"A Winter Wonderland"

This is where I could stand to spend some time. 

Quiet, peaceful, the warmth of a wood burning fire. 

Aww, if only in my dreams!

"I Love You"

We have the BEST DADDY EVER!!

"Gone to the Birds" PART ONE

 For the last 3 years we have noticed birds in the eave 

of the house, right outside Josh and Chris's room. 

Not sure why, but never cared to figure out where exactly 

they were building their nest, 

despite the very loud sound they made 2 times a year 

during nesting.

This year I had enough. They made extra noise, 

or I was just fed up. 

I called the landlord to see what he wanted done 

and he suggested a Pest Control guy 

to come and remove the nest and all "extra" 

that was left from the birds. 

I called the first place listed online. Their response was 

"They are Starlings and are protected by 

the State of Washington. 

Cant touch them until they are done nesting". 

SERIOUSLY!

I called a second place, needing a second opinion, 

got the same answer. 

So I called a third company, just to see what they said. 

Their response was 

"The Starlings are NOT protected birds in Washington, 

look it up online or call 

Fish and Wildlife to confirm what I am saying". 

So I did.

The birds are NOT protected, they are "nuisance birds" 

and can be removed.

I asked the Ranger why he thought the first two companies 

told me about the protection. His response was 

"They didnt want to deal with them"

Well . . . They lost out of some business.

Anyway, so Brian from Interstate Pest Control 

came to investigate. 

Climbed up to the hole to see where the nest was . 

(the hole was only 3x8 inches in the corner of the roof)

The conclusion . . . 

MY ATTIC!

Say WHAT!! Those birds have, over the last 3 years, 

been building a nest in MY ATTIC!!

I honestly had no idea. We only heard them in one corner. 

Never anywhere else. 

Brian said there was a section that looked like a "room" 

that they primarily stayed, and that's why 

we never heard them anywhere else. 

The nest was BIG. 

(what do you expect after 3 years of building).

It took him 3 times up and down from the attic 

filling a 5 gallon bucket and a box. 

(Impressive)

 Brian, Pest Control Extraordinaire.

 The hole from the inside

 The nest in the attic.

 The nest out of the attic.

The "Nuisance" 

This sage continues in PART TWO.

(the best is yet to come)

"Angels Among Us"

"...Oh, I believe there are angels among us
Sent down to us from somewhere up above
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live, to teach us how to give
To guide us with the light of love..."
--ANGELS AMONG US

"If we have faith in Jesus Christ...
We never need to feel that we are alone 

or unloved in the Lord’s service because we never are. 

We can feel the love of God. 

The Savior has promised angels on our left 

and our right to bear us up. 

And He always keeps His word."

 --President Henry B. Eyring, 

I'm A Little Bit Country

"I AM LOVED"

As we go through life, and hard times hit, we often wonder, “AM I LOVED?” We all struggle with “Who am I, what am I doing, why am I here?” from time to time. In the unforgettable talk given by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf at the Relief Society General Meeting September 24, 2011 titled, “Forget Me Not”, we were reminded that “I AM LOVED”.

Never Forget. . .

To be Patient and Compassionate with yourself.

"I want to tell you something and I hope you will take it the right way. God is fully aware that you and I are not perfect," he said. "Let me add: God is fully aware that the people you think are perfect are not."

Some sacrifices are better than others. (Learn to prioritize and not over-do)

"Our Heavenly Father is most pleased when we sacrifice something good for something far greater, in an eternal perspective. Sometimes, that may even mean nurturing small but beautiful forget-me-not flowers instead of a large garden of exotic blooms.”

You don’t have to wait for a “Golden Ticket” to be happy.

"So many people today are waiting for their own golden ticket — the ticket that they believe holds the key to the happiness they have always dreamed about. For some, the golden ticket may be a perfect marriage; for others, a magazine-cover home; or perhaps, freedom from stress and worry. The happiest people I know are not those who find their golden ticket; they are those who discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday moments."

The “Why” of the Gospel will inspire and uplift you.

"My dear sisters, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not an obligation; it is a pathway, marked by our loving Father, leading to happiness and peace in this life and glory and inexpressible fulfillment in the life to come. We understand why our Heavenly Father has given us this pattern for living, when we remember why we committed to making it a foundational part of our lives, the gospel ceases to become a burden and, instead, becomes a joy and a delight. It becomes precious and sweet."

And most importantly,

Your Heavenly Father knows, loves and cherishes you!

"Sisters, wherever you are, whatever your circumstances may be, you are not forgotten. No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you with an infinite love."