Forget toilet paper - Seattle house was Peeped

I had to repost this news story. It is a hoot!

 by Susan Wyatt/ KING 5 News  KTVB.COM  Posted on April 23, 2011 at 4:01 PM

 SEATTLE - Call it the attack of the peeps. A group of friends descended on a home in the Wedgwod/Maple leaf area under the cover of darkness Friday to cover another friend's lawn with hundreds of Easter Peeps. 

 The Peeps - nearly 900 of them - were put on skewers and stuck in the lawn "like festive marshmallow lawn darts," co-conspirator, Sarah Greene, said.

 Greene said last year and in 2009, she was on the receiving end of the peep attack when she lived in the Blue Ridge neighborhood.

 

 "Now we're in on the joke and bestowing Peep cheer on other unsuspecting friends and family," she said.

Way-back Wednesday - Childhood family pictures

My mother always had a flower garden. It was a pretty big lot full of flowers. It is directly behind our family in this picture. Mom (Zoey) and Dad Grant) in back with Dad holding Richard. Front, Lyle, Sondra, Christine, Cindy and Cindy is holding Brownie our dog. I think it is pretty funny to see their blue car in the back ground too.

Another family picture. Dad (Grant) and a missionary in the back.

Christine and Mom(Zoey) in the middle. 

Sondra, Richard Cindy and Lyle. Looks like Lyle really wanted his picture taken with that big lip sticking out. LOL!

An Invitation to Prom

 Saturday there was a knock on the front door of our house. When I answered it, there was a little boy with an Easter basket for Brady. Brady wasn't home, he was at a party. I told him I would give it to him. Then I asked for the little boys name and he walked off and ignored me.  I thought it was very strange.

I had to wait until Brady came home so we could find out what mystery the basket contained. 

 Yeah! Brady is home. There is the sweet Easter basket.

 There were 4 blown out, colored Easter Eggs on the top. Brady, will you go......

 Take out the grass to find 4 more eggs. 

 To Prom with me......

Pull out more grass to see who it was from. Krystal. 

It was a surprise to be asked to the Prom by a girl. Krystal isn't a good friend to Brady, so it was kind of random that she asked him. He knew she was LDS and a good girl. He wondered if she liked him. It was shocking to him and to me that a girl would ask him - it should be the other way around - boy ask girl to Prom - right?

It was a very cute way to ask him.

However, Brady had to decline the invitation. We already have plans for May 14th.

We have tickets to WICKED!!!

The tickets were purchased last year, before we knew when Prom was scheduled. 

It was a hard thing to do, to decline an invitation to a dance. He felt really bad about hurting her. On the other hand, I think it was a good experience for him to be on the receiving end of having to tell someone No. 

This is all pretty new territory for me. Girls asking boys? I guess I'm a little old fashioned. I still want a boy to ask me out ..... not the other way around. Times have changed!

Our Easter 2011

We had a very nice Easter Holiday. Jason and Sharon came to dinner with Brady and me. We had Ham, Crock-pot cheese potatoes, Asparagus, salad, rolls, strawberries, kiwi, raspberries, deviled eggs - everything was yummy!

This is the first year since becoming a mother, that the Easter Bunny did NOT hide Easter eggs. I think Sharon was disappointed - Brady and Jason didn't care. It's kind of shocking to change the way we do Easter now that we are all adults and don't have any children in the family. 

We did get lots of yummies in Easter Baskets. 3 large bunnies for the kids - I didn't need one. 

After dinner we played games. Brady blew bubbles. I'm sad that you can't see the bubbles to easily. Can you spy them?

Can you see a few shiny bubbles? Brady is putting the wand back in the mini bubbles to blow more. These are the same bubbles that we gave Brady's Seminary class for his devotional. They were lots of fun!

Can you spy any bubbles here?

Or here? Our cards got sticky with bubble juice. I'll probably have to buy more.

Trying to get a picture of Jason and Sharon. Can you tell I have a tough time getting one? 

Jason and Sharon - FINALLY posing for a picture. I love them both so much! We had a great time playing Phase 10. Jason WON!!

Brady went to a party Saturday night with his friends, so I ended up decorating 3 dozen hard boiled eggs by myself. I didn't do anything special in the Easter Egg decorations, just plain colored eggs. 

Here are the Easter decorations in our home this year. 

My window above the kitchen sink. 

Our Easter Village.

Coffee table decorations. 

On the piano.

Piano music cabinet. 

Behind the bathroom sink. The big bunny in the back - was my new purchase this year. He is really cute. 

On top of the Microwave in the kitchen. 

Kitchen table. See the cute napkin rings? Right now the napkins are in the washer, because we used them for Easter dinner. 

Cabinet on the kitchen wall. 

Stove in the kitchen. 

I have too many decorations! But it is sure fun!

This year I did NOT put the Easter Eggs on all my bushes in the front yard. First year in 12 years. When Jason and Sharon drove up - Sharon was shocked and sad I didn't have an Easter house. She is the only one who noticed. Brady nor Jason even notices all my crazy decorating. Maybe next year I'll get back to the swing of things. I just didn't have it in me this year. I wonder if my neighbors were shocked. 

Over all it was a wonderful holiday. The one weird thing was we had Stake Conference broadcast from Salt Lake City for our Easter service. It was nice, but I missed having our regular Easter Program for Easter Sunday. The other thing that is odd is our Stake has had 2 Stake conference sessions in 4 months. Our first conference was in January and then on Easter Sunday in April. I guess we are done for the year - but isn't that strange? 

Preparedness

Sometimes I get surprised when I run across people who do NOT have any food storage. When you belong to a church which encourages food storage and preparedness, I always assume that my friends and neighbors feel the way I do about food storage. I assume they are prepared and that when a disaster strikes we will pull together and help the needy and be a strong unit. 

Unfortunately, even people of my own faith, my friends and neighbors don't all have food storage or cook with their food storage. 

Why is that? Why do I feel such a strong need to become self reliant when others don't even think about it?

I saw a quote a few months ago and it answered my question. 

Quote from "Faith Precedes the Miracle" by Spencer W. Kimball:

The ancients looked forward to the coming of the Lord and asked, "When shall all these things be?" The pioneers thought it would be soon and watched for signs; our grandparents watched for the sprouting of the fig tree; our parents watched for the reddening of the sky; and we ourselves have heard all our lives that the Second Coming is near. 

Do we lose faith, do we lose patience, do we lose hope, do we get weary in waiting, because the day is long and the event delayed?

I suspect that many people who five years ago had a rich larder, a full pantry, and a year's supply of basic necessities have let their stock dwindle. I suspect that many people have let their insurance lapse. Death seems in the future, for at the moment calamity is absent and hunger is not knocking at the door.

It is difficult to be prepared for an event so long delayed. Many have found it too difficult and they slumber without due preparation. But the day approaches and will finally come. That is sure. It is only the "when" that is unknown.

I don't know why I have always had a desire to have food storage, plant a garden and be prepared. It may be  because I am a single mom and sooooo much pressure rests on my shoulders. I want to be able to provide for my children and there isn't anyone whom I can lean on. It is my responsibility to provide. I have worked hard to do it and always have cupboards full of food. 

I was raised with food storage. We have never been rich, but we always had the things we needed and food in our belly.

I've never been in a disaster situation. I've always had a job and so did my parents. But I still prepare, rotate, learn how to take care of myself, how to cook without power, gather food storage recipes ... so many things to learn and prepare.

The other day I found out a friend's husband lost his job. I said, thank goodness for food storage! Now, you just need to be frugal and it will all work out. She looked at me with deer in the headlight eyes. They aren't prepared. She doesn't make bread. Both her and her husband have very high profile and good paying jobs and education. I don't believe they have worried that they would ever be in this situation. 

All of a sudden I see emails from our Relief Society about purchasing wheat in bulk and who needs it. Everyone is in a panic. I am surprised! Aren't we already prepared? Don't you already have your house full of wheat and food storage. I just can't believe how many people are unprepared for the rise in food prices and gas prices .... and possible food shortages.

How can that be??

It's time to prepare. Start purchasing food storage, gathering recipes and learning how to provide for yourselves. Plant a garden. Can what you produce. It's time to start living the teachings of provident living. 

Way-back Wednesday - Sondra's Childhood

I have decided to really focus on Way-back Wednesday. I feel that if I can get family pictures on the internet/my blog then I won't lose them if there is a disaster. I think it is a great way to preserve memorabilia. In a disaster, the one thing that people are heart broken about is losing all the pictures. Instead of trying to hurry and grab all your photos along with a 72 hour kit, I know they are safely preserved on the internet (which I hope will never be destroyed).

Another thing I can do is after I scan in pictures onto my computer I can put them on a flash drive and safely tuck the flash drive in my 72 hour kit. I'm trying to think of ways to capture the important stuff in the event of an emergency like: fire, flood, earthquake, tornado, hurricane etc.

Sondra riding her big trike.

 Christine, Sondra, Cindy and Lyle. . . . missing my little brother Richard.

 Another fun picture of my brother and sisters. Back row: Lyle and Cindy. Front row: Christine and Sondra.

 Here is a pictures of Sondra and Richard. Best friends always!

Mom and Dad. Zoey and Grant

Movie Review: Midway to Heaven

While I was Deseret Book last week, the cashier talked me into purchasing the new release of "Midway to Heaven". 

I asked him if it was good and he assured me it was. He told me the director was the same one who produced The Best Two Years (which I adore) and it was kind of sad like Charly (which I also loved). 

Here is a synopsis of the show:

A father still morning the recent death of his wife struggles to get back on his feet and accept his daughter's know-it-all boyfriend in this romantic comedy drama adapted from the novel by Dean Hughes.

My review:

10 thumbs down - well OK 2 thumbs down. 

I didn't like it. 

First of all when I purchase an LDS movie, I want to have some type of inspiring gospel message or loads of humor.

This had none of humor or gospel message.

Brady and I kept looking at each other  - Like - REALLY????? We are watching this dumb show. 

I had hopes that it would get better - because the guy at Deseret book told me it was good. 

Well.... it didn't. Nether of us liked it. I guess it's off to Amazon to try and sell this movie with the hopes someone will buy it. If not, it's being donated to the D.I. 

My recommendation to you: Don't waste your time by watching it AND don't waste your money by purchasing it. 

It saddens me to leave such a cruel review - but I have got to stop buying movies before I watch them. I am just kicking myself. I wish someone else would have blogged a review so I would have known better - that is why I felt I needed to let you know not to purchase it. 

Milk Delivery Reality Check

Last week I wrote a blog about a new service I was using. I was extremely optimistic about having my groceries delivered. Getting healthy and eating organic food. I thought I wouldn't have to go to the grocery store for 3 months. You can read the original blog here. 

The first delivery I received was fun and exciting. We had lots of new vegetables and fruits that we have never tried before. It was an adventure and we were excited.

We love the Organic Milk and will continue to purchase Organic Milk from our delivery service or the store, either will work for me. The reason I am going to Organic Milk is because I read this article here and decided that is the way I want to go. That article is the reason I started getting deliveries from The Boise Milk Delivery Service. I haven't made up my mind about quitting the milk delivery yet.

But I sure had a reality check with the fruits and vegetables delivered. The fruits and vegetables were not the same quality I pick out when I shop for myself.

I excitedly cooked the Artichoke after researching it and talking to a few friends about it. I dove in and cooked them. Dinner time - everything set up with melted butter, mayonnaise and cooked Artichoke. First leaf - no meat to drag off the leaf with my teeth ..... and then the next one...... and next one and next one, still no meat on the leaf. The Artichoke was not mature enough to have any good stuff. I'd eat a little at the very tip of the leaf - but not much. The center (after getting the fuzzy stuff off) was yummy. I could have really enjoyed the Artichoke if it had been a better picked vegetable that was ready to be harvested. I felt it was a total waste of money.

I didn't like the Brussels Sprouts again this time... another waste of money.

By the time I got around to steaming the fresh beans - they had tons of brown spots on them and ended up in the garbage. Another waste of money.

I struggle getting out of my comfort zone. But, it was an exciting week to try new things. Although, Brady didn't like it very much.

The fruit -- bananas were bruised and small. They weren't green (as I normally purchase them) and didn't last the week before they needed to be made into banana bread. The oranges weren't as sweet either which could have been weather related, but I've never had this problem purchasing them from the store. sigh!

Milk Delivery two:

I scheduled another delivery this past week. I figured out you could see what fruits and vegetables were going to be delivered and I thought it looked great -- so I scheduled it.

THEN after the schedule was complete and couldn't be canceled, they changed the selection. WHAT??? I wasn't too happy about the new selection. Pineapple will be fine... 2nd in line -- do you know what that is?
3rd is a grapefruit, and 4th a blood orange - hmmmmmmm

 I had to look this up. It's an UGLI fruit. It is the cross between a grapefruit and a clementine. Oh, Joy!

I did NOT get any bananas and we can't live without banana's. 

I was also out of baby carrots and we can't live without them either. 

We HAVE to have Bananas and Baby Carrots because Brady needs them in his lunch everyday. 

This is the lunch Brady has every day. Banana, baby carrots, Gusher, Granola bar, Peanut butter and Jam sandwich, Gram crackers and a cookie (If I have some made - but he usually prefers not to have them in his lunch *shaking head).

When we don't have bananas I will send an orange or apple sauce, but he prefers bananas. We missed several days with carrots. He wouldn't take celery or cauliflower even though we had some in the fridge. He wanted carrots. (I always stock up on Gushers and Granola bars during the sales/coupons). 

Brady has his routine and doesn't like to have changes. Yes, I am probably feeding into an OCD problem. 

Anyway ... I broke down and went to the store yesterday to get bananas and carrots. I decided not to get pre-selected fruits and vegetables anymore and just purchase them myself. 

It's been somewhat a reality check for me. Letting go of control of what I receive for my money. I'm to controlling - LOL! It was a fun 2 weeks, but there is NO WAY I can do it for 3 months.

Good news is that we have saved enough money to purchase a car for Brady. We've been looking at a couple, but haven't found the best one yet. I will continue being as frugal in my purchases as possible to continue working on our debt freedom and rotating food storage.  

Book Review: The Walk" and "Miles to Go" By Richard Paul Evans

These books are a series. The first two books are out - the third book won't come out until April 2012...sigh. 

I absolutely LOVE these books, the are a MUST read. They make you reflect deep inside your soul. What would you do if you lost everything? Could you go on? The intriguing thing about this book is the journal entries and how it seems like a biography. It seems real .... not a fictional character. The writing is amazing as it pulls you into Alan's world.

There are so many thought provoking quotes through the book, like:

"The thing is, the only real sign of life is growth. And growth requires pain. So to choose life is to accept pain. Some people go to such lengths to avoid pain that they give up on life. They bury their hearts, or they drug or drink themselves numb until they don't feel anything anymore. The irony is, in the end their escape becomes more painful than what they're avoiding."

The Walk book was loaned to me by my niece. However, I need to purchase my own copy so that I can go through and highlight the quotes and thoughts that talk to your soul.

About the book:

Put yourself in this situation: the love of your life is thrown from a horse, paralyzed from the waist down, and a month later finally gets to come home, only to die from complications. While you are caring for your love, sitting in the hospital by her bedside 24/7, caring and willing for her to get better, your trusted friend and partner in business rounds up all of your clients and leaves to start his own advertising agency. Your house is foreclosed on, vehicles repossessed, you are left with nothing. Worse than nothing, because the woman you loved and cherished more than anything in this world has been taken from you. Worse yet, she asked you to promise, on her last breath of life, to live. Time frame of this? Six weeks. In just six short weeks, life goes from perfection to devastation. Faced with this situation, what would you do?

For Alan Christoffersen, the answer came to him with a jolt. Walk. That's what he would do. Walk across the country. Finding a map, Alan spreads it out before him, examines it, and decides that Key West, Florida would be the farthest reach from his current residence of Seattle. Packing up a camping backpack, fastening on his highest quality hiking boots, Alan sets out on an unforgettable journey of the heart, soul and psyche.

I loved the new book that came out this month, April 2011. 

Both books are quick reads - or just books I can't put down. I may like "Miles to Go" better then the first book - if that is at all possible. There is more healing in this book. During his walk he encounters people whom he is instrumental in helping them heal their own wounds in their spirit and soul. In turn by helping them, it helps in his own healing.  

Quote: There are equally hopeful messages in the continuing journey: "There are still people out there with selfless, giving hearts;" "I guess sometimes we're lucky to have someone to miss so much;" "cowards always hide behind bravado or stoicism; it takes courage to show emotion;" 

"there's no problem so big that whining won't make it worse;" 

"each small step was an act of faith and hope, affirming to myself that life was worth living."

About the book:

Alan Christoffersen, a once-successful advertising executive, wakes one morning to find himself injured, alone, and confined to a hospital bed in Spokane, Washington. Sixteen days earlier, reeling from the sudden loss of his wife, his home, and his business, Alan left everything he knew behind and set off on an extraordinary cross-country journey. Carrying only a backpack, he planned to walk to Key West, the farthest destination on his map. But a vicious roadside stabbing has interrupted Alan’s trek and robbed him of his one source of solace: the ability to walk.

Homeless and facing months of difficult recovery, Alan has nowhere to turn—until a mysterious woman enters his life and invites him into her home. Generous and kind, Angel seems almost too good to be true, but all is not as it appears. Alan soon realizes that before he can return to his own journey, he must first help Angel with hers.

From one of America’s most beloved and bestselling storytellers comes an astonishing tale of life and death, love and second chances, and why sometimes the best way to heal your own suffering is by helping to heal someone else’s.Inspiring, moving, and full of wisdom, Miles to Go picks up where the bestseller The Walk left off, continuing the unforgettable series about one man’s unrelenting search for hope.