Knock, knock...

Tuesday September 30~

Because of a blogger...

PERSONAL GROWTH

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Well who hasn't grown personally because of a blogger? I certainly have and there are many I could thank for that. But today I will focus on one blogger who posted a quote on her blog right when I needed it most. If you read my early posts on this blog you will find that during that time in my life I was struggling. Our move to a new town was kicking my fanny and the adversary didn't waste any time taking advantage of that fact. He pounced on me with all of his might and worked tirelessly to defeat me, but I fought hard to keep my head above water and one of the things that helped me keep fighting was this quote that I found on Jill's blog at: http://jmsmusings.blogspot.com/

"But the spirit who led the rebellion in the world before still opposes the plan and wants you to be miserable. He wants you never to find your way home again. That enemy of your soul knows you and your goodness. He knows that if he can turn you away from walking in the light, he can both capture you and stop you from helping others along the journey. He knows how good you are and your power to teach and influence hundreds of Heavenly Father's children in this life—and thousands over the generations that will follow your path. If he can get you to wander away from the light on your journey, he can do harm and bring misery to many." (Pres. Henry B. Eyring of the first presidency of the LDS church)

I love this thought and because of it, and other wonderful experiences that I have had, I no longer give Satan's lies place in my heart. I'm through wasting time on all of his nonsense. My life is too precious and there is too much at stake. Of course it's a continuous fight, I can never let my guard down, but I experience far more joy than despair these days. Joy in this glorious journey that was designed just for me. And I thank Jill and others for helping me to get back onto my right path.

I also have to thank Jill for another great post where she talks about the importance of leaving comments on one another's blogs. You can find it on her sidebar where it says to comment or not to comment.

I often compare blogging to driving past a home where the lights are all on and there appears to be something interesting going on inside so we approach the house to get a closer look. Once there we have a decision to make. Do we hide in the bushes and anonymously watch through the window or do we knock on the door and say, "I saw your lights on and wanted to stop by to say hi."

Well I hide in the bushes way too often, but thanks to Jill's wonderful post I'm going to do better at stopping in and saying hi. I'm going to leave more comments to let people know that I was there and that I enjoyed my visit.
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And who knows, I just might make some new friends in the process.

How bout you? Are you a hider?

I did it...

I told you I would make bread this week.

And it's yummy too.

...........................................

...Wow Lori I love your story idea but I want You to write it so I can read it.

Dilemma...

Rick and I went to see a movie tonight (we missed our friends Heath and Cedar because apparently we are a trifle deaf and didn't hear them calling our names in the same theater. Sorry guys). I won't say which movie it was because I liked it okay, not loved it, and I don't want anyone to form an opinion based on what I say. The reason I didn't love it is because there were holes in the story and unrealistic moments (like people crawling out of totally demolished cars without a scratch. I mean at least give me a scratch people). Rick liked it better than I did because he said that he tries not to over analyze movies the way I do. He just sits back and enjoys the show for what it is.

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Okay so he's right, I do sometimes over analyze movies. But only when they do something that takes me out of the fictional dream, dropping me right smack back into the cold hard lap of reality. I guess I just need film makers to mind their P's and Q's. Dot those I's and cross those T's and make me believe. That's all I ask.

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I'm not saying that I could do any better. In fact I can't seem to make myself write anything at all these days, good or bad, and it's DRIVING ME CRAZY! I want to write, I need to write, but I can't write. I'm worried that it might be because of blogging. I write on this blog but no where else. Do I need to stop blogging? Maybe, I don't know. What do you think?

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If you don't think that I should give up on blogging maybe you could help me with a little writing exercise to try to cure my writer's block. Here are 5 genres of popular fiction:

Romance
Mystery/Crime Fiction
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Thriller/Suspense
Horror

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Could you please come up with a topic or prompt in any one of these categories for me to write about. Be as serious or off the wall as you want. I just need something to get my writing motor going again.

I'll post the winning story here when I'm done for all to see (yikes, that's scary).

Please put on your thinking caps and help a poor girl out. I would so appreciate it.

If you've never left a comment for me before now's the time to come forward. The fate of this blog depends on it (how's that for a guilt trip).

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P.S. I really don't mind lurkers. I'm a lurker myself. So please don't be shy.

If you normally contact me through email that works too.

And remember this is a G rated blog so take it easy on the romance category (whether or not it would be fun to write something spicy is beside the point).

Zip your lip...

If you can't say somethin' nice, don't say nothin' at all!

This is something that I intend to master before I die for sure! I think it is the worst human frailty that we often speak unkindly of one another. I don't like to do it and it is something that I have worked very hard to avoid, but even so, sometimes I slip and when I do I feel so disappointed in myself.

.

Today for instance somebody called me in a bit of a tizzy which made her sound quite tiffy. Well I became quite irritated with Ms. Tiffy Pants which led me to feel quite tiffyish myself. Okay so that's understandable I know, but the problem came when I shared my tiffyish feelings toward Ms. Tiffy Pants with my darling hubby who, after hearing what had transpired, became rather furious (because men don't get tiffyish, they get Mad! Especially when their fair maiden is in distress).

.

So now my hubby was fuming about Ms. Tiffy Pants and I began to feel utterly terrible for dragging her name through the mud (so to speak). I hate making other people look bad. It makes me feel like a shmuck.

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Then to make matters worse, another member of our circle called to laugh with me about the behavior of Ms. Tiffy Pants, because it actually was pretty humorous, but because the humor came at Ms. Tiffy Pants' expense it didn't make me feel good about myself at all. Not at all.

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I was humbled, so very humbled as I began to look at the situation from Ms. Tiffy Pants' perspective. As I realized that her heart was in the right place and that it was only stress that had made her freak out, I felt so awful for ever speaking of it to anyone. So I called her and told her thank you for what she had tried to do for me and told her how much I appreciated her and by the end of the conversation I was feeling so warm and fuzzy toward her that I had to call the others involved and sing her praises to them, letting them know that her heart had been in the right place and that I really appreciated her and that they should too, and they said they did, and all was well.

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Then I thought how if I had only stepped back and viewed Ms. Tiffy Pants with compassion in the first place I could have avoided all of the bad feelings of the day. This reminded me of one of my favorite quotes given by Kathleen H. Hughes at the 2006 LDS General Relief Society Meeting, she said:

"Our families (and we could add our friends and acquaintances) need us to speak peace to them, just as the Lord speaks peace to us."

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I love this thought. I can't even tell you how many times the Lord has spoken peace to me and I love the idea of taking my problems to him when I need to "vent" then accepting His peace so that I can speak peace to others.

~

So here is yet another thing to add to my list of things I want to master before I die.

1. Let my guard down in public

2. Belt out the hymns at church

3. Only speak peace (be a ray of light in all I do and say).

~

And there are plenty of other things too, let me tell ya. I love this life. It is such a glorious time to learn, grow,overcome, and BECOME. I will be better tomorrow than I am today and that makes my heart swell just thinking about it!

~

Have you spoken peace today?

Freeze...

Sometimes you need to just STOP

and take a break from your fight against household GRIME

to have a good old fashioned GUN FIGHT

With the ones you're fighting for.

Don't you think?

Krazy for my Kitchen...

Tuesday September 23 ~ Because of a blogger...

IN THE KITCHEN

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Wow I have "borrowed" so many ideas from so many bloggers when it comes to the kitchen that I'm not quite sure where to begin. So instead of highlighting a particular blogger, I'm dedicating this post to ALL. Because if I haven't stolen one of your ideas yet~ I'm sure to in the future. And here's why...

Because of other bloggers I am now baking all of the time. My KitchenAid has never seen such action.

Because of a blogger I WILL make homemade bread this week. I so, so very much want to.




Because of other bloggers I have jazzed up dinner and added new favorites to my menu.

Because of a blogger I cooked tofu again

And I still HATED it.

But hey, it was fun to try.

Because of other bloggers I have come to appreciate pretty dishes,

The joy of presentation,

And the adorning magic of fresh flowers.

In short, because of the fabulous blogging community my relationship with my kitchen has never been HOTTER!

~

Thank you all.

Breathtaking...

Sometimes at sunset

The temple blazes brilliant gold.

And I say, "I think I like it here."

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What do you like best about where you live?

Beware...

"Lock the door." I heard a little voice say.
"Lock it!" The voice grew more agitated as I headed down the hall.
I paused for a moment to stare at the opened door behind me. "Oh you worry too much." I scoffed. "I'm just grabbing a ladder. I'll be gone one minute- tops."
It was while in the garage, searching for the yellow stepladder, that I first heard them. The sound of footsteps coming from the house above me, traveling- DOWN THE HALL!
"Run Jeanette run!" The little voice had returned and this time it was shouting. "Run!"
And I did run. I ran like the fate of the world, or at least my home, depended on it. I was quick, at least I thought I was quick, but as usual...

HE WAS QUICKER!

Oh so clever...

September 16~ Because of a blogger...

Arts and Crafts

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While speaking of arts and crafts I must first say how excited I have been to see all of the wonderful fall decorations on various blogs. I am quite giddy over them and can't wait to copy, copy, copy everyone's ultra cute ideas. But for this post the first thing that came to my mind were these incredibly fabulous paper fans that I found at: http://www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/ (you can also click on the "I read Nie Nie" button on my sidebar to check her out. And the "c me read c jane" for her sister) I know I said that I would try to talk about bloggers other than NieNie this month but I mean just...

LOOK AT THESE!

HAVE YOU EVER?
I just can't stand how cute they are.
I need them in my life.

So I tried my hand at making them and they are as fun to make as they are beautiful. I can't wait to get to the store so I can make many, many more!

If you want to make some of your very own, but aren't quite sure if you have a use for them, they're great for dancing the Flamenco with your best guy too.

But as for me, I put on my little thinking cap and Ooo the idea I came up with! I'm so excited I can barely keep the secret. But I will until I later reveal it here, to you, my bestest blogger friends.

~

Please pray for NieNie today that her surgery and healing will go well.

3 Things I Learned Today...

1. Attempting to season a cast iron dutch oven when you yourself are not well seasoned in such procedures can be hazardous to the air quality of your home, making the fire alarms quite furious.













2. Mountain Spring Ultra Downy is awesome stuff. My shirt didn't smell like smoke at all.
And...
3. Dutch oven chicken rocks. I didn't get a picture of it before we dug in, but here is the pan after we devoured every last drop, each fighting for the last drumstick (Waylon got it because he's the baby and babies always win, which is a subject for an entirely different post... "Why the baby of the family always wins and the repercussions of said triumphs").

Slowly but surely...

My Love tells me that I have a beautiful singing voice. My kids like it too. I on the other hand am not so easily impressed, or kind, so I normally only sing at home or in the car with those who think I am wonderful~ even if they are a bit deaf.
But today at church, in my quest to become less timid in public, I forced myself to actually sing the opening hymn out loud instead of just mouthing it as I usually do. But then I heard myself just a little too well, became self conscious and quit.
So this changing biz is going to take time alright. I can't become socially dynamic in one day. I have layers upon layers of self doubt to crack through. But I'm telling you I'll get 'er done. I don't like to be told that I can't do something, even if (or maybe especially if) it's just me who's saying it.

**********

This little section of a quote by Elder Franklin D. Richards was my favorite part of our YW lesson today:

"... we grow by having to exceed our past selves”

I love this thought. It is the theme of my whole life. Working everyday to exceed my past self (past meaning yesterday or even 10 minutes ago) is what gives me the greatest joy and excitement!
Knowing that with my Savior's help I can overcome anything gives me warm fuzzy goosebumps that make me want to SING (even if it's not out loud at church)!

It's all good...

This is an after photo.
I didn't get a before one.
A before of what? You ask. Well it all started yesterday afternoon when I received a call from Easton's school teacher. First he told me that there had been an accident at school. He then used words like "letting off rockets" and "Easton chasing after rockets".
So lets recap. We have:
1. accident
2. rockets
3. child chasing rockets
Not exactly the words a mother wants to hear. He then proceeded to tell me that Easton had been chasing after rockets, and with her eyes fixed squarely toward the heavens she failed to see the fence approaching at a dangerous speed toward her face "KURPLOW!!!"
When the stars cleared, my Easton's beautiful front,
PER-MA-NANT, tooth was chipped in half. Her teacher felt so bad, but at that point I was just glad that she hadn't blown off her hand or her face seeing as how she had been chasing a rocket (I found out later that the rockets were little tennis ball type things, quite harmless).

When we got home I immediately called the dentist and was told that they couldn't fix her tooth until Monday but to go ahead and bring her in for xrays. Easton asked me to take a picture before we left but I told her that we were in a hurry and that they weren't fixing it yet anyway so we'd get one later. Well after the xrays the dentist said he could fix it right then and I thought "why is it that a mother of six doesn't have a camera phone?" With six kids the odds are that I am going to need a spur of the moment camera at my disposal from time to time. Am I right? Yes I am.
Oh well the good news is that she is all fixed up and doesn't have to walk around with a cracked tooth all weekend. She also avoided a root canal which apparently is very common with these injuries because the nerve in the front tooth is very large and is almost always exposed when a break happens. This didn't happen to her though so we feel very blessed. Her teeth are oh so owie tender and a bit loose (nothing to worry about) so she has to be on a soft diet for about a week or so, but she is still healthy, strong, beautiful and not blown up by a rocket so all is well.

Do you know anyone with a chipped tooth? I guess it's pretty common.
Hey Lynn, didn't you chip your tooth in the Karmann Ghia accident? I think you did.

Runway fun...

For our YW activity tonight one of our young women put on a fun fashion show for her personal progress project. She talked to the girls about the importance of modesty and had some of the girls walk the catwalk wearing cute, modest outfits. Paige modeled a trendy tube dress that was made modest by adding leggings, an undershirt and a jacket. She looked adorable and very comfortable strutting her stuff.

Marlee modeled a modest formal look wearing her fabulous vintage dress. To complete the look we did her hair in this 1940's up-do with her cute pillbox hat. She looked absolutely gorgeous.
~
At the end of the evening we all (yes us leaders too) took turns strutting on the catwalk (a large sheet of plywood with white Christmas lights around it). Can you say embarrassing? I so hate being in the spotlight. I can act ridiculous at home to my hearts content (and my heart is content when I'm acting ridiculous) but ask me to behave that way in public and I freeze up. I so wish I could be authentic with people. I mean what am I trying to hide anyway? I'm goofy and I like it, so what's the problem. I dance around my kitchen and sing at the top of my lungs while I'm doing dishes, I run like Rocky, throwing punches into the air, every time I have to go upstairs, followed by the perfect Olympic dismount when I come back down, I practice cartwheels with my kids--I never learned how and let me tell you it's a lot harder to pick up at my age-- I sing crazy songs, talk in weird voices and jump on the beds to wake my kids up in the morning, and I most certainly have done a fierce runway walk or two around the house, no embarrassment at all. That's right.

I'm a nut trapped in a conservative outer shell. And so it has always been (except for my college years. Especially when my Heidi and I would go out dancing. Good times I tells ya. Good times.) But it's late and I ramble so let me end by saying that I plan to lick this. I will be spontaneously weird (accidental weirdness aka dorkiness doesn't count) wild and carefree- in public- before I die so help me I will.
Well... Maybe.
~
"Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth."
~Mark Twain

Cheers to you...

SPT for Tuesday Sept. 9~ Because of a Blogger...

entertaining/parties

I don't have a lot of time so I won't be able to refer to all of the wonderful bloggers who have inspired me in this category, but I still wanted to participate so here goes...

There is an item for entertaining that I have seen used time and time again on blogs. An item that I have access to but never use. Never. But because of the inspiration found through other bloggers I am excited to take the plunge and...

Finally use my wedding china!

That's right~ in 18 years of marriage I have never used my china. But all of the pictures I have seen of beautifully set tables for those special occasions, or even better, for those no occasion, just because I love you moments, have inspired me to start surprising my family with an excitingly gorgeous formal table every so often. And who knows maybe I'll even invite a family or two of friends over for a formal dinner some time as well. I'm telling you, I've caught the bug. I want to be an entertainer extraordinaire. I always have been one- in my mind. I'm ready to start putting some of my ideas, the old and all of the new that I've learned from you fabulous bloggers, to use. Life is precious and way too short~ it's time to party baby!

Here's to parties,

to joyful dinners served on beautiful wedding china,

and to you my lovely, inspiring, life changing

fellow bloggers.

CHEERS!

Peace

We sang my favorite hymn in church today...
~
WHERE CAN I TURN FOR PEACE?
~
1. Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart,
Searching my soul?
~
2. Where, when my aching grows,
Where, when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.
~
3. He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind,
Love without end.
~
Text: Emma Lou Thayne, b. 1924. © 1973 IRI
Music: Joleen G. Meredith, b. 1935. © 1973 IRI
~

I love this hymn because it is so TRUE.

I love my Savior. He is the source of all love, hope, joy, happiness, comfort and peace.
He, only one.

Memories...

Rick bought the movie Savannah Smiles for me because he knows it was one of my favorites while growing up. We watched it tonight as a family and although watching it as an adult was a little different (I noticed the far fetched moments this time) it still warmed my heart and I still bawled like a baby at the end. I love this movie. The little girl is the cutest! And the fate of Boots and Alvie gets me every time.
Watching this movie was just another of many nostalgic moments that I've had these past two days. Yesterday we took a quick day trip down to "the valley" to meet with our Gilbert renters who are sadly moving out, and to hire a property management company to take care of the business of getting someone else in there (know anyone looking to rent a 5 bedroom 3000 sq foot home in Gilbert?). The meeting was in downtown Mesa and it was sad to see how many businesses are closed up and gone in that area. Fiesta Village is no more (I think it's been gone for awhile, but I never go over there). Rick and I had fun reminiscing about how that used to be the happening place. Cruising around the parking lot, checking out the hot guys (girls for Rick). Good times.
After the meeting we drove past my Grandpa and Grandma's old house. It was weird to see a new house built on the lot where my grandpa's amazing garden used to be, but it was still neat to see their house and the school across the street where Landon attended preschool.
From there we drove down Southern and I checked out my old high school as we zoomed past. Memories of driving my Karmann Ghia down that road everyday flooded my mind. Southern was my road. I know it so well. I couldn't help but ask Rick to drive me past my childhood home and of course he complied. It's hard for me to see my old home. I want so badly to pull into the long driveway, run inside and find my dad waiting for me. He is so much a part of that house. I can't help but feel that if only I could get inside I'd be transported back to a time when my family was everything and my dad was the hero of my world. If I could go back I would bring him a large glass of ice water (mostly ice with just a little water) and sit on his bed where we would visit for hours. I'm telling you it's the simple things...
~
Later in the day we did a walk through at our Gilbert house. It was fun to see it again. Man I love the tile in that house, the dark counter tops and the warm paint colors, but seeing it again gave me a renewed appreciation for the custom feel of my new home. It has character and I like that.
Although I am getting used to small town living, "the valley" will always be home to me. I transform into my normal, familiar self there and it feels good. But I am starting to find and embrace my new normal here and you know, that feels pretty good too.

Welcome home surprises...

Yesterday's welcome home snack started with this note that led the kids on a treasure hunt throughout the house. I hid several clue scrolls that had them running up and down the stairs, laughing and squealing, "this is fun" the whole time. After a long search they finally ended up in the pantry where they found this:

Yummy welcome home snickerdoodles.

It was so fun to watch their excitement. How wonderful it is that with just a little preparation you can make a child's whole day.

I went ahead and re-hid everything to surprise the older girls when they got home, and if you think that kids get too old for these kinds of things, you should have seen them running through the house trying to discover the prize. It was a great way to welcome everyone home.

~

When I picked Jamie up from school today she said that all day she kept wondering what snack she would find waiting for her this time. So cute.

Today I didn't have much time so I quickly whipped up a batch of Paula Deen's microwave peanut brittle, arranged it on our official after school snack cake plate and placed it next to a vase of fresh flowers and our welcome home sign. The kids were as thrilled as ever to find it and their smiles made my day.

~

If you like peanut brittle you must try this recipe. It is so quick and easy and yummy too.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1- 1/2 cups salted peanuts (dry roasted)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

~

In a microwavable, 2-quart dish, combine corn syrup and sugar; blend well. Cook in microwave on high for 4 minutes. Stir in nuts and salt, return to microwave, and cook for 4 more minutes on high. Add butter and vanilla; blend well. Cook for 1-1/2 minutes on high. Remove from microwave and add baking soda, stirring until light and foamy. Pour onto a lightly greased cookie sheet or marble slab, spreading as thin as possible. Cool completely and break into pieces.

~

It truly is the simple things that make life worthwhile. I love being a mom. I couldn't ask for a better job or better kids.

Bliss I tells ya, pure BLISS!

Gotta love those bloggers...

The SPT challenge this month is to highlight one thing per week that you have been inspired to do "because of a blogger." maybe it is a blogger you know (an old friend, a neighbor). maybe it is a blogger who is on your RSS feed. or maybe your creativity was sparked by a "drive-by" - a link to a link to a link. (wherever you found your inspiration, please try to give a nod to the appropriate blogger.)
Lelly has broken the month into 5 "categories."

tuesday, september 2 home decor/tabletop
tuesday, september 9 entertaining/parties
tuesday, september 16 arts and crafts
tuesday, september 23 in the kitchen
tuesday, september 30 personal growth

*********************************************
What a fun SPT! Y'all know how much I love my fellow bloggers. This is a great way to highlight some of the ways that others have helped to improve my life.
I have to admit that I feel a little inept to do this challenge because I have no idea how to post links with the cute little 'click here' and whatnot so I'll have to simply post the entire blog address when referring to those I love. Perhaps someday a fellow blogger will teach me how to properly post a link as well (hint, hint).

Now on to my post. While reading over the subjects in this challenge I continually had the same blog come to mind: nie nie dialogues ~ nie nie dialogues~ nie nie dialogues!
She has inspired me in all of these areas and so many more. I love her. But because there are also many others who have inspired me, I'll try to refer to them throughout the month as well.
For today's challenge though, home decor/ tabletop, it is nie nie all the way at: http://www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/

I could go on and on and on about her decor and cute tabletops. Reading her blog gives me warm fuzzies. It reminds me of the days when I used to do cute, crafty, creative things all of the time. I showed Rick her blog and said, "do you remember when I used to do things like this?" He said yes and then asked what had happened to me. Why I had stopped. I couldn't answer that, but I do know that I miss it~ a lot.
Not only has nie nie's blog inspired me to get back to my authentic self, but it has also given me the desire to strive for domestic greatness.

As I mentioned before, she has some amazing tabletops pictured on her blog, but the pictures that really got me thinking were those of her yummy treats displayed beautifully on cute cake plates. I'm telling you I am itching for a collection of cake plates now! Her attention to detail reminds me that there is an art to homemaking. An art that I want so badly to perfect.

While thinking of how this attention to detail can show our families how much we love them I was reminded of how when my older children were little we had a fun fish shaped bowl that I would fill with a snack each day after school. The kids would get home and run to see what was in the fishy bowl. It was a cute little tradition and one that they still think of with fondness. Nie nie's blog helped me to remember this and it inspired me to start doing it again.

Because the fishy bowl has gone on to fish bowl heaven, I decided to take nie nie's so cute idea and have the kids' after school snack waiting for them on a covered cake plate. I also made a welcome home sign because I love it when my kids come home from school and I wanted them to know that.

My younger girls got home first and they were so excited to see the table. It was a fun surprise and a perfect time to sit and visit about their day.

When my older girls got home they were as equally pleased and Paige said, "Mom you are really getting good at organizing and stuff."

Isn't that what life is about? Improving, growing, getting better everyday?

Thank you fellow bloggers for helping me along this road of growth and change.

And thank you nie nie for your great example of womanhood. My prayers are continually with you and your dear Mr. Nielson. May you both recover soon.

LABOR DAY

A lazy morning with my hubby
Playtime at the park with kids
Obstacle course competition fun
A trip to Lakeside
A family BBQ
Their home renovations are looking great
A game of "Oh heck"
And guess what~ I won
A drive home filled with awesome tunes
A nap
Then a walk
With kids and dogs
Dinner
A movie
yummy popcorn~
And an oh so adorable...

lost front tooth.