TOFW Omaha Oct 2008

Time Out For Women should be called Ton's Of Fun Women!! We had so much fun this year (but no Mac Make-up, Urban Outfitters Shopping or Marriot Hotel's, this time) going to the Deseret Book Company A Joyful Life Women's Conference.

We did go out to dinner before the conference at THE CHEESE CAKE FACTORY another favorite of the girls. Of course we all start out thinking a huge healthy salad is what we are going to eat and then you see those sneaky waiters bringing out the table to the left's meal and you now want PASTA!

Ton's Of Fun! The next day we started out early with our Large Diet Dr. Peppers (some caffine for your physical uplifting, TOFW for your spiritual) then we settled into our back row seats, cute bags in hand.

Now I could go on and on about how supper funny Mary Ellen Edmunds is (learned she's never been married no kids, but a boyfriend...her cute 3 yr old nephew) how Elia Gourgouris is such a successful relationship couselor because all his 'wife' clients are totally enamoured with his accent and will do what ever he says (loved his talk the very most) or how Pam Hansen has inspired me to run a marathon! I could write forever about how much I loved all their 'words of wisdom' but what I learned and felt the most was THIS.

Kenneth Cope was the master of ceremonies...he was irritating and annoying at first. Made me feel like I was at the 700 club Sunday night TV taping, and then the music began and he opened his mouth in song and the tears began.

I wasn't going to buy anything (feel I should also support our little LDS Bookstore in Florence too) until I heard this song Him, And Him Alone. I was in mid disscussion with my bestie Gal and stopped as I heard Kenneth's lyrics...

'How could I think it's mine to merit

Or speak of my share in it.

This saving work He wrought alone

I've been a fool to believe I'd earn it

Or suppose I could deserve it

By words and deeds I'd call my own

From this day on

I know I'm saved by Him alone'

I felt the attonement in that song, in those words while sitting in the back row, cute bag in hand.

I jumped from my seat, and bought that CD All About You by Kenneth Cope!

Love It

PS Go to his website and you can listen to a sample of this and all the songs on his new CD All About You

We had the best time at the Vala's Pumpkin Patch on the 20th of October! I was so lucky to have all the kids go...Christina, Trevor, Chrisi's friend Maria and the Twins A&A. All the kids had fun. I watched as Chrisi and Trevor stood by the Welcome sign that said 'how tall this fall' and tears came to my eyes and I thought of how long ago it was when I would bring by two little ones to Vala's. Now Trevor is over 6 foot and Chrisi is up in the 5's! We had a GREAT Day!

Yahh I got TAGGED

Well it took me a day or two to figure out what 'tagged' meant...but I think I got it.

My friend Julie 'tagged' me which I love the idea of getting to know others, I just couldn't think of SEVEN random things about myself.

I don't have SEVEN blogger friend to send this onto, but I do know that many of you lurkers who check out my rambles could start a blog and give this tagging thing a try! Thinkin of you Jodi W ;)

1. I once saved a patient in the OR by putting my finger over the hole in the aorta (I saw it first). I then stayed in that position for THREE hours while the cardiac surgeon sutured the hole closed...wheww...good thing, or I would have had to go home with the patient.

2. I love the smell of yews (evergreen shrubs) they remind me of my Grandma Millers' house on University Ave. in Provo, UT. The smell when we would arrive at G&G Millers' meant we were in store for Fresca, home made ice cream, Maggie and fried chicken, all smells I love!

3. I love to be scared (only good scared not for real scared) like scary movies my favorites: The Others, The Birds and I loved The Hardey Boys. My new favorite scared is watching Ghost Hunters on Sci-Fi. Grant (lead investigator) is LDS and served his Mission in Italy, I love when he asks the ghosts if they speak Italian!! Scarrry

4. I love getting Christmas update letters in my Christmas cards, my parents say nobody ever reads them, but I do, then I save them and scrapbook them.

5. I really love Girls Camp! OK, just about everybody knows that about me, I've been going for like 20 yrs now ... I have gone as the Stake Camp director (not the funnest :), Ward Camp Leader, Nurse (for like 10 yrs) and now am the YCL Leader!! I love Girls Camp!! Like one big slumber party, Girls Camp is (I capitalize it cuz it's important)! You eat snacks, stay up late and go swimming, maybe a hike or two, unless you say you 'twisted' your ankle and then you eat more snacks!! Yaahha Girls Camp!

6. Not a fan of make believe, I prefer 'based on true events' when I watch or read something.

7. Love the Gospel and my family more than ... dare I say Girls Camp!

There's my TAGGED now I hope Laurie, Wendi and Dianna will carry on, check out their bloggs, they have ton's of friends. They'll TAGGED on..
Thanks Julie!

Happy Birthday Scottie

Happy Birthday to my one and only!

Could it really be that we have spent

• 21 birthdays as an old married couple.


• 25 birthday as best friends


• 30 Happy Birthday songs, one for you and one for Kris S. cuz, she has the same birthday.


• 5o birthday cards we have given each other (funny ones from you, sappy from me).


• 87 birthday cakes as a family!

Remember these birthdays....

Love You Honey!

I have a Testimony of....

My mother sent each of us an email that contained her testimony! I LOVED reading her thoughts and it gave me an idea...

I would share my testimony by this wonderful means of expression...blogging!

On Saturday and Sunday we listened to a 'Prophets Voice' and these are a few of my favorite things...

I loved Robert D. Hales talk on Saturday about Christian Courage.

I have a testimony of sharing the Gospel, how could I not, the Savior shared his testimony by his compassion and example. He defended his Christianity when confronted by money changers in the Temple, to Pilot, when betrayed by his friend, and while on the cross.

So I will share my testimony and hope to do so just as the Savior did...

I will say yes when I want to say no.

I will answer others as the Savior answers us, with concern, loving kindness.

Even when asked to be a WEBLOWS leader (after serving in Young Women's for SEVEN years, Weblows is testimony building experience above and beyond ;)

I will strive to defend Christianity by my example.

I also loved the quote President Monson used "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare" this quote was originally stated by the winner of the NYC marathon.

I will remember this in all I say and do...

I will prepare my testimony so that I may win!

I am so thankful to have this opportunity, twice a year, to hear the leaders of our Church give us inspiration on: Unity, Service, Prayer, Revelation, Speaking well of each other, Returning to Virtue (love Elain Dalton), Missionary Work, Change, (Pres. Monson...he should run for US President don't you think:) and Gratitude.

I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and hope my testimony will strengthen others, and sustain me.

Thanks Mom

Friday Night Lights

We love to go to Millard North Football games! We have been going since our kids started attending Millard Schools back in Middle School. Sometimes MN is GREAT sometimes they look like the HUSKERS trying to make a comeback!
This year is especially fun because our friends' son is a Freshman playing on the varsity team! This is unheard of at MN! This is a difficult team to get on, and even harder to get on the field, to play! This Freshman player is amazing (already scoring a touchdown in the rain this year)!
For Homecoming this year, Chrisi came home to watch the game too. We cheered for our favorite freshman and we're so excited when Trevor's good friend Collin won HOMECOMING KING! We cheered all night, till MN lost and we left to see a movie!

Congrats Collin!

Wheww A Day OFF

This is what I do on my days ON. Work is stressful, this week I was doing everything from Anterior Cervical Fusions to Carotid Endarterectomies. STRESS I tell you, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 17 years of days ON.

But today on my Day OFF I ran this! Gal and I headed to Lake Zorinsky to run the 4.5 mile trail. I have not run this trail in a while, Gal has. We chat for our warm up, again solving the world problems (Christmas decorations up at Hobby Lobby already, are you kidding me). Then we head around THE corner, turn up the Ipod, Viva la Vida for me, Meatloaf for her (we're sooo different and yet)now we're OFF. I am usually ahead of Gal, not cuz I'm better cuz my legs are longer. Then I hit some Josh Groban and come to a mere swagger, Gal passed me. Then I saw it, a little dirt path that took me SLIGHTLY ahead of Gal, I took it, she was ANGRY I could feel it thru the cement under my Asics. I was now in my ZONE. Running the back side of the lake doing the loop to the south of the park and I turned to look for Gal, she's nowhere to be seen (small smile)...surely I wasn't Kils. ahead or even yards ahead, she was nowhere to be seen. I panicked. Could she have stumbled, worse could she have hit FOOTLOOSE again and gone mad. I started to run backwards (not an easy feet or foot, whatever) she was nowhere! I head BACK! The worst possible scenario for me...back, calling for her, I check the bathroom, I ask the lady on the bike if she has seen Gal, then I turn towards the dyke about 1 1/2 miles ahead and I see Gal! Her arms all swinging, sweatshirt blowing around her waist she's running for the finish line...and I am FURIOUS! How had she passed me! Then I see it, the BIG dirt path that cuts out the entire section of the Park and heads straight for the checkered flag! I turn up Blue October and sprint! What happens next is the worst of all...I hit the hill and start to 'jog/walk' I look up and there is our friend H. Clark (who is a REAL runner, she can run with boys, wears name brand running gear, and an Ipod that wraps around her arm) she says to me,

"Gal says to hurry"!

"Hope Gal and I can still be friends after I break both her legs" I think to myself.

So much for a day OFF!