Fourteen

I've been Mrs. Richard T. Jackson for 14 magical years.  Rich was sweet and sent roses.  We talked throughout the day on the phone.  I love him even more now than I could have imagined back then.  Through life's ups and downs, he's my ever present rock.  He's a calming influence when I get crazy.  He knows what to say and when I need to hear it.  He's my very best friend.  He's an amazing husband and father.  He's the best example I could ever give our children.  I am lucky to be his.  Thanks for 14 years of happiness together.  I love you Rich!

The rain canceled Josh's baseball game, so we had dinner at the famous Cincinnati Pizzeria La Rosa's.  It was on my places to eat before we move list.  The BBQ chicken pizza was fabulous and it just happened to be family night where the kids could get all you can eat spaghetti, a drink and apple slices for 99 cents!   Fed everyone for under $30 and we had a waiter.  Score!

Jungle Jim's International Market

After we toured the conservatory near downtown, we hopped on N I-75 and made our way to Fairfield, Ohio where you can find the wackiest, weirdest and wildest grocery store I've ever been in: Jungle Jim's International Market.  This place was strange, but cool and had every possible grocery item I could dream of.  They import things from all over the world, making for some interesting shopping.  Their brochure says it a 'theme park of food' and a dream destination for 'foodies'.  It really was.  The place is enormous with 6 acres of shopping space.  Their displays range from firetrucks to entire scenes of Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest.  They have on display a mountain of cheese that weighs over 750 lbs!  We found Golden Griddle syrup that I haven't found anywhere else while living in Kentucky or Ohio.  I spied candy that I haven't seen since I was child (old fashion candy bars, candy cigarettes and bubble gum cigars) and we oohed and ahh'ed over the 1 1/2 acres of produce.  We ended up with a cartful of unique things: a dragon fruit, a Ugli fruit from Jamaica, a passion fruit, a coconut, 2 types of mangoes and taro root.  We made sure we found the International candy aisle and picked up different European chocolate bars made in Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, England.  One was made 100% from milk from the Alps.  The creamy Swiss chocolate was the best, but Germany was a close second.  The most entertaining part of the day was browsing the International meat section where we could have purchased: whole bone-in rattlesnake, ostrich fillets, buffalo steaks, turtle meat, pork brains, quail, duck, antelope, elk, wild boar or alligator.  Nothing sounds too appealing, so we stuck to the good old hamburgers and hot dog variety of protein sources.  It was a fun ending to a day with the kids and an event we will never forget. 

(This photo is for you Kurt)

Krohn Conservatory

 I think we live in a heavily Catholic area of Cincinnati as the boys were out of school on Good Friday.  It also happened to be Earth Day.  What better way to spend a rainy day together than at beautiful plant conservatory.  I had heard lot of good things about the place and that you could see it all in about 45 minutes.  Well, not on the day we went.  The Butterfly exhibit opened up the week before and there was a line outside that snaked around half of the building.  I asked a woman who was leaving how long she waited.  At least 1 1/2 hours.  Holy Moly! That's longer than I'd be willing to wait for Splash Mountain at Disneyland.  The boys really didn't care if they missed the exhibit and I quickly talked the girls into coming back next week.  I mean the thing's there until June 29 for heaven sakes!  Instead we explored two of the four buildings.  It was amazing and I am excited to have an excuse to go back!

(Earth Day 2011)

Easter

The Gentle Healer by Greg Olsen

Easter is a beautiful time of reflection.  It is the one time I stop, analyze my own life, take note of what I'm doing well and what needs improvement.  Usually life is so busy that I don't find that quiet personal time that I can recognize my weakness and shortcomings and map out a plan of how I can adjust my life so I can overcome my problem areas. 

I love the hope the Gospel of Jesus Christ offers.  We are not perfect, but we can become perfect.  It often takes a lifetime and more, but through the ultimate sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ we all have been given the opportunity to repent of our sins and to live again.  What a message!  It gives meaning to life and creates a desire to do our best every day.  It makes me a better wife, mother, daughter, neighbor and friend when I put the principles I've been taught to use.  It makes me happy.  It gives me peace.  It makes my life complete.

This Easter seemed extra special.  I loved preparing my primary lesson for my CTR 5 class.  The lesson title was us: Christ Made It Possible for Us to Live Forever.  The first topic was that Jesus Christ loves all of us.  The second was that He wants to help us.  And third was that He died for us because he loves us.  I loved hearing the children's answers about Jesus and his life.  Even at their young age they understand the infinite love that our Savior has for all of us.

I loved the sharing time message.  One of the classes presented it and the teacher called six men and women from the ward to come in dressed as Mary Magdalene, the apostles Peter, John, Timothy, a disciple and a Nephite.  Rich was asked to be John.  As I sat there holding Zach on my lap with Brynn and Kaitlyn in the row in front of me, I listened to these members give the accounts from the scriptures of the testimonies of Jesus Christ.  They were powerful messages.  It touched my heart and strengthen my own testimony of the truthfulness that Jesus did live, he did die and he does live again.  I hope all the children remember how they felt during this special lesson.

Trey was asked to give a talk.  It gave us an opportunity as a family to discuss his topic of Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. We talked about loved ones who have passed away and how excited we are to see them again.  Rich helped him write a beautiful talk.  You rarely get to speak on such a special day, but Trey did a great job.

Next year I hope to use a few of the many ideas I found online that outline an entire week of activities and lessons you can do with your family to help us remember Jesus' life.  Each day you learn more about the Savior, map out the last week of his life, helping you be more spiritually prepared to celebrate such a special holiday on Easter Sunday.  It truly is a joyous day when we give thanks for our lives, our blessings, our families and our Savior Jesus Christ.

Sunday Snapshots: Easter Edition

This is Zach immitating Rich and the antics he performed while trying to get the kids to smile in the group shot.  Zach looked like a pro popping out from behind the tree.

The group photo was NOT working.  Zach refused to stand up or stay in the photo.  I gave up and walked up the stairs on the deck.  Zach immediately ran back to the tree and smiled.  It was a game now.  The kids ran back to the tree while I raced down to try to get a decent photo.

Zach would then run away.  He thought he was hilarious, but in the end we did get a good shot with everyone looking and smiling (with Brynn's arm across Zach's body trying to keep him in place).

HAPPY EASTER!