Long Over Due

Well, it is way beyond time for a new post! What do you guys think? I tell you what, being in school really messes up blogging. I don't write. I don't read. I feel so out of the loop!!!

It has been a good holiday season. Mercedes is in Ballet and has had five recitals since Thanksgiving. It is so fun to watch her! Miss Barbara is a sweet heart too. She's let Christina and Alex join in on the last dance number a few times and they enjoy it so much! It's also been good because we've been out to some of the community events that we wouldn't have gone to, like Holly Days and Breakfast with Santa. Mercedes is also quite busy with school and really loves it. In fact, K12 just had their winter event for the students, their friends, and family. We went ice skating, ate lots of pizza, and the students had a gingerbread contest. All I can say is, "Thank goodness for pre-assembled gingerbread houses!" Otherwise we probably wouldn't have had one. Of the 25 houses entered, Mercedes actually won one of five special prizes. She won Best Use of Frosting; but sh, we wont tell them that was the only part I did. (Although, I didn't do it all). Everything else was the kids' work. K12 also had an extra medal, so they gave it to Christina. She and Mercedes were all grins from then on.

Christina is really enjoying school too. She went through a little phase where she would scream and cry if I tried to take her, and there were a couple times I took her home. But, her teacher said she would be fine and to leave her. Miss Dana is a really gifted person and a huge blessing for Christina. I'm also grateful for her Primary teachers who have been amazing this year!

Well, Alex had surgery last month and just had his follow-up. His hernia is healing nicely. It was kind of weird that he had a hernia just after Jake, which I don't know if I ever got around to writing about. But they both had one within a month of each other. I'm SO glad they're feeling better! Alex is also crazy about trains right now. He loves them and is so much fun to watch as he plays. I just enjoy watching the children's imaginations bloom. It is so fun!

As for Jake and I, we have one more semester finished. WOOHOOOO! It is so good to be going to school, (Jake just read this and said, "No, no it is not,)" but it is also a lot of work between everything else. We had finals last week and now we can do something else for half-a-month. Maybe we'll clean house. Maybe we'll just talk about cleaning house. Who knows. ;)

And dud...dun...dun...tis the season for cheery greetings and warmest wishes. Merry Christmas to you and your family! We hope you find much peace and happiness as you enter the new year!

Love you all!

Otitis Media - the Ear Infection

I have been meaning to make this post for awhile now, but hadn't got around to it yet. Now I'm awake and I'm not falling back asleep, so I figure - there's no better time to talk about Otitis Media.

Just a little background on my search for a cure...

When my oldest daughter was born, she had quite a few ear infections. I have an aunt who swears that tea oil is the answer. She "used it in her kids ears and it worked." If you hear anyone say this, run away! I learned from sad experience that melaleuca oil is NEVER to be put in the nose, eyes, or ears. It will cause the membranes to blister. Tea oil, also known as melaleuca, is an antiseptic for cleaning wounds - like hydrogen peroxide. Don't put it in your ears to cure otitis media!

Years later, after that whole tea oil episode, I was talking about ear infections with one of my grandmother's friends. She said she had herbal drops that had helped all but two of her daughters' ear infections go away. She gave me a little bottle and said, "just put 2-3 drops in the infected ear every couple hours for a day. You can do it for two days if you really want to be safe." Seriously?! I was so skeptical, that little bottle sat in a box in my closet for nearly two years.

A few years ago, our children - one in particular - began getting lots of ear infections. Our pediatrician told us most ear infections are viral; but, the only way to find out if the infections is caused by a virus or bacteria is to stick a long needle in the ear, draw out the fluid, and test it. They don't like doing this for obvious reasons; so, antibiotics are the prescription.

According to what the pediatrician said, if most ear infections are viral, and medicine can't kill a virus - the common cold for example - then the antibiotics aren't affecting the otitis media in any way anyway.

During the summer, while in my Human Development and Child Psychology classes, I learned that 80% of ear infections are viral, so antibiotics only work for 20% of ear infections. Antibiotics are affective for 1 in 5 ear infections. WHAT?! And, what happens when the body has too much antibiotic? It builds resistance and the antibiotic wont work anyway. Or, in the case of a particular family member, you become allergic to it and experience painful and irritating symptoms when your mother forgets to tell the Dr.. (I will never do that again)!

After learning and experiencing all of this, one of my kids got an ear infection. It was the weekend, the pediatrician was closed. The only thing to do was visit to the ER - and we don't do the ER unless we're dieing or have the potential to die as a result of not going :) Anyway, it's the weekend, and we have an ear infection. I being extremely skeptical, but wondering if there's a chance, dig the little bottle out of the box in my closet. We administer the drops as directed - for two days, just to be safe. And, do you now what happened? The infection went away. We have done this a total of three times now. And, each time the ear infection has gone away.

I wanted to share what this stuff is. If you want to try it, go ahead. If you want to research what I researched, go ahead. (Whatever you do, don't experiment with tea oil in ears)! The mixture that we have used for our last three ear infections is a combination of: olive oil, garlic, mullein, and lobelia. (All liquid - no powder). The first mix I had was home made, the second was purchased at a health foods store. Both worked, although the home made tincture was a lot thicker and smelled stronger. (I would like to learn how to make this).

I just thought maybe, somewhere out there, someone might find this information useful. There's nothing worse than watching one of your kids with an ear infection.

Love you all and good luck on your search for a cure!

July 20, 2015 I do want to add a little comment to this: we've been using these ear drops for years now and they are awesome! And, antibiotics do kill bacteria that begins to grow in mucus in the ear. My oldest recently had an ear infection and we did antibiotics instead of the ear drops and after a few days I asked her what she liked better: ear drops or antibiotics. She prefers the drops because she doesn't have to do them for as long.

While I Was Making Breakfast...

What do you do when your five-year-old exclaims, "We're 2/3's!" I had no idea what she was talking about until she continued. "Me and dad are 2/3's of me, daddy, and Christina." What the heck?! You're not supposed to be doing fractions. You're 5!

I have a few minutes...

Hello all! Just a short post to say surgery stinks and I hope we never have to go through this again! Poor Jake is miserable and wouldn't wish this on anyone!

On a happy note, Mercedes is still having fun with school! She went to one of the elementary schools out here and took a small reading comprehension test yesterday. She said it was fun, but I hope they assessed her correctly because she wasn't in there very long.

Anyway, we're all good, all surviving. We've been eating too much prepackaged food and not enough home cookin', and you can bet we're all feeling it. We'll that's not entirely true. Some of the ladies in the ward have brought a couple meals - which I am so grateful for! I'm just hoping I'll feel like cooking "normal" food again soon so we can all start feeling better.

Krystal's Marinara

I came up with this sauce today and it is fabulous! I wanted to use fresh tomatoes from my garden because we have a few and they'll go bad if I don't eat them. The best part about this is all my kids like it!

2 T. olive oil

2 T. dehydrated onion

1 t. garlic powder

3 1/2 c. chopped tomatoes*

1 T. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. ground black pepper

1 T. dry parsley

2 t. dry basil

1/2 t. dry oregano

1/2 t. dry thyme

1/4. t. dry marjoram

Begin by heating the olive oil, onions, and garlic for about 30 seconds in a pan. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. When the marinara began simmering, I started heating up the water for my noodles. I let the sauce simmer and thicken until the noodles were done cooking.

*I was aiming for 3 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes, but by the time I was done, I had closer to 4 cups. I also pealed the skin off the tomatoes that were more ripe and left it on the ones that were not as ripe.

*****Edited to say - I didn't like the tomato peels in this, so I think next time I make it, I will chop the tomatoes and process them in a food processor or blanch them first to remove the peels.

Mormon Message: Voice of the Spirit

Everyone's Got a Story to Tell

Today is a good day! Christina started preschool! I was really worried about her and how she would react to being left at a strange house, but she did o.k.. It's nice that Miss Dana let her keep her monkey with her, even though we were all told don't bring anything from home except a back pack. That monkey is her best friend in the whole world!!! And no, I didn't get a single picture because the camera has been dying for days now, and refused to summon any energy from it's lifeless batteries. Darn it.

Mercedes was so cute today! She was SO excited about Christina going to school, that she helped pick out Christina's clothes, collected her backpack, filled it with paper, colored pencils, and crayons, and rode her bike in front of us the whole way saying, "Christina, you're going to school!" There's nothing like big sis being excited.

Alex had an experience yesterday. We have a Playskool play house on our porch. I was on one side and Alex was on the other. All of the sudden I hear him scream and start crying. I was on the porch and stood up so fast I lost my balance and fell off of it. When I got up, Alex said, "Bug scare me." Now, usually I don't encourage fear of bugs, so I said, "your o.k., let's find it." When I looked at the house where Alex had been, do you know what I saw? It was a huge black widow! These aren't your average spider either! They're absolutely beautiful and amazing with their strips of brown and white, but just as dangerous as the more common black. I am SO glad that "bug" scared him and he left it alone. And, I'm glad no one was bit and that I was right there to take care of it! WOW!

Thank goodness for tender mercies! And thank goodness for bug spray!

Quick Whole-Wheat Oatmeal Bread

From Anna Thomas' Love Soup. She says, "The loaf is crumbly at first but becomes less so as it cools down." I just thought it was good!

2 c. whole-wheat flour

2 cups unbleached white flour

4 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 1/2 t. sea salt

1/3 c. light brown sugar or raw sugar

1 c. rolled oats

1 large egg

3 1/2 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 3/4 c. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease two medium loaf pans. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg, butter, and buttermilk. Add the wet mixture to the dry one and stir together until just combined into a thick dough. Cut the dough in half. Wet your hands and quickly form dough into two loaves. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan and then remove it and cool on a rack.

More From Me

Good morning! School starts up again today. I feel like I need to take more credits; but, I'm really torn between actually doing it and everything we've got going this fall. Mercedes LOVES school! She is having so much fun. Even when I think, "Alright, that was good for the day. We'll be done for the evening." She still wants to have another lesson. I don't think this is going to be easy, but I look forward to all our time together and am excited about learning "new" things.

Mercedes has been on a bug kick. She goes out with her jars and catches bees, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, and spider egg sacks. I have no problem with any of the bugs, and knowing what I know about bees, these are o.k. too. But when she starts bringing spider eggs into the house, it really freaks me out. The last thing I want is baby spiders crawling out of the jar!

Christina has discovered a new puzzle. This girl is so good at them! It's amazing! She could spend hours putting them together. And then, when she's done, she's completely content to carry them around with her. She's also having lots of fun building things with clay and painting.

Alex is such a funny boy! He's always making me laugh. It's interesting that during the summer, when I'd get so busy with homework, he was the only one who could successfully peal me away from it. He's such a blessing!

Jake is on his way to the surgeon today. Too bad he's not actually having surgery though. We thought he was coming down with a UTI but it turns out it was a hernia! He's put on a good face, but there are times when he's in a lot of pain. Oh, the other day, Jake found out that at the end of the school year, we're supposed to mail all the K12 stuff back to K12. He was like, "What?! We don't get to keep everything? What happens if we don't send it back?" I guess he was very attached to all the cool stuff; and, now he just asks random questions like, "What about the clay? Do they really want used clay back?" And, "What about the [inflatable] globes? Do they really think these will still work when they get them back?" He has finely decided they donate everything to third world countries and this has brought him peace. Although, we have no idea what they really do with everything.

Well, I hope you have a wonderful day! Do many good things.

So Much to Say, So Little Space!

Holy moly, is it time to make a post or what?! Where has summer gone? We finished our summer classes and it's already cooling off out side. In fact, it's too cold to leave the windows open at night - unless of course you like waking up with a sore throat! (I know I don't)! We're so excited class is over! I'm so excited class is over! I feel ten feet tall. I don't know if its from the weight of four classes being over or if it's the fact that I finished the four classes, but it feels great! Now, I need to quit deflating and get busy around the house.

Mercedes school supplies came yesterday! We are so excited! It was better than Christmas, seriously!!! Mercedes was ripping boxes open and Christina would grab the contents out, squeeze it tight, and say, "Oh, my paint! Oh, my book!" It was SO cute! I have tons of laminating to do and haven't had time to paint our class room, but that doesn't matter. We have picked out the paint colors and will get around to it, but probably not this year.

Speaking of paint! I started repainting a little dresser and still haven't finished. I am a glutten for unfinished projects! The project wouldn't be tied up, except the nobs had been glued on and I didn't want them. I had reconciled myself to using them, but NO! So, I beat them off with a hammer which pulled some of the wood off. You'd think I could just go buy the filler and finish my project, but no. It's just sitting in the garage.

Earlier this month, when we were visiting my parents it rained every day! While I sat in class, the kids had a blast! My parents snapped the pictures and "Uncle" Konrad played the guitar. What a beautiful day!!!

Well, I must away. I hope you are all enjoying your day! Hopefully, I'll be back soon...

Life's Experience

I am learning a lot from being in school, and it's not all curriculum based. What an exciting time! It's definitely not easy, but worth the struggle. The biggest lesson is: "it is not requisite that a man run faster than he has strength" (Mosiah 4:27).

Take my garden for instance. I don't know what I was thinking planting such a huge garden this year! O.K., that's not true. I was hoping to get a lot of canning done and try some dehydrating. My plot is 76" x 27", and you better believe it's full! And yes, my garden is becoming a lost cause - it's lost in all the weeds! Hahahaaa... We returned home from our recent trip, and still haven't found a whole hill of musk melon. I know I planted two, but one has vanished!

The other thing I'm really learning is the importance of me being at home. I know I've had times where I feel so swallowed up in the responsibility of it all, I loose sight of the value and purpose. Have you ever felt like you give give give and don't get any thing except more work in return? I've been able to study the psychology and development associated with mothers and their influence, and it is incredible. To turn this information around and study how it affects the population through education in general is AMAZING!!! Then, to top it off, I can see how my return to school affects my children. Don't ever feel like you're not of worth.

Repeat with me, "I am of infinite worth with my own divine mission which I will strive to fulfill."

Whether you stay at home, work, or don't have children, know that you are an influence in the lives of so many! Cherish your opportunities and "delight in your children," whoever they may be.

What Should I Call this Post? Hmm...

Good morning, good morning, good morning! How are all of you? I am so very happy this morning! My children are doing a little better. I'm doing a little better. Jake's doing better. Phew! Being in school has totally thrown everything out of whack! But, all's well.

School is so exciting! Elementary Education is something I never wanted to do until about two-and-a-half years ago. I'm so glad we have a Heavenly Father who knows us better then we know ourselves, because I'm doing this and I love it! My professor wrote and told me "[I] have an optimistic yet realistic view of teaching." He also said, "Buena seurte en tu estudio del Espanol." Do you know what that means? "Good luck on your study of Spanish." (I'm going to get an emphasis in Spanish, which I'm really excited about too)!

And guess what? I ran into one of my old friends from college yesterday - way out here - at Arby's of all places. I just happened to mow the lawn yesterday morning and he came in with some of his coworkers. I told Jake, "I think I know him." Turns out, I did! We never had a single class together, but ran into each other at Institute. Have I ever told you guys how much I loved Institute? It was a good place to be...

Well, other than that, the house had a bomb explode inside and we eat a lot of sandwiches lately. What about you?

Life Explained

Wow, it's been a while since I've come to visit! How are you? Things here are absolutely crazy!!!

We found a little kitten in the bushes between our church and the business next to it. The animal shelter was closed and now it's lost somewhere out side our house. I hope we find it before Chicken Nugget...

Alex has figured out how to ride Christina's "motorcycle!" WOOHOOO, Buddy!!! (It's really the tricycle, but she calls it a motorcycle). He is so fun to watch!

Christina's little brain is amazing! She can solve simple riddles, which really surprised me; but, she did awesome!!! Go, Stina Wina!

Mercedes has been playing with the next door neighbors a lot and having so much fun. I'm glad they get a long so well because they're really good kids. She also asked Mikki to curl her hair yesterday, and Mikki so graciously obliged. We'll see how it turns out today...

Jake had two finals this week. Yeah, two classes are finished! He just has three more to go this summer, and then on to the next ones... Hooray for finals!!!

Do you ever feel like you're spread so thin you're not making any progress? I'm telling ya', that is how I feel. It can be really discouraging at times, but keep plugging along and do the best you can.

Presiden't Monson said, "When you are on the Lord's errand, you are entitled to the Lord's help." Don't give up and you will see miracles happen!

Love to you all!!!

Good Things to Come

Granola

I've done it. I have finely done it! I found the granola recipe I've been searching for! I've tried making a few, and this has been the best! I wanted a recipe that consisted of basic ingredients that I might actually buy. Also, I didn't want a recipe that made 20 cups of granola. Who wants to spend three hours stirring granola while it bakes? Not me. I also wanted something versatile. I think this will work. I don't see why you couldn't substitute molasses or maple syrup for all or part of the honey, and the fruit and/or nuts - which I added - can be what ever you like. The best part was...dun...dun...dun...all my kids loved it! They've been munching on it all day!

Granola

4 c. old fashioned oats

1 c. coconut

nuts, if desired (I used about a half-cup chopped pecans)

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. oil

1/4 c. honey

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 t. vanilla

1 c. dry fruit, optional

In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut, and nuts if desired; set aside. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, oil, honey and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over oat mixture; stir to coat. Spread in a large shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I only cooked it 15 minutes and stirred it three times). Cool. Add dry fruit. Store in an airtight container.

I've also discovered that during the last five minutes, if your granola is spread real thin, or you have little straggling oats and things, they burn up easily. So, for the last few minutes, push everything together to help prevent burning.

Life is Consuming

Here's a brief update on our family. I now know why Laura only made posts about once every three weeks. There just isn't time! Holy cow! Do you know the words to Count Your Blessings? They completely epitomizes my life right now. That reminds me! (It's one of the songs I'm playing in Sacrament meeting on Sunday). And, you should have seen our spectacle last Sunday! I'm playing the organ, and here comes Christina, running across the stand, completely upstaging the conductor in the middle of the opening song. All I can think is, "Where is Jake?!" Well, between him being in and out of the chapel, running Alex home to pee in the potty because he wouldn't go at church, and being totally mortified, he never came and got her! And what am I supposed to do? Stop playing while everyone sings and make her sit down? That would just compound the situation! To make it worse, this continued for the WHOLE meeting! Can I just say something here? THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!! It's a good thing we know this. It's also a good thing we have a couple young women in the ward who have agreed to help Jake this Sunday, so it doesn't happen again. THANK YOU!!!

Mercedes doesn't like green beans or pickles, but she likes pickled green beans. What's up with that? (I just had to say that for you, dad). She also has a new knick-name from our neighbor, which I think is super cute! He calls her Beamer*. I like it!

Alex is tired of his cast. Yesterday, I caught him trying to cut it off twice with two different pair of scissors! Can you believe that? He's starting to talk more in sentences too. We had been loading the washing machine, I left the laundry room, and he shut the door behind me. After a few minutes, he hadn't come out, so I opened the door to check on him. Quick as lightning, he whirls around, points at me, and says, "No mom, out, door!" What was he doing, you might wonder? Playing in the kitty litter with the cat. NASTY!!!!

Jake is doing well in school. He's almost half done with both of his seven week courses. Then he has three more classes to finish, and he'll be ready for fall. He's tired and really discouraged about the way USU offers their Accounting Degree here in the Basin, but knows somehow it will work out. You're doing good, Dear. Just hang in there and do the best you can. We love you and are very proud of you!

Oh, and Chicken Nugget is psycho. She likes to play fetch at three in the morning. Unfortunately, this means I get to play fetch at three in the morning. Good thing she only plays for about three minutes.

Well, I think that about sums it up. I hope all is well with you! Love you too!!!

*Just for clarification, Mercedes of Mercedes Benz is named after the Daimler Company's French Distributor's eleven-year-old daughter in 1907, and is a Spanish name once reserved for Spanish aristocracy which means "our lady of mercy." She wasn't named after the car, I just loved the name from all my Spanish classes in Middle School, High School, and College.

My Little Neighborhood Family

Do you know what I love? I love my children; and, I love all the little children that live on my street! I'm glad they come to play dress-up, cars, and puzzles, race their bikes, and slide on the slide. I love that they come get me when one of them falls off their bike and "needs" help getting up. I'm glad they ask me for help tying their shoes or zipping up their boots. I'm glad ALL the children play so well together, and that their little skiffs are quickly forgotten - for their are many many skiffs. I'm glad I have the opportunity to be their neighbor because they are teaching me much patience, which I so dearly need. I'm glad my home can be a refuge when they are sad. And, even though it does occasionally cause problems, I'm glad they like walking in just to be here. I hope they will always feel comfortable coming "home."

What We're Going to Do this Summer...

• Eat Ice Cream cones
• Make ice cream
• Play at the park
• Play in the sprinklers
• Go to the Big pool
• Eat a dinner of all fresh corn
• Blow bubbles
• Swing
• Slide
• Play at the lake
• Catch a butterfly
• Camp in the backyard
• Have a BBQ(or many)
• Shop at the Farmer’s Markets
• Go to the Zoo
• Make Jam
• Make popsicles
• Pick fruit
• Eat dinner entirely from our garden
• Garden
• Make lemonade
• Play in a creek
• Play in the summer showers
• go for a walk in the rain
• Play baseball
• Go to a baseball game
• Find rainbows
• Go to the library
• Read lots of books
• Go to a movie on a hot day
• Play mini-golf
• Learn to ride a tricycle
• Have lots of picnics
• Build a sandcastle
• Fly a kite
• Hula hoop
• Make dandelion chains
• Make mudpies
• Feed ducks
• Have a campfire
• Play flashlight tag
• Pick flowers

Chicken Pot Pie

This may taste a little peppery; but, when eaten as left-overs, it's more mild. If you use less pepper, you'll wish you hadn't.

1 (15 oz.) can Veg-All

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of potato soup

1 1/2 c. cooked chicken

1/2 c. milk

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 (9 inch) pie crusts or biscuits* (if you use the recipe below, half it)

1 egg - if using pie crusts

Combine everything, but the egg. If using a pie crust, fill with mixture and crimp edges to seal. Slit top crust and brush with egg. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.

If using biscuits, pour mixture into a greased 9 inch pan. Drop biscuits on top. Bake according to your biscuits recipe. (For the recipe below, I heat the oven to 425 degrees and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until biscuits are done).

*Drop Baking Powder Biscuits

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 T. baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 c. oil or butter, softened

1 1/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 450. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and milk, mixing well. If the dough seems too runny, just let it sit for a couple minutes. It will be fine. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake 8 - 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 10 - 12 biscuits.

Baked Beans

For my first try, this was awesome! I think the recipe is basic enough, you could add what ever you like to make it your own. My mom always adds molasses, brown sugar, prepared mustard, and ketchup. Her baked beans are the BEST!!! Even this is different from the original.

2 c. small white beans*

6 c. water

2 T. dehydrated onion

1/4 c. oil

1/4 c. brown sugar (I used granulated)

1/4 c. honey

1/4 t. dry mustard

1 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

1/2 c. bacon or bacon bits (optional)

What I did

Soak beans overnight. Simmer over low heat until done - about two hours. Drain, reserving liquid. Place onion, oil, brown sugar, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and one cup reserved liquid in crock pot. Mix. Add beans and stir to coat. Add enough liquid to almost cover beans and cook. I cooked mine two hours on high and two hours on low.

You could also quick cook your beans and then make this if you don't want to soak them all night.

Or

Soak beans overnight. Simmer over low heat 1-2 hours or until done. Drain, reserving liquid. Add onions to beans and put into a 2 quart casserole dish. Stir together oil, sugar, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and 1 c. of reserved liquid. Pour over beans and stir gently. Add enough remaining liquid to almost cover beans. Bake at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours. Stir in bacon or bacon bits the last 30 minutes. If you cook the beans this way, you may want to cook them in a dish that has a lid. If they begin to dry out, add a little liquid and cover them.

*When cooking beans, never never NEVER add salt until they are soft, because it prevents them from softening.

Emergency Toilet

Yesterday, at our Provident Living class, we learned how to put together an emergency toilet. It would be pretty handy, even if your water was shut off for a couple days. For example, our neighbors water heater went out and had to be replaced. They had to wait an entire weekend, without running water! I don't know about you, but in my house this would be an emergency situation.

Home toilets may be unusable and going in the bushes quickly promotes diseases. A simple solution is a 5 or 6 galon plastic bucket lined with a plastic bag with a snap on toilet seat. When full, transport waste to a central dumping hole or station.

Emergency Toilet

Store all items in bucket until needed

For one toilet you need:

• Bucket - You can use a bucket and purchase a toilet lid separately, or purchase a "Porta Potty" such as Luggable Loo. (My dad screwed three screws into the bottom of a toilet seat, to help hold it in place, and this is what we used while camping. It worked fantastic)!
• Plastic Bags - 30 - 50 heavy duty bags, 10 - 15 gallons
• Toilet Paper - center cardboard can be removed and TP can be wrapped in plastic to keep dry and save space in bucket
• Hand Sanitizer or wet wipes for clean up (I personally would go with hand sanitizer on this one)
• Kitty Litter - 1 bag. Sprinkle a small amount over waste to help with smell; or, Sawdust - fill with 3" of sawdust after each use to reduce odors, absorb, and help with decomposition.
• Rubber Gloves - 2 pair, use as you dispose of the bag and clean off the lid with disinfectant.
• Privacy Curtain - shower curtain or tarp
• Rope - for privacy curtain
• Disinfectant - pour a little in bucket after each use. Also for cleaning off the toilet seat lid!

To help with disease control, keep the lid tight when not in use.

Disposal: Using rubber gloves, carefully remove the bag, press out excess air, and tie securely for disposal. The bag can be stored in a covered and lined trash can until disposal service is resumed. Bag can also be buried 3 feet deep, 50 feet from a water source. The same hole can be used for several bags. Cover hole with 12" of soil when not in use.

Are you kidding me?

Alex broke his arm again! Yep, that's right, he did. I was at our stake Relief Society service project, and had a realization. I thought, "Oh, I have baby blankets I can donate to the women's shelter." So, my plan was to hurry home, pick them up, and drive back as soon as the speaker was done. My mother said it was inspiration. "How can we get Krystal home really fast without making her worry? Baby blankets!" Well, it worked and Alex made it to the doctor. But, poor little thing, he had to wait all weekend with his funny little arm in a splint because we had to let the specialist set it again. Today is the day though, and he's getting it set right now. Well, I don't know about right now, 'cause I'm not there. I'm a WIMP!

Do you know what we learned about little kid bones? They have the ability to straighten themselves out while they grow! If we didn't set and cast Alex arm, it would take two to three years, but it would straighten out. If we set and cast it, the bow will take about six months to disappear. I think that's fascinating!!!

Garden, Garden, Who's gonna Garden?

This photo is from USU's Utah County Horticulture Page

My sister just sent me a photo of all the little plants they are going to plant in their garden! Hooray for the salsa garden! I'm going to try seeds this year. If they die, like last year, I'll just buy plants too. Here's a list of what I've got so far:

• Basil - Sweet
• Bell Pepper - California Wonder and Grand Bell
• Spinach - Giant Noble
• Mustard - Tendergreen
• Dill - Long Island Mammoth
• Cucumber - Marketmore and National Pickling
• Zucchini - Dark Green
• Tomato - Brandywine Pink, Beefsteak, Rutgers-Select, and Large Red Cherry
• Broccoli - Calabrese
• Cauliflower - Snowball X
• Squash - Straightneck Early Yellow
• Watermelon - Sugar Baby
• Cantaloupe - Imperianl 45
• Mystery Pumpkin (We just saved these seeds)
• Aster
• Larkspur
• Zennia - Dwarf Sprite and Liliput
• Forget-Me-Nots
• Alyssum

For great information on gardening in Utah, check out USU's extension: Uintah County, Salt Lake County, Utah County. (If you live in a different county, click on any of the three links, find the home button in the center of the page, click on it. Enter your county in the page URL in the address bar. And voila! It's a little confusing, but it will work).

Good luck and happy gardening!!!

Earthquake Preparedness

I gleaned this information from an article on KSL. Click here to read it.

The first step to being prepared is: Have a plan

• Choose two meeting places - one outside your home and one outside your neighborhood in case you can't get to your home.
• Choose an emergency contact person outside your area because it may be easier to get in touch with them if local phone lines are down.
• Prepare a first aid kit with basic supplies.

Basic Items You will Need:

• 72 Hour Kit
• Gloves
• Flashlight with Good Batteries
• Water
• First Aid Kit
• Sturdy Shoes
• Radio with Good Batteries
• Extra Medications

Preparedness Tips for Earthquakes and Other Natural Disasters

(This is the Greater Salt Lake Area Chapter)

American Red Cross' Earthquake Safety Checklist

Utah Red Cross "Be Ready" Earthquake Preparedness Checklist

American Red Cross Disaster Preparedness Video

What's Up?

I'm excited to plant our vegetable garden! I've been working in our plot for a few weeks now, just here and there, and I think it's going to be great! Yesterday, I started some seeds growing. I hope they don't die like last year. Of course, last year I started seeds in March, and it was way too long for them to be in their little pots - especially since we can't even plant until the end of May. I'm crossing my fingers on these seeds and hoping they grow well.

Alex's cast comes off tomorrow. HOORAY!!! I'm a little worried about him re-braking his arm. I suppose it's just paranoia. And luckily, he didn't hit a single person with it. Although, he did get it wet a few times, so I hope it's not molding inside. That would be way too GROSS!!!

Jake is completely psycho! He's taking 16 credits during the summer and already ready to register for fall. Way to go, Dear!

Christina is not feeling well today. I don't know what's up. She has no mucus, cough, fever, nothing. She's just looks pale and sickly and wants to lay in bed and not eat anything. I took her for a walk in the stroller, so that she could be out in the sun a little. I hope she begins feeling better soon.

Mercedes is so funny! Yesterday, it was almost dinner time, and all she could say was, "I'm starving. I can't wait any longer." She repeated this over and over. After about ten minutes of it, she went outside. I guess she wasn't that hungry right? Wrong! She went to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Every time she goes to Grandma Rae and Grandpa Rods, they feed her! Cookies, popsicles, pupu's, you name it, they share it!

Now, I know what you are all wondering. What in the world is a Pupu? (Pronounced poo-poo). It's the Hawaiian word for appetizer and it's probably spelled wrong. So there you have it...Hawaiian 101.

I hope all's well with you!

Playing Catch Up

We are all doing so good! Life isn't without challenge or disappointment, but it is good. Alex received his new cast yesterday. When he had his x-ray a week ago, the bones of his arm had healed so well, the Dr. couldn't find the break. But, being weak, it re-snapped in his sling some time between then and his appointment yesterday. When Alex returned, he was not happy, but Jake said he was very brave! His new cast is red and he loves banging it on the edge of the table when he eats. It must not hurt too bad.

We have our Chicken Nugget back AGAIN! Grrrr...that crazy cat. She decided to follow our neighbors on their early morning walk, and got lost. But, thanks to some help from the Lord, we found her again! After her two day adventure, she was a hungry mess, but unhurt. This picture is of when she was in the tree a couple weeks ago. Can you see her near the top? It was very high!

Christina is a bundle of imagination! I love watching her play. Two days ago, she climbed atop a bucket, raised her hands in the air, and proclaimed, "Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you," and directing our attention up to a corner of the living room, she continued, "Tinker Bell!" We clap and cheer and have so much fun watching her. Her circus includes: Tinker Bell, a monkey, a butterfly, horses, an elephant, a bouncing Tiger, Winnie the Poo, a puppy, Cruella De Vil, and the infamous Circus Rock! Dead serious. What would her circus be without the Rock - which quietly and invisibly sits on the kitchen floor.

Mercedes has quite an imagination too! She likes to play mom and take care of all her dolls. Mostly, she enjoys cooking, and is a budding entrepreneur who has set up shop in the toy room. She sold me a hot pad for $18.00 yesterday. I wish I could sell a hot pad for $18.00. Mercedes also saved her birthday and Christmas money, and finely decided what she wanted. She purchased a Disney Princes Wii game, which was mastered in about a day and a half. It is better than a piece of candy, though.

Jake is going crazy with school! Study, study, study, write, write, study, read, read some more, study again, I can't keep all his stuff straight. Good thing I don't really have too. It would make ME crazy!

I met with the Advisor at the school. I was hoping to get the last three classes I needed for my Associates done during the summer; but no, two of them aren't even offered until Fall. Because of this, it will be the end of Fall semester before I receive it. I don't think I've told you guys what I'm going to do. I've decided to pursue Elementary Education. Even though I'd never previously considered Eled, I feel like this is where I need to be. And, that's all the reason I need to go for it.

Life's opportunities are exciting!

Irish Potato Farls

Well, hello everybody! My it feels like it's been a long time! Did you all enjoy Conference? I know I did! Just thought I'd share a quick recipe with you. We had these on St. Patrick's Day. Mercedes enjoyed them so much, we've eaten them a few times since. Instead of flouring my pan, I greased it; and, they turned out yummy! Love to you all!

Irish Potato Farls

Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and halved
• 1 pinch salt (I used 1/2 t. and sprinkled a little more on top)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions

1. In a pot, cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer on medium-high heat until the center of the potatoes are tender when pricked with a fork, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Drain, return potatoes to pot and allow to completely dry out over remaining heat. Mash with a potato masher until smooth.
2. Place warm mashed potato in medium bowl. Stir in flour, salt and melted butter. Mix lightly until dough forms.
3. On a well floured surface, knead the dough lightly. The dough will be sticky. Use a floured rolling pin to flatten into a 9 inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into quarters using a floured knife.
4. Sprinkle a little flour into the base of the skillet and cook the farls for 3 minutes on each side or until evenly browned. Season with a little salt and serve straight away.

72 Hour Emergency Kit Documents

For March's Provident Living class, we were given a list of important documents to keep with our 72 hr. kits. I thought I'd share some of it with you, just in case you'd like to have copies with yours. Place the items in a folder with your kits so that you can grab it and go if needed.

• Scriptures
• Family history disk
• Patriarchal Blessing
• Birth certificates
• Will
• Passports
• Vaccination records
• Homeowners insurance policy
• Auto insurance policy
• Life insurance policy
• Bank statements
• Utility statements
• Work/tax documents that would be difficult to replace
• Retirement statement
• Internet passwords (banking, work, personal, school, etc...)
• Cash - small bills and change
• Credit card, or copies of card front and back
• Pre-paid phone card
• Social Security cards
• Family evacuation/communication plans
• List of doctors and their phone numbers
• Summary of family member's known allergies, illnesses, surgeries, hospitalization's, etc.
• Copies of important prescriptions for medicines and eyeglasses
• Anything else you feel important

Helpless

I mentioned Alex's broken arm; but, that wasn't the only event that happened in a very short weekend! Our poor cat had an adventure of her own.

Sunday, the birds were calling, the sun beckoned, and my little Chicken Nugget sat eager to venture out side. I don't let her out very often; but, it was so lovely, I couldn't say "no."

Later, after our family walk and dinner, I remembered Chicken Nugget was still outside. I called to her, but heard no response. No meow, no jingle from her little bell, nothing. So, I shut the door.

A few minutes later, I tried again. Still nothing. I was beginning to worry. After a few more tries, and a couple walks up and down the street yelling, "Chicken Nugget, here kitty, kitty, kitty," I still couldn't find her. As my mind wondered, I began to worry. Is she hurt? Is she lost? Where is my kitty?!

At about 10:30 p.m., Jake found her. For the most part, besides being anxious and a few other injuries, she was o.k.. Do you know where she was? In a tree. A very tall tree. She was about forty-feet UP in a Cotton Wood tree. Remember all those commercials and movies about firemen rescuing cats from trees? They don't because, "Eventually, they come down."

After calling dispatch, animal control, and speaking to three different veterinary offices, all with the same conclusion - my seven-month-old house cat was stuck - there was nothing I could do. I was frantic. After all, it's not like I wasn't trying to get her down; I just couldn't do it on my own.

Finely, after twenty-five hours of worry, my hero stepped in and saved the day! Jake ascended the twenty-eight foot ladder, nearly to the top. He was hanging on to the tree! My neighbor, Keith, taped a bunch of poles together with a roller brush at the end. Standing on the ground, he began rubbing and poking Chicken Nugget. I thought she was going to fall! But, she climbed down to Jake, and now we have our kitty back!

I did see a parallel to this situation, though. We're all here, living life, doing what ever it is we do, with the goal to return to our Heavenly Father. The only catch is - we can't do it on our own. It's not like I wasn't trying to get my cat. I just couldn't do it by myself. I needed help. I needed someone else. It wasn't until Jake stepped in and rescued my cat, that I was able to have her back. When it comes to this life, all that I can do isn't enough to return to my Heavenly Father. But, because of the Atonement, and all the things it makes possible, I can live with Him again. I am grateful for the Atonement; and, I'm grateful that I have a loving Heavenly Father who helped me understand it a little better.

Alex's Great Fall

Oh what craziness has befallen us this last week! I'm not even going to get into the cat right now.

Last Friday, Alex missed a rung on the bunk bed ladder. After an amazing fall, and without landing on either arm, he managed to break both bones in his left forearm. WOW!!! The break was so bad, the pediatrician wouldn't set it. X-rays were taken and sent directly to the orthopedic surgeon; and, an appointment for surgery was scheduled six hours after Alex's last meal. Poor Alex still had to wait almost four hours.

While we were waiting, Jake, and a neighbor, gave Alex a blessing. I am so grateful! When we arrived back at the hospital, the woman we registered with was talking all about Alex's surgery, and how unusual it is for a Dr. to hand her a packet and say "we're having surgery today." But, as fate would have it, or rather it was a huge blessing, he ended up not having it. The surgeon set the bone and it was good! Hooray for Alex!

After Alex woke up, he was so mad at Jake! (Jake is the one who gave him to the Anesthetist). For the next hour, he'd either cry, bury his head, and try to get away from Jake, or ignore him completely! It was kind of funny. Jake even tried to entice him with a shake, but it did no good! Who would have thunk?

Friday, he has more x-rays and will get a new soft cast with a little color. Oh what joy! But in all seriousness, I am so grateful it wasn't worse! I just hope he doesn't figure out how to hit people with it. :)

St. Patrick's Day Celebration

First off, if I were to say, "I'm not excited about going to school," it would be a lie. I can't wait! I've been busy studying math, and Jake said I'm going to make him look bad. Whatever! Hopefully, we'll both be able to take Math 1050 together during the summer. Well, we can both take it, just not at the same time because that would require a baby sitter. And, Jake has already informed me that we can't study together, because our minds think differently. (Does his reasoning sound a little weird to anyone else)? I believe it all stems from the I'll-make-him-look-bad-syndrome, which he's suddenly beginning to develop. Jake makes me laugh! The only reason I'm studying math, is because I'm not comfortable with my math abilities. So there you have it. I can do this!

So, on to St. Patrick's day...

First thing that morning, I ran into the kids room to tell them a little Leprechaun left a prize! Well, what was it? Toys? Chocolate coins? No! A new package of construction paper and a full bottle of glue! He probably though it would be a sneaky trick not leaving toys or candy; but, my kids love construction paper and glue. So the Leprechaun's plan was foiled.

After dressing in a little green, we had a small Irish breakfast: Fried Eggs and Potato Farls. They were yummy. I was stuffed! Even the kids liked it. Mercedes loved the Potato Farls, which are like a mashed potato patty. Then, we watched "Darby O'Gill and the Little People*". The Leprechauns fascinated Mercedes! She was amazed at how small they were, and was so excited that one came to our house! We also tried Irish Soda Bread, colored pictures of Leprechauns, and almost played some Gaelic games. I guess we'll get to them later.

Did you do anything fun for St. Patrick's day?

*Just a word of warning. If you have sensitive children, skip the Banchi. When I was little, she was very scary; so, we skipped that part.

Let it Begin

I went and spoke to an Advisor over at the college, and do you know what she said? "I'd really like to see you test into Math 1050." Then she handed me a list of websites to study and sent me on my way. I took Math 1010 in 2003. That was, um...SIX years ago. It's a good challenge; so, I'm off to the races.

It's not impossible!

Just Us

I just wanted to write a little post, and let you all know what we've been up to. I haven't done anything really exciting, except, yesterday, I felt like I was in the kitchen all day. It was crazy! I made meat loaf, baked potatoes, and steamed broccoli for lunch. We had homemade peach cobbler for dessert; and, I baked cookies. Don't ask me why we needed peach cobbler AND cookies in the same day. We just enjoyed eating them. :)

Jake has the week off for Spring Break. I'm glad. Thursday's are as good as Saturday's to me, because it's the first day of the week he's home for the evening. Not this week, though. Maybe we can do something fun. Ah, knowing us, we probably wont do anything.

Mercedes has a new teacher in Primary. Yesterday was the first Sunday this year she's come home from church, and told me about her lesson. This could be a good thing. She has decided she wants to go on a mission. We better start saving.

Christina in into everything! It's just her. She doesn't ask questions when she wonders about things. No, that would be too easy. She likes to take things apart and figure out how they work. Somethings don't even need to be taken apart. They can just be dumped on the floor and spread all around, or what ever she does to try and figure said item out. I'm glad she's curious, but if she's quite, I know some breakthrough is happening somewhere.

Alex has an ear infection. As soon as he was on antibiotics, he got a virus. Go figure. He's miserable, and can't fight it because of the nature of antibiotics. I'm just glad he takes a little nap every day. It's a good break.

Chicken Nugget is a wonderful cat! Whenever one of the children is crying, she goes and sits near them until they're better. She has to be careful not to get to close, or they'll wrap her in blankets and carry her around like a doll. I don't think she likes it much, but she is so good at dealing with it! We love our Chicken Nugget. Funniest thing happened the other day! We bought some chicken nuggets, and when Jake told the kids what we were eating for dinner, they looked at their plates and started freaking out. They thought we were eating our cat! It was SO funny!

I hope all is well for you!

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

We tried a new meat loaf recipe yesterday. Actually, to be honest, I never use a recipe for meat loaf. I just throw every thing in a bowl, mix, and bake. But, I ran out of Molasses, so I resorted to a recipe. Those of us who ate it, liked it! I might have to resort to this recipe again.

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1/2 c. ketchup

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

3/4 c. milk

2 eggs

1 1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1 small onion (I used dried onion)

1/4 t. ginger

3/4 c. oats, bread crumbs, or cracker crumbs (I used homemade sour dough bread crumbs. Yum)!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press brown sugar into bottom of 9 x 5 loaf pan. Spread ketchup over brown sugar. Mix remaining ingredients and place in loaf pan. Press meat to even. Place in oven and bake 1 hr., or until juices run clear.

Clean Out Your Inbox

Alright, the time has come. This is the day I will clean out my Inbox. What about you? Do you have an Inbox that needs cleaning?

Friday, my grandma called. We talked for a minute, and then I asked, "Grandma, did you get the last e-mail I sent, with the Chili Sauce Recipe?" "No," she responded, "I haven't got an e-mail from you in a very long time." Hmm, that's interesting, because I haven't received a response from her in a "very long time." Suddenly, it dawned on me, "Grandma, will you check your Spam list and see if that's where my e-mails have gone?" She didn't know what Spam was; so, I had the opportunity to check it for her.

Long story short, when she opened her e-mail for me, I discovered hundreds of messages - most of which were unopened. After a brief search, I found my little messages buried in the Inbox. Grandma just couldn't "see" them.

This was a huge light bulb moment for me. That Inbox is like life - full of the things I allow to fill it. My question is, are we burying things of importance in the mess of non-importance? Life is full of good things, but is the good crowding out the great?

The more I think about it, the more I realize how many countless hours are spent getting us preoccupied with things that don't really matter, and believing they do. I don't think making time for what matters most will be easy, but, I feel like it can be done. Start small, end big. Clean the Inbox.

What about you? Do you have an Inbox that needs cleaning?

Our Newest Pet

We've got a new pet. That's right! A little puppy. She's been here for about two days now and is just the sweetest little thing ever. We love her! Quite frequently, she's caught carrying a huge doll arm in her mouth, which she wants to play fetch with. Mercedes is so funny with her. She'll say, "Is that your bone? Is that your bone?" And huck it for the puppy to retrieve. If that's not all, she loves to play, climb in our laps, and run all over. It is so funny to watch!

I wonder how long this phase of Christina will last? Hmm...

We really do need a puppy. Well, let me rephrase that. We'd all really like a puppy. Imagine the day when we have a crazy, drooling, one-hundred-fifty pound pooch lounging around. I can't wait! And, neither can the children.

Spring is in the Air

It's happened. It's finely happened! One of the foot prints in our front yard has melted and grass is peaking up at me! Spring is on its way and I am SO excited!!! As my sister would say,

"This is me, doing a happy dance."

100% Whole Wheat Bread

This isn't an actual picture of the recipe; but, it looks like the tasty awesomely fluffy bread, Anita, made for Provident Living last week. Everybody loved it, except me of course, 'cause I can't eat it! Enjoy!!!

2 1/2 tsp. yeast

1 1/2 c. warm water

2 Tbsp. oil

2 Tbsp. Honey

4 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast with water, honey, and 1 1/2 cups flour. Wait for bubbles to begin. Add salt and the rest of the flour until you have non-sticky, elastic dough. Knead for 5 minutes and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down, knead briefly, and let rise again until doubled. Shape down dough into desired loaf shape. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, and let rise for 10 to 15 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.

Makes one loaf.

Go Forth with Faith

Do you ever feel like there's too much to do and you don't know where to begin? Where do you start? How do you start? How is it going to be accomplished? I've been pondering this a lot the last little while. Even without a lot of non-essentials, life is involved. Family, work, church, and school are consuming with their slew of things to be done. So how do we do it?

I was reading in this month's Ensign and ran across a quote by President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He said, "If you are helpless, he is not. If you are lost, he is not. If you don't know what to do next, he knows. It would take a miracle, you say? Well, if it takes a miracle, why not?"

Why not let a miracle happen in your life? The Lord will fight your battles for you if you just begin.

This quote was used in, "What Mothers Can Learn from the Savior." To read the entire article, click here.

College Bound - Again

Well, I finely did it. Yesterday, I completed my application to attend Utah State. I'm excited and nervous to go back to school. I just hope they let me in...

:)

I've decided...

Beginning today, I will celebrate my families birthday's and not let them slip away like any other day.

What would you like to do a little better?

First Presidency Appeals to Church Members to Help People in Haiti - LDS Newsroom

To read the entire article, statement from the First Presidency, and news release on relief efforts in Haiti, please click this link:

First Presidency Appeals to Church Members to Help People in Haiti - LDS Newsroom

In a statement published on the Church’s official Web site, Church President Thomas S. Monson and counselors Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf said they are “keenly aware that many in America are dealing with economic challenges brought on by the recent recession.” Many Church members have made substantial contributions to Church Humanitarian Services, but more is needed. Church members and others wishing to contribute to the aid efforts may do so by using the Donation Slip they normally use for Church donations or by logging onto lds.org and clicking on Humanitarian Services Emergency Response.

“Money is not the only need in Haiti,” the statement continued. “People are frightened, bewildered, and wholly uncertain about their future. In addition to what people can do in helping with food, water and shelter, there needs to be a calming influence over that troubled nation. We invite people everywhere to supplicate God for a spirit of calm and peace among the people.”