The Neighbor's Blog

Twelve on Twelve of February 'Twelve

2012-02-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

Ty and Michelle - Happy 203 Abe Ty and Michelle - six to eight weeks more Grace - first project with my new sewing machine finally completed . . . a fun, new skirt for summer! Abe - Getting ready for another exciting day of training Ray and Levin - Levin doing his trick and holding on to his reins Ray, Cali, and Levin - Ande came for dinner since Joe is gone Joe - Ready to

52 Blessings – Today

2012-02-12T18:08:00.000-08:00

It’s Abraham Lincoln’s 203 birthday today. He’s been a hero that has not tarnished one iota the more I’ve learned about him. I’m grateful for a sterling example of patience, compassion, and integrity. I think of his example often. I’m grateful for Fast Sunday (typically the first Sunday of each month where Mormons refrain from food and drink for 24 hours and donate the money saved to help

Life in My World – Week with a Full Moon

2012-02-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

In addition to my other teaching job, I began teaching history at the Kimber Academy this week. Hence, my preoccupation with the Six Day War. In another week we start American History and I’ll be back on more familiar ground. The class has approximately 15 students aged 12-17. One of the fourteen year old students is ready to graduate and has already started college courses on-line. One of

Thursday Thinking

2012-02-09T19:55:00.000-08:00

Some websites say we have a new thought every 12 seconds. Others say not quite so many, still others are certain we have more. I have no idea, but here are a few things that I’ve been thinking about: Moshe Dayan and the Six Day War. I learned so little about history in school. It’s a shame, because I love it and have spent the last twenty years trying to catch up and wish I had

Homemaking Tip – Valentine Cookies

2012-02-08T21:40:00.000-08:00

Cali told me about some double chocolate pomegranate cookies that she made. She said, “I think they may be my new favorite. They’re rich and then all of a sudden you get a splash of a pomegranate bursting. Even Ray (who doesn’t like chocolate) likes them.” I was excited to try them and was not disappointed. They were good. Double Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies 1 cube butter (no substitute

Monday Memories – Love, Love, Love

2012-02-06T21:26:00.000-08:00

There are lots of love ideas floating around the internet. In fact, I’m excited to share a couple of recipes with you myself on Wednesday. Valentine’s Day was an anticipated day at our grade school. A week before school, each student took a plain shoe box to school and the teacher covered it in paper – usually pink, white, or red, but every now and then someone would request a yellow, black,

Thursday Thinking – “The time has come,” the walrus said, “to talk of many things . . .” (Lewis Carroll)

2012-02-02T20:33:00.000-08:00

Walruses. Not every day you think about walruses, but I’m doing an assignment and they are the subject. I had no idea they are nearly 4,000 pounds or that they eat between 3,000 and 6,000 clams in a sitting. I also didn’t know they blow the clams off the ocean floor and then suck the meat out of the shells (can you imagine a vacuum with that kind of power?). I learned that their mustache

Homemaking Tip – Simplest Salsa I Ever Made

2012-02-01T20:48:00.000-08:00

I served this at a luncheon last week and friends asked me if I would send them the recipe. I explained it's not really a recipe it's just a can of tomatoes with green chilies, some chopped fresh cilantro, and some sliced green onions. It's easy. It's healthy. It's good. Sometimes in the summer when the garden is producing if I want to make this salsa fancy I add fresh tomatoes and peppers

Monday Memories – Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

2012-01-30T17:10:00.000-08:00

P.D. Eastman’s book “The Best Nest” was given to us as a baby shower gift. The kids could “read” it before they knew the alphabet. They even mimicked my tone. But one of the kids was not convinced our nest was best. I remember the day she ran away. Cali wasn’t mad. She wasn’t even upset. She was just determined to find a better place to live. Aunt Lynn’s house seemed to be the answer.

52 Blessings – Discipline

2012-01-29T17:42:00.000-08:00

I remember one time my younger sister Janet came into the bathroom while Mom was combing my hair into ponytails. Janet said something like “I have candy” as she walked in front of me. I looked at her and said, “So.” Quick as not, Mom slapped my face and said, “We don’t say ‘so.’” If there is one thing I am certain of, it is that Janet was being difficult. But if there is something else of

Life in Our World – Saturday Small Talk

2012-01-28T14:10:00.000-08:00

· The other day I couldn’t find my phone. Anywhere. I was going to be late so I left home without it. When I returned home I asked Calvin if he would call it so I could find it. It was up in the cupboard with the boxes of pudding. Duh. Who doesn’t think to look there? · Michelle had the great idea of

Homemaking Tip – Easy Frame

2012-01-25T23:13:00.000-08:00

Calvin, Ty, and Abe sporting "Celebration" and "Happily Ever After" pins Today as I cleaned house I finally threw away our “Happily Ever After” and “Celebration” pins that we proudly wore at Disneyland. I tried and tried to think of four people that were going to Disneyland that might want them, but I couldn't. I put one on the bulletin board in my fort for memory and tossed the other three.

52 Blessings – The Club of Clubs

2012-01-22T16:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I wrote a random question in an e-mail asking Michelle, Ande, Grace, and Cali, “Any of you ever belong to a club growing up? A club you organized?” Michelle answered, “My brother and I started a ‘bravery club’ when we were kids. Our neighbor's mom didn't like it because you had to ride down the hill on a skateboard, face first on your belly to be in the club. Needless to say, it

Life in Our World – Snow Day

2012-01-20T16:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went to a class on education. Though I’ve read this statement before, it was stated again in the class that: “Children primarily look to their mothers for guidance and to their fathers for acceptance.” I’ve thought about that statement quite a bit. As of 2010, 40% of all births are out of wedlock. Where, oh where, will nearly half of the nation's children look for and find

Homemaking Tip – 25¢ Projects

2012-01-18T16:31:00.000-08:00

Mother Nature went into labor all right. I don’t know that she’s birthing anything iconic (but I thought each and every one of our kids was incredibly historic when they were born, so maybe she does too). We had school today, but no mutual tonight. Here are a few projects I finished up today. Each one cost less than 25¢ and are made from things you have on hand -- paper, dirt, string. I

Tuesday – Ready or Not

2012-01-17T20:47:00.000-08:00

The mother of all storms is supposed to come in tonight: “Enormous. Major. Potentially historic,” says the weather channel. The Seattle weathermen say they have 100% chance (that’s a funny oxymoron isn’t it) of snow. They don't get snow very often and, what with the narrow, hilly streets that have outlawed salt, it shuts the city down when they do. I keep my expectations low on what

Monday Memories – Tangled

2012-01-16T14:05:00.000-08:00

Chewbacca and Ande Joe sent this picture with the caption "Sunday nap" to the family yesterday. Abe responded: “Where does her hair end and the dog begin?” Ande called and we laughed about the picture and the comment. She has taken a lot of ribbing on her hair through the years; I think because she has had so much more than the rest of us (at least ‘til Grace joined the family). Ande is

52 Blessings – Muscle Memory

2012-01-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

muscle memory: a movement that you have repeated several times that your muscles remember how to do independent of your conscious effort. An example of a muscle memory would be riding a bike, you could go fifty years without riding one but still remember how when you tried again. One muscle memory I am grateful for is playing the organ. The organ requires the hands and feet to play in

Life in Our World – The Week

2012-01-14T20:04:00.000-08:00

Wednesday one of the girls wasn't wearing make-up so I promised to just show their hands Some of our young women came here Wednesday night to learn how to bake bread. They're all getting ready to go to college next year and cooking is a big concern for them. Desperation can make for an eager student. Shelly, our young women’s president, has already taught them how to make cinnamon rolls,

12 on 12 of January '12

2012-01-12T23:59:00.000-08:00

Ande -- Today I was in charge of Levin and Chewie. I had aspirations of teaching them to both roll over. Alas, my dreams were dashed when one vomited five times and the other whined from teething pains. I'll let you guess who did what. Levin and Chewie did learn to share however. You might notice Chewie's bone in Levin's mouth. That wasn't planned for the picture--I didn't even notice until

Thursday Thinking: "You Say Good-bye, I Say Hello."

2012-01-12T16:10:00.000-08:00

I say hello. You say good-bye That sound bite is what popped into my head this morning when I saw the bright-spot-of-the-day sun in the same sky as the bright-spot-of-the-night moon. One was coming in the front door while the other went out the back, and it was very cool standing in the middle of the house as they said their hellos and good-byes. Sound Bites – bits of songs or speeches

Homemaking Tip – Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Infinity?

2012-01-11T22:17:00.000-08:00

Last year I asked the family to participate in an 11 on 11 of '11 project with me. Each month on the eleventh we took a picture to document our day and then I posted them on the blog. It was fun each month to anticipate where or what we'd see each family doing. I especially enjoyed reading the captions. I compiled the photos and captions into an album for each family. I chose 8 1/2 x 11

Monday Memories – Dolls

2012-01-09T16:28:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes. I know I've posted this picture before, but it's not like I have more than a dozen to choose from. Grandma Erma. Me. Judy (doll). Grandma Julia. Just before Christmas I went to a fun ornament/bingo/Christmas sweater party. We introduced ourselves by telling a favorite gift and tradition, and it reminded me . . . Dolls. I loved when I got a new doll for Christmas. But by

Life in Our World

2012-01-07T15:34:00.000-08:00

Every now and then Murphy gets it right and the wrong thing happens. Every now and then Murphy gets it wrong and the right thing happens. Last week Calvin and Ty found a couple of stray pit bulls by the chicken coop. The coop door was wide open and only one chicken was left perched on the roost. I expected to find a feather bath out in the pasture. Ty and I herded what chickens we could find

Thursday Thinking – Life Before Google

2012-01-05T15:30:00.000-08:00

This morning I was away from home and couldn't remember where to find a specific quote. My fingers itched for a computer. What did we do before Google? Hmmmmm. Well, if I remember right, I think we . . . . . . called on the phone to see if someone could remember ever reading or hearing the quote we were looking for, and consequently had much higher phone bills. . . . walked to our

Homemaking Tip – Ramekins

2012-01-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

I have a friend with incredible home décor skills. If she were a bird, her nest would not be made of globs of mud and old gray sticks, her nest would be made of mud droplets, lined with feathers (clean ones of course), nicely colored and even length twigs, soft grass clippings, and maybe a strand of tinsel or two for sparkle. Her nest would be situated perfectly in the tree where the leaves

Tuesday Tell All

2012-01-03T22:31:00.000-08:00

Thank heavens we have 26 letters in our alphabet. It’s just the right number for me to memorize and manipulate. It also is the right amount for summing up favorite things of our last few weeks. Here’s to alphabets . . . and favorite things blog posts. As a preface, we (Calvin, me, Abe, Grace, Ty, Michelle, Ande, and Joe) gathered in Disneyland before Christmas to celebrate Ande’s college

Life in Our World – Christmas Things

2011-12-18T07:01:00.000-08:00

One. We had a cookie exchange with the Golden Girls for Mutual on Wednesday. The Golden Girls are all the women 70 and over in our ward, the young women are all between the ages of 12 and 18. We had dozens and dozens of cookies. The girls served the women cookies, hot chocolate, hot apple cider, or a glass of cold milk and then sat and visited with them. The girls also filled plates of

Homemaking Tip –

2011-12-14T22:12:00.000-08:00

The other day Calvin and I cleaned out the lean-to and every time we came across a bucket he said, "Put it in that pile." While the lean-to looks very lean and organized now, there is a big stack of buckets. He has a thing for buckets like I have a thing for baskets." I found this child's chair at a flea market last summer for $2 or $3. I hung it on the wall and it makes a perfect shelf

11 on 11 of December '11

2011-12-11T23:11:00.000-08:00

Calvin - Prepared plates to take to the bishopric and clerks to eat during tithing settlement. I told him to smile for 11 - 11 and he said, "I'm Dasher. No Dancer. No Prancer. No . . . what's the other one's name?" Rudolph. He's Rudolph. Ty - My picture is with Hu Wentao right after I spoke in the Mandarin Branch Abe - enjoying the first roast we have ever made together. It was

52 Blessings – Nativities

2011-12-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

I didn’t even realize I had a Nativity collection until this year as I was unpacking the decorations. I was surprised at how many had accumulated over the years. One was made by a friend whose little nine year old daughter had just passed away. She said she felt called to make them. I know she found great peace that year stitching the Nativity from felt and spools. I think of her and her

Life in My World

2011-12-09T23:12:00.000-08:00

It’s been beautifully foggy and gray the last two days. This morning I wore a gray skirt, a gray sweater, and a gray coat. As I got ready to go out the door Calvin said, “You better not go outside, you might get lost and no one will be able to find you.” He must have forgotten that I got some great little flashlights at his work party gift exchange last night so he can

Thursday Thinking – Little Boxes

2011-12-08T15:15:00.000-08:00

I’m having a hard time thinking of anything else but these boxes (posted below) because I had planned to post this on Monday as a memory. When that didn't happen I thought Tuesday as an anything goes post. When that didn't happen then I thought Wednesday as a homemaking tip. But, as you can see, that didn't happen either, so it's all I can think of today and it's Thursday. In high school we

52 Blessings – Life in Our World, Old Friends, Christmas Devotionals, Little Girls Singing, Christmas Ornaments, Sapphires . . . you know, Stuff

2011-12-04T23:59:00.000-08:00

Dear Kids, We’ve had a great week. Monday night for family night we watched Mormon Messages. That is the best back-up plan ever. We were supposed to finish your dad’s “I’m a Mormon” segment, but he couldn’t remember his password and surprisingly enough it wasn’t the one he always uses for everything . . . or any form of it. Tuesday night we went to the temple. First we stopped at Costco

Homemaking Tip – A Tip, Sort of

2011-11-30T17:47:00.001-08:00

Some Wednesdays I feel very presumptuous to think I have a tip worth your time to read; but then I remember the good tips I’ve gotten over the internet through the years and I feel obliged to reciprocate – just in case. It’s a conundrum to be sure. For instance, one tip I read in a book years ago warned that storing “stuff” was a luxury few could afford, what with it costing approximately $80-

Technology Tuesday

2011-11-29T13:19:00.000-08:00

I have a very good life and I recognize it. I don't live in a cave. I don't subsist on scraps found in a dumpster. I have several pairs of comfortable shoes. I have a thermostat that I set on warm, warm, warm. I'm a wife. I'm a mother. I'm a grandmother. I'm a sister. I'm a friend. I can read. I can write. I have a job. Calvin has a job. I can add and subtract. I can walk and smile

Monday Memories – It’s Only a Memory Now

2011-11-28T21:50:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2011 has come and gone and I’m only two pounds the heavier for it. Calvin smoked the turkey this year. I turned around to see him with this turkey net on his head and he said, "There's not going to be any hair in our turkey this year." I love this old idea. I made little bags of it for class the day before Thanksgiving as well as to send home with the leftovers after

52 Blessings – Thanksgiving

2011-11-20T22:39:00.000-08:00

Some of the things that I love about Thanksgiving are: The colors – red, orange, green, gold The smell – woodstoves, cinnamon, sage, nutmeg, roasting turkey, baking bread The taste – pumpkin pie, potatoes (sweet and brown) and stuffing The feel – like love floats through the air at Christmas, gratitude floats through the air at Thanksgiving The pilgrims – a little set of pilgrims

Life in My World – Shake, Rattle & Roll

2011-11-20T21:46:00.000-08:00

Shake Washington had a 4.6 earthquake Friday morning at 5:09 a.m. I was sitting on the couch when it hit. I thought, “My, that is one strong gust of wind to rattle everything so much. Even the goblets are rattling. I wonder how that happened.” And then everything was quiet, I supposed the wind blew itself to the next field. I didn’t realize the wind was really an earthquake until several

Thursday Thinking – Black Holes

2011-11-17T22:59:00.000-08:00

Hmmmmmm. I remember when I entered the black hole of the blog universe. While it has expanded and contracted, it has been a big time investment and I'm still wandering around in it . . . and still enjoying and justifying it. I haven't joined Facebook or Pinterest because I feared they would be even deeper black holes of time expenditure and I might never resurface. I've also wondered how in

Homemaking Tip – Spare

2011-11-16T20:54:00.000-08:00

Today at 1:44 p.m. the first snow of the year fell. On the way home from town an hour later I came upon a wreck. I wasn’t the first car, I wasn’t the second. I wasn’t even the third or fourth. In fact, I hesitated to stop because I didn’t want to make the scene more dangerous, but then I recognized the kids in the wreck and thought, “They won’t know anyone else. I need to stop because I

Tuesday – I’m Lucky

2011-11-15T19:26:00.000-08:00

My luck of dying from parts falling off an airplane is 1 in 10,000,000. My luck of having my identity stolen is 200-1. My luck of a meteor landing on my house is 182,138,880,000,000 to 1. So far luck would have none of me in these situations. I’m lucky. However . . . The other day I sat in the parking lot of the grocery store and talked to Ty on the phone for 67 minutes. He called to ask me

Eleven on Eleven of Eleven of 'Eleven

2011-11-12T16:21:00.000-08:00

Ray, Cali, Levin - The day Ray has been waiting for. Jane - Happy Veteran's Day. Calvin and I delivered All-American Apple pie dumplings to three veterans (WW II, Korean, and Vietnam) and thanked them for their service. Ty - Unfortunately our odometer didn't hit 111111 or anything like that today. Just normal pictures. Michelle took us to get hot chocolate at Dunkin Donuts

Thursday Thinking – Let the Choice Follow

2011-11-10T16:24:00.000-08:00

It’s a law of heaven that every choice has a consequence, just like every stick has two ends, and you can’t pick up a choice without picking up the consequence assigned to it too. It’s a good law – a fair law, a law that makes sense – but it’s also a law that everyone tries to outsmart at one time or another. It doesn’t matter that it is to no avail, we still try to pick up some bad choices

Homemaking Tip – Just a Little Thing

2011-11-09T21:08:00.000-08:00

Once I saw myself quoted in a magazine. Me, quoted in a magazine. A former student said he had made a decision based on something I had said. Whoosh. Knock me over with a feather. I never knew. He is a good young man and I am not surprised that he has accomplished good things; I was just surprised to hear that something I said made a difference when it needed to. The day after I read my

Tuesday’s Travelogue

2011-11-08T20:38:00.000-08:00

Dear Kids, We had a grand time in Colorado with Abe and Grace! We have found a new tradition – attend the game between the Army and the Air Force every fall. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it six years ago when Ty started attending the Air Force Academy, because we knew old grads flew in from all over to attend the academy rival games. Oh well. It’s never too late to start a good

Monday Memories – It Hurts Your Mouth

2011-11-07T23:43:00.000-08:00

You know how you just get some images burned in your brain and they make you laugh every time your memory scans across one? One of those images is watching Grace laugh. She goes completely silent and can’t talk or even make a noise, her eyes fill with tears, and her shoulders, straight back, go up and down. I love that image. The other night when we went out to supper she got to laughing

Tuesday Trivia and Wednesday Homemaking Tip

2011-11-02T22:19:00.000-07:00

Ever since the Bergeson kids grew up we haven’t had a trick or treater. Not one. Monday night about 8:30 lights pulled into the driveway and I thought, “Hey! It’s a trick or treater! Good thing I picked something up today just in case.” Nope. No trick or treater. It was our home teacher bringing us rootbeer and vanilla ice cream. It was the best because

Monday Memories – To Infinity and Beyond . . .

2011-10-31T21:05:00.000-07:00

I should have known Saturday would be a good day. We were at my sister Chris’ house in Idaho and we got to sleep in. Then niece Charlie and her friend Nephi fixed us sausage and pancakes for breakfast and did the dishes. Next everyone gathered in the living room to visit, and I hemmed pants for my nephew Jake and my brother-in-law Bruce, while my sister Marcia folded clothes, and niece Haley

Thursday Thinking – “Every path hath a puddle.” – George Herbert

2011-10-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

There is just no getting around it. Some of life’s challenges are not pretty. They don’t look pretty. They don’t smell pretty. They don’t sound pretty. But. They’re our challenges, we carry them, and we own them. On the other hand, some challenges have a romantic nature. Others cheer. They pray. They send flowers. They write songs about them. They hold their breath and hope the

Homemaking Tip – It's Seldom Convenient

2011-10-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

When I was about twenty-five, my friend Teri said, “Serving others is seldom convenient.” I had never thought about that before, but knew she was right on cue when she said it. If I waited for helping others to easily fit into my schedule I wouldn’t be doing much for anyone ever. Still today I often hear Teri’s voice “Serving others is seldom convenient” when I see someone who needs help right

Monday Memories – Calvin’s Toothpicks

2011-10-24T20:27:00.000-07:00

Along about my 4th grade year, cinnamon toothpicks were a big fad. The sixth grade boys especially liked them. If your mom wasn’t going to the store soon, you could make your own by sticking plain wooden toothpicks into little vials of cinnamon oil and letting them soak over night. Lots of us did that and then promptly burned our eyes by accidently rubbing them after touching the fresh

Life in Our World – Seven for Saturday

2011-10-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

1. Calvin has gone hunting with Ray. They met up with Trevor, and my brother-in-law Bruce, and nephews Jake and Ryan, too. My sister Chris and her husband Bruce have a loft above their garage with several beds and a gas stove in the corner. (I’ve mentioned it before, it’s where we stack high and deep to sleep when we celebrate Thanksgiving with them.) Calvin’s been so excited to go hunting.

Homemaking Tip – $tore Leaves

2011-10-19T22:19:00.000-07:00

That bag of leaves from the $tore has come in awfully handy this fall. First I used them as caramel apple toppers and then as a pumpkin-y affect, along with a little green ribbon, for a popcorn ball. Jello Popcorn Balls 1 cup corn syrup 1/2 cup sugar 1 3 oz package jello Bring syrup and sugar to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin. Add 1/4 cup butter or margarine.

Tuesday – Flanks, Flowers . . . They're Pretty Much the Same

2011-10-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday in class we read in Leviticus about peace offerings. The peace offerings in Moses’ time included an animal’s kidneys, cauls above the liver, the flanks, and the fat that covereth the inwards. Part of the peace offering was a sacrificial meal that symbolized friendship and a state of gladness. I’m sure all of this made perfect sense to the children of Israel. Later that afternoon

52 Blessings – A Prophet to Sustain

2011-10-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

I love this picture. I framed one for our home this week. It depicts the story in Exodus 17 of Aaron and Hur supporting Moses’ arms as the children of Israel waged war under Joshua’s direction. The Lord promised the Israelites that they would succeed when Moses’ arms were outstretched, but if they should fall to his side the enemy would prevail. Moses’ arms became too heavy and he couldn’t

Life in Our World – Trivia

2011-10-15T23:14:00.000-07:00

It was so beautiful this morning when I went jogging. It was worth coming back inside for the camera and then toting it in my pocket. One night we had yellow tomatoes out of the garden (still going strong those tomatoes are), bacon and sausage quiche, and corn on the cob. Calvin said, "Hey look! Everything is yellow tonight. This is worth taking a picture." He has developed blogger's

Thursday Thinking – "You is smart. You is kind. You is beautiful."

2011-10-13T22:59:00.000-07:00

"You is smart. You is kind. You is beautiful." That phrase kept thumping in my head when I woke up this morning. Funny how some words get stuck. (Albeit I am a bit off with this one, what Kathryn Stockett's character Aibileen really said was, "You is smart. You is kind. You is important.") Who knows what I was dreaming about, I just woke up repeating that phrase and that I ought to tell __

Homemaking Tip – What’s Your Secret Ingredient?

2011-10-12T22:27:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite features in the Taste of Home magazine is the “What I Add to Make _________ Special” section (or something like that). One lady said that she always adds grape jelly to her spaghetti sauce, so whenever I have grape jelly in the fridge and I’m making spaghetti I add a spoonful. I’m not sure grape jelly makes a big difference (at least not like garlic), but it feels good to add

11 on 11 of Oct '11

2011-10-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

All the pictures finally came in! And here they are in the order received . . . Joe – This is Chinese Mama's, one of my favorite places to eat. Ande likes it too, but says it's a little too spicy. Ande – These are the Aladdin pants Joe brought me back from his latest trip overseas. He said he looked for the loudest and most colorful pair, knowing I would love them. The little Asian

Monday Memories – The Best and the Worst

2011-10-10T16:31:00.000-07:00

Dr. Scoresby, a psychologist, once told me I needed to wear brighter colors. He said, “You wear browns and grays to try and blend in with the woodwork. This next month your assignment is to wear some bright colors. Something that will stand out. Something red.” My sisters all bought me a beautiful, solid red skirt outfit with matching red earrings and necklace. It was bold. It took courage,

52 Blessings – Favorite Day of the Week

2011-10-09T20:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know who to credit for this picture, but it is beautiful Sunday is my favorite day of the week. I told Calvin so this afternoon as we were sitting down to dinner after coming home from church. He said, “Really.” I said, “Yup. It is. Always has been. Even as a kid.” That sounded completely foreign to him. For while he loves old time gospel music more than I do, I can assure you

Life in My World – Gallimaufry ([{and Parenthesis}])

2011-10-08T19:07:00.000-07:00

I’ve told you about Deb. (She’s my friend that hosted scrapbook retreats with me for years and years.) Yesterday we went to speak to a small group of women that were holding a retreat in the mountains. Deb’s topic was Finding Humor in Life and mine was Gratitude. Deb’s talk made us laugh and my talk made them cry. We stopped at a couple of places on the way to the retreat. Deb needed a

Tuesday’s Ideas

2011-10-04T20:05:00.000-07:00

I’ve already told you before that I’m hesitant to endorse things. I just don’t think my opinions on 'things' are that valid. On the other hand, I love getting new ideas and am more than willing to pass them on. Conversation that shares ideas is stimulating and fun. So with that disclaimer and endorsement, here is an idea worth considering. www.sparkspeople.com I have no clue if this

Monday Memories – Hand Me Downs

2011-10-03T22:04:00.000-07:00

I got a little bag of hand-me-downs last week with five or six dresses in it. My friend apologized when she gave them to me saying, "They aren't much." She didn’t need to apologize, I love hand me downs. Hand-me-downs means I don’t have to go clothes shopping (something I don’t much enjoy). Hand-me-downs means free. Hand-me-downs means someone else already liked it so I don’t have to second

Our Week’s Blessings and Life . . .

2011-10-02T22:36:00.000-07:00

thank you google images I went out to the garden to pick some chilies and tomatoes and came back in the house with eight raspberries too. Bonus. We just planted them this spring. We’re getting more blue eggs each day. The old hen died. It was fun exposing kids to homemade caramel during Rosh Hashanah. Some had never tried it. Ande, Ray, Cali, and

Thursday Thinking – Mimicking

2011-09-29T21:39:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I attended a workshop on teaching children to read. The instructor, Jim Stone, said that studies show that babies begin to mimic within the first hour that they are born. Those conducting the study took photographs of adults making different expressions. They put the photos inside of the bassinets with the babies and within minutes the babies were trying to mimic the different

Homemaking Tip – Judaism for Dummies

2011-09-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

One of the books most frequented on our bookshelf is Judaism for Dummies, a Reference for the Rest of Us. It’s helped me understand lots of Jewish vocabulary and traditions: terms like Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Though I have seen Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur written on calendar dates since I was a little girl, until a few years ago, I never knew what those days were for or who was supposed

Tuesday

2011-09-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

A few years ago while we were in Washington DC we visited the World War II memorial. The first time we saw it was about midnight. We were the only ones present. The concrete pillars surrounding it set it apart, while the water fountain spilled in the lighted center. It was beautiful. The next morning we went to see the memorial early. The water fountain was still spilling in the center of

Life in Our World

2011-09-25T23:13:00.000-07:00

1. A couple of days ago I was talking to Ande on the phone. She was telling me about a party she and Joe are hosting and I kept inserting ideas. She didn’t need ideas. Ande is one creative woman and she already had lots of plans pinterested and floating in her head. Finally after my tenth interrupted suggestion she laughed and said, “Hey Mom! I’ve got an idea. How 'bout you host your own

Thursday Thinking – Out of Order

2011-09-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

I don’t like it when I fret. I’ve been fretting. Julie Beck, president of the General Relief Society organization, gave a wonderful example of how to prioritize. She said she divides things into three categories: essential, necessary, nice-to-do. As far as the body goes, I understand essential. Essential is our brain, lungs, heart, liver, kidneys. Essential is really important. As far as

Homemaking Tip – Two Little Tips

2011-09-21T22:28:00.000-07:00

I’ll bet I give this tip every fall, don't I? I'm sorry if I have given it before, it's just that I’m always so glad for it about now: One of the best things in our garden is the three rows of flowers. Oh sure, the marigolds are supposed to keep the bugs out of the tomatoes, but that’s not why I love flowers in the garden (we didn’t even plant marigolds in the garden this year). I love

Monday Memories – Dear family

2011-09-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

(Most Sunday evenings I send a lengthy e-mail to all the kids. Last night I was reading this aloud to Calvin before I sent it and he said, "Wait. Is this a blog or an e-mail?" I said it was the weekly e-mail and he said, "You might as well use it for a blog, too." I have taken his suggestion and edited the family e-mail for today's blog.) Dear Family, We’ve had one fine week. It

Tuesday – I Can

2011-09-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

(Thanks for the heads-up on the pictures, Ande) Oh ho. This pretty much sums up my day. I canned a couple of batches of diced tomatoes, peppers, and onions, and a couple batches of jalapeño pepper jelly this afternoon. They're both good. Should the zombies come, you’re welcome to bring a spoon.

11 on 11 of 9 - '11

2011-09-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

Joe: It's 9/11/11. Big Pop was buried on 9/11/01. I was on my way to his grave-side service when the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center. I watched in real-time as another plane crashed into the towers, smoke rose over Manhattan across Raritan Bay, and the Twin Towers fell. I never made Pop's burial. Calvin: Remembering 9-11 at our city’s memorial by the library.Watched

52 Blessings – Heroes

2011-09-11T20:36:00.000-07:00

flowers and flags left at our city 9-11 memorial made of two basalt columns standing next to each other Calvin and I’ve listened to the stories of heroic men and women all day long on the 9-11 commemoration programs on TV. The stories have been inspiring and humbling and I love hearing them over and over. One man told of men that continued to rescue the trapped and wounded as he made his way

Life in Our World

2011-09-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

We’ve been inundated with dragon flies this year; and I do mean inundated. Not all of them are as pretty as this one. Those big blue eyes are certainly big. blue. eyes. He was kind enough to spend his last few hours by the garage door. (And that is the difference between Calvin and me: I saw the bug, looked at him for a minute, thought, “My that’s pretty,” stepped over him, and came on in

Thursday Thinking – A Good Excuse

2011-09-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

My sister once read to me what was written on a hypochondriac’s epitaph – “See. I told you I was sick.” Today I went to give blood. They said my blood was too weak. I came home and told Calvin in an imagined hypochondriac’s voice, “See. I told you I was tired” and then, since he was dishing up the tamale pie, “better scoop me a double portion.” He responded, “What you need is Geritol.”

Homemaking Tip – ♫ The Biscuits at the Payne House ♫

2011-09-07T22:22:00.000-07:00

Grandpa Payne and Abe Calvin’s dad always sang, “The biscuits at the Payne house, they say are mighty fine. One rolled off the table and killed a pal of mine” every. single. time. we had biscuits. It was as expected as butter and honey. Calvin sings, “The biscuits at the Payne house, they say are might fine. One rolled off the table and killed a pal of mine” every. single. time. we have

Tuesday

2011-09-06T19:04:00.000-07:00

Every now and then Cali takes a swat at my sacred cows. One time she mimicked the hero in one of my favorite novels. My sister Rachel and I were retelling the most romantic scene. The one where the hero’s best friend tells the damsel in distress that the hero has loved her all along even though he has been aloof and even scary at times. Cali laughed at our admiration. She had no respect as

Monday Memories – More than a Guess

2011-09-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

Once when I was in college, my sister and I sat on Waikiki Beach and tried to guess the occupations of the swimmers, bathers, and suffers as they walked by. It was rather difficult as they were all similarly dressed; their collars couldn’t give them away. A few days ago I waved at a strange man working in the bean test-plot as I jogged by. He half-heartedly waved his hoe in reply. On the

52 Blessings – Knowledge, Wisdom, and the Like

2011-08-28T16:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I picked a bunch of tomatoes out of the garden (our outdoor refrigerator that keeps things fresh) and it reminded me of this saying pinned on Ande's pinterest board: So true. So true. That saying reminded me of a conversation I had years ago with Abe and Ty. They were little boys and had joined me on my daily walk. We visited about school and recess and I told them that Albert

Life in Our World – Our Outdoor Kitchen

2011-08-27T19:44:00.000-07:00

http://www.vivianosdesign.com/?page_id=368 Nope. Not this one. http://www.myhomeideas.com/room-galleries/backyard-kitchen-10000001174456/ Nope. Not this one, either. Yup. This one. It's ours. All ours . . . The trash compactor. The stove top. The hot pads. The blue sink. The green faucet. The natural wood counter top with a polyethylene, non woven fabric overlay.

Thursday Thinking – “I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse.” Walt Disney

2011-08-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

I’m having a hard time thinking of anything but the smell of a dead mouse that is somewhere in our house. I’m thinking it’s behind the kitchen cupboards since he nibbled on a Big Hunk candybar on top of the fridge before he . . . . before he began to smell . . . and he's not behind the fridge or the cupboard drawers. Here are a dozen or so interesting thoughts on the subject of smell to think

Homemaking Tip – Easy, Fun, and Inexpensive Ideas

2011-08-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

Here are a few fun ideas from the past week: Krista, my sister-in-law, made a couple hundred suckers for Eliza’s wedding. Suckers are a family favorite, especially since Krista puts gumballs in the center of her suckers. What a clever idea to make your own blow pops. I’m going to do that next time. For a new baby gift to a family of six children I gave the gift of “keeping the brothers and

Tuesday's Tell

2011-08-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

Good news! Good news! We're so very excited.

52 Blessings – Socks & Chivalry

2011-08-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

The winner of this week's 52 blessings is socks and chivalry. Definitely socks and chivalry. This morning when we got to church, I realized I didn't bring my bag that has a pair of socks in it for organ playing. I thought, “Oh well. There aren’t that many notes on the feet, I think I’ll be okay picking at them rather than sliding to them.” Nope. Wasn’t going to happen. My sweaty feet

Life in Our World

2011-08-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

The first of the week This past week I flew to St. George, Utah for my niece Eliza's wedding. My brother and his family recently moved to Utah after living for many, many years in Alaska. I haven't been around Lee and Krista's kids much so it has been really fun to be around them twice in the last three months -- once for Ty and Michelle's wedding and now for Eliza and Brad's. When Tate

Thursday Thinking – Always Learning

2011-08-18T23:59:00.000-07:00

Marcia, Lee, me On Monday I flew down to St. George, Utah to attend the wedding of my niece Eliza. My sister Marcia and I shared a motel room. The first night we stayed up until 2:00 am visiting. Marcia is a learner. She is always reading, always studying, always traveling, always attending lectures. So when you’re with her, there is always something to visit about. (I know “always” is

Homemaking Tip – Tangible Memories

2011-08-17T20:26:00.000-07:00

I received an e-mail from Tracy Follett yesterday telling me that Izaak loved his family reunion photo album. She said he wouldn't let it go on the plane ride or for the first couple of days when he was home. She said he showed it to others before finally putting it on his bedroom window sill with his other treasures. During the week of the Follett family reunion we took several photographs.

11 on 11 of August '11

2011-08-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

Joe: Here is the flower at our table. The head is in a small bowl of water and I'm sure Ande will usurp the idea for a future dinner decoration. Michelle -- (and Bianca) Also in the picture is a couch and love seat, a table and six chairs, a coffee table, an end table, a dresser, and a few other odds and ends. We were loaded pretty well and probably didn't look too safe driving

52 Blessings – A Follett Family Reunion

2011-08-14T20:14:00.000-07:00

I’ve always admired families that have reunions. Our family is just now getting to the stage where we can have official ones and Calvin and I are bound and determined to have them. This week we borrowed a family to have a reunion with and now we are in withdrawals. with·draw·al /wiT͟Hˈdrô(ə)l/ Noun 1. term referring to the feelings of discomfort, distress, and intense craving. These physical

No Title, None, Just Words

2011-08-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

I think I see bulimia symptoms in my blogging – nothing, nothing, nothing . . . gorge, then spit out a long post. Nothing, nothing, nothing . . . gluttony, and a purge of words. Well. If I’ve diagnosed it correctly, the only thing to do is to start over slow and steady – skip Monday Memories, Tuesday’s ?, and head straight into the recipes I promised for Wednesday, then close out with Thursday

When Life in My World Bumps into 52 Blessings

2011-07-31T19:05:00.000-07:00

There were whites and reds under the same plant. In the words of Grandpa Hoops, "Humph." *After Calvin and I finished working out in the garden Saturday he said, “Let’s make a few piles (of potatoes, beans, beets, squash, etc.) and take them to people.” We went to a family that Calvin home teaches first. They are one of the finest couples and it’s always a pleasure to visit them. Always.

Thursday Thinking

2011-07-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

the dimensions - one, two, and three Life is fairly one dimensional for me. I don’t see much beyond the basic outline until someone points it out. For example, remember the three dimensional Magic Eye pictures? The kids worked and worked with me until I could see the pictures that are within the pictures. Finding the dinosaurs in this picture took a loooong time. http://funnyflux.com/

Homemaking Tip -- To Be To Do

2011-07-27T00:59:00.000-07:00

When I jog I listen to This American Life or Legacy pod-casts, biographies, conference talks, or the scriptures. I have tried music, but music doesn't out-beat the misery. People's voices about real life things do. It doesn't make sense to me either, you'd think a good drum could push me further than the word, but it doesn't. One of the talks I listened to this week was Lynn Robbins', "What

Homemaking Tip -- A Little Chalkboard Paint Can Go a Long Ways

2011-07-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

We grew up on a chalkboard. My mom painted a piece of plywood, had someone screw a little silver tray to the bottom of the board, and hung it in the kitchen. Our chores were listed on the chalkboard and that's where Mom left us notes when she wasn't there when we came home from school. We also drew on it lots and lots. I don't know why I didn't make one for my own little family because I

Tuesdays With Ande

2011-07-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Ande and I went to a scrapbooking retreat in Monroe, Washington. We had a grand time. Instead of paragraphing you through our weekend, I'll picture you through it. Back Row: Ande, Donna, Anita, me, Jill, Jenny, Tracy, Amanda, Deb Front Row: Sonja, Nicole, Sandy Not pictured: Susan, Cali This is who we went with. This group of friends has evolved from the original

Thursday Thinking – Noras and Bonnies

2011-07-14T21:06:00.000-07:00

Last week while I was still in Seattle I read an on-line article in my hometown newspaper about a woman named Nora. She died last summer when she was 87 years old, and had been a widow for several years prior. She and her husband had no children. Nora loved knitting, gardening, and helping out on the farm. She went to church and occasionally visited the senior citizen’s center. She sounded

Homemaking Tip – Wisdom in the Kitchen

2011-07-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

Michelle gave me this idea without even knowing it. She posted “Mr. Darcy’s proposal on a tea towel” on her pinterest board and I thought, “Hey, I could do something like that. Well . . . almost like that. Well, something along those lines at least.” Since it was my sister’s birthday, I made 4 tea towels with quotes about homemaking for her and put them in a red, splatter-ware tin. I also