A Good Thought!

An Angel says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.'

                      1. Pray
                      2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
                           7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
         8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time;

don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns.

If a situation is a concern, find out what God

would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13.. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a spiritually enlightening book with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20.. Listen to a cd while driving that can help improve your quality of life...
21 Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray
24. Make friends with Godly people.

25.. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you Heavenly Father .'
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29.. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31.. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.

'If God is for us, who can be against us?'

(Romans 8:31)

Taste Buds

I've been thinking about taste buds lately.

How some change and some don't.  For instance:  When I was growing up the only birthday cake I would even consider was angel food or white cake.  Now all I crave for my birthday is German Chocolate.  I hated (not a strong word in this instance) that cake when I was growing up.  Pecans (any nut for that matter) and coconut?  Not if it was the last food on the planet!  Now, I must have frosting for each bite of the slice.  How does that happen?  I love every nut now, except for walnuts because they give me cankers, and can't get enough coconut.  Love coconut cream pie and coconut cake.

And onions.  Still to this day, I cannot eat a raw onion.  Not on a burger, in a salad.  I love them grilled, caramelized, I cook endlessly with them, love the aroma (especially paired with garlic), but raw, forget it!  I can't figure it out.  Maybe it's the oozing juice, the crunch.  Can't do it.  Tried, but just can't.  I'll get sick.  Weird, huh.

Subway Art

I love what is called Subway Art.  The girls found it on the blog, eighteen25.  So I was beyond thrilled when I opened my present from Mike and Adrianne and Josh and Meredith to find all the panels to date!  I am going to put them in the greenhouse window by the kitchen sink.

THANK YOU!

It was a really relaxing, nice day today.  Church was good.  It was the YW program.  Good speakers and really good musical numbers.  I love when they sing As Sisters In Zion and then all the YM and their leaders get up out of the congregation and go to the front of the chapel and sing Armies of Helaman in tandem with them.  Goose bumps time!  The kids all came over for my family birthday dinner.  I wanted my favorite since my childhood:  classic roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, broccoli, corn, carrots, sour cream cucumbers.  It was the best!  Everyone helped Duff get it done--the dishes too, and I got to be pampered.  Missing Nats, Rob, and John :(

My Birthday Today!

Today I am 55.
We slept in.  I liked that for my birthday.
But before that, Christine, Meredith, and Erik left about 7am to hike Saddleback Mountain.  It took them four hours up and 2 hours down.  Chris can hardly move tonight, but she did it and said the view from the top was AMAZING!

Today Duff and I cleaned/straightened out the big garage.  Not that it was a complete mess by any means, but over time things just get out of place and messy and piles of  'stuff' start accumulating.  It makes me crazy.  Please, just put things back where they GO, 'k?  We have been purchasing some case lots of canned goods for our working food storage pantry and those needed to get put away, which means that entire cupboard had to be cleaned out, rotated, etc.  We brought the garbage cans in and did some more tossing.  Why have we kept small red water thermos bottles from Christine's early soccer days???? Yeah.  Out they went along with some old shoes, expired sun screen for golfing, old out-dated broken holiday decorations, and the like.

It looks and feels so good.  I still would like to go through the workbench cupboard with all our gardening stuff.  That is in much need of a make-over/clean out.  I also want to move the crib to the rafters above the door because it is in such a random place inbetween the Christmas decoration boxes, and I'd like to keep the similar items together.  So maybe next week on those.

It took us practically all day, but we got it done. It was a perfect birthday present. It really made me happy. I love ShopVacs. They make getting all those stray leaves and dirt from the wind so easy to clean up.

My thoughts about my birthday:  I like me.  I'm happy I came to the family I did.  I had a great growing up.  I have the best parents and siblings.  Wish my brother had a relationship with our family, but I have made my peace that some things just won't be fixed until the next life.  I have a really great husband and children.  And in-laws too.  I have a testimony of the gospel.  I enjoyed working today with my hubby.  Tomorrow the kids are coming over to celebrate.  That's the best gift ever.

Nate And Alex's Wedding

Nate and Alex are married!

It was a beautiful morning at the temple.

Nate and Shaun have been best friends since he was 7 and Shaun was 8.  They have been through a lot in those 17 years.  I never knew in the summer mornings where Nate was going to wake up:  the floor, couch, top bunk....!  He had pantry and refrigerator privileges.  He vacationed with us.  Sometimes Jeff did too!

We have enjoyed watching him grow up and find Alex.  They are a good match.  Well suited for each other.

He and I had a tender moment this morning after the ceremony.  We both got a little teary and he told me he loved me and thanked me for all I had done for him during the years.  Gosh, if I didn't just about lose it!  Cute kid guy!

The reception was pretty.  It was held at Alex's grandparents house in Hunt Club in San Juan Capistrano.  Beautiful setting.  Good food and even better company.  Before we knew it our table was squeezing more chairs around it than could fit and we laughed and reminisced with the married Steele's and Koelliker families.  Little ones running all around. 

CONGRATULATIONS, NATHAN AND ALEX.

WE LOVE YOU!

Nate and Alex's Groom's Dinner

Tonight was the groom's dinner for Nate and Alex.

It was at Talega Golf Club in San Clemente.

What a fun evening!

We had Italian Sodas, custom Creme Sodas, and all the other usuals in the soda department.

Fajitas buffet with some amazing guacamole and salsa.

A happy program, complete with 3 year old Brandon (Jeff and Lisanne's oldest) singing a personalized version of the Beatles song Eight Days A Week, standing on a chair with a microphone!  Oh!  It was adorable.  Mom, Lisanne, and aunties Brittany and Stephanie singing backup (haha), with Greg on the guitar.

All was good, until Shaun and I got terribly car-sick on the way home.

I wanted to die.  Not really, but you know what I mean.

Josh and Meredith

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Best wishes for a happy anniversary to a couple we love and admire.  May your relationship continue to be a blessing to both of you as well as to all of those who know you.

You set a good example for all of us.

What a memorable day that was 4 years ago! 

Much love from all of us to you~~

She DID IT!

Natalie Passed The BAR EXAM!!!!

She found out last Friday, but I'm just now posting it.

It was such good news especially since we had just put Darla down the night before.

Not only did she pass it, but when she got her scores on Saturday, she found out she 'nailed it'.

She studied on her own (they only had money for Robert to take the prep class), and she forgot to register her computer so she had to do the test longhand.

Now she is waiting to get the date for her swearing in, and she will be a lawyer!

CONGRATULATIONS, NATS!

Good Job.  We Love You--

Neck Coolers

Tonight was RSM:  Relief Society Meeting.

We made neck coolers for the military.

I had never heard of them before, and was really impressed.

Adrianne and I brought our sewing machines and were assigned to the last station.

There were cutting tables, ironing stations, first stage sewing, turning right side out stations, measuring stations, and our sew and fill and finish stations.

 You make a long tube like above, and sew it on three sides.  Turn it right side out.

Measure two lengths on each end for the ties, and then measure every 4 inches to make 4 sections.

 We sew straight across each section, then stop and fill with a small pvc pipe, funnel, and these teeny, tiny clear beads. (The picture above is what they look like after hydrating.  I got all these pics from google.) Only 1/4 teaspoon of the beads.  That's all.  It almost seems a non-issue.  Stitch the next section to close it and form the next part.  Top stitch the opening at the end.

These clever neck coolers are standard issue to troops operating in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Once soaked in water, the crystals inside absorb water and the scarf swells up. Once drained of excess water it is worn around the neck, forehead etc, and as the water evaporates, the scarf becomes cold and has a cooling effect.

 They can be re-used again and again, simply by resoaking in water.

They reduce core body temperatures fast, thus helping to prevent heat stress. They give hours of cooling relief from hot temperatures. Just soak them  in water for about twenty minutes. Through evaporation and air circulation it will stay cool for a week. It helps cool the neck and major artery blood flow, which keeps them more comfortable.

I think this is such a good thing.  I might make some to keep in my emergency preparedness supplies.

Tonight was a lot of fun and comraderie.



Monday Madness.

• Cleaned the kitchen really good.  Why do stoves get soooo dirty?
• Scrubbed the laundry room down.  It's weird not having the kennel in there anymore.  On the bright side, there is a lot more room.
• Called the groomer and cancelled Darla's appointment.  The British gal was shocked and crying on the phone.  She called to everyone to come over and told them Darla had passed.  They were sad.  They loved her.  They would keep her in with them while they worked on other dogs just cause she was so sweet and they liked her in with them.
• Got all the laundry done!
• Adjusted and leveled the fireplace wood pile.  Covered it tightly with a tarp.  More rain expected tomorrow and later in the week.
• Cleaned the garbage cans and brought them back in.
• Washed down the driveway.  It always amazes me how dirty it can get.  It doesn't look dirty, but the thin layer of silt and dirt and grime surprises me every time.
• School carpool.
• Tilapia, baked potatoes, green beans for dinner.
• Duff and Christine went to a mandatory meeting at the school for those who will be driving and want to be entered in the parking lottery.  They said it was good, but too long.
• We watched DWTStars.  I am a Karate Kid fan, but I think Ralph's dancing days might be numbered.  I would like to see the finals be him, Chelsea, and Hines.  Sorry Kirstie.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

We woke up to rain, rain, rain.  Lots of it.  At one point this morning, I thought to myself how much it felt like a winter rain storm instead of a spring one.

But by the time we got out of church, the sun was peeking through the big white puffy clouds in a piercing blue sky.  Magic.

It was really weird not having Darla welcome us home.  That is just the routine on Sunday.  She watches us get ready, goes downstairs without us even telling her and gets in her kennel and waits for us to come and latch her in.  Then she acts like she hasn't seen us in 5 years when we get home.  Chris and Mike summed it up when they said it was just weird feeling.

Mike and Adrianne made a great pulled pork sandwich dinner.  They did it in the oven without the grill or a smoker.  Duff had a million and one meetings today.  The rest of us just relaxed. 

Everyday we get rid of a few more things of Miss Darla's.  Yesterday Duff took down the kennel and I washed it good and zip tied it closed.  Ready for our next chapter with a 'tail' one day!  I found one of her scarves in my hair stuff drawer in the bathroom.  She hadn't like that one and I took it off her and threw it in the drawer.  I picked it up to toss it, and it smelled just like her when she first came home from the groomer.  A great memory!

Duffy Garden 2011

Today, we planted our garden.  Finally.  We are getting it in a little late for us this year.

Mike was at the tiller mixing up the dirt and compost we added.

Duff raked it smooth and stamped it down.

 Adrianne planting a tomato plant.  Beefsteak.  She has been so excited about the garden this year.  It is her first one.  I laid everything out and Duff taught her how to plant them.  This year we have: 1 Early Girl tomato, 3 beefsteak, 2 Roma's, 1 cherry, and 1 yellow plum tomato plant.

 The herb bed.

We figured out this year what we use the most of and planted those and left the others out.

Lots of cilantro, parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, chives, rosemary.  I put an upside down tomato cage in the rosemary.  I'd like to shape it into a cone topiary.  It would add a different design element to the garden.

 Center box.

Green onions, two green bell pepper plants in the back, 2 red bell peppers in the front, and pole beans in the center next to our owl.  He glares at the wildlife and lets them know not to come around!

One of my favorite gardening catalog/sites is Gardener's Supply.  That is where our tomato cages and pea fences come from.  They are sturdy and fold completely flat when not in use.  We have always planted bush beans, but just don't have enough room in our backyard garden for them.  This bean tower was tested and produced 1400-2000 beans from one planting.  So we decided to go vertical this year with pole beans.  

 

 Last, but certainly not least, we have to have our zuchinni.

Oh!  The soft buttery taste of a freshly picked and steamed zuchinni squash!  I could make my whole dinner of them.

It always seems like it rains whenever we first plant our garden.

It was such a cold day, and the drizzle began while we were finally cleaning up.

It's May Gray you know. 

Happens every year.

Now I want to try my hand at composting.
Gardener's Supply has some great ones.  I might start out small so I can figure it out and get some experience.  Anyone out there who can give me some pointers?