TRUE GIFTS

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a difference between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves—giving of the riches of the heart and mind—and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store.

"Of course, among the greatest of gifts is the gift of love....

"Some, like Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens's A Christmas Carol, have a hard time loving anyone, even themselves, because of their selfishness. Love seeks to give rather than to get. Charity towards and compassion for others is a way to overcome too much self-love" (James E. Faust, "A Christmas with No Presents," Ensign, Dec 2001, 2–6).

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND WE PRAY THAT YOUR FAMILY HAS A WONDERFUL 2009, AND THAT IT WILL BE BRIGHT WITH WONDERFUL AND AMAZING EXPERIENCES! KNOW WE ALL LOVE YOU VERY MUCH AND MISS YOU EVEN MORE!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hey everyone!
Merry Christmas from all of us here in the Gleed Family! May you have a safe and wonderful holiday season. We are all grateful for the special people each and every one of you are! Enjoy our pretty tree!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

HOLY COW!!!

All of the snow you see here, is what fell in the past 24 hours...I scraped over a foot of snow off of our cars! EWE...and to make matters worse...we are in FOR MORE UGH!!!


I guess we'll have our white christmas after all! (But thank goodness I only have to endure 1 Soda Springs winter!!!!)

FINALLY OUR BIG SNOW!!!

Well, late last night we finally got our "BIG" snow storm...in one area in the mountains they got over 4 feet of snow...everyone was out and about on their snow machines!
I'm not sure how much I am looking forward to the weather they have here...it's a whopping 13 degrees right now and dropping ewe!
Doesn't it just want you to come to Idaho and freeze your tush off GRRRR....
Well, if anything else it FINALLY looks like December! Everyone be safe and happy holidays!

HAVE A "PURRR"FECT CHRISTMAS!

Well, after buying a cute little hat for my cat I tried it on. This is the only shot I could get! I was laughing too hard to do anymore after the reaction I got from the squirt! :O)
Merry Christmas Everybody!

Love you guys
Gillaire (and Charlie)

MY CHRISTMAS LIST...it's short I promise lol

O.k. people I finally found my dream camera...so if anyone is loaded this Christmas I would love you as I'm lmao where I know that we are all broke :(
Everyone who knows me, all know how much I LOVE to take pictures and how much I love photography. This is a new one, and is what I'm looking for and a step closer to a professional camera!!! Gee it's only like 700 bucks...:(
As soon as I'm settled I'm going to take photography classes, so I'm pretty psyched! Now if only......:)



COOL HUH!!!!

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!!!!

Oh my, it's 2 a.m. and I peak outside and what did I find...

IT'S SNOWING!!!!

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

This time of year we all need to get in touch with our inner child, when dreaming and feeling like the sky was the limit with our imaginations.
I love this story where someone allowed a little girl to let her dreams soar, even if it was believing in a jolly old man in a red suit.
I know it's the time of year to remember the birth of Christ, but I think it's also a time to let the stress of life go for a short time and dream.


A famous letter from Virgina O'Hanlon to the editorial of The New York Sun, first printed in 1897.

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

Dear Editor

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O'Hanlon





Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

THANKSGIVING FUN

MOM AND CHERHYS GETTING PIES BAKED


EVEN JAKE WANTED TO HELP OUT


This year we had Thanksgiving at Cherhys and Shane's place in Grace. It was pretty fun, the day before mom and I went to her house and did some preparations. Jake even wanted to get in the action....
This year, I had to work so I had to wait for the good stuff... I had a friend that was going to be alone this year and so her and her son JJ came along for the ride. JJ is 4. JJ and Jake had the best time playing together that when we left, he was begging my sister to open his kennel and he crawled into it and went to sleep, not whimpering the whole night. ;)
The only thing that was missing this year was Rollie. He recently moved to San Antonio Texas, so he had Thanksgiving there with Julie and the girls. I hope that everyone that we care and love had a safe holiday! Know that your thought of and appreciate every minute you are in our lives.

My favorite comic strip

Now isn't that pure inspiration. This one just makes me smile...I love the snooze button and so I fell in love with this one! Have a great day!!!!

How Crazy is this....

I walked into the checkout line at the grocery store, and who did I find staring right at me...but an old roomie of mine! What a sweet surprise. I was hoping that I would one of these days and finally there she was! It was a good ending to a crazy day!

Veterans day

I remember as a child how important today and memorial day was. I have had pretty much a family member in every war since world war 1. So today has always been special to me and my family. Our freedom isn't free...so I hope you remembered all of those who didn't get to come home to their family, so that we could remain free here in our own land.
*************************************************
ALL WE CAN DO IS REMEMBER
~~RONALD REGAN


'It is, in a way, an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country, in defense of us, in wars afar away.

The imagination plays a trick. We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise. We see them as something like the Founding Fathers, grave and gray-haired.

But most of them were boys when they died, and they gave up two lives, the one they were living and the one they would have lived.

When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands and fathers and grandfathers and veterans. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for our country, for us. And all we can do is remember.'


******************************************************************

Final Inspection

The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining.
Just as brightly as his brass.

"Step forward now,soldier.
How shall I deal with you ?
Have you always turned the other cheek ?
To My Church have you been true ?"

The officer squared his shoulders and said,
"No,Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep....
Though I worked a lot of overtime.
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes,God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here,Lord.
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't,I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

"Step forward now,soldier
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven"s streets,
You've done your time in Hell."

- Author Unknown

Tomorrow would have been my dad's 68th birthday. I know that dad isn't here anymore, but it makes me feel bad that I'm not in Malad where I can visit his grave tomorrow. I hope he knows that he's thought of on his birthday....love you!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

HOPE EVERYONE HAS A "SPOOKY" HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!LOVE YOU GUYS!!

CHARITY AT IT'S FINEST....

This past few days I've experienced some of the most amazing thing. The scout food drive will be going on this weekend, and where I work I get to see a lot of cool things. Well, SEVERAL people had come through my line with loads of paper goods and can goods, which isn't that unusual, but there was just a lot of them. When I inquired (just as fun conversation), they then proceeded to tell me that it was all for the scout food drive. Just remember a lot of the groceries they were getting they were spending sometimes up to 50 bucks on this. It was so beautiful and inspiring. There are MANY generous people here in Soda Springs. It was so cool, and made my day to see people going to such lengths to do some good in the world.

A FUN WEEKEND

Some of my best friends are in the Richmond Utah area, and so I went to spend the weekend with them. We had quite a good time. In Logan (which is only like 15 min away) we went to Willow Park Zoo and they had their " Boo at the zoo" It was quite an adventure hehe. The kids had a blast, but the adults looked like idiots :) (they made me wear it lol).



When the fun was all said and done, and a little nap in between...Katrina insisted on a pony ride, no matter how odd looking it was :) She was happy at least....right?

UTAH TRIP

You know, it's funny how a trip to see your friends, how refreshing and calming that is. It's been a long time since I've felt peace in my heart and soul. It was a well needed trip. We're not doing anything special but, it's just nice to be in the same room with them. it helps to regroup and see life in a fresh light...you know what I mean :)
I'm counting the days when I can finally get back to my own life. I've loved being with my mom, but I need to return to my life again...Heck I'm 34! I'm tired of being alone and who knows if my heavenly father may or may not want me that way.
I just hope the next one will love me with all my inperfections and not break my heart. I thought at this time I would be in Colorado, but well....you know how life works right.... So here I am still in IDAHO...grrrr. Hopefully in the spring, I'll be back in my wonderful utah! My plan is of all places to go to salt lake city lol...I swore for many years that I would never go there to live, well I'm going to shoot me in the foot and go! Hows that for funny lol...oh well, things change right...and your life tends to move in a different direction than you ever planned for. I have to just follow that right and go for the ride. Everyone knows I have a sweet ride lol, as strange as it gets....
Wanna come for a great ride lol....ttyl off to check on my friends kids...they went out on an adult date. Poor things, last time they actually had a date just the two of them was 4 monts ago! chow for now!

HOW MESSED UP IS THIS LOL

O.k. folks...by my calander it's only the 11th of October...RIGHT!!!! UGh,I woke up this morning to this! How's that to ruin your day :)

A NEW PAGE

Everyone knows that I grew up in Deep Creek, and recently when I went back by the house and saw a bull dozer tearing down the house which made me sick to see that part of my past gone. It broke my heart, but I still have memories and pictures too, to remind me of how much that part of my life ment to me.

When I went to Malad the other day, I passed by the old homestead and they are rebuilding where the old house was. It broke my heart to see the change like I still lived there or something. But like I said I still have the special memories of my special childhood on that farm. Those of you who have lived on a farm and experienced the amazing things that happen being around family, around gods creatures know what I mean!

THE WONDERS OF NATURE

HOW I LOVE SUNSETS, I WAS JUST AT AN AWE OF THIS ONE. THE PICTURE DOESN'T DO IT JUSTICE. IT HAD THE MOST INTENSE ORANGE/RED COLOR IN THE SKY THAT IT JUST TOOK OVER.
IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL I JUST QUICKLY PARKED MY CAR WHERE I HAD CLEAR VIEW AND JUST WATCHED THE SUNSET TIL IT WENT DARK. HOW I WISH EVERYONE COULD HAVE SEEN IT~

Church Continues Temple Building Throughout the World

HOW I LOVE THE TEMPLE! I WAS SO EXITED TO HEAR OF ADDITIONAL TEMPLES BEING CONSTRUCTED SOON. I HAD TO SHARE THE JOY! HERE IS THE ARTICLE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM PRESIDENT MONSON!


SALT LAKE CITY 4 October 2008 Five new temples were announced today by President Thomas S. Monson, leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, during the Church’s 178th Semiannual General Conference in Salt Lake City. With 128 temples currently operating and with another 17 in some phase of planning or construction, these five temples bring the worldwide total to 145.

The additional temples will be built in the greater Kansas City area; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Calgary Alberta, Canada; Córdoba, Argentina; and Rome, Italy. The exact location of these temples will be announced at a later date. Not since April of 2000 have so many temples been announced at one time..

The placement of temples in Philadelphia and the greater Kansas City area reflects steady Church growth throughout the United States, where there are now several dozen temples.

The Calgary temple will be the eighth temple in Canada. There are currently temples operating from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Edmonton, with another under construction in Vancouver. Latter-day Saints began settling parts of the Alberta province within a few decades of their exodus to the great basin of the Rocky Mountains in the mid-1800s. The Cardston Alberta Temple was the sixth temple completed after the pioneers’ arrival in Salt Lake City.

The temple in Córdoba will be the second in Argentina, the Buenos Aires temple being the first. Today’s announcement will bring the total number of temples in Latin America to 34.

The Rome Italy Temple will be the first in the Mediterranean region and the twelfth in Europe. It will serve Church members from a variety of countries and greatly reduce travel time and expense to the Latter-day Saints living in the area.

Latter-day Saint temples differ from ordinary church buildings where members typically meet for Sunday worship services, midweek classes, and activities. There are thousands of such chapels throughout the world, all open to visitors.

For members of the Church, temples are the most sacred places on earth. They are used solely for the performance of sacred ceremonies such as marriage, and religious instruction aimed at strengthening members’ relationships with God and their fellowman. The temples provide a place of holiness and peace, separate from the preoccupations of the world, where Church members make formal promises and commitments to God.

Construction of temples has been a part of Latter-day Saint history since the earliest days of the Church. Church founder Joseph Smith built temples in Kirtland, Ohio and Nauvoo, Illinois.

Within days of the Mormon pioneers’ arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, Joseph Smith’s successor, Brigham Young, announced the location for the Salt Lake Temple and construction began shortly thereafter. While the Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to complete, most temples today are finished within three to five years.

Last week the Church also announced the open house and dedication dates for the next temple to be completed. The Draper Utah Temple, the 129th worldwide, will be open for public tours from January 15 through March 14, 2009. It will then be dedicated in twelve separate dedicatory sessions from March 20 to March 22.

GREETINGS FROM SODA SPRINGS IDAHO

Well, it's been almost a month and were finally settling in. I found a job at Alco Discount Store here in Soda and found a long lost friend from High School...how about Misty Starnes! It's been fun to get to know her all over again at least as adults lol....
Mom and my kitty Charlie has been making friends in the apartments. Our neighbor Linda has been here every day almost lol.
Getting the apartment in order has been a bit of a struggle, but were slowly finding places to put things and get it organized.
We have had several visits from the ward we are in now, and they seem like really neat people. We found that an old friend from home that mom worked with is in the ward so that I think has helped mom a little.
I can't believe it is October already, it's like I've been in a deep sleep with what has been going on in our family lives the past few months.
Mom and I have moved to Soda Springs, and Rollie is now a San Antonio Texas resident...and getting used to the humid weather there again. (He served a mission in Iowa so he's had the humid weather before).
Well, we got to go back to Malad to work a little more on the house, but were on the down side of things. It will be a different life from now on, but were determined to make it work!
Cherhys is finally on her FINAL year of school. After two waisted years of trying to get into her program (after her councelor went on vacation in the middle especially where he promised her a spot), and two "Majors" changes....she finally is going to graduate. The funny thing is that she ended up going back to the thing that she told us as a little girl that she wanted to do, and that was to teach! Funny how things end up huh....
As for me, I am hoping to be settled in Holliday Utah by March 09 finally so I can get back to a somewhat normal life after the past year of trials I've had....what we've had....just gotta save the money now for the move :).
Friends and family, have a wonderful fall!

PLAY DATE WITH JAKE

Well, I got to hang out with my sisters Beagle dog my buddy Jake for the day on Tuesday.....
after playing our hearts out.....
a few naps in between.....
play time with the neighbors dog......
and after having a few "escapes..."

We had a lot of fun, play time, a hole bunch of licking my face no less.....
We ended up having an all out good time with my buddy and me! I just love to spend time with Jake. He's so cute, every time you see him he acts like he's been waiting for only you...he loves you no matter what and how special that is. I'm so glad that Cherhys and Shane got Jake....what a special little dog that he is!

PRECIOUS MEMORIES

Well, I found a really cool thing while we have been moving, it may not mean anything to most people but funny enough it ment a great deal to me.
My dad loved rice pudding, and so how cool it was to find a recipe that he wrote in his own handwriting to be his favorite sweet. It brought back precious memories of my dad, that was the best recipe I've ever had.

GOOD NEWS TODAY!

Nothing fancy but it's a paycheck for now! Yeah I'll have my own money again!!!! I start tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m.

JOB INTERVIEW ON TUESDAY

Well, it's nothing fancy...espeically in Soda Springs...but I have an interview with a store called Alco. Since I have plenty of retail experience lol...I hopefully will get the job...(at least until I can get moved to Salt Lake (the holliday area) in March yeah!) Then I can find a great job. But, hey got bills to pay and a car payment to make so gotta get something going until a better one shows up. But wish me luck lol....

WERE HERE.....

What a crazy day saturday was. You wouldn't believe how FAST everyone was. Holy cow, I thought that moving my great-grandpa's piano would be a HUGE production, turned out to be a breeze for the guys. We had our bishopric and a bunch of the elders in the ward helping out. We started at 8 a.m. and they had mom moved by 11:00 a.m. and that includes travel time!
Charlie (my kitty), she had a hard time ajusting to new surroundings, but she's acting better now. She's still pretty clingy still, but she's acting more comfortable now. The only thing she detests is her leash. Not really happy about it though lol. So were all in ajustment :).
Today I finally got my dsl hooked up YEAH!!!!!!! Life can go on now....No internet, no t.v. UGH!!!!! TOO MUCH QUIET! I'm so sick of movies. You can only wander around town so much, and filling out applications til you are ready to die.
Mom is in Malad getting more things packed up and cleaned out so it's me and the kitty. Like I said I've been looking for work...so wish me luck.

And after a long day of moving were all POOPED!

MOVING SUCKS!

You know what a pain it is to move right?....try moving a whole bunch of junk! I think I would rather go to the dentist and have all of my teeth pulled than to move lol.
Were getting down to the wire and boy it's CRAZY! It's funny though when you think you have somthing under control and then you find ANOTHER drawer full of stuff that needs to go to the deseret industries or go on the 15th run (no kidding guys) to the dump, full of my wonderful dad's junk! may he rest in peace, but geez he was such a junky guy lol...but hey gotta love parents anyway right....
I think everyone has gotten to the point where their butt smiles at every chair, were all so tired hehe....
Well....off to another box I go!!!

BACK WHERE I COME FROM

I HAD HEARD THIS AWHILE BACK AND NOW I THINK IT HAS COME TO MEAN MORE TO ME WHERE I WON'T BE "BACK WHERE I COME FROM" SOON. WHAT'S SCARRY IS HOW TRUE IT IS, HE DESCRIBED SMALL TOWN LIFE TO A "T".



BACK WHERE I COME FROM
by Kenny Chesney

In the town where I was raised
The clock ticks and the cattle graze
Time passed with Amazing Grace
Back where I come from
Now you can lie on a riverbank
Paint your name on a water tank
Or miscount all the beers you drank
Back where I come from

Back where I come from
Where I'll be when it's said and done
I'm proud as anyone
Back where I come from

We learned in Sunday school
Who made the sun shine through
I know who made the moonshine, too
Back where I come from
Blue eyes on a Saturday night
Tan legs in the broad day light
TV's, they were black and white
Back where I come from

Back where I come from
Where I'll be when it's said and done
I'm proud as anyone
Back where I come from

Some say it's a backward place
Narrow minds on a narrow way
I make it a point to say
That that's where I come from

That's where I come from
Where I'll be when it's said and done
I'm proud as anyone
That's where I come from
Back where I come from
I'm an old Tennessean
And I'm proud as anyone
That's where I come from