The toothpaste in our bathroom is almost gone. As I carefully tried to squeeze enough for just one more brushing, I thought of a funny story from early in Jerry's and my marriage.
When we were newlyweds we really did not have a lot of money. Back then, we squeezed every last bit out of the toothpaste tube because we sometimes didn't have money to buy more until payday. The brand of toothpaste that we used had one of those tubes that just stay filled with air instead of getting flatter and flatter until the toothpaste is all gone. You really couldn't be sure exactly how much toothpaste was left in the tube. One night while brushing our teeth I commented on how long this particular tube of toothpaste had lasted and was feeling rather blessed, because at the time, there was no money for another tube. Some days later…I really don't remember how many, I mentioned in disbelief that the tube was still squeezing out toothpaste. A week or so later I again told Jerry how incredibly blessed we were that our toothpaste still hadn't run out. He looked like he was suppressing a smile. It wasn't too long until he confessed his practical joke. He'd found another tube of toothpaste in our cupboard and had been secretly adding toothpaste to our tube when I wasn't around. He'd just add a little bit so I wouldn't get suspicious. He'd had a lot of fun laughing inside as I kept squeezing out toothpaste for just one more brushing.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Wholesome Family Activities
Jacob got up this past Sunday morning and said, "Mom, I think my favorite Sunday of the year is the Sunday of the Primary Program." I think I agree with him.
Once a year our sweet Primary children get to participate in Sacrament meeting, teaching the rest of the congregation through their short and simple gospel messages and their beautiful singing. This past Sunday was just that day in our ward.
This year the children have focused on the importance of families.
Early this summer Emily (7) was already thinking about the Primary Program. She came home eagerly from church one Sunday and said, "Mom, I really have to go to the Primary councilor's house. She said if we want to give a talk for the Primary Program we need to tell her. I really want to do a talk and I forgot to tell her at church." She made the needed visit and was told that she could do a talk. She was given her assignment and got to work.
She was asked to give some examples of "wholesome activities" that she has done with her family. Just what is a wholesome family activity? Well, here is how my sweet 7 year old interpreted that phrase. I think she did a great job. We sat down together and she started talking and I just started typing. And this was the result.
I was asked to give a talk on wholesome activities that I do with my family.
One of the wholesome activities that I have done with my family was when we went to Canada for Canadian Thanksgiving. The drive is 16 hours long. To make it fun we sing in the car. Sometimes my brother Jacob even sings like Elsa from Frozen. We also like to talk with each other and we play a game called Slugbug. Me and my sister like telling each other stories and making each other laugh with funny jokes. We all help keep David happy. He doesn’t like being in his car seat so long. I make him happy by singing him songs, telling him stories, making him laugh by saying funny words and sounds and feeding him snacks.
In Canada we spent time with our grandparents. I helped my Grandma Vance do family history. She is the director of the family history center where they live. Grandpa tickles me and gives me coconut icecream every night. I liked spending time drawing with my Uncle David. We got to spend time with Uncle Drew and Aunt Amy who I haven’t seen for a very long time. My Aunt Amy is a dance teacher. She helped Olivia and I with our splits and other stretches. We also saw Uncle Marc and Aunt Lisa and my cousins. All the cousins had so much fun playing with each other. I loved being together for Thanksgiving.
Another wholesome activity that our family did recently was to watch General Conference on television. We had our cousins and aunts and uncles over, and Brandon and two of his friends. In between sessions I liked playing with my cousins and Brandon’s friends. During the sessions I like to color and take notes and play bingo. Dad makes lots and lots and lots of cinnamon rolls and we eat and eat and eat and eat. They are so yummy.
Another wholesome activity that our family does is service. We like to sing together and that is one way we serve. We sing for lots of older people and make them happy. We all have to work together to learn our songs.
We also like to go on hikes. Not too long ago we hiked to Cecret Lake. We saw a giant mushroom and lots of little squirrels. We also like to go on bike rides and go to family reunions.
Wholesome family activities help us to get to know our family better and love each other more.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Once a year our sweet Primary children get to participate in Sacrament meeting, teaching the rest of the congregation through their short and simple gospel messages and their beautiful singing. This past Sunday was just that day in our ward.
This year the children have focused on the importance of families.
Early this summer Emily (7) was already thinking about the Primary Program. She came home eagerly from church one Sunday and said, "Mom, I really have to go to the Primary councilor's house. She said if we want to give a talk for the Primary Program we need to tell her. I really want to do a talk and I forgot to tell her at church." She made the needed visit and was told that she could do a talk. She was given her assignment and got to work.
She was asked to give some examples of "wholesome activities" that she has done with her family. Just what is a wholesome family activity? Well, here is how my sweet 7 year old interpreted that phrase. I think she did a great job. We sat down together and she started talking and I just started typing. And this was the result.
I was asked to give a talk on wholesome activities that I do with my family.
One of the wholesome activities that I have done with my family was when we went to Canada for Canadian Thanksgiving. The drive is 16 hours long. To make it fun we sing in the car. Sometimes my brother Jacob even sings like Elsa from Frozen. We also like to talk with each other and we play a game called Slugbug. Me and my sister like telling each other stories and making each other laugh with funny jokes. We all help keep David happy. He doesn’t like being in his car seat so long. I make him happy by singing him songs, telling him stories, making him laugh by saying funny words and sounds and feeding him snacks.
In Canada we spent time with our grandparents. I helped my Grandma Vance do family history. She is the director of the family history center where they live. Grandpa tickles me and gives me coconut icecream every night. I liked spending time drawing with my Uncle David. We got to spend time with Uncle Drew and Aunt Amy who I haven’t seen for a very long time. My Aunt Amy is a dance teacher. She helped Olivia and I with our splits and other stretches. We also saw Uncle Marc and Aunt Lisa and my cousins. All the cousins had so much fun playing with each other. I loved being together for Thanksgiving.
Another wholesome activity that our family did recently was to watch General Conference on television. We had our cousins and aunts and uncles over, and Brandon and two of his friends. In between sessions I liked playing with my cousins and Brandon’s friends. During the sessions I like to color and take notes and play bingo. Dad makes lots and lots and lots of cinnamon rolls and we eat and eat and eat and eat. They are so yummy.
Another wholesome activity that our family does is service. We like to sing together and that is one way we serve. We sing for lots of older people and make them happy. We all have to work together to learn our songs.
We also like to go on hikes. Not too long ago we hiked to Cecret Lake. We saw a giant mushroom and lots of little squirrels. We also like to go on bike rides and go to family reunions.
Wholesome family activities help us to get to know our family better and love each other more.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Homemade Pizza and Family Home Evening
In The March 2003 Ensign President Gordon B. Hinckley encouraged us to hold Family Home Evening. He says,
(this was quoted from an interview with the Boston Globe)
“We have a family home evening program once a week [Monday night] across the Church in which parents sit down with their children. They study the scriptures. They talk about family problems. They plan family activities and things of that kind. I don’t hesitate to say if every family in the world practiced that one thing, you’d see a very great difference in the solidarity of the families of the world” (interview, Boston Globe, 14 Aug. 2000).
We had a nice family home evening tonight. Each member of the family made his or her own personal pizza for dinner. We have dairy allergies in the family, so we often have to make pizza without the cheese…yeah, I know that seems kind of weird to those who can have cheese. But tonight was special. I found some tapioca based mozzarella shreds at the health food store that are actually pretty good. They make the pizza taste much more "pizzalike." We got some regular mozzarella for Dad to use on his pizza as well. Sophia made pizzas for herself and little David. She made faces out of the veggies and meat. They were pretty cute.
Sophia, with a little assistance from Emily and Mom gave the lesson tonight. She gave a lesson on faith and prayer. We talked about stories from the scriptures and church history where people had problems or questions, but through their faith and prayer, were able to find answers. Then everyone shared times when they had prayed in faith and received answers. It was a great discussion.
When you have really young children as well as older youth it is always a challenge to come up with lessons that are beneficial to everyone. This lesson really worked. We had pictures and stories that had to be matched up. There were pictures of Joseph Smith, Esther, the brother of Jared, and Nephi building the ship. There was a word strip containing a "problem/question" and another with an "answer to prayer" that went along with each picture. We had to match everything up. That part was the most fun for the younger ones, and the scripture discussion and sharing of personal stories was great for the older children.
In that same article in the March 2003 Ensign President Hinckley was quoted as saying,
“[The Lord] expects us to have family home evening—one night a week to gather our children together and teach them the gospel. Isaiah said, ‘And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord.’ That is the commandment: ‘All thy children shall be taught of the Lord.’ And the blessing: ‘And great,’ he said, ‘shall be the peace of thy children’ [Isa. 54:13]” (meeting, Nouméa, New Caledonia, 17 June 2000).
I want to have peaceful children. I want to have peace in my family. I find great joy in teaching my children the gospel, in gathering together in the family room on a crisp fall evening, and talking about the scriptures and sharing our experiences with gospel principles. I believe that as we follow the counsel to hold regular Family Home Evening, our family will be strengthened, testimonies will develop and love in our family will increase.
(this was quoted from an interview with the Boston Globe)
“We have a family home evening program once a week [Monday night] across the Church in which parents sit down with their children. They study the scriptures. They talk about family problems. They plan family activities and things of that kind. I don’t hesitate to say if every family in the world practiced that one thing, you’d see a very great difference in the solidarity of the families of the world” (interview, Boston Globe, 14 Aug. 2000).
We had a nice family home evening tonight. Each member of the family made his or her own personal pizza for dinner. We have dairy allergies in the family, so we often have to make pizza without the cheese…yeah, I know that seems kind of weird to those who can have cheese. But tonight was special. I found some tapioca based mozzarella shreds at the health food store that are actually pretty good. They make the pizza taste much more "pizzalike." We got some regular mozzarella for Dad to use on his pizza as well. Sophia made pizzas for herself and little David. She made faces out of the veggies and meat. They were pretty cute. Sophia, with a little assistance from Emily and Mom gave the lesson tonight. She gave a lesson on faith and prayer. We talked about stories from the scriptures and church history where people had problems or questions, but through their faith and prayer, were able to find answers. Then everyone shared times when they had prayed in faith and received answers. It was a great discussion.
When you have really young children as well as older youth it is always a challenge to come up with lessons that are beneficial to everyone. This lesson really worked. We had pictures and stories that had to be matched up. There were pictures of Joseph Smith, Esther, the brother of Jared, and Nephi building the ship. There was a word strip containing a "problem/question" and another with an "answer to prayer" that went along with each picture. We had to match everything up. That part was the most fun for the younger ones, and the scripture discussion and sharing of personal stories was great for the older children.
In that same article in the March 2003 Ensign President Hinckley was quoted as saying,
“[The Lord] expects us to have family home evening—one night a week to gather our children together and teach them the gospel. Isaiah said, ‘And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord.’ That is the commandment: ‘All thy children shall be taught of the Lord.’ And the blessing: ‘And great,’ he said, ‘shall be the peace of thy children’ [Isa. 54:13]” (meeting, Nouméa, New Caledonia, 17 June 2000).
I want to have peaceful children. I want to have peace in my family. I find great joy in teaching my children the gospel, in gathering together in the family room on a crisp fall evening, and talking about the scriptures and sharing our experiences with gospel principles. I believe that as we follow the counsel to hold regular Family Home Evening, our family will be strengthened, testimonies will develop and love in our family will increase.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Our Daily Bread
Jerry and I were married May 30, 1991. That first summer together was full of memories. We had very little money so our fun had to be quite inexpensive, but just being together was enough for us. I remember a picnic, with tuna sandwiches and popsicles on the lawn of our apartment complex. I remember borrowing camping gear and attempting a little camping trip up in the canyons. Before dark even came it began to rain…..and rain and rain and rain. When the dirt road next to our campsite began to look like a creek, we figured we had best get out of the canyon before it got dangerous. So much for camping.
Later in the summer we scrimped together enough money to spend one day at BYU Education Week. Little did we know that some of what we learned there would be a daily part of our future family life.
First I need to rewind and reminisce a little.
When I was a little girl we visited my grandparents in Alberta, Canada every summer. Grandpa was a salesman for Magic Mill wheat grinders and Bosch Kitchen mixers. In the back entryway, behind the kitchen, was their wheat grinder. They also had a small table set up with giant coloring books (courtesy of Magic Mill) that I spent hours coloring in. My Mom had a Magic Mill as well. She also had a Bosch mixer. I grew up with homemade whole wheat bread and wonderful cookies and muffins, made with her mixer. I learned to make cookies and banana muffins and zucchini bread while still living at home, but hadn't ever taken the time to master whole wheat bread.
All of a sudden, when I got married, I wished that I knew how. My Mom and Dad blessed us greatly by giving us a Bosch mixer as a wedding gift, but I had yet to use it to make bread. That is where Education Week comes in.
One of the classes we attended was on baking whole wheat bread. The teacher was excellent and she even went so far as to pass dough around the class so that we could feel what a great dough should feel like. I came home armed with a great recipe and a determination to master making bread.
I've made our family's bread ever since. The recipe has been tweaked slightly over the years but is still basically the same one that I brought home from Education Week that day. I've handed it out to numerous friends and family and everyone loves the results.
We store and use hundreds of pounds of wheat each year and save a lot of money by grinding our own wheat and making our own bread. Sure, we buy bread on occasion, especially when we are extra busy, or when I've been pregnant or had a new baby, or in the heat of summer when we can't bear to turn on the oven, but we are obviously spoiled, because we never like the store bread as much as our homemade.
When we've been having difficult financial times, knowing how to make our own bread has been a blessing. It's hard to feel deprived when you are eating warm homemade bread with butter and honey or jam.
Here is the recipe as we make it today: (this makes six 1lb loaves)
3T yeast (Saf brand)
1 1/2 T sea salt
1/8 to 1/4 tsp vitamin C powder (ascorbic acid)
1/2 c raw honey
1/3c expeller pressed coconut oil (you want a good quality oil, but not one that has a lot of coconut flavor)
6c hot water
8c whole wheat flour (freshly ground hard WHITE wheat)
1/2 c gluten flour
Mix the above and then let it form a sponge for about 10 minutes (let it sit in the bowl) . Add in MORE flour until dough is just right (this varies with each batch) and knead with the Bosch for about 5 minutes. Rise in pans in a preheated warm oven for half an hour. Then bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (If using dark bread pans, bake at 325 degrees.)
Note: I don't even take the loaves out to preheat the oven before baking. After the rising time I just turn on my oven and start the timer.
Later in the summer we scrimped together enough money to spend one day at BYU Education Week. Little did we know that some of what we learned there would be a daily part of our future family life.
First I need to rewind and reminisce a little.
When I was a little girl we visited my grandparents in Alberta, Canada every summer. Grandpa was a salesman for Magic Mill wheat grinders and Bosch Kitchen mixers. In the back entryway, behind the kitchen, was their wheat grinder. They also had a small table set up with giant coloring books (courtesy of Magic Mill) that I spent hours coloring in. My Mom had a Magic Mill as well. She also had a Bosch mixer. I grew up with homemade whole wheat bread and wonderful cookies and muffins, made with her mixer. I learned to make cookies and banana muffins and zucchini bread while still living at home, but hadn't ever taken the time to master whole wheat bread.
All of a sudden, when I got married, I wished that I knew how. My Mom and Dad blessed us greatly by giving us a Bosch mixer as a wedding gift, but I had yet to use it to make bread. That is where Education Week comes in.
One of the classes we attended was on baking whole wheat bread. The teacher was excellent and she even went so far as to pass dough around the class so that we could feel what a great dough should feel like. I came home armed with a great recipe and a determination to master making bread.
I've made our family's bread ever since. The recipe has been tweaked slightly over the years but is still basically the same one that I brought home from Education Week that day. I've handed it out to numerous friends and family and everyone loves the results.
We store and use hundreds of pounds of wheat each year and save a lot of money by grinding our own wheat and making our own bread. Sure, we buy bread on occasion, especially when we are extra busy, or when I've been pregnant or had a new baby, or in the heat of summer when we can't bear to turn on the oven, but we are obviously spoiled, because we never like the store bread as much as our homemade.
When we've been having difficult financial times, knowing how to make our own bread has been a blessing. It's hard to feel deprived when you are eating warm homemade bread with butter and honey or jam.
Here is the recipe as we make it today: (this makes six 1lb loaves)
3T yeast (Saf brand)
1 1/2 T sea salt
1/8 to 1/4 tsp vitamin C powder (ascorbic acid)
1/2 c raw honey
1/3c expeller pressed coconut oil (you want a good quality oil, but not one that has a lot of coconut flavor)
6c hot water
8c whole wheat flour (freshly ground hard WHITE wheat)
1/2 c gluten flour
Mix the above and then let it form a sponge for about 10 minutes (let it sit in the bowl) . Add in MORE flour until dough is just right (this varies with each batch) and knead with the Bosch for about 5 minutes. Rise in pans in a preheated warm oven for half an hour. Then bake at 350 for 30 minutes. (If using dark bread pans, bake at 325 degrees.)
Note: I don't even take the loaves out to preheat the oven before baking. After the rising time I just turn on my oven and start the timer.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Fringe Benefits of Scouting
Having boys in boy scouts, cub scouts and Webelos can be a lot of work for Mom and Dad. We sew things on their shirts, we help them fulfil requirements, we help them make goals, and get them to meetings…among other things.
But I've seen a few fringe benefits this summer. Nathan has been working on his Family Life Merit badge. One of the requirements was to do a project that would benefit his family. He chose a pretty ambitious goal. He decided that he would clean all the carpets in the house. He'd never used a carpet cleaner before, but Jerry worked with him and got him pretty proficient. Lucky me!! My carpets have now all been cleaned.
He also needed to organize a family project that we would all work on together. He chose another home improvement project. The boys' bedroom has never been painted since we moved here. After five boys growing up in it, it was sorely in need of some attention. He organized us all to help move the bookshelf, move furniture out from the walls, remove pictures and bulletin boards from the walls, and then helped to fill all the holes with mud and sand them down so that the room would be ready for painting. Yeah!! The room is now painted and we are just finishing up with painting the closet doors and the bedroom door. It looks great.
Thank you Nathan, and thank you Scouting program!!
But I've seen a few fringe benefits this summer. Nathan has been working on his Family Life Merit badge. One of the requirements was to do a project that would benefit his family. He chose a pretty ambitious goal. He decided that he would clean all the carpets in the house. He'd never used a carpet cleaner before, but Jerry worked with him and got him pretty proficient. Lucky me!! My carpets have now all been cleaned.
He also needed to organize a family project that we would all work on together. He chose another home improvement project. The boys' bedroom has never been painted since we moved here. After five boys growing up in it, it was sorely in need of some attention. He organized us all to help move the bookshelf, move furniture out from the walls, remove pictures and bulletin boards from the walls, and then helped to fill all the holes with mud and sand them down so that the room would be ready for painting. Yeah!! The room is now painted and we are just finishing up with painting the closet doors and the bedroom door. It looks great.
Thank you Nathan, and thank you Scouting program!!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Articles of Faith Songs
Tonight was a rare night when I was able to take a nice soaky bath and crawl into bed a little earlier than usual with my book. As I was laying there I could hear Emily in the bedroom next to me, singing away to music on the Ipod. I strained to hear what she was singing and realized that she was singing the Articles of Faith.
Primary boys and girls are encouraged to memorize the Articles of Faith to earn their Faith in God award once they turn 8 years old. I love teaching my children the songs for these that are in the Childrens Songbook. Once they are learned through song, they are hard to forget. Even now, I can recite the Articles of Faith only by hearing the music in my head as I recite.
Emily is well on her way to having the Articles of Faith memorized…and is not even 8 yet. I love turning on the Primary songs for the little ones to listen to as they drift off to sleep at night. Some of them are beautiful and peaceful, some are fun and spirited, but they all have great messages to fill the minds of my children before bed.
Primary boys and girls are encouraged to memorize the Articles of Faith to earn their Faith in God award once they turn 8 years old. I love teaching my children the songs for these that are in the Childrens Songbook. Once they are learned through song, they are hard to forget. Even now, I can recite the Articles of Faith only by hearing the music in my head as I recite.
Emily is well on her way to having the Articles of Faith memorized…and is not even 8 yet. I love turning on the Primary songs for the little ones to listen to as they drift off to sleep at night. Some of them are beautiful and peaceful, some are fun and spirited, but they all have great messages to fill the minds of my children before bed.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Of Royal Birth
This past weekend Jerry and I got ambitious and pulled our big wooden bed out from the wall to clean and vacuum behind it. We pulled off the mattress to clean and you wouldn't believe what I found. Between the mattress and the boxspring, on my side of the bed was a very old and very shriveled up GREEN PEA!
There is a fairy tale about the princess and the pea. She arrived at a castle one rainy night looking for a place of refuge from the storm. She told the family in the castle that she was a princess, but, due to her disheveled appearance that was hard to believe. They invited her in and fixed up a bed for her. They piled up mattresses and blankets so that it was nice and soft. Underneath the very bottom mattress they placed a pea. They figured that if she were a true princess she would feel the pea as she slept and then they would know that she had been telling the truth. As the story goes, she had a terrible night, due to discomfort from the pea. The prince of the castle knew that she truly was a princess, they fell in love, and lived happily ever after.
Upon finding the pea in my bed I commenced asking my children if any of them remembered putting it there. Alas, no one could remember…or wanted to confess. So I will never know which of my children wanted to find out if I really was a princess.
This morning…..when I woke up to a wet bed from a little girl who crawled in at 5am and had an accident, I certainly did not feel like a princess. This afternoon as I cleaned up from a flooded toilet, compliments of that same sweet little girl who had a little too much fun with toilet paper, I certainly did not feel like a princess.
But I hold on to the truth that I have been taught since I was a little girl…that I really am a princess. I come of a royal lineage, and I have great potential. Though I may not always feel like a princess I need to remember to be "Loyal to the Royal" within. (Harold B. Lee) My Heavenly Father is the King. He wants me to choose the right and continually strive to be like him…to always behave as should the daughter of a King.
I came across a poem by Anna Johnson that was printed in the Children's Friend back in 1959. The whole poem is beautiful but I will just include the first stanza:
"I AM a Child of Royal Birth,
My Father is KING of Heaven and Earth.
My spirit was born in Courts on High.
A Child Beloved, a Princess (Prince) AM I!"
There is a fairy tale about the princess and the pea. She arrived at a castle one rainy night looking for a place of refuge from the storm. She told the family in the castle that she was a princess, but, due to her disheveled appearance that was hard to believe. They invited her in and fixed up a bed for her. They piled up mattresses and blankets so that it was nice and soft. Underneath the very bottom mattress they placed a pea. They figured that if she were a true princess she would feel the pea as she slept and then they would know that she had been telling the truth. As the story goes, she had a terrible night, due to discomfort from the pea. The prince of the castle knew that she truly was a princess, they fell in love, and lived happily ever after.
Upon finding the pea in my bed I commenced asking my children if any of them remembered putting it there. Alas, no one could remember…or wanted to confess. So I will never know which of my children wanted to find out if I really was a princess.
This morning…..when I woke up to a wet bed from a little girl who crawled in at 5am and had an accident, I certainly did not feel like a princess. This afternoon as I cleaned up from a flooded toilet, compliments of that same sweet little girl who had a little too much fun with toilet paper, I certainly did not feel like a princess.
But I hold on to the truth that I have been taught since I was a little girl…that I really am a princess. I come of a royal lineage, and I have great potential. Though I may not always feel like a princess I need to remember to be "Loyal to the Royal" within. (Harold B. Lee) My Heavenly Father is the King. He wants me to choose the right and continually strive to be like him…to always behave as should the daughter of a King.
I came across a poem by Anna Johnson that was printed in the Children's Friend back in 1959. The whole poem is beautiful but I will just include the first stanza:
"I AM a Child of Royal Birth,
My Father is KING of Heaven and Earth.
My spirit was born in Courts on High.
A Child Beloved, a Princess (Prince) AM I!"
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