It is a privelage to work!

It seems to me that so many people are trying to figure out how to get out of work. I can't say how frustrating it is to see people living off of our taxes who could work but choose not to. AHHHHRRRGG! I would submit it is a pleasure to be able to work. It is part of your inner self to be able to work at something and see a task completed. I think it gives most of us a sense of self worth. If you just sit around and watch TV or play video games all day you seem to get a sense of guilt. I believe we were born with a duty to work ingrained inside us. We are so fortunate to live in a country that allows us the freedom we need to pursue the job of our choice (not that we all work at the job of our choice). I think mine would be to work as a ride operator at Disneyland. Problem is I don't think it would match up to the income we need to live the lifestyle we like. Rischelle and I swear when we get old and "retired" we will work at Disneyland. She would probably work at the Teacups ride and I would be the slapstick commenting guide on the Jungle Cruise. Anyway, for those of us that are able, lets work and be happy we can!

What to do when you can't sleep

Why is it that you feel so tired one minute and then you are wide awake the next?  One of the worst things is when you know you have to wake up soon and that you should be sleeping, but you just can't drift off.  The more you think about it, the more awake you become.  I wish there was a way to unplug your brain and thoughts at night.  My problem is I might forget to plug it back in the next day, not that many could tell the difference.   Anyway, some of the ideas I have come up with to fall asleep are:

1.  Try and read in bed.  Problem with that is you keep your spouse tossing and turning because of the light on and the sound of pages turning.  

2.  Watch TV.  Yes, we have a TV in our bedroom.  I know a lot out there suggest that you don't have a TV in the bedroom, but my wife grew up falling asleep to the TV, so it works well for her, and it seems like the only way I can catch up on TV watching (mostly sports).  Problem is I get watching a show sometimes, which peaks my interest, and then I can't fall asleep until it's oven and then a new show starts.  Then I get into that one.

3.  Eat.  Not a good idea if you are trying to stay at a healthy weight.  Totally against Body for Life!  Plus then you have to brush your teeth again.

4.  Count to sheep.  Never worked for me.  I have got up well over a thousand, then I get bored and turn the TV on.

5.  Get up and exercise.  I have heard of people who do this, but I can't see it working for me.  It seems like it would just get my blood flowing faster and wake me up, not slow things down.

Anyway, I think sleep is one of the most crucial things to have for a well balanced and healthy life.  When I do get a good nights sleep, which seems to be less and less often, I always feel so much better though out the day.  Any great ideas out there on how to get your mind to shut off and sleep?  Sweet dreams!

President Hinkley

What a legacy left behind by such an amazing person.  I have always loved president Hinckley and will miss him so much.  I am not going to write about his incredible life and the many contributions he made to this often  dark world.  What I want to focus a few lines written lines on are the crazy religious groups, anti-Mormons,  that are planning on coming to President Hinckley's  funeral and picketing and raising a ruckus.  

What I would like to know is what purpose does this really serve in their minds?  Saving souls?  These are the same groups who picket general conference, they picket the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti, they picket new temple dedications, and so on.  They travel from far and wide at, I'm sure great expense, to challenge and degrade the beliefs of the church.  These are smelly, scary looking, foul mouthed people who do this in the name of GOD?  To illustrate this, I was with my little family last year at the Manti Pageant and of course they were in front of every entrance and so you had to have some exposure to their rantings and ravings.  Where was my freedom to not have to pass through them with my little family?  What a dark, evil, disappointing feeling we had as we shuffled though.  After the pageant we decided to pitch our tent at the public park in Manti, which is allowed during this time each year during the pageant.  What a disappointing shock it was to see that when we returned to our tent that night, which we put up earlier in the day,  we were surrounded by these groups of people in their tents and chairs.  Oh well, we were just going to sleep there and then leave first thing in the morning.  Wrong!  We had to lay awake for quite some time listening to their filthy stories, bad language, and all kings of rude comments about the patrons of the pageant and how they had one upped them in their bashing comments.  After quite some time, I was committed to shut them up physically, but my good wife talked me out of that.  After a while they finally settle down, after some encouraging words from our tent to do so, and they went to bed.  We were woken up the next day by similar rantings by a group that arose early.  That was it for us, we were packed and gone in about five minutes.  These people will always leave with our family a nasty taste in our mouths.  SCUM!  Despite this encounter with these anti-Mormon protesters, I would strongly recommend seeing the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti, UT.  Especially if you have not seen it in recent years.  It is way better than it once was, and you can hear everything, unlike the past.

Back to the point, couldn't their resources, time and energy be spent in the service of the Lord by, sending money, supplies and help to victims of tragedy.  Visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, building the fallen, should be what these folks are engaged in.  You know, like Christ did?  It's amazing to me how Satan can control people to do pointless things like this in the name of religion.

  

Tribute to an Amazing Niece

Ashley Dawn Hansen was born May 8, 1985 in Provo Utah to Jon & Shellie Hansen.  At the age of four she moved with her parents to Mountlake Terrace, WA.  There her family expanded with the births of her twin sisters Aubrey and Amber, and then her brother Alex,  "The 4 A's." She graduated with honors from Maplewood PCEP and Mountlake Terrace High School where she sang with the Accent Choir and was the producer for the High School television station HBN.  She was a senior at BYU where she was studying secondary education with plans to become a middle school teacher.  She loved teaching and Helping children.  She found great joy in teaching at Renaissance Academy in Lehi.  Ashley was a great leader and had a wonderful talent in working with others.  She was an amazing example of kindness to her family and friends.  She had a tender and sincere heart.  She was, more than anything, the greatest example of a true friend to all who knew her.  Her beautiful smile would light the room as she spread the warmth of sunshine and true happiness and joy to all she came in contact with.  She loved and knew her Savior Jesus Christ and was Christ-like in all she did.  She loved to share her testimony with others and always found ways to share the light of the gospel with others through her example, her words and actions.  Family, friends and church were her priorities above all else.  She loved her family and friends.  She loved her students and rejoiced in the opportunity to be with them every day, whether at school or their many extra curricular activities.  She went to many of their games, plays, dance and music recitals or whatever activity she could because she loved to see them and encouraged them to succeed and do their best.   She lived the last three years, while attending BYU, with us her second family.  She will be missed by Me, her Uncle Shawn and by Aunt Rischelle, and her nieces Victoria, Annika, and Hadley.  We loved having her in our home.  She had the amazing support of her granparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, wonderful extended family and many, many friends and coworkers that love and miss her.  We will all cherish the twenty-two short years we had with her on this earth and look forward longingly for the day we get to see and embrace her again, for we know that families are forever.  

Written by Ashley's family (modified slightly by Me)

Wow! My first "blog" site!

Today is a great day!  I have just entered into the world of "blogging."  I have always thought that it was such a stupid name. "blogging"  I guess I need to look up the origin of such a thing.  Maybe it has some profound meaning that I need to find.  Probably not.  I guess I need to give credit where credit is due.  I signed up for a blog because of my friend Tom, who set up a site in September.  I have visited his a few time and get a lot of laughs, which let's face it, we could all use more of.  

I will admit, I am not some great writer, that is to be left up to my sister in Seattle.  I probably wont have great insights on life as we know it.  I doubt I will give new meaning to life for anyone. If nothing else, it will be therapeutic for me.  For all of you that know me, this is much needed.