Just feeling really grateful today for all the blessings and good things I have in my life.

Seems like those good reminders come just when I need them most.

Saturday I decided I sure needed to get something done with the beautiful box of apples Stacey had shared with me.  The fruit flies were beginning to gather around that area in the garage.  So I had Kelley tote them into the kitchen for me and I got busy peeling.  The peeler slicer thingie wouldn't work cause they were too soft.  They really weren't bad to peel, and before long I had three big bowls of apple slices. I had found a good recipe for apple pie filling and put that on the stove to cook. (although it was just for 7 quarts and I knew I had more apples than that).  I knew I had about 4 boxes of quart jars in the garage from mums basement so I went out and found about 15 jars and got them washed up and ready to go.  These are pretty cool jars...the old Mason, Atlas, Kerr and Ball jars that you don't see much any more.  I got the apples all loaded into the jars and was just waiting for the sauce to boil that I would pour over them. I started looking at some of the jars I had used and saw some had little nicks on the rim, so I went out looking for more bottles.  When I came back in the house, the sauce was boiling all over the place. It was the big ploppy sort of boil that was sending  thick sticky goo all over the kitchen.  I was afraid to approach it...the pan was on the burner right by the switch to turn it off, but I had to, so I reached in and turned the burner off...getting a big splat of the boiling stuff right n my hand. Oh man I was in a terrible mess!  The sauce had boiled over the top of the pan so it was all over the stove, not to mention everywhere else it had splatted.

Well I poured the sauce over the bottles of apples and  the really looked quite lovely, except that I ran out about 3 bottles short.  Ahhhhhhh. It was time to get ready to go to the General woman's meeting and I was no where near done with these apples. I began the job of cleaning the top of the stove off so I could cook another batch of sauce, then threw together the ingredients and got that boiling ( on lower heat under careful supervision this time) and got the last bottles filled.

Just then Kelley came in and said he would finish up and for me to go get ready for the meeting.  I was already very late, but felt like I should go anyway.  So I threw on a skirt and ran over  to the Stake house.  I sat down just as President Monson was beginning to speak.  I'm so glad that I was able to hear that talk.  It was surely just what I needed to know right now...that Heavenly Father is aware of each of us...he knows our struggles, our heart aches and trials and He does hear and answer our prayers.  He did not leave us here alone  to get through this life...but has given us family and friends that He can work through  to show us His love.   Sitting there in that room I did feel His love, and by the time the choir finished singing More Holiness give me, I was a blubbering mess.

Came home to a clean kitchen, apple pie filling done, and a very good husband. Yup my heart is full to the top..

Sunday afternoon, Candice came over for a visit.  I love when she comes over.  We had another exciting round of RACKO...KC dominated this time.  It was so funny while we were playing, Lizzy came in and wanted to lay right on me.  She has been super attached to me lately...follows me where ever I go and wants to be right under my feet.  I hope she is OK.  Anyway, while we were playing, she kept creeping closer and closer to the cards in the middle till she was laying right on top of them.  Then she just sprawled right out  so she knocked over everybodys cards. We were laughing so hard and trying to get her to move by tempting her with popcorn.  She was pretty content right there in the middle of the game.  Ha!  I love her so much. I don't know what I'll ever do when she dies. 

 Sunday night I had another choir practice for this Relief Society music festival.  I enjoy singing with this group so much!  Leah just makes it a joy and the songs are so beautiful...now that we know them pretty well, they really sound amazing.  The words these women have written so perfectly express what is in our hearts...it's hard to get through them without  getting a big lump in my throat.

 I got the nicest package in the mail the other day with these pictures from Kelli Ann.  She is such a sweet heart. Here she is struggling through the 1 year anniversary of her husbands death, and she is reaching out, lifting others.  I admire and love her so much!