Spiritual Preparation for the Day

There may be things in our character, in our behavior, or concerning our spiritual growth about which we need to counsel with Heavenly Father in morning prayer. After expressing appropriate thanks for blessings received, we plead for understanding, direction, and help to do the things we cannot do in our own strength alone.

David A. Bednar, "Pray Always, Ensign," Nov. 2008, 41

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETE!

While the kid can pull off Zoolander on cue, don't be fooled, there is much more to my amazing friend.

Top 5 Favorite Things About Pete

1. He's a complete ham, in an adorable way of course (as proof please see him in his current play Bus Stop). Pete in Wranglers and flannel doesn't come around very often, DON'T miss your chance to witness this historic event. ;)

2. He's got a tender heart that wants nothing more but to serve his family and friends. Just to give you a taste of how much he puts this tender heart into action: Pete is currently running Team Hydro, a fundraiser and swim to help his sweet sister, Kate, (see below) who suffers from Hydrocephalus. Please visit the Team Hydro site and donate to the great cause to help Kate and others. The swim is August 15th!

3. Pete introduced me to his sister, Kate, whom has become an amazing friend, example, and rock in my life. (Thanks PF!).

4. The way Pete heckles at sporting events (particularly Stanford water polo games). It is a sight worth witnessing. The boy goes CRAZY!

5. Pete is a human garbage disposal! Which makes this cook very happy. I never have leftovers of Sloppy Dans, EVER!

Happy Birthday Pete! Thanks for being a great friend, I love ya!

My Favorite Fins! (Kate and Pete)

God's Words Never Cease

A Tuesday Morning "Present" To HP?

Greenpeace somehow evaded security at the Palo Alto HP site and vandalized our bldg in a protest demonstration. I suppose some folks feel this is effective, I simply believe there are better ways to encourage corporations and individuals to go "green". This personally makes me want to stop biking to work for a month in protest. Good thing, I bike more for my waistline and checkbook than the environment already. ;) (not really kidding folks)

See full article and additional photos here.

Direct or Indirect Correlation To Happiness

Whether it be a direct or indirect correlation, when the Yankees win things in my life go well! Life is beautiful for sure, even if everything isn't perfect it is worth enjoying. (Especially when the Yankees are winning and leading the conference).

Are You A Pioneer?

Yep We Dined N Ditched

Now I know what my Mom is thinking as she reads this post title. "You did what Jessica Faye Berry?" (usage of full name when I'm in real trouble). Let me assure all, it was unintentional and turned out square at the end of the night.

For those that are new to the dine n ditch concept please see here.

Date and I go to an amazing Indian restaurant last night.

We step up to order (just following the crowd), waiter takes our order and ask: Stay or Go.

Date: Stay.

Waiter: Go sit down.

(Mind you that most everyone was paying at counter but we sit down)

We sit down and the waiter brings our food out. We enjoy our meal, conversation, etc. Mango Lassi was delicious, thanks Date for recommending it. We finish, stand up, proceed out the door and mosey to our car to hit up the entertainment portion of the evening.

We go to my friend, PF's play. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone in the Bay Area. It is comical. See details here.

Fast forward to the Intermission.

Date: Jess, I don't think we paid for dinner.

Retracing our steps we realize, yep we Dined N Ditched without even knowing it. Kind of funny. Post play, we go back to the restaurant, explain the situation and Date squares up with restaurant. Of course the man at the counter looks at Date in awe shock that we came back but we were square.

One for the record books for sure. Think about that conversation you could have with roommate post date without an explanation.

Roommate: How was your date?

Me: Great, we Dined N Ditched (straight faced and then change subject).

Envious of JM Right Now!

Sent from JM's phone just moments ago. One day I'll be sitting in that stadium...someday soon! She's going to tell the Yankees hi for me tonight and possibly propose to Jeter for me. ;)

Yankees Lead The East By Three

The MLB Standings

Baseball has me twitterpated this week, there is always love because of baseball in my heart but this week is pure elation! Twitterpated in a way that makes me smell the dirt and grass from my cubicle. After 8 years of falling at the finish line my Yanks are stepping up to the plate. I said it at the beginning of the season to my friend and loyal Yank, Grant, that 2009 is our year and they sure are bringing joy to my little blue heart!

Comfort to a Soul

Isaiah 28:23-29

23 ¶ Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?

25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?

26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

28 Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

29 This also ^acometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

The Power of Patience

We can grow in faith only if we are willing to wait patiently for God’s purposes and patterns to unfold in our lives, on His timetable.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell linked patience and faith together when he taught: “Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His”

Elder Robert C. Oaks

See full talk here.

Reija In Red!

Boyfriend Bob is one lucky guy!

Possibly my favorite picture!

RM in Red!

RM and Bob had a night to remember and I was honored to take a few pictures (hehe...love having rights to these). I felt like a mom sending her kids off to prom but no tears on my part just pure giddy smiles. Love you RM!

Still Hearting The Weekend

Italian with BT

Golfing with AW

Ping Pong with RH

Dinner with M&A (delicious)!

Dessert (lots of it)!

Baseball Tonight wrapped up in my Yankees blanket!

Yanks Win

Soxs Lose

Joshy's Home Run Swing Technique

What great technique Joshy. Shouldn't you be running and not watching the ball? ;)

Love his face on this one. We are definitely related.

Inner Workings Of The Stanford Sophomore Mind Part 6

My favorite things…

First I need to make an honorable mention to friends family and other serious favorites. I am not in a serious mood and will defer that post to some more serious time. Besides, I will follow Julie Andrews, and mention snowflakes that stay on your nose and eyelashes and girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes.

So these are a few of my favorite things…

Taking off Panty Hose. Freedom and liberty for all.

The first few minutes of wearing heels, before the pain begins. Yes I am sensitive about my height and those few inches give me an ego boost.

Dark chocolate. Extremely dark chocolate.

Finishing a good book. Agatha Christie preferably

Warm towels from the dryer. Fluffy warmth.

Sunsets and sunrises. Need I say more?

Fireworks, sparklers, even those little snappers excite me.

Speaking of my pyromania, campfires. I love the smell, sights, and sounds of campfires.

Bill Nye the science guy. “Now you know.”

I’ve divulged my secrets. Now time for bed.

Totally Understand This...

This was me (heck sometimes still is).

A Taste Of Baseball Weather In Idaho

Yes that is snow...got to love it!

Angelic Mortals

We are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us. . . . Heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind.

Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Ministry of Angels, Ensign," Nov. 2008, 30

My Favorite Little Girls

Avery and Morgan always put quite the show on for us.

Family Photos---Attempt

No, I am typically not their same height.

Not sure we'd make the awkward family photos blog but we are definitely on track to make it one day! ;)

The Pre-Sleeping Tetonia Elite Group

Getting Uncle Rich to smile is a chore. ;)

Susie Q and I. Good-looking enough to be my sister.

Mama Berry reading her Sunday paper.

Lacey Lin

Jess, Sam Jam, and Susie Q

Reggie Reid! Hehe...first photo that his face is seen.

A Typical Tetonia Elite Sunday

Joshy

Susie Q

Dadio

Rico Suave

Uncle Rich

Post dinner this is the typical behavior we see. Now is it the homemade rolls that puts them into a sleeping submission or Aunt Karolyn's Dream salad? One thing is for sure, the dreams are that much sweeter after partaking of the Dream salad.

Joshy Squashy, The Sunday Stud

Yes, we are pretty cool.

Poncho Villa and Grandma

If Poncho doesn't harass you, try to ruff you up, or squeeze you till you can't breathe then you obviously aren't loved. Simple fact in this family. ;) Hence the struggle to get a decent photo, haha. Yes, he's got my nose in this photo.

Be serious John Erickson...hehe

Not bad, I was only in semi-headlock here. Par for the course. Love you both!

Two Cali Idahoans Meet in Zion

Saturday Joshy played baseball in Kimberly, Idaho. Jane has been Buhl where she grew up (near Kimberly for those that aren't educated in Idaho geography) with her folks for the last two weeks and swung over. It was great to see Jane one more time before she jets off to Boston and has to fight the devil to avoid the temptation of becoming a dirty red soxs fan. I just love Jane!!!

My little bro is amazing. At Kimberly, he hit a home run, made two great double plays (and that was with Mono and only in one game). We were all proud. Yet that is what we Berrys are, proud of each other. We all are very athletically inclined and we all know this. So when the little bro hits a home run, the clan are on their feet cheering.

T.Hammer Wedding!

Friday was a beautiful day for a wedding! Tiff was gorgeous! I am so happy for her and Josh. I am so excited to see her so happy. The whole week has been great really, I am glad I came early to spend time with Tiff and have the chance to meet Josh (Tiff's new hubby) and his family prior to the big day. I think both Josh and Tiff are getting quite the deal with each other. Josh is great for Tiff and his family is a riot! There were moments during the day I felt like I have been thrown into the twilight zone, as I haven't seen a lot of the folks that came to the wedding in years. Amazing how some things change and some things don't. I fought for the bouquet but only got half of it. Yes, that is right I fought for the bouquet. Only for Tiff I say, my dignity may not take another bouquet tossing if I were to lose given my competitive nature.

***Pictures will not be posted at this time of that...mostly because I looked rather ridiculous.

Dadio and Mama Berry look good in this photo so I am sacrificing my pride posting it. ;)

Tiff, Josh, plus friends.

A Family That Golfs Together Stays Together...

The look Matty and I get every time Dadio is in the tee box. Hehe...kidding...maybe.

Matty barely beat us all. He had me by 6 strokes. We almost killed a few squirrel while golfing with our cart and clubs...yes, only in Idaho, and we almost ran Mom over more than once (maybe on purpose, maybe not).

One of the best drives of the day...note the "one of" here.

I am not going to lie, I sort of love this picture for my calves (enlarge to see up close). ;)

The parents; we let them drive their own cart. Mistake. ;)

Michelle Wie and Michelle Berry have more than their name in common!

Mom's golfing technique, pay attention to the last 2 seconds...lovely Mom. Just ask her who came in last in our foursome today.

Taco Time with SJ and Mike

Just Thrilled!

Oh I love the face SJ!

The remnants of our delicious meal. We love Taco Time! Mike and SJ actually met while working at Taco Time when we were in college...yet just ask SJ who won a bet that Mike wouldn't ask her out within a given window of time. Good thing Mike wised up later. ;) I had always had a soft spot in my heart from growing up on the crisp bean burritos and then I move into an apartment with a girl that works there. Hello, discount and amazing fast food! Our friendship was obviously meant to be! Thanks for dinner guys! Can't wait for Christmas time already. We'll probably have to bag snow cones post TT in the winter though.