YEARNING FOR PURITY

IN A NUTSHELL...

2011-03-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

Life is busy…

Started back to school…Will be giving up all but one of the classes I teach starting next Fall…Too much on my plate…

Hospital work going well…

Oldest DD divorced her husband…Have been sick to my stomach…Divorce is normal in the world…Not for us…It is not okay.

Children going through H-E-Double Hockey Sticks…Makes me want to bring them under my wings and protect their little souls.

DD #2 getting married next Spring…Was going to move back to live with DD #1 but will probably stay in Utah…She turned 25 last month…Hard to believe.

Gramma has lost some of her mind almost instantaneously…Most energetic, organized, hard-worker I’ve ever know…Something happened—we don’t know what…Poor gramma knows it and can’t do anything about it.

DS received black belt last year…Confirmed night before last…Did outstandingly! Broke three concrete slabs this time (two last time) with the heel of his hand…then broke one, while being held by instructor, with his fist…Took two blows—hand not great…But…Concrete slab broken…So proud of him.

To St. Patty’s Day parade last Saturday with DD, grandbabies, mom, and dad…Had a fine time…Little people got much candy.

Off to do homework soon.

Amazing Grace - Rhema Marvanne 7 yr Gospel singer

2010-12-12T01:55:00.000-08:00

This beautiful seven-year-old girl was on 20/20 the other night. Her mama died, with her at her bedside, of ovarian cancer. It was so tragic.

Her daddy taught her to sing Mama's favorite song. If you didn't get a chance to watch it, please take a minute to listen to this child.

This is a music video of her singing that I found on YouTube.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS...

2010-12-05T03:44:00.000-08:00

I was reading a favorite blog of mine the other day…Sugar Pie Farmhouse…

RuthAnn and a friend were talking, and she shared part of their conversation…

It was a blessing to me…

We were talking about the difference between being joyful verses being down-in-the-dumps when we are going through hard times. She said when you are disappointed, hurt, frustrated, sad, depressed, worried, and fearful (insert any negative emotion here)…”Don’t park there.” That’s it. “Don’t park there.”...

In other words, don’t dwell on your problems. When you are “parked” at the curb of your problems you’re stuck, the scenery doesn’t change. You are not going anywhere. Negative thinking drains the battery. Read the Word to get re-charged and to remind yourself how much you are loved by your creator!...

(Read Psalm 139) Move on. Get busy doing positive things. Pull yourself up by your cute cowgirl bootstraps. Giddy-up. Cowgirl-up!...

Count your blessings! Remember “This too shall pass”. Whatever you feed on (think about) will grow bigger. So think joyful, thankful thoughts if you want big joy. We can’t change our lives until we change our thoughts. I know this is hard sometimes but the great news is we have help!

“ARISE [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you--rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1

No matter what difficulties we may be experiencing we always have something to be thankful for.

I encourage you to pop on over and visit the Sugar Pie Farmhouse…

Aunt Ruthie just makes you feel so at home…

A FEW OF MY RECENT BLESSINGS...

My Keira called and announced that after five years, she and her honey are engaged! We’re all so excited!

The wedding will be next summer, and we’re going to have so much fun planning it…

I am so thankful for beautiful people…

I am blessed by my students and their drive to learn against all odds…

I am blessed…

After a dead car right before work; a Taxi ride to work (which was running late because other people were having the same problem); a cancelled class; a dear daughter who spent time jumping me and digging me out; getting stuck again right after daughter left; another half an hour trying to shovel myself out of the underlying ice that was keeping me from driving; a wonderful elderly neighbor who called asking if she could call another neighbor to help me; the nice other neighbor who pushed me out; a dead car again after work; a nice custodian who jumped me; getting stuck yet a third time, for the day, while trying to park at home; three great people who stopped to help get me out…

I had the extra blessing of my husband, who at 1:30 in the morning, upon returning from work, dug the extra car out of the snow and got it ready for me to take to work the next morning…

This was after he had put in an 18-hour day of his own dealing with the ice and snow…

I am blessed by the guy at McDonalds, who is always so nice to me…Tonight, I could tell that the man on the speaker was stressed though trying to be nice…When I got to the window, he saw it was me (not patting my own back here), and I saw that the gentleman was him—someone we’ve come to know a bit over the past few weeks. He was able to open up and tell me about his particularly trying day…

I was thankful to be able to say a prayer for him and to give him words of encouragement…

Never under estimate the power of a listening ear and a smile…

I am thankful to my Heavenly Father, who in His wisdom, once again did not allow me to be offered a position that I would love to have taken…I know that He has something better in store, and I am grateful for His patience with my humanness…

I am thankful to be cozy and warm, here under my quilts and afghan (made by my Grammas) with my two kitties curled up by me…

I am thankful to have partaken of the Christmas parade with my mom and gramma…

And to bring in the Christmas Season!

THANKSGIVING...FEEL-GOOD RECIPES

2010-11-27T02:06:00.000-08:00

THANKSGIVING…

We were heading to our favorite resort for Thanksgiving, but the weather beat us…

Our son had a terrible storm to drive through, but thankfully made it…Safe AND Alive…

Our daughter and boyfriend only made it from Salt Lake to Idaho Falls…The roads were closed the rest of the way to the border…

Our two nieces rolled their car coming from Idaho Falls…

Our other niece and children hit the guard rail coming from Salt Lake…

It has been crazy! We are thankful that no one was hurt, and we had a nice cozy Thanksgiving here at home…

It was VERY informal…Instead of the five-star renowned-chef’s dining that we normally attend each Thanksgiving, we ate…

In the garage!

Family was together…

And we had a good time...

I hope that everyone else’s was safe and happy as well.

I haven’t put in as many hours at work lately and so have enjoyed being in my kitchen…

HEALTHY GOODIES...

I love how life is a circle…

A yummy organic Buttercup Squash…

Gets cooked…Eaten…

And put into the compost, which is then turned back into nourishing soil for next year’s garden!

It’s the circle of life…

Sunflower Seeds from DD’s garden…

She seasoned them in some fun different ways…

NOT-NECESSARILY-HEALTHY COMFORT FOODS…

Fridge leftover’s soup…

I had some canned peas, hot dogs, fresh carrots, and spam. The spam gave a hammy-type flavor and the carrots a sweetness...

So...

We ended up with a poor-man’s split-pea soup…

The day that Boy surprised me by coming home, I had set out ingredients to make and send him a treat package…

So…Of Course…I had to make him treats anyway!

Better Than Anything Cake…

1 German chocolate cake mix…(I had a chocolate fudge cake on hand so used that)

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 16 oz. jar caramel topping…(Like that used on ice cream—I used Hershey’s Caramel)

6 Heath bars…(I used an 8 oz. bag of Heath Toffee Chips)

Make and bake cake as per directions. Remove from oven and cool 2 to 5 minutes.

Poke holes over entire top with handle of wooden spoon. Pour caramel topping over entire cake, taking special concern to fill the hole…This makes for a really sweet moist cake!

Pour can of sweetened condensed milk over entire cake…Get the holes like above.

Top with Heath crumbles for a Really Yummy Cake!

Baked Beans…

Always a good cold-weather dish…

The amounts on all ingredients are all approximate and can be added according to your taste…

Pork and Beans (Any name brand—I’ve used store brand but found that they were too watery). I think that I used 6 small cans.

1 pkg. or so of hot dogs or fried bacon

1/4-1/2 c onions, chopped

2 T molasses

2 t. mustard (I just squirt some in and probably use less than the two teaspoons)

1/4-1/2 c. brown sugar

Combine all ingredients.

Put in 2-qt. casserole dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes…

Or…

I like to put it in the crock pot and let cook all day so that the flavors have time to blend. When you come home from work or Christmas shopping, you’ll have a yummy warm-to-the-tummy baked bean dish!

These are only cold left-overs…I sent a couple of containers home with Elliott, froze one for DH and I, and have a bit in the refrigerator for this week’s lunches.

Dutch Apple Cake with Lemon Cream…

This really was quite tasty…

1-1/2 c flour

1/2 t salt (I always just put a little in my palm—less than what they call for)

2 t baking powder

2 T granulated sugar

¼ c butter (I ended up using ½ c to get the right consistency)

½ c milk (We drink skim milk so used half skim and half heavy cream)

1 egg, well beaten

4 lrg. Golden Delicious apples, pared, cored (remember to put the cores and peels in your compost for next year’s garden :), and cut into thin slices. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

1 T lemon juice

1/3 c packed brown sugar

1 t ground cinnamon

Grease bottom and sides of a 7X11 SHALLOW baking dish. This was an odd-sized pan that they called for. The closest that I had was smaller and a bit deep, so the crust turned out too thick…So be sure that you have a shallow dish.

In medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.

Cut butter into dry ingredients with pastry blender (I use two butter knives) until the mixture looks like tiny peas.

In small bowl, add milk to the beaten egg, and stir into flour mixture. Mix until well blended.

Evenly spread batter onto bottom of baking dish.

Arrange apples, rounded side up, in rows in batter.

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together, in small bowl, and sprinkle over top of apples.

Bake 30-35 minutes at 350.

Lemon Cream…

2/3 c granulated sugar

3 T flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 c lemon juice (I used a bit less)

2/3 c water

1 c whipping cream

1 t lemon rind (make sure you wash your lemon first)

Blend sugar, flour, egg, lemon juice, and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and very thick. Cool completely.

Beat cream in small mixing bowl with electric mixer until peaks hold their shape when beaters are lifted out of the cream. (I always pre-chill my mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer before hand).

Fold whipped cream and grated rind into cooked lemon mixture.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The white whipped cream has kind of a nice surprise to the unexpecting diner with its nummy lemony flavor!

I garnished mine with lemon slices placed on the top of the dish for a nice-looking dessert…:0)

This picture isn’t a good representation—Forgot to take pre-eaten pictures…

For some strange reason, late last night, I had a craving for spaghetti—Hmmm…

So, I grabbed the tomato sauce and headed up stairs to make myself a little snack.

I ended up not using the sauce I made but instead topped my hot pasta with butter (not margarine).

This Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Pasta has much richer flavor than white flour noodles and is much healthier as well.

There are not any preservatives, and the grains used are certified organic.

Manufactured by Food For Life Baking Company, (I believe that my daughter picked it up at the health food store) this food contains all organic and sprouted whole grain wheat, whole grain barley, whole grain millet, whole lentils, whole soybeans, and whole grain spelt.

It is very important to have the whole grain versus just parts. The sprouting gives a more nutrient-rich product.

Healthy Sprouted Grain Pasta…

Box cooking instructions:

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add pasta and 2 T organic extra virgin olive oil. Cook 4-5 minutes being careful not to overcook.

This pasta does stick together more than your regular spaghetti noodles, so don’t skip the oil or butter while boiling.

I scooped up the hot noodles, added a bit of butter, and some dill from my garden (you can use store-bought dill weed as well). It was a tasty midnight treat!

After my pasta was cooked, I used the water from it, since it was hot and nutrient-packed, and poured it over my 14-grain cereal to soak over night.

Stay warm, have a wonderful week, and cook something yummy for you and yours!

TRIALS AND BLESSINGS

2010-11-21T20:39:00.000-08:00

A TRIAL…

I may have mentioned before…My dad and his continual losses...

Over all of the years that he has been in business, he has had thousands…No…hundreds of thousands of dollars taken from him…

Embezzled from…Stolen from…Robbed from…Taken by both insiders and customers.

Once, they crashed a stolen van into his store to gain access the goods…

Yet…For the most part, he maintains a happy face and doesn’t complain…

Friday morning was a particularly upsetting start for me and coincidentally…For Mom…And, as we would later find out, for Dad as well…

Mom was depressed about all that seems to continually go on…Money losses, attorney dealings and the like...I was frustrated by more politics at work…And so we commiserated…

Later in the day, in lunching with Dad, he told me of the latest, someone ELSE that is suing him over something ridiculous…Unbeknownst to us, and possibly even as we were dining…he was being assailed yet once again…

A group of at least four people, two or three to cause disruption, and the other two to pull it off, got off with $15,000 worth of jewelry…They were on camera, and some pretty good pictures of the thieves were available and given to the police, but no finger prints were taken…Blows my mind…They were on the jewelry glass counter AND the gun glass counter…The police only committed to posting the picture in the “bull room”, whatever that is.

It just makes me so enraged…So sad for my dad. He is one of the most generous men there are…

With some visual-enhancement computer program, I think that the police could zoom into the car plate and get the number. Since they don’t seem to be overly concerned, one of the employees has taken it upon himself to work on that.

DH and I drove around for quite awhile today, in the area of town that we believe the thieves come from (the wrong side of the tracks, if you will) and hunted for the vehicle.

I don’t even KNOW of all of the times that Dad has been ripped off, because he doesn’t always voice it, but of the ones that I do know, rarely, if ever, has he been reimbursed.

I pointed to a painting that he painted years ago…one of David and Goliath…hung above his desk…"Dad, you’re not as big as the bad guys, but you’ll win in the end. I love you."

GOALS…

My goals for this year (I know, it’s a bit early for the final assessment, but that’s okay) were not 100% achieved…But, I did work hard on my organization skills, keeping up on the house, and trying to feed myself in a more healthy way…

I would have liked to have gotten a bit further along but will continue to work on them.

I think that for the upcoming year, my goal will be to try to be content with where I am at…Or something like that...

My dream is to be a homemaker…It matters not that I do not have children at home anymore (as someone stated the other day…in other words, "You don’t have a NEED to stay home anymore"), I DO still have a home…

AND…I do still thrive on making a warm, cozy, and comfortable abode…

I feel the Spirit so much more when I concentrate on making my home clean and lovely…My husband, although he doesn’t say it, enjoys when I am home, baking up yummy smells and having the candles lit and a nice, warm, scented home to walk into after coming in from work. He DOES comment on those niceties but doesn’t say that he likes it when I stay home, is what I meant. He needs me to work.

So…As that dream will not be, in January, I am returning to school. I am excited, I am stressed, and I am depressed. Ha ha—Can one be all of those things at the same time?

So…I’ll work (an undetermined amount—as yet undecided) and I’ll go to school…And, I will get a job that brings in more money…And, I will work the rest of my healthy years…Sigh.

I shouldn’t be so morose about it all…But the fact of the matter is…Well…I am.

There should be another way, but there isn’t…So, this coming year, I need to work VERY VERY HARD on making the best of it…Trying not to stress as much as I have been (have had health issues because of it in the past few months) and look at it as an exercise in developing a go-with-the-flow attitude…

Or something like that…

I need to come up with a positive before January 1...A real positive…To sell to my self…That continuing to work and not being able to stay at home, until I am too feeble for it to matter…Is actually a GOOD thing…

Well (wink) you can tell that I’m a ways away from that still!

I’ll get there, though-:0)

SIDE NOTE…Just looked at the thermometer…It’s 1…Ha ha…We got a foot of snow between midnight and 6:00 p.m. yesterday as well.

(This is not our home...I just thought it to be beautiful)

BLESSING…

I didn’t do anything to deserve it, but last week, for three days in a row, I received such blessings at work…

They all came from patients…Patients who were so very sick but yet had a smile and such love in their hearts…

One day, I had a particular man, who because of a severe reaction to drugs given in surgery, had great mental disorientation and distress. This poor man had not been allowed out of bed for days, to even sit up. He hurt, he wasn’t allowed any pain meds., and he didn’t know what was going on…

The tubes and lines in him were a constant irritation…For hours on end…Days on end…He tossed and turned, and tried to get up. We had to keep him down. It came to mind, after some time, to do what my grandma would have done…I rubbed his back…

That’s all…

A small thing…But that was the only thing, including medication (the little that he was allowed to have) that worked. It didn’t work for a real long time, but he was at least able to get a few short minutes of rest as I rubbed his back. I felt such a blessing in being able to do that, and it brings tears to my eyes as I speak.

My FAMILY means so much to me…They have each taught me GREAT things. This particular gramma, now passed, taught me to love the Lord and to love others.

I have a great love in my heart…Not of my own…But as a gift from my Father in Heaven…Each day that I go to work, I pray that I will be able to bless someone’s life. The Lord answers my prayers, and often I am the one who ends up getting blessed as much or more than they…

An aunt, my dad’s sister…This painting was commissioned by a beau of hers…Painted in Germany...

Aunt Joann passed years ago from MS… Her husband, who divorced her, (they were closer after that then before) drowned in the river; she passed on; and then the youngest of her four sons was stabbed to death.

You would never know, if you were not looking at Aunt Joann, that she had this wicked disease. Her sense of humor preceded her wherever she went! I think that she taught us all to look on the bright side.

My own dear parents…Their wedding picture…They were 18 years and two days and 18 years and four days old respectively.

My honey and I…My, but we look young!

BLESSING…

I got up the other morning; my husband took me by the hand and lead me to the window…”Look”, he said, pointing out the window into the snow-laden streets…

“Elliott?” “Elliott?!”

He then took me to our son’s bedroom, opened the door, and there lay my BOY!!!

Oh, my goodness! He had come home early to surprise me! I hugged him and hugged him…

Oh, it is so wonderful when he comes home…He brings laughter, his unique and special wonderful laughter…And, he brings my other boy, Derek—a friend from his grade school years, whom I love very much.

I think I’m glad that I didn’t know he was coming after hearing his tale…He drove in the worst of storms, at times going only 30 miles per hour, behind snow-blowers and passed by many semi-trucks…

It was so bad that what is normally a five-hour trip took him nine…In looking back over it, he said, “I don’t know how I made it alive.” “You must have prayed before you left”, I said. “Yes, and when I got here, I said a prayer (of thanks)…[and then was instantly exhausted].

The stress had been great, and he then just wanted to sleep...

I am thankful to my Father in Heaven that he brought my boy home safely.

Dear mothers of grown children yet to be…

Some day…

Some day…You will be thankful for a messy bedroom floor…

And the unmade bed…

For it means that he is home.

Some day…You will be thankful for the church clothes yet unhung…

And the posters on the walls…

For it shows of the signs of the morals that you taught…

And the strong man that you raised.

Oh, dear mothers of grown children yet to be…

Cherish them…

Love them…

TAKE TIME TO BE WITH THEM…

Take it from this mother, whose heart so aches when they are gone, but who is so thankful that she did the very best that she could…

You raise them up to what they will be…So give them the best YOU that you can be!

THINGS I LOVE...

2010-10-21T23:12:00.000-07:00

THE LAW OF THE HARVEST...

FALL-COLORED LEAVES...

ORGANICALLY-GROWN GOODNESS...

KINGS...

BABY SMILES...

FRIENDS...

INNOCENCE...

PLAY TIME...

HAND-PICKED WHOLESOMENESS...(Except for the buttercup, which I purchased from an organic farm)...

WARM ROOMS...

AND BEAUTIFUL SCENTS...

SIMPLER TIMES...

MY BLESSINGS...

2010-10-12T23:56:00.000-07:00

MY BLESSINGS…

Life is busy…Work is long…The to-do list never ends…

BUT…

I HAVE SO MANY BLESSINGS!!!

As I pulled up to the house tonight, I thought of my boy, who I miss so, and how I miss his laughter in the house…His playing around…Randomly doing voice impressions…And making me laugh!

It’s just so upbeat…I want to kiss his little face right this minute!

I miss his natural energy, charm, and excitement for life…

It’s really true that your children take you back to your youth, is it not?

As soon as I thought of him, my Tia came to mind…

I miss her hysterical sense of very dry humor…

She just cracks me up! You would have to know her to see what I’m saying, but in an off-handed sort of way, she is extremely funny…

And she also knows A LOT! If we ever a question, we say, Keira would know! (She’s my child who never stops reading and researching, and once, as a child…Read the Dictionary…:/

Of course, as soon as I thought of my Keira, Chanielle popped into my mind! She is so awesome…So strong…Mentally AND Physically…

In highschool, she ran…And she ran fast! In highschool, she also did the pole vault. My brother-in-law said not too long ago that she is the strongest female that he has ever seen…

Chanielle and I have the same sense of humor…We crack each other up! Ha Ha

Of course, the others just think we’re dumb…That's why we have to work in a team-;)

My VERY best times are when I am with my family…

OH, IT IS GRAND…

THE FALL…

Bob Atkins

THE HARVEST…

Thomas Kinkaid

And the BOUNTY, with which the Lord has provided us…

Enjoy your blessings, my friends, and especially your FAMILY…

We NEVER know when one may be taken from us…

LOVE THEM, LOVE THEM, LOVE THEM!

MODESTY, PURITY, AND A THANKFUL HEART

2010-10-01T03:30:00.000-07:00

Just as we are to “put on” the armor of God, we are to “put on” our clothes as protection for us and others. Clothing ourselves with modest dress and modest actions—mercy, kindness, humility, patience, and charity—will invite the companionship of the Spirit and will positively affect those around us (see Colossians 3:12, 14).

-Robert D. Hales, “Modesty: Reverence for the Lord,” Liahona, Aug 2008, 18–23, as copied from Emily's blog...

I am FAR from the perfect model of modesty, but I do endear it and the feelings which it invokes…

Modesty manifests itself in different forms…An appropriate yet beautiful wedding dress...

A gathering of friends on a reverent Sabbath...

A homemaker...Or perhaps housekeeper...Going about her daily duties with a sense of pride and modesty...

The making of a covering...P. Buckley Moss artist

How is this young woman any less beautiful than her counterparts who choose to dress in clothing that reveals? In deed, she is MORE beautiful.

PURITY…

Have you ever noticed how pure little children are?

They just come that way…

A fresh little spirit...

Full of love and goodness…

They really don’t care WHAT they’re doing…

What OTHERS may think…

Or HOW they may look…

They just are.

Like the beauty of the season…

And the bounty of the Harvest…

Their sweet little souls bring love and joy to all around…

Apparently little Christian's truck was thirsty, as he told me here that he was giving it a drink…;)

Fall is a time of BEAUTY…

A time to GIVE THANKS…

A time to REFLECT…

Fall is a time for a HARVEST HOME…

Whatever that may be…

The WARMTH of the kitchen…

The light from HIS WORD…

And…Of course…Fall is a time for FAMILY…

I pray that we all may have a thankful heart for the many blessings which we do enjoy…

And, Yes...There are many…;)

BEAUTIFUL FALL

2010-09-30T23:58:00.000-07:00

A hot dish of golden potatoes, left-over franks, real butter, and home-grown chives served with crusty whole-wheat bread…

A peek-a-boo boy…

Transitioning from bike to car for the upcoming cold winds and icy roads…

The beginning of THE FAMILY SEASON…

The last weeks of cool clear water…Before it turns in to beautiful crystallized ice…

A beginning of the SEASON OF HOLIDAYS! The time for celebration, family, rejoicing, and a time to turn our hearts to He who created this beautiful Earth…He, to whom we own our thanks for the blessings that we enjoy…

A time of service…Extra special service to those we love and to those who just need a smile...Or a friend...Or a warm plate of cookies....

FALL…

A time of harvest…

And long walks amongst the trees and falling leaves…

FALL…

A time to bring the outside goodness into our homes…

To smell the scents of autumn sweetness...

Which will then carry us into the upcoming season of the deliciousness of apples and cinnamon…

Mulberries and roasted turkeys…

Have a blessed weekend…And search for the beauty around you.

IT'S FALL TIME!

2010-09-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

FALL…BEAUTIFUL FALL

In conjunction with taking Elliott back to school, we traveled the extra four hours to Salt Lake to see our other dear daughter, Keira and boyfriend Nate.

GOOD EARTH…

While there, we ate at a favorite place of ours…Good Earth Café

It has organic vegetarian and vegan food that is absolutely YUMMY!

They used to have big pillows to sit on in one room…

A couch and chair in another…And fun things like that.

For some reason, they went to tables, which isn’t as fun…

But the food is still great!

I love that each room has a different theme…

I think that that was the whole concept in its conception…

Please excuse all the blurry pictures…

I still can’t seem to get this camera figured out…:/

It was little Adrien’s fourth birthday, so we celebrated with a vegan carrot cake…

I am not normally a carrot cake fan, but OH MY GOODNESS, was it good!

The neat thing about this place is that you pay what you feel that the food is worth…

And, at the end of the night, they set the left-overs outside for the homeless…Oh, I love things like that!

A THEATER TOUR…

Nate is a projectionist, so we were lucky enough to get the grand tour and presentation to boot!

Nate explaining a few things to Steve before we entered the projection room…

The room has to be hospital clean…

I was in a projection booth many many years ago…

It’s a tad different now…:)

School children come through for tours, so this worked out perfectly since we had some littles…

Julian especially liked it…

They still use 35 mm film on their non-digital machines, which really surprised me…

It’s not reel-to-reel, however, like it used to be…

They splice all of the reels together…

Onto big platters…

So, there is not interruption in the movie…

Their theater has digital machines currently but is going all digital in just a few months…

I didn’t know the difference until Nate had us look at a regular movie and then a digital…

The latter was a lot more clear, and the colors and picture were more crisp…

The view from above…

The little boys thought it was really neat…

Steve…

Elliott and Christian…

We all had a really fun time and learned a lot as well…

I hope you all have a blessed week~

A VERY BUSY SUMMER...PART TWO

2010-09-17T19:18:00.000-07:00

SO…How was YOUR summer?

The season seems to go SO fast!...At least here in the four-seasons’ country…

I hope at least...

You made time for fun…

Were able to slow down...

That you took time to contemplate...

To sit a spell...

To figure out the pieces of your life...

I hope that you made time to enjoy the companionship of family...

Even if the children were tired...;)

SOME HAPPENINGS IN MY SUMMER…PART TWO

PUTTING MY DOG DOWN…

I had to put Hercules down on July 25…

That is never an easy thing to do, especially after I waited so long for the little guy...

But, as we all know…

Life isn’t always easy…

MANY MANY HOURS AT WORK...
.
.
.
MANY LONG HOURS WITHOUT SLEEP…

Because I work nights and also work some days...

The last several weeks have been very busy…

Trying to organize my schedule!

I just finished 80 hours with only 2 hours and 45 minutes of sleep…:/

But, it will be better from here on out, I am sure...:0)

It must!

Otherwise...

You know what they say...

Work your fingers to the bone...

Whada Ya Get???

Bony fingers! Ha Ha!

A SAYING THAT I LIKE…

"I hate when people punch my abs, and they break their hand."

Ha Ha Ha! Now, I only wish it were true!

AN ONGOING CHALLENGE…

For quite a few years now…

Nine to be exact…

I have wanted to return to school...

The Lord has closed those doors to me, in a very real way. I know that He has a plan, but it has been very hard to have the faith that I need to have. If I can’t go back to school to either change and/or better myself for my professions, I would love to be a full-time homemaker…

My home is where my heart REALLY and TRULY is at…It is in my every fiber, and I must admit that I get jealous of the ladies who are privileged to stay home…

Jealousy is not good, I know…I do hope that they realize their great blessing, though.

I really need to get stronger and have more faith….

And…That is what I am working on. :0)

HERBS!...

I have so been enjoying watching my beautiful organic herbs grow! I love them! I didn’t cut them back near enough (was having too much fun watching them get big ;) but am drying some for later cooking.

These mint leaves are from a plant that my daughter sowed last year…The plant is huge!

I planted both regular and garlic chives…

I guess I wasn’t thinking when I planted all of the herbs in an above-the-ground box rather than in the soil…

Likely they won’t winter over…

So, I am going to try bringing them inside…We’ll see what happens.

Lemon Basil…

AND...

Lavender…

A NEW CELLAR DOOR…

The old one was…Well…Old…

DH did such an awesome job in fabricating this new metal-framed door to take the place of the worn out wooden one. The guys then riveted steel over the frame for a super sturdy door!

MY BOY ACHIEVED HIS BLACK BELT!

With all of the worry about getting video footage for him to review, I didn’t get one still-shot! I can’t actually believe that! I am Mrs. Takes-Pictures-of-Everything!

Anyway…Is this one proud mama? Uh Huh! Elliott’s instructor said that he was one of the fastest ever to go from white to black belt (gloat…;)

A plus for me is that I’m able to learn a little bit here and there, which can really come in handy at work.

DB has a great advantage in that he doesn’t LOOK like he could hurt anyone...

He doesn't have the Arnold look...

Or...

The...

Ape look...

He’s tall, lean, and unassuming. A fourth-degree gentleman that he trains with has the same type of frame. But, don't let outside appearances fool...

They can pack a wallop!

Elliott actually received two Blacks that day…

AND…

I was about three feet from him when he broke the cinder-block slabs…Oh yeah!

YUP…One DOUBLE-PROUD MAMA here!

CHERISH YOUR FAMILY, MY FRIENDS…

We never know...

How long...

They will dwell upon this Earth…

HAVE A PRODUCTIVE WEEK...(And bless someone while you're at it;)

A VERY BUSY SUMMER...PART ONE

2010-09-01T04:43:00.000-07:00

Oh, my goodness! It has been a L O N G time since I have blogged!

Well, nothing has slowed down...But it's time to get back to journaling!

In a nutshell, these are highlights from my summer (Part 1), short as it was!

Went down and fetched our son from college…

A quick little dinner before his last night out with friends...

While there, we were lucky enough to get to see the Blue Angels in action…They’re absolutely amazing!

I have no idea how they can stay in such precise exact formation…It is awe-inspiring to say the very least…

The night we arrived...

Yes, my attire is very strange...Work clothes, a hat, and a tired face...

But OH SO HAPPY ON THE INSIDE!!!

(Don't EVER let anyone tell you different...There is nothing like family, especially your very own children) :)

We hauled Hubby’s bike along with DB’s and had fun riding together...

My dream car…Ahhhhhhh…

Thirty years ago, (wow-that long ago?), I fell in love with a particular red classic Jaguar. I have looked all these years for one comparable never having found one. Well, here she is!

I wanted to speak to the owner but didn’t know, in the crowd, who he might be. I am sure, however, that he was not afar off…

Admiring all of us admiring his car. ;)

Oh Happy Day...

TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS

2010-07-22T23:51:00.000-07:00

On July 9th, I came home from a day of hurry and stress, walked through the living room, down the stairs to unload my arms, back through the living room, and out to the car for a second load…

I walked back into the living room, toward the stairway…

And stopped…

There, on the end table, sat a beautiful bouquet of red roses, which I had been totally oblivious to just a couple of minutes before…

There were Not a dozen…

Not two dozen…

But twenty-seven roses!...

One for each of the twenty-seven years that we had accomplished and were celebrating this day…the 9th of July.

We had AGREED…

At least he TOLD me he did…

Not to get anything for each other…

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THING LOVE CAN BE...

REMEMBERANCES OF A FOURTH...

2010-07-16T23:34:00.000-07:00

REMEMBERANCES OF A FOURTH...

BOY came home from college to surprise me! Oh, I was so happy, I could have jumped outta my britches…Well, I almost did!

I was downstairs changing pants and suddenly heard “Is anyone home around here?,” in Boy’s voice…I screamed, ran up the stairs, and as I ran, my pants started coming down, I stopped, did a button, ran some more, and they started coming down again…

It was all I could do to stand there long enough to complete buttoning them and race up and hug and kiss my baby! Oh, how joyful that was!

Elliott being silly with younger cousin…

Talking to Gramma…

REMEMBERENCES OF A DIFFERENT KIND...

We are a non-drinkin’, non-smokin’, non-drug-tokin’ kinda family, so you would THINK that we would be quite mild and unassuming… ;)

Well...

DD, DS, and son-in-law decided to each do a stunt on their bikes...

After the barbeque...

And before the fireworks…

That was all dandy…

Until the cops showed up!

They were quite nice about it all and actually mustn’t have known a whole lot about bikes…The young one out of the two, upon seeing the bike up on it’s back stunting bar, inquired “Is that how they’re SUPPOSED to be?” Ha Ha!

The funniest part of it all (for those who are familiar with the romance-novel model Fabio), was that although the two guys popping wheelies were MUCH louder (and balder/shorter haired) while revving up to pop their wheelies, than DD. BUT, she was the one that they called in about.

When the officers came over, they reported that it was someone “with long, blonde, flowing hair like Fabio”…Man, did we get a laugh out of that one! They must have mistaken her for a guy and, having long blonde hair, described her as Fabio.

We’ll have laughs about that one for years to come, I’m sure!

SPIRITUAL REMEMBERANCES...

I had such a spiritual experience during the Fourth of July fireworks…

This little baby, who is barely two, just clapped and clapped as the fireworks went off…He wasn’t afraid…He just found pure joy.

The most special part was when they did a tribute to our soldiers…

Amazing Grace was played over the loud speakers by a bagpipe…

That little boy…(my grandbaby, Christian)…without any prompting from me…sat cradled in my arm with head bowed and hands together for the entire song. He felt the spirit; I just know he did…It made me cry…It makes me tear up just now thinking about it.

My dear friends, these precious little ones are so fresh from and so near to our Father in Heaven...

I have been to past shows where little children were afraid of the noise…One of those was just a couple years ago with another grandbaby.

But, not this night…

What a blessing this was to me.

On the way out, he was so relaxed and calmly let Grampa carry him out.

Life is a stress…It just plain sucks a lot of times, but look at a child…

Really SEE a child…

This is a blessing from our Father in Heaven that there truly IS…

Still good in the world…

BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL

JUST HANGIN' OUT

2010-07-12T23:08:00.001-07:00

How’s yer day goin’?

Ours is fine...Just hangin’ out…

And havin’ some fun…

Have a beautiful day…

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN

2010-07-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

The Fourth of July is coming soon!

What are your family traditions?

Do you shoot off fire crackers?

Go to a community event?

Or maybe…Barbeque hamburgers and eat juicy watermelon with the little people?

Do you fly the flag of the United States of America?

Have you ever read the Declaration of Independence? It is so very eye-opening…

It is such a blessing to be a part of this great nation. Please remember those who have fought and died, clear back to 1776…

This video says it all…

3000 vets on motorcycles
>from across the USA paraded in D.C. the Sunday before Memorial Day,
>while a solitary, saluting Marine greeted them out on Constitution
>Avenue... the Marine stood at salute for 3 straight hours, while the
>parade of roaring bikes kept on coming.... it is held in remembrance
>of those who've fallen in the military.... the event (or the group)
>is called Rolling Thunder... George Bush used to meet these bikers
>before they paraded... the camera is on the Marine a lot... watch
>his struggles with his emotions, and his struggles with holding that
>salute... the way he salutes is very touching... his head lowered,
>his eyes down, in reverence for the fallen... I know what he was feeling...
>and as I watched him, I could feel it too.... it got to be overwhelming
>for him... and the tears started flowing... watch what he says when
>he finally breaks, but keeps right on holding that salute...

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

KIDS AND ANIMALS

2010-06-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

What a nice day for a chat…

Plumb tuckered out…

Now THIS doesn’t happen very often!

Penelope the Pet Pig…

Just havin’ fun…

I just LOVE to shower!

Too pooped to pop…

Ahhh…The life of a dog…

Time for a nap…

Sticks are for kids…

Stuck on you…

Dear daughter…Isn’t she beautiful…

Magnet man…

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL WEEKEND!

ARE YOU SERIOUS?!!!

2010-06-23T23:03:00.000-07:00

A tad bit of a blunt post…

Gentlemen…(James ;)…You may not want to read this…
.
.
.
.
.
.

The normal me...

I’m a nice person…Sometimes to a fault…

I try to live right…

I try to treat others nicely…

I reach out to those less fortunate (to use a much over-used cliché’)…

Etc…Etc…Etc…

BUT…

Enough is enough already!

I…unfortunately…personally know two people in our state prison…

They both used me…One to the tune of 150 years worth of time...

My thoughts on idiots who prey on women…
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

I DON'T THINK SO!!!

Kick 'em in the *****...

Take 'em out...

And cook 'em up!

Whether I'm out and about...

Or home sweet home...

I've got several defenses ready to roll!!!
.
.
.
.
.

A dog that really likes to bite people he thinks are going to get me...Or get into my car...Or get into my house...

And A gun...

Oh, yeah, and A husband who gets ticked off pretty easily...And really doesn't care if he goes to prison when it comes to protecting his family...

Enough said.

IN DIVERSE PLACES...

2010-06-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

An UNBELIEVABLE event happened here yesterday…In our little town…

A tornado hit! This is normal for some parts of the country but never for us! Over the years, I have seen funnel clouds, one coming quite close a few years back…But, since 1958, we have never had one hit our town…

Until yesterday…

It was surreal…

DD was at a friends, heard the emergency sirens, went to get in the car to rush home to her family…And saw the twister out her car window…

My sister, who lives in a modular, rushed to Mom and Dad’s to take cover in the basement…

Her daughter, my niece, was away with a friend…The friend’s mom saw the funnel, loaded the girls up in the car and fled to the East…

The roof was blown off the arena…Debris covered the road…

A glass shop was blown away with only the walls left standing...

A casino and marina were taken out pretty badly…

Before it hit, I had just met Dad for a Father’s Day coffee…

Out of nowhere, it came…The darkness…

The down-pour…

As soon as the call came in from my sister, we headed out…

Dad headed to his house…Me to mine…

After the storm was over, and keeping in touch with Mom, who was out of state…

I could no longer make contact with Dad or Sis…So headed out to their end of town to check on them...

Water like this was everywhere…

Downtown was flooded…Cars were up on dry patches, where they could be found, drying out engines that were water-logged…

Every policeman in the city, I think, was out on duty…

There were firetrucks, ambulances, you name it, out in droves…

I sat stranded for about an hour…Not being able to go North, South, East, or West…

I surged through the water the best I could, and my poor little car was about to die out…I told my dog that I thought we were in for it…

Across the away, a guy in a car similar to mine stalled out in the flooding, waded out to get help and pushed his car up to a dry lot…

After a long time of letting my engine run on a dry spot, I went for it, and we finally made it out…

It was just the weirdest thing to experience…

Thank goodness we all were fine, but what a surreal day it was...

STUNT GIRL

2010-06-19T21:24:00.000-07:00

DD helped out with a stunt show today by being a tandem rider…

Waiting for the show to begin…

There was a pig roast with all the fixin’s…

Getting ready to ride…

This DD has always loved a thrill…

Rob, with One World Revolution, tours with another group, who is sponsored by Harley Davidson…

He stunts several kinds of bikes, including a Harley, Honda, a quad. and others…

Talking to Hubby after the first show…

DD wants to stunt her own bike and is learning how to…

Have a wonderful Sabbath all…

FAMILY HOME EVENING

2010-06-17T21:58:00.001-07:00

My son has a full-ride scholarship in college…Ha Ha!

Each student is assigned a family-home-evening group…

Years ago, the church set aside Monday evenings for family night…Its purpose is to strengthen the family…

"Family home evenings should be scheduled once a week as a time for discussions of gospel principles, recreation, work projects, skits, songs around the piano, games, special refreshments, and family prayers. Like iron links in a chain, this practice will bind a family together, in love, pride, tradition, strength, and loyalty."

(President Ezra Taft Benson, July 1992)

TOP LIKES...?

2010-06-16T22:54:00.001-07:00

I found this saying listed as a top "Like" on Facebook...

When you're waiting for someone and you look like a prostitute.

I’m not quite sure why someone would like the saying…

To me…It would be more in the “Dislike” category and actually, it happened to me years and years ago…

In my growing-up years, there was a massage parlor on the main street in town. It didn’t look seedy, but everyone knew what REALLY went on in there. Years passed, the massage parlor went away, and a drum studio went in…It was there that I took my drum lessons from a very high-quality musician.

One day, at only 14 years of age, I was standing out “on the corner” waiting for Mom to pick me up from my lessons. Some guy drove by, rolled down his window, and in some not-so-nice-words, called me a prostitute. I don’t even recall exactly what he said, but I still think of it often as I drive by the same building…Drum studio no longer, and all these years later.

Isn’t it funny what sticks in a person’s mind?

Have a good Thursday, and try to find a funny in YOUR day today…

{There always is one…It just doesn’t always manifest itself until later. ;0)}

CHILDREN ARE MAGICAL

2010-06-14T03:55:00.000-07:00

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL MONDAY...

I KNOW I WILL!

A WARM AND HAPPY TOMORROW

2010-06-05T21:40:00.000-07:00

HEALTHY TO THE BODY…

A nice and colorful BUTTERNUT squash…

A POT OF POTATOES boiling…

To make a warm-to-the-tummy ROSEMARY stew on a cold and drizzly day…

HEALTHY TO THE SOUL…

A yummy-SCENTED YELLOW-CAKE candle…

HEALTHY TO THE BODY AND THE SOUL…

A hot cup of Postum on a rainy afternoon…

Have a WARM AND HAPPY tomorrow.

LIFE'S A WORK-OUT...BLESS SOMEONE

2010-06-02T00:45:00.000-07:00

Life is always uphill it seems…Isn’t it a great work-out! :0)

The challenges never seem to end, but then…How would we ever progress?

Onward then…

I may be changing my work schedule; therefore, my housework schedule, dog-walking/exercise schedule, etc. need to be tweaked.

That is all okay, except, I am SO not a morning person! It is much easier to push myself to do house chores in the evening after coming home from work than to do them in the morning before work…Hmmm…So, the dilemma.

This is my first week trying this new schedule, so we’ll see how it goes.

My goals for the year and their current ratings (grades I am giving myself)…

BE MORE ORGANIZED…

Doing quite well here…B+

CONTINUE TO IMPROVE MY HEALTH WITH BODILY NOURISHMENT…

Do potato chips (Salt and Vinegar to be exact), M&M’s, and McDonald’s count as nourishment?

Baaaaaaad…F

CONTINUE TO IMPROVE MY HEALTH WITH EXERCISE…

Not too good here, either…Have you ever noticed that when you get on a role (good OR bad), that ya just keep on rollin’?...D

QUIT WHINING AND JUST DO!

I continuously contemplate on ways to better certain problem areas of my life, and I also hash them over with DH, but I really haven’t been whining much…Yay me!...A

PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE ME...

Do you have people in your life who inspire you? I hope you do.

If you don’t, find some…

If you don’t, be one…

Have you ever had the thought, “I wonder if this person that I am communicating with in person, who isn’t being real nice, would be a nicer person online?”

Or, “I wonder if this online acquaintance of mine, who is always so nice, is really that way in person?

I have pondered these questions quite a bit, as I observe and interact with people. Our society isn’t that nice anymore. There is definitely not a respect for people older than a given person. In other words, the idiom “age = wisdom” does not exist, but titles can certainly play a role in respect.

Often times, it is how we are viewed…How others perceive us…Not the actual who-we-are, that dictates how people choose to treat us…

Pretty sad…

Almost without exception, in my belief, it is the low self-esteem of the one who judges that is really speaking.

These are three people who inspire me…

My mom: Beautiful, soft, hard-worker, wonderful cook…

My Gramma—Mom’s side: Little plump German woman, hard-worker, loving beyond words, instilled a love of the Lord in me that has never left, even though she did…

My Gramma—Dad’s side: Quite possibly the hardest worker I’ve ever known, extremely clean yet doesn’t care if the grandchild spills grape juice on her cream-colored carpet…

Wow! Have I been blessed, or what?!

This quilt was...

Made by my mother-in-law...And given to us after my father-in-law passed…

Each block is from one of the shirts he used to wear…

This quilt was...

Made by my gramma…Mom’s side…

I can pick out squares and have memories of Gramma wearing a garment that then went into the making of this quilt…

We got this as a wedding present from Gramma…Twenty-seven years ago next month…

This quilt was...

Made by my gramma…Dad’s side…

More than diamonds…More than pearls…A hand-made quilt wins my heart every time…

Gramma gave this to us just because…Wow…Can you imagine ALL of that work Just BeCause?

I pray that we may all strive to BE THE PERSON WHO WE KNOW THE LORD WANTS US TO BE…And bless a life or two along the way...

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY!

TOOLS ALONG THE WAY

2010-05-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

I was just visiting www.lds.org and found some new sites (some of the pages have been available previously, as well) that they have announced…Though I have not yet checked them out, they appear to be very helpful.

The church is so good at helping us, along life’s path, with the sometimes ugly trials and temptations that we face.

PORNOGRAPHY

I have heard it said more than once or twice that “You wouldn’t believe how many women in the church suffer because of the addictions of their husbands to pornography.”

Combating Pornography

EMPLOYMENT

While we have always had a church employment agency, it is now on the web making it more accessible...

This site is called LDS Jobs

SELF-RELIANCE

Another great need, especially with the more trying times that we face in our world, is self-reliance…

According to LDS.org, “This page provides video and written resources to help you understand and develop self-reliance that will strengthen you and bless others.”

Self-Reliance

STRONG FAMILES

We so believe in the power of the family. It is the most sacred unit that there is. This Proclamation to the Family came out several years ago and is a wonderful declaration as to the importance of family. We have it displayed in our home.

I invite you to read it.

FAITH IN CHRIST

Finally, under Faith in Christ, “…prophets and apostles teach and testify of the sacred nature of the family.”

MORE

There is much more on LDS.org, including scriptures, radio, and family history.

It is a great tool for strength and growth in a sometimes-troubling world.

SPRING-TIME PLANTING, AND NONE TOO SOON

2010-05-29T21:32:00.001-07:00

Ahhh…The life of a dog!

Well, it finally stopped raining long enough to work in the flower beds!…It has been a soggy week or two.

Here are before pictures of my poor little unkempt beds...

These are two of the chocolate plants that my daughter planted last year.

She planted six total, and the dogs got three...

At least I have three left, as they smell SO yummy!

This sad little front bed has never had much fruition...

Because of the tree cover, it barely gets any sun at all. Each year, I try new plants but haven’t had much luck with anything. It seems like every variety needs at least part sun.

As you can see, only one of my hostas out of three survived, and it never gets very big. The peony is about all that comes back every year, but it hasn’t bloomed in about three years. That may be because of the tree beetles that we fight each summer; I’m not sure.

I was able to get everything in the ground today, and Monday I will pretty it up and post after-pictures.

I topped off my day at DQ and ice cream with the little people...

They had fun, but boy were they wild after that sugar! Mama doesn’t give them much sugar at all and is always sorry when she does. Luckily, it was bedtime as soon as they got home.

I pray that you all have a good day of rest tomorrow...:0)

THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

2010-05-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

Aren’t little children just refreshing! Have you ever just sat and watched them…really watched them?

In his own little world…Three-year-old Adrien in the dirt…Doesn’t it just bring you back to a time when the smallest area in your own back yard turned magical…It was you and your make-believe world. Would that we as adults could do that…WE may not be able to, but through the eyes of a child, we can once again catch a glimpse of Wonderland.

They say and do the most adorable and innocent things.

“You are the best gramma; you make my heart feel real,” my little six-year-old grandbaby, Julian, said…

OH—MY—GOODNESS!

MY heart felt real after he said that!

“Lap please,” little two-year-old Christian begged, as he patted my leg. He wanted to sit on my lap! That just makes me feel like the most important person in the world!

If you’re having a rough day…

If the world seems all evil…

Take a second look…

Through the eyes of a child...It really will make it all better….

I know…It has happened to me over and over again, and what a blessing it is!

I HOPE YOU ALL MAKE IT A FANTASTIC FRIDAY!

WATER WATER WATER AND A PHONE THAT SERVES AS A LEVEL

2010-05-25T00:39:00.000-07:00

A very very rainy two days…Would that my flowers (and the rest of my garden seeds) already be in the ground…

Oh, well…

DH and I went shopping over the weekend and picked out several varieties that will HOPEFULLY last in our extreme-sun and extreme-shade beds…I have been experimenting for several years now not to much avail, but I won’t give up!

Giving up is never much fun anyway!

Have you ever heard of a Foam Party? I certainly hadn’t and neither had DS…

Until he and his date attended one.

It’s a dance where they spray soap foam all over everyone…Hmmm…Not sure how that could be much fun…But anyway…

It wasn’t like a lot of the pictures I looked up online, which look pretty raunchy, as he is at a church school…But there were still consequences!

He got soaked, and so did his phone! He said it looks more like a level now than a phone…Water floating in the screen with an air bubble in it to boot! Ha Ha Ha! I definitely had to laugh on that one!

There’s always SOMETHING new to ponder!

Well, everyone, have a Terrific Tuesday!

BIRTHDAYS AND BELLY DANCING

2010-05-20T19:57:00.000-07:00

Julian's Sixth Birthday…

DD served me cake and ice cream, which baby Christian saw...(He turned two ten days before big brother)…

He promptly pulled his chair right up to the table...Reached for the bowl...which was huge...

And said...“Mine”.

He was so adorable that I had to take pictures. Every time the camera would flash (without me saying anything) he would say, “Cheese”… :0)

I just love little children!

Julian is REALLY trying hard to open this one…

DD’s newest belly-dancing costume…

Mother’s Day…

With flowers and chocolate, who can go wrong!

Beautiful roses and chocolate from my DD and SIL…

A lovely hanging plant (Giant Snowflake) from DH…

DD #2 left me an online message from Utah…

DS called and talked to me for an hour…Oh, did that make my day! Other than a couple of texts, it was the first time I had really talked with him since we took him to college…

A mission afghan…

After numerous tries, patterns, and rip-outs, I finally found a pattern that worked for me…

So, I am on my way now making DS’s afghan for when he leaves on his mission…

Well, yet another week is closing out…

I hope that you all have a Fantastic Friday!

JUST POPPING IN

2010-05-18T23:56:00.000-07:00

Just popping in to say "Hi"...

Or at least I THINK I am…;)

At least…I am doing the best I can with what I have…Changes at work(s) mean much harder work for a lot less pay…Hopefully, that will change in a few months…

YEARLY GOALS ASSESSMENT…

Hmmm…

I keep fallin’ off the wagon…Or, the wagon keeps dumpin’ me off!

BE MORE ORGANIZED…Doing okay here in some areas. My house-cleaning routine, however…Well, I need to get back on track.

CONTINUE TO IMPROVE MY HEALTH WITH BODILY
NOURISHMENT…Quite a bit more improvement needed.

CONTINUE TO IMPROVE MY HEALTH WITH EXERCISE…Have been somewhat sporadic, but still tryin’!

QUIT WHINING AND JUST DO!...Oh, boy! It has been whine city around here! I really need to work on this one!

I have managed to fit in a bit of fun, of course!

A day at a little mountain resort town with Mom...

We went up for shopping and lunch and came home with a toilet! :0)

A birthday party for GB #1…

And a fun ride with my honey…

I’ll post pix when I make more time to post.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY!

THERE ONCE WAS A BOY, A VERY LONG BOY

2010-05-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

THERE ONCE A BOY, A VERY LONG BOY; A VERY LONG BOY WAS HE…

HE CALLED FOR HIS BIKE…

HE CALLED FOR HIS TOOLS…

HE CALLED FOR HIS NEPHEWS THREE…

WE THOUGHT HE WAS TOUGH, THIS VERY LONG BOY…A PROTECTOR HE COULD BE!

WITH THE MEDALS HE’D EARNED THROUGHOUT ALL THE YEARS, NOT A ONE COULD DISAGREE!

ON TOP ALL OF THAT, HE WAS A GOOD BOY, TO FRIENDS AND FOE AND TIKE…

HE LOVED HIS MA, HE LOVED HIS PA, AND HE LOVED THE LORD ALIKE…

WITH HIS FRIENDS HE MADE A TRIO, TOGETHER SINCE YEARS AGO…

BUT TO ME, THEY WERE MY LITTLE MEN, MY BACKWARDS OREO!

WELL ONE DAY MR. LONG BOY, MET DEFEAT BEFORE US ALL…

WHEN HIS SISTER, WHO WAS TOUGHER THAN HE, HAD HIM UP AGAINST A WALL!

ALAS, HE COULD NOT HOLD HIS OWN…

SHE HAD HIM WITH A WINK…

AND NOW OUR DEAR YOUNG LONG BOY…

IS REDUCED...

TO LIVE…

IN PINK...

FOR TODAY...

2010-05-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

I haven’t done a Daybook entry since last year. But, reading Emily’s prompted me to journal here once again.

For Today...May 6, 2010

Outside my window...It is unseasonably chilly with snowflakes and raindrops on the tail of two-week gales.

I am thinking...That balance needs to arrive. I am such an unbalanced person—relatively speaking—in particular areas of my life, that it causes quite the upheaval of mind.

From the learning rooms...Medical Coding…The Nervous System.

I am thankful for...The knowledge that my Heavenly Father is in the details of my life. Though, it is such a struggle to wade through, I am very aware of His watchings over me.

From the kitchen...Been soup with a ham-bone stock for this cold and wet Spring.

I am wearing...My night clothes.

I am reading...Anatomy and Physiology; Step-By-Step Medical Coding; some wonderful and wholesome blogs.

I am hoping...Very much to even out my work life and to also create a balance between it and home.

I am hearing…The furnace—I love the sound of the white noise of the furnace. It is such a comfort.

Around the house...DH is getting ready for bed; Dog is napping on his fluffy quilt. I absolutely love this time of day.

One of my favorite things...Peace.

A few plans for the rest of the week...Work; Watching DD drum at a belly-dancing show this weekend.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

I end with a personal thought, procured from the blog, A Beautiful Life. The author, Emily, writes…

"Sometimes I feel like I am gripping the ground dragging myself toward the destination trying to fight all sorts of tempests and storms..... But I don't let go!”

I, too, feel as though at times…Many times…I am gripping the ground, DRAGGING myself toward my destination, as that is all I can do. It seems quite overwhelming…Overwhelming to be me…Overwhelming to attain the things—the goals—the peace that I so yearn for.

Emily’s example, in her Daybook, was Mary of old. I, likewise, have a great example but one of modern day. Her name is Sheri L. Dew. This wonderful accomplished woman, is a successful author and head of a large company. One would believe that she has it all, and by all outside glances, it would appear so to be. Sherri, however, was never blessed to be married…Never blessed in motherhood. She “hates”, if I am recalling her words from a tape just listened to, going home to an empty house.

The Lord has had other plans for her; she knows not whether she will ever marry. At 57 years of age, she is past child-bearing years. As marriage and family is a primary focus of our church, how very very hard this burden must be for her to bear.

I have listed below some biographical information on Sheri. Please be advised that this was obtained from Wikipedia, which is an encyclopedia wherein anyone may post. Therefore, the information may or may not be totally correct.

Sheri L. Dew (born November 21, 1953) is an American author and publisher, currently acting as president and chief executive officer of Deseret Book, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dew has also been a religious leader within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), an inspirational speaker, writer, and acted as a White House delegate to the United Nations. In 2003, she was described as “the most prominent single LDS woman right now”.

I do not have Sheri's specific trials, for I was blessed both with a husband and children and now grandchildren. I look to people like Emily and Sherri, as I make my own way through the stinging nettles of life...And...

My Heavenly Father gives me—here and there—tidbits of hope, as I try ardently to have a wee bit of faith. He lets me know that things are okay, that He is there. I am thankful for those times, and I am thankful for Him.

May you find mentors of equal caliber, to whom you may look, as you fight your way through the many trials of life.

Blessings to you all.

BLOWING DOWN THE STREET

2010-05-05T23:37:00.000-07:00

Here's a bit of what has been happening in our little corner of the world...

A woman told me yesterday that she would be back to class on Thursday if she didn't get blown into the next state! DH said that he almost did what with the strong winds, being close to the state border, and struggling to keep his rig rolling straight.

Here were some headlines on our paper...

Power lines downed, tractor-trailer rigs toppled in strong windstorm

Trucks also were felled by the powerful gale. Semitrailers were reported overturned at the interchange on Tuesday. And on Monday night, the wind overturned a semi on [the] highway, while bedeviling efforts to rescue its driver from the cab for close to three hours. The wreck was such a mess that volunteer fire departments had to assist, along with other emergency responders.
“Both of his trailers were empty, so without that weight to keep them planted, they kind of acted like a huge sail.”

(Paraphrased)

We always have some wind in the Spring, but I’ve never seen anything like this and for this long! If you live here, don’t EVEN plan on having a good day hair when you leave the house!

Have a beautiful and (hopefully) calm Thursday! ;)

TEN LONG DAYS

2010-04-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned that I miss my boy…;)

Oh my goodness, how I miss my boy.

I tried very hard not to text or phone him…I wanted our communication to mean something, so I wrote a letter…Day by day, I would write my thoughts, my questions, and our goings-on…

I sent the letter.

Then…I started another letter…Day by day, again, I recorded my thoughts, my questions, and our goings-on…

I sent the letter.

Day after day passed…And no word came…

By day 10, I could handle it no more...I was understanding of DB not contacting me, as who wants to talk to Mom when you have a whole new world before you? But…I was oh, so sad…

He may not have needed me, but I needed him!

It has been such a transition, as I knew that it would be. I think what is hardest of all is that I don’t have anyone around me who can relate…No one with whom I may share my feelings. Mom commented that she thought I would do okay since I had seen what a wonderful environment he would be in. Of course, I am very thankful for this…

But…

I told her that I have had that boy for 20 years! He is my only son. We have shared and bonded over two decades! How could I not have an aching heart for the lad?

So…Came Day 10…

Midnight…

Entering Day 11…

I could handle it no more…I texted…

He has always been fairly prompt in getting back to me…So, after receiving no answer the next day or the next night, I began to wonder and even worry a wee bit.

The second morning came, and I got the text!

His phone has been on its last legs, and he has been inundated with homework…I didn’t say “I told you so” like I wanted to ;)….

Before he left for college, he had spoken of running, working out, teaching martial arts, riding his motorcycle, reading some novels that he had been wanting to read…And, of course, calling on some of the female sort…

I told him, “DB, you’ll be in college! When I was there, I didn’t have time to read so much as a magazine! My every waking moment was spent in homework and the scores and scores of reading assignments I was given.”

“Of course,” I said, I was a nontraditional student and always noticed that the younger people MADE time for fun, while we who were a bit older kept our noses to our books.” He agreed that, yes, he indeed would be making time for fun!

We shall see…;)

So…Though his car, parked at the curb, brings daily reminders…And the sound of certain motorcycles make my heart twinge…This mama’s countenance is a bit brighter with the receipt of a text.

Love your little ones, dear mothers (and fathers)…For all too soon do they go away.

RANDOM SHOTS

2010-04-27T00:09:00.000-07:00

A few random pictures from a week or two ago…

A really nice 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A we saw along the way, in Idaho...

A Polynesian luau…

High-class college housing…;)

A very long boy…

Have a beautiful Tuesday, All…

ALL THAT IS REAL

2010-04-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

Do you ever reflect on what makes you happy?

It is so very important, in this ugly and harsh world, to point our focus…

To that which is real…

Beautiful…

Uplifting…

And strong…

To children…

And family...

And all that is real…

A GOSPEL-ONLY MEDIA DAY

2010-04-21T00:18:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow, Wednesday, DH and I are going to have a gospel-only media day. So, no TV other than the BYU channel, no CDs other than those preaching the Gospel, and no magazines or books other than the scriptures or the Ensign, etc. I think that this will help us spiritually as individuals, as well as a couple. It is also a lesson in self-denial.

It’s funny, because I am not a big TV watcher and generally only spend my fun online time (am on for work as well) in various wholesome blogs that I visit. But…I am having a little anxiety attack already! Ha! Is that pathetic, or what?! Well, that’s okay; I need to grow, but more than that, I WANT my Heavenly Father’s guidance in my life, and the more I turn to Him, the more I will be able to feel and hear that still small voice.

So, blessings to you this Wednesday; may you find peace in your day as you seek Him who gives it.

BE IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF IT

2010-04-19T22:59:00.000-07:00

Romans: 12:2 (King James Version)

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We are taught to be in the world but not of it. To me, this is a very difficult thing to do. When we arrived home from the spiritual environment which we were in and came back to jobs, which we had been able to put aside for a few days, it became very difficult for me to not want to bury my head in the sand. It had felt so could being clothed in the spirit that I wanted to continue that.

So, today, I stayed at home and relished a bit more in the spirit before exposing myself to the world once again. I read some Ensign talks and watched some stories of interest on the BYU channel. Tonight, I read from Abraham 3, and I prayed. DH went back to work—back to the normal grind.

I now have additional goals to add to my list, as I NEED my Heavenly Father to help me in my feeble attempts at this crazy thing we call life. I have prayed; I have studied; I now go forward in faith.

I pray that you may find some inspiration for yourselves to also go forward, even in hard times, having faith that our Heavenly Father will guide you through.

Have a blessed and organized Tuesday, All!

THE SPIRIT OF GOD LIKE A FIRE IS BURNING

2010-04-16T22:30:00.001-07:00

Today was orientation day for students and parents at BYU-I. The spirit was so strong; it was amazing. I have never been to an orientation of any sort where I felt the spirit, let alone how physically palpable it was today. The Lord was and is certainly on that campus. WE FELT IT. Families from all over the country came to partake.

What a wonderful blessing it is to have a son who has chosen a worthy goal such as he has. It is such a different environment than anything that I am used to. The kids there are all striving to live right—the whole campus and all the students in the apartment buildings around town. What a difference that is from what I see day to day! DS’s apartment building is for men only, and the girls have their own buildings. Pictures of the Savior are in each apartment, along with other scriptural paintings. Everyone is friendly. My husband remarked that it was more like family than just strangers. It was really amazing.

The dress code is modest, and I have not seen one immodestly-dressed person in the day and a half that we have been here. That is 180 degrees from what is normal, as I generally don’t go but a few minutes without seeing some sort of vulgarity or another, whether it be dress or the magazines on the racks at the convenience store.

The dress and grooming of BYU-Idaho students should always be modest, neat, and clean consistent with representing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Taken from "BYU-Idaho Student Baseline Campus Dress and Grooming Standards", BYU-Idaho.

I don’t want to leave; it just feels good here.

DB is rooming with other guys, at least two of whom are returned missionaries. It is just so remarkable to me to see people of this age dress and act with respect. I don’t know what more a parent could ask for than to have their own child in such an environment.

I am thankful for the great work that the faculty and workers at the school do for our kids. There are uplifting magazines laying on tables by the couches in the commons area. There is a president, who came from Harvard, to serve and guide the students. His experience is great, but his spirit is just as great, and that is what really matters. There are chapels, Family Home Evening groups, and a beautiful temple on the hill, just above the campus.

We were fed by the spirit today, in great abundance, and we were fed good nutritious food as well. A Luau was planned for us complete with a Hawaiian dinner.

I am thankful for this blessing in my life. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me, through my son, to experience just a portion—yet such a great amount to me—of what it will be like when I return to him. Nothing else in life really matters, and today I was reminded of that.

WORKING WOMEN PART II

2010-04-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

I inadvertantly left out my sources for the first part of this post. They are as follows:

SOURCES

http://cct2.edc.org/PMA/modern_women/.
http://www.msad54.org/sahs/socialstudies/finely/1920s/1920HK/women.html.
http://school.discoveryeducation.com
www.wolverhamptonhistory.org.uk/.../20th/guys
http://www.alternet.org/story/48370/-

Now, more on working women of the last century...

THE 1960s…

“More women are getting jobs outside the home. By 1969, 43 percent of women are in the workforce, up from 25 percent in 1940. And more of these women are wives and mothers. In 1960, over 30 percent of married women work, up from 15 percent in 1940.”

These number surprised me…I didn’t realize that that many women were working outside of the home in the 1960s. Possibly that was because my own mom was a homemaker during this decade…She didn’t have to go to work until my youngest brother was nine. I was a teenager at the time and so consider myself lucky that I got to have my mom at home for the majority of my growing up years.

Oddly enough, history nearly repeated itself, and I was home until my youngest was eight. It is sad to me that he didn’t get a mom who stayed home and cooked for him. Unlike the girls, I think that his memories do not entail all of the homemade dinners, gardening, and canning. But…I can’t turn back the clock.

Feminism was rapidly rising in the 1960s…PAUSE…

I just had a sweet experience…Boy, who I just mentioned and who is leaving tomorrow for college, just came in. He has been cleaning out the attic and brought down a couple of mementos. He had with him a file box, with labels that I made him for homeschooling, and a cape that he used to fly around in…The cape was an old towel that I had sewed a button on. They were dear to him, and that meant a lot to me. So…I guess that he DOES have some fond memories of growing up!

Back to the 60s…

This picture says it all…

You can tackle domesticities and an outside job at the same time…

I’m not sure who they were trying to fool, but a whole nation bought into the myth…

“The Women's Movement of the 1960s and 1970s had its roots in the new opportunities and freedoms for women during World War II. Following war many women who were forced to return to their roles as housewives grew frustrated and suffocated, as the women who began to enter or reenter the workforce grew dissatisfied with their second class status, clearly visible in little to no room for advancement, unequal pay for the same work (fifty-nine cents on a man's dollar), sex-segregated help wanted ads, and the legality of sexual discrimination and sexual harassment, which did not exist as a legal concept at the time.”

As to sexual equality, I feel that the Lord made us all equal, as far as our worth. I also feel that men and women are different and were made for different purposes. Due to the latter, the women’s liberation movement was not all good for sure…

I like that my husband is strong and can take care of tasks that I can’t…I don’t feel any need to prove that I am just like a man, because I am not. Likewise, he doesn’t feel any need to prove that he is like a woman…

I also very much enjoyed taking my husband’s name when I got married and feel special when I use the title “Mrs.”. To me, hyphenated names are a ludicrous, and the title "Ms." is ridiculous.

These things all came about during the same decade that prayer got taken out of schools. What in the world are we trying to prove anyway? Do we just want to throw God away and, at the same time, become a unisex society?

SOURCES

http://school.discoveryeducation.com

APPROPRIATE DRESS AND APPEARANCE

2010-04-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

Today in Relief Society (a women’s Church group), we talked about different aspects of the book for the young people of the church entitled For the Strength of Youth. The part that caught my attention today was the chapterlette on Dress and Appearance.

Below are some excerpts…

“Your body is God’s sacred creation. Respect it as a gift from God, and do not defile it in any way.”

“The way you dress is a reflection of what you are on the inside. Your dress and grooming send messages about you to others and influence the way you and others act.”

I find this very true for myself. If I am dressed in a sloppy manner, I feel the same way. If I am dressed up, I feel much better.

I think that it is important to take some time for ourselves to bathe, fix our hair, and put on a bit of makeup. I know that I feel an almost night-and-day difference in so doing.

50sgal, over at The Apron Revolution, has talked about this for a long time now and has a special time set apart for her grooming routine.

James, from Man of the 50s, is like-wise a tailored dresser and a gentleman to boot! Have you ever noticed nicely-dressed gentlemen holding the door open for a lady? On the contrary, have you ever noticed guys with the waist of their pants below their bottoms holding the door for a lady? Not that the latter doesn’t ever happen, but…

There is something to the way we dress in accordance with how we view ourselves and how we treat others.

One does not need to be a nun for sure but can be tastefully dressed AND beautiful at the same time.

“When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the spirit and can exercise a good influence on those around you.”

“Never lower your dress standards for any occasion.”

Wow; that says volumes to me. “…for any occasion.” It continues…

“Doing so sends the message that you are using your body to get attention and approval and that modesty is important only when it is convenient.”

In today’s world of sex-sells-all, I really wonder how many decently-minded people there are left. I get so very weary of the (I won’t say the name that I’m thinking) ill-dressed women—NOT ladies—on TV. And, who is watching these shows? Your husband? Your son? Young moldable boys? It’s a shame.

“Always be neat and clean and avoid being sloppy or inappropriately casual in dress, grooming, and manners.”

If we could twinkle ourselves back to the Victorian era, these things would all be common sense.

Print by John P. O'Brien

At one point in my life, I desired a tattoo. Then, men were the main population getting them; they were not mainstream as they are now. At the time, I was dating a Marine, and I suppose that had something to do with it...

I cannot count the number of times since then that I have been so happy that I never got that tattoo!

Summertime…

I think that summertime is especially difficult in the area of dress...Or lack thereof. During this season, females all but lose any modesty that they may have once maintained.

I was sitting in my car at the school on Friday and caught, in my review mirror, a young middle-school aged girl...So, that would be 13ish. What got my attention first of all was that she was using crutches. As I started to wonder what the cause of her ailment was, the view became more clear. I could see the bottom of HER bottom sticking out of very short shorts!

I am always amazed at what is allowed not only in public but in places of learning. I’m sure that many males were happy that day, but at what cost?

To sum up these thoughts…

I am very far from perfect in this area and in many others as well, and I do not want to give the impression that I am. I do, however, strive and want to continue to do so, in my own dress and, at the same time, hopefully be an example to others that looking nice and neat and clean does not have to mean dressing like a bar-room girl.

WORKING WOMEN PART I

2010-04-10T23:35:00.000-07:00

THE 1900S...

"At the turn of the century women's social roles greatly expanded. Before then, most women's lives centered on their labor in the household--caretaking, cooking, sewing, cleaning, and gardening. By 1900, industrial society was drawing more and more women out of the home and off of the farm and into the worlds of work and public life."

Many of the jobs that they did were an extension of what they already did in the home, for example, sewing.

Do you remember in Mary Poppins where the lady of the house goes out for “the cause”, which “infuriated Mr. Banks”? Women, at that time (and this is set a decade earlier), wanted a voice. Aside from the admirable desire of getting the vote, what was that voice, and how different is it from the voice women (or some of us) want today?

THE 1920S...

“For 72 years, women fought for the right to vote. Their struggle came to an end in 1920 when the 19th Amendment was passed. It may have been the first step towards ending discrimination, but it was still the beginning of many struggles to come. The ideal role of women was to get married, have kids, and stay home to keep the house in order, and leaving the men to run the country and corporations and be the head of the household. Women set out to step out of the norm and go against the general agreement that women belonged at home.”

How far the pendulum has swung! After having been repressed for so many years, as far as not having ANY voice, women wanted to emerge into main stream.

Now, they certainly have what they wanted! All, in all, it is probably good, for who wants to live as a lesser-than? But, and there is a “but”…

It has gone too far…

Society now relies on a woman’s income…On women working, not only out of the home BUT also IN the home…It is a frazzled life, indeed.

On top of that, if you don’t have a piece of paper saying that you’re valuable, you’re pretty much nothing, as far as working society is concerned. In the 80’s, one could talk their way into a lot of jobs and from there work their way up. Now, if you don’t have a degree to clip your fingernails, you’re out of luck.

So…One ends up in the throws of the blue-collars using your body, until it finally gives out, more than your intelligence, and believe me, you don’t need a degree to have intelligence!

Many of us today, I believe, would rather put our physical AND our mental efforts into our own homes...

On to the next decade...

THE 1930’S…

“By 1932, the Great Depression [had] left 12 million people out of work in the United States. Women [were] discouraged from ‘taking jobs’ from men. Some states even pass[ed] laws against hiring women. But, many women [had to] work—despite low wages and miserable conditions—to support their families. By 1938, more than 800,000women belong[ed] to unions, three times the number in 1928.”

This film was also set a decade earlier than the 1930’s but depicts Mrs. Bucket, of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, who is also a woman who must work out of the house to provide for her needy family and extended family…

So, while women did indeed work in the early part of the century, society did not rely on them like it did during World War II and today.

THE 1940s…

“One such [1940s] worker was Mrs Nicklin, who was described in a booklet produced by Guy Motors in the 1940's as one of Wolverhampton's most hard working women. Although scarcely five feet high and about seven stone in weight, she worked a 55 hour week at Guy Motors, brought up 8 children [she originally had 11, but the others died] and on Sundays cooked, washed, cleaned and mended for her husband and family.”

Women like this flat amaze me.

THE 1950S…

“A baby is born. A child develops a high fever. A spouse breaks a leg. A parent suffers a stroke. These are the events that throw a working woman's delicate balance between work and family into chaos."

"Although we read endless stories and reports about the problems faced by working women, we possess inadequate language for what most people view as a private rather than a political problem. ‘That's life,’ we tell each other, instead of trying to forge common solutions to these dilemmas."

"That's exactly what housewives used to say when they felt unhappy and unfulfilled in the 1950s: ‘That's life.’ Although magazines often referred to housewives' unexplained depressions,…”

Well of course they were depressed! They were only human beings yet expected to do it all! I don’t see any difference today…We are STILL just human beings—not super humans; yet, working women are still expected to do it all. There is one consolation, and that is that I do see and hear of more men helping out some. I definitely believe that that is a minority, however.

And, why do you think that there are so many ads on TV for antidepressants? Part of the population, at least, that they are reaching are the working women.

I remember two decades hence, my own mom having to go to work…Temporarily.

She never quit until she retired 20 or so years late…

She worked full-time and had three of us kids at home, along with all of our homework and school activities to deal with. We helped with the chores, but she was the one who was responsible for them. I love my dad, and Dad always did and still does work extremely hard. That said, he came from the generation where the women did the housework, so regardless that Mom worked, she still did all of the cooking, cleaning (with the exception of what we did), ironing, grocery shopping, and clothes shopping…You name it, she did it. The poor woman was stressed out! My word; how very sad! I applaud her with all I have, as she did it well. The house was always clean, and meals were ALWAYS full-course, nutritious, and beautifully prepared. And...We were always dressed well.

I remember Mom trying to hold down her job and home, while her parents were both in need of physical care. She would travel the 50 miles to their house, over and over again, to take care of their needs. It was a great strain on her.

To be continued...

ADORABLE!

2010-04-09T00:08:00.000-07:00

This is SO ADORABLE!

If you have 3 minutes and 41 seconds, it is worth the watch!

MY CHILDREN...MY BLESSINGS

2010-04-08T23:21:00.000-07:00

ONE WEEK is all I have left! Ahhhh…!

As I have posted before, I will officially be without ANY children living with me as of next Thursday. :/ It’s a sad sad day. I am SO not looking forward to my dear boy leaving. He is my friend, someone to make me laugh, and just a charming person all in all.

I love that he brings his friends over…I love that he WANTS to show me his new car-stereo system and his newest martial-arts moves…I love that he gives me a hug if I really need it…And I love that he put his snuggly head next to mine tonight when asking how to make Jello Jigglers…:0)

It is the greatest blessing of all…To have children as great as mine, and I sincerely thank the Lord for them…

This is such a momentous turning point in my life after having children for 25 years and 8 months EXACTLY! My oldest was born on August 17th 25 years ago, and when we get home from taking DB to college, it will be April 17th…

Sigh…

I’m not sure how the bear side of the picture relates here, but the sad woman with the bird flying away looks like I feel…

My last little birdie is flying away…

I wonder…

Are there other mothers out there who DO NOT rejoice when their nest is at last empty? I almost think that it must be a minority…I never hear anyone talking of it…

A few people have said to me, “Well, your house will be quiet now; you’ll have some peace.” No! My son is no trouble at all, and I enjoy being around him! There is nothing unpeaceful about it, and it isn’t as if all of a sudden one day, I will be going from having a passel of needy small children to the next day having a quiet house! He’s 20 years old, so NO, it’s not okay!

Well, we’ll survive…I just may moan a bit. ;)

Yesterday, I had my littlest grandson with me for a gramma-boy day. He is so very adorable, and we had a grand time! I had something to take care of at the hospital and while there we walked all over and took MANY elevator rides. He got to push all the buttons (I don’t think he even knew about that until I showed him, as older brothers always get to do it). He loved it! Each time we would go in, he would say, “Button?”…

He was so cute…

While we were standing at one such elevator, an older woman walked by, and in a somewhat exasperated tone said, “Been there done that!”, as if to say that it was some sort of a pain…

I replied…It’s wonderful!

I thank the Lord for my grandbabies and doubly that they live in town. And, I am so grateful that I have good family and that they allow me to be a part of their lives.

SPRING AND CLEANING A CAN OPENER AND A MICROWAVE

2010-04-07T00:30:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung, and the yard work has begun (weather ;) or not we’re ready for it…

I mentioned before that I need a plan, as it is a struggle keeping up with work and home let alone yard…

Well…It is almost formulated; I have a couple of things left to figure out…

So far…

Hubby spent a couple of days, or a good portion of them anyway, within the past week...

Power raking, aerating, and fertilizing…

The day before that, he put 128 gallons of beetle-killer mixture out for the Chinese Elm tree…Those beetles get us every year!

Now that we have gotten a day or two of rain, we're off to a good start!

Cleaning a can opener…

For years, I told my kids to wipe off the can opener and toaster every time they did the dishes…When there are splatters that are dried on, you can’t just easily wipe them off…But, if it’s done each time it’s used and evening after the dishes are washed, you won't have any problems…

I don’t know WHY that is such a hard task for kids to do, but it still doesn’t get done…That was the way Mom had us do it, and it seems that we got it done (after we were told a time or two ;)…

At any rate, the time had come…I could stand it no more!

I like to make work easy whenever I can, and I also like to go natural if possible…

One product that fits the bill…And one which my husband and son hate…(but it doesn’t matter, as they aren’t the ones cleaning ;)…

Is vinegar…

Vinegar has 1001 uses…You can drink it (and I do)...

Use it topically on your skin...And a host of other things…

Also, a very important quality is that it is nontoxic to the lungs and skin…

So, the other day, as I was cleaning the kitchen, I sprayed the can opener (ours is mounted underneath the cupboards) with a vinegar/water solution and let it soak……Every so often, I would come back, scrub it with a soft netted sponge and then spray again…

I did this about three different times…The cutting apparatus detaches, and I put it in soapy water to soak until the dishes were washed…And, voila, a clean can opener!

Excuse the blurry picture...I'm still trying to figure this camera out...It looks focused on the screen, and then I find out later that it is blurry...

I believe this vinegar solution that I used was 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water...I put it in an old spray bottle and labeled the back with a permanent marker...

Just remember to shake it each time before you spritz…

When using it to clean my glass and windows, I don’t spray quite as much as I would with Windex…It doesn’t have a drying agent, so less is actually better.

Cleaning a microwave…

I’m sure that this is no trade secret; yet, it IS a very easy way to clean a microwave…And, ease and cleanliness are what it's all about!

I fill a coffee cup with water and microwave for five minutes…Do NOT use a new cup, as the hot water can explode out after the cup is removed…

Our microwave is old, so yours may not take as long…In fact, my husband had gotten it as a Christmas present the year before we met...

He received it in 1980, so this Christmas, it will be 30 years old…Wow, I thought that planned obsolescence came about earlier than that, but apparently they still made some things to last at that time.

My kids were always on me to get a new one…One that cooked faster (and probably one that looked better)…”Why throw out an appliance that still works and spend money needlessly on something that will be dead in five years or less”, I would reply…Besides...It doesn't look bad just out of style, and I don't care about that...

Back to the cleaning…While I go about my other chores, I let the water heat and then wipe out the steamy microwave…Sometimes, I go a second round for just a few minutes being sure not to boil all of the water out… Ours has a glass insert, which I take out and scrub with soapy water…

This system really does work quite well!

Well...Those are my tips for the day…

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

THE BLESSINGS OF WORK

2010-04-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

SCORES FOR WEEK OF MARCH 29, 2010...

There are six days in the week…I have decided not to do anything...Even putting out my laundry on Sundays…(I may do it but am not requiring it of myself)…It is the day of rest…

There are three chores a day…Morning tidying of bedroom…Specified Evening chore…And...Night-time tidying of living room…

There are a total of 18 chores a week…

This week, I got 15 out of 18 of them done for a total of 83%...I have noticed that with such low numbers...

I can only miss one chore a week to be able to obtain a 90%...There is not much room for error there!

I actually did Thursday’s Night chore on Friday, so with that figured in, I did a total of 16 out of the 18 for a total percentage of 89%.

It helps to keep a running daily tally, as I can see where I did well, as above, and where I need to improve the next week…

This week’s improvements will be in eating more healthy and exercising.

Today, I will be focusing on working women…Since I must do it, I am spending some time on it here…

Work days are indeed busy…The pace of the day…The pace of the world is quite unlike that of the housekeeper or housewife who can make her own schedule…

I am lucky in that I have two different jobs, each of which requires a different attire…

At one, I wear tennis/working-on-your-feet-all-day shoes…

At the other, I dress up…

I am so thankful that I don’t have to work in a sweat shop…

And that I get paid more than these poor workers do…(Something to think about when I am bemoaning the fact that I have to work)…

It is, indeed, a fine art combining Fashion and Work…

With taking care of the Animals and Housework…

AND…Making time for Family, Exercise, and the like…

Many women enjoy working…

It is invigorating for them, after previous decades of repression…

Some women like to work…

To get them out of the “drudgery”, as they see it, of house…

A few women have to work…

Disabled husbands, deep debt, and other maladies...

Or...

Just an unwillingness to live below a certain standard of living…Drive these women into the work-force…

Regardless of the reason, there are many of us out there fighting our way up the ladder, battling the female jealousy (And believe me…There is a LOT of that), and trying to keep some semblance of normalcy to our lives and pride in ourselves…

There are perks for sure…

When I worked at the Estee’ Lauder sales counter, my makeup closet was filled to the brim!

All sorts of lipsticks and creams adorned my dressing table…We were sent to school every few months and given free products…

And...Who doesn't like free stuff?!

Uniforms were supplied…And I ALWAYS smelled pretty for my husband!

Their products really were divine, and Estee’ Lauder herself was quite the woman…

As we were placed at the front of every store (a requirement of Estee' Lauder) and amid the other cosmetic and perfume counters, there was opportunity for goodies of all kinds…

The Hospital...

Working at the hospital…I have been able to get Free Health Screenings…Gifts…

And most importantly…Free advice ala immersion…

I hear so much from the experts just by being around them, that my knowledge has exponentially increased over the years…Now THAT is a Benny!

My other job...

At my other job, I am fortunate enough to get free textbooks and am able to learn an unlimited amount on the human body, it’s anatomy, and physiology, and pathophysiology…

Being able to do this and to share it with others is a GREAT advantage that I am blessed with…

Next week, one of the students will be having a cyst removed from her lung and has asked the surgeon if I may attend the surgery to video tape it…I am quite excited about the prospect and am praying that he will agree…

So…As they say…(Whoever “they” is)…

There is a GOOD SIDE to everything…Even work!

Have a wonderful and organized Tuesday!

2010-04-04T21:48:00.000-07:00

It was a successful week and now onto another…

I find it very difficult, especially after having such a wonderfully blessed and restful weekend, to go back out into the world…

I popped over to Jia's blog for a visit and found this quote, with which I resonated...

I know what happens when I work outside of the home. My home is destroyed. And I don't mean the actual house. I mean the peace within it. The love in my marriage. And yes, the dishes pile up. Bitterness rises. Lethargy kicks into overdrive . . .

www.colormeuntypical.blogspot.com

My desire is so strong to stay in my house, delve into the domesticities, and make a home...

That it is very distressing to walk again, among the muck of the world.

As I have often said, I feel as if I were born during the wrong time on this earth. There is much good to be thankful for, indeed; I just feel as though I am a piece from a bygone puzzle trying to fit into this modern one…A template from another time…

(Studio EM Creative Junque)

I do not see an end to working outside of the home, as bills will always need to be paid, prices will always rise, and retirement must be saved for. Thus, my constant internal struggle to make some sort of peace within…That seems afar off, particularly at the start of the week when I have been fed and nourished and feel such a strong kinship with the role of womanhood…

It feels just the opposite of the innate feelings of homemaking…To go out and be a provider…I do a fine job at what I do, and indeed while doing it, I become engaged…Nonetheless, at the end of each day, another hat must be donned, another outfit put on, and it is then that I struggle once more, as I attempt to plunge into my house, and create (while tired and worn) a home…

Continuity evades me. Too many hats…Too many suits…Wear down the attire of the soul.

So…I pray for resolution within myself, as that is from where it must arise…Resolution and peace…

Strength…

Strength to conquer all that must be conquered!

My outfit is laid out…My book bag is packed…Materially, I am ready…

It is now that I go to prepare my mind…

SMALL VICTORIES (PART TWO), CLOTHES PINS, AND AN EASTER STORY

2010-04-02T23:41:00.000-07:00

It seems like the longer we put things off, the more daunting they seem…

I had made such a big deal of the insurance paper work that I put it off for…well, a very long time. Once I finally did it yesterday, I chastised myself, as it was really quite simple. My husband, on the other hand, is ultra efficient. I am STILL learning from him…It’s just too bad that it’s taking so long!

One thing that I absolutely love about this new Organizational Goal that I have is that it makes life so much simpler! For instance, tonight, DD and I hosted a Lia Sophia jewelry party. Generally, whenever I have something at my house, I dread the getting-ready part. You know…the cleaning and setting up, etc.

Well, since I have been following my program, my living room was already clean, my bathroom was already clean, and all I had to do was to set up some extra chairs, which Hubby had gotten down from the attic for me. It really was a snap!

My cute niece, Ryanne, showing the jewelry...

My beautiful mother (left) and mother-in-law (right)...

Nieces Ryanne and Shannda...

Lovely niece Kylie...

So…Hard work really does pay off, and small victories really turn into large accomplishments! I still struggle with keeping up, but I am getting better and better, and by the end of the year (or sooner), I will be quite efficient.

As I love to hang out my laundry, I have wanted a clothes line for a long time…

And…Since I haven’t had one in years, my clothes pin supply was gone…

I decided to make due for now with a cable we had originally strung for the dog…It can’t hold much, but a little is better than nothing…

So, without pins, I tucked the ends of the two sheets under the blanket on either side…We had such strong winds that day that by the evening when I went out to get the laundry, I was down to ONE sheet and the blanket…

The other sheet has never been found! :/

Needless to say, among today’s purchases was a package of clothes pins… ;)

I had the little people over the other day and wanted to combine some fun with the real reason for Easter…

I had some little eggs, which when opened, contained a little chick…

When put in water over a couple of days...

They will grow…

While they were playing with the chicks, I read them this book…

Let’s Celebrate Jesus on Easter…

It is sad to me that Easter is just one more commercialized holiday where baskets, candy, and now even gifts are bought…

We do the baskets and the egg hunt, but I really like to teach the little people the real reason for Easter…

After the story, we went down and watched He is Risen…

This was put out by Living Scriptures…They have a wonderful way of telling the scriptures that keep the children's attention...When my children were young, I collected all of these animated videos...

Little people are so very very special that we HAVE to teach them and we need to love them…

May we all realize the blessings of Easter this weekend...

SMALL VICTORIES...PART ONE

2010-04-01T23:43:00.000-07:00

I have found over time that when I REALLY don’t want to do something (or anything), if I can force myself to just do one thing, it will snowball…

As small victories often do, they lend themselves to a sense of accomplishment and a greater self-esteem…

Things that seem daunting to me are often small…

Figuring my bills…
Filling out insurance or Flex paperwork…

OR…

Cleaning the bathroom…

These things seem pretty insignificant when I think about them, but for some reason, at times I can mole hills into mountains…

By, first of all, MAKING A LIST, you set yourself up for success…

By, second of all, CROSSING OFF your to-do list one at a time, you set the cement for success…

It somehow gives a great sense of accomplishment when it is WRITTEN IN INK (instead of just in your mind) and then crossed off!

Coming up with new systems can sometimes take some of the burden away…

Within the last few months…(and after having my credit card number stolen)…I have found a safe way to pay my bills online through my bank…This is so much easier than figuring the bills, going to the bank to withdraw money, going to the store to purchase money orders, filling out all the money orders, addressing and stamping all the envelopes, and then going to the post office box to mail them…

So, even though I still dislike taking any time to do the drudgery of bill paying, I just tell myself that with my new system, it really won’t take much time at all…I just have to get on my computer, type out what I want to pay, and then, when I have finished, I cross that item off, and I’m on to the next!

To be continued…

TWO CANDLES FROM ONE

2010-03-29T23:11:00.000-07:00

You know when your candle gets down toward the bottom, and it’s looking less than what you would like to display?

Well…There is a frugal AND fun way to save on candles…

I always save my wax and then when I’m ready, I will melt a couple of candles and make one whole new one…

Put your mostly-used candle jars in a pot of water and turn on medium or medium-low…Do not let it boil…

You may want to use old pots, as wax invariably gets in them...

It may take a couple of hours depending on how much wax you have to melt…

You will probably have to add a new wick to the new candle…Wicks and wick holders can be purchased inexpensively at a craft store such as Michaels…

Once the wax is melted in both jars, pour one into the other…Making a complete candle…

Or…

You may use a clean third jar, adding both jars of melted wax to it…

The fun of combinging candles is not only the good feeling it gives you in saving rather than throwing but also the new scent that you have created!

Most recently, I combined a mango and peach for a lovely aroma. You can also do layers, but wait for each one to set before pouring the next layer.

When I was finished, I ended up with a brand new large-sized candle (not pictured) and had enough wax left over to make a small one to set in the kitchen…

It is a light peach color and smells yummy!

One note to watch for is that they tend to settle and funnel…Sometimes I am able to overcome this by pouring in layers and allowing to fully cool before adding the next layer. I haven’t gotten it fool-proof yet, however, so if anyone has any tips, I would be glad to hear them.

I love Salt City candles…This where the wax and jars were from…

As they can be rather spendy, the money savings is wonderful!

As you can see, this candle still needs a bit of cleaning up and the wick trimmed...

The full-sized candle that I made would sell for about $21.95, and the small one would go for around $12.00…So, that is a savings of $34…

Creativity melded with thrift makes for a few hours of satisfaction and fun!

YOU HAVEN'T FAILED UNTIL YOU QUIT TRYING

2010-03-27T21:59:00.000-07:00

A step back in life gives a fresh look at what’s really important…

Being away for a couple of days helping my brother move, allowed me to revisit some very valuable things…

Being away gives a fresh look at what’s really important…

That I don’t need to stress over the insignificant…

That we all have idiosyncrasies…

That we all have talents and abilities to learn from…

That old has strength…

Old buildings…

Old people…

The only thing old is her age number...She was thatching the lawn when we surprised her today...The garage floor is scrubbed and the walls washed for the big Easter feast next weekend...The house walls were washed last week getting ready for the painters...

Old cars…

That having a brother means so much…

That little people are God’s greatest creations…

That being multifaceted is fun…

Wearing high heels and lipstick one day and jeans and a Harley bandana the next…

That you can review your chemistry from the side of a U-Haul…

That new is not always better…

Like high-tech cameras that have a setting that takes blurry pictures, and if you don't know how to turn that setting off...It can lead to frustration...

That grampas are wonderful…

That Chevy is better than Ford, but that Ford makes some nice emblems ;)…

That mamas are sturdy and ever-strong…And they sing and joke while they work…

That frustration can end in success…

KEEPER

2010-03-26T01:09:00.000-07:00

I received a beautiful ode the other day and wish to share part of it with anyone who may read...

Keeper

Their
marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best
friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now,
Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house
dress; lawn mower in his hand, and dish-towel in hers.
It was the time for fixing things.. A curtain rod, the
kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a
dress. Things we keep.

It
was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All
that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to
be wasteful.. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things
away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But
then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night,
in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with
the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any
more. Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used
up and goes away......never to return. So... While we
have it.... It’s best we love it... And care for it....
And fix it when it's broken...... And heal it when it's
sick.