Sunday, July 31, 2011

Quote of the Day!

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
       ~Matthew 11:28

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Quote of the Day!

"Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the aresenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.  It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have."
       ~Ronald Reagan

Friday, July 29, 2011

Protecting Your Files

A few weeks ago I had the scare of my life... Okay, that's a little dramatic. But, it was a huge scare. I was working on my computer, putting together some trivia posts for a blog I manage, when out of nowhere a window pops up. My computer asks if I want to download whatever it is and I say no. But the window won't go away. So I say no no no no no no no. Nothing. It won't leave. So I try the task manager to get rid of it. I can't do that either. So, desperate, I finally say yes. That was a stupid move. About a minute later everything on my computer was gone. Everything. I couldn't access anything on my hard drive. My pictures, the novel that I'm writing, a sort of journal I've started, files for my blog. All of it. Gone.

I was devastated! Lucky for me, I'd backed up almost all of my pictures about two weeks before. But, there was one file that I hadn't backed up. My baby's six month pictures, pictures that I could never get back. And apparently I had backed up my novel but I couldn't remember doing it, so I was thinking that I had lost ninety pages. Ninety pages! May not sound like a lot but that's a lot of work. Thirty or forty thousand words. Seriously, DEVASTATED. I cried. I was sick. It was awful!

I learned then the value of backing up your files. I always think they're fine because my computer is working great, but I've never considered what happens if I get a virus, like I did that night. I got the files back, but it cost me a couple hundred. Lucky for me I was able to get the money. Not everybody can.

If you're going to store files on your computer, make sure you have them backed up somewhere off your computer. Honestly, it's best to have two copies in two different places, or do online storage, or both. I have an external hard drive that has all my files, and all of my pictures I burn to CD's. I'm seriously considering online storage now because then I can't lose them even if my house burns down.

What it boils down to is basically that we live in a digital world and everything is digitally stored; all of our pictures, files,and  memories are in digital format, and digital files are easily lost. I think what I'm going to do now is get another hard drive and share it with a friend. We'll switch every month or so. That way, both hard drives have all of our files. By doing that I'm storing my files on two different devices and storing them in two different locations. If my device gets damaged or ruined, then I have another copy on a device that's working. If my house burns down, I have another copy in a house that is still standing.

I think I have a bit of OCD to my digital files though, especially my pictures. So I'll prettty much do anything to keep the files safe. My ultimate goal is to print a physical copy of all my pictures, but when you have at least eight thousand, that can be an expensive route. For now, I'm backing everything up. Pictures don't leave my camera unless I can get them on my hard drive and preferrably a CD. My writing files I'm going to try to update every week or two, maybe even every time I write. I know the feeling of losing files that are important. Let me tell you, it is not a good one! My advice: Back up your files!

Affirmation of the Week

I am putting more loving energy into my work and this is providing me with a larger and larger income!!!

Quote of the Day!

"Believe and receive.  Doubt and go without."
       ~Kevin Trudeau

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Quote of the Day!

"The strangest secret to success is that you become what you think about most of the time."
       ~Earl Nightingale

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Quote of the Day!

Far away, there in the sunshine, are my highest aspirations.  I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.
       ~Louisa May Alcott

The Birthday Bear

My little girl just enjoyed her 5th birthday.  One of the presents I bought for her was a Build a Bear craft kit that I picked up at my local Michael's craft store.  This fun, little kit came with everything we needed to make a stuffed bear including a pre-cut bear that only had the head sewn together, a plastic needle, floss to sew it together with, polyester stuffing, clothes and accessories for the bear to wear after it was made, and a prestuffed little heart to sew inside the bear. The body of the bear had pre-punched holes around the edges that made it simple for my daughter, with a little help from me, to sew the bear together.  She really enjoyed watching it come to life as she put the stuffing and the little heart inside the body she had just sewn. She also had fun getting it dressed after she was finished.

  This kit was a very fun gift to give my daughter because it gave us a memorable little project to do together. We really enjoyed making this bear! She loved it because it gave us quality time together and because sewing her own bear made her feel like a big girl. I loved it because it was so simple and well thought out.  The $12.99 price tag also made it very affordable and appealing to me.  These kits come in about six different styles and colors, one of which is actually a bunny instead of a bear.  I am sure I will be making more of these!







~Elizabeth

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Quote of the Day!

Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.
       ~Elizabeth Bibesco

Monday, July 25, 2011

July 24th Campout

July 24th is a big day in Utah.  Our state has set this day aside to remember and celebrate the first day that the Mormon pioneers entered the Salt lake Valley in 1847. Utahn's call this time of the year, the Days of 47.  There are parades, rodeos, fireworks, etc.  Our family likes to celebrate this state holiday with a huge campout at Grandpas mountain retreat. (Check out our fun Independence Day poem that we posted on July 9, 2009)  We get together for the weekend and have a lot of fun.  There are snow cones, popcorn, games,  and everything a campout suggests, but the cool thing is that we get to set up tents and have the camping experience, but still have the convenient amenities of home. 

I am posting some fun pics that I took at this years campout. We had a wonderful time re-connecting with family and friends whom we don't get to see as often as we would like.  Thank goodness for holidays and for the opportunity to get together with the ones we love!










Quote of the day!

Your past does not define you.  You can step out of your history and create a new day for yourself.  Even if the entire culture is saying, 'You can't.'  Even if every single possible bad that can happen to you does.  You can keep going forward"
       ~Oprah Winfrey

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Quote of the Day!

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you"
       ~Isaiah 26:3

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Quote of the Day

My Mama always said, life is like a box of chocolates... you never know what you're gonna get.
        ~Forrest Gump

Affirmation of the Week

I deserve the best, and I accept the best, now

Friday, July 22, 2011

Yellowstone National Park

Last weekend my husband and I went on a wonderful road trip to Yellowstone National Park.  We traveled on our Harley Davidson motorcycle.  What an awesome treat that was! Not only did I get to see the amazing beauty, but I got to feel it and smell it too.  It was very refreshing to breathe in the clean mountain air and  smell the pine trees, wildflowers, hot pots and the water as we rode through the park. I have been to Yellowstone many times and will continue to go back because it rejuvenates my body, mind and soul!

 If you are you looking for a new place to visit this summer, I would like to suggest Yellowstone to you. It is a GREAT travel destination!  It is a place that literally flows with energy, from the spectacular waterfalls and rivers to the life giving geysers, calderras and hot pots that continually fill the earth with  minerals and energy. It is also a wonderful haven for a wide and interesting variety of plants and animals.  Visitors have many different options for food, lodging, and shopping whether you choose to stay in the park or outside the park in one of the nearby towns. 

One of the most awesome things to me abut YS Park is the amount of water that is running through it.  There is a huge, beautiful, blue lake that seems to go on forever and also alot of little ponds and streams everywhere, but the things I love the most are the rivers and waterfalls.  Yellowstone River is a large river that snakes its way through the south east side of the park.  It is slow moving in some spots but becomes very powerful and ferocious in others.  It boasts two of the most spectacular waterfalls I have ever seen.  One of them is over 100 ft. high. The other one towers over the last one at more than 300 ft.  There is a tremendous amount of water that ferociously flows over these falls every second. It is exciting and exhilerating to stand above these natural wonders. After going over the waterfalls, this powerful river flows into a very deep canyon called the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.  It is hard to believe that this canyon is real because it is so picture perfect that it looks like an artist just finished painting it with his brush.  The canyon walls are made of a beautiful, yellow stone ( which must be where the park got its name) that is moss covered at the bottom where the river runs through and also has pine trees growing out of it sporadically along the canyon walls.  Seeing this canyon is very inspiring and always make me realize how amazing, God, the creator of all of this splendid beauty is.

The Madison River is a very gentle, river that flows unhurriedly through the western side of the park.  This river seems to call people to stop a while, relax, and enjoy the beauty of the park.  It is also a fly fisherman's dream.  Many people come to the park just to fly fish the Madison River.  I go there to sit by the sparkling water and listen to it as it flows by.  I find it very healing and energizing.

Yellowstone is a volcanic area that is filled with hundreds of hot pots, and geysers that are found throughout the park.  In the geyser basin people have an opportunity to see beautiful geysers that one minute are just a hole in the ground where steam comes out and the next minute are shooting water hundreds of feet into the air.  There are also many geysers that don't erupt anymore but have formed beautiful multi-colored pools.  The many different colors come from all of the minerals that are found in the water.  These geysers are very fun and interesting to see.

Another thing that is cool about Yellowstone park is the great variety of plants and animals. You will find massive pine forest and beautiful meadows that are covered with multi-colored wildflowers, plants and tall grasses that blow gently in the breeze.  There are many different birds and animals that live in the park as well.  These include ospreys, bald eagles, deer, elk, moose and bears just to name a few.  Yellowstone is also know for its herds of American Bison.  These animals are massive!  They can be seen grazing in the meadows and wandering along the side of the roads where tourists love to stop and take pictures of these rare, intimidating animals.

Yellowstone is a place that attracts a large variety of different people and offers many different experiences.  It is a wonderful place for hiking and biking (peddle or motor bikes), fishing, photography, boating, swimming, reading or just plain old relaxing and enjoying the great outdoors.  Visitors can camp in the park in tents or trailers, stay in cabins or even stay in the very nice Yellowstone Inn.  Most of the visitor centers offer food, drinks and souveniers as well.

 West Yellowstone is a fun, little western town that is just 5 minutes outside of the park to the west.  There are a lot of restaurants, hotels, motels, and shops there that make it very convenient for visitors.  You will also find Jackson Wyoming about and hour drive out the south entrance and Cody Wyoming outside of the east entrance.

Yellowstone offers something for everyone who visits whether you are a sportsman looking for adventure, a photographer who wants to enjoy nature at its best, or someone, like me, who just wants to rejuvenate your body, mind and soul by connecting with God, yourself and the earth.  It is difficult to express all of the incredible things about Yellowstone National Park.  It is an amazing place that is not duplicated anywhere on earth!


Yellowstone Lake
Lower Falls



Upper Falls
This video was taken on a digital camera so it is very unprofessional, but it shows how powerful the waterfalls are.  I hope they show up ok.


The last three pics are of the beautiful Madison River.
~Elizabeth

Quote of the Day!

Incremental actions produce monumental results.
       ~Christopher Westra

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Quote of the Day!

When you get to the end of the rope, tie a knot and hang on.
       ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Quote of the Day

Our strength will be found in our Charity.
    ~Betty Eadie, Embraced by the Light

The Adjustment Bureau

Last night I watched the Adjustment Bureau. Matt Damon is the lead actor. I have to say, it was a movie I thoroughly enjoyed! I highly recommend it. In fact, I'll probably buy it.
Why was it so good? Well, the story itself was original and new. My husband and I predict movies when we watch them (I did predict a part of this... yes I'm very proud of myself), but we only do it because most movies are generic and easily predictable (granted, romantic comedies are the worst offenders in this, but still...). This story was not predictable. We're going along, getting into the story, and BAM, something strange happens. Ummm, did this just happen? I had to ask. Yep. He rewound the movie and, sure enough, it had. It was a happy little twist in the movie and it set us off on a path of the movie we hadn't quite anticipated.
Now, keep in mind, that I knew nothing about this movie. I'd seen the previews, but they really didn't give much away. So I was pleasantly surprised to watch a movie that I couldn't predict the whole way through. It kept me on the edge and kept me guessing. Yep. I liked it.
The second reason I liked this movie, and this reason is kinda huge, is because the theme it was woven around was agency. Agency! It was about making your own choices and having the freedom to make those choices. I have to say, I am a huge fan of agency, of that right we all have to make our own decisions. I tend to be passionate about that particular gift we've been given, particularly when I see another person's agency being stolen or taken by somebody else, so I was very happy to find a whole movie with a great plot that revolves around agency.

Yeah, go watch it. And after you do, let me know what you think!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Quote of the Day!

For all the major moves in my life, I've trusted my instincts.
       ~Oprah Winfrey

Monday, July 18, 2011

Quote of the Day

Seek hope, in at least one positive act, and you may begin to see a glimmer of light that you had missed before.
      ~Betty J. Eadie- Embraced by the Light

The Ant and the Contact Lens

A friend of mine forwarded this email on to me yesterday. I don't know if she was just happily forwarding things on, or if she thought it was something I needed to hear at the time, but for whatever reason, she sent it on to me. I'm very glad she did, because it was what I needed to hear at the time. Everybody faces challenges in their life. That's part of the process, it's how we learn, and it's how we become better people. But sometimes those challenges seem very hard, almost too hard. I'm in the middle of one of those challenges right now. I know in the end I'll be better off for it, but getting through it is a struggle and it's sometimes hard to see the big picture and remember why I've made the choices that I've had, the choices that have presented this challenge to me. So with that being said, here's the email she shared with me. It gave me a bit of strength, a bit of hope, and was a wonderful reminder of why I'm doing what I'm doing. I hope somebody else finds the same benefit.

The Story:

Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens. "Great," she thought. "Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry."

She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there.
She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find her contact lens.

When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth."
She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.

Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?"
Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!

The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You."


In my life, I feel an awful lot like that ant, with a few variations. "Lord, the burdens I'm carrying are awfully heavy. It's hard to see why You want me to carry them, I don't always understand the purpose behind the challenges I face, and most of the time I'm not convinced I'm strong enough to carry them. But You think I have the strength, and You want me to carry it, so I will."
We all face challenges; we all have trials; we don't always understand why we face what we do, but the Lord does. That thought brings me comfort.

On a side note: Thank you Ellen for sharing this with me!

~Julianne


          
 

 

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Quote of the Day

I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
          ~Psalms 116:1-2

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Quote of the Day

I swear by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine
       ~Ayn Rand, through the character of John Galt

Friday, July 15, 2011

Quote of the Day!

"Pessimist: A person who says that O is the last letter of ZERO instead of the first letter in OPPORTUNITY."
       ~Anonymous

Positive Affirmation of the Week!

I am happy, healthy, vibrant and alive; I love and approve of myself !!

Positive Affirmations

We at Boospire have been learning many things during the past few years about the Universal laws.  One of these laws is the law of attraction.   We have learned that all things in the universe are made of energy, and energy is affected by positive and negative vibrations. We have found that positive attracts more positive and negative attracts more negative.  Using positive affirmations, imaging, thinking and prayer has resulted in many wonderful things happening in our lives.  These include better health, more income, a bigger and nicer home, better relationships etc.

It is our goal at Boospire to have our site affect all of our readers in a positive way, so we decided to post one new affirmation a week that will help all of you create the positive circumstances in your lives that you desire.  The best way we have found to use these affirmations is to repeat them over and over  again throughout the day.  One hundred or two hundred times a day works great, but it isn't necessary to stress over how many times you say them as long as you say them every time you think of it. It helps to say them with great energy and excitement.  Also, it is a good idea to replace any negative thoughts with a positive one.

We hope that you will have fun with these affirmations and that they will help you attain all of your heart's desires.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Quote of the Day!

The secret to success is to start from scratch and keep scratching.
       ~Dennis Green

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Quote of the Day

Love Liberates
~Maya Angelou

Change Your Thinking; Change Your Life

A couple of months ago I made a decision. I decided I was sick of stressing about money. My husband doesn't stress about money, and he always has it. I stress about money, and I always feel like there isn't enough, even when there is. It was getting pretty bad around my house. I was constantly worrying about bills, about where the money was coming for things I wanted and needed, and I was irritated because I never felt like I had what I needed or the ability to get what I needed. Money (or my perception of money) was a constant source of stress and it was ruining things in my household, including my health (I've got postpartum depression. Stressing money does NOT help it). So, I finally decided, I was done. Stressing money is for the birds. I was tired of being stressed, of stressing out my Superman, and most importantly, of fighting with my Superman about it.

In order to get rid of the stress, I had to change my thinking on money. I had to change my thought processes from those that focus on lack, to those that focus on plenty. So my first step was to start saying affirmations. I began saying things like I have everything I need and want. Money flows to me. And my personal favorite (which is the one I said the most, by the way) I make good money working from home as a writer. I said what I wanted (to make good money), where I wanted to make it (from home) and how I wanted to do it (writing). I love writing. It's my passion. Choosing the how was easy for me. I didn't say these affirmations out loud unless I was experiencing a high level of stress over something money related. I simply repeated them in my mind over and over until they became easy to say and I started to believe them.

Probably around six weeks after I started the affirmations, my husband asked me if I could try to make $400.00 a month somehow to help pay for a vacation we're going on. "Yep," I said, not knowing where the money was coming from. But I knew that somehow I could make that money. I could write more. I could sell more articles. I could go garaging and resale the stuff I bought (that was how I was planning to do it). I wasn't sure of the how, but I was determined to somehow do it.

Two weeks after he asked me if I could earn $400.00 a month, I got an email. It was from one of the admins of a website I sell my writing on. He had a client who needed sixty trivia sets written per month and a few websites managed, and he thought I would be good for the job. Now, there are thousands of writers on this site, and there are plenty that sell way more work than I do, that have a constant stream of articles flowing onto the site. I would have thought they were a better option. But the admins thought I would be the best for the job. I agreed to write the trivia and manage the sites. What would I be earning? My initial calculations put the total right around $400.00, exactly what I needed. As it turns out, the total is closer to $600.00 with the site management. Boy was I excited!!!! My affirmation...I make good money working from home as a writer. Two months later, I get offered a job out of nowhere to work from home as a writer, earning more than what I need for my vacation. Talk about seeing the effects of changing your thinking! I tell you, I was giddy.

There's an interesting twist to this story that is worth noting. I asked the man that contacted me why they offered me the job. His answer: because I'd worked with a client a year ago and they'd been impressed with how I'd managed the workload he'd given me. But that's not what's interesting. The interesting part was that that same client had really liked my work, but he didn't want to pay the prices that the site required (the site takes 35% of the profits. He was paying $25.00 an article, which is a decent price for a good article, and I was getting $16 of that.) He knew I was getting $16.00 so he offered to keep paying me sixteen if I would stop going through the website and work with him, cutting out the middle man. Otherwise, he was outsourcing to India. After thinking long and hard, I told him I wasn't willing to do that. I'd agreed not to find a client through the site and then cut them out, and I intended to stick with that agreement. So he took his work to India, and I lost my client. At the time I thought the situation (for lack of a better word) sucked, but mainting my integrity was more important. But what you give out you get back. And now I'm experiencing the rewards of making choices based on principle. Because of my working relationship with that client, I now have a better opportunity in front of me. I don't believe I would have gotten it if I had chosen to cut out the middle man.

This experience has taught me two valuable lessons. One, changing your thinking really does change things in your life. Two, by making choices based on true principles I'm leaving myself open to the positive, whatever that positive may be. I'm hoping I can keep these lessons in mind and keep applying them to my life.

Oh, and for the record, the job really shouldn't take more than forty hours a month, so it's definitely decent pay, in case you were wondering.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Quote of the Day!

The problem is not that there are problems.  The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.
       ~Theodore Rubin

Monday, July 11, 2011

Quote of the Day!

I believe that it is as much a right and duty for women to do something with their lives as for men, and we are not going to be satisfied with such frivolous parts as you give us.
       ~Louisa May Alcott

Amazing Birds

While working the other day, I heard a bird outside the window chirping a cheerful song.  I was an hour into the second half of my work day and was kind of dragging a bit.  Hearing that beautiful song not only made me feel happy, but I was also surprised to note that it seemed to give me energy.  It gave me the boost I needed to finish out my work day. I have always had a love for birds, but I had never thought before about what a wonderful gift our Heavenly Father gave us when he put birds on the earth for us to enjoy.

Each spring, I wait in restless anticipation for the first Robin to appear, and I love to hear the beautiful Meadowlark's uplifting melody as I go about my day during the summer. There are also few things that compare to the majesty you see when an eagle or a hawk flies through the sky and suddenly dives to the ground to catch its prey.  Yes, even the annoying squawking of all the Magpie's that wake me up in the morning add spice to life.  Thank heaven for these amazing creatures that add color, music and joy to the world!

Robin Red Breast

Meadowlark

Bald Eagle

Hawk

Magpie

Sorry about the message in the Magpie pic.  I tried to get one without it, but couldn't get it to copy. I think I know where all of the magpie's are, though.  I have tons of them living in my yard!
~Elizabeth





Sunday, July 10, 2011

Magnificent Sunset

We had a wonderful thunderstorm today with heavy rains followed by a light refreshing rain and a spectacular sunset.  The sky started out being a light orange, but quickly turned to a deep, intense pink.  My daughter took these pics on her cell phone.  We thought you might enjoy them.  God is an amazing artist!
       ~Elizabeth

Quote of the Day!

Let brotherly love continue.  Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
       ~Hebrews 13:1-2

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Quote of the Day!

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
       ~Dr. Wayne Dyer

Friday, July 8, 2011

Quote of the Day!

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery.  And today? Today is a gift.  That's why we call it the present.
       ~B. Olatunji

The Best fishing Day Ever!

I love going fishing with my family, but there have been many fishing days where I never even got a nibble on my line.  I prepared my pole and, with high hopes, cast my line into the water. Then I wait, and wait! and wait!! I look at the end of my pole and will it to bend.  I stare at the water and picture a big fish coming along and eating my bait.  The most distressing thing of all is that I find myself talking to the fish.  " Come ooonnn big fishy, you know you waaannnt it.
It's ok, just go ahead and take a bite.  I won't hurt you.  I promise, I will throw you back in".  I sometimes wonder if other fishermen, or fisherwomen as in my case, talk to fish like I do or if I am just bordering a little on insanity.

Last weekend my husband and I gathered up our fishing supplies, loaded our kids into our family truckster ( a Chevy Suburban), and headed off to a nearby lake to spend the morning fishing.  As usual, I had high hopes.  My boys and I had gone fishing the day before and noticed that some men across the bay were having unbelievable success while we were sitting there green with envy, so we were hoping that today was our day.

We got to the waters edge, helped the youngest children get their poles prepared and cast all the lines into the water.  Within minutes, three of the poles were bending! The kids were shouting, I caught one, I caught one, I caught one!  The commotion was great; the excitement intense! Sure enough, they had caught three fish! I was running all over the shoreline trying to get a picture of each one.   We threw the fish back in and started getting their lines in the water again.  Before we could get them all in, the kids were shouting again.  They had caught some more! 

My husband and I were filling bubbles and tying hooks as fast as we could go and still couldn't keep up. We would cast a line into the water and before long the tip was bending again. They were catching them in a steady stream.   Soon other people who were fishing along the shoreline started noticing our success.   They would stand on the shore and look at us with exasperated looks on their faces.  They would shake their heads in confusion and wonder what they were doing wrong. All the while, our children just kept right on catching them.  We were having tons of fun! 

Finally, after about two hours, we had a bit of a break.  I decided to cast my line in since the kids were having so much success.  There it sat.   I waited! and waited!! and waited!!!  I willed the tip to bend.  I went a little crazy and started talking to the fish again.  "Come on big fishy, you know you waaannt it!  Still nothing!  Some of the children were still catching around me, but my pole would not bend.  I finally got my husband, who seemed to have the Midas touch that day, to cast my line into the water.  I had noticed that every line he cast into the water caught a fish.  Sure enough, within minutes, my pole was bending.  The big fish had finally taken the bait.  I was excited!  What a thrill it is to catch a fish and get to reel it in!

We spent three wonderful hours fishing that morning.  We caught thirty fish and had three more that got away before we could get them to the shore. We decided to take a few of them home to eat. All of us went home feeling exhilerated and excited!  We knew we had just experienced something that doesn't happen everyday in the area that we live in.  The next day we had a fish fry,( or a bbq in this case) and invited all of our married children and their families to come for dinner. It was a good time!  We got great pleasure in telling our fishing story to them.  I realized that this story will be retold over and over again.  It will probably even be  passed down to the grandchildren for generations to come.  I am glad our fishing story isn't about the one that got away, but instead it is about the Best Fishing Day Ever!

~ Elizabeth

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Quote of the Day!

Our greatest joy is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
       ~ Confucious

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Quote of the Day!

When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened up for us.
       ~Helen Keller

The Founding Father's Four Steps to Success

Over the fourth of July weekend, we at Boospire spent some time reflecting upon the events that led up to our country receiving its independence.  We realized that the founding father's did more than just help our country become free.  They set a precedent that can be used as a guide in the lives of every person in the world.  The first thing they did was to make the decision that being under the rule of England was not working for them. They knew they had to take action!  Secondly, they set their intention by deciding a course of action.  Next, they declared their intention to the world.  It was interesting to us to remember that the Declaration of Independence was sent out to the world long before we were actually free from England's rule.  The battle still had to be fought, but because of much sacrifice, determination, prayer and divine intervention, the victory was theirs.

We at Boospire realized that the steps they took are universal steps for success.  They are as follows:
1. Make a decision
2. Set your intention
3. Declare your intention to yourself or others
4. Take action

All of us can use these same steps, not only to declare our independence from the things that are not working in our lives, but also to set, work on and achieve goals that will improve our lives. These things might include becoming independent from our addictions to food, chocolate, goodies, soap operas, facebook etc, or even becoming independent from a controlling husband, parent or child.  These same steps can be used to lose weight, follow an exercise program, keep our houses clean, or any other thing we would like to accomplish in our lives.  It is our hope that all of us wonder women ( and supermen) can learn from our founding father's example and create the lives we have always dreamed about.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Quote of the Day

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
~Confucius

Monday, July 4, 2011

Quote of the Day!

If, to please the people, we offer what we ourselves disapprove,  how can we afterwards defend our work?  Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the honest can repair.  The event is in the hand of God.
       ~George Washington
            (Stated to the delegates to the Constitutional Convention)

Happy Fourth of July!!!!

Two hundred and thirty five years ago, America took the first step in gaining her independence by drafting and distributing the Declaration of Independence, a document which helped lay the foundation for the government of the great nation we now live in. Since that time the document has been preserved. Over time, some of principles outlined in the document have been trampled on and abused, but that doesn't mean that we're not still a great nation and that those principles don't still apply. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowned by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness... these are the foundation, these are what we all pursue, and these are what life is all about. Today, the day when we're celebrating our independence, we at boospire wanted to honor our great nation and the principles it was founded on. What better way to do that than by honoring the flag, which represents those principles? So, we salute the flag and America, in honor of what she is and what she stands for.

I pledge allegiance,
to the flag,
of the United States of America.
And to the republic
for which it stands,
One nation, under God,
 indivisible, 
with liberty and justice,
for all.



Sunday, July 3, 2011

Quote of the Day

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
      ~Isaiah 41:10

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Quote of the Day!

Your attitude, not your aptitude, determines your altitude.
       ~Zig Ziglar

Friday, July 1, 2011

Jalepeno Burgers

The fourth of July is not only famous for the Declaration of Independence. It is also famous as a time when families get together to enjoy each other and have barbecues.  Our family is no exception, but sometimes we get tired of the traditional hamburger and hot dog. We have gotten creative and started making Jalepeno Burgers.  They are delicious and easy to make.  Everybody loves them! (They are a little spicy for small children.) One of the cool things about Jalepeno Burgers is that it is fun to be creative with them.  We like to try adding different fillings, sauces and spices to get a unique flavor each time. Because of this, the recipe I am going to post is not exact.  We hope you will take our recipe and, add to, or change it however you want.  Have fun with it and make it your own!


Jalepeno Burgers

3-4 pounds of uncooked hamburger
1 C. Rolled Oats
1 C. crushed Doritos (any flavor)
2 eggs (slightly whipped)
1 pound uncooked bacon (diced)
About 1/4 C. Jalepeno Peppers (canned or bottled works well)
1/4 C. Barbecue Sc.
1/4 c. Teriyaki Sc. (if you have some)
1 onion (diced)
Season salt, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper to taste
Spade L Ranch Beef Marinade and Seasoning ( usually found by the butcher shop at the grocery store)

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Form into patties.  Cook until juices run clear.

Happy 4th of July Everyone!
May your family be well, your weather be warm, and the Jalepeno Burgers not go to your waist!


Fast and Easy Way to Cut Watermelon

Summer is in full swing which means everyone is eating lots of watermelon.  Watermelon is a great thing to eat when it is hot outside because it hydrates our bodies and keeps them cool. Because of this, we at Boospire thought it would be fun to show all of you wonderwomen, (and our cool supermen readers), a very fast and easy way to cut watermelon.  It is easy to cut a melon in about five minutes.  We hope this makes summer even more enjoyable for everyone. 

PS. My daughter insisted on being in most of the pics.  At first, I tried to have her move, but then decided she would make a cute addition to the pics.

Step 1.  Cut your watermelon in half lengthwise.



Step 2.  Cut these halves in half lengthwise again.

Step 3.  Lay each quartered section on its side and slice it into small sections.
Step 4.  Stack these sections and cut them into wedges.

Step 5.  Place in a large bowl and let everyone dig in.

Happy Eating!




Quote of the Day

You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
       ~Christopher Columbus