Wishing...

Years ago I made a list of things I wanted to do during my life. It was mostly places to visit adventures to pursue and big things to accomplish. But there were also some things that were a little frivolous and trivial. One thing I realized from this is that writing it down and saying that this is what I wanted made me aware of opportunities to make it happen if it was something that I was truly interested in. There is a lot of opportunity if you open yourself up to it and allow for the possibilities. Bob Marley said, "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery." It might be more comfortable to let something stay a wish than to turn it in to something that you see as a real. Having said that I really enjoy a little wishful dreaming about things that are pretty far fetched as well. Who knows maybe they will come true some day as well.




more Wordfull Wednesday here

Rained out

Our usual park day got rained out today. So this is the sort of thing that happens when we're inside most of the day.

Christmas music - still

Buddy boy still loves to sing Angels We Have Heard on High. He can now get through the first verse completely and parts of the second and third verses and of course lots of GLO--O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-RIA in excelsis deo. He wanted to see it on the computer so here is his favorite version. It is very sweet.


Here is mine. I've never seen anything like this before

More movies for Grandma - walking and talking?

She's definitely walking, the talking is a little questionable but it sure seems like it. She "says" Buddy boy's name, shoe, ball, go. I don't know if it is English, but there do seem to be sounds that relate to specific objects and actions.

You can hear Buddy Boy in the background. The movie is a little shaky because he kept crashing into me.

Cookies, cakes, and bread

I have been baking a little lately. I think I have found the sugar cookie recipe I was looking for. It turns out that the secret ingredient was nutmeg of all things and butter. Thanks to Meg for suggesting her favorite cookie recipe. It was yummy, but as she notes it is a little hard to work with if you are making cookies with the kids so I think I like the recipe from Bread & Honey a little better. It is a little easier to work with and still yummy. I like my cookies soft and a little chewy. I have to be careful not to over bake them.

I also made a quick firetruck cake. Buddy boy had been asking for a firetruck cake almost daily for weeks so I finally made one. I just used whipped cream and Duplo pieces. It wasn't particularly pretty and didn't take much, but the smiles I got were fantastic.

I tried out a new bread recipe. This recipe for no-knead bread turned out great. It is crusty and chewy and easy. I'll definitely make it again. You do need a lot of time since it rised for 4 plus hours, and this is the "speedy" version.

Love & Faith

“My dear Emma, my heart is entwined around you and those little ones. I want you to remember me. Tell all the children that I love them and will come home as soon as I can.”

“God ruleth all things after the counsel of his own will. My trust is in him."

- Joseph Smith

I used a little online gadget to look at the letters of Joseph Smith in a new way. The gadget creates the image above where words are sized according to their frequency in the original text. You can see what is important to him, God, his little children, Emma. He is expressing his inner feelings in these personal letters with frequent requests that Emma tell the children of his love and faith.

New Beginnings

Each new year is rather interesting. It is a time when people review and reassess and resolve to change. I've had times when I have wanted to shed everything and start over. I go through phases when I try. It isn't easy but I do feel better when I do get rid of the excesses that accumulate.

Moving back to California into a smaller house has forced us to get rid of things. Two years later we are still in the process of paring down to fit into our place. It feels good to get rid of the clutter. Having kids also forced me to pare down what I was doing professionally. Because I wasn't ready to let my professional life go, I held on to things when I should have made a clean break. I tend to hang on to things too long or move on too quickly before I am finished with the last thing. I then carry one phase of life into the next rather than move on. It always makes for a messy transition.

I also think that while there is certainly an urge to purge the old and start new, you are still you. Several times I have moved to a new place where I knew no one and thought it would be a new beginning where I could be anything and anyone I wanted. For good or bad I was still me. Even when you do change, the past is still there to be remembered and learned from. Even though new things begin you can't leave the past entirely behind. I don't think I would want to.

More on new beginnings at Wordful Wednesday

What's for dinner

What's for dinner, the never ending question. I sometimes put this off until the last minute and then as I think, the time passes and the options for what I can have ready in time for hungry kids shrink. So I am trying to plan a little better. And also have a little better variety. So I am keeping track of what I do for dinner here. It also shows up on the side bar. Posting will help me be accountable for my new efforts. If you have favorite dinner ideas I'd love to hear them.

Stand fast

“I know in whom I trust; I stand upon the rock; the floods cannot, no, they shall not, overthrow me.”
- Joseph Smith

This is a poster I made for a Relief Society lesson a couple of weeks ago. I often think in pictures and then translate my thoughts into words once they come together. This is the image that kept coming to mind as I read the lesson on trusting in the Lord through adversity. I also included ideas from Elder Scott. He talked about dealing with adversity when it comes in "multiple doses applied simultaneously." This talk has been an important reminder through difficult times.

Yup it's January

I had to ask myself what month it was this afternoon as I was picking fresh snow peas from the backyard. No tomatoes, but the peas were definitely delicious.