The End of Missionary Mondays

In every mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, missionaries are given the time and expected to email or write their families once a week.  Typically they are asked to email/write on their p-day.  This is a "preparation" day given to missionaries one day a week for them to buy groceries, do laundry, clean their apartments, enjoy activities with other missionaries, and…. Write their families. 

Monday is the most prevalent day chosen for the missionary p-days throughout the missions of the church.  And so…. "missionary Moms" and of course the rest of the family too… love Mondays.  When your missionary is overseas, as when Brandon was in Uganda, and Kyle, who is now in England, you wake up Monday morning, and more likely than not, your email from your missionary will already be there just waiting for you to open it.  It is a great way to start your Monday morning. 

Since Benjamin left on his mission this past July, (he is in New Mexico) we have had two missionaries serving in our family.  So we've been having double the fun reading emails from our boys each week.  BUT NOT JUST ON MONDAYS.  In Benjamin's mission they have their p-day on Tuesday.  So for the past 6 months we have been hearing from Kyle on Monday and Benjamin on Tuesdays. 

Kyle will be returning home from his two year mission in Birmingham England in less than 6 weeks.  We have his flight itinerary and that just makes it seem more real.  It is hard to believe that our son and brother will be home so soon.  We have missed him dearly and cannot wait to see him and hug him in person.  He has served well and enjoyed it so much, and we can tell that he has grown and is coming home a man. 
 
But this will mean the end of "missionary Mondays" for our family.  For the rest of Benjamin's mission, we will be enjoying "Missionary Tuesdays!"  That just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?  But we will be loving every Tuesday because we will be hearing from our son/brother who is serving the Lord far (well, maybe not so far) from home.

Ripples

I like to memorize poetry with my children.  I want to fill their minds with beautiful thoughts that will come to them as they go throughout their day; thoughts that will help them to make good choices, thoughts that will make them smile or laugh when they do not have much to smile or laugh about, thoughts that will uplift their spirits and inspire them to do good in the world. 

A favorite poem of mine that we have memorized is called, simply, "Kindness."  (anonymous author) It goes like this. 

Drop a stone into the water -
In a moment it is gone,
But there are a hundred ripples
Circling on and on and on.

Say an unkind word this moment
In a moment it is gone
But there are a hundred ripples
Circling on and on and on.

Say a word of cheer and splendor
In a moment it is gone
But there are a hundred ripples
Circling on and on and on.

I've been thinking a lot this week about a family that we know and love so much.  Jerry and I met them when we moved into their ward.  We'd only been married a year.  After living in the ward less than a year, we were blessed to move into the house right next door to theirs. 
 
In the 5 years that we lived there this family was a blessing in our lives and the ripples that their kind words and loving examples began are still being felt in our family today.  Jerry and I watched this wonderful man and woman as they nurtured their marriage through going to the temple together, and went on regular dates.  We watched as they raised their children, making sure that their children played together, worked together and served together.  We watched as they faithfully took their older children to do baptisms for the dead at the temple.  We were blessed by their daughters as they babysat every week for us so that we too could have dates and regular temple visits.  They would never let us pay them when we were at the temple, and were genuinely grateful for the opportunity.  They always made us feel like we were serving them by allowing them to watch our children, instead of the other way around. 

I remember one time when this couple took Jerry and me out to lunch and then to a play…. all on them.  We had very little money to spend on entertainment and this was such a treat for us. They told us that each year they bought seasons tickets to a particular playhouse as a special gift to themselves.  It helped them to have a really nice date now and then.  Actually…they bought TWO sets of seasons tickets.  That way, they could take another couple with them occasionally, or maybe some of their children.  Once in a while they just gave those second tickets away to someone who they thought might enjoy them.  We were the blessed couple that one time and we have never forgotten it. 

This Christmas Jerry and I decided to give ourselves seasons tickets to that same playhouse.  With our baby a little older, he is getting easier to leave, and we've made a goal to have more regular dates this year.  Thank you so much Verna and Terry for your love, for your wonderful children, for your great example, for your devotion to each other, and to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The ripples that you set in motion so many years ago are still being felt and on continuing to circle "on and on and on."

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

…actually, technically it is already Christmas.  My clock says 1:04am and I am in my "kerchief"  (actually I am wearing my favorite jammies given to me by my sweet husband last Christmas) and Jerry is in his "cap" getting ready to settle down for our long winter's nap…until David wakes to nurse which will inevitably happen sometime before the sun rises.  Jerry and I have finished up our last minute preparations and are finally ready to get some sleep.

The "children are nestled down snug in their beds" ….actually they are sleeping in the basement.      Three are laying across the hide-a-bed, another on a couch and another on the floor.  Sophia stayed down with them for a while but toddled up to her bedroom to fall asleep with her "flower" nightlight to keep her company. 

We've had a nice evening together.  Homemade pizza for dinner, dropping off surprises, visiting with neighbors, catching up with our college age son Brandon, and a rather hectic attempt at recreating the nativity "shadow play style."  We hung a sheet in the basement and shone a light behind it and our actors went behind the sheet as we narrated and sang, complete with a few brief pieces of Handel's Messiah.  Joseph (David - age 19 months) had just been dressed in his costume when he began signing that he wanted to nurse.  Then he gave his sign for "go to sleep."  Then he waved goodbye to everyone which he does every night before I take him up to bed.  So we had to find another Joseph.  Emily volunteered, so we changed her out of her angel costume and into a Joseph costume.  Meanwhile, due to the long wait, Sophia had begun doing "tricks" on the floor and her Mary costume was all in disarray.  I put her back together when she decided that she would rather be Joseph.  Before I could disagree, she had her costume completely off and she and Emily started switching costumes.  I thought we were never going to have our annual nativity tonight.  It all finally came together and was worth the effort. 

Before bed we gathered around the Christmas tree.  Each child in our family gets to open a gift on Christmas Eve.  Before we begin unwrapping we talk about why we have this tradition in our family.  Every year we retell the story.  When my mother was only five years old, her father was killed in a small plane crash right before Christmas.  My grandmother was left with five very young children, one just a tiny infant.  On Christmas Eve, she let her little girls open up one gift each, to make the night seem extra special for this little family who was grieving the loss of their Daddy and husband.  As I grew up my parents continued this tradition, and Jerry and I have continued this tradition in our own family. 
 
Then its off to bed…actually we let the kids watch a Christmas movie in the basement while Jerry and I cleaned up from dinner and finished up with our wrapping and other Christmas secrets.  Now they are all asleep and the house is quiet…except for Jerry accidentally setting off the home security alarm when he quickly opened the sliding door to bring in the shoes on the back porch that were getting wet in the rain just beginning to come down. 

I'll have to ask the kids in the morning if they heard it.  If they did, I'm sure this will be remembered forever as the year that Santa set off our security alarm.

As I sit here typing I can hear what sounds like very icy rain hitting the roof.  The weatherman is promising snow for Christmas and the kids are all hoping to wake to snow on the ground.  I sure hope they get their wish.  As it gets colder through the night, I hope this rain will turn to snow so we can have a "white" Christmas. 

Never Ending Toothpaste

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.

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.
 

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.

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.