Sunday, December 2, 2012
Gratitude Day 28: Life
Today is my birthday and I am grateful for that day years ago (I'm not gonna admit how old I am) that I came into the world. I am grateful for the life I've had. It's been a good one. It's had its ups and downs, its challenges and easy times but overall it's been good. God has blessed me greatly and I am grateful for that.
Gratitude Day 27: A nice normal day
Today was a nice normal day. I did my usual thing and that is always a good day for me. I am grateful for my family's health. When I worked as a Deaf Mentor, some families had children that were not only deaf but also had other medical problems and you never knew if a day would bring a trip to the ER or the doctor. I feel for those families who have to deal with this kind of challenge. So I am always glad when a day is just a nice, normal, maybe even somewhat boring day.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Gratitude Day 26: Another day of rest
I got a cold over the weekend. It was probably building up for a day or two but Saturday night it really hit. I should have taken some cold medicine Sunday night but I didn't and I really felt it today (Monday).
NW has a cold too and so I got AD busy and then the two of us lay down for a nap. I woke up feeling much better although I still didn't have much energy to do all the things I want to do.
Still, I am glad that I can rest when I need to to get over a cold or illness.
Tomorrow will be a "do-over" day.
NW has a cold too and so I got AD busy and then the two of us lay down for a nap. I woke up feeling much better although I still didn't have much energy to do all the things I want to do.
Still, I am glad that I can rest when I need to to get over a cold or illness.
Tomorrow will be a "do-over" day.
Gratitude Day 25: Sunday--Day of Rest
It's funny that I'm writing about Sunday being a day of rest *today* because 4th Sundays are my busiest Sundays. And today was a little busier than usual.
As Young Women's President, I sit on the Ward Council, which consists of: the Presidents of the Elders Quorum, the Relief Society, the Primary, the Young Women, the Young Men, the Sunday School, the High Priest Group Leader, the Ward Clerk, the Executive Secretary and the Bishopric. We discuss matters relating to the ward, our focus being always to strengthen and help members. Ward Council meetings are held on the 4th Sunday before the usual 3 hour block of church meetings.
Also on 4th Sundays, after church, is the Bishop's Youth Council. The class presidents of the Young Women (Beehive, MiaMaid and Laurel) and quorum presidents (deacon, teacher, priest) meet along with the YM and YW presidents and the Bishop. The purpose is to plan joint activities as well as bigger activities such as ward youth conference; discuss needs of ward youth and take care of other matters.
So I go to church at 9:30 am for ward council, run home at 10:45 am to get my family and return to church for the usual 3 hours of worship services (that start at 11 am and go until 2 pm), take my family home at 2:10 pm and run back to church for bishop's youth council at 2:30.
Tonight I went back to church yet again for a baptism. The two children getting baptized today have an older sister who has been attending YW meetings and the older of the two is YM age so I wanted to be there to show support. It was a lovely service.
For LDS members, Sunday isn't a day of rest in that we stay home and do nothing but it is a break from the usual Monday-to-Friday week. It's a time to put aside the world and focus on filling our spiritual wells to sustain us during the week. So we may not rest much but we have a rest from the world.
And for that I am grateful.
As Young Women's President, I sit on the Ward Council, which consists of: the Presidents of the Elders Quorum, the Relief Society, the Primary, the Young Women, the Young Men, the Sunday School, the High Priest Group Leader, the Ward Clerk, the Executive Secretary and the Bishopric. We discuss matters relating to the ward, our focus being always to strengthen and help members. Ward Council meetings are held on the 4th Sunday before the usual 3 hour block of church meetings.
Also on 4th Sundays, after church, is the Bishop's Youth Council. The class presidents of the Young Women (Beehive, MiaMaid and Laurel) and quorum presidents (deacon, teacher, priest) meet along with the YM and YW presidents and the Bishop. The purpose is to plan joint activities as well as bigger activities such as ward youth conference; discuss needs of ward youth and take care of other matters.
So I go to church at 9:30 am for ward council, run home at 10:45 am to get my family and return to church for the usual 3 hours of worship services (that start at 11 am and go until 2 pm), take my family home at 2:10 pm and run back to church for bishop's youth council at 2:30.
Tonight I went back to church yet again for a baptism. The two children getting baptized today have an older sister who has been attending YW meetings and the older of the two is YM age so I wanted to be there to show support. It was a lovely service.
For LDS members, Sunday isn't a day of rest in that we stay home and do nothing but it is a break from the usual Monday-to-Friday week. It's a time to put aside the world and focus on filling our spiritual wells to sustain us during the week. So we may not rest much but we have a rest from the world.
And for that I am grateful.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Gratitude Day 24: Getting away
We don't often stay overnight at my parents' home in Logan since it's just a 1.5 hour drive. This weekend was one of those times we did.
Three of the four children in my family are married and so we switch off celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday and Friday. This year was the "off" year when we celebrated Thanksgiving Day with the in-laws so the Allen family celebration was on Friday.
I had promised that we would go to a USU football game. Due to soccer schedules as well as the USU home game schedule, the only time I was able to get tickets was to the final game which was today (Saturday). I was really happy that this year was the off year. We had our family celebration on Friday, slept over Friday night and went to the game today.
There is just something about watching a live sporting event. There's an excitement in the air that isn't always conveyed over the TV, no matter how big your TV is. You have to pay more attention to what is happening on the field because there may not always be instant replay. There's a feeling of electricity in the air when you are one of thousands of people standing and cheering when your team runs for a touchdown.
Our children enjoy sleeping over at Grandma and Grandpa's. They sleep in sleeping bags on air mattresses lined up on the floor in the family room. Well, CM, JJ and AD did. NW slept in the pack n play. It was nice to have unhurried time to chat with my parents and my younger brother (who also stayed over to go to the game). Even though we do maintain somewhat of a routine (bedtime, wake time, naps, meals, etc.) and we do help clean up after meals and ensure that the house is in good order before we leave (no toys left laying around, air mattresses deflated, towels gathered and put in laundry room, etc.), because we aren't at our house, it feels different.
I like traveling (what little we do of it, haha) and I also like coming home. I am grateful for the times we can get away--for something different and for the fun times we have. I am also grateful to come home, to the familiar settings and routines--and to sleep in my own bed!
Three of the four children in my family are married and so we switch off celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday and Friday. This year was the "off" year when we celebrated Thanksgiving Day with the in-laws so the Allen family celebration was on Friday.
I had promised that we would go to a USU football game. Due to soccer schedules as well as the USU home game schedule, the only time I was able to get tickets was to the final game which was today (Saturday). I was really happy that this year was the off year. We had our family celebration on Friday, slept over Friday night and went to the game today.
There is just something about watching a live sporting event. There's an excitement in the air that isn't always conveyed over the TV, no matter how big your TV is. You have to pay more attention to what is happening on the field because there may not always be instant replay. There's a feeling of electricity in the air when you are one of thousands of people standing and cheering when your team runs for a touchdown.
Our children enjoy sleeping over at Grandma and Grandpa's. They sleep in sleeping bags on air mattresses lined up on the floor in the family room. Well, CM, JJ and AD did. NW slept in the pack n play. It was nice to have unhurried time to chat with my parents and my younger brother (who also stayed over to go to the game). Even though we do maintain somewhat of a routine (bedtime, wake time, naps, meals, etc.) and we do help clean up after meals and ensure that the house is in good order before we leave (no toys left laying around, air mattresses deflated, towels gathered and put in laundry room, etc.), because we aren't at our house, it feels different.
I like traveling (what little we do of it, haha) and I also like coming home. I am grateful for the times we can get away--for something different and for the fun times we have. I am also grateful to come home, to the familiar settings and routines--and to sleep in my own bed!
Gratitude Day 23: Friends
I was looking over my list from yesterday and realized I forgot one very important thing: Friends! But friends are so important they deserve a post all their own!
I am so grateful for my friends. Growing up, I had many acquaintances but only a few real friends. This was mostly due to communication barriers. I grew up oral--depending on lipreading and speaking for communication. Though I can speak and lipread well, participating in group conversations is very difficult. It's just about impossible to keep track of a conversation when several people are involved and they could be interrupting or talking over each other. And it takes a few seconds to locate the speaker and then another few seconds to "tune in" to lipreading them. When you think about how quickly spoken conversation can move, no wonder I always felt more comfortable in one-on-one conversational situations.
I was 19 when I learned sign language. That was also when I started meeting other Deaf students who were attending Utah State University. That was the spring of my freshman year. My sophomore year was when my life really changed. That year I lived in one of the residence halls on campus. A group of Deaf students lived one residence hall over and so I spent a great deal of time with them. That year was also the beginning of several years of a large Deaf student population that came to include interpreters and other hearing students who were also learning ASL. The highlight of that year was putting on an ASL version of "Les Miserables". To this day, I still remember the songs we used and the ASL translations. And Les Miz is still one of my favorite musicals. I can't wait for the film release next month!
After my sophomore year of college, I served an 18 month mission for the LDS Church. I really developed my ASL skills during this time. When I came back, some friends had moved on but there were lots more Deaf students to get to know!
After I married The Writer and moved to Provo, I met a whole new group of friends. Well, I guess that's not exactly accurate. During the almost 1 year we dated and were engaged, we took turns driving to see each other (I lived in Logan, he lived in Provo) on weekends. We frequently hung out with his friends. We also went to church together and so I became acquainted with many of the Utah Valley Deaf Ward members. After I moved there and was going to church every week, I developed some good friendships. Even though we no longer live in Utah Valley, we are still good friends with many of these couples. Some have moved but we still keep in touch. And now we have friends in our current city and ward.
Our friends have been with us through our ups and downs. They were there when we got married. They were thrilled for us when each of our children were born. They were sad when we had to move. They took care of our children (and we took care of theirs). We have celebrated holidays and special occasions with them. We have helped them when they needed help and they did the same for us. We have watched football games and basketball games together. We have watched General Conference (semiannual meeting of the LDS Church, held in April and October) together. We have had BBQs and potlucks together.
What I think makes our current friends so special to us is that we can COMMUNICATE. Everyone knows ASL and that makes a world of difference in being able to understand and stay involved in a conversation.
Some friends we don't see as much but when we do get together, it's like we saw each other just yesterday. We dive right back in to chatting and catching up with each others' lives. I am also grateful for social media such as blogs and Facebook that allows us to post pictures and little details of what we are doing in our daily lives.
To all my friends, I am grateful for you!
I am so grateful for my friends. Growing up, I had many acquaintances but only a few real friends. This was mostly due to communication barriers. I grew up oral--depending on lipreading and speaking for communication. Though I can speak and lipread well, participating in group conversations is very difficult. It's just about impossible to keep track of a conversation when several people are involved and they could be interrupting or talking over each other. And it takes a few seconds to locate the speaker and then another few seconds to "tune in" to lipreading them. When you think about how quickly spoken conversation can move, no wonder I always felt more comfortable in one-on-one conversational situations.
I was 19 when I learned sign language. That was also when I started meeting other Deaf students who were attending Utah State University. That was the spring of my freshman year. My sophomore year was when my life really changed. That year I lived in one of the residence halls on campus. A group of Deaf students lived one residence hall over and so I spent a great deal of time with them. That year was also the beginning of several years of a large Deaf student population that came to include interpreters and other hearing students who were also learning ASL. The highlight of that year was putting on an ASL version of "Les Miserables". To this day, I still remember the songs we used and the ASL translations. And Les Miz is still one of my favorite musicals. I can't wait for the film release next month!
After my sophomore year of college, I served an 18 month mission for the LDS Church. I really developed my ASL skills during this time. When I came back, some friends had moved on but there were lots more Deaf students to get to know!
After I married The Writer and moved to Provo, I met a whole new group of friends. Well, I guess that's not exactly accurate. During the almost 1 year we dated and were engaged, we took turns driving to see each other (I lived in Logan, he lived in Provo) on weekends. We frequently hung out with his friends. We also went to church together and so I became acquainted with many of the Utah Valley Deaf Ward members. After I moved there and was going to church every week, I developed some good friendships. Even though we no longer live in Utah Valley, we are still good friends with many of these couples. Some have moved but we still keep in touch. And now we have friends in our current city and ward.
Our friends have been with us through our ups and downs. They were there when we got married. They were thrilled for us when each of our children were born. They were sad when we had to move. They took care of our children (and we took care of theirs). We have celebrated holidays and special occasions with them. We have helped them when they needed help and they did the same for us. We have watched football games and basketball games together. We have watched General Conference (semiannual meeting of the LDS Church, held in April and October) together. We have had BBQs and potlucks together.
What I think makes our current friends so special to us is that we can COMMUNICATE. Everyone knows ASL and that makes a world of difference in being able to understand and stay involved in a conversation.
Some friends we don't see as much but when we do get together, it's like we saw each other just yesterday. We dive right back in to chatting and catching up with each others' lives. I am also grateful for social media such as blogs and Facebook that allows us to post pictures and little details of what we are doing in our daily lives.
To all my friends, I am grateful for you!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Gratitude Day 22: Count Your Many Blessings
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
I have so many blessings! Naming them all in this post would be a very long list indeed but here are some among the many things I am thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day:
My parents
My parents-in-law
My brothers, sister and all my brothers- and sisters-in law
My extended family--cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews
My husband
My children
My home and all it's conveniences (heat, AC, dishwasher, laundry machines, electricity, running water, refrigerator, range, microwave, freezer, electric lights, comfortable furniture, etc)
Reliable transportation
My children's schools and teachers
My husband's job that challenges him daily and provides a sufficient income for our family
That we could have three of our four children participate in soccer this fall (and will do so again in spring)
A safe, reliable supply of good food
A safe, reliable supply of good, clean water
Clothing and the ability to buy clothing when needed (which leads to gratitude for those who make them)
A good, safe neighborhood located conveniently to work, school, two major shopping centers, two highways, and church
My health and my family's health
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the opportunity to serve in the Young Women's organization with a group of fantastic leaders and young women
Beautiful mountains
Snow in winter
Gorgeous sunrises and sunsets
Trees and flowers and grass in my yard
The right to worship as I please, to bear arms (if I choose to do so), to vote, to speak up against things I object to, to travel where I wish to, to live and work where I want to, and many more.
The military forces that protect our country and it's interests
This is but a sampling of the many blessings I have. I believe we should all strive to cultivate an attitude of gratitude all year long, but it's nice to have one day a year when we can sit down and think about the last year and truly remember our blessings.
May we always give thanks for all that we have been blessed with and always remember the God who gave us all that we have.
Gratitude Day 21: The Internet
I have learned so much from the internet.
A few years ago, for Thanksgiving dinner with The Writer's parents, I volunteered to make green bean casserole, which is a favorite of my family. My mother in law said she didn't like the kind made with French style green beans, which was the only kind of green bean I'd ever used. I thought there had to be a way to make it from scratch, so the Writer and I turned to the internet. We found a recipe by Alton Brown from the Food Network (recipe here) that used fresh green beans (though we used frozen) and a from-scratch sauce. It was so good! I've made it again several times since then (including today).
I've also learned how to do some hand stitches from internet websites.
I've kept up with the news via internet for years. I can look at almost any newspaper's website and get current events.
I've gotten ideas for organizing, holidays, projects, church, gardening, sewing and many other things from the internet.
I've been inspired by pictures I've seen on many websites.
I try not to let the computer and the Internet rule my life but it sure is a great tool!
A few years ago, for Thanksgiving dinner with The Writer's parents, I volunteered to make green bean casserole, which is a favorite of my family. My mother in law said she didn't like the kind made with French style green beans, which was the only kind of green bean I'd ever used. I thought there had to be a way to make it from scratch, so the Writer and I turned to the internet. We found a recipe by Alton Brown from the Food Network (recipe here) that used fresh green beans (though we used frozen) and a from-scratch sauce. It was so good! I've made it again several times since then (including today).
I've also learned how to do some hand stitches from internet websites.
I've kept up with the news via internet for years. I can look at almost any newspaper's website and get current events.
I've gotten ideas for organizing, holidays, projects, church, gardening, sewing and many other things from the internet.
I've been inspired by pictures I've seen on many websites.
I try not to let the computer and the Internet rule my life but it sure is a great tool!
Gratitude Day 20: Clothes
I spent quite a bit of time today working on the clothes in my ironing basket. The Writer has a lot of button down shirts for work that need to be ironed. I don't like to iron so put it off as long as I can (even though my weekly schedule says "Ironing" on Tuesdays).
I am grateful to have clothing to wear. It's not as cold as it was recently but it's still chilly enough that I am grateful for jeans and long sleeve shirts and jackets.
When it's hot outside, I am grateful for capris and shorts and short sleeve shirts. And I'm grateful for swim suits.
I'm grateful for nice Sunday clothes to wear to church.
And I'm grateful for snow gear! It came in handy when we went to the BYU/Idaho game on Nov. 10. The bleachers were snow covered and that night was *so cold*! Boots, snow pants and winter coats helped keep us more comfortable (though we were still a bit cold).
I am grateful to have clothing to wear. It's not as cold as it was recently but it's still chilly enough that I am grateful for jeans and long sleeve shirts and jackets.
When it's hot outside, I am grateful for capris and shorts and short sleeve shirts. And I'm grateful for swim suits.
I'm grateful for nice Sunday clothes to wear to church.
And I'm grateful for snow gear! It came in handy when we went to the BYU/Idaho game on Nov. 10. The bleachers were snow covered and that night was *so cold*! Boots, snow pants and winter coats helped keep us more comfortable (though we were still a bit cold).
Gratitude Day 19: Imagination
Today AD was playing at the kitchen table while I was cleaning up and NW was asleep. He got out a couple of our board games and invented his own games for each.
He enjoys watching Star Wars movies. We have a play lightsaber that he will play with and pretend that he is a Jedi Knight while watching the movie.
He also enjoys the Harry Potter movies that we let him watch. He often finds a stick of some kind (even if it's just a pencil) and pretends it's a magic wand.
He pretends he is a NFL football player while watching games on TV.
It's fun to watch him play because he always seems to be telling a story with what he is playing with, whether it is his cars, animals or other toys.
I'm grateful for imagination. So many wonderful things in this world wouldn't exist if people didn't have imagination and the drive to make those "imaginary" things become real.
He enjoys watching Star Wars movies. We have a play lightsaber that he will play with and pretend that he is a Jedi Knight while watching the movie.
He also enjoys the Harry Potter movies that we let him watch. He often finds a stick of some kind (even if it's just a pencil) and pretends it's a magic wand.
He pretends he is a NFL football player while watching games on TV.
It's fun to watch him play because he always seems to be telling a story with what he is playing with, whether it is his cars, animals or other toys.
I'm grateful for imagination. So many wonderful things in this world wouldn't exist if people didn't have imagination and the drive to make those "imaginary" things become real.
Gratitude Day 18: The Priesthood
Today my baby NW is 16 months old. Time flies!
Each year, stakes in the LDS Church have a Priesthood Preview. This is a meeting for boys age 11 who will become 12 the following year and their parents. The program is speakers who talk about preparing to receive the priesthood and how the boys can prepare themselves and how their parents can help them.
My oldest boy, JJ, will be 12 next year. He has been looking forward to his 12th birthday for awhile now.
I am grateful for the priesthood. I do not hold it myself (women in the Church do not hold the priesthood itself but they are beneficiaries of its blessings) but it has blessed my life in many ways.
The Writer was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood as a deacon when he was 12 years old. When he was 14 and 16, he was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood offices of teacher and priest. When he was 18, he was ordained to the office of Elder in the Mechizedek Priesthood. At age 19, he served a full time mission for the Church for 2 years. At age 30 he was ordained a High Priest.
The Writer and I were married in a Temple of the LDS Church. We believe marriages performed in temples are for time and eternity, not "until death do [us] part". We also believe that children born to a couple who were married ("sealed") in a temple are also bound to their parents for time and eternity. Thus our family unit is forever.
After each of our children were born, at about 6-8 weeks of age, they were given a name and a blessing by The Writer in Sacrament Meeting (the Sunday church meeting for all members to meet together).
Two of our children have been baptized by The Writer. He has also given them the gift of the Holy Ghost, with the participation of other male members of our families who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood.
Each year the night before school starts, our school age children are given a father's blessing for school. When they or I have been really ill, we have been given blessings of health.
Next year, The Writer will have the opportunity to ordain JJ to the Aaronic Priesthood office of Deacon.
I am grateful for the priesthood and the many blessings it has given in my life.
Each year, stakes in the LDS Church have a Priesthood Preview. This is a meeting for boys age 11 who will become 12 the following year and their parents. The program is speakers who talk about preparing to receive the priesthood and how the boys can prepare themselves and how their parents can help them.
My oldest boy, JJ, will be 12 next year. He has been looking forward to his 12th birthday for awhile now.
I am grateful for the priesthood. I do not hold it myself (women in the Church do not hold the priesthood itself but they are beneficiaries of its blessings) but it has blessed my life in many ways.
The Writer was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood as a deacon when he was 12 years old. When he was 14 and 16, he was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood offices of teacher and priest. When he was 18, he was ordained to the office of Elder in the Mechizedek Priesthood. At age 19, he served a full time mission for the Church for 2 years. At age 30 he was ordained a High Priest.
The Writer and I were married in a Temple of the LDS Church. We believe marriages performed in temples are for time and eternity, not "until death do [us] part". We also believe that children born to a couple who were married ("sealed") in a temple are also bound to their parents for time and eternity. Thus our family unit is forever.
After each of our children were born, at about 6-8 weeks of age, they were given a name and a blessing by The Writer in Sacrament Meeting (the Sunday church meeting for all members to meet together).
Two of our children have been baptized by The Writer. He has also given them the gift of the Holy Ghost, with the participation of other male members of our families who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood.
Each year the night before school starts, our school age children are given a father's blessing for school. When they or I have been really ill, we have been given blessings of health.
Next year, The Writer will have the opportunity to ordain JJ to the Aaronic Priesthood office of Deacon.
I am grateful for the priesthood and the many blessings it has given in my life.
Gratitude Day 17: Saturdays
It might seem like my life is an endless series of Saturdays but it's not. I believe if I'm not going to go out and work at a job, I should treat my job as a wife, mother and homemaker as I would a work-outside-the-home job. So I get up when my oldest gets up to get ready for school. I have a schedule that I try to follow to accomplish daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual tasks. I also have lists for church stuff, house projects, sewing projects, scrapbook projects, organizing projects and the list of lists goes on. I admit that I don't get things done on my lists as often as I should or would like. Often that is because my two little boys (AD and NW) at home demand a lot of my attention. I try to remember that my primary responsibility is to be their mom and that all too soon, they'll be older and more independent and not need me so much. So I am trying to cherish this time I have now with them.
Back to Saturdays. Saturday is my "day off". Sort of. I still have to cook meals and clean up after them. I still have to tidy my house. But I try to do just what *has* to be done so we can enjoy the day together. My husband and school-age children are at home so we have that time together. This past fall our Saturdays were spent going to soccer games. We also had some other fun times together.
I am grateful for Saturdays, for the time it gives us to come together as a family for the weekend and to do fun stuff together.
Back to Saturdays. Saturday is my "day off". Sort of. I still have to cook meals and clean up after them. I still have to tidy my house. But I try to do just what *has* to be done so we can enjoy the day together. My husband and school-age children are at home so we have that time together. This past fall our Saturdays were spent going to soccer games. We also had some other fun times together.
I am grateful for Saturdays, for the time it gives us to come together as a family for the weekend and to do fun stuff together.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Gratitude Day 16: Being a Stay at Home Mom
My name is Merilee and I am a homebody.
Since we gave the Jeep back to Mom and Dad S (the in-laws) and are only using one car, I have been staying home a lot more. Not that I was gone from home that much before but without a vehicle I am not tempted to go somewhere "just because". I do get out--one day a week I have the van so I can do grocery shopping and run errands. And I do go to church on Wednesday nights for Mutual. I sometimes take CM to swim practice if The Writer has work he needs to finish up. Occasionally if I feel the need to get out, I will go to one of my favorite stores after dinner to window shop and browse.
A little more than five and a half years ago, there was a 3 month period when life was just crazy. The Writer had recently gotten a full time job with Sorenson Communications. We lived about a half hour south of his workplace. So he was commuting every day. I had a contract job with Signing Time as their ASL consultant. We alternated between studio filming and B-roll filming which was in various locations. All filming was done in Salt Lake County. I had two children at the time so I had to leave between 30 and 45 minutes early so I could drop them off with friends for the day and then go to filming. Filming didn't end until that day's planned scenes were filmed. Even if it meant 12 hour days, we'd keep going until it was all done. Fortunately, that didn't happen much. Then after the shoot, I'd have to go pick up my children. We'd get home at dinner time and I still had to make dinner. Oh, and did I mention that during all this, we were house hunting? And I was still working part time as a Deaf Mentor in the evenings?
The Signing Time job was done before the real craziness of packing, cleaning and moving started. During that time of both of us working and having to add 30-45 minutes commute time to the work day, things around our home didn't get done. Our weekends were busy with catching up with grocery shopping, laundry, housecleaning, and doing our church callings.
I am grateful to have had that Signing time job. The money earned from that job helped us with the house-buying, especially since we had to get some more furniture. I do not regret doing that job at all.
It did make me realize that being a mom and homemaker is not a "spare time" job. Keeping up with laundry, keeping a house tidy and clean, making good, nutritious meals, keeping track of who needs to be where and when, keeping up with finances--all this and more adds up to what seems like more than a full time job.
But I like my life as it is. I like being the one my children tell about their days to. I like being able to explore my cooking hobby with new recipes and tweaking old ones. There's something satisfying about seeing the chaos and mess of children's toys getting cleaned up as we work together. I like being the one who explains about current events, the "birds and bees", and our religious values, among many other things. I like ensuring our security through wise financial management and food storage. I like being available to help my friend and ward members out when they need it. I could list many more but suffice it to say that I LIKE MY LIFE.
I know there are women who have to work or choose to work. I believe everyone does what is right for her life and her circumstances. To those who juggle work life and home life--more power to you! And to those who elect to be full time homemakers, mothers and wives--more power to you too!
Since we gave the Jeep back to Mom and Dad S (the in-laws) and are only using one car, I have been staying home a lot more. Not that I was gone from home that much before but without a vehicle I am not tempted to go somewhere "just because". I do get out--one day a week I have the van so I can do grocery shopping and run errands. And I do go to church on Wednesday nights for Mutual. I sometimes take CM to swim practice if The Writer has work he needs to finish up. Occasionally if I feel the need to get out, I will go to one of my favorite stores after dinner to window shop and browse.
A little more than five and a half years ago, there was a 3 month period when life was just crazy. The Writer had recently gotten a full time job with Sorenson Communications. We lived about a half hour south of his workplace. So he was commuting every day. I had a contract job with Signing Time as their ASL consultant. We alternated between studio filming and B-roll filming which was in various locations. All filming was done in Salt Lake County. I had two children at the time so I had to leave between 30 and 45 minutes early so I could drop them off with friends for the day and then go to filming. Filming didn't end until that day's planned scenes were filmed. Even if it meant 12 hour days, we'd keep going until it was all done. Fortunately, that didn't happen much. Then after the shoot, I'd have to go pick up my children. We'd get home at dinner time and I still had to make dinner. Oh, and did I mention that during all this, we were house hunting? And I was still working part time as a Deaf Mentor in the evenings?
The Signing Time job was done before the real craziness of packing, cleaning and moving started. During that time of both of us working and having to add 30-45 minutes commute time to the work day, things around our home didn't get done. Our weekends were busy with catching up with grocery shopping, laundry, housecleaning, and doing our church callings.
I am grateful to have had that Signing time job. The money earned from that job helped us with the house-buying, especially since we had to get some more furniture. I do not regret doing that job at all.
It did make me realize that being a mom and homemaker is not a "spare time" job. Keeping up with laundry, keeping a house tidy and clean, making good, nutritious meals, keeping track of who needs to be where and when, keeping up with finances--all this and more adds up to what seems like more than a full time job.
But I like my life as it is. I like being the one my children tell about their days to. I like being able to explore my cooking hobby with new recipes and tweaking old ones. There's something satisfying about seeing the chaos and mess of children's toys getting cleaned up as we work together. I like being the one who explains about current events, the "birds and bees", and our religious values, among many other things. I like ensuring our security through wise financial management and food storage. I like being available to help my friend and ward members out when they need it. I could list many more but suffice it to say that I LIKE MY LIFE.
I know there are women who have to work or choose to work. I believe everyone does what is right for her life and her circumstances. To those who juggle work life and home life--more power to you! And to those who elect to be full time homemakers, mothers and wives--more power to you too!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Gratitude Day 15: Food
I love to cook and bake. And I love to eat (maybe a little too
much!). I like to take raw ingredients and make something delicious out
of them. I like to see people enjoying what I make. And I enjoy
shopping for food.
I was about 10 or so when my mom started a summer 4-H club. Half the time we spent on cooking and the other half on sewing. At the tine, I didn't much care about sewing. Threading a sewing machine was beyond me. But I loved the cooking lessons. I was curious about the hows and whys of cooking. Why did milk curdle if heated too much? What process made wet, runny cake batter turn into a dry, soft, solid cake? How did sugar become candy?
I don't remember much about that first summer of 4H but that was the beginning of my interest in food. I took home economics classes in middle school and high school and then when I entered college, I majored in Nutrition and Food Science (NFS). My focus was Consumer Food Science. I took a lot of biology and chemistry classes and learned a lot about food, nutrition, how different foods were made, food safety, etc.
I had several internships with food companies that helped me apply academic knowledge to real world situations. Although I never held a "real" job in the field of food science, I apply what I've learned in my life. I use the principles I learned about nutrition, color, texture and taste to plan meals that look good, taste good and are good for us. One year CM did a science fair project in which she tested if it made any difference in the final product if the temperature of the water used to dissolve the yeast was cold, warm or the recommended temperature. I used my old lab reports to help her design an experiment and to document results.
This past Monday, there was an article in the local newspaper about eating nutritious food on a budget. Essentially, if you know how to cook ingredients such as beans, rice and vegetables, you can create a healthy, nutritious meal that cost less than buying packaged or processed food that is less healthy.
We had a discussion about this at dinner not too long ago. I can't remember what brought it up. I mentioned as an example that I could buy a 10 pound bag of potatoes for about $2.50 from the grocery store and get about 6 meals out of it. Of course, we would have other foods besides just the potatoes but I could make that bag of potatoes stretch much farther than a bag of potato chips that cost nearly $4 these days. And the potato dishes are (for the most part) much healthier than the potato chips.
I'm grateful that I know how to cook and can make a good meal from a mess of raw ingredients. I am grateful to have a safe and reliable food supply. I hope to add to this knowledge in coming years by having a vegetable garden, fruit trees and berry bushes.
I was about 10 or so when my mom started a summer 4-H club. Half the time we spent on cooking and the other half on sewing. At the tine, I didn't much care about sewing. Threading a sewing machine was beyond me. But I loved the cooking lessons. I was curious about the hows and whys of cooking. Why did milk curdle if heated too much? What process made wet, runny cake batter turn into a dry, soft, solid cake? How did sugar become candy?
I don't remember much about that first summer of 4H but that was the beginning of my interest in food. I took home economics classes in middle school and high school and then when I entered college, I majored in Nutrition and Food Science (NFS). My focus was Consumer Food Science. I took a lot of biology and chemistry classes and learned a lot about food, nutrition, how different foods were made, food safety, etc.
I had several internships with food companies that helped me apply academic knowledge to real world situations. Although I never held a "real" job in the field of food science, I apply what I've learned in my life. I use the principles I learned about nutrition, color, texture and taste to plan meals that look good, taste good and are good for us. One year CM did a science fair project in which she tested if it made any difference in the final product if the temperature of the water used to dissolve the yeast was cold, warm or the recommended temperature. I used my old lab reports to help her design an experiment and to document results.
This past Monday, there was an article in the local newspaper about eating nutritious food on a budget. Essentially, if you know how to cook ingredients such as beans, rice and vegetables, you can create a healthy, nutritious meal that cost less than buying packaged or processed food that is less healthy.
We had a discussion about this at dinner not too long ago. I can't remember what brought it up. I mentioned as an example that I could buy a 10 pound bag of potatoes for about $2.50 from the grocery store and get about 6 meals out of it. Of course, we would have other foods besides just the potatoes but I could make that bag of potatoes stretch much farther than a bag of potato chips that cost nearly $4 these days. And the potato dishes are (for the most part) much healthier than the potato chips.
I'm grateful that I know how to cook and can make a good meal from a mess of raw ingredients. I am grateful to have a safe and reliable food supply. I hope to add to this knowledge in coming years by having a vegetable garden, fruit trees and berry bushes.
Gratitude Day 14: Service
Today I had 4 extra children at my house. Two belonged to one friend, the other two to another. Two of the children were off track and their mom was working. The other two belonged to a friend who at the last minute needed someone to watch them while she went to a doctor's appointment. The scheduled babysitter had a sick child and had to cancel. Fortunately I checked my phone pretty early and was able to let both friends know that the children could come over to my house.
I love being able to help out friends and ward members. The LDS Church's women's auxiliary, the Relief Society, has as part of its mandate to provide relief. One of the most common ways this is done is providing meals to families. It may be after a funeral, after the birth of a baby, after a surgery, or other times when the mother's attention is better focused elsewhere.
Sunday evening I took a meal over to a family whose mother had just had surgery. Tomorrow I will take a meal over to another sister who fell and broke her arm. Not too long ago, I took a meal to a family that had just had a baby.
It is true that it is extra work because I am making two meals at the same time. I don't always just make double of whatever I am making for my family because when I take a meal to a family, I like to be able to take as few dishes as possible. I also like to take meals that are relatively simple so that all family members can enjoy it and also just to keep things as uncomplicated as possible.
The feelings I have after delivering one of these meals are really uplifting. No matter what kind of day I've had, I feel much better about life. Same thing happens when I am able to help out a family with their children, as happened today. Those are the two most common acts of service I am asked to provide--meals or childcare. That's OK. I love to cook and to share what I make with people, even if it's only my own family. I love children and when I have children over, they play with mine and keep them busy. I actually have very productive days even with a house full of children because they all play together and keep each other busy, which allows me to focus on things I need to do. Yes, the house looks like a toy factory blew up but we have a system of toy organization that makes it really easy for us all to work together to clean up toys.
"When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God". (Mosiah 2:17).
I love being able to help out friends and ward members. The LDS Church's women's auxiliary, the Relief Society, has as part of its mandate to provide relief. One of the most common ways this is done is providing meals to families. It may be after a funeral, after the birth of a baby, after a surgery, or other times when the mother's attention is better focused elsewhere.
Sunday evening I took a meal over to a family whose mother had just had surgery. Tomorrow I will take a meal over to another sister who fell and broke her arm. Not too long ago, I took a meal to a family that had just had a baby.
It is true that it is extra work because I am making two meals at the same time. I don't always just make double of whatever I am making for my family because when I take a meal to a family, I like to be able to take as few dishes as possible. I also like to take meals that are relatively simple so that all family members can enjoy it and also just to keep things as uncomplicated as possible.
The feelings I have after delivering one of these meals are really uplifting. No matter what kind of day I've had, I feel much better about life. Same thing happens when I am able to help out a family with their children, as happened today. Those are the two most common acts of service I am asked to provide--meals or childcare. That's OK. I love to cook and to share what I make with people, even if it's only my own family. I love children and when I have children over, they play with mine and keep them busy. I actually have very productive days even with a house full of children because they all play together and keep each other busy, which allows me to focus on things I need to do. Yes, the house looks like a toy factory blew up but we have a system of toy organization that makes it really easy for us all to work together to clean up toys.
"When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God". (Mosiah 2:17).
Gratitude Day 13: Home
For about a month now we've been a one-car family. We used to have two cars. Last Thanksgiving (the day before), The Writer was coming home from work and another car crashed into him. One of the great blessings of that Thanksgiving was that even though the impact was great enough it spun the car around, he was not hurt at all.
We went through the rest of the school year with just the van. It worked out OK. Thankfully, we don't live too far from work so on the days I needed the van, dropping The Writer off at work was not a big deal. Also thankfully, The Writer has a somewhat flexible schedule that allowed him to come home a bit early if needed.
With summer approaching, I wanted a vehicle of my own so that I could do stuff with the children. We were able to borrow a car from The Writer's parents. They warned us they would need it back in October to take to their winter home in Arizona. So since the first weekend of October, we have been back to just the van. Again, things worked out great. JJ's soccer practices were near our home, then when they were moved to a field farther away, his coach (who lives in the next neighborhood) picked him up. CM needed to be driven to practice but she was not too far away either. It was on the way to The Writer's workplace so I could drop her off then go pick him up. AD didn't have practices after the first 3 weeks. And the games were all at separate times so we didn't have to worry about being in two places at the same time.
With soccer done, the only evening commitments are swim practice (3x/week) and Mutual/Scouts (Wed nights).
I like to get all my shopping, errands and "running around" done in one day as much as possible. So I only need to have the car one day a week. The other 4 days of the work week I don't have a vehicle but that doesn't bother me. We live close enough to school that I can walk AD to preschool, with NW in the stroller. I get my exercise and some fresh air.
I like being home. I like doing the things that keep our house running smoothly. I like having snatches of time here and there to work on my own projects. Staying home keeps me out of the stores, which keeps me from spending money. It also keeps me from wanting things that I don't really need.
I am a member of a homemakers' forum (Homemaker's Homestead). The woman who owns the website, Crystal, also has a monthly newsletter. In her October newsletter, she talked about discontentment. At one time in her life she had 7 children plus herself and her husband in a 1100 square foot home. She taught herself to be contented with what she had. She said that yes, they did need a bigger home but until she and her husband were in a place that they could get that house, she would be content with what she had.
I like my house. Yes, I wish the kitchen were a big bigger. I'd like to have one more cupboard and another "stack" of drawers. I'd like to have one more bedroom. I wish the fireplace was centered on the wall instead of being over on one side. I wish my lawn looked better. But in the several years that we have lived in this house, we have made it work. That doesn't mean we don't have plans for the house and property, but if those projects never happen or happen 10 years down the road, I can be content with what I have right now.
My house isn't the newest, cutest or most trend-setting. But it is warm and comfortable. We have central heat and air conditioning. We have beds to sleep in, a table and chairs to use for meals, working appliances and clean water. We have a garage large enough for our van and some storage. We have enough yard space for our children to run around in. We live in a safe neighborhood close to many conveniences. For that and more, I am grateful.
We went through the rest of the school year with just the van. It worked out OK. Thankfully, we don't live too far from work so on the days I needed the van, dropping The Writer off at work was not a big deal. Also thankfully, The Writer has a somewhat flexible schedule that allowed him to come home a bit early if needed.
With summer approaching, I wanted a vehicle of my own so that I could do stuff with the children. We were able to borrow a car from The Writer's parents. They warned us they would need it back in October to take to their winter home in Arizona. So since the first weekend of October, we have been back to just the van. Again, things worked out great. JJ's soccer practices were near our home, then when they were moved to a field farther away, his coach (who lives in the next neighborhood) picked him up. CM needed to be driven to practice but she was not too far away either. It was on the way to The Writer's workplace so I could drop her off then go pick him up. AD didn't have practices after the first 3 weeks. And the games were all at separate times so we didn't have to worry about being in two places at the same time.
With soccer done, the only evening commitments are swim practice (3x/week) and Mutual/Scouts (Wed nights).
I like to get all my shopping, errands and "running around" done in one day as much as possible. So I only need to have the car one day a week. The other 4 days of the work week I don't have a vehicle but that doesn't bother me. We live close enough to school that I can walk AD to preschool, with NW in the stroller. I get my exercise and some fresh air.
I like being home. I like doing the things that keep our house running smoothly. I like having snatches of time here and there to work on my own projects. Staying home keeps me out of the stores, which keeps me from spending money. It also keeps me from wanting things that I don't really need.
I am a member of a homemakers' forum (Homemaker's Homestead). The woman who owns the website, Crystal, also has a monthly newsletter. In her October newsletter, she talked about discontentment. At one time in her life she had 7 children plus herself and her husband in a 1100 square foot home. She taught herself to be contented with what she had. She said that yes, they did need a bigger home but until she and her husband were in a place that they could get that house, she would be content with what she had.
I like my house. Yes, I wish the kitchen were a big bigger. I'd like to have one more cupboard and another "stack" of drawers. I'd like to have one more bedroom. I wish the fireplace was centered on the wall instead of being over on one side. I wish my lawn looked better. But in the several years that we have lived in this house, we have made it work. That doesn't mean we don't have plans for the house and property, but if those projects never happen or happen 10 years down the road, I can be content with what I have right now.
My house isn't the newest, cutest or most trend-setting. But it is warm and comfortable. We have central heat and air conditioning. We have beds to sleep in, a table and chairs to use for meals, working appliances and clean water. We have a garage large enough for our van and some storage. We have enough yard space for our children to run around in. We live in a safe neighborhood close to many conveniences. For that and more, I am grateful.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Gratitude Day 12: My family
While my main goal with these gratitude posts this month is to notice the everyday, I also want to remember to be grateful for the big things in my life.
Today I am grateful for my family.
I have been married 15 years. My husband, The Writer, has been my best friend and my biggest supporter. He teases me (sometimes mercilessly) and makes me laugh. I'm a pretty optimistic person by nature and don't often get down but when I do, he is there to lift me up. He has always believed in me and encouraged me to do what I want to do. We laugh and talk and play and read and watch TV and play games and do all sorts of fun things together.
CM is my oldest child and my only daughter. She is smart and beautiful and we have a good time together. She is developing an interest in cooking and baking. I really need to turn over the kitchen to her more often. She's a swimmer and a reader. She's also a musician (piano and singing). I'm glad to be in Young Women with her and to do the "girl" things.
JJ is my second child and oldest son. He's also a smart one and is becoming quite a soccer player. He's fascinated with sports--especially football. He can name all the NFL teams by city and name. That's his primary interest right now. He's also quite a good singer.
AD is the third child. He is a little bundle of energy! JJ is his hero and he wants to be doing what JJ is doing. He loves Legos and Bioncles and building toys. Anytime we've got a football game on TV, he gets the little football and pretends to be playing football.
NW is my baby. He is mommy's boy! He loves to be cuddled, especially first thing in the morning. He loves to play with his brothers. He will pretty much play with anything available so I don't think he really has a favorite toy. He definitely has a favorite blanket. My aunt and uncle gave me a soft blue blanket with a turtle on it when he was born and it has become his "lovey". Even though I made him a quilt that matches the crib bedding, he prefers the blue turtle blanket above all else. He MUST have it to sleep!
I have two brothers and a sister, all younger than me. One brother and my sister are married with three kids each. My husband has a brother and four sisters. Each of them is married and has children. I am grateful for my parents and siblings and all my in-laws and nieces and nephews. There is nothing on earth so precious as our families.
Photo credits: Aretta Jarvis of Treasured Memories Photography
Today I am grateful for my family.
I have been married 15 years. My husband, The Writer, has been my best friend and my biggest supporter. He teases me (sometimes mercilessly) and makes me laugh. I'm a pretty optimistic person by nature and don't often get down but when I do, he is there to lift me up. He has always believed in me and encouraged me to do what I want to do. We laugh and talk and play and read and watch TV and play games and do all sorts of fun things together.
CM is my oldest child and my only daughter. She is smart and beautiful and we have a good time together. She is developing an interest in cooking and baking. I really need to turn over the kitchen to her more often. She's a swimmer and a reader. She's also a musician (piano and singing). I'm glad to be in Young Women with her and to do the "girl" things.
JJ is my second child and oldest son. He's also a smart one and is becoming quite a soccer player. He's fascinated with sports--especially football. He can name all the NFL teams by city and name. That's his primary interest right now. He's also quite a good singer.
AD is the third child. He is a little bundle of energy! JJ is his hero and he wants to be doing what JJ is doing. He loves Legos and Bioncles and building toys. Anytime we've got a football game on TV, he gets the little football and pretends to be playing football.
NW is my baby. He is mommy's boy! He loves to be cuddled, especially first thing in the morning. He loves to play with his brothers. He will pretty much play with anything available so I don't think he really has a favorite toy. He definitely has a favorite blanket. My aunt and uncle gave me a soft blue blanket with a turtle on it when he was born and it has become his "lovey". Even though I made him a quilt that matches the crib bedding, he prefers the blue turtle blanket above all else. He MUST have it to sleep!
I have two brothers and a sister, all younger than me. One brother and my sister are married with three kids each. My husband has a brother and four sisters. Each of them is married and has children. I am grateful for my parents and siblings and all my in-laws and nieces and nephews. There is nothing on earth so precious as our families.
Photo credits: Aretta Jarvis of Treasured Memories Photography
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Gratitude Day 11: Mobility
Tonight was our Stake Youth Fireside, which is held twice a year. The speaker was a young man who had been paralyzed in a car accident from the chest down and is confined to a wheelchair. He talked about what had happened in his life that led up to the accident. He grew up in a fairly rural area. The kids his age who were closest to him (geographically) were not Church members. He did have friends who were Church members but they didn't live close by. These non-LDS friends got him involved in drugs and alcohol. The car accident happened one night when he was in high school. He and his "friends" had been out clubbing and dancing. The car he was riding in was a BMW. They were at a stoplight and another sports car pulled up next to them. The drivers started racing. They went around a curve and one car clipped the other, causing a terrible accident.
I am so grateful I can walk. One of my earliest memories is of being unable to walk well after being sick with spinal meningitis, which is what caused me to become deaf. I don't know this for sure but I wonder if it's because the fluid balance in my ears was disturbed, or if not being able to hear somehow affected my balance. I don't remember it affecting me for very long.
The Writer also had spinal meningitis but the effects were much more severe. Besides being deaf, his leg bones and joints were affected. He wore leg braces for a few years, and he's had surgeries on his hips several times. When we first met, he was dealing with losing cartilage in his hip joints. At that time, he had a limp that became fairly pronounced over time. In October 2004 he had one hip joint replaced with an artificial joint. In February 2006, he had the other one replaced. Before the replacement surgeries, winter was a terrible time for him. The cold weather made his hips ache so badly that walking caused great pain. He couldn't exert himself physically for too long because that also caused great pain. Since the surgeries, he has been able to do so many things he couldn't do before. We took a trip with CM and JJ to Disneyland in 2007. We spent 3 days walking all over the park. He got tired, yes, but he didn't hurt. His stride is better, and his general health is better. I am so grateful that he has regained his mobility. If he hadn't had the surgeries when he did, I'm sure he would be wheelchair bound by now.
Being able to walk isn't something to take for granted. I am grateful for my mobility.
I am so grateful I can walk. One of my earliest memories is of being unable to walk well after being sick with spinal meningitis, which is what caused me to become deaf. I don't know this for sure but I wonder if it's because the fluid balance in my ears was disturbed, or if not being able to hear somehow affected my balance. I don't remember it affecting me for very long.
The Writer also had spinal meningitis but the effects were much more severe. Besides being deaf, his leg bones and joints were affected. He wore leg braces for a few years, and he's had surgeries on his hips several times. When we first met, he was dealing with losing cartilage in his hip joints. At that time, he had a limp that became fairly pronounced over time. In October 2004 he had one hip joint replaced with an artificial joint. In February 2006, he had the other one replaced. Before the replacement surgeries, winter was a terrible time for him. The cold weather made his hips ache so badly that walking caused great pain. He couldn't exert himself physically for too long because that also caused great pain. Since the surgeries, he has been able to do so many things he couldn't do before. We took a trip with CM and JJ to Disneyland in 2007. We spent 3 days walking all over the park. He got tired, yes, but he didn't hurt. His stride is better, and his general health is better. I am so grateful that he has regained his mobility. If he hadn't had the surgeries when he did, I'm sure he would be wheelchair bound by now.
Being able to walk isn't something to take for granted. I am grateful for my mobility.
Gratitude Day 10: Family time
Some time ago, I promised JJ I would take him to see a football game at both Brigham Young University (Dad's alma mater) and Utah State University (mom's alma mater). Due to our soccer schedules, I couldn't get tickets until November games. Last night (Nov. 10) we went to the BYU/Idaho game. CM wanted to go and so after discussing the matter with The Writer, I bought tickets for our family (except for NW). At the time I bought them, a time had not been announced. I was hoping for an afternoon game but no such luck. The game was scheduled for 8:15 PM. I knew NW would not enjoy the noise, and I was sure it would be cold, so I arranged for him to stay overnight with a friend. We dropped NW off with our friend then drove down to Provo. We got some dinner then went to the game. It was a lot of fun. A little overwhelming for AD, I think, but he had a good time.
One thing that you get to see at a live game that you don't see on TV is the halftime show. It's really too bad because the bands do a great job. I've heard some college halftime shows are *really* good. But fans don't get to see them because the sports talking heads (otherwise known as commentators) spend the entire time analyzing the first half and talking about what the team that's ahead has to do to stay ahead in the second half. They also talk about what the team that's behind has to do to try to win. They also talk about other games that are going on at the same time or they talk about hot games that were shown earlier. Or they talk about hot games that will be played later. Whatever. It's all a bunch of hot air to me and I wish we'd get to see the halftime shows instead.
Anyway. Even though it was below freezing (about 25 degrees), we dressed warmly and took blankets. We had a great time together and we are all looking forward to seeing the USU game, which incidentally, will be against the same Idaho team. I wonder if USU will beat Idaho as badly as BYU beat Idaho last night (final score was 52-13).
My children really enjoy being at home. I am grateful for that. I am sure there's a time in the not-so-distant future when we'll hardly see the two older kids because they'll be so busy with school, extracurricular activities, church activities and friends. I don't worry too much about them liking being at home so much because they do have friends at school and they do have their sports, and they do have fun with church friends. So I will cherish the time we have as a family while we have it.
One thing that you get to see at a live game that you don't see on TV is the halftime show. It's really too bad because the bands do a great job. I've heard some college halftime shows are *really* good. But fans don't get to see them because the sports talking heads (otherwise known as commentators) spend the entire time analyzing the first half and talking about what the team that's ahead has to do to stay ahead in the second half. They also talk about what the team that's behind has to do to try to win. They also talk about other games that are going on at the same time or they talk about hot games that were shown earlier. Or they talk about hot games that will be played later. Whatever. It's all a bunch of hot air to me and I wish we'd get to see the halftime shows instead.
Anyway. Even though it was below freezing (about 25 degrees), we dressed warmly and took blankets. We had a great time together and we are all looking forward to seeing the USU game, which incidentally, will be against the same Idaho team. I wonder if USU will beat Idaho as badly as BYU beat Idaho last night (final score was 52-13).
My children really enjoy being at home. I am grateful for that. I am sure there's a time in the not-so-distant future when we'll hardly see the two older kids because they'll be so busy with school, extracurricular activities, church activities and friends. I don't worry too much about them liking being at home so much because they do have friends at school and they do have their sports, and they do have fun with church friends. So I will cherish the time we have as a family while we have it.
Gratitude Day 9: Snow (and water)
Today (Friday) snow fell all day. It was lovely to watch it fall and pile up and make the nice fluffy piles on the grill, the porch railings, the trees, the garbage can. The world seems so much more calm and peaceful when covered by a blanket of pure white snow.
I love winter. It's my second favorite season (after fall). I love the cold air, bundling up to go outside, drinking hot chocolate, wearing fuzzy warm pajamas, sleeping between flannel sheets on my bed with two blankets on top of me, making soups and casseroles, doing more baking, shoveling snow, playing in snow, sledding.
I also appreciate snow because it provides our water supplies for the following year. Last winter was really dry and only the fact that the winter before last was pretty wet (and thus our reservoirs were full) kept us from having to be careful with our water use.
I admit, I get a little annoyed when people complain about the cold and the snow. If we didn't have snow, we'd have no water! Water is humanity's lifeblood and if we don't have water, we're in big trouble.
I hope this is just the first of many snowstorms. I hope snow falls often and deeply. I will happily shovel my driveway and sidewalks 3 times a day; bundle up myself and my kids when we go out; plan extra time to get where I need to go so I can drive more slowly; and deal with wet gloves, hats, scarves, boots, coats and snow pants from playing in the snow---if it means we have water next year.
I love winter. It's my second favorite season (after fall). I love the cold air, bundling up to go outside, drinking hot chocolate, wearing fuzzy warm pajamas, sleeping between flannel sheets on my bed with two blankets on top of me, making soups and casseroles, doing more baking, shoveling snow, playing in snow, sledding.
I also appreciate snow because it provides our water supplies for the following year. Last winter was really dry and only the fact that the winter before last was pretty wet (and thus our reservoirs were full) kept us from having to be careful with our water use.
I admit, I get a little annoyed when people complain about the cold and the snow. If we didn't have snow, we'd have no water! Water is humanity's lifeblood and if we don't have water, we're in big trouble.
I hope this is just the first of many snowstorms. I hope snow falls often and deeply. I will happily shovel my driveway and sidewalks 3 times a day; bundle up myself and my kids when we go out; plan extra time to get where I need to go so I can drive more slowly; and deal with wet gloves, hats, scarves, boots, coats and snow pants from playing in the snow---if it means we have water next year.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Gratitude Day 8: Work
I heard there was going to be bad weather this weekend, so as soon as JJ got home from school, I rounded everyone up and we went out to rake leaves. We have six trees in our backyard. Huge trees. Trees that have a million and one leaves. Most of the leaves have fallen and they were dry so I figured it would be a lot easier to rake and bag now than to try to deal with a soggy, matted mess next week. Tomorrow and Saturday are going to be busy days and I didn't know if we'd have enough time to get the leaves raked. And I don't want to try to rake wet leaves.
Well, the kids weren't too thrilled about that. But we did it anyway. And I got to thinking about work.
One of the characteristics of my family is hard work. I remember my Dad always seemed to have a project going on somewhere during my growing up years. He had something he was working on on the house, in the yard, at my grandparents'. He didn't like to stop a project until it was done. His Dad (my grandfather) had a saying, "Don't stop working in the middle of a row".
My parents also taught their children "A honest day's work for a day's pay". If you are going to be paid for 8 hours of work, then you put in 8 hours of work.
I saw this on a sign somewhere and it stuck with me: Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Another quote I read in a book (I'm paraphrasing slightly since I don't have the book): "The preachers say the Lord cursed Adam by making him earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. I say it was the best thing the good Lord ever did. To reap the rewards of one's own work is the true meaning of joy".
I get restless if I go too long without something constructive to do. I like taking vacations as much as anyone and I enjoy our time away from "real life" but I also enjoy coming back home to my normal routines.
Work is not the bad thing a lot of people seem to think it is. Work, balanced with play, is what makes a happy life.
Well, the kids weren't too thrilled about that. But we did it anyway. And I got to thinking about work.
One of the characteristics of my family is hard work. I remember my Dad always seemed to have a project going on somewhere during my growing up years. He had something he was working on on the house, in the yard, at my grandparents'. He didn't like to stop a project until it was done. His Dad (my grandfather) had a saying, "Don't stop working in the middle of a row".
My parents also taught their children "A honest day's work for a day's pay". If you are going to be paid for 8 hours of work, then you put in 8 hours of work.
I saw this on a sign somewhere and it stuck with me: Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Another quote I read in a book (I'm paraphrasing slightly since I don't have the book): "The preachers say the Lord cursed Adam by making him earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. I say it was the best thing the good Lord ever did. To reap the rewards of one's own work is the true meaning of joy".
I get restless if I go too long without something constructive to do. I like taking vacations as much as anyone and I enjoy our time away from "real life" but I also enjoy coming back home to my normal routines.
Work is not the bad thing a lot of people seem to think it is. Work, balanced with play, is what makes a happy life.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Gratitude Day 7: My faith, my church calling, my ward
I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). I have been my whole life.
Congregations are called wards, and each ward has several organizations. The Young Women's organization is for young women age 12 to 18 years old. There are other organizations for the men, the women, young men age 12-18, children 3-12 years old and very young children 18 months to 3 years old.
LDS wards do not have a paid clergy. Everything that is needed to run a ward is done by volunteer work. In the Church, we call this "having a calling". We believe that these callings are from God and we are called to do His work.
For the past 2.5 years, my calling has been in the Young Women's (YW) organization. We have a one-hour class on Sundays during which we study and talk about various gospel principles. We also have a 1.5-hour activity on Wednesday nights. What we do varies from week to week but the main purpose is for us to meet together to have fun, build relationships, learn, serve and apply gospel principles to our lives.
Tonight's activity was a pajama party. We watched a movie (Despicable Me) and enjoyed food brought by everyone. We try to make our activities uplifting and spiritually strengthening. The idea is that these young ladies have a lot of different things competing for their attention and if our YW activities are just another "fun" activity, then they would choose to hang out with their friends instead. Also, YW activities give them a spiritual "shot" that can keep them going through the rest of the week until Sunday comes around again. But I think there's nothing wrong with having an occasional activity that is just plain fun once in a while. We will be quite involved with service-related activities through the end of the year so we decided a low key activity would be fun.
I love serving in the YW. I love these girls. I have enjoyed getting to know them and seeing them grow. They are smart and beautiful, and they have strong testimonies. They care about others and are willing to help out when asked to. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be involved with them.
I am also grateful to be a member of my ASL (American Sign Language) ward. Until recently, ASL wards were called Deaf wards because the members were D/deaf themselves or had D/deaf family members. I grew up in my family's ward. I was the only deaf person in the ward. I didn't know sign language and neither did anyone else in the ward. I was very fortunate that my parents were both teachers (mom=kindergarten; dad=college professor. Both retired now). They took their responsibility to teach me very seriously. I grew up lipreading and speaking for communication. I can't hear at all. I did have hearing aids through high school but they weren't of much use to me. So my parents spent a lot of time one-on-one with me, making sure I understood our church's teachings. I will be forever grateful for that. I also had wonderful teachers/leaders in church who made sure I was involved and at least knew the general topics of discussion. I will be forever grateful for those dedicated leaders too. I know, though, that I missed a lot of what was said and discussed.
I first started attending a congregation with ASL interpretation when I was a sophomore in college. A few Deaf students and interpreters attended one of the student wards. When I was 21, I left to serve a 18 month volunteer mission for the Church. I had the opportunity to work in Tennessee, California, Missouri and Kansas. California and Kansas had Deaf branches. Tennessee and Missouri had groups of Deaf people that met with a ward and had interpreters. Later on, a Deaf branch (similar to a ward in function, just smaller numbers of people) was established in my hometown. After I married, I started attending the Deaf ward my husband had been attending. We lived in that ward for 6 years, then we moved to my hometown and attended the Deaf branch there. Then we moved again and attended a Deaf ward for 2 years. Our last move was 5 years ago and we have been attending our current ward since then. There have been a few times in the 15 years that my husband and I have been married that we have attended family members' wards (which Deaf members refer to as "hearing" wards) where there was no ASL interpretation. After over 20 years of attending church where ASL was the language used to teach and preach, going to a hearing ward is really difficult for me. I just miss too much of what is said and frankly, not understanding anything is boring.
There are many reasons I am grateful for the ASL ward but I think the number one reason is barrier-free communication. I can talk to anyone, anytime for any reason and not have to worry about misunderstanding or miscommunication. I can be taught and edified in a language that I understand.
Some might wonder about my children. They are all hearing. But ASL is their first language and our preferred/primary language at home. As they've grown up, they've learned more and more ASL. So they understand just as well as we do.
I am grateful for the faith I have in God. Yesterday was the general election in which we elected a new President of the United States. I was really surprised (and yes, disappointed) by the results. But I believe in God and that He is in charge and so I will put my faith in Him and just keep doing my best to do what He wants me to do. I will pray for the leaders of this country to work together to lead us through these difficult times. Politically, I believe what I believe in, and my friends and family may believe like I do, or they may believe differently, but in the end, we are all Americans and it behooves us to lay aside our differences and work together to find answers and solutions to the difficulties our country faces.
God bless our country. We may have our problems but I am still grateful to be an American and for the United States of America.
Congregations are called wards, and each ward has several organizations. The Young Women's organization is for young women age 12 to 18 years old. There are other organizations for the men, the women, young men age 12-18, children 3-12 years old and very young children 18 months to 3 years old.
LDS wards do not have a paid clergy. Everything that is needed to run a ward is done by volunteer work. In the Church, we call this "having a calling". We believe that these callings are from God and we are called to do His work.
For the past 2.5 years, my calling has been in the Young Women's (YW) organization. We have a one-hour class on Sundays during which we study and talk about various gospel principles. We also have a 1.5-hour activity on Wednesday nights. What we do varies from week to week but the main purpose is for us to meet together to have fun, build relationships, learn, serve and apply gospel principles to our lives.
Tonight's activity was a pajama party. We watched a movie (Despicable Me) and enjoyed food brought by everyone. We try to make our activities uplifting and spiritually strengthening. The idea is that these young ladies have a lot of different things competing for their attention and if our YW activities are just another "fun" activity, then they would choose to hang out with their friends instead. Also, YW activities give them a spiritual "shot" that can keep them going through the rest of the week until Sunday comes around again. But I think there's nothing wrong with having an occasional activity that is just plain fun once in a while. We will be quite involved with service-related activities through the end of the year so we decided a low key activity would be fun.
I love serving in the YW. I love these girls. I have enjoyed getting to know them and seeing them grow. They are smart and beautiful, and they have strong testimonies. They care about others and are willing to help out when asked to. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be involved with them.
I am also grateful to be a member of my ASL (American Sign Language) ward. Until recently, ASL wards were called Deaf wards because the members were D/deaf themselves or had D/deaf family members. I grew up in my family's ward. I was the only deaf person in the ward. I didn't know sign language and neither did anyone else in the ward. I was very fortunate that my parents were both teachers (mom=kindergarten; dad=college professor. Both retired now). They took their responsibility to teach me very seriously. I grew up lipreading and speaking for communication. I can't hear at all. I did have hearing aids through high school but they weren't of much use to me. So my parents spent a lot of time one-on-one with me, making sure I understood our church's teachings. I will be forever grateful for that. I also had wonderful teachers/leaders in church who made sure I was involved and at least knew the general topics of discussion. I will be forever grateful for those dedicated leaders too. I know, though, that I missed a lot of what was said and discussed.
I first started attending a congregation with ASL interpretation when I was a sophomore in college. A few Deaf students and interpreters attended one of the student wards. When I was 21, I left to serve a 18 month volunteer mission for the Church. I had the opportunity to work in Tennessee, California, Missouri and Kansas. California and Kansas had Deaf branches. Tennessee and Missouri had groups of Deaf people that met with a ward and had interpreters. Later on, a Deaf branch (similar to a ward in function, just smaller numbers of people) was established in my hometown. After I married, I started attending the Deaf ward my husband had been attending. We lived in that ward for 6 years, then we moved to my hometown and attended the Deaf branch there. Then we moved again and attended a Deaf ward for 2 years. Our last move was 5 years ago and we have been attending our current ward since then. There have been a few times in the 15 years that my husband and I have been married that we have attended family members' wards (which Deaf members refer to as "hearing" wards) where there was no ASL interpretation. After over 20 years of attending church where ASL was the language used to teach and preach, going to a hearing ward is really difficult for me. I just miss too much of what is said and frankly, not understanding anything is boring.
There are many reasons I am grateful for the ASL ward but I think the number one reason is barrier-free communication. I can talk to anyone, anytime for any reason and not have to worry about misunderstanding or miscommunication. I can be taught and edified in a language that I understand.
Some might wonder about my children. They are all hearing. But ASL is their first language and our preferred/primary language at home. As they've grown up, they've learned more and more ASL. So they understand just as well as we do.
I am grateful for the faith I have in God. Yesterday was the general election in which we elected a new President of the United States. I was really surprised (and yes, disappointed) by the results. But I believe in God and that He is in charge and so I will put my faith in Him and just keep doing my best to do what He wants me to do. I will pray for the leaders of this country to work together to lead us through these difficult times. Politically, I believe what I believe in, and my friends and family may believe like I do, or they may believe differently, but in the end, we are all Americans and it behooves us to lay aside our differences and work together to find answers and solutions to the difficulties our country faces.
God bless our country. We may have our problems but I am still grateful to be an American and for the United States of America.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Gratitude Day 6: Voting
It's late and I'm tired. I'll just say that I am grateful for the right to vote and that I can vote for whom I choose to.
I'll pontificate more on this tomorrow.
Good night.
I'll pontificate more on this tomorrow.
Good night.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Gratitude Day 5: Naps
Last night for some reason I had a hard time falling asleep. I didn't fall asleep until around 2 am and I still had to get up at the usual time to get my family off to where they needed to be. On Mondays and Wednesdays AD has preschool from 12:45 to 3:45. I walk him to school and then he walks home with his older brother JJ who is in 6th grade.
Right now we only have one car and The Writer took it to work today. I walked AD to school and came home (1 mile round trip), fed NW and played with him a bit. Then we both lay down for an ap. I only lay down for an hour (which is the usual length of my naps) but I felt much better when I woke up.
Hooray for naps!
Right now we only have one car and The Writer took it to work today. I walked AD to school and came home (1 mile round trip), fed NW and played with him a bit. Then we both lay down for an ap. I only lay down for an hour (which is the usual length of my naps) but I felt much better when I woke up.
Hooray for naps!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Gratitude Day 4: Dirty Dishes
Thank God for dirty dishes
They have a tale to tell.
While other folks go hungry,
We're eating very well.
With home and health and happiness
We shouldn't want to fuss.
For by this stack of evidence,
God's very good to us.
I first read this poem in a homemaking book of my mom's that I read when I was a teenager and first getting interested in homemaking arts. (The book is "The Art of Homemaking" by Daryl V. Hoole. I think it's out of print now but she has a more current book called "The Ultimate Career: The Art of Homemaking for Today").
The aftermath of a Sunday dinner.
Doing dishes (even when you have a dishwasher) isn't the most fun job in the world. Three meals a day plus snacks; the dishes used in preparing those three meals; plus whatever glasses, cups or other dishes family members use and put in the sink--no wonder it feels like the dishes are never done!
I am grateful, however, for those dirty dishes.
The house I grew up in had a formal dining room, and my mother had a china cabinet with china dishes, nice glassware and silverware that was a more fancy pattern than our usual everyday cutlery. She also had a collection of linens--napkins, tablecloths and placemats; as well as seasonal decor that made for some nice table settings. We ate Sunday dinner in that dining room with the china and linens. We also had other special-occasion meals there too. So this was not a Thanksgiving-and-Christmas-dinner-only room.
Green meal on St. Patrick's Day
When I got married, I was given the beginnings of my own collection of china. Generous monetary gifts allowed me to purchase a complete set of 12 place settings. Even when I was living in my first 2 bedroom apartment with the table set against the bar in the kitchen, I still used that china. I only unpacked one box that had 4 complete place settings (that was all I needed at that early time) but I still used it.
Table set for 5 course dinner for CM's birthday (2012)
When we ate in the dining room, especially Sunday dinner, my mother asked that we either remain in Sunday clothes or wear nice clothing. She expected us to use our best manners. While we didn't go as formal as having 2 forks (salad and dinner) and dessert fork and spoon above the plate, we were taught to place our napkins on our laps as soon as the blessing was said, and that if there was more than one fork or spoon, to start on the outside and work in. We were expected to sit properly (no slouching and no feet on the chair, and propping elbows on knees) and to keep elbows off the table. We were expected to speak properly (no yelling, no inappropriate conversation, no really loud laughter, say 'please' and 'thank you'). I'm sure my two brothers rolled their eyes in exasperation sometimes but it all was worth it later when we all started dating.
Football theme dinner for JJ's birthday (2012)
One story I remember my mom telling me that showed me how important it was to learn all this stuff at home was about my older younger brother (the brother just younger than me) and his prom date. He and the young lady were going out to dinner at the best restaurant in town with a group of friends. The other boys didn't really know what to do but my brother did. The other young men watched him and took their cues from him. His date was really impressed. Later, when telling our mom about his date, my brother told her, "Thank you" for teaching him the proper behavior for eating out.
Fourth of July BBQ (2012)
That story really impressed me and I determined that I wanted any sons I had to have that same upbringing. My house doesn't have a formal dining room but I still set my table on Sundays with my china, good glassware and silverware and linens (when I remember the linens). We practice our manners. Other occasions when we "dress up" the table are birthdays and holidays. For birthdays, I cook that family member's favorite meal and dress the table accordingly. This past year, my daughter CM decided she wanted a formal 5 course dinner. I went all out on that--set the table with the china and linens; made and served appetizer, salad, soup, main course and dessert. We even had candles! The following week was JJ's birthday and he wanted an Italian dinner. It was less formal--we used the regular dishes instead of the china but I still decorated the table (football theme).
Halloween dinner--chili in bread bowls and Swamp Water (2012)
We eat Thanksgiving dinner with extended family--I have never hosted Thanksgiving dinner myself--but we still have a formal meal of our own a week or so before. We have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at home (extended family celebrations are on other days) and those are formal dinners. Other holidays such as Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, and Father's Day are formal meals too. Fourth of July is a BBQ. I enjoy setting the table to reflect the theme/holiday/season and have gathered quite a collection of different table linens and centerpieces. I believe all of these things together add up to wonderful memories for family members.
Of course, all these great meals generate a lot of dirty dishes. At times, when it's all over, I look at the kitchen and I groan a little inside, knowing that there's a big mess to clean up, but the memories of our meals together to celebrate help strengthen our family bonds.
But even on the regular days when it's a normal breakfast, lunch or dinner, I am still grateful for those dirty dishes. I am grateful that I know how to cook and I know how to plan and prepare nutritious meals for my family. I am grateful when I am called upon to provide a meal for a family in the ward (church congregation) that had a new baby or a family member had surgery or some other reason. One or two times, I've taken a meal to a family just because I felt the need to do so. I am grateful that we have an abundance of food available. I know there are areas where getting enough to eat is a daily struggle. I am grateful for the blessing of having a safe and reliable food supply.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Gratitude Day 3: Sports
Today my two older kids (CM and JJ) had their last soccer games. My third child (AD) also played soccer this fall--he finished at the end of September.
AD is the one in the red shirt getting ready to kick the ball.
I am grateful for the opportunity they have all had to participate in soccer. They've learned new skills, exercised, learned about teamwork and had a good time. My oldest is also a swimmer. She did OK with soccer but really shines with swimming. I think my two boys have the potential to become really good soccer players. They're always outside with the balls.
Since the beginning of September our Saturdays have pretty much revolved around soccer and football. Through September we had games at 9 am, 12 noon and 1:30 pm. After AD finished his season, we had games at 12 noon and 1:30 pm. There was always a football game we wanted to watch. Usually BYU. Occasionally we caught a USU game. And we'd check in with whatever the hot game in the top 25 was for the day.
AD played in the 3-4 age group. They didn't really keep score so I have no idea how many games they "won" or "lost". Most of the time I didn't even know the final score. CM, I think, won half and lost half her games. JJ lost the first 5 and won the last 3. He scored one goal in the second-to-last game and two goals in today's final game. Losses were disappointing, but our goal was for our children to get some exercise, learn new skills, and have fun. Winning was secondary.
CM is the one in the middle.
When we signed up CM and JJ, we signed up for both fall and spring soccer. So while their fall season is over, sometime next spring they will start up again. In the meantime, CM will continue working on her swimming, JJ will continue throwing his football around in the backyard and AD will run around kicking his soccer ball.
The Writer (my husband) and I have always tried to be cheerleaders without overriding the coach's instructions. I have read so many stories of children not wanting to play a sport anymore because their parent(s) got too involved, or parents second guessing referees and coaches at games, and just ruining the fun for everyone. So we tried to just be supportive and let the the players play, the coaches coach and the referees ref.
I am grateful for the opportunity they have all had to participate in soccer. They've learned new skills, exercised, learned about teamwork and had a good time. My oldest is also a swimmer. She did OK with soccer but really shines with swimming. I think my two boys have the potential to become really good soccer players. They're always outside with the balls.
JJ is #6 (blue shirt)
Since the beginning of September our Saturdays have pretty much revolved around soccer and football. Through September we had games at 9 am, 12 noon and 1:30 pm. After AD finished his season, we had games at 12 noon and 1:30 pm. There was always a football game we wanted to watch. Usually BYU. Occasionally we caught a USU game. And we'd check in with whatever the hot game in the top 25 was for the day.
AD played in the 3-4 age group. They didn't really keep score so I have no idea how many games they "won" or "lost". Most of the time I didn't even know the final score. CM, I think, won half and lost half her games. JJ lost the first 5 and won the last 3. He scored one goal in the second-to-last game and two goals in today's final game. Losses were disappointing, but our goal was for our children to get some exercise, learn new skills, and have fun. Winning was secondary.
When we signed up CM and JJ, we signed up for both fall and spring soccer. So while their fall season is over, sometime next spring they will start up again. In the meantime, CM will continue working on her swimming, JJ will continue throwing his football around in the backyard and AD will run around kicking his soccer ball.
The Writer (my husband) and I have always tried to be cheerleaders without overriding the coach's instructions. I have read so many stories of children not wanting to play a sport anymore because their parent(s) got too involved, or parents second guessing referees and coaches at games, and just ruining the fun for everyone. So we tried to just be supportive and let the the players play, the coaches coach and the referees ref.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Gratitude Day 2
Edited to add: I posted about home preservation today because I was working on my final batch of jam and starting on making green tomato relish.
Today I am thankful for my knowledge of home preservation and canning.
I grew up with a grandmother who preserved food. My mother also preserved food. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we believe in being self-sufficient. We believe in preparing for a rainy day by staying out of debt, saving money, growing our own food where possible, preserving food, buying staples to store, having supplies of water, clothing and fuel and educating ourselves to provide income through employment. My paternal grandmother, Ruth, was a Home Economics major at Utah Agricultural College (now Utah State University). She and my grandfather had quite a homestead. They had a huge garden and a mini-orchard. They also had sheep. Much of the food they grew they ate but they also preserved a lot of it. In their basement, they had a small room known to the family as the "fruit room", which was where bottles of canned food were stored. Some store bought stuff and other things were stored there too.
I grew up in a town only about 10 miles away so we visited frequently and sometimes had dinner with them. For many of my growing up years, we had Thanksgiving dinner at their home. Meals with Grandma Ruth were so good--she was a wonderful cook and made a great many things from scratch. Many times we had dishes made with home-preserved food.
I have always been interested in homemaking arts. I learned a lot about making bread, cooking, preserving and sewing from my mother and grandmother. I believe nearly every year that I've been married, I've preserved something. Some years it was nothing more than a batch of strawberry jam. One year I had a garden and we had a bountiful harvest of tomatoes. That year I canned tomatoes, tomato soup, chile sauce, green tomato relish and salsa. Last year I did pressure canning for the first time and canned green beans and corn. I haven't had much luck with growing a garden here (I suspect it's lack of enough sun) but we have some great farmers markets so I am still able to buy produce to preserve.
Why do I preserve food? I don't know that I necessarily save money. What is more important to me is that I have the knowledge of how to preserve food. I know what can be canned in a boiling water bath and I know what needs to be pressure canned. I know how to test for a good seal. I know how to prep equipment and food. Now I am learning about dehydrating food. Last year I bought a dehydrator and did apples, bananas and peach leather. Yummy! I also appreciate knowing what is in my food. So much of what we buy in the stores has added ingredients that I don't see any need for. I like knowing that my strawberry jam is just fruit, pectin and sugar. I like knowing my tomato soup is just tomatoes, celery, onions and green peppers. I like knowing my canned fruit is made with real sugar and not something like high fructose corn syrup. I have also noticed that home canned food tastes so much better. Especially fruit. Last year I bottled a lot of peaches and pears. I also bought some canned pears and peaches from the store. We noticed a huge taste difference. The home canned fruit had a much deeper flavor, and was sweeter, even though I was using the lightest sugar syrup.
There is one thing I can that I do not think I can buy in the store and that is green tomato relish. It is made with green tomatoes, onions, red pepper, vinegar, sugar and spices. It tastes similar to the hot dog pickle relish you buy at the store but I think green tomato relish tastes so much better.
I didn't do as much canning this summer as I have done in years past. I have done strawberry jam, tri-berry jam, salsa and green tomato relish. Next year I hope to do more. I also want to make some convenience foods like spaghetti sauce and chicken noodle-less soup. I would also like to try canning meats and beans.
I will be forever grateful to my mother and my grandmother who taught me about canning. I will also always be grateful for the knowledge I have, and the additional knowledge I get each year, about canning.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Gratitude, Day 1
November is one of my favorite times of year. I love holiday time. I love fall. And November is my birthday month. My birthday always falls around Thanksgiving time so for me, Thanksgiving and my birthday are synonymous. Last year on Facebook, a few friends were doing daily gratitude posts. I thought this was a great idea so I'm jumping on the bandwagon.
The approach I am going to take is to express gratitude for something from that day. Sometimes that may be a really mundane or everyday thing. Other times it may be a big thing. The order I give thanks in isn't important here. What is important is to notice something about every day that I am grateful for. I hope to also post a picture.
November 1--I spent a lot of time today working with clothes. I had a huge laundry pile to deal with. I was also straightening out my boys' clothing.
Today I am grateful for laundry machines.
Recently, Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast, particularly New York City/New York and New Jersey. Many homes were destroyed. Many more were damaged and flooded. Millions of people are without power, heat and their personal things. Having to wear the same clothes and underclothes for several days would not be a pleasant experience. And it would be worse if those clothes had gotten wet/dirty from being caught in flood waters or trying to escape. I remember a Tide commercial from some time ago that featured a semi-truck fitted with laundry machines and it went around to areas that didn't have power/water/laundry facilities and residents who couldn't wash their clothes were able to get their laundry done using the machines on the Tide truck. I remember something said during the commercial about how much just having clean clothes helped.
side note: I did a quick search and this program is called Tide Loads of Hope (www.tideloadsofhope.com). Some of their commercials are on YouTube.
My laundry room isn't cute. The ceiling isn't finished and the dryer duct runs up the wall to the outlet near the ceiling. The floor is an ugly linoleum that is peeling in places. There's a window but it's not trimmed. But today, all that doesn't matter. What matters is that I HAVE laundry machines and they WORK. Laundry isn't my favorite chore to do and sometimes I will put off doing laundry until someone has no clean underwear, but I'm grateful that I have modern machines that allow me to just dump in clothes, pour in a bit of soap and push a few buttons; and in an hour or so I have clean clothes! Then those wet, but clean, clothes go into the dryer, two buttons are pushed and in another hour or so the clothes are dry!
The approach I am going to take is to express gratitude for something from that day. Sometimes that may be a really mundane or everyday thing. Other times it may be a big thing. The order I give thanks in isn't important here. What is important is to notice something about every day that I am grateful for. I hope to also post a picture.
November 1--I spent a lot of time today working with clothes. I had a huge laundry pile to deal with. I was also straightening out my boys' clothing.
Today I am grateful for laundry machines.
Recently, Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast, particularly New York City/New York and New Jersey. Many homes were destroyed. Many more were damaged and flooded. Millions of people are without power, heat and their personal things. Having to wear the same clothes and underclothes for several days would not be a pleasant experience. And it would be worse if those clothes had gotten wet/dirty from being caught in flood waters or trying to escape. I remember a Tide commercial from some time ago that featured a semi-truck fitted with laundry machines and it went around to areas that didn't have power/water/laundry facilities and residents who couldn't wash their clothes were able to get their laundry done using the machines on the Tide truck. I remember something said during the commercial about how much just having clean clothes helped.
side note: I did a quick search and this program is called Tide Loads of Hope (www.tideloadsofhope.com). Some of their commercials are on YouTube.
My laundry room isn't cute. The ceiling isn't finished and the dryer duct runs up the wall to the outlet near the ceiling. The floor is an ugly linoleum that is peeling in places. There's a window but it's not trimmed. But today, all that doesn't matter. What matters is that I HAVE laundry machines and they WORK. Laundry isn't my favorite chore to do and sometimes I will put off doing laundry until someone has no clean underwear, but I'm grateful that I have modern machines that allow me to just dump in clothes, pour in a bit of soap and push a few buttons; and in an hour or so I have clean clothes! Then those wet, but clean, clothes go into the dryer, two buttons are pushed and in another hour or so the clothes are dry!
Welcome!
Hello, friends! Welcome to Visiting on the Front Porch! This is a blog where I talk about anything and everything..just as if we were sitting in rocking chairs on a big old front porch, with glasses of lemonade!
I like to talk about just about anything, so you'll see all sorts of subjects here. Homemaking, sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, cooking, child rearing, cleaning, gardening, politics, school, random stuff--you name it, I'll talk about it!
I like to talk about just about anything, so you'll see all sorts of subjects here. Homemaking, sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, cooking, child rearing, cleaning, gardening, politics, school, random stuff--you name it, I'll talk about it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)