Go Back and Save Us!

There's a story of a man who lived nearly 100 years ago who had a dream in which he crossed beyond the veil of this world to the world of spirits. There he saw many beautiful things and felt at peace. He was guided to a large group of people who were his relatives, who'd lived their lives many years before. When they recognized who he was, and that he was their descendant, they cheered for him and longed for him to stay with them. But then they came to understand that he had the power to enable them to be tied together forever as a family and not be eternal individuals. They all agreed and cheered for him to go back and make it possible for them to be linked together. For he was the only means in his generation that could perform this duty. All of their hopes rested on him. So he came back, in his dream, to fulfill the request of his ancestors by entering into a House of the Lord, and doing for them what they couldn't do for themselves: be linked, tied, and bound together as an eternal family.

Whether the dream is true or not, the concept is there. It is our blessing, in our day, to have the means to link our families together, both our immediate families, and those who've passed before us, and even ensure that our posterity will be tied to us as well. For when all is said and done in the end, it'll be to our credit that we fulfilled our desire to claim our ancestors, and help other families do the same.

Living Up To My Privileges

I am blessed to live in the last days when the fulness of the gospel has been restored, there is a prophet on the earth, and my home is blessed by priesthood power. I am additionally blessed to be able to stay at home, serve in callings at church, and have the time to visit on the phone and in person with my married children. I have the opportunity to read my scriptures everyday and search ways to teach those children still living at home, the things I know to be true. And I am doubly blessed to have a husband who honors his priesthood and has a job that allows him to spend time with me during a good part of the day. For I know that the more time spent on a relationship, the stronger that relationship gets.

A big deal is made of the mothers in the Book of Mormon story about the stripling warriors; how the sons of Helaman were so faithful because they trusted in their mothers faith. I submit that not only were their mothers faithful and taught their children the gospel, but that additionally, their fathers played the foundational part in their sons testimonies. For, even though women may be a driving force in passing to their children the truths of the gospel, the priesthood, which surely filled their homes, was honored by the men of that time. Not enough is implied or said about those fathers who so valiantly provided examples to their children through their service to their fellowmen. No doubt strong families prevailed in their villages and camps, and the expectation was nothing short of obedience with exactness.

Because I have been given much, I too, must give. Because of the blessings that continue to pour into my life, I too, must return and offer what I have. I must fight the temptation to sit back and relax and enjoy "my stuff." It has been my privilege to share what has been given to me, and it is still my privilege to look for empty spots that I can fill in whatever ways I can, in service to Him from whom all blessings descend.

During this season when mothers and fathers are honored for their examples to family and friends, I count my blessings to be able to have borne children in this life. And not just borne children, borne many children. It is a blessing to me to experience the ups and downs, the happiness and sadness, the little lessons of life that one doesn't happen upon unless there are many children surrounding parents. I count my life's experience so far, as above average. Rich blessings surround me, which makes me want to return and give back, and live up to my privileges and potential.

Mother's Day

I'm sure that when someone decided to add Mother's Day to the list of national holidays, their intent was to bring honor to mothers. The same with Father's Day.

However, when you're a mother and Mother's Day rolls around, there's a mix of feelings that accompany the attention for that day. It's our challenge to focus on the positive intent of our children's love for us, instead of the natural feeling of being recognized as super deserving.

Its an opportunity for the family to express their undying love for us as mothers, and our indispensability to life as they know it. All the homemade cards, kisses, hugs, and smiles, along with the other service-oriented jobs, are what make this and Father's day fun and memorable. Amidst the slight chaos are the moments cherished when a child of any age looks you in the eye and says, "I Love You." Little surprises here and there remind you to smile and be happy all day long. Our reaction to children's expressions of love may be short lived in our minds, but last a lifetime in their minds.

Sometimes it's best to look beyond the messes, the disputes, dirty clothes on the floor, and appreciate the gestures offered from children learning how to give sincerely. Time passes too fast and children grow up and move out, leaving moms and dads with only memories of those special days.

Christmas Tree Wall Hanging

Christmas tree wall hanging - 2012

I found this design in an old quilting magazine. A hand-quilted, batting-in-the-middle, wall hanging with sequins, buttons, and beads sewn on as ornaments. I machine appliqued garland in yellow thread, and a bright yellow star on top. I hand stitched the star rays with yellow thread. 

The tree was originally supposed to be pieced together with Christmas fabric. But I wanted my tree to be all one pattern piece, so I had to design my own tree pattern, and the green fabric I used actually matches the valance next to it (not shown). 

The white background fabric is a large (about 10" x 16") piece of eyelet. I ironed some fusible webbing to machine appliqué the tree, trunk, and skirt to the background, and then added the red strips to the top and bottom. The star squares were hand sewn into each corner (because I don't like piecing little squares with the machine), and then the edges were added. The top tabs were almost the hardest to attach because just when I thought I had them all level, one would be too short. As it is, it's just a hair off, but it's done and over with! Not too bad for a first try at this pattern!

The dowel its hanging on is painted light brown and I super glued the wide red ribbon to each end, and tied a large bow at the top.

It was fun to make, so this'll be one wall hanging that we'll keep for years!

Bread Baking!

Of late, I've had a blast baking bread! For my family and for friends.....anyone who'll want to taste it! I decided that I would try to sell my loaves of bread and see if anyone else liked it as well as I did.

I found out that I have really kind friends who've bought my breads! So exciting!

I bake white bread, wheat bread, and make cinnamon rolls. I started taking orders for the week ahead and get up really, really early in the morning on specific days to bake. The house smells like a bakery, and its great!

It's so fun making things in the kitchen! I've become so used to it that when I don't bake, I feel like something's wrong!

I wish I could have a bakery and sell lots more, but that probably won't happen for quite a while, if ever!

For now, I'm having lots of fun, and hope the recipients of my breads are liking what they buy!

Homemade Tamales

Tamales are my favorite mexican food! I've loved them since I was a kid (which was a long time ago). Red tamales could be found on every mexican food restaurant up until about 15 years ago. Now they're not quite so popular on the menu. Green tamales are good, too, but I still like red. When I was growing up, the perfect plate was two cheese enchiladas and a red tamale, with refried beans (cheese melted on top, of course).

Having such a liking for tamales, my husband would buy (just for me) a dozen from a coworker every time they were available. However, due to rising prices, tamales have become nearly too expensive to buy.

So, like usual, we decided to try our hand at making our own. With a recipe from our son-in-law's family, we began. The first batch (pork) was okay, but a little bland. Second batch (beef), pictured above, was great! The third batch used up the meat from the first two batches, plus chicken! 

Older children came over to help and learn. I really like the big crowd cooking with all the conversation, laughing, tasting, and washing of dishes. (Thanks to all! It was lots of fun!)

The above picture is only 1/2 of the second batch. We ended up with so many, I think we'll eat something else for a while, and freeze the tamales for next month!

Jelly Making

Started with this.......

and ended up with this.....

Yummy! More jars still to fill!

Loving Camping!

Camping.....

We love camping! Out in the wilderness, no phones, no alarms, no places to be, just relaxation.

Butterflies were everywhere. All kinds, too!

Fishing is so much fun! Everyone tried to catch the biggest fish in the lake. But when that didn't work, we all just settled for anything that took the bait!

A bald eagle reserve is on one side of the lake where nesting eagles make their home. Quite a sight! It's great to see such a beautiful bird flying around.

This is just a part of the lake. It wanders on to the right and opens up to where the dock is. Just looking at this picture makes me want to go back!

A fisherman trying to add to his catch limit!

Kayaks are a great way to get around water fast.

Great fishing spot!

On one of our walks through the woods and fields, we spotted this coyote. Didn't know we had company on our outing!

We had such great fun! Camping anywhere (except the desert in the summertime) is so relaxing!

Dryer Cloths Melt....

In an experiment to find sources of fire starters for campfires this summer, I decided to try using a few of the millions of dryer cloths that were filling up my garbage can.

In a cleared area free from any debris that might catch fire, I began the experiment.

Simple! They just melt! Disintegrate right before your very eyes! And quite quickly, too!

On to the next experiment.....

What We Found In Our Backyard....

Just passing through, I'm sure, but nonetheless, beautiful!

 This Oriole apparently is making its way from its southern, winter home in Mexico through the western half of the United States up north as far as Canada.

But this is the first time our backyard has hosted such a bright, beautiful bird!

Photo Fun!

Lotsa pictures to share of a random nature. We've been having so much fun lately, I haven't kept up with my friends in blog-land!

The Positive Side of A Hundred Seven Degrees

The southwest desert in the summertime: triple digit temperatures, sidewalk egg-frying competitions, sunburns galore, swimming, (among other things).....
In my limited travels across the United States, I've learned enough about the weather in those areas to know where I like it best. Arizona.

But the hardest part of the summertime here (for me) is when the humidity reaches bath towel stage; otherwise known as the monsoon season. Reminds me of Alabama. Wake up fresh in the morning, showered, hair set, and dry. Then you step outside your front door, unlock the car and get in, and, surprise, you need another shower!

However, there is a positive side to the heat (unbelievably): the humidity is actually good for your skin and lungs. As uncomfortable as it is to be out in (once you've been used to the dry heat), its nice to breathe in moist air. Both in the heat and in the cool, higher humidity means adding lacking moisture to our bodies. That's why it's so important to take water bottles with you everywhere you go. Dehydration is pretty common, but can be avoided by drinking not just juices, but plain ol' water.

And the moisture really treats skin kindly. The big thing in any part of the country is a summertime tan. But as dry and leathery as skin can become, it's really refreshing to be in a high humidity area. You can feel the moisture soak into your skin. It's great! The combination of high (and I mean really high) heat and humidity is what sometimes throws me off when I walk outside and start dripping after three minutes! I have to remind myself that it's good.....really good!

So, there is a good side to high temperatures in the summertime: the humidity rolls in.

Our Unexpected Snowtrip

We really weren't planning on camping in the snow, but after arriving at our chosen spot late in the afternoon, the light drizzle of rain/snow never let up, and we woke up the next morning to at least 6 inches of snow on the ground.

When we got there, we figured at some point it'd all stop. But no! We hurried to set up tents between gusts of wind and dusting of snow, but never got the truck completely unloaded, so half of our gear was covered with snow, too.

We were freezing and everything was wet, including the insides of the tents. When we would tap the inside roof to knock off the snow, we'd get a shower!

It was quite pretty, though. 

It's not just snow on the tops of the canoes, it's ice! We found out that the temperature than night was 31 degrees! Brrrr!

Soon after this picture was taken, we all packed up and moved to a lower elevation and continued our camping adventure in a dryer spot.

Even though we didn't choose to camp in the snow, I'm glad we did. It's one of those experiences you can say, 'been there, done that!' 

Schooling at Home vs Homeschooling

The term "homeschooling" has taken on different meanings, of late. Up until about ten or fifteen years ago, homeschooling was defined as a parent teaching a child/ren at home using their own resources, creating a well-rounded curriculum of their own choosing, of core subjects including PE, art, and music. It was the parent's responsibility to search out and find the type of materials needed and wanted to teach at home. The parents were to provide everything a child needed to succeed in his/her educational goals or direction, including textbooks, workbooks, projects, supplies for experiments, etc. This required funds from the family budget, either great or small, and time constraints became a thing of the past; meaning there was no "teaching to pass an April standardized test." This opened up endless possibilities and opportunities for the "teacher" to spend as much or little time on a given concept or subject as deemed appropriate --- at least, in Arizona where homeschooled children were and are exempt from standardized testing - probably due to the high level of education parents were providing themselves. The state does not provide any supplemental funding to homeschooling families.

Now, the term "homeschooling" encompasses any type of schooling at home, beit original homeschooling, as described above, part-time schooling where students spend part time learning at home and part time learning at a physical building, online schooling where all of the curriculum is provided (and sometimes computers, too), and "group" homeschooling where parents pool their strong subject abilities, and take turns teaching a "class" made up of their own children. Schools that are state funded require their students to take the standardized tests, both in elementary school and high school.

In the past, we've homeschooled up to seven children at a time at home. But since living out here on the edges of civilization for the past 6+ years, our kids have been in public schools. Many times I've been tempted to bring them home (and probably should have) and resume our homeschool routine because I was really unhappy with the school. But after hearing about the alternative of online high school a few years ago, a few of our kids came home and worked on the computer. For us, it's worked out great.

BUT, I still have great memories of actually homeschooling the kids:

• using books I bought at a discount store,
• creating my own master copies of the human skeleton,
• buying a slab of clay to use for writing cunieform as part of a history lesson,
• saying the Pledge of Allegiance every morning, along with prayer,
• playing a game on a redesigned gameboard to teach letters and sounds to a preschooler,
• and being done with school just after lunch.

I loved it and I miss it. And I still have nearly everything I used back then. I give lots of credit and praise to families who DO actually homeschool because I know how hard it can be and how rewarding it is. But at my age, now, I think educating the kids on the computer is just as thorough.
Okay, here's my rant:
Homeschooling is teaching children at home using your own materials that you purchased, after having registered yourself with the state as being a homeschooling family.
Homeschool is NOT taking classes on the computer, or attending state funded classes either online OR in a building.
Therefore, for us, we are NOT homeschooling ---- we are online schooling.
And there you have it!

Guess Where We Went Over The Weekend?

Luke Air Force Base Air Show!

Every other year, this event is a must-go-to. All other plans get scrapped to walk what seems like 10 miles around these new and old airplanes, helicopters, and jets, with some of the pilots standing near them to answer questions.

But it's really interesting to see these planes up close.

My personal favorite!

It's a bullet holder on the side of the plane with people walking behind it!

Aren't they cute planes?

The Thunderbirds flew in their formation all over the sky....it was great as an ending to the air show.

Renaissance Festival - Arizona

The Renaissance Fair just opened in Arizona this past weekend, and we discovered that, after never having been to one before, it was a worthwhile day spent taking pictures.

Royalty.

 

Hey, Nunnie, Nunnie is a hilarious act. These two ladies crack one joke after another. They spend their time laughing, and making everyone else laugh on and off the stage!

This (above) is Twig. She's a favorite fairy!

Interesting sight strolling down a main street!

Here is a "knight in shining armor."

 

One of many shops to buy period cothing.

Jousting was a fun event to watch! Nobody got hurt and one knight won!

New Blog!

After much confusion, frustration, and wasted time trying to make this quilting hobby a part of this blog, I've moved my Sweet Petal Stitchery "page" to its own blog. (there really was a page attached to my blog)  Found on blogger by its own name, Sweet Petal Stitchery came about because of my need to be quilting something, and the ease of putting together quilts for babies/toddlers just seemed to follow.

Made mostly for my children and their babies, these baby quilts are also for sale. (currently one is available - others need to be ordered) 

I'm hoping to build a supply both of my own designs and already printed designs. You'll want to check in now and then to catch the latest accomplishment! If you visit, leave me a comment, even if its just "hi, I was here!"

sweetpetalstitchery.blogspot.com

The Power of Music

I love to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing hymns with their trademark full-bodied sound. Such richness, such majesty, and such grandeur! Quite a moving experience! On Sunday afternoons, we turn the sound up on our Netflix TV screen and listen to them bring into our home a peacefulness, serenity, and happiness. The happiness occasionally turns to giddiness, but for the most part, the mood is just plain happy. I can only imagine how wonderful it would be to sit in the conference center to listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing the hymns they’re famous for. I’m sure it would be quite overwhelming! (maybe one day….)

I get the maybe-not-so- sought-after calling of Primary Chorister and I really love it. When the children come into our early morning Primary quite solemn (or, in some cases, sleepy), its fun to get them up and moving through singing. They are all so much fun, yet we keep reverence amidst our practicing. I especially love it when the contest of singing loud enough for a hallway listener to hear, produces goosebumps! Such results should be had in all of our Sunday Sacrament meetings. With as many members as there are in our ward, we could actually produce enough sound, with our varied voices, to rival any choir, and an outside passerby would turn to look at our church building and marvel at our musical gusto! I’m waiting for that day! I love it when we go visit our grown children in their Sunday meetings and the congregation really sings! It’s great!

What an opportunity to worship through song each Sunday! There’s a temptation to pick up the rhythm and belt out each song. Music touches our spirits in a way that the spoken word doesn’t, and adds a great deal to our church meetings and our homes.

When our older kids were little, I had them sing in Sacrament meetings to songs by Janice Kapp Perry. They did quite well but hated it like kids sometimes do, but I liked it, it was good for them, and it helped us build memories they all laugh about now. A few of those songs became our family favorites.

Sweet Petal Stitchery - Baby Zoo Animals - Blue

Baby zoo animals adorn the top of this baby quilt, and a matching solid blue fabric is used for the backing. Half-inch batting, and hand stitching throughout make this quilt quite versatile. I made a narrow 5/8" blue binding and stitched it with a secure, decorative machine stitch (which is the only machine stitch used on this quilt)

This baby quilt measures about 43 inches wide, and 42 inches high. Nearly square, it is larger than commercial baby quilts. It can be used as a floor blanket for baby to roll around on or used as a crib quilt.

Cotton/polyester fabric is used for top and bottom fabric, 100% polyester batting, and cotton/polyester thread complete this quilt. Perfect for the washer and dryer.

Every baby quilt I make is completely hand-stitched according to the top fabric pattern and has a machine stitched binding.

Wheat And Grinder Preferences

The old standby, wheat, dominates our food storage, along with rice and sugar. But using wheat in bread poses a grinding question: do I grind the wheat into a fine flour? Or, do I grind it coarsely to get the benefit of the bran for fiber?

The electric grinder I bought years ago ground the wheat kernels into a nice soft flour, but didn’t have a coarse enough setting to allow me to get that bran I wanted to see in my bread; even the coarsest setting is still a flour. And, its extremely loud, puts a fine powder into the air as it grinds (so I take it outside to grind wheat), and takes a lot of care to clean after each use. But I still like it, and use it when I want a fine wheat flour.

So, I bought another hand-cranked grinder to get the coarse wheat I wanted for breads. It has different settings, but even at it's finest setting, it'still coarse. I love it! It mounts to the kitchen table and grinds perfectly. It takes a little longer to get the amount of wheat I want to store, but it's relative quiet, and I can have someone else help turn the handle for a while.

Another word about wheat: ideally, wheat should be ground just before using in recipes to get the most nutritious benefit. However, I find it difficult to leave my hand-crank wheat grinder out, mounted on the kitchen table or counter, waiting to be used when I’m ready to bake bread. Even leaving the electric grinder out (to take outside) wouldn't be practical either. So I coarsely grind several cups of wheat with the hand-crank grinder and store it in an air-tight canister to be used in pancakes, bread, and anything else I choose, and then its put away for a while. I do the same thing with the electric grinder: I grind lots at once and store it for use later.

My thoughts are that eating wheat, even if its ground weeks earlier, is still good for you. It’s better than nothing. The impression is often given that if one doesn't grind their wheat just prior to baking, you're either not a very good cook, or somehow you don't quite meet up to the ideal standard. However, I believe that if you can sprout your 15+-year-old wheat, then it's still good and you can grind it, store it, and use it whenever you need it. Otherwise, what's the point of storing so much wheat and using it a little at a time?

A personal preference: Between red wheat and white wheat, I like red wheat for it's stronger flavor in pancakes and some breads. I also like red wheat for a hot cereal cooked in a crock pot overnight. White wheat (finely ground) is good for a hint of wheat flavor in some breads.