May, you were simply marvelous!

May was, well, simply marvelous.  The weather was near perfect.  The
trees put on all shades of green and flowers were popping up everywhere.
I thought April was nice, but May just might be my new favorite month.
I also enjoyed time with family and friends.  I felt like I was coming alive
again after a long, cold winter.  The beautiful weather was just the
encouragement I needed to get outside and be more active.  I was pleased
with my exercise goals.  All those highlighted days meant I exercised at
least fifty minutes.

*Goal #16 - Exercise 50 min. a day 5 days a week

I took some great hikes and that awesome backpacking trip in the Smokies.

*Goal #1 - Take 50 hikes

* Goal #8 - Take a backpacking trip

It's been easier to eat meatless dinner meals with all the wonderful fresh 

foods that are available now.   This was an asparagus soup I made.  You 

know something that is that green has got to be good for you!  It is topped 

with Lemon Crema (which is a fancy name for lemon infused cream)

*Goal #10 - Eat three meatless dinner meals a week

*Goal # 23 - Try 50 new recipes

I had great visits with all my kids.  Travis and I went on a fantastic lunch date.

The Colorado boys were here for a few weeks, with lots of their friends

going in and out.

Two of these guys and the young lady were getting ready to go back to

hike on the Appalachian Trail after spending a few days at our house 

washing clothes and bodies and eating plenty of good food.

How many hikers and gear can you fit in one XTerra? 

*Goal # 40 - Try new restaurants in Asheville with Travis each month

*Goal #12 - Nurture family relationships

Kenzie came to visit and brought her boyfriend, who I believe has never

been out of a city a day in his life, having moved to Atlanta from NYC. 

He came on a good day as we were immersed in farm activities. The boy

had never tasted honey or fresh raspberries and had never been this close

to a chicken!  And you should have seen his eyes when we donned our

bee suits and lifted the lid off the hive.

Life is good and I am blessed.  I continue to count.......

1101-  a German Chocolate birthday cake

1102 - jars of fresh jam lined up on the counter

1103- an unexpected bonus - travel money

1104- new wings on baby chicks

1105 - a kitchen full of people

1106- musicians seated in a circle

1107- muffins warm from the oven

1108- hugs from big boys

1109- listening to the birds "wake up" as I take my morning walk

1110- snuggled deep in my bed watching a thunderstorm

1111- practicing hospitality

1112- mourning doves nesting outside the bathroom window

1113- his side of the bed, still warm as I make it

1114- love notes on the shower door

1115- the sound of four wheelers going up and down the driveway

1116- watching the "men folk" shoot skeet in the backyard

1117- the sounds of late night snacking in the kitchen

1118- sharing chocolate desserts with Travis

1119 - an elderly couple walking arm in arm

1120- umbrellas

1121- listening to podcasts while I walk

1122- young people washing dishes

1123- a favorite dessert enjoyed by all

1124 - finances in order

1125- scripture pages marked in the colors of the rainbow

1126- the smell of chocolate

1127 - eating Sun Chips with Dillon

1128 - mountain laurel in bloom along the driveway

1129 - hearing Jantzen say, "How's it going?" to 

every hiker that we passed

1130 - a new printer

1131- mountain views

1132- peace and quiet

1133- a hard working husband

1134 - broccoli and cauliflower from the garden

1135 - waking up to a clean kitchen

1136 -  a freezer meal made earlier in the month to 

pull out on a busy day

1137 - a clean house

1138 - hearing from Mekenzie three days in a row

1139- holding hands when we pray

1140- Abbie, safely through surgery

1141- rain on my garden

1142- hearing him say, "you are lovely"

1143- enjoying a meal that I didn't have to cook or clean up after

1144- chocolate klondike bars

1145- that moment of relief when I've finished giving

my talk in Sacrament meeting

1146- Mekenzie coming for a visit

1147- hamburgers on the grill

1148- more spinach than I know what to do with

1149- a supportive husband

1150- air conditioning

1151- riding with Mark in the polaris

1152- the smell of the woods after rain

1153- fresh raspberries on my morning cereal

1154- library books

1155- jars of honey

1156-- the new issue of the Ensign magazine

1157- fresh flowers for the weekend 

1158- new walking shoes

1159- remembering a good friend and her influence in my life

1160- pink peonies in grandma's vase

1161- Alma 5

1162- toothless baby grins

1163- wide eyed Sunbeams

1164- Carol's amazing example

1165- Fast and Testimony meeting

*Goal #35 - Keep a gratitude journal