third

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Carlo sent me a sweet note. I appreciate your words, Carlo. The note was like one giant happy comment.

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My cousin-in-law on Ken's side (honestly that was the simplest way I could think to describe the relationship, other than friend, which actually would be better). One of my friends - Tannis - sent me a second thank you card for something. This time she sent her note in a homemade envelope that came together so uniquely in the back.

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This was the most I could unfold the envelope and have it fit in my scanner. The center rectangle was 5x7. The rounded flaps fold exactly to center, spiraling together, and she secured it with a sticker. I would have been afraid to trust Canada Post not to tear the envelope apart, but it arrived intact, so now I will have some confidence to make some of these envelopes myself!

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Kristi posted about the Easter cards she sent this year. An empty envelope symbolizing the empty tomb, with a reference inside to Mark 16: 1-6.
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Ken sometimes describes blogging as a giant affirmation exercise - he's teasing, but there is some truth to it. Only it's more sincere and genuine and relationship-based than he makes it sound. Thanks for brightening my mailbox these past weeks!

SPT: Easter Egg Hunt

I actually hosted an egg hunt on our street this year. Thursday morning Ann (a neighborhood mom) and I hid 18 dozen plastic eggs in the yards of the participating families. When it was time for the Easter egg hunt, we told all the kids they had to stop once they found a dozen, we gave the preschoolers a head start, and that was all the work that went into it. No biggie for me, but so much fun for the kids. Kiddos and moms were all very appreciative - I don't know why this was our 1st annual instead of our 7th annual Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt!

I sent Chloe into our side yard, but Carmen scooped her on the egg hidden in the hockey net.

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Saturday we went with my parents to Writing-On-Stone for the afternoon, and I couldn't help thinking
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it would have be an *egg*stra special place for an Easter Egg Hunt!

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Red Lentil Soup

2 c. washed red lentils (but I never wash them any more)
6 c. water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped (or dry onion from the food storage)
2-3 stalks celery, chopped (worst case scenario: omit)
1 garlic clove, chopped (another dehydrated substitution here)
3-4 carrots, chopped (I've used dehydrated carrots)
2 potatos, peeled and diced (hello - potato pearls)
1 (19 oz.) can diced tomatoes (a food storage essential)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 T. dried parsley
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf

Combine lentils and water. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes. Rehydrate the onion and garlic if you've gone with the dry storage foods. Saute onion, garlic, and celery in olive oil until tender. Stir into lentils. Add all other ingredients and simmer 1 hour. Or: if using dried vegetables, add one cup of potato pearls and 1/2 cup dried carrots with maybe 15 minutes of simmering time to go.

(Christy: this is from the 'Celebrate' cookbook page 58, but I added the potatos, which changes the soup completely - don't omit the potatos!)


As for the cornbread, I don't think my recipe is anything special. I'm sure freshly ground cornmeal would improve any recipe.

52 Blessings: This week and every week.

I know the actions and existence of my Savior are greater

than any other blessing I enjoy.
Happy Easter.
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Provident Living

One of my 10-hour personal progress projects was to get a year supply of basic foods and learn how to cook with it. I already had a significant amount of food stored in the basement, which I inventoried. I then went to the cannery once a month for months and months. By the time I starting the cooking half of the project, I was well past 10 hours. I made a couple of lentil recipes, both are now family favorites, and called the project done.

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I bought a wheat grinder mid-project with my Ralph Bucks, but until last week it remained in its box on the floor of my pantry. Trying out the grinder has gradually moved up my action list as my manic mode is settling into a way of life. (How long is this going to last? I have no idea.)
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I got out my instruction manual.
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And then, instead of grinding wheat, I decided to experiment. I'd heard that you can grind popcorn into cornmeal, but I didn't know anyone personally who had tried it.
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The cornmeal came out very fine, which had me a little worried that it wasn't right.

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But the cornbread turned out more than 'fine'! It was the best I've ever made. Those pounds of popcorn in my basement will be put to good use, I'm never going to buy cornmeal again.

When the cry goes out, "The sky is falling!" we'll fill our tummies with red lentil soup, and now, cornbread on the side.

SPT

Your feet will bring you to where your heart is.

~Irish Proverb~
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I think that's a lovely sentiment, and I've pondered on it since Lelly set out this week's challenge.
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The thing is, I'm not a wanderer.

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I'm more of a:

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose."

kinda girl.

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However, there is one place I wander, without thinking, my feet and heart leading the way . . .

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To look in on my sleeping littles before I go to sleep myself.

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My internet is down.

Hopefully my home internet woes will be solved soon.
Of all the days to have internet troubles: SPT!

52 Blessings

Best friends moving to our school!

One of my best friends just told me today that she is transfering her kids to our school. I am so excited to have them with us next year - her 3 kids match up in age very closely to my youngest 3 kids, and we are looking forward to seeing more of them by sharing the same school.

Erin, you are a blessing in my life and it will be fun to be *school mom* friends.

Triton, Enzo, and Blue:

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Welcome to the Blue and Gold!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Redwood Forest August 2007

Cupcake Cake

For Carmen's birthday party I wanted to make cupcakes because they are so easy to serve and fairly clean for kids to eat. Carmen sort of wanted a cake, but she was flexible, so she asked me to frost all the cupcakes together to look like a cake (I think she'd seen it done at a friend's party). I agreed. After the cupcakes had baked I shoved them as close together as possible and spread the icing across, creating a questionable and bumpy landscape. Not something I could have piped 'Happy Birthday' onto.

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They didn't turn out as well as they look in this photo.
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No problem, we piled a few more cupcakes on top, placed the extra long candles in odd positions, and had a wack-a-doo cake. It suited Carmen very well, actually.

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I really liked Carmen's idea of icing cupcakes together to create a cake sized cake for decoration, while still providing the ease of serving cupcakes. I tried again this weekend, but this time I put all the cupcake papers squished together tightly in cake pans. This picture from the top doesn't show how well the cupcake cake worked: it had a nice even surface to frost. I could have easily piped on flowers or words, but Kelly's cupcake therapy recipe calls for shredded coconut sprinkled on top.
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You don't want to frost the sides of a cupcake cake, but ribbon is prettier anyhow!
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I was very pleased with the way it turned out.
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We all were.
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Five for Friday

Five posts I didn't write in the past two weeks:

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. The last time I made pie crust I stored up some small pie shells, then on an unscheduled Sunday afternoon we each made our own small apple pies. Well, I made Ken's. Steven was the apple slicing expert because of all of his band fundraiser pie making experience back in the fall.

(Casey, Carmen's Webkinz, looks on as Steven works.)

I was wandering the aisles of Shopper's Drug Mart recently while Jaclyn deliberated over a body spray scent, when I found Sippahh Milk Flavouring Straws (spell check doesn't like my Canadian spelling for Flavouring).

. .

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They're these straws with flavour beads inside that flavour the milk as you draw it through the straw. I bought strawberry and chocolate, but it comes in other flavours (now I'm just having fun annoying spell check with my Canadian/British spelling). After I found them at Shopper's I started seeing them everywhere. I bought a whole bunch of chocolate flavoured straws for Jaclyn to take to school. On school milk days if the kitchen runs out of chocolate milk 9th grade gets stuck with white milk, so Jaclyn is just keeping the straws in her locker ready to be class hero one of these days.

Chloe has a special talent for cajoling me into something fun. And as soon as that fun thing is done she is ready with another fun idea. She has really been wanting to go to Home Depot for the kid's club that is held on the second Saturday of the month ever since another friend of hers went. So right after Karate last Saturday we headed to Home Depot and she and I built this little art caddy (she calls it a tool box and thinks I need to buy mini tools for her now). We had a good time, but as soon as we were done she was talking about going on a picnic to the park that afternoon. Her fun appetite is insatiable.

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Jaclyn participated in the Kiwanis Music Festival on Wednesday. She played 3 pieces in a recital class, taking about 18 minutes of time. She entered the festival just for the opportunity to get some adjudication on the pieces she is working on, which she got. The bonus was she coming home with a second place certificate..

.

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Last Easter I shared the paper bunnies I like to make through good mail, and now a few of them are travelling the web. I just gave away another pattern yesterday - it is fun to share. As I am typing this I am not sure if you will be able to click on the pattern to print it full sized, but if that works, you have a template for a paper Easter bunny. Fold a piece of paper lengthwise, line up the long straight side of the template along the folded edge, trace, cut, and voila! A quick and easy kids craft.

.. .

Nope, it doesn't expand. Why do some pictures take you to their own image web page and some don't? Try this photobucket page then click on the image to get a full sized template.

SPT - Ring My Bell

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The coast is clear - no neighbors outside to observe my bizarre blogging behavior!

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Lelly asked:

if i came to visit you next week, how would i know which doorbell to ring? do you have a formal entrance? should i come to the front door? or do you prefer your guests to come around back? (would you be surprised if i came in through the garage?!?)

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My front door. My extra tall (9'), black front door. Our house blends well with the community, but singled out, the front door is . . . intimidating. Those poor girl scouts who have to come ring my doorbell and sell me cookies!

The dog comes in the deck door. He's left his smudges all over it, but I sit with my back to this door during presidency meetings, so I don't have to look at it. But I suppose my counsellors do.

The family comes in the garage door. The kids don't have house keys, but they know the garage keypad code. The tape marks on the door have been there forever - I can't get them off. They're a sad reminder of a failed organization system.

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I hope sharing the smudges and the tape marks on our other entrances makes my big black door more approachable. I love a pop-in! So go ahead, ring my bell.

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I'll open up, even if I'm a little tired. Right after I hide the paper towel tube Chloe's left laying in the front entrance.

52 Blessings

Our new school campus!

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This has been a long time coming, but my children are finally in their beautiful brand new school. Sadly our days of fundraising aren't over, we still need landscaping. For now the kids have to stick to the sidewalks at recess - luckily some large rotundas were paved and there is room for skipping ropes. Bonus blessing: my boy is old enough to stay out of the mud - something he was not capable of five years ago :-)

?

Our enormous *high school* sized gym.

(We will also continue fundraising for bleachers.)

The layout is clever with the stage opening to the gymnasium (obvious) as well as on the other side to the band room (brilliant).

In the elementary wings the halls are extra wide and accomodate counter height cupboards as well as tables down the middle. The extra space is absolutely luxurious.

The classrooms are equipped with Smart boards - a white board that is interactive with the teacher's computer. Technology is amazing.

And check out those brand spanking new lockers! But explain to me why the color white is ever used in a school?

What can I do?

I've been holding back on blogging one aspect of my life, service. Partly because I like to keep it to myself, and partly because I'm not so great, and I don't want to come off looking better than I am, or whatever. But I want this blog to be all about me, so I'm coming out of the service closet.

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Here are three stories, all non-random acts of kindness:

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A couple of months ago Ken called me one morning from work to tell me about some misfortunes that had befallen his boss's family. I just deleted the long story, I was having trouble telling it. The short story is that I said, "That's terrible, I wish there was something we could do - it's not like they need a casserole." After I hung up the phone my words were still ringing in my ears. Yep, I was pretty sure that fabulously successful young couples living in downtown lofts don't eat casseroles. But that fabulous loft was all packed up to move, they'd just returned to town so their fridge was probably empty, and their extended family wasn't around. It seems that I managed to get and dismiss inspiration in a split second: a meal was exactly what they needed. I whipped up some Tuscan Chicken Wraps (Kelly's recipe, there was still no way I was bringing them a casserole), loaded up the food, started driving downtown, and then called Darren (Ken's boss). Naturally, Darren appreciated the thought, so sweet of me, but declined. I said, "Gee, Darren, the thing is I've already made the meal and I'm half way to your place." He cussed me out (to express that he didn't believe me) but gratefully accepted the food. I wouldn't normally be that brave, but I trusted I was inspired and didn't let a little cussing stop me.

Everyone can use a meal.

But not everyone needs another dinner. When the daughter of my Relief Society president went into the hospital, the compassionate service leader set up a long calendar of dinners. I thought of another way that I could help: I made sack lunches for the rest of the kids to take to school. I felt really good about that - I knew I was meeting a need and that when the mom returned late in the evening from the hospital she would be relieved to have lunches for the next day taken care of.

Which brings me to yesterday. I was on fire. I washed and folded 7 loads of laundry, I ran (confession: some walking) 5K, I took one of my laurels out for a personal progress lunch, and I made a home cooked dinner. All that and I spent an hour sitting in the orthodontist's reception room. I have felt before that days like that come along to clear my head of all of life's minutia, breaking my preoccupation for someone who could use my help. So dinner was actually prepared early, and I had some time before I needed to go to my evening continuing education class. I thought, 'Great! I'll be there early!' But my friend and her hospitalized little baby daughter have been on my mind all week, and I recognized this was a chance for me to go visit them at the hospital. I showed up completely empty handed, which I tried not to worry about, and I had a nice chat with my friend. I'm glad to know first hand how she's doing living at the hospital while the Grandma's watch her other two children. We talked a little about the way her 'normal life' has been suspended.

. . Today when I made 5 batches of strawberry jam, the first batch was for her. I wrote her a note about how I thought maybe if she were leading her 'normal life' she might have made strawberry jam this week. I explained that the jam was really a *small batch of normal life* - I even wrote those words on the top of each jar. I told her that I hope her baby recovers quickly and that she soon enjoys a return to normal home life.

SPT: Special Edition

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One brown eye, one blue eye. Now that is EXTRA special!

/

Except that both of my eyes are blue. When I vectorized the photo my right eye turned dark because that eye is so squinty in pictures. I don't notice it when I look in the mirror, but I do see it in every single photograph! Go ahead, check out some past self portraits, it's all there (and there and there).

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Now my mom (and this will probably sound familiar, you may have both heard and said these words), my mom taught me that my *differences* are what make me special. But do they make me EXTRA special?

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(And will you ever look at me that same again?)

Baubles

Yesterday at church I was awarded with the Young Womanhood Recognition award for completing my personal progress requirements for the second time. I earned it young woman style (more requirements) verses leader style (streamlined), and I am so proud of myself! I really believe the personal progress program is about the journey, not the destination, but I was so pleased to go in and have an interview with my bishop, and then to be presented with the medallion. I surprised myself on that one! Here is my blessing this week in the 52 Blessings project:

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My medallion.

''

I sort of got *programmed through* my first award when I was a teen, and it didn't mean very much to me. I lost that medallion long ago, which I'm sorry for now (I would totally buy a YW medallion circa 1988 on eBay if I could find one). There is no chance of me losing my medallion this time! I did the work and experienced the growth so I value the jewelry.

The true reward is the progress I have made in the past 2 years. I have a testimony that personal progress sets young women on the path of eternal progress.

' *

If I'd blogged at all in the last six days I would have blogged about some of my favorite jewelry as a lead up to my YW medallion post. I still feel like doing a little show and tell, so here you go:

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My typewriter key necklace. I bought this when Kelly and I went antiquing in Portland last summer. I like the random keys; I wouldn't want an actual word that I could tire of. I felt very cool when I later saw a similar bracelet on Design Mom.

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Unfortunately the typewriter key bracelet isn't very comfortable. It's loose enough, but if I fold my arms it really presses into my flesh. I often take it off when it starts to bug me, and I thought I'd lost it for awhile there till I recovered it from the bottom of my Sunday bag.

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I bought this necklace on an alone trip with Ken to San Francisco in June of 2006. Ken was standing in line buying tickets for the trolley and I wandered over to a street vendor. It was love at first sight, there was just something about the blown glass heart beads that did it for me. I went back to Ken and got a $20 bill from him (the asking price) and just bought it. Ken wasn't pleased I didn't try to haggle, but come on! I would have happily paid more - it looks lovely with my favorite dress.

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My friend Tania alerted me to these rings at the Millarville Farmer's Market two summers ago. A craftsman (craftswoman actually, but it doesn't sound right) makes these rings from embossed vintage silver cutlery handles. But again, I take it off all the time. It's a little big and thick. Style over comfort though, just like my bracelet!

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Jewelry takes people's minds off your wrinkles. ~Sonja Henie