Monday, April 30, 2012

Motivational Monday: "Your Greatest Challenge, Mother"

You who are mothers.

What a wonderful thing you have done as mothers. You have given birth and nurtured children. You have entered into a partnership with our Father in Heaven to give mortal experience to His sons and daughters. They are His children and they are your children, flesh of your flesh, for whom He will hold you responsible. You have rejoiced over them, and in many cases you have sorrowed. They have brought you happiness as no one else could. They have brought you pain as none other could.

By and large, you have done a remarkable job in rearing them. I have said many times that I believe we have the finest generation of young people that this Church has ever known. They are better educated; they are better motivated; they know the scriptures; they live the Word of Wisdom; they pay their tithing; they pray. They try to do the right thing. They are bright and able, clean and fresh, attractive and smart. These are the very substantial in number. More of them go on missions than ever before. More of them marry in the temple. They know what the gospel is about, and they are trying to live it, looking to the Lord for His guidance and help.

You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question of how your children have turned out. It will not be the money you have made. It will not be the cars you have owned. It will not be the large house in which you live. The searing question that will cross your mind again and again will be, How well have my children done? 

Do not trade your birthright as a mother for some bauble of passing value. Let your first interest be in your home. The baby you hold in your arms will grow quickly as the sunrise and the sunset of the rushing days.

I hope that you will have every reason to be proud concerning your children, to have love for them, to have faith in them, to see them grown in righteousness and virtue before the Lord, to see them become useful and productive members of society. If with all you have done there is an occasional failure, you can still say, "At least I did the very best of which I was capable. I tried as hard as I knew how. I let nothing stand in the way of my role as a mother.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

I Prefer Cooler Springs


The weather has been crazy this week. We topped 91 degrees over the weekend. It has been HOT for several days. Lots of people were out in their yards planting flowers and working in their yards, or outside playing in the sun. I found that I really don't want to be outside in 91 degree weather and do much of anything. It's just too hot for me to get motivated to go out and sweat like crazy doing anything.

My poor flower beds need weeding. I'm not quite ready to plant the warm weather vegetables or flower because it's only April. Usually in Idaho we don't plant for another month, but this warm weather is throwing me off.

Should I plant or not? I have seed potatoes, my squash plants are getting huge. My tomatoes are ready to be planted. I could plant seeds too. But should I? My calendar says it's just too early to do it quite yet. Around Idaho the planting time is usually after Memorial Day - which is a month away.

I just don't know what to do.

Tuesday is mowing day. Brady came home from school and started mowing the lawn. (I left him a note and he quickly obeyed - he's such a great kid).

When I came home I started to trim the edges of the lawn. While Brady was mowing our lawn and our next door neighbor's lawn, another neighbor came and asked him if he would mow her lawn too. She wanted him to trim the lawn too. I had to train Brady to do it, because I always trim when he mows the lawn. He finished our yard's trimming and did a great job.

Off he went to mow the neighbors lawn and trim. Dark clouds were rolling in and I knew it was going to rain soon. I went and helped Brady trim and told him to start mowing before it started to rain. It started to rain while I was trimming and Brady was mowing. We just hurried while it was raining. When I ran home it started to downpour. It was raining extremely hard - poor Brady!

I came home and jumped in the shower. When Brady came home he was disappointed I was already in the shower. Thank goodness there is a 1/2 bath upstairs in his room with towels. He was soaked and undressed outside down to his boxer shorts (smiles).

At least it was done. 15 - 20 minutes later the sun was shining. We should have waited! It's kind of funny though and we laughed about it.

I haven't been sleeping well because it's been so warm. Last night I turned the AC down to 68 degrees and slept wonderfully. My body was well rested and didn't have the aches and pains I've been having when I wake up in these hotter temperatures.

I've also been sweating like crazy while I have been working each day. I finally knew I needed a "Powerade Zero" energy drink to give my body the electrolytes I've been sweating out. My body is feeling much better. I really get aches and pains in my body when I sweat a lot. I know that I am low on potassium and magnesium and have started taking supplements. I'm back to normal. It took me a while to realize why I was having a lot of pain in my joints, legs and feet - it's all that sweating! Thank goodness I know what to do and drink a Powerade.

I don't feel much like cooking when it's hot outside either. I don't like heating up the house. I have been out of homemade bread and cookies for several days.

It's been cooler today and I was motivated to bake a few batches of cookies and fill my freezer again. This weekend's forecast is cooler too and I will make bread and fill the freezer. I was motivated to pull a few weeds outside and filled a garbage bag before it started raining this evening. I definitely like cooler temperatures.

I've been getting worried that I'm getting too old to enjoy working outside in the yard. I just couldn't do it. But, today I know it's that the temperature for spring yard work has just been too hot. I still enjoy doing it in 70 degree weather. That 90 degree weather just kills me in the spring when there is lots of yard work to do.

We've had a bunch of rain today! It's incredible - wow! An inch has fallen in Boise today. My yard is loving it and looking very green. I pulled more weeds and they came right up without any effort. I love the rain  - just not the flooding that's happening around the area.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Shaving and Cell Phone Drama by Brady

           

       
Post written by
Brady on his Tumbler account.

I finally shaved my face. I look cute and boyish again. Oh, and I broke down and took pictures with my phone, which I had an annoying time with today.

Brady's drama with his cell phone company iWireless:

This is an HTC Hero, powered by iWireless. It is prepaid because my mom hates contracts with a burning passion.

So, I get texts saying when my phone company will deduct money from my account to pay for the next month of service. 5 days ago it said I had $51.84, and it was going to deduct $27.18. I didn’t worry about any texts from them after that. Well, turns out my phone wasn’t working today, and here were the other texts I got that I didn’t read. 3 days ago my balance went down to $29.35, and when I found my phone in the morning, it failed to make the payment, and my account was at about $11.00.

 I called tech support to find out what the heck was going on. Apparently, my plan switched out of the blue, but yet was still charging me for my old plan too. My phone was being billed for “pay as you use anything” plan and was showing me I had my old plan.  It turns out the money I had at the start,  $51, should have been higher as well.

 The tech guy (after talking it over with his supervisor) said, “The fancy term for what happened is what we call a "computer glitch", and assured me I didn’t do anything wrong. However, he didn’t reimburse me. He only reimbursed me about $17.00 (he said my balance was around $8 at this time) which was only enough to get my plan going again.

So, basically, this “computer glitch” ate $40 of my money. On top of that, apparently I subscribed to this crappy "gamer app" that I never used. I might have checked it out once when I first got my phone since iWireless kept pestering me to register and get a free game. I don’t know how to unsubscribe and it is costing me an extra $5 a month apparently. So… yeah, that’s why I put I have a crappy phone.

Glad I let that out, if you were still reading, I solute you. You’re just the people that I love most in the world. [Quality Time is my love language- just need someone to listen now and again].

Brady
Sondra says: I'm glad I have my cute boy back without all the manly hairy face. I'm not ready for him to look like a man yet (smiles). After all, he's still my baby.
 
Also being the cheap frugal person I am, I absolutely will not get trapped in a cell phone contract. I hate contracts for luxury items. The future is unknown. No one knows what will happen tomorrow. I won't allow a cell phone plan to become more important then:
 
House payment (shelter)
Food
Electricity
Heat
Car insurance
gas for my car (to work) as my cars are paid for.
 
I've had a really bad experience with contracts on non-basic needs in my life. I won't go there again, especially when I can have a phone on a month to month basis.
 
My tracfone is $100 per year. Works for me and my needs.
With Brady leaving for a mission in a year, I WILL NOT sign up for a 2 year contract!!
He will just have to live with his crappy cell phone!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Pinterest Disappointment!

I used to love Pinterest

But alas, it has disappointed me.

I am seriously deciding if I want to stop using Pinterest.

A few weeks ago an unknown person started following me.

I checked out her boards to see if I should follow her.

I was shocked to see boards full of half clothed women.

We just can't escape pornography on the web and now it is infiltrating Pinterest.

At this time there is no way to block her.

I thought I would be safe to just ignore her.

I received an email:
Gertrud Tenner mentioned you on a new pin that was added to "Beautiful":   
"I never thought cutting extra pounds would be so simple, but it turns out that theres supplements that totally works! Go to americanartpotter... its FANTASTIC!"
Click here to reply.
Click here to follow Gertrud back.
- Ben & the Pinterest Team

I was curious why she would mention me on a new pin. Of course I checked it out.

I was sent to her board full of half naked girls. I closed the window.

Arghhhh!

Why do we have to be bombarded like this and NOW ON PINTEREST?

I'm disgusted!  AND MAD!

I used to LOVE Pinterest, but now I just feel betrade and led astray.

One of the reasons I blog is to fill the internet with "GOOD" to offset the "BAD".

I sent a message to the Pinterest hoping they will terminate her for this bad behavior.

It really makes me MAD!

Beware users of Pinterest

***** Update April 24, 2012 *****

The response I received from Pinterest.
The spammer (trying to push porn) has been removed from my "following" list.
I'm very happy and now I know what to do if this ever happens again.
Pinterest responded quickly and took care of the problem.
I'm glad because I love Pinterest!

Kim, Apr 25 14:20 (PDT):
Hi,
Thank you for reporting this to us, and we're sorry you encountered spam on Pinterest. We recently made some changes to our filters to help detect and eliminate this type of spam. As a result, most of these spam users have been automatically removed.
In the future, if you come across suspicious content, we recommend reporting some of the pins (you don't have to report all of them). This helps improve the systems we have in place to detect spam.
For more information on how to report spam, check out this article: https://pinterest.zendesk.com/entries/21307138-addressing-spam-on-pinterest
Thanks for helping us keep Pinterest a spam-free place!
Kim
Pinterest - Community Specialist

******** Update May 10, 2012 *******
I've decided to delete my Pinterest account. It has been deleted.

Today I had two new girls "friend" me that I don't trust - and certainly don't trust them having my information to use on a porn/spam site again.

I wish they would let me limit  friends and followers to people I want following me or that I could block people that I don't want following me.

There is something sinister about these strange people who all of a sudden follow 10,000 people with no boards. I'm not sure what they are up to - but I don't want to be part of it.

I know it sounds silly because my blog is public and there is a lot of information about me here.

There is something about the loss of control in my Pinterest account that I don't like.

So - it has been deleted. I can still use Pinterest - but not keep "boards" of things I like.

It's been a lot of fun - but I feel liberated from getting rid of one more thing to suck up my time on the Internet. It's good to have it gone.  

Monday, April 23, 2012

Motivational Monday: "The Benefits of Growing Your Own Food

(Photo's from my container garden over the past few years.)

The Benefits of Growing Your Own Food
(my spring container garden a few years ago)

Growing fruits and vegetables seems overwhelming to most people, but it’s actually much simpler than it sounds. All you need is a few square feet of the great outdoors, a water source, and a little time. Your grandparents did it, and so can you.

If you still aren't convinced, consider these benefits of backyard gardening:
(another angle of my container garden)

Improve your family's health. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the most important things you and your family can do to stay healthy. When they’re growing in your backyard, you won’t be able to resist them, and their vitamin content will be at their highest levels as you bite into them straight from the garden.
(I add flower pots here and there to make give my garden color and attract bees)

Save money on groceries. Your grocery bill will shrink as you begin to stock your pantry with fresh produce from your backyard. A packet of seeds can cost less than a dollar. If you learn to dry, can, or otherwise preserve your harvest, you’ll be able to feed yourself even when the growing season is over.
(beans in containers by my honeysuckle vine)

Get outdoor exercise. Planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting add purposeful physical activity to your day. If you have kids, they can join in, too. Gardening is also a way to relax, de-stress, center your mind, and get fresh air and sunshine.
(peas in containers)

Enjoy better-tasting food. Fresh food is the best food! How long has the food on your supermarket shelf been there? How long did it travel from the farm to your table? Comparing the flavor of a homegrown tomato with the taste of a store-bought one is like comparing apples to wallpaper paste. If it tastes better, you’ll be more likely to eat the healthy, fresh produce that you know your body needs.
(lettuce in containers)

Build a sense of pride. Watching a seed blossom under your care to become food on your and your family’s plates is gratifying. Growing your own food is one of the most purposeful and important things a human can do—it's work that directly helps you thrive, nourish your family, and maintain your health. Caring for your plants and waiting as they blossom and "fruit" before your eyes is an amazing sense of accomplishment!
(beautiful tomatoes growing - I can't wait until my garden has tomatoes this year!)

Stop worrying about food safety. With recalls on peanut butter, spinach, tomatoes and more, many people are concerned about food safety in our global food marketplace. When you responsibly grow your own food, you don't have to worry about contamination that may occur at the farm, manufacturing plant, or transportation process. This means that when the whole world is avoiding tomatoes, for example, you don't have to go without—you can trust that your food is safe and healthy to eat.
(peas growing in my container a few years ago)

Reduce food waste. Americans throw away about $600 worth of food each year! It's a lot easier to toss a moldy orange that you paid $0.50 for than a perfect red pepper that you patiently watched ripen over the course of several weeks. When it's "yours," you will be less likely to take it for granted and more likely to eat it (or preserve it) before it goes to waste.
(broccoli in a container)

Even if you don't have big backyard—or any yard for that matter—you can still grow food. Consider container gardening if you have a sunny balcony or patio or an indoor herb garden on a windowsill. You’ll be amazed at how many tomatoes or peppers can grow out of one pot. Or find out if your city has a community garden, where you can tend to your very own plot. Check out www.CommunityGarden.org to locate a community garden near you.

Whatever your motivation for breaking ground on your own backyard garden, chances are good that you’ll take pleasure in this new healthy hobby, and that your wallet, your body, and your taste buds will thank you!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

80 Degrees Today! The Sun is UP!

It makes me happy when the sun starts shining after winter and rainy days.

It makes me want to:
 Hang clothes on the line outside. I hang towels only until they are a little damp and finish them in the dryer so they aren't so stiff. Mmmmm they smell wonderful hung on the line. Sheets are next!
 Load my $25 dollar sun oven and cook Brownies, Potatoes and frozen Chicken thighs for dinner tonight. Yum!
 I'm starting to "acclimatize" my tomatoes and zucchini that I started indoor from seeds. I'm ready to plant!
Acclimatising pumpkin, crookneck and cucumbers too! They are getting big. I hope they make it to planting time.

My peas and carrots are growing in the garden and onions are planted. I'm hoping to get more items planted today that will survive in April with a chance of frost.

I also want to get the remaining firewood put back in the shed and off of the patio.
Then I will be cleaning my patio and sitting on it reading a book.

I'm happy when the sun is shining!

MHS Spring Choir Concert

Brady dressed in his choir robe.
The Choir teacher asked Brady to come up with a song to play for the concert.

Brady fell in love with this song "Pretend" (reprise) and held auditions for a girl to sing it.

Anastasia won Brady's audition and is singing with Brady. This musical number doesn't show off Brady's piano skills. It's a simple song, but it works when the kids love it.

I thought Anastasia did an great job singing! I loved it - but I'm a mom (smiles).

Brady's Tumbler account comments:
This song is called “Pretend (Reprise)” by LIGHTS, and I am manning the piano while Anastasia is singing for me. This song doesn’t show off too much skill, but it’s the first song I came by with instrumental and vocal that were different from each other. I had a tough time with this piano too. It wasn’t behaving; I was supposed to change this setting so the keys would become more weight sensitive, and get louder the harder I played, but it wasn’t working, so I moved on with my life and started. If you see me getting really into banging those keys, I’m trying to push what ever sound boost it is giving me to forte.
Brady and Anastasia

Amber, Kara and Mark perform a song from The Hunger Games movie called "Safe and Sound".

I cannot find my program from the show and don't know the name of their song.

This is Blake performing.

The kids performed while the different choirs were changing on stage. It was a fun night.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Primary 2 Lesson 16

Primary 2 Manual
Lesson 16
Jesus Christ Has The Power to Heal

Primary 2 Lesson 15

Primary 2 Manual
Lesson 5
Come, Follow Me






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