Sunday + Birthday + Dinner/FHE= ???

Well, it equals a BIG day!

It was hard for EVERYONE to get up today, especially with this 9am schedule. Moving is back-breaking stuff! But we all made it. A little staggered, but we made it none the less!

We had everyone over for our once a month Sunday dinner/FHE. It's a week early, but next week Josh and Mere will be in AZ for a quick trip. We celebrated Adrianne's birthday finally. Her favorite dinner request: Lasagne. Garlic Bread. Salad. Yellow cake with 'homemade' chocolate frosting.

Pretty top swirls with candles representing: the past, the present, the future, and one for good luck!

Pretty side swirls. A good scoop of vanilla bean ice cream made it perfect!

It was my turn for the lesson.
Since Christine is in finals, Mike, Meredith, Natalie, Robert all started a new semester, and Shaun starts his LSAT course, we talked about Education. I used this talk by Elder Nelson. We learned about "Education--A Religious Responsibility."

Really. It is great counsel and wisdom.

Okay. Okay. I know I need to go back and finish. And BYU keeps bugging me about it too. I'm scared. What if I can't write papers anymore? What if I can't take tests anymore?

Then Christine's brothers gave her a priesthood blessing for finals, and a blessing for me too. I am grateful for the priesthood.

They're Coming!

Finals, that is.

Christine is preparing for her first high school final week.

So today, it was up--breakfast--Karley home--clean her room/Saturday chores--and then 'hit the books'!

Josh and Meredith were back and forth helping Mike and Adrianne finish cleaning and moving the odds and ends. But the rest of the house was quiet and conducive to study. Chris made a great area in her room where she hunkered down.
I treated her to some of her favorites atPanda Express in the afternoon for some sustenance and a break. The fresh air and change of scenery were rejuvenating.

Duff is in Utah at Aunt Gloria's funeral. He said it was really nice and enjoyed seeing all the extended family. He liked his visit with Uncle Norris, and the ride up and back with Julie, Mike, and Jack.

Moving Day

Mike and Adrianne began the big move today.

Adrianne had to work, so Mike supervised and had the apartment loaded up in the truck and moved to our house and their storage unit before she finished in the evening.

Duff resting his back on the dolly. Mike hired some starving students to assist and it was worth every penny!

Moving days are a cunundrum of emotions.
One the one hand, it is a sad thing. Lots of memories. On the other, a happy thing because you are on to a future chapter of life yet to be written.

The office looking pretty lonely.

Next load!

Empty kitchen.

Adrianne made this such a cozy first home for them.

Truck all loaded.

Good-bye #221.

Aunt Gloria 1927 - 2010

Our loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Gloria Rose Thain Reese passed away at her home with her daughters and granddaughters by her side on Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010. She was born Sept. 15, 1927, in Logan, Utah, to George William Thain and Ann Lemon Thain. She was the oldest of seven children. Growing up on the farm, she loved horses and learned the values of hard work and sacrifice.Gloria attended school in Benson, Utah, and graduated from North Cache High School in 1946, where she played the tenor saxophone in the marching band. After graduating she lived with her grandmother and worked at the Hostess Bakery in Salt Lake City. Gloria was married in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple on Sept. 11, 1946, to Norris Foster Reese. They had two beautiful daughters, Sherry Reese Roberts and Kliss Reese McNeel, later divorcing. Gloria was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in various positions within the Relief Society, Young Womens and Primary. She was excited to receive a mission call to the England London Mission in 1979. Gloria loved serving others and talked fondly of her experience. Gloria had a strong testimony and taught her children the meaning of family. Gloria was an avid reader and loved to share stories with others. She was an accomplished embroiderer and excelled in making gifts of love for her family. These will be cherished for future generations. She was a grandma to all those around her and insisted on everyone calling her "Granny." She was loved by all those whose lives she touched.She is survived by her daughters, Sherry (Marlowe) Roberts of Hyrum, Utah; Kliss McNeel of Idaho Falls, Idaho. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Kelly (Dyana) Roberts of Wellsville, Utah; Natalie (John) Bostock of Wellsville, Utah; Tyler (Kelli) Roberts of Bountiful, Utah; Vance (Jill) Roberts of Nibley, Utah; Reese (Paula) McNeel of London, England; and Amber McNeel of Salt Lake City, Utah. She is also survived by eight great-grandchildren: Alexis Roberts, Taylor Bostock, Dylan Bostock, Ava Roberts, Kaden Roberts, Aliva Roberts, Austin Bostock and Ella Roberts. She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Jeaneen Duffy; and an infant sister, Jewell Thain. She is survived by her brothers, George (Claire) Thain of Centerville, Utah; Melvin (Mardean) Thain of Centerville, Utah; Wade (Liz) Thain of Smithfield, Utah; and one sister, Coy (Fred) Luedtke of Whittier, Calif. Gloria showed strength and determination through various health issues including polio and, later in life, cancer. Special thanks go out to Dr. James Pearl, ACCESS Hospice & Home Health and Nurse Linda Groll, and Homewatch CareGivers and Lotsi. Friends may visit with the family from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, at the Allen-Hall Mortuary, 34 E. Center Street, Logan, Utah. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Providence 4th Ward, 155 N. 100 East, Providence, Utah. A viewing will be held prior to the service from 10 to 10:45 a.m. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be sent to the LDS Perpetual Education Fund, the Hunstman Cancer Foundation or the Pulmonary Research Fund in memory of Gloria T. Reese through the Desert Foundation at 8th Ave and C Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84143, (801) 408-1775. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.allenmortuaries.net.

There. I Said It.

Today was just a crappy day. There. I said it. Yes, even I have crappy days from time to time.

Not that it is anything earth-shattering. It was just crappy. I had to do things I didn't want to and I had no control over the situation and so it put me in a bad mood and I allowed myself to stay in that place pretty much all day. I guess for me having a crappy day from time to time allows me to really 'process'. I get whatever is bugging me out and think, ponder, and have internal conversations (and some not so internal), work through what has been piling up, and come out the other side.

I realize, once AGAIN, that the only real thing I have control of is how I act/react to what I don't have control over. And so with that repeated enlightenment, I repent, ask for guidance from the One who is really in charge, and know that tomorrow will be such a better one!

On a good note: Today was the priority registration date for efy. I got online at 8am and got the exact session we wanted for Christine's efy this summer. I am still baffled at how we got to sign up on the very first day of registration since I procrastinated the sign up to get in the priority registration pool until the last hour of the last day. But, we'll take it! Must be one of those on-line random drawing things.

Deidre and Brad Visit

We got to visit with Deidre and Brad 2 nights in a row!

Brad is in dental school at Boston University but currently is doing an internship in Arizona for two months. Taking advantage of having the grandparents close, they took off for California for a long weekend away. It was the first time since the babies were born that they have had some alone time together. Disneyland, the beach, the temple, and Mimi's Cafe were on their to-do list. They came by on Sunday night, and then Monday night too!

We did the most special/fun thing of all!

VISITED and CAUGHT UP.

Which of course included lots of laughter!

What is it about sitting around the kitchen table littered with leftover food and uncleared dishes that makes such good memories?

Love You Guys!

More Wet Weather

More rain today. Regular rain. Not like the storms of last week. I love it. I love hunkering down and being cozy inside my house. I've never been a I-have-to-get-out-of-the-house-everyday kind of person.

Mike came over and brought their pantry to integrate into ours. It was sad. Not that I wasn't grateful for the spices and food items, but they are moving out of their first home to move in with us while he finishes school and gets a job. They are very independent and even though this is the best thing for them right now, it makes this Mom's heartstrings tug to watch them make this sacrifice. But I'm proud of them daring to live a life different than the one they imagined. It takes courage! So he and I went through it all and packed a box of things that will keep that weren't opened that they can use when they get their own place in a few more semesters!

That of course prompted for me a cleaning out and reorganizing of my pantry and spice cupboard! Love those alphabetized spices! Haha!

Prepared to go visiting tonight with the RS President to the sisters not accepting visiting teachers right now. We only made it to 3 before it became too late in the evening, but those 3 went SOOOOOOO well! We learned so much, got phone numbers, addresses, and made connections. With follow up and friendshipping I am encouraged about the possibilities! It reminded me of the power of prayer and the Lord's hand in all situations. These women were somehow 'prepared' for us to knock on their doors and visit with us. I could feel the spirit involved. Great experience. And I was again filled with the truth that we are ALL His children and He loves each one of us.

Handbag Cleaning 101

I got this in my email a while ago and printed it to save for one day when I could get around to it. And I finally got to do it. It is from Martha. Of course, she would think of this! But I have to mention, that it really is great advice and I was pleased with the results.

I got all my purses out of the pile I had them in and followed these tips. I don't have a plethora of bags. I don't really coordinate much with my outfits. Basic black works so well. Maybe I should, but purses can be expensive, even at Target sometimes. I found this "Pack-a-Purse" unit on line. The total time for assembly, cleaning, stuffing, and finishing was 30-45 minutes! I've been procrastinating because I thought it would be a long, drawn out process, but not so. I rearranged this shelf in my closet and it sure is much more functional, organized, and nicer to look at when I walk in!(I've also been having my kids blessing dresses/outfits properly cleaned and professionally boxed. I found a great dry cleaners locally that does it and I think it is reasonably priced.)

SO. Give it a try. I think you'll be happy about it.

Handbag Cleaning 101

It's amazing how the handbag has gone from just an accessory to a staple in a woman's wardrobe. We all love our handbags and, depending on how much money you spend, they can become a real investment. (This may be true for some, but not for me. Target, Macy's is my speed.) That's why it's important to care for your bag properly to ensure that it has a long life. Periodic cleaning and correct storage will keep your bag looking like new.

Cleaning Your Handbag How-To.

1. Empty all pockets and shake gently to remove dust and debris.

2. Clean interior of bag by gently pulling it inside out and using a lint roller. If you can't pull out the lining of your handbag, you can use the fabric brush attachment on your vacuum.

3. Clean exterior of leather bag with alcohol free baby wipes. (This was amazing. I was shocked !! by how dirty they really were...)

Tips for Extending the Life of Your Handbag.

1. If there is a big stain, don't try to clean it yourself. Take it to a leather expert as soon as possible.

2. If your handbag does not have "feet" on the bottom, you can have them added by a leather-care expert. Feet protect the bottom of the bag from scratches and dirt. (Don't think I will do this one.)

Tips for Keeping the Interior Clean.

1. Never put a pen in your purse without a cap on it. (And I will add: or a click pen in the closed position.)

2. Keep makeup in a separate makeup bag. (Ahh, good one. It keeps it all in one place and is easier to find.)

Tips for Handbag Storage.

1. Handbags can be hung on a hook for a few days, but any longer puts too much strain on the straps.

2. Fill handbag loosely with balls of tissue paper to help keep the shape; stiff bags don't need this. (I was really surprised how this simple step made them come back to life)

3. Put handbag in the storage bag it came with. If it didn't come with a roomy drawstring sack then make one out of cotton or use a pillow case. (I haven't done this yet. BTW, none of my purses come with a roomy drawstring sack...)

4. Ideally, handbags would be stored in cubbies built into your closet, but you can also store them in baskets or bins made of plastic-coated wire. Stand them upright or lay them down and don't crowd them. They need to breathe, so don't put a tight-fitting lid on.

THANKS, Martha.

Come Back Soon!

I got a phone call at 7:30am this morning. It was Pam, asking if I could sub for her Primary class today. Her daughter was ill. I said absolutely! I pulled the lesson up on-line, and got to work with it.

As soon as we got to class I was peppered with questions as to where she was, and where were two fellow classmates who weren't there. Boy, is she loved and do they know who was 'missing'!
So after the lesson, we made some signs and took a picture. I sent them off in an email to their teacher and friends who were gone. Such sweet children.

And it just reminded me again of the Savior's counsel to become as a little child.

Aunt Gloria Has Passed Away

We got home from church and had a message from Aunt Coy that Aunt Gloria passed away this morning. She went quickly once they discovered the cancer about 2 months ago. Duff had a message from Ann on his cell.

The services will be next weekend in Logan.

Oh, how we will miss Aunt Gloria! Happy, fun, always finding the positive. Even in spite of life handing her a bunch of garbage. Her hand work lives on in the dish towels and pillowcases she did for all you kids when you got married.

And now, Coy has lost 2 sisters and a daughter in less than 2 years. Tough. I talked with her yesterday. And true to the genes that run in your veins, she pulls herself up and squares her shoulders and meets the next challenge offered. What an example. You come from good 'stock'!

Sunny Change

This is what we woke up to this morning!

Good-bye to the week's worth of heavy storming.

Welcome California blue skies and big white puffy clouds with brilliant bursts of every color imaginable.

Even some snow on Saddleback mountain.

We did Saturday chores, the weekly grocery shopping, and cleaned up from the rain. Lots of leaves and 'rain debris'. The sun feels good. Getting ready for more rain next week.

Stormy Continued

I snapped this last night while I was making Albondigas soup for dinner.

The sun really was trying to bring a respite from our winter El Nino storm!

It has been completely crazy. Whatever you may have seen on television is ACCURATE!

We keep the tv on so we can get the emergency broadcast system's messages.

Last night we were told to stay in because of the severe thunder and lightening and quarter size hail they were predicting. We didn't get it too bad, but others did.

I woke up this morning to the sound of pea sized hail pounding down. I looked out the window and our roof was covered with white. At first I thought it might be snow, but then it registered that that would be all over the ground too.

I haven't been very good at taking pictures of it all. We've been trying to keep up with the water in our backyard. Which I will say has been kept at bay with our trusty pump. Who knows what would have happened if Duff hadn't brought it home!

I was at Aaron Brothers trying to take advantage of the penney sale, and when I went I was ahead of the storm. By the time I was done there, I crossed off the rest of my errands and just went home as slow as possible. I have only seen it rain like this a few times in my life.

Even the airports were closed down. Can you believe THAT?

Tornadoes, flash floods, thunder, lightening, hail, snow in the mountains. Auntie Tia is digging out up there in Wrightwood.

ps: I like my camera even better the more I learn to use it. I put this setting on sunset, and I think it turned out pretty good.

Happy Birthday Adrianne!

We love YOU!

Have a really great day today, even though it is raining like the end of the world!

We are so grateful you are in our family.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Easy Cinnamon Rolls and tips...

ROLLS:

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed and risen (I like to use Rhodes or Bridgeford)

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, soft and at room temperature

1/4 cup white sugar

1 T. brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

ICING:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened

1/4 tsp. vanilla or almond extract

2 Tbsp. milk

TIPS:***

On a floured surface, roll dough into a 10 X 12 inch rectangle. Brush/spread with butter or margarine. ***I like to use solid butter because it isn't as messy as melted butter. Just make sure it is soft and room temperature so you can spread it easily and it won't tear your dough!

Mix sugars and cinnamon together in a small bowl. *** Sprinkle down center of buttered dough rectangle. Spread out gently with your fingers. Add raisins if using. ***Starting on long side, roll up starting at the top and working toward the bottom. This way you can see what you are doing and roll accordingly. Pinch together when you reach the bottom so the dough won't separate.

Cut log in half, then each half in half again. At this point you can cut each piece into 3 or 4 individual rolls.

Place in a 9 X 13 inch pan sprayed with Pam. 3 across and 4 down. Cover with plastic wrap. ***Spray plastic wrap with Pam. Turn the sprayed plastic wrap over so the Pam side is facing the rolls and the clean side is up. This will keep your dough soft and moist while rising and it won't stick to a towel.

Let rise until double in size. Remove wrap and bake at 350* for 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven.

Mix all icing ingredients together. Spread equally on warm rolls. ***OR, put into a ziploc sandwich bag. Cut off a very tiny tip of one bottom corner, and squeeze icing over rolls.

Cinnamon Rolls 101

Tonight I taught a cooking class for the Mia Maids. They wanted to learn to make Cinnamon Rolls. We did an easy, 101 version using frozen bread dough. Making yeast doughs is not hard, but can be a little intimidating and tricky if you are a beginner. And they had to have this done in a little over an hour!

I let the dough thaw and rise earlier in the day. I made 3 pans earlier too. One for the girls to see and taste, and 2 for them to take for a service project delivery when they were done.

There were 10 girls. They worked in teams of 2 making two batches, one for them and one for their partner. They each brought their own 9 X 13 pan, so they could take their rolls home and bake them after rising the 2nd time. Actually, they were supposed to put them in the refrigerator when they got home and pull them out tomorrow to bake. Nice hot cinnamon rolls after school on a rainy day!

Rolling them up.

Ready to cut and put in the pan.
They quickly made their icing, and put it in sandwich size ziploc bags. All they will have to do tomorrow is snip off a small opening in the corner and squeeze it over the hot rolls.

Ready to go home and put in the fridge. Yummmm.

Looking forward to tomorrow!

Adieu To Christmas

We finally got the Christmas tree, front door, and mantle decorations all taken down today and stored until next season. Which I'm sure will be here before we blink!

Adieu to Christmas.

The rain continues and there is no 'adieu' to it! If the forcasts hold true, we will get a break on Sunday and Monday and it starts in again on Tuesday of next week. It rained so hard today that at one point we couldn't see past our backyard fence across to the other side! The rain gutters on the house can't accomodate the amount of water and it spills over. The curbs and gutters on the street are like rushing rivers. The wind is fierce (especially where our house is on the edge of this little canyon area).We had thunder and lightening too. And were on official tornado warning for a few hours this afternoon. Water spouts (the water version of tornados) were spotted in Huntington Beach.

I went to take some trash out to the sideyard where our cans are, and needed boots to wade over to them. The water was 1/2 way up to the bottom of the bathroom door! Not only can the rain gutters not accomodate the amount of moisture, but neither can the yard drains.

SO. The pump is at work again. All day long on the local news, they keep telling us that this is just a precursor to what is coming on Thursday. I'm officially nervous now. And Duff regrets he didn't get the bigger pump.

Christine had an appointment with the Bishop tonight. A belated birthday interview and paperwork for her Patriarchal Blessing. I worked on VT in the clerk's office.

The Pump

We had so much rain today that our backyard couldn't keep up with it. By the afternoon, the water was all the way up to the bottom of our sliding glass doors threatening to come in the house.

The drains couldn't drain because there was so much water in the street out front it had no place to go. Also, we think the drains on the south side are clogged with roots from trees and the like.

Duff and Christine headed for Lowe's to get some hoses to siphen the water and run it out down the back to the golf course. They came home with an electric pump. This thing was awesome! You hook it up to your garden hose, plug it in to an outlet and it pumps all the water out. We ran the hose to the back slope and the water coming out of that was like the faucet was on full blast!

Apparently we are not alone. Duff said the pumps were flying off the shelves. He had to go back 30 minutes later and get a part that was missing from our box, and they were gone! The clerk said it was a no win situation for him. He watches the weather intently and then orders supplies based on the forecast. If he ordered too many and the rain was light, he would be in trouble. But now he will be in trouble because there weren't enough! Haha!

It pumps 1400 gallons of water in one hour. We ran it for almost 3 hours. So the math on that would mean roughly about 4000 gallons of water were rising and ready to invade us!

We've had a respite during the night but the next storm is on it's way! They say Thursday should be the worst.

And so now we have a pump. Who would have thought.

Oh. And 24 was great. Hmmm. Renee is back and she is not 'right'! EEEeeeeee.

So Glad Today Is A Day Of Rest

...because I'm SORE. I woke up in the middle of the night and could feel it setting in. But it's a good sore.

Stake Conference was very uplifting. My favorite talk was Elder Holland's on Forgiveness. Two points: Forgive yourself. Forgive others. 2/3 of his talk was on forgiving ourselves. We are too hard on ourselves. Repent, let it go, and move forward. As we make this part of our life, we will find more peace and be able to forgive others more easily (bringing again, more peace to our life). I really loved Brother Edgley's talk also on the Savior, Atonement. He is the One who will and can make it all right.

I'm still trying to get used to this early schedule. I don't like it when we have to get up, but I sure like it when we are all done. Roast beef for dinner. Visited with all the kids either here or by phone, and now we are getting ready to see the season premier of 24! It's the last season! Will they tie up all the loose ends?????

Oh. And it started raining about 4 o'clock.

The Rain Is Coming So We Are Pruning

We got up first thing and started in the yard. We are gearing up for a week's worth of rain. I heard one news report that said we should make up our water deficit PLUS get enough to fill our rain totals for the whole year. THAT is a lot of rain, especially for southern California. They call it El Nino.

So we pruned the rose bushes and all the geranium pots even though they were all still blooming. I kind of hate to do that when they still look half way decent, but it has to be done. That plus cleanup and fertilizing and snail baiting took till mid-afternoon. It looks good and the fertilizer will get a deep soaking and bring gorgeous bushes and blooms in the spring.

I worked on some things in our closet again. I've been going through all my books. I have a pile to take to the public library. Things like craft how-to's from the 80's and 90's that I was just sure I would need again some day. I had a chuckle when I see how far we've come with styles. There are some things in life that are timeless and some that are truly trendy! And the same with the files upon files that I saved for my 'dream house' one day that are so outdated I happily put them in the throw away pile on the floor. Duff took that last bag out to the garbage cans and came back in to tell me there was room for nothing else, so I had to stop until the trash is picked up on Monday.

I want to say that I don't mean to imply that we are messy, dirty, or pack-rats. But things just accumulate in closets and the like over time and you finally see it with 'fresh eyes' and wonder why you saved it.

Tonight was Stake Conference and it was very good. Messages on gossiping, kindness, supporting leaders, and missionary work. Tomorrow is a satellite broadcast. We went to dinner after with Josh, Meredith, Shaun, and Patti and Richard (Meredith's parents). We closed down Tutto Fresco, and then stopped at Albertson's on the way home to grab enough to get us through tomorrow. You can always count on our ward to be there shopping late on a Saturday night! Five couples were completing their 'date night' cruising the grocery aisles!

I can tell I'm going to be sore tomorrow. It didn't hit me how much I'd accomplished/done today until I sat down at the church.

Here's The Scoop: It's James's Birthday!

'Hang loose', buddy and have a fantastic day. How was your party? Your invitation sounded like it was going to be pretty dang fun!

Love You!

Less Is More 2

I continue on. Today I rolled coin. $122.50 actually from my closet (we keep 4 small containers and just separate it out at the end of each day and when they are full: I roll), laundry room (from all that I collect when I wash. If it's in the washer it becomes mine) , and car ( Duff hates change in his pockets). Then it goes into our emergency prep fund.

While I was doing that, I delved more into my closet. Went through my jewelry box and found lots of old stuff from the 80's that I got rid of. But found fun things like my baby locket! What an adventure this "Less Is More" is turning out to be!

Here are #6-10 of the how to simplify, pare down, and focus on what's really important:

6--Remember the two-year rule. If you haven't used something for two years, chances are you won't use it again. This particularly applies to clothes.

7--Don't Get Buried Under Sentimentality. Sure, it's nice to keep possessions you cherish, but do you really need your high school prom dress? If you are keeping your wedding dress, have it professionally cleaned and boxed at a dry cleaners and put it in storage. And your children's collection of stuffed animals? Keep one to pass on to the next generation, then donate the rest.

8--One In and One Out. If something new comes in the house, something old has to go out. This rule is pivotal to maintaining the simple, clutter-free existence you've worked so hard to achieve.

9--Maximize Your Storage. There are all sorts of helpful items these days that help you make the most of small spaces. Ottomans with removable tops are the perfect place to sotre toys, board games, or extra bedding. And under-bed baskets are great for storing large or awkward items.

10--Organize By Bits. It's going to take awhile to go through your entire house--after all, it may have taken you up to twenty years to acquire all of your current clutter/stuff--so be easy on yourself and try not to attempt too much in one sitting. Start with one closet and give yourself a six hour limit.

I am donating and throwing out. I don't really have anything to sell at ebay or Craig's list. BUT that is a great way to gather in some extra cash if you have bills to pay, especially during this tough economic time. I have a neighbor and also another friend who have been doing this to keep a 'roof over their heads'. One told me this week that they got a great price for their headboard and bedroom chairs and it paid the rent! I was very touched at her sacrifice. She said it was more important to them to give that up and give their kids stability and security at home. I don't have a headboard or bedroom chairs, but silently wondered if I could do the same. I've thought a lot about this since our conversation.

Happy Birthday Mama!

Today is my mom's birthday. She is 73.

She spent the day putting on a funeral luncheon, (she is the compassionate service leader) for a dear friend in their ward who passed away while they were still in Utah earlier this week. They got home last night and were busy working on it this morning. Then she went to renew her driver's license.

She and my dad went to Kristin's to pick up Mr. Rosie, who was more than delighted to see them after 3 weeks!

My mom is a sweetheart. She is an angel of mercy to so many. She is a hard worker and gets in and gets things done. She loves to cook and bake and craft. She is the heart of her home.

Happy Birthday, Mom.

I love you!

Less Is More

Or so they say! But it's January, and things are 'bugging' me.

So, I'm doing the go-through-each-closet, room, garage, drawer-thing and organizing and purging. I haven't gotten very far yet, but oh, it feels so good. Like two days ago when I went through a stack of papers that I had downloaded and printed out who knows how many months/years ago and have never looked at since. Into the shredder they went. AHHH. Clean space! I think one of my motivations is to have it close to done before Mike and Adrianne move in at the end of the month. Probably an unrealistic goal, but it keeps me focused. (With Mike back in school full time and the economy, they are going to spend a little 'time' with us.)

Here is some information I found from SRBI Public Affairs and the National Association of Home Builders: "It's called the big box syndrome. We buy more stuff at big-box retailers. (Could this be my beloved Costco and the like?) We drive bigger cars to get all of that stuff home. We have bigger homes to put everything in. And somehow we still don't seem to have enough room for everything.

"Here are some specifics: In the 1950's, the average woman in the U.S. had four pairs of shoes. Today it is 13 pairs (and many more for a lot of women!). In 1970, the average size of a home was 1400 square feet. (My Westminster home for 10 years with 4 children). Today it's 2340 square feet. So, if more space and more stuff/clutter go hand in hand, even with that additional space, how can you get it under control?"

I found in my files a flyer, from a realtor I'm sure, that I kept about just such simplification! I've been using it as a guide and I think it's pretty thorough so I thought I'd post 5 of the 10 steps today. And the rest tomorrow. And maybe you just might find it useful too!

1--Pretend That You Are Moving. It's time to pare down. If you had to move, would you take it with you? Do you really need 3 hair dryers? Or what about all of those books; do you really need to keep all of them? Donate what you don't need.

2--Keep Only What You Love. Ask yourself, do you really have to keep it? If not, go ahead and get rid of it. Put more focus on using the things that bring you happiness.

3--The Benefits Of Less. Less stuff equals more time. With less stuff, there's less to clean, organize and dust. With less stuff, your house looks uncluttered and cleaner. Let this motivate you.

4--Learn To Love Containers. Containers instantly add order to choas, and are the secret weapon of organizers everywhere. Put all the kid's shoes in a tub, the newspapers in a bucket, fingernail polish in a basket, and so on.

5--Everything In It's Place! YES, this is something your mother always said, BUT SHE WAS RIGHT!! When everything has a place on a shelf, in a cabinet or in a bin, you'll avoid counter clutter and junk-filled drawers.

And now I'm pondering the pros and cons of wearing shoes in the house??? What do you do, and why? Shoes vs. taking shoes off when you come in the door.

That is the current question.....

*** TIP*** No More Scratched DVD's!

I am posting this from my friend, Jamie's, blog: Right At Home. It is a crafting/homemaking/project blog that she and her sisters have. Please check it out, because these gals have amazing ideas and talent and I learn a lot from them.

I bought a brand new dvd at Christmas time and we put it on to watch it and part of the way through it froze. Yep, a scratch right out of the package. Arghhh.

So...... Here's how to fix that!

1.Use a small amount on a soft cloth and go over the area that is scratched from the inside of the dvd to the outer edge in a straight stroke.

2. Do this until it is rubbed in and shiny.

3. Run the dvd under hot water to rinse off any residue.

4. Dry with another soft cloth.

She found Brasso at Walmart. Tips: It is highly toxic so be careful with it, especially around children. AND another suggestion is to follow the same procedure using plain old regular toothpaste (no gel or whitening, etc.) and it works as well.

Thank you, Right At Home, for this great homemaking advice!

SoCal January

I'm back to cleaning and purging. Organizing. Back to school season and a fresh new year bring that out in me.

Today: the bonus room and my closet. They have been the recipients of clutter while getting ready for the holidays. The movies were a mess! Why? It is just so simple. Please. Movies are like my spices: alphabetize. Then you always know where something is. The key to that is putting it BACK in the right spot. My family and I don't see eye-to-eye on that!

While I was thus practicing my abc spelling skills, a revelation came to me: WHY am I keeping movies we NEVER watch??? In my quest to change out all of our vhs to dvd's, I took a better look at what I was storing. Like The Return of Jafar. One of those Costco must haves when my kids were young. The original Aladdin is where it's at, right? And what about Fievel Goes West? Not. An American Tale is all we need for the grandkids. And The Perfect Storm. We've never watched it once since we bought the vhs version how many years ago? It's not even a choice when it comes on TNT. And we had a vhs of the Blues Brothers that had never been opened. Yes, still shrink-wrapped.

Into a box they, and others like them, went. Rosie and Lourdes were the grateful new owners. And the entertainment center shelves look much more respectable.

On to my closet. We replaced 3 burned out lightbulbs. OH! Let there be light! And I finally got started on that huge pile of mending and ironing sitting around since Halloween.

They say rain is coming for tomorrow and I am glad. After 2 weeks in Utah coming back to 75 degree weather the last week is a bit warm for me in January!

I still have my Christmas tree up and the mantle decorated. And you know what? I don't care! I'm enjoying every last bit of the lights. One can do that with an artificial tree. I think I'm converted.

FYI: Shaun and Meredith went to the beach today! SoCal January!

There was a catastrophic earthquake in Haiti today. 7.0 with several aftershocks in the 5.9 range. That itself would be a horrific earthquake. It looks and is said to be just about complete devastation in the capitol city of Port Au Prince. Matthew K. served his mission there. I know he has a tender heart for those people. I don't do earthquakes well. They scare the beejeebees out of me.

Mini Strawberry Cupcakes

These are the scrumptious mini cakes Meredith and Adrianne made for the family baby shower for Natalie. They will surprise you with how good they are and how much flavor they pack in 1-2 teeny-weeny bites. Meredith got it from a family friend who served them at her daughter's wedding reception.

MINI STRAWBERRY CAKES

Ingredients:

1 Duncan Hines white cake mix

Mini cupcake pans and cupcake papers

1 stick of butter or margarine, room temperature

1 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 basket fresh strawberries

1 lb. powdered sugar

Dash salt (optional)

1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Directions:

Mix cake mix according to package instructions.

Pour into mini muffin tins lined with mini papers.

Bake for 10 minutes and check if done with either a toothpick, cake tester, or tapping them gently in the center and if they spring back they are done. Adjust baking time to fit your oven and altitude.

Remove to wire rack and cool.

Mix butter, cream cheese together until fluffy. Add about 8 strawberries that have been stemmed, washed, and crushed in a bowl with a fork or potato masher.

Beat in powdered sugar a little at a time until you reach your own desired consistency. The salt and vanilla are often included in a traditional cream cheese frosting, but you only need to add them to this if you want to.

Frost mini cakes. Let set up in refrigerator.

Store any leftover frosting and/or cakes in the fridge.

These are SO refreshing and delicious.

You can also use a chocolate cake mix for variety or one of each and offer a choice to your guests! The chocolate is equally as yummy.

Log this one away. SPRING is coming, but they sure were good in the dead of winter!

RIP Jerry

And while we are on the topic of 'fences':

Darla's backyard boyfriend, Jerry, passed away while we were gone. He was one of those dogs that had so much personality. In fact, he was named after the comedian, Jerry Seinfeld because of it. They met at the fence every day and wagged, sniffed, wiggled, communicated, and had fun.

I'll miss him too. He was always so happy to see me and a kind friend. He was really young too, so his passing was not expected.

Rest In Peace Jerry, in that beautiful place in heaven prepared especially for God's creations!

What's Missing/Changed ?

Part of our backyard. What is missing from this picture?

Can you tell now?
The association put in all new fences.
No more metal/wrought iron. They are vinyl and pretty nice.
We're thinking of having them do a new gate for us.
Just think: no more rusting or painting!

Little Things I Noticed

--It was the first time for Sam to bless the sacrament. He made a few mistakes. The sacrament prayers must be perfect. As the nod came from the Bishop to do it again (a few times at that), he calmly tried until it was just as it should be. As I sat there with my head bowed, I pondered the symbolism of that. When we make a mistake, Father asks us to correct it and try again. No matter how many times it takes to get it right. Patiently. And so pleased when we finally do. I had Sam in Primary. He's so tall and grown up now.

--One of the very young Deacons made a passing mistake and did the wrong section. One of the older Teachers who was helping, was clearly annoyed and made a face at him and kept motioning largely to him that he had errored. The Deacon was so flustered he froze and stayed in the wrong assignment and that Teacher went to do the other section. Another older Teacher who was also helping pass today, helped that little Deacon regain some dignity. Without missing a beat, he very discreetly moved over to him and pointed to where he should go to help him at the end of his rows. After each row, he pointed his finger to the next place. Not one word was exchanged. An encouraging smile actually to help restore some confidence. He recognized his 'brother' made a mistake and went to rescue him. It made me think about what part the Lord might expect me to play in the 'rescue 'of someone...

--Our meetings and lessons were really good. I learned a lot and was uplifted and renewed.

--On to visiting teaching changes and reports.

--Feels good. Next week is Stake Conference.

A Little Of This and That

Darla checking on the snowman. Actually, she was looking for me! Haha!

The Christmas Story.
The reason for all the celebrating.

The Christmas traditions from Grandma and Grandpa. All the way from Arizona!
Can you guess what's underneath the wrapping?

Grandma Sigie holding John.

A common scene!

THE CHRISTMAS PICKLE

We got a package from Scott, Hannah, and Aaron. Heather, before she passed away, had gathered a Christmas gift for us.

The Christmas of 2007 Heather introduced her family to the German tradition of hanging a pickle ornament. The previous fall while shopping with Fred's wife, Carol (her sister-in-law), in Utah for random Christmas decorations, Heather found the elusive pickle ornament to hang on the Christmas tree. It was a tradition they loved and one Heather was proud of.

In Heather's memory, Scott sent a jar and pickle for each of us.

We opened them up, while Duff read the letter.
It was a very touching moment.
We all had tears.

We love and miss you, Heather.
Your life and example are with us every day.

Legend of the Pickle Ornament

Long ago in Germany, the pickle legend began. The wheres and why are unknown but it is something now enjoyed by the entire family. The last ornament placed on the tree is done after the children are tucked in bed and is a small green pickle. It is hung with care and is hidden amongst the other ornaments tucked within the tree. The younger the child, the larger the pickle ornament that is hidden so that as the chld ages the pickle gets smaller making it more difficult to find.

Hunting for the pickle ornament slows down the sometimes-frantic rush to the tree and the enticing packages beneath. They will search through all their known ornaments and their eyes will pass over all the ornaments given them by parents and grandparents in their search for the lone pickle.

The lucky child to find the pickle ornament can get a special treat. Perhaps they can be first to open a present or get the place of honor at the Christmas table. Whatever you decided it will be a special time. Memories are made like anything else and the care you take with them gives them a lasting quality.

We'll always pause at Christmas and think of Heather now.

Thank You, Scott, Hannah, and Aaron for sending them to us.

Stow & Go!

We are a puzzle doing family. Some more than others. We got 2 new puzzles this year, both from one of my favorite artists, Dowdle.

If you have puzzles, or like to do puzzles, you know it is always hard to set them up and do them if you don't have a table devoted only to the puzzle. I saw this last year at the Peterson's, and got one for us. It is AWESOME!

This is called STOW & GO!

You can find it at Target/Walmart. It is about $10.

It is a black heavy felt mat that you do the puzzle on. It frames the piece well and I haven't met a puzzle that the black background doesn't enhance. When you need to use the table, place the white plastic roll--that you have blown up--on one end. Put the mat around it and roll the puzzle up, securing it with two velcro straps.

I'm telling you: the puzzle DOESN'T MOVE a bit. You can even stand it up in a corner. When you are ready to continue putting it together, just unroll it and keep going.

It also makes a great gift!

New Year's Day 2010

I don't even remember when this tradition began, but sometime early in our marriage. We always make homemade Chinese food on New Year's Day. Once upon a time we made so much of it that we had too many things to choose from.

Over the years we have narrowed it down to egg rolls and ham fried rice.

This year we also made some garlic beef with pea pods. We used some leftover prime rib, garlic, and a bag of pea pods that I had in the freezer. It was really good!

Duff's Aunt Aggie from Roosevelt came into town this afternoon for a visit. She never goes anywhere without a small packed suitcase and one of her sewing machines along with a duffle bag of fabric. Just in case she needs to 'whip something up'! She is quite the quilter and that is first and foremost her passion.

Above, Aggie and Lisa rolling the egg rolls.

Mike stir-frying the veges and leftover Christmas ham getting ready to add the rice and seasonings.

I don't really like to put things in any window sill. Just my fettish. But it was a necessity with this many people. And saved us tons of time washing glasses. Everyone always knew where to find theirs.

Some of Aggie's sewing tools. She has the coolest fold up self-healing mat on one side and on the other is an ironing board mat. The tool on the left is a chalk stick. I had never seen one of those before.

And so she got Meredith involved in the sewing too. She is explaining a technique. Aggie was making Natalie a cover for John's car seat. It velcros on to the handle and then drapes over the baby and carrier frame to keep the baby warm and private from would be well wishers. It's interesting how some people just think it is okay to touch babies, even strangers. Oh, they mean well, but do they really stop to think about it?

It turned out darling and if you click on the picture you can see the detail of the fabrics.

Aggie also brought a box full of mincemeat cookies. I think they are totally nasty, but they are truly one of Duff's FAVORITES, ever. And she makes them for him whenever she comes over. I do have the recipe for them in Grandma Vera Duffy's own handwriting, but can't ever bring myself to make them. I very glad they have this relationship and she can bring them to him to satisfy his hankering! We enjoyed our visit with her and she stayed for 2 days and 2 nights with us. Aggie and my mom went into town shopping and had a really good time together.

CougarHaven Snowman 2010

Greeting all those who come our way.

Blessing Shawl

My mom is really good with handwork and her projects keep her busy, build her hobby, and gives lots of happiness to those who receive her gifts.

Here is the blessing shawl she made for John's blessing last Sunday.

She made the body of the shawl, but couldn't figure out the edging. So the night before the blessing, she had me finish it. I holed myself up in my bedroom and crocheted hour after hour to get it done. I thought, it's just edging. I didn't know it was 6 rows of it!

BUT, I got it all done except for the very last row with the picot on it. I finally figured no one would know except for me, so he was blessed with it and then I took it back and finished the last row on the drive home the next day. It took me from St. George to Victorville to get that onelast long row done.

I think it turned out very beautiful. And now the Newell family has their baby blessing shawl.

Thanks, Mom/Grandma Great for the legacy of your handiwork.