Brace Yourself...

Squasher the coyote slayer!

Very Grateful For These Two!

This Thanksgiving I was privileged to spend the day with AR and MPR! There is something to be said about small and intimate Thanksgivings.

1. Plenty of food

2. You eat on real plates

3. Plenty of food

4. Less dishes to clean up

5. Plenty of food

6. Plenty of room for everyone to sprawl out on the couch afterward

7. PLENTY OF PIE!!! (THANKS TO MPR)

AR did an excellent job of the master carver!

MPR, the Pie Queen! Yes, she made 5 pies. 1.5 pies per person ratio. That is the best ratio I've ever experienced, even better than that 3 boys to 1 girl ratio in my business program in college.

MPR also made these awesome drinks, that not only looked festive but tasted delicious!

I really did appreciate such a delicious and low key Thanksgiving! I haven't felt well the last few weeks and it was a wonderful gift from MPR and AR to just let me experience the joy of the day by showing up with my charming personality. Thanks AR and MPR! You are the best PA family a girl can ask for!

You Know You're Loved When...

kt makes you your very own rainbow jello goblet...very loved indeed!

Don't Fritter Away Your Life

It is necessary to prepare, to plan, so that we don't fritter away our lives. Without a goal, there can be no real success. The best definition of success I have ever found goes something like this: Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. Someone has said the trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never crossing the goal line.

Thomas S. Monson, "Three Gates Only You Can Open," New Era, Aug. 2008, 2, 4

Mini Me...Hairdo And All!

I sure love my Averina! I love waking up to find pictures like these in my inbox...she's definitely got personality and fashion and hair sense just like her aunt! Can't wait to see her in three(ish) weeks!

We Need To Be More Grateful

We need to be more grateful. It's one of the marks of strong character, to have a feeling of thanksgiving and gratitude for blessings that are ours. We need more of that spirit in our homes, in our daily associations, in church, everywhere. It's so easy to cultivate the spirit of appreciation.

Ezra Taft Benson, "All This and the Gospel Too," New Era, Nov. 1991, 4

Live in Thanksgiving Daily!

I Follow This Flowchart...(almost religiously)

Jess Berry Quote of The Day!

Some things don't matter much. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of life? But lifting a person's heart - - now,that matters. The whole problem with people is - - - they know what matters, but they don't choose it . . . The hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters.

Sue Monk Kidd

Sneak Attack On The Water Filter!

There are very few people I'd stay out really late for, particularly on a work-day, but this water filter is deserving! She is no longer a teenager! Yet, her soul is old so I'd dare say she was done being a teenager at the age of 15.

AS and The Water Filter ready to toast, I mean roast to the BIG 20!

Ever Wonder What I'll Be Doing When I'm A Senior Citizen

(This is Barbara Bush at game 3 of the World Series, keeping score, intent on watching the game)

Replace the Texas pin with a Yankees pin and add a Jeter jersey and you're looking at Jess, silver hair, glasses and all!

Jess Berry Quote of The Day!

Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to the eyes of men. Silently and imperceptibly, as we wake or sleep, we grow strong or weak; and at last some crisis shows what we have become.

Brooke Foss Westcott

Making The Most Out Of Our Circumstances...

A couple of weeks ago I was with my friend, TB. She shared this poem with me. I can't possibly express how much these words spoke to my heart. As someone that has less than two functioning limbs I naturally have limitations, yet it is still up to me as to whether I allow those limitations to cripple me or whether I strive for a "wing" to fill in the physical gap by continually reaching beyond the so-called cap on my grasp.

Thanks so much TB!

A Man

While fighting for his country, he lost an arm

and was suddenly afraid:

'From now on, I shall only be able to do

things by halves.

I shall reap half a harvest.

I shall be able to play either the tune

or the accompaniment on the piano,

but never both parts together.

I shall be able to bang with only one fist

on doors, and worst of all

I shall only be able to half hold

my love close to me.

There will be things I cannot do at all,

applaud for example,

at shows where everyone applauds.'

From that moment on, he set himself to do

everything with twice as much enthusiasm.

And where the arm had been torn away

a wing grew.

- Nina Cassian

Flashback To Roth

One of the many nights I frequented Roth last year, on this particular night I believe I had been in a dress and heels for 12+ hours so L.Smithie lent me her Stanford apparel and the MOST comfortable sweatpants EVER! She almost lost those pants to me for life! I look good in the Red Zone. ;)

The Oak Tree

The Oak Tree

by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.

A mighty wind blew night and day.

It stole the Oak Tree's leaves away.

Then snapped its boughs

and pulled its bark

until the Oak was tired and stark.

But still the Oak Tree held its ground

while other trees fell all around.

The weary wind gave up and spoke,

"How can you still be standing Oak?"

The Oak Tree said, I know that you

can break each branch of mine in two,

carry every leaf away,

shake my limbs and make me sway.

But I have roots stretched in the earth,

growing stronger since my birth.

You'll never touch them, for you see

they are the deepest part of me.

Until today, I wasn't sure

of just how much I could endure.

But now I've found with thanks to you,

I'm stronger than I ever knew.

Your Parents Have Experience

Your parents, with their maturity of years and the experience you have not had, can provide wisdom, knowledge, and blessings to help you over life's pitfalls. You may find . . . that life's sweetest experiences come when you go to Mom and Dad for help.

Ezra Taft Benson, "To the Rising Generation,' " New Era, Jan. 1986, 6–7

All About Your Perspective

Sharing The Light of Christ!

A Little Taste of Beauty For Those Not From God's Country...

Yes, this is a place we call Teton Valley. (courtesy of Dadio)

This is a view from highway 33, right before you descend into The Valley. Even with the brown of the cold fall it is gorgeous! There is a peaceful, almost unexplainable feeling of awe that settles within me every time I come into this Valley and see that view!

The Classic Jess Look

More often than not I find that I'm caught in this look...mouth wide open, mid-sentence...constantly talking. Yes, I'm a chatty cathy or I like to think I just have lots to say or lots of opinions to share (hence the blog).

kt and bc Wedding!

It was a beautiful and tender day! This picture definitely shows that I have tall friends or at least tall compared to a shorty like me.

This is my favorite photo! It shows kt and bc in all their swagger! Love you both!

I Heart My Gomer!

And to think that Dadio says no one else smiles as big as I do. We're quite the pair!

Halloween Recap

Before you look at the photographic evidence that I participated in an array of Halloween activities I should make a few notes as my disclaimer for participating.

1. My dear friend, HN, LOVES October and Halloween and by love I would compare it to my love of the Yankees or my love for the Berry National Holiday. With this knowledge and because I love HN I chose to humor her and participate in a delicious "spooktacular" dinner party. She and Bena went all out! For someone that thinks Halloween is a pagan tradition that should be banished from the calendar I was very impressed with their spooky candles, glittered pumpkins and skeletons, and cobwebs covering each place setting!

2. I have a new(ish) calling...I'm the service committee co-chair. So when Bena proposed that we do the trunk or trick for the children in some of the wards within our stake as a service to the parents how could I say no? So remember...it is for the children folks!

3. At our ward Halloween party I had the privilege to dress up as JP! My hero. How could I pass up that opportunity?

4. Even with the smiles and that fact that I made a completely legit and adorable Dorothy I am still the HALLOWEEN GRINCH! Remember this fact folks!

These are the delicious pumpkin dessert cups that C. Sonne and I assembled for the dinner party. Two words: pumpkin butter. It will change your life.

We also made Mama Berry rolls for the party but we didn't take photos, but I'm C. Sonne's witness that he did in fact make them, with a little help from the expert.

C.Sonne and I at the October dinner party.

"JP" with The Ohio State (ward Halloween party)

JP and "JP"! How awesome is this photo? Completely awesome! I heart JP!

Me as "Dorothy" from the Wizard of Oz, if you can't tell...like I said adorable.

The Tornado...genius costume!

You can't see our trunk but we built a barn to go along with our "theme" for the trunk or treat. Also, note the pigtails...I may have a new look! This photo was taken before the Tornado struck of course, hehe.

Even With A Bruised Nose...

from falling from her high-chair Brown Eyes is all smiles! Berrys are built tough!

Jess Berry Quote Of The Day!

‎I've concluded that the metric by which God will assess my life isn’t dollars, but the individual people whose lives I've touched... Don’t worry about the level of individual prominence you have achieved; worry about the individuals you have helped.

Clayton Christensen

(courtesy of E.Lund)