Spectacular Fall

There are no words to describe the beautiful fall.

I haven't even hiked in The Woods since the leaves have fallen, and now the trees stand bare and lonely. I hope to live in this place someday. It is a new development north of the summit, just a hop, skip and a jump from out home on Saddleback. Maureen and I have walked these trails for 12 years. This place has left an imprint in my heart.

The snow will bring another beauty of a different kind, but for now I miss the yellows, reds and oranges. Luckily for me, the mountains bring such a spectacular change and I am reminded what I love best about each passing season. Driving down the summit yesterday, it was breathtaking to see the snow covered pines.

My heart will always appreciate the grandeur of Park City.

I have been blessed to live in such a place as this, it will always be home.

It makes me think of one of my favorite primary songs,

Beautiful Savior

Fair is the sunshine, fairer the moonlight

and all the stars in the heaven above

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer

and brings to all the world all his love

Fair are the meadows, fairer the woodlands

Robed in the flowers of blooming spring

Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer

He makes the sorrowing spirit sing.

Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations

Son of God and Son of man.

Thee will I honor, praise and give glory

Give praise and glory evermore.

Give praise and glory evermore.

Rescue of the Lost Lamb

Minerva Teichert 1888-1976

Idaho Falls Temple

We walked up to the endowment rooms and before me on the stairs was the origianl Minerva Teichert, Rescue of the Lost Lamb. It was 10'x10' and just breathtaking.

Maureen and Carol gave me a framed print of this when I took out my own endowment. It hangs by my bed for me to remember to be grateful for being found and also to remember that Paul will too, be found and then we will be sealed for time and all eternity to each other and to our children,

Minerva's original Red Robed Christ hangs in the entrance of the SLC temple. I look forward to giving my parents a framed print for Christmas. It was one of Pres. Hinckley's favorites. To see her paintings and know her story, go to; http://www.familyartusa.com/site/253614/page/238859

Everybody Feel the Love

I was inspired by a photographer Angie Monson, to finally have our family pictures taken. The following song plays on one of her family shoots. Check it out on itunes, Everybodylisten to it and look at my family photos it puts a smile in my heart. as I by Ingrid Michaelson, it will put a smile on your face or at least I hope it does. I could not figure out what the song was, so I emailed the photographer and she emailed me right back. Love this song!!! I have been singing it for three weeks, and now I have a smile in my heart.

I love the panoramic option on my camera. The pic gives you somewhat of an idea of the views from the home side of the field at Brighton. Actually, the views from all the East side schools are Bee Ute A Full!

My cute dad passed on some basketball wisdom to Jackson during our visit to IF this past weekend. He was very sweet with Jackson when we were getting ready to leave. He put his hand on his shoulder and with tears in his eyes told him what a great young man he is and how impressed he is with how hard he works in sports and school and that he is such a nice person.

It takes me back to my younger days when I was the lucky recipient of this good man's love. He definitely is getting more emotional in his older years.

My parents begin their mission at the Idaho Falls Visitor Center in Nov. They took us for a tour so we would know what they will be doing for the next year. We sat by the Falls for a short while after our tour. Why did I not hang out here more when I was a kid. It feels good to be so aware of the beauty all around me. I guess that means I am growed up now.

I enjoyed our visit home to IF for UEA. The kids had fun with their cousins. It was easier to get then together when they were younger. Now the older ones want to hang out with their own friends. Koa was nice enough to hang with Jacks and Lander and Marisa had a great two days of carving a pumpkin and hanging out. Miklyn and Dani still love to be together. It is like me and my cousin Jill all over again.

OOH, OOH, OOH. OOH, OOH, OOH

Swing open up your chest and let it in

Just let the love, love love begin.

Everybody, everybody wants to love,

everybody, everybody wants to be loved,

oh oh oh, oh. oh oh oh oh

everybody knows the love,

every holds the love,

everybody folds for lo u u u uve.

everybody feels the love,

everybody steals the love,

everybody heals with lo u u u u ve, oh oh oh

Just let the love, love, love begin

Grateful! Grateful! Grateful!

President Monson gave a great talk yesterday about being grateful. I am truly grateful for many things. I am grateful for my family. Paul, Jackson, Cody, Danielle and Lander, and I suppose even our dog Sadie. My husband is hard working, disciplined, loving when not grouchy and understanding (I know this may come as a shock). Our children are healthy, happy & try to make good choices. There is always food on the table, a warm bed to lay our head at night, there is beauty all around us and freedom to do all the things that fill our day. We come from good families who love us and take the time to make memories with us. Because of the gospel that we follow, we know where we have been, we know why we are here and we know where we are going. It brings great peace to me to know that I can be together with my family, forever.

Spent the weekend at the ranch, and looking forward to getting back this weekend to carve more pumpkins from the garden and eat more of the veggies that Denado & Armarillo planted. So grateful for their labors in taking care of our place out in Duchesne. It is nice to have a garden. Sunday, Oct. 3rd, our dinner was from our ranch. Thanks to Alejandro, we ate wonderful lamb, and thanks to Denado & Amarilo we ate potatoes, tomatoes, squash, onions, corn & cucumbers. I felt like a rancher, well a kept rancher with all the help.

Jackson's team beat Hillcrest by a lot. He got to go up against a guy that is 4 inches taller and out ways him by 30 pounds. He held his ground and protected his team. He is improving every time he steps on the field. Baby steps with this kid. Patience dear Paul.

Cody' s team lost by 1, should have scored that extra point. Cody did not get to touch the ball much this game, but his defense was very good. Hang in there buddy.

Dani plays a lot of volleyball and was happy to be on her horse this past weekend. This girl could be happy in a dungeon. Very optimistic outlook about life!

Lander is in his last week of soccer, about time, and he has a football game today. He doesn't even realize that his team stinks because he loves it and carries the ball a lot. Paul is frustrated with his performance, surprise, but hey, he is 6.

The reds and oranges are starting to fade, but the yellows are beautiful. Especially up against the green pines. I drove through Little Cottonwood Canyon & Wolf Creek Pass last week, one word

SPECTACULAR !

I took aout my endowment. It is a very different world from what I know, as it should be. It was nice to be in the walls of that beautiful place and even better, Thomas S Monson was there with all the apostles and the seventies. Carol was emotional, Maureen was happy and my father was touched. I look forward to many more days in the Lord's temples. Side note about temple blessings, they are immediate. For the first time ever, Paul watched an afternoon conference with me and the kids. I think he actually enjoyed parts of it. Answered prayers.

So very grateful!

"Glorious,

just

Glorious!"

Everybody's a Winner, HAPPINESS!

I caught Jackson's great play on my camera Oct. 7th at Pleasant Grove. His guy got away from him and just as the lineman was going to tackle the running back, Jackson recovered and finished him off by knocking him off his feet (sweet), allowing Brighton to score. They easily won and have only two games left. Looking forward to his game at home tomorrow at 4 PM.

Jackson is looking forward to UEA break for some R&R in Idaho with his cousins. We are going to Kai's & Kekoa's game on Thurs. at my high school. It will be different to sit on the visitor side & not cheer for my alma mater. Good luck boys!

Looking forward to seeing my nieces play volley ball as well.

Cody had another good game with two TD's against Toelle. He has had a humbling year of being switched around on offense, playing a new position, only carrying the ball 1 time per game and was taken off starting defense at the beginning of the season. He dug in his cleats and earned a defense starting position back, but offense is still the same. I was upset, but in the end, it has made him become more disciplined and he has learned to work hard, have a good attitude and persevere. There is always an upside to any frustrating situation. He chose to fight. Good boy CO-CO's. Starting to grow up!

Dani loved Thriller, by Odessey Dance Theatre. She would love to be a zombie that gets to creep out the audience. Dani would love to dance, paul says no way, no how, and I think she would be great to watch on the stage for dancing, acting and singing. She is a natural. I told her yesterday that she would be great at whatever she chooses to do. The problem with her is to choose. Now she wants to play soccer, what? Soccer, Smoccer. The second problem is getting her parents to let her choose what she wants. She is truly fantastic at whatever she does. "Bless-ed Child", as Grandma Barton always says.

Lander had a great weekend at the ranch with his two buddies.

Picked & carved pumpkins, rode horses, shot a muskrat and a rabbit. Skinned both, but only ate the rabbit. Tastes like a wild chicken. Lander was crying every night from exhaustion of happiness. Still the baby of the family. I am not sure he can speak without whining.

Mark was the king hunter with a giant elk. The boys are allowed to hunt on Chops land in Tabiona. Paul and Cody have tried it once with no success, I think they will try this weekend. I pray the elk get away. It is a shame to shoot such a majestic animal.

We went to the movie Secretariat. A great family movie. Made you feel good all over. If I got chills, I would have had them. Paul was all smiles and Cody said, "There was nothing bad about that movie." Dreaming of the day that a Barton Thoroughbred horse takes us to the Derby.

The Utes game was awesome. They handled Iowa easily. Watch out TCU! Can't wait for the game on Nov. 6th. We are going thanks to Dewey. I think it is BLack Out night. Never have done that before.

Go Utes!

May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.

I received my temple certificate last night so I could go a take out my own endowments. It will be a very good thing, but I still wish it was with my hubby. I pray this gives me strength, enlightenment and inspiration to be the person I need to be to lead my family through this gospel of Jesus Christ. I am not sure when I will actually go through, but I will this month. It will be a change, it will be a commitment on a new level. I feel at peace.

There was a great piece on KSL radio with Doug Wright on the first stanza of this poem today. He were talking about the controversial Muslem Mosque that is going in at ground zero. I love that he can see both sides to any subject and talk about what is really important, rather than just only seeing his side, as well as enlightening my mind to things I did not know.
It was very educational & reminded me of the reason this country is so great.
I have not read this poem in years, and I 'm thankful for it's beautiful advice.
I love the idea that Christ may have been the source of Kiplings inspiration.

I cut my first fall leaf today, I am having mixed emotions about it.
I love, love, love the fall,that brings football, color, pumpkins, harvest,,,
but,,, it just means winter is coming closer and summer is fading.



IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling

KIND & GENEROUS

You've been so kind and generous

I don't know how you keep on giving
for your kindness I'm in debt to you
for your selflessness, my admiration
and for everything you've done

You know I'm bound...
I'm bound to thank you for it

You've been so kind and generous
I don't know how you keep on giving
for your kindness I'm in debt to you
and I never could have come this far without you
so for everything you've done

You know I'm bound...
I'm bound to thank you for it

I want to thank you
for so many gifts
you gave with love and tenderness
I want to thank you

I want to thank you
for your generosity
the love and the honesty
that you gave me

I want to thank you
show my gratitude
my love and my respect for you
I want to thank you

I want to...

Thank you
thank you
thank you
thank you
thank you
thank you

Thank you, Natalie Merchant for beautiful words to a great song. It makes me want to sing it to my dad & mom, to my hubby, to my family members on both sides, to all my friends who give me strength, peace & love, to the JRES PTO board for making my job easier, to all the people who love my children, to former coaches, especially Elaine Elliott., to all those whose words inspire and touch my soul, so many people I have not even met, but someday I will be able to tell them thank you, because Jesus Christ made this possible for me to do. So many thank you's to Jesus and my Father in Heaven. So many reasons to say thank you, so many kind and generous people who have made a real difference in my life.

thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you

Dear Dad,

I have been reflecting all summer about you, as we prepared for your retirement party in Idaho Falls. It is amazing that a bunch of loud mouthed kids actually pulled off the surprise. You were stunned into silence. What a wonderful night it turned out to be.

First of all, thank you for the enjoyment I had going through your life of 66 years. So many questions about experiences you have had and who the people are in the photos that have crossed your path. How did they influence you? Why coaching & teaching? What made you cry when seeing a picture of the woman who raised you? Were you carefree as a kid? So many questions, I look forward to our future converstions.

Look at your legacy. The night of the party I should have stood and told everybody the feelings that filled my heart that night about you, my dad, my friend, my hero. This will come with less tears and more clarity, but with all the love that I feel for you:

I have been reflecting about what this Pioneer Day means and it reminds me that I have been blessed with a modern day pioneer in my life. You came to Rexburg, Idaho as a young man from the Hawaiian islands, not knowing a soul and so bravely and honorably made choices that began this great big Ohana. You have blazed the trail for all of our lives and have done it with hard work, dedication, faith, love and integrity.

There is not much of my life that does not reflect some aspect of you. Our hearts are so similar and I have felt your inspiration so many times, without even knowing it until this summer as I got to take a look into your life. There are so many things you have taught me about how to get along with others, whether it be on a team or just cooperating with family. I learned to make the most out of my God given gifts and talents. You nourished my leadership skills and reminded me to always be an example of goodness and service. Love of your spouse comes first and loyalty to family is of the most importance. And, I always know that my Father in Heaven loves me and I am his daughter. Mahalo father, for these and so much more.

I see this same influence in my own family. It is easy to see your sweet face and giant heart in my Jackson boy, Cody has your strength and strong spirit, Dani is gifted with your love of serving others, making their lives easier and inspiring them to be better, and Lander has your enthusiasm for life, your affection towards others and for family. Even Paul is inspired to be a better father and husband through your example.

You are such a Christlike person, always have been, always will be.

Many people throughout my life have commented about how hard it must have been to have you as a vice principal, advisor, coach and so on. I honestly tell them that is was actually really great. My friends wished they had a dad like you, the students of IFHS loved you and the community admired the service that you gave.

You will always be Mr. Kane, Coach Kane, Stormin' Normin' the coolest guy ever!

it is a blessing that I get to call you dad.

I love you and Aloha!

Michelle Pualani Kane Barton

weeding my garden

2282 Decade Court

Riverside, California 92506

Richard & Beth Barton's gardens are always beautiful.

You should see them in the spring.

By the way, I love John Bytheway.
Listened to Weed your Garden, Grow a Testimony yesterday and absolutely loved it. What a powerful speaker, with a tremendous testimony of Christ's gospel. There are so many different parts of it that I loved, that I could write on and on about it. So, here are my highlights off the top of this for forgetful brain; Alma the younger taught about planting the seed and giving it place. What is the seed? Christ. Plant Christ in your heart and nourish His word with daily obedience of living the gospel of Christ. He came, he showed and he sacrificed. Now it is up for us to partake. With good garden 'weapons', ie prayer, FHE, scripture knowledge, church meetings, serving others and the list goes on, then I can ho, whack, cut, dig, and kill out the weeds (wordly influence, satan's temptations, human weakness).

AnnnnnD, along with some good FDP: FAITH * DILIGENCE * PATIENCE, I will better stay on this straight and narrow path that will lead me safely home to my Heavenly Father.
Like Lehi, I have the testimony, and I am hoping, pleading, praying that my family members come along. FAITH
Unlike Lehi, I am not even close to the Tree of Life and the temptations of the world still ring very clear in my head. DILIGENCE
MO reen always says, "Just love 'um" PATIENCE

I look forward to kneeling at Christ's feet and it is up to me to help get US ALL safely home,
TOGETHER FOREVER as Grandma May would say.

Back to my First Love

I have been cheating on blogspot with facebook. Please forgive me. Looking back at older posts, I have decided this is where my heart belongs. Thanks to my baby sis for helping me back on the right path. I must be honest, I will still check out facebook. He is easier, faster & better connections in the world.

But my first love is Blogspot.

He is first husband, is that polygany?