Sweet Dreams

I am the oldest child in my family, so most of my toys were handed down to younger siblings. I do have a few books from my childhood and I have one very special toy. It is a doll that was handmade by my mother when I was very young--probably 3 or 4 years old. I didn't play with many dolls as a child, but I loved my doll "Edie". She has the stains that prove she was well loved. One time my brother Scott and I even fought over her. I was horrified when he ripped off her arm, but fortunately my mother and her sewing machine came to the rescue.

One thing that made Edie really special was that she had her very own book! This is the story of a little girl who refuses to go to bed and tells her parents she wants to stay up all night. So they let her! They even take away her bed. The next morning she is so tired and grumpy that she never tries a stunt like that again.

This book must have had a big impact on me, because (except for a few years in college) I have always been good about making sure I get enough sleep. My children will tell you I have always been pretty strict about bedtimes too.

Edie and her book continue to inspire me. When ever I look at them, I think of my mother. I am grateful for the many hours of work my mom put into this doll. Like my mom's quilts, Edie is a tangible symbol of my mom's love for me.

March Madness

Evan has been working very hard as the stage manager for our production of Two Gentlemen of Verona. It is a big job to be in charge backstage! He also has a small role as Thurio, the rich but obnoxious suitor. Here is Evan enjoying the tide pools and waves at La Jolla Cove.


Marianne has also been busy with the play. She plays two roles: Pantina and an outlaw pirate! She also planned a fantastic birthday party for her cousin Cammi, complete with wonderful cupcakes. Hopefully she will blog about it soon. Marianne also passed her Certificate of Merit evaluations on her flute! Here she is taking pictures at rehearsal.


Aaron is still working hard at BYU, but he is making time for some fun too. He enjoys delicious Sunday dinners at Aunt Muff's house and he went to the Holi festival of colors at the Krishna temple in Spanish Fork. Here's a video he took of the chalk throwing.

Ryan, Molly and Brianne have been busy too. This little girl is moving up in the world. She can climb the stairs, stand up, sign and say "more" and wave and say "hi". What a talented girl! The biggest news is that she is going to become a big sister this fall. Yes, that means I am going to be a grandma again. I love it, even though I am much too young for the job!

Sweet Sunday with Shakespeare

This week I have spent about 12 hours a day working on our production of Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona. This Sunday is especially sweet because it really is a day of rest for me!

Being so immersed in this play has given me an opportunity to contemplate some of themes. In this play the two gentlemen, Proteus and Valentine, have an age old problem. Proteus is jealous of Valentine and betrays him and tries to steal his girlfriend. In the end, Proteus apologizes and is forgiven by Valentine and his girlfriend Silvia. Proteus' own faithful girlfriend, Julia, has arrived on the scene and witnessed his terrible behavior, but she also forgives him. The ending is like every Shakespearean comedy; the happy couples are reunited and plan a wedding.

That may sound like an unrealistic ending, but I know that ultimately all who repent and forgive will, through God's grace, enjoy an eternity of "happily ever after".

I love how Shakepeare describes repentance and forgiveness.

"Who by repentance is not satisfied
Is not of heaven nor earth, for these are pleased.
By penitence the Eternal's wrath's appeased."

It reminds me of this scripture:

"And again, verily I say unto you, if after thine enemy has come upon thee the first time, he repent and come unto thee praying thy forgiveness, thou shalt forgive him, and shalt hold it no more as a testimony against thine enemy." D & C 98:39

I am grateful for the gift of repentance from our Savior Jesus Christ. We all sin and His atonement allows us to be lifted from the depths of sorrow. Because of Jesus Christ there is always hope and the possibility of change.

I am also grateful for the opportunity to forgive others. At times, we are all offended or hurt by friends or family members. Sometimes we are even betrayed or sinned against. The opportunity to forgive others has been a great blessing to me and brought peace into my heart.

This reminds me of a favorite quote from the book Home I read this year.

"There is a saying that to understand is to forgive, but that is an error. You must forgive in order to understand. Until you forgive, you defend yourself against the possibility of understanding.

If you forgive, you may indeed still not understand, but you will be ready to understand, and that is the posture of grace."

May we all be blessed with forgiveness and understanding!

Please Join Us for . . .

MILLENNIAL SCHOLAR ACADEMY'S

production of

William Shakespeare's

Two Gentlemen of Verona
Friday, March 25th 7:00 PM
Saturday, March 26th 2:00 PM
Friday, April 1st 7:00 PM

at North County Church of Christ
130 Woodward Ave., Escondido, CA 92025

Tickets: $5 per person or $20 per family

FYI - This will be a very funny show presented by high school students
in our commonwealth school.
They all have 3+ years of Shakespearean acting experience.
This is your chance to see some great acting complete with gorgeous
Elizabethan costumes!

And yes, I'm the director!

Sweet Sunday

This Sunday doesn't feel quite so sweet. I learned early this morning that our dear friends' son Danny passed away last night in a car accident. We have know him since he was a boy in Primary. He and his wife Heather just had their first baby nearly 3 months early. I am praying that their entire family will be blessed with peace and comfort.

I am not sure what the funeral arrangements will be, but I hope that it will be a time for the family to share their memories of Danny and the great life he lived. A couple of years ago we stopped by Danny's apartment to pick up something for a friend. Danny and Heather welcomed us in. Evan was thrilled to see that they had a large fish tank. At the time Evan was really interested in fish and was starting his own aquarium. Danny was so kind to share his knowledge with Evan and give him some pointers about fish and how to care for them. He told Evan to call him any time he had any questions. John and Evan did call him from the pet store a couple of times and he was happy to help. Danny was always so friendly and ready to help!

He will be missed by so many people. Here is something I read recently by Elder Dallin H. Oaks from a conference talk entitled Powerful Ideas.

"A life is not a trivial thing, and its passing should not be memorialized with trivial things. A funeral service is a time to speak of powerful ideas—ideas that can appropriately stand beside the importance of life, ideas that are powerful in their influence on those who remain behind."

We are praying for all those who remain behind.

Here and There

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Here are a few things to help you get there.

Here is a picture of the world's cutest leprechaun.

Here is a yummy and healthy St. Patrick's Day recipe that my kids love.

Here is picture of the dessert I have planned. Here is where I found it.


Here is a very thoughtful article about finding your God-given mission in life.

Here is a book I am thinking about reading. Anyone read it? What did you think?

Daylight Savings Time vs Dinner

Last night I was in a hurry to make dinner (when I realized how late it was) and I knew I needed to use the butternut squash John bought last week. Soup didn't seem to fit the bill, so I tried this recipe. Along with a salad it made a delicious meatless dinner.

Pan Fried Potatoes and Butternut Squash

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
6 red potatoes scrubbed and cubed
1 large onion, diced
1/4 c butter
garlic
dried rosemary (fresh would be even better!)
salt
pepper

Melt butter in a large skillet. Cook potatoes on med-low heat for 5-7 minutes. Then add squash, onion and seasonings. Stir together, then cover and let brown. Stir occasionally, but don't saute. Cook until potatoes and squash are soft. Serve before your family starts complaining of starvation.

Tonight I had a similar problem. I looked at the clock and couldn't believe it was 6:00! The kids had Mutual at 7:00. Tonight it was cauliflower that I needed to use. This recipe was quick made a great side dish to some leftover chicken. My family loved the way it smelled and tasted.

Yummy Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower cut/broken into very small, bitesize pieces
2-3 tablespoons butter
garlic
green onion chopped
sea salt
lemon zest
parmesan cheese

Melt butter in large skillet. Add cauliflower and saute for a few minutes. Add garlic, green onion and sea salt. Add lemon zest when cauliflower is brown and almost done. Before serving, sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese.

Are you struggling with the time change? Do you have any recipes to recommend when you suddenly realize it is dinner time?

Sweet Sunday - Look up!

C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, "A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you."

Walkers, joggers and runners are advised to look up at the horizon rather than down at the ground. Apparently, this is good advice for all of life!

Where are my eyes fixed? What feelings are in my heart? Where is my mind focused?

"Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." Micah 7:7

Congratulations to . . .

* SHONDA who won my giveway! Shonda is a wonderful friend, blogger and mom who homeschools her 4 children. Shonda, please let me know what size (S, M, L or XL) shirt you want. They are ladies sizes and are a fitted style.

* RYAN who turns 21 today. Happy Birthday Ry!


* EVAN for a high score on his piano Certificate of Merit testing and evaluation!

* MARIANNE for getting several paying jobs making her delicious cupcakes!

* THE OLD GLOBE THEATRE for an amazing production of Jane Austen's EMMA. I have read lots of Austen's work, but I am not a big Austen fan. The novel is okay, but I LOVED the musical. The writer and composer Paul Gordon is a genius. The play was so funny that I had to see it twice! I brought Marianne the second time. HERE is a very short preview and HERE is a short news story. The set and rotating stage are very cool and the music is gorgeous.

Where I Want To Be

Don't forget to enter my giveaway. Click here and leave a comment to enter! Now back to our regularly scheduled post . . .

I know I am blessed to live at a time and in a place of great abundance. And yet, I see so many people around me suffering. Suffering from depression or illness or betrayal or other trials. Most of the time I can't do much to ease the suffering. All I can do it listen and express my love. Why do people have to suffer? It is pretty rotten. Today I heard something that made me think about suffering in a different way.

Jeffery R. Holland said,

When suffering, we may in fact be nearer to God than we’ve ever been in our entire lives. That knowledge can turn every such situation into a would-be temple.

Regarding our earthly journey, the Lord has promised, “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88). That is an everlasting declaration of God’s love and care for us, including—and perhaps especially—in times of trouble.

I guess anything (however rotten it may be) is worth struggling though if it brings us nearer to God. That's a pretty amazing place to be! It reminds me of a song. Listen to it HERE

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me.
Still all my song shall be

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone,
Yet in my dreams I’d be

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

There let the way appear,
Steps unto heav’n;
All that thou sendest me,
In mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

Or if, on joyful wing
Cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot,
Upward I fly,
Still all my song shall be

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

Sarah F. Adams, 1805–1848

Update & Giveaway!!

It has been just over two weeks since I committed to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for a Cure walk. Here's what I have accomplished in that time:

I walked 38 training miles. By August, I will be walking that distance in a week.

I formed a team called Annie's Angels with 6 members and room for more!

I raised $900 for breast cancer research! I am nearly 1/3 of the way to my goal.

I ordered and received these:

Cute t-shirts with glittery "Never Give Up!"

Hot pink, fuzzy 10.5 inch bear

To enter the giveaway:
1. Leave me a comment and/or
2. Click on the pink box on the right to make a donation

The winner will receive both the shirt (I have sizes S-XL) and the bear! Contest ends this Saturday 3/12.

(Potential) Sweet Sunday

It is a beautiful Sunday morning--clear and bright and fresh! It reminds me of a book I love that is full of inspiration and miracles. It is one of the books God led me to, in preparation for the loss of my mother. I wish we could all sit down together in the sunshine and read a few of the stories from Yearning for the Living God by F. Enzio Busche. Instead, I'll share one of my favorite quotations from his book.

This world we live in is not the real thing. The actual world--which is closer to us than we sometimes realize--is full of truth and capable of bringing us to a higher level than we can understand. Indeed, it is more beautiful and majestic than a human can imagine. My spiritual insight [experienced when he nearly died of liver failure] let me see that we as human beings live far below our potential from day to day. One day we will be confronted with our true potential, and we will see what we have missed because we have not embraced the ultimate help offered to us from our Creator. Life is not worth living if we walk around in it without really knowing that every choice we make defines our lives in the eternities. Nothing can be hidden, and even every thoughtless spoken word will be brought to our painful awareness one day.

Today is full of potential! What can I do today to live up to my potential as God intends?

Success!

What makes a perfect birthday when you're turning 13?

1. Waking up with a present to open at the exact minute you were born.
At 7:20 AM Evan opened his gift and found this book. He didn't even complain that I had accidentally woken him up at 6:45 when I dropped his present while attempting to secretly put it on his desk.

2. Getting to do whatever you want all day.
Okay, this didn't exactly happen. Evan did have to go to Latin class and piano lessons. But he also went to Jamba Juice and shopping at Old Navy. He spent most of the day reading his new book and finishing off the cheese balls from Grandpa. (Scroll to the bottom of this post to see the how cheese balls put a smile on your face.)

3. CANDY!
Marianne chose the perfect birthday gift for her brother. 13 different types of candy! Here he is with his Jelly Bellies. Now that's a genuine smile, isn't it!?


4. TECHNOLOGY!
I did my best in this arena by letting him play some computer games and giving him . .

Is it? Could it possibly be? Did they really get me . .

Yes! An ipod and an ipod watch so I can wear it everywhere.

5. All the food you can eat!
Evan fasted (cheese balls didn't count) after his gigantic smoothie so that he would have plenty of room for all the delicious options at Souplantation. He was even serenaded by the employees singing an off-key rendition of "Happy Birthday" and presented with an ice cream sundae all while talking to his uncle on the phone.


What more could a 13 year old boy ask for? It was a practically perfect birthday for my practically perfect son! Thanks for all the joy you bring into my life Evan.

My Walking Secrets - Part 2

Some people like to exercise in the evening, but I've always preferred the morning hours. A few years ago, Jenny and I were crazy or desperate or something. Anyway, we started walking at 5:30 AM so that we could finish our walk and be home before our husbands had to leave for work.

One morning I heard my alarm go off and I got ready and headed to Jenny's house. She usually met me on the corner, but she wasn't there, so I walked down the block to her house. Her porch light wasn't even on and I was worried that she had overslept. I knocked on the front door hoping she was just tying her shoes or putting on a sweatshirt, but there was no response. I knocked again and finally I heard her husband Brian's voice through the closed door.

"Mel, is that you?"

"Of course it's me" I answered a bit impatiently.

He opened the door a crack and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you here?"

"Why am I here?! I'm just picking up Jenny for our walk." I couldn't figure out what was wrong with Brian or why he would be surprised to see me. And why was he wrapped in a blanket? He was usually up getting ready for work at this hour.

"Mel, do you realize it's 2:30 in the morning?"

At this point Jenny joined him at the door. I assured both of them that my alarm had gone off and suggested they double check the time. It was only then that that I realized it was darker and quieter and colder than usual. Hmmm. Maybe they were right about the time.

But I was already up and ready to go. Can you believe Jenny didn't want to go walking, just because it was a tiny bit earlier than usual?

So I went home. As I crawled back into bed, I woke up John (why not since I'd already woken up Jenny and Brian?) and told him my story. His only comment was, "The alarm never went off."

So why did I get up at 2:15 to go walking? Click HERE for an explanation or just take a look at this picture.

That may also explain why I'm walking 60 miles in 3 days!

Here's my update:

*Annie's Angels is now a 6 person team! My Aunt Muff, my cousin Heather and my friends Kathy and Brenda have joined Jenny and me. We'd love to have more friends and family join us!

*I'm making great progress in my fundraising! Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far!

*I haven't missed a day of training (except Sunday) since I signed up for the walk. A special thanks to John who suggested a walk during the short break in Saturday's rain.

*Our dog Roxy is even getting back into shape. She can make it 3 miles now. That's a lot for her short little legs.