Sunday Sampler 11-30-08

The true spirit of giving and charity:

This time of year reminds me to try and look through others' eyes and see how I can give. I've found many different ideas I have or haven't yet tried:

A gift donation through Hefer.com

A loan to Kiva

Donate blood

Visiting the elderly at a senior citizen's home

Writing a hand written letter to loved ones

Baking treats for neighbors and or loved ones

Making things for children in hospitals

Donating to an angel tree

Donating to Toys for Tots

Bringing baby gear to Mothers with Infants in need

Donating time or food to the local soup kitchen

Watching friends' children so they can gift shop

Writing letters or an extra card to wounded soldiers in the hospitals

Gifting a holiday meal to a family in need

Dropping gifts off secretly for families in need

Paying for someones gas at the gas station

Paying for someones groceries at the grocery store

Letting someone in through traffic

Filling someones parking meter that is about to run out

Donating items/money to a local shelter

If you have other options you can think of, please leave a comment! Thanks! :0)

Silly Saturday 11-29-08

So I pop in every once in a while on Saturday for a little silliness. Today, I give you Silly Songs...

My favorite of the list:

(Only because my mother taught it to me and my son recently sang it to me - it was such a cute little song when he sang it. I should record it someday!)

5 Little Pumpkins

5 little pumpkins sitting on a gate;

The first one said "Oh my it's getting late".

The second one said "There's a chill in the air."

The third one said "Well, I don't care".

The fourth one said "Let's run and run and run".

The fifth one said "I'm ready for some fun".

OOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO went the wind

And OUT went the light and the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

Family Friday Part II 11-28-08

Yeah...pictures!

Halloween:

We made some fancy treats for Halloween the day of (Mummy Dogs and Creepy Caterpillars)

The kids thought they were mmmm delicious.

So I have pictures of the kids in costume - as the photographer (yet again) I have no pictures of me...:0(

Brandon was a punky red-kneed tarantula:

Lexi was a pink and black punky kitty:

Tyler was the cutest dinosaur you've ever seen!:

(he's without dino hood since it was very hot at the Performing Arts Center)

(I was a black widow. Much like the picture you see here):

Some recent pictures of the children:

Brandon & Lexi had fun dressing up their animals and Tyler was making funny faces at Thanksgiving.

Family Friday part I 11-28-08

My sister wrote this blog message recently and I will have to admit it really is the true-life-real-deal we had to "put up with." Now we get to sent the same coded insane messages to our own children. Lucky kids! We would joke about the translations as youth and check to see what mom said so we can figure out what the next step is.

Never say yes to anything. I inherited this tendency from my own mean mother. It took an entire childhood of studying this ancient dialect to get it down pat and be fluent at it myself. So allow me to translate for you so that you can inflict this upon your own children. It's the least I can do.

Take this simple question: "Mom, can I go bowling with so-and-so?" Hmmm... seems straight forward, right? WRONG! Pay attention, people.

"No," of course, means no. [Don't push this one or trouble will ensue!] But any other response to the request gets a little more complicated. For instance, there's

"we'll see," which means Yes, but I don't feel like consenting at this exact moment and if you hound me about it I'll eventually say no.

"Maybe" means Yes, but I'm going to think of something to make you do first, such as clean your room.

"Let me talk to Dad first" means I can't make up my mind whether it's a good idea or not, so I'll let your permissive father say yes and then he can get the blame when you act like a spoiled brat later and I won't have to feel guilty for it. And then of course, there's

"I guess," which is as close as a mean mommy ever gets to actually saying ye... ye... ye... the Y-word [which is NEVER uttered from a mothers lips in our family unless we really want to torture ourselves. It really is a difficult thing for us].

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Cousin Reginald Catches the Thanksgiving Turkey

by Norman Rockwell

Freedom From Want

by Norman Rockwell

The First Thanksgiving

by Jennie Augusta Brownscombe

Thursday Three 11-27-08

Three things I am most thankful for:

An understanding of why I am here and where I may go beyond this life.

Family and friends (okay that's two wrapped up in one - but they can easily be combined because many of my friends are like family).

Laughter. I would go insane without it. No really. Or maybe I am already insane. No really! :0)

Wordless Wednesday 11-26-08

Since this week is for the birds.....

Rooster Ball:

That's just awesome. Who says chicken's are dumb?

Tackling it Tuesday 11-25-08

We cleaned up the rest of the house (kept up with the laundry and dishes too) except the garage and the rest of the paperwork. I have a bunch of papers that are mostly for scrapbooking and memory keeping. I need to ween it down quite a bit. I think I am going to buy a bunch of manila envelopes to label by event. Where to keep them? In my craft closet - of course. I so hope I get a space to put all my crafty stuff in the next place we move to.

Here is the list:

Garage---

vacuum entryway rug,
clean oil spill,
sweep,
put tools away,
go through cords and computer items with Jesse,
hang bikes,
clean out car care bin,
hang organizer for gloves and hats,
clean out garbage cans,
pull out Christmas decorations/tree,

Papers---

organize memorabilia papers,
print pictures,
hang pictures in frames,
find paper for Christmas gifts,
wrap Christmas gifts

Take Goodwill and Recycling Out!!!!

Monday Menu Plan 11-24-08

Monday: Barley Chicken (My Mom's Recipe), carrots and peas, juice, caramel popcorn
Tuesday: Tuna Fish Casserole with Cheese Swirls, Waldorf Salad, milk
Wednesday: Burritos, Spanish Rice, corn, apple and orange kabobs
Thursday: Thanksgiving at the Wolcoff's 2pm(bringing Creamy Corn Souffle and mashed potatoes, folding table, folding chairs, little TV, VCR)
Friday: Church After Thanksgiving Meal (Bringing White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake)
Saturday: Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, white grape juice
Sunday: Crockpot Rustic Chicken Stew, quick rolls, juice

Sunday Sampler 11-23-08

Whew - so I slacked again this week on my blog writing, but such is life. It runs in cycles you know?!

To know one's worth. How do we know we are worthy of anything good? I believe it is because we are each an individual working toward perfection such as the perfection of Christ whether we realize it or not. I believe we each have the capability of affecting others. That makes us worth something. What makes us worthy of anything good in particular is first and foremost because we are all loved by God and he cares about us and is concerned about us. Another reason we are worth any good is we can affect others in a good way. Whether it be a simple smile, letting someone through in traffic, taking care of our families and friends, or even working a job to make life easier for others. What are your ideas on one's worth? Why might you think we are worth anything good?

Sunday Sampler 11-16-08

Being a person of good character.

Yearn to make good with others, pay what is due, be willing to serve, be kind and gracious, follow through with promises made to others and yourself, be honest with self and others. These are what make a person with good character to me. Do you have other notions to add to my list as to what might make a person someone of good character? Please do add a comment!

Thursday Three 11-13-08

Three places I would absolutely love to visit:

China: I mean, c'mon! Did anyone see the Olympics this year. My honey wants to see China (I think Jackie Chan inspires him?!) and I would love to visit an Asian country - there you have it. China it is.

Australia/New Zealand: I had a pen-pal from Australia that was interesting. He would write to tell me all about the beautiful and fun things he experienced in his homeland. Made me jealous. I still have green eyes! I think it would be a fantastic experience to see the sites, meet the people and see all the different animals of Aussie Land. New Zealand is also a fabulous place to visit as my friends from high school are living there and traveling around the country for a few years. Every picture they post takes my breath away.

The Caribbean: As stated before, we are in desperate need of a break. I think the first break I look forward to is a very relaxing one.. like a cruise to the Caribbean islands. Calgon take me awayyyyy..

Now doesn't that look so incredibly relaxing? Warm beach, cool drink, beautiful sites. Ahhhh.

Wordless Wednesday 11-12-08

The Birthday Girl at her finest:

Happy Birthday my Lil' Punkin!

I am glad to have such a sweet

girl to share part of my life with.

Tackling it Tuesday 11-11-08

All things thrown aside and I am starting anew. I've been bitten by the SAD bug. For those of you who do not live in Alaska, SAD is not only an emotion of distress but also an acronym for Seasonal Affective Disorder. It just means the sky is getting too dark too early for my butt and I have a hard time adjusting...so I have to use one of these lights ummmm but not for my butt (I bought it for much less at Costco a few years back) to try and clear the SADness up:

My idea is to hook it up to a timer switch and when it goes off before I wake up, I will get the needed light for my morning to be pleasant(er). Or maybe the thing has a timer. I can't remember. I forgot to use it all last winter. My husband threatened to take it back to Costco many times over. Thank goodness I held my ground. I definitely need it this winter.

So, while I crave the lovely pile-o-sweets from Halloween, have a hard time waking up in the morning, and feel down and tired on gray and gloomy days...I have a hard time coping and pushing myself to finish regular tasks like the dishes, laundry, etc.

So here is my list for the week:

Finish all laundry - including all the darn blankets, pillow covers, and rugs the children puked all over this weekend whilst they were fighting the flu. YUCK-O!

I finished the heap of dishes in the kitchen already today...yeah for me!

Compile the black hole of papers scattered about the house. Again. File, shred, just get rid of the darned piles.

Oust the books piled up to "sell.."

Vacuum out the car.

SANITIZE the bathrooms. Yeah - that one's a must as well - immediate must.

Dust house and wipe the windows down. I need all the light I can get.

That's about all I can fathom for now. What's your week looking like?

PS - can you send some sun our way? Or at least a little blanket of fresh snow to lighten things up around here. Snow fell and stuck here since Oct. 05 and it is starting to look a bit dirty and brown.

Menu-Planning Monday 11-10-08

Monday: One-Pot Chicken Dinner, dinner rolls, vegetable medley
Tuesday: Tortellini with Peas, salad, apple slushies
Wednesday: Little Princess' Birthday Dinner (AppleBee's)
Thursday: Broiled salmon, potato salad, cauliflower, berry juice
Friday: Pork fried rice, milk, pear and apple slices
Saturday: Golden Lentil Soup, rosemary bread, salad
Sunday: Chili, rice/Fritos, fruit plate, milk (company with kids over)

Family Friday - It's Been Another One of THOSE Weeks!

We had an interesting week. Yet again, Mom's overbooked herself with good things but things that require lots of energy. Energy taken away from things most important. In particular, calm and sweet family moments. Can I just say v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n? So desperately needed yet so far away. I am very glad Thanksgiving is coming soon. Our family needs the break.

We got together this week as a family to talk about being reverent during moments when we should be meditating. I remember as a young child visiting a neighbor girls house. Her mother had what they called a "meditation moment." Everyone in the house needed to contain themselves to a reasonable level of quietness. No one was allowed to knock on the door nor enter her bedroom during meditation moment. Whew do I need those - I am sure you who read this think the same about your own lives. Unless you take those moments for yourself already. In that case, I say congratulations you've received an incredible level of organization with your family and life.

I will soon post pictures of our family in costume and us in "meditation moments" HA! If I can get it on camera - we shall see!

Menu Planning Monday 11-03-08

Monday: Spaghetti with meatballs, garlic bread sticks, salad, chocolate milk
Tuesday: Chicks on Sticks (Hawaiian style), rice, mixed vegetable medley, juice
Wednesday: Fish Sticks (not for me though) with tarter sauce, potato salad, leftover veggies
Thursday: Helen's Ham in Cider, asparagus spears, egg salad, milk
Friday: Cheese quesadillas, leftovers, juice
Saturday: Tacos, spanish rice, beans, juice
Sunday: Family dinner night

Sunday Sampler 11-02-08

Ponder -

--verb (used without object) 1. to consider something deeply and thoroughly; meditate (often fol. by over or upon).

--verb (used with object) 2. to weigh carefully in the mind; consider thoughtfully: He pondered his next words thoroughly.

Pondering is important because it helps us to gain better insight to whatever we need. I ponder quite a bit since I get many people questioning my religious beliefs. This, in turn, blesses me with the chance to study scriptures, study church history and to strengthen my own testimony.

I know Joseph Smith was a prophet, I know the present President Monson is a true prophet. I know the church I belong to is the true church, I know the Bible is the best study guide for life's questions as well as the Book of Mormon. I know the Book of Mormon is a second witness of Jesus Christ and a companion volume of scripture to the Bible that records God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. I know that the only way I can gain personal understanding of what God the Father and Jesus Christ want for me to do is to study, ponder and pray. I know many people are misguided by twisted information and choose to believe it regardless of my own personal revelations and testimony. I dislike arguing, therefore if someone seems to be on that path, I choose to pull back and just listen to what they have to say. Often I find their sources have guided them into confusion and misrepresents the facts. I am saddened these sources are available to people seeking the truth about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I am so grateful for my family and the examples they show me in my life. I am grateful for my own opportunities to grow and learn to be a better example to them and others. I love my family, my church, my freedoms and my ability to understand. I love Christ and am ever grateful for His suffering and love for me. I love my Heavenly Father and His love for me and am ever grateful I can communicate with Him. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Silly Saturday Part II 11-01-08

Since Silly Saturday posted early by some fluke of an accident, I decided to also post this silliness so you can see something new:

The Human-Powered Ferris Wheel in India:

Silly Saturday 11-01-08 The Politically Savvy

Or so I should say here is one whom presents political issues with a spark of pizazz:

http://myglobofblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/yokel-thinks-she-knows-stuff.html


Cut through the crap and straight talk with us now, will you folks. I am tired of hearing mixed messages, run-around-it topic talking and outright lies from politicians. Not sure when it was okay to behave this way, and not sure why we let it happen. Something has gone wrong. Very wrong.


Media is another hot topic for me to dismantle. How many times have I heard the moral note of media is to weigh both sides of the issues when reporting. There is far too much moral wrong-doing out there. I try to listen to newscasts with a grain of salt. Usually they contain all sorts of misconstrued messages and issues weighed so far to one side its a miracle the reporters don't have kinked necks.

To end this report, I show you how I feel lately with all the mixed messages and hullabaloo: