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-teFn4FXCSUAl1B8d2GDhu2ver8C44incgylHvWMOAlFOWZNLG0jsV_021uXJ8xfEq7D-ANjYQzEYAZujkcyZTWsljg9TwzyituPnJe6gGP9FBUHH74VqAESgduyMXb1WBo9abP24u2N/s400/christ+statue.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407081340711018818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Isn't this about the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?<br /></div><br />And the picture here doesn't do this piece justice. About two weeks ago, a large box was delivered here by UPS with this gorgeous and touching statue inside. I cried when I opened it, and it makes tears come to my eyes even to write this now.<br /><br />Two dear friends of mine, Patty and her son Bart, sent this to <span style="font-style: italic;">"help me and remind me of Christ’s love for me and all my loved ones, especially our son." </span> This was so sweet and unexpected. And this statue is just so beautiful and meaningful. I feel deeply moved and very blessed every time I look at it.<br /><br />I simply can't express how truly humbling it is to be the recipient of such extraordinary kindness and generosity like this, and as we have received from many others also.<br /><br /><br />I had wanted to say more about this but I just can't.<br /><br />There are no words to explain how I feel right now.<br /><br />This feeling is huge, but I don't know its name.<br /><br /><br />Thank you, Father, for such extravagant kindness in my life, for the caring and goodness of wonderful people, and the blessings of heaven that have poured down upon us until we hardly have room enough to receive them.<br /><br />Thank you.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /></div></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-50807503067069958282009-11-20T14:01:00.000-08:002009-12-24T12:31:15.505-08:00My Book Signings at Ensign Books!Last Saturday, I had book signings at three different Ensign Book stores, and it turned out to be pretty fun. This was the first time I had done any, and preparing for Saturday felt both exciting and somewhat daunting. Craig Nelson, the owner of Ensign books, was kind enough to schedule me when two other LDS authors, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&tag=mozilla-20&index=blended&link_code=qs&field-keywords=josi%20kilpack&sourceid=Mozilla-search">Josi Kilpack</a> and <a href="http://deseretbook.com/store/search?x=0&y=0&query=julie+wright"> Julie W</a><a href="http://deseretbook.com/store/search?x=0&y=0&query=julie+wright">right,</a> would also be there, which made it really great for me and much more pleasant than doing a book signing all by myself!<br /><br />Julie and Josi were very nice, interesting and gracious. As I mentioned in my previous entry, they also spent the night at our house on Friday. Since I think we had most of their books (before the fire!) =o) it was fun for us to have them here. Jenni, our 17-year-old daughter and avid reader, couldn't believe that they were coming to <span style="font-style: italic;">our</span> house. Aren't they, like, famous people? And they're coming <span style="font-style: italic;">here</span>?? Jay was a sweetheart, as usual, and made everyone a nice breakfast in the morning.<br /><br />That was the upside. The downside is that I'd had this mega-sinus pressure thing that had started a few days earlier in the week. By the time Friday came, there was so much pressure in my sinuses and especially in my ears that I could hardly hear at all out of one of my ears, and not very well from the other one either. Crazy! I've never had anything like that before. I was using sinus meds non-stop which helped slightly. However, they kept my mouth so dry that I could hardly swallow or talk. That made it so that I somehow deeply bit the side of my tongue, making it even <span>harder</span> to talk except with a lisp. Ha! Lovely. =o)<br /><br />So I got to spend the day with two amazing authors who I was delighted to get the chance to meet and talk to, with a head that felt like it was about to exploded despite what I did to help it. So, while overall the day was fun, I was pretty "out-of-it," and not quite my normal cheery and ridiculous self.<br /><br />Ah, well.... Josi and Julie were great, though!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsf30UMZSsHYBX6P0TtqjVeD3hu9Jz5rWqeno3kfPkoS_6vS6pEQzqHU1VXYMqzDNC5bBe3fbFjOTcXf9NajBA4VPM7i7xYpSInwZkfWEU6nh8ORkFP4nW8NFgeVDpl0t_j2nAu5iypx5/s1600-h/josi+julie+victoria+f.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsf30UMZSsHYBX6P0TtqjVeD3hu9Jz5rWqeno3kfPkoS_6vS6pEQzqHU1VXYMqzDNC5bBe3fbFjOTcXf9NajBA4VPM7i7xYpSInwZkfWEU6nh8ORkFP4nW8NFgeVDpl0t_j2nAu5iypx5/s200/josi+julie+victoria+f.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418902237674630338" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Me, Josi Kilpack and Julie Wright at Ensign Books, November 14th<br /></div><br />One of the things that made the day wonderful was that some of my friends came by for the book signings. Craig even commented that I sure had a lot of nice and supportive friends there. Yes, that's true, but it was because they're simply great people who just do kind and helpful things for others.<br /><br />I can't explain how...well, comforting really...it was to see smiling, familiar faces there of people I know and care about. I feel truly blessed to have people like this in my life--and right in my own ward!<br />Yeah, our ward is kind of incredible.<br /><br />I meant to get pictures of everyone, but got distracted some of the time and missed some people. (sorry!)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUGECPjf6iUxIC5yPtxCIMMr70gX_bEkHhpOHrsKf9JhTElf3p3X0Qkwj_O3ci9DRT_31U9VdXz8x_Gaa-rmKV1YUqdV8AYXBFP5B3eGz_d7wR6fIySLcU_Be4TB9iWwNiwBt8U6FllPq/s1600/book+sigining+1+11-09+005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUGECPjf6iUxIC5yPtxCIMMr70gX_bEkHhpOHrsKf9JhTElf3p3X0Qkwj_O3ci9DRT_31U9VdXz8x_Gaa-rmKV1YUqdV8AYXBFP5B3eGz_d7wR6fIySLcU_Be4TB9iWwNiwBt8U6FllPq/s400/book+sigining+1+11-09+005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406713894790335874" border="0" /></a>Daniel & Nancy Bahner and JoDy and Gary Glazier<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQV7c0_KBEBXb3MA5C9Cfm_D1rdneHA7-y8K8CvEvQ7u7XVWZHJbvxXtfcBMQQUERPJsotLgJEbkGeLY2StxoKNTOkSKRNM_WI-aXQl_DXxPyia_YiZ-taG6YR6n8ErryWeVMwcaqFiam/s1600/book+sigining+Riverside--3+11-09+007c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQV7c0_KBEBXb3MA5C9Cfm_D1rdneHA7-y8K8CvEvQ7u7XVWZHJbvxXtfcBMQQUERPJsotLgJEbkGeLY2StxoKNTOkSKRNM_WI-aXQl_DXxPyia_YiZ-taG6YR6n8ErryWeVMwcaqFiam/s400/book+sigining+Riverside--3+11-09+007c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406712753409241986" border="0" /></a> Cathy Newton, Pat Goodrich and Chris Tibbets.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tplzoBehI1Dv-0Qxk4ugP62KU15UdABSZPniPJoYDjrG4wGPX962lqCcOpOUAWsm9QS1nAAmExUZBvDkBVG1wAEjawN26e-QgfxW5qtx_dFFIa5eli75RsEjHYF0qv4-20AQ_NayiK6l/s1600/upland+book+signing+11-14-09+trimmed+a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tplzoBehI1Dv-0Qxk4ugP62KU15UdABSZPniPJoYDjrG4wGPX962lqCcOpOUAWsm9QS1nAAmExUZBvDkBVG1wAEjawN26e-QgfxW5qtx_dFFIa5eli75RsEjHYF0qv4-20AQ_NayiK6l/s400/upland+book+signing+11-14-09+trimmed+a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406711102752533746" border="0" /></a>Pat Lovell, Shantell Sunderman and Diane Hull.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />In addition, at the last bookstore in Upland, I was introduced to <a href="http://deseretbook.com/auth/50/Lael_J_Littke">Lael Littke</a> who had come by to see Josi and Julie. She is very upbeat and vivacious, and it was lovely to get to meet her--especially since I recently began reading her wonderful <span style="font-style: italic;">Company of Good Women </span>series. She stayed and visited until almost closing time.<br /><br />It was a long but mostly enjoyable day--minus the sort of miserable sinus thing.... Thanks to Julie and Josi and kind friends, I had a positive experience and will look forward to doing book signings again (even though J&J and friends won't be there next time.)<br /></div></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-12462552559850464442009-11-06T00:44:00.000-08:002009-11-06T06:43:42.119-08:00There's No Place Like Home (even when it's not ours....)Here we are in our comfy, cozy home.<br /><br />Well, not <span style="font-style: italic;">our </span>home. Okay, it IS our home, although it's only our house until our real house gets rebuilt. What kind family and friends we have, like Diane and Alan who immediately put us up in the little house behind theirs and handled it like we were staying in a bed and breakfast. And Ja and Larry who insisted that we stay in their fully furnished (unoccupied) house right around the corner from us for as long as we needed to.<br /><br />I could comment on a zillion generous and wonderful ways in which people have blessed us these past couple of weeks, but we'd practically be here forever. So I'll only mention the house at the moment since it has to do with something coming up.<br /><br /><br />I have three book signings next week on Saturday, November 14!<br />They will take place at the Ensign bookstores in:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Temecula from 9:30 am to 11:30 AM,</span><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;font-family:times new roman;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" >Riverside from 12:15 pm 2:15 PM, and</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Upland from 3 pm to 5 pm.</span><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The really fun part about this is that two amazing LDS authors, Julie Wright and Josi Kilpack, will also be there!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">=AND=<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Julie and Josi will be staying at with US on Friday night. =o)<br /><br />How nice that we actually have a house for them to stay at while our real house is 'indisposed,' huh?<br /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /></div></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-75994302992000832062009-11-05T11:11:00.000-08:002009-11-09T19:40:39.149-08:00The Things That Really MatterI've come to the conclusion that some things that we <span style="font-style: italic;">think </span>matter, really don't.<br /><br />For example, I've honestly always thought that except for something death related, having your house burn down would be about the absolute worst thing that could ever happen. But you know what? It really isn't. Despite losing our house and just about everything we've ever had, we're okay. And even though we had a lot of things in our house that truly mattered to us, still, overall it really doesn't matter.<br /><br />And it's not just because we're going, "Well, we do have the things from our home that are really important, the people we love," even though that's true. It's because this whole thing just doesn't feel as devastating as it seems like it should feel. We feel peace and this wonderful, overwhelming sense that things are okay. And that's kind of amazing.<br /><br />This last year we're had some we've had some pretty out-of-the-ordinary things happen around here. With the housing market the way it is where houses aren't selling, new homes aren't being built. When the developers aren't building, the civil engineers in that field don't have a whole lot to do. So Jay has gone from being the hotshot, highly-paid civil engineer that he's been forever, with more contracts than he knows what to do with, to having hardly any work at all.<br /><br />Then we had Jared's death in July. It wasn't completely unexpected due to the fact that he hadn't been willing to accept treatment for his<a href="http://tinyurl.com/yjqfnq6" target="_blank"> schizoaffective disorder</a>, and had also made previous attempts to take his own life. But we had always hoped that at some point, our brilliant, charming and gentle son would understand that with ongoing medical treatment he could actually lead a pretty regular life. But he really couldn't see it, and that never happened. He's in good hands now though.<br /><br />And now there's this with our house.<br /><br />I can see how it might seem like it's been a pretty awful year. A few people have made Job comments to us here and there, but things just don't <span style="font-style: italic;">feel </span>like that to us. Overall, we feel like we've been extremely blessed this last year. It's been a really good year for us in so many respects. We've seen we've seen the hand of the Lord in our lives time and time again in wonderful and unexpected ways, and have felt an increased closeness to the Him. We wouldn't trade what we've learned and the ways we've become better acquainted with heaven for anything. And then, many good things happened this year. Our daughter is faithfully serving a mission, another daughter's doing really well at BYU, I had a book published, our kids at home are doing well, and Jay got a position teaching college, just to name a few.<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:garamond,serif;"> </span></span><br /><br />We have also been SO blessed by the kindness and love of others through all this! It’s been so much that we truly feel like the windows of heaven have been opened up upon us. Some of the things people have done have been big ones. And some of even the very smallest things have just been so incredibly sweet that we've sometimes been brought to tears. I’ve never seen such an outpouring of kindness and goodness as what we’ve experienced. We’re also very grateful that our children have been able to witness and share in something like this.<br /><br />I truly believe that IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER what is happening <span style="font-style: italic;">around </span>us, like what's going on with some of the turmoil in the world. And it doesn't matter what happens<span style="font-style: italic;"> to </span>us, even though it <span style="font-style: italic;">seems </span>like it does sometimes. The only thing that really matters is what is happening <span style="font-style: italic;">within</span> us. If we're trying to faithfully follow the Savior, things will be okay. And although there might be times where we feel our sufferings to a greater degree than at other times, like Elder Maxwell spoke about so often, it really IS true what it says in Mosiah--<br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Mosiah 24:14 -- And I will also ease your burdens ....that even you cannot feel them .... and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.</span><br /><br />The Lord really does have the ability to do that for us. Being able to actually experience it to this degree has been pretty wonderful.<br /><br />Life is good.Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-13627110190679181542009-10-26T18:19:00.000-07:002009-10-27T06:20:50.297-07:00Hot, Hot, Hot! Our House Burns DownHere's what our house looks like now. Pretty crazy pictures!!!<br /><br /><b><a href="http://tinyurl.com/yfomb87" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/yfomb87</a><br /><br /></b>If you leave the arrow of your cursor on the line of text at the top of each pic, it will show you the whole paragraph of what's written there.<br /><br />Thanks to the incredible kindness of SO MANY amazing friends and family members, and the love and goodness of the Lord, we are fine. It's very humbling to (again) be the recipients of such overwhelming kindness.<br /><br />That's probably all I have time for at the moment. But life is still good. A little weird sometimes, but good. =o)Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-22691093708526960252009-10-05T15:26:00.000-07:002011-03-01T15:21:48.388-08:00Dressing up in Halloween costumes!One of the things I mentioned in my book is that I LOVE dressing up in ridiculous costumes. Not "cute" ones. No, I want to be a cow or Martian or a weird-looking person or something.<br /><br />So this last week, I was helping with our stake's Ladies and Gentlemen's Club, or L & G Club for short. That's a very cool thing that they do in our area. It's kind of like a co-op cotillion where we teach etiquette--"charm," manners, etc. and dance to the 5th-8th graders in the stake who'd like to come. Most importantly, they get to know other youth in the stake so they have lots of LDS friends, and already know many of the kids before they turn 14 and are invited to go to the stake dances. We have a huge group this year and they're a great bunch of kids! I teach dance every month--swing, waltz, line dancing, and some dances they do locally at their stake dances, and so on. It's lots of fun for me to do.<br /><br />This month, since it was October, all the kids were supposed to dress up in costumes. The adults who were helping could dress in costumes also if we wanted to, so of course, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I'm wore a REALLY awful, ratty wig with little pieces of straw and twigs and stuff in it. And for my makeup, I had black smears under my eyes and extremely ugly, monstrous make-up (to go with the electrodes on my head.) Oh, and a sweater I made that has four arms. All the arms move (well, two of them are actually mine...) so it's pretty fun to wear. <br /><br />Hey, I'll take any excuse to dress up and have fun.Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-68980609969450841402009-09-29T08:51:00.000-07:002009-10-08T06:30:49.623-07:00So.... What's Your Book About?<p>That's the question I keep getting from friends and relatives who are excited over my news about the publication of <i>The Girl in a Whirl</i>.<span> </span>A friend of mine who had seen the couple of lines written in the Amazon description, then read reviews on the book said, "It sounds so wonderful from what people are saying!<span> </span>But what's it <i>about?</i>"</p> <p> Well, the part of the description that says, <i>"it's full of humorous insights about being an LDS woman, family stuff, and this & that about life"</i> is fairly accurate. <span> </span>The subjects included in the book are pretty random, kind of like life is. Here are just some of the topics:</p> <center> Misunderstood Primary lessons,<br />being late,<br />TV,<br />Good intentions for diet & exercise,<br />hamsters, snakes and other pets,<br />the Sabbath day,<br />guys and sports,<br />embarrassing things that happen sometimes,<br />teenagers,<br />"Mormon foods" like JELL-O,<br />living prophets,<br />how things happen day-to-day<br />that apparently "nobody" did,<br />being organized--or not, <br />accidentally wearing two different shoes,<br />Halloween candy,<br />unmatched socks,<br />learning how to hear the promptings of the Spirit,<br />kids and food,<br />unexpected callings,<br />faithfully following Christ,<br />and lots more!</center> <p> </p><p>But although a lot of it is fun and funny, overall:</p> <p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;" align="center"> <b><span>It will help you feel encouraged,<br /><br />strengthened, and reassured<br /><br />of your ability to be a faithful follower of Christ</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;" align="center"><b><span>regardless of what your circumstances are.<br /></span></b></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span><p>And although it takes a humorous path to get there, THAT'S what this book in <i>really </i>about.</p> <p>There!<span> </span>Now you know.<span> </span>=o)</p></span></b></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-33373931046933639102009-09-26T22:36:00.000-07:002009-11-06T06:52:43.638-08:00Book Signing InvitationI got home tonight from the Relief Society broadcast, and found an email inviting me to do a book signing with <span style="font-style: italic;">Julie Wrigh</span>t and <span style="font-style: italic;">Josi Kilpack</span>, a couple of well-known and wonderful LDS authors! <br /><br />Just read it again. Actually, it's three book signings. <br /><br />It will be SO much nicer getting to have a book signing with other authors--especially them! =o)Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-88321334368251947612009-09-24T13:51:00.000-07:002009-09-25T09:09:36.334-07:00A Couple of Interesting Reactions to The Girl in a Whirl [link]To really understand this post, you'd have to know Jay. He's.... well.... kind of crazy sometimes. He was SO excited when my book came yesterday! He didn't see it until late last night when he finished teaching, and he couldn't wait to tell people about it today and show it around.<br /><br />He took it to work this morning to show to his boss and the other people he works with. Remember that we live in Southern California. Unless you teach Institute, it's unlikely that very many of your co-workers are going to be LDS. But he just couldn't wait to show them my <u style="font-style: italic;">very</u> LDS book written mostly for <span style="font-style: italic;"><u>women</u></span>!<br /><br />Actually, lots of it is stuff anyone could relate to. But then there are parts about following living prophets, scriptures from the Book of Mormon, and phrases and expressions that only Latter-day Saints would understand. I guess it possibly <span style="font-style: italic;">could</span> be a missionary tool of sorts, although I certainly never wrote it with that thought in mind. After Jay left for work, I started mentally reviewing how this or that might come across to someone who isn't a member of the Church. Anyway, Jay is kind of adorable when he does things like this, even though he's a little over-the-top every once in a while.<br /><br />Okay, so he's showing <span style="font-style: italic;">The Girl in a Whirl </span>to his very Catholic boss and telling him all about it. <span id="ep_author_blog"><span class="plogBodyText"> He had brought him bits and pieces of it before it came out. Now he randomly opens the book to whatever page comes up to show him an example of what else is in it. </span></span>His boss takes the book out of Jay's hand and starts reading it out loud. He's reading the part called "Some Changes in the Organization," a sort of funny piece about what happens in the life of an "Organized Man" once he has children. Halfway through it, his boss, who has four children including a newborn baby, chokes up and can't read any more. He hands it to Jay so he can read the rest. When Jay finishes, his boss says,<br /><br />"I need a copy of this book. No, two copies." Then he says, "Can I take this one home tonight to show my wife until you bring my books tomorrow?"<br /><br />Next, one of Jay's co-workers who had been in the room at the time listening to all this says,<br /><br />"Wow, Jay. Your wife needs to go on Oprah with this." Ha! Right... Like <span style="font-style: italic;">that's</span> going to happen! Funny. Sweet, though.<br /><br />Neither of these reactions were at all what I might have expected in either case. =o)Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-62106277333883624662009-09-24T06:07:00.000-07:002009-09-24T17:21:16.181-07:00My Books Came! (and I'm just strange...)Actually, they came yesterday. I answered the door around noon, and a UPS guy stood there with a carton of books. It was exciting to open it and see them, even though I already knew how they would look.<br /><br />I know that I'm completely strange, but within minutes, I was tense and feeling stressed, complete with knotting muscles in my back and so on. I didn't expect that, and didn't know what to think.<br /><br />"Just what is your problem, missy!" I demanded. I couldn't hear the answer too well, but I think it said, <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />"Book promotion... You have to do all that book promotion now... Aaaagh! Book promotion... Oh, and don't forget, you still don't know if anyone will even like your book anyway..."</span><br /><br />Yep, I'm pretty sure that's what it said. And this kind of reaction is SO not me. I'm generally <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> the worrier type. And I'm almost never the pessimist. I think it's just all the unknowns. This is all completely unknown territory.<br /><br />Usually in uncharted waters, I'm yelling, "Whoopee! Adventure!" But not this time, even though I really <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">WANT </span>to be. I'm a weird mix of emotions right now, vacillating between elation and dread.<br /><br />Yeah, I know. I'm completely strange.Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-57807688774860724122009-09-18T10:14:00.000-07:002009-09-18T10:44:26.155-07:00This is WhyIt's just one <span style="font-style: italic;">small example</span> of why, but this shows a little bit of why it is<span style="font-weight: bold;"> so</span> wonderful to be married to my husband, Jay.<br /><br />It was the typical busy morning. Get kids up, help them get things around, get breakfast on, pray, and then send them out the door for seminary. See whatever Jay needs done so he can get off to work.<br /><br />We have a few minutes to talk, and then he says he really needs to go because he has a busy day. He holds me close, and as always, it feels so nice. He kind of sways back and forth as he hugs me, and I say to him, "Mmmm... We're going to have to go dancing again one of these days," which we both love to do.<br /><br />He says, "Wait right there," as he goes over to the computer, puts our favorite song on, and then reaches out for me. We spend the next four minutes and forty-three seconds dancing in our bedroom, with him holding me close and softly singing the words in my ear. We dance, and tears fill my eyes because he's always just so loving. Once again, I wonder how anyone could possibly deserve to be treated the way he treats me.<br /><br />I am so blessed.Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-30462442528575653892009-09-12T16:33:00.000-07:002009-11-06T06:57:18.981-08:00My New Book is OFFICIALLY COMPLETE!!!!"Complete" as in, illustrated, edited, proofread, typeset, and at the printers at this moment! <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> Hurray!</span><br /><br />That hurray here, btw, isn't a hurray that says,<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >"Yay, Me! I wrote a book!"</span><br /><div></div><br />No, that hurray says, <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"Oh my gosh, I am happy this is finished. I thought it was all basically done </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >last</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > week after everything we'd been doing up until that point and with all the craziness we had to do last week. It wasn't though, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">this</span> week has been pretty crazy too. But NOW, it's all </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >finished</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > and </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">taken care of!</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"</span><br /><br />Hurray, indeed.<br /><br />I just remembered that I can put pictures here.<br /><br />Here's what the book looks like, except it also says, "Foreword by Merrilee Boyack" on it. <center><img src="http://tinyurl.com/qgo6b4" /></center><br /><br />What's the book about?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"It's about being an LDS woman, family stuff, and this & that about life.<br /><br />It's fun & funny, but encouraging too. Overall, it will help you feel strengthened and reassured of your ability to be a faithful follower of Christ regardless of what your circumstances are."<br /></span><br />Go <a href="http://girlinawhirl.com/">HERE</a> to read some reviews about it!<br /><br />Or <a href="http://girlinawhirl.com/Here_s_My_Book_.html">HERE </a>to read my "Author Bio" that's in the book. Ha!<br /><br />It's been fun to do. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Very</span> fun! Toward the end, it was beginning to be what we call around here, "more fun that I can stand". =o) Well, not<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span>really</span>. But it has been incredibly busy, and pretty stressful in some ways.<br /><br />Anyway, it's done now. Hurray!<br /><br />I think I'm starting to get excited about all this now....Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-91506224112301902612009-08-21T10:29:00.000-07:002009-11-06T07:03:20.158-08:00Comments -- Books<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />About Comments</span><br /><br />I've decided to have the option here to allow comments, not that I've particularly publicized where this blog is or anything.... Anyway, we'll see how it goes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books I Read<br /><br /></span>A friend was wondering, "So, the books you read are Jack Weyland books?" Yes. I happen to <span style="font-style: italic;">love</span> what he writes because it's full of <span style="font-weight: bold;">goodness</span>, which I happen to have a particular penchant for. But no, that's not ALL I read, =o) and LDS teen/young adult fiction isn't my chosen genre. I primarily read non-fiction, but not always.<br /><br />One of the books I'm currently reading is a book by Denver Snuffer Jr. titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Second-Comforter-Conversing-Lord-Through/dp/0974015873"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Second Comforter.</span></a> It's my third time through it, actually. It's one of those books that I've marked, re-read and marked again, and am now reading and marking once again. There's <span style="font-style: italic;">so much</span> to digest there. And it's a book on what has ever been my consuming passion. Not curiosity about the facts--the ins and outs, and the whats and whys, but only the <span style="font-style: italic;">how</span>. For that, this book has been a particular blessing to have the privilege of reading.<br /><br />One of my favorite books in this last year has been <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257519751&sr=1-1">The Brain That Changes Itself</a>, </span>by Dr. Norman Doidge. It was fascinating. It chronicles some of the advances in neuroscience (neuroplasticity,) and was absolutely spellbinding. Astounding, even. I'd tell our kids some of the accomplishments from the book about what's being done now, and they'd think I was making it up. (Okay, some of the reason for that <span style="font-style: italic;">might</span> be because I <span style="font-style: italic;">might</span> make up something off-the-wall every once in a while just to make them laugh.) One example though, of the kind of thing I'm talking about is this-- Did you know that it doesn't take eyes in order to see? Yes, to actually <span style="font-weight: bold;">see </span>the things that are going on around you. Well, it doesn't. And I suppose that's as good of an intro to what's going on in this incredible age of neuroplasticity as anything....<br /><br />I'm <span style="font-style: italic;">always</span> reading something, and usually in minutes of time. Although I would adore curling up with a book I love and some Granny Smith or crisp Jonathan apples (only in September or October for the Jonathans--that's the only time they're good,) and reading it straight through, I rarely do it. There's usually too much going on around here, and too many other things that I both need and <span style="font-style: italic;">want </span>to do. Since I read fairly quickly, there are some books that simply wouldn't take much time to read. But some books seem made to be devoured, and others, to be savored.<br /><br />I do experience the joy of devouring or savoring a glorious book all in one sitting from time to time. That's MY idea of fun! Ha! I think my kids would say, <span style="font-family:courier new;">"Wow, Mom.... If </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:courier new;" >that's </span><span style="font-family:courier new;">what fun is to you, your life is really, really BORING!"</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-74892172573279874572009-08-21T06:38:00.000-07:002009-09-27T09:27:58.343-07:00A Dream About JaredI dreamed about Jared last night. Since I'm one of those people who, for some reason, almost never remembers my dreams, to know that I dreamed about anything is a rare occurrence. I probably haven't remembered a handful of dreams in a year's time.<br /><br />In my dream, I was in a room with Brad and Scott, sitting on the floor doing something or other. Someone had turned on some nice music, but I wasn't really paying any attention to who had done it. A couple of minutes later, I happened to look up and saw Jared lying on a bed over in the corner, watching us. I was so surprised to see him there, quiet and unobtrusive, like he would often be. I called out,<br /><br />"Jared! What are <span style="font-style: italic;">you</span> doing here?" He got that somewhat sheepish, sort of sad smile he had sometimes and said,<br /><br />"I know that everyone thinks I'm dead, but I'm not. I'm sorry for all the bother I put everyone though over this."<br /><br />It felt confusing for him to be there, but I immediately started thinking about what we needed to do to help him find someplace to live. And that was it. Then I woke up.<br /><br />This morning, after I dropped the kids off at seminary, I couldn't stop thinking about my dream. I had an Enya cd in as I was driving home, and one of those haunting, lyrical melodies that she has was playing. Before I realized it, tears were sliding down my face. When I got home, I turned off the engine and just sat in the car and cried. I've felt pretty melancholy all morning, which isn't typical for me.<br /><br />I miss my kind, gentle son.Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-61856210313494803722009-08-15T12:48:00.000-07:002009-08-20T19:23:06.669-07:00A Beautiful Book - Jack Weyland's new =The Samaritan Bueno=<p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This is my favorite Jack Weyland book ever.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=";font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We own every book Jack Weyland has ever written. I've loved being able to buy his books so our kids could read them because they're always filled with goodness, but are so fun and interesting that our teens and young adults think they're great. Since we've enjoyed so many wonderful books of his over the years, I was extremely surprised that THIS Jack Weyland book has turned out to be my favorite one of all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=";font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><u1:p></u1:p>The Samaritan Bueno </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;">starts out with the classic Jack Weyland fare that teens love so much--the witty dialog, the engaging, often humorous characters, an interesting plot line (with a thread of 'values' running through it that parents always appreciate!) But if he ever wrote a book that keeps you off balance, wondering what will happen next and how the story will end, this is it. There were some parts when I wasn't sure where this whole thing was headed, and even a couple of places where I felt a little uncomfortable with how it looked like things were going. This is a book that will make you think, and may possibly even make you reconsider your views on a couple of issues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=";font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><u1:p></u1:p>As good as it was as it went along, I was unprepared for the profound impact that the last forty pages or so had on me. I was left in tears, not due to a heart-wrenchingly sad turn of events, but because the simple events described there were SO right, SO moving, and SO true, like--<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 25.05pt;font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">--choosing to do the right thing even if it's humiliating in some respects, because you know in your soul it's what you should do;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 25.05pt;font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">--caring about others enough to actually <b>be</b> the person who makes the difference in situations that come up day to day;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 25.05pt;font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">--regardless of how things look at the moment, that to just keep doing what your heart says is right and true is the best thing you can do;<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 25.05pt;font-family:arial;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">--that status and the apparent trappings of "success" don't matter as much as being deeply good and caring.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><u1:p style="font-family: arial;"></u1:p>I love this book, and have such admiration and respect for Jack Weyland. Someone can only write a book like this by drawing from what's within their own soul and heart. What a blessing it is that an individual with a heart like this possesses the gift to be able to share it with the rest of us though what he writes.<br /><br />Thank you, Jack.<br /><br /><i>This is a book you will want to own. You can click on the link at the left to see where you can purchase it.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" ></span></span></span>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-74108041121546621372009-07-29T01:04:00.000-07:002011-01-11T17:06:42.538-08:00Jared<p>I really need to update the last few weeks here, but I have so many things which have been on hold that I need to catch up on or take care of. I'll have to make only a comment or two now, and then just get to this when I can.</p><p><span style="font-size:100%;">Our son was hadn't been well for quite a few years before his death. A few years ago, he told us that two different hospitals he'd been in had diagnosed him with <span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;">schizoaffective disorder.</span></p><p><br /></p><p>I think I'll just post this song for now.</p><p>I miss him.<br /></p><p><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >At Jared's memorial service, Two of our friends, Diane Hull and Andrew Doria, so beautifully sang this song, which expresses so many of the emotions involved in all this. I had put the words together, altering some of the original words to fit these circumstances, about a year and a half ago. I had called it "Song for Jared" because I had a feeling that we might be needing it for him at some point.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><b>Song for a Son</b></span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >[sung to Josh Groban's "February Song"<br />Click '<span style="font-style: italic;">Play'</span> below to hear how it would<br />go with the melody.]</span><b><br /></b></p><p>(Parent)<br />Where has our dear son gone,<br />Off in a lost and lonely song<br />One day before too long<br />He’ll open his eyes, open his eyes.</p><p><i>(Son)<br />Where is that simple day<br />Before colors broke into shades.<br />How did I ever fade<br />Into this night, into this night.</i></p><p><i>I never wanted to let you down.<br />How did my world slip away?<br />All that I am is still inside.<br />You'll know the one who I am<br />Again someday.</i></p><p>Morning is waking up<br />Sometimes it hurts to bear so much.<br />Prayer for the peace and love<br />That God can impart,<br />Quiets my heart.</p><p><i>I never wanted to let you down.<br />How did my world slip away?<br />Can't find myself on solid ground<br />'Cause I keep on falling, as I fight to<br />Find my place within this world.<br />Fight to find my place within this world.</i></p><p><i>I never wanted to let you down.<br />Forgive me for slipping away.<br />Even the lost, our Lord makes found.<br />I will be waiting, and I'll see you there some day.</i></p><p>Now that our dear son’s gone<br />Finished his lost and lonely song.<br />Tell him it won't be long<br />'Til he opens his eyes<br />And we’re at his side.</p><p>~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~</p> <p><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sm7rDB2keio?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sm7rDB2keio?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /></p>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-31871541973142754992009-07-06T23:29:00.000-07:002009-07-29T07:08:15.810-07:00Okay, I actually DID make the July 4th treats =o)They were completely darling. I opted not to do the printed tissue paper, as it took a ridiculously long time to get them to print since our printer feeds from the top, and wouldn't pull the tissue paper through properly. Even so, the way they turned out was amazing. Our kids were all SO impressed with how they looked, and so were the people we gave them to.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKTkbBafuvpQ-ifKDF2aW5w9ttwgjs5yyJnj8Ns7vgkWjbPNoLfS0CP8ciJPjRlMH7Y0YGEpo15RkVxfGmxr1qA9n3SOmVOzbWVUqwuIiXVQfPOUzoj3f3zRm6oIe9VLttnKl0_X2OqFP/s1600-h/mom+4th+of+july+cupcakes+008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKTkbBafuvpQ-ifKDF2aW5w9ttwgjs5yyJnj8Ns7vgkWjbPNoLfS0CP8ciJPjRlMH7Y0YGEpo15RkVxfGmxr1qA9n3SOmVOzbWVUqwuIiXVQfPOUzoj3f3zRm6oIe9VLttnKl0_X2OqFP/s400/mom+4th+of+july+cupcakes+008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363777477120214354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">This picture doesn't show the cute little red-checkered baskets,<br />but we made those, also.</span><br /></div><br /><br />Would I make them again? Um.... probably not.<br /><br />Why? Two reasons.<br /><br />Reason One: They took FOREVER to make. I sometimes take on projects that I know ahead of time are going to take a long time, and this was one of them. I did a lot of what needed to be done before the 4th, with the help of my 16 year old, Jenni. But they still took waaaaaaaaay longer to do than I imagined. It <span style="font-style: italic;">was</span> fun making them, but really, REALLY time-consuming!<br /><br />Reason Two: They looked fabulous. But they only tasted so-so, in my opinion. The dessert I usually make for the 4th looks great (but not in the adorable way these did) and it tastes fabulous.<br /><br />The little sugar cookie french fries were yummy. But when it came to the hamburgers, it was a different story. The brownie part of them was fine. But I'm not big on frosting, and these had lots of it. If it had been <span style="font-style: italic;">chocolate frosting</span>, I might have felt a little differently about it. But then the colors would have been all wrong, now wouldn't they?<span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><br /><br />Then I wasn't fond of the cupcake part of it either. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything special. All in all, the hamburgers weren't inedible, but they were only okay. <br /><br />So the bottom line for me is that:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Merely "Looking Good" Is Not Good Enough!<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>I just realized though, that it <span style="font-style: italic;">will </span>make a great story to use in a talk or a lesson sometime to illustrate that very point. =o)<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></div></div>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-52742194450513972822009-06-12T11:00:00.000-07:002009-07-01T09:01:38.216-07:00Following Promptings PromptlyThe irony! I yearn to be guided throughout my day. When there is so much to do, it typically comes down to making decisions regarding which things to do now, and which ones to do later--hopefully!<br /><br />So I'm saying my prayers this morning. From the moment I kneel, the very distinct impression comes to me to work on the skit that our girls are using for camp. They need it for practice today. But I already have a specific time set aside when I'm going to do that. And I don't WANT to do it now! I WANT to finish fixing this frustrating, messed up thing I've been trying to fix on my website. I want to just get that finally done--and I'm very close to finishing--<span style="font-style: italic;">then </span>do whatever else. I will have plenty of time after that. But the feeling persists.<br /><br />"Fine!" I mutter. "I'll write the skit! But I don't see why it would be such a big deal to finish fixing this other thing first...."<br /><br />I'm just so silly sometimes. In the eternal scheme of things, it doesn't matter in the least. But seeking for help in keeping my days together, then <span style="font-style: italic;">following </span>what direction I receive does. Not the thing itself as much as being grateful and willing to be guided even on small things if they come up. I do know from experience that I will always be glad I followed.<br /><br />And I <span style="font-style: italic;">am</span> grateful. It's embarrassingly ridiculous that in the moment, I at first feel <span style="font-style: italic;">grudgingly grateful. </span>It's because it feels like just one more interruption in something I've been trying to get done. It takes me a couple of minutes to be still and go, "Oh, right. I'm not being interrupted. I'm being blessed." I really am glad to receive guidance about even the small things in my day that make life work better.<br /><br />It's actually quite amazingly wonderful that heaven is willing to do such things for us, if we are willing to listen.Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-37860114593664010852009-06-11T12:10:00.000-07:002009-06-12T10:37:33.083-07:00Book of Mormon evidences<div class="headline_area">I found a wonderful website by Rusty Lindquist a couple of days ago, that has some really great information. There's the link to the site a little further down.<br /><br />I really appreciated his most recent post, which I've put below. The information is very thorough and helpful. It shouldn't be a basis for a testimony of the Book of Mormon, but as I commented on his site, it could be useful to share with others who might otherwise completely discount the Book of Mormon or be unwilling to even consider reading it due to negative misinformation.<span class="author vcard fn"> </span><br /><br />My testimony of the Book of Mormon comes from a time when I wasn’t even sure if there was a God, or if so, if He still had anything to do with this world. Reading the Book of Mormon changed my life, and allowed me to know that God was REAL and that He could give specific answers to me. The witness I received of its truthfulness has never dimmed in all these years, and I'm so grateful for it. I also love the Bible, and particularly love being able to read about the life and words of the Savior in the gospels.<br /><br />I very much appreciate this information below, and hope it might be a good way to discuss with Book of Mormon with those who haven't read it yet. I just got the book today and can't wait to read it. Thanks, Rusty!<br /><br />From <a href="http://mormonconversations.com/">Mormon Conversations<br /></a> http://mormonconversations.com<br />Rusty Lindquist<br /><br /> <h1 style="text-align: center;" class="entry-title"><span style="font-size:60;"><a href="http://mormonconversations.com/">Is there evidence for<br /></a></span></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;" class="entry-title"><span style="font-size:60;"><a href="http://mormonconversations.com/">the Book of Mormon?<br /></a></span></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;" class="entry-title"><span style="font-size:60;"><a href="http://mormonconversations.com/">The answer may surprise you!</a></span></h1><a href="http://mormonconversations.com/"> </a> </div> <p>Tina, on the post “<a href="http://mormonconversations.com/2008/07/29/seeking-for-evidence">Seeking for evidence</a>” asked today:</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;">Please give me the name of one renowned historian who takes the Book of Mormon serious.</p> <p>Tina, I appreciate your question. I have your answer. Before I share it, I think it’s important to note why so many ask this question.</p> <p>The Book of Mormon presents a serious challenge to orthodox Christianity. It is said to be another witness of Jesus Christ, a record of His dealings with the Ancient American inhabitants. If scripture, it provides clarity to the bible in ways which create occasional, but important contradictions to the traditions and beliefs that have evolved over the centuries by all other Christian denominations.</p> <p>If the Book of Mormon is true, then not only does it call into question the beliefs of so many, but it has eternal implications for you, and calls for meaningful, but difficult changes to your life.</p> <p>As such, it would be much easier if we could simply dismiss it, rather than undertake the spiritual responsibility of studying it ourselves, and asking God if it is true. That makes us vulnerable, and we all prefer to have our beliefs validated, and not challenged.</p> <p>If it could simply be dismissed, that would be so much easier. If we could just say “there is insufficient archeological evidence to support such claims” then we give ourselves reason to move on. And so rather than seek the answer from God, we seek answers from men, from science. We say “give me evidence, give me proof”, even when we know that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Indeed, faith is the evidence, not things we can see.</p> <p>Still, we want a sign, and archeology is the easiest, and often the first place to turn. Why? Because we’ve been raised under the misconception that the Americas don’t have the archeological evidence to support the massive amounts of people, or the advanced technology as recorded in the Book of Mormon.</p> <p>Indeed, even today, textbooks teach that pre-Columbian America was largely uninhabited. But as we continuously find throughout all the sciences, things previously accepted as facts (like a flat world), end up not being factual at all.</p> <p>While there are numerous new findings (archeological, anthropological, and otherwise) that I could recount (and will at some point), perhaps the single best source I could refer you to is a new book, recently published, and that is now a National Bestseller. It’s called “1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus” by Charles C. Mann. Coincidentally, Mann is not LDS, and didn’t intend to validate the Book of Mormon with his work, even though that’s precisely what he did.</p> <p>The Washington Post said “1491 vividly compels us to re-examine how we teach the ancient history of the Americas…” The book explains that contrary to what so many Americans learn in school, the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled, but were here in huge numbers, larger even than any contemporary European city. That the people shaped the earth around them, had immaculately clean streets, running water, and were even the first to genetically engineer crops. But for decades, archaeologists, anthropologists, paleolinguists, and others have been bringing forward a different story. 1491 brings it all together in one read.</p> <p>One interesting revelation brought by these scientists, is the realization that rather than the first Americans having come over the Bering land bridge around 12,000 B.C, but rather that they came by boat. Interestingly, that’s just how the Book of Mormon describes it.</p> <p>Another interesting revelation is that the reason early European visitors found an empty landscape, was not because they’d found the natural, unchanging state of native America, but rather the end product of a vast society decimated by wars and epidemics - perhaps the greatest in human history. Again, remarkably, that’s just how the Book of Mormon explains it.</p> <p>Mann describes discovering gigantic ancient cities, with huge, 14 foot walls thrown up as fortifications. Again, just how the Book of Mormon describes Moroni’s fortifications of the Nephite cities.</p> <p>It was believed that the Inca, for instance, fell to Pizarro because they had no metallurgy. But these findings clearly show that they actually had a highly refined metallurgy, just as the Book of Mormon states.</p> <p>About the book, “Publishers Weekly” stated that “Mann also shows that the Maya constructed huge cities and governed them with a cohesive set of political ideals. Most notably, according to Mann, the Haudenosaunee, in what is now the Northeast U.S., constructed a loose confederation of tribes governed by the principles of individual liberty and social equality.” Again, that’s just how the Book of Mormon describes the creation of the Nephite nation, and Moroni’s “standard of liberty” which united the cities, even placing them in the right area.</p> <p>So while it would be convenient to dismiss the Book of Mormon based on the old, uninformed notion that there isn’t sufficient archeological evidence to validate its claims, in fact, the opposite is true.</p> <p>So true in fact, that the new evidence not only validates the description of early America as recorded in the Book of Mormon, but validates the prophetic nature of the Joseph Smith. For it must be remembered that we’re talking about a book written by Joseph Smith (actually translated from ancient plates) hundreds of years ago. Long before any of this evidence was to surface, at a time when such writings were in stark contrast to current beliefs. But here we are, hundreds of years later, finding detailed evidence validating that work.</p> <p>It’s been surprising to many.</p> <p>Publishers Weekly further commented about the book: “In a riveting and fast-paced history, massing archeological, anthropological, scientific and literary evidence, Mann debunks much of what we thought we knew about pre-Columbian America. Reviewing the latest, not widely reported research in Indean demography, origins and ecology, Mann zestfully demonstrates that long before any European explorers set foot in the New World, native American cultures were flourishing with a high degree of sophistication. The new researchers have turned received wisdom on its head.”</p> <p>I’ll be posting additional similarities illustrated in the Book (and elsewhere) to further eliminate this “easy out”, but if you prefer not to wait, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/1491-Revelations-Americas-Before-Columbus/dp/1400032059/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244536846&sr=8-1" target="_blank">here’s the link</a> to it on Amazon.</p> <p>Most importantly, however, are two simply points. The first is the principle that we should not require the validation of science (or signs) to substantiate our faith. It’s sure nice when it does, but true faith needs no such validation. Second, having removed the easy dismissal of the Book of Mormon, it is upon each of us to then undertake the spiritual responsibility to consider the work for ourselves. To study, and read it for ourselves. And then to ask God, for ourselves, if it is not true. It’s simply too important not to.</p> <p>Indeed, “if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” (James 1:5). The Book of Mormon itself contains a promise.</p> <p>“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things be not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:3-5)</p> <p>Rusty</p>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161333829952505253.post-41611425365200612009-06-01T17:26:00.000-07:002009-06-01T18:08:19.615-07:00Starting a blog hereI've got a lot to do here, but can't do it today! Time to start getting ready for dinner and Family Home Evening.<br /><br />I hope to fill up some of the sections on the sides here, and remove others. But these tasks shall be for yet another day (or possibly a long night!) =o)<br /><br />See ya soon!Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05459294473763334280noreply@blogger.com3