The Days After

It is never easy the few days after Christmas...the excitement and build up for the season has come and gone...returning to work is not too far off and clean up for the New Year awaits.

JOY was being able to put away the Christmas Decorations before mid January.

JOurneY on...

Aegean Herring Corner Revisited

An after Christmas Surprise came in a visit with old friends and neighbors. JOY is being able to attend one of my best friend's daughter's wedding...Stephanie and Christopher Burns. Like always, it is crazy to think that we are that old. What fun, what fun with Nan, Julie and Kali...

JOY is happy childhood memories.

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The 14th JOY of Christmas...Christmas Movies

JOY is the Hallmark Channel. I have been able to find Christmas Spirit in the reminders of these Christmas Specials...I only have fifteen more to go :) Annie Claus, Mistletoe Over Manhatten, Christmas Pageant, Moonlight and Mistletoe...and so many more...

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"God bless us everyone." Charles Dickens

The 3rd JOY of Christmas...Generous Gift

At the head of each of our plates was an envelope containing two letters from Grandma Garff and a check for our Christmas. Grandpa Garff had a love for books... particularly the classics. He had a wonderful library with his personal handwritten notes in the margins. For Christmas, Grandma would like us to come pick out a book or two for a keepsake to enJOY. It was a JOY to witness the light in her eyes as her Grandchildren read the letters silently.

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Gift giving is symbolic of the Gifts given to Jesus by the Wise Men and the miraculous Gift Jesus gives to each of us...His Atonement and Everlasting Life for all.

Jordan, Cotton Candy, Shampoo, Conditioner and Brown Eyed Susan

October 29, 2011 Noah and I headed to the Marriott for a dual Birthday Celebration. Jordan was born on October 20. How fortunate we were to be able to share in his wit and humor. Oh there were many great lines, but the best caught us all by surprise. Mallory handed him a gift bag. It appeared to be heavy. He jokingly said, "This better not be shampoo and conditioner!" One by one out came packages of Cotton Candy...blue...sour apple. I had no idea Jordan loved Cotton Candy, but Mallory knew. We laughed as Stephen and Jordan bantered back and forth over Jordan's earlier splurge on Cotton Candy at the University of Utah Football Game. Then one classic moment...Jordan reached in and pulled out two large bottles...Shampoo and Conditioner!!! His eyes wide, he replied "NOOO!!!" and then graciously thanked Mallory. It took me back to a Christmas when Jordan was just a little boy hoping for more little boy toys. Grandma had given him a gift. He knew what Grandma liked to put on the Grandchildren--adorable clothes from the Brown Eyed Susan. These clothes came in a classic red box that could be easily recognized. As the gift was placed in his hands, he knew the shape, "This better not be clothes..." He unwrapped the gift and saw the oh too familiar box from the Brown Eyed Susan and tossed the gift across the room...wouldn't even open it. I could hardly contain myself, I was laughing so hard. The years have come and gone. Jordan demonstrated greater maturity :) in receiving this gift from the "HART," the Mallory Hart. Where was the JOY? Being able to let go and just laugh.

Noah was on camera duty...

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Blast from my Past

Choosy mothers choose Jif. My mother chose Peter Pan and Wonder Bread. I couldn't help but put some Peter Pan upon my shelf.
I enJOY memories from the past and a great PB&J sandwich.

JOurneY on....

Caldecott

Noah is striving for his Soaring Eagle. One of the requirements was to select and read a Caldecott Award Winner Book. It was JOY to hear Noah read one of my childhood favorites...."May I Bring a Friend" by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers. If the Queen and King had invited me, I wonder what friend I would want to bring.

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Music Box Dancer

I heard the familiar tune from my old high school days, "Music Box Dancer." It conjured up many happy memories. Then I heard, "It's the ice cream man!!" One of the past times of yesteryear that has not been technologized out...the ice cream man. JOY was indulging and answering the call of the music box dancer.

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Lemons to Lemonade

July 16, 2011
JOY is Rick coming home with a Silver Platter reading the “Stansbury Senior Champion.” WHEWHOOOOOOO Rick. After a few lemons, he made lemonade! I found JOY in the neighbor children selling thirst quenching lemonade. It was fun to see them stop traffic with card board signs and waves. They made $12.00 between the 7 of them...$1.71 a piece. I love that Noah has friends...lots of them.

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Oh Happy Day

Cleaning out the garage can be a major project, but the rewards can be great. I have found things I had forgotten I had lost. There in my pile of stuff stood four DVD's containing clips of Noah of yesteryear. Anxious to see what he used to look like, we sat down as a family to view our dear Noah. What a treasure...his sweet little voice, his big brown eyes, his contagious laughter, his dancing to ABBA, his love for his grandparents, his call for my attention..."Look MOM!" (How I loved hearing that!) his development and baby steps over the years, his Christmas Mornings and so much more. We were a small family finding JOY in the simple things. At that moment of watching the DVD's, I was overcome with a JOY I have not felt in a long time.

I found JOY hiding in my garage. It makes me wonder where I should look next.

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