more pics of the house

master bedroom

front entry

dining room, directly left of the entry

kitchen

office/den/4th room

family room

video of the house - backyard

video of the house - basement

Essential Oils

I just returned from an Essential Oils conference in Utah with Dana Young, who makes the oils that I use - BE YOUNG ESSENTIAL OILS.

He and a team of Doctors, Dentists, and experts from all over the world lectured for 4 days about the uses/science behind oils. It was so incredible - my brain is just exploding with information. I can't wait to learn more.

The human body truly is an incredible instrument - we give it the tools it needs and it heals itself. We stand in it's way by eating unhealthy food and taking in nasty chemicals in the personal care products we use, and it falls apart. It's no wonder we are one of the FATTEST, UNHAPPIEST, SICKEST nations in the world. (The World Health Organization ranks us as 37th - that's right up there with CUBA, of all places - in health care). I'm so glad to have found these wonderful, natural products and have already seen miraculous results in mine and Kev's health.

Smithsonian

We got the rare privilege the other day to visit one of the Smithsonians - the National Museum of American History. We were there almost 4 hours and only got through 2 exhibits!

This is the Star Spangled Banner - the acutal flag that waved over Fort McHenry in the War of 1812 and inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the National Anthem. It was HUGE - much bigger than I thought - 30 feet x 34 feet! I can easily see how it invoked such awe!

This is a glass shard from the palace at Tikrit - the birthplace of Saddam Hussein. It seems such a shame that something so corrupt as the middle east government could produce something so delicate and amazing. It was a powerful lesson to me that we need to be looking for beauty even in the most unlikely of places - and WITHIN the most unlikely of people.

This is George Washington's ACTUAL uniform. I was staring right at it behind the glass. Absolutely amazing. I have such respect for him as a leader and as a man. His integrity, faith, and leadership never faltered.

The chairs of Grant and Lee

One of the most touching parts of the exhibit were these 2 chairs - the actual chairs sat in by Gens. Grant and Lee at the Appomatox courthouse to officially signal the end of the Civil War. My brother Bry, somewhat of a history buff told us the story. Apparently the 2 Generals had served together in the Mexican American War almost 20 years earlier and spent most of the time getting acquainted and catching up on memories from that. It was Gen. Lee who had to bring up the business at hand, and when he offered up his sword (a traditional sign of surrender) Gen. Grant would not take it and allowed him to keep it as a sign of honor. Isn't it amazing that these two great men could have spent so much time on opposite sides of a brutal and war and then come together like old friends passing time in chairs on a porch. Perhaps without the Civil War, they could have been the greatest of friends.

Nauvoo

One of the greatest parts about our cross country trip was that we got to stop for 2 days in Nauvoo, IL. This place has great significance for my church, because it is where the pioneers on the "Mormon Trek" left from to go west to Salt Lake City. But they left behind their homes, their temple and their city that they sacrificed so much to build because the people in surrounding areas could not accept their faith and drove them out. What is there now is a touching monument - a rebuilt temple, restored homes, a brickyard, blacksmith shop, and post office, all just like they would have had it in the 1840s. It is a tribute to their faith and their sacrifice and to the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who restored our church.