2012 Top 10

Do you like to choose a word for the upcoming year?  Some of my friends do this and I think it helps them focus and find direction.  I have never chosen a yearly word, but as 2012 drew to a close, one word kept popping into my mind.  Even as I chose a Christmas card, I knew I had to find one that included JOY!  In September I wrote about being surprised by joy, but I feel like I have more to say.  As a recap of the year, I want to share some of my favorite moments of being surprised by joy.  Many of these events were not surprises, yet I wasn't expecting the abundance of joy they brought into my life.

10. Cleaning out my parents' home -  Exhausting, frustrating and emotionally painful, especially as a pregnant grandma! Of course it was good to help out my dad and it was a blessing to spend so much time with Jenny, but the joy came from some of the treasures I found in the house.  I came across a sweet, comforting letter that my mom had written, but never given to me fifteen years earlier.  I also brought home boxes of photographs and family history and it has truly been a joy to sort and organize many years of family photos.

9. Monday mornings - This has never been my favorite time of the week, but this year it has been the time we receive emails from Elder Aaron.  At times, his emails cause me to worry, but Monday mornings always bring the joy of knowing an email is on the way!

8. New girls in town -  No, not  babies, I am referring to some awesome women:
     Sweet Molly became my daughter when she married Ryan near the end of 2009.  It was a stressful time when they got married, but since then we have had many good times together.  During 2012 she was a comfort and help to me and a few days ago it really struck me.  She is such a blessing and brings such joy to my life!
     Next is my dad's sister Cheryl.  A few years ago my dad made contact with his half-siblings whom he hadn't seen in many years.  I met his brother and sister for the first time at my mom's funeral.  Cheryl has been so sweet, sending lovely gifts when Lavender was born and reaching out through cards and emails.
     My dad's wife Carolyn was not in an easy position as she joined the family just a year after my mom passed away.  But she has been so gracious and loving to everyone.  She won over the kids with her colorful rice krispie treats and has worked so hard to help and befriend the rest of us.  She has a great sense of humor and it is a joy to have her in the family.

7. Time with my family - Lots of it this year!
April -  All three of my brothers flew out for Lavender's blessing at Easter.
June - My brother David visited us with his girlfriend Annie.
July - My brothers Jason and Scott and their families came and we had an impromptu family reunion.
December - David came back with (now fiance) Annie, and we had another family get-together.  Thankfully Jenny's family and my dad and Carolyn joined us too.  My brothers have married such fantastic women.  It is a joy to be together with my family!

6. Time with John's family - John's parents have both passed away, but he is blessed to have two amazing sisters.  We love to visit them! We spent a week in Utah this summer.  We celebrated the 4th of July together and had so much fun with the whole extended family.

5. Marianne's trip to Ecuador - It brought me such joy to see my girl plan and prepare to make her dream of working in an orphanage a reality!

4. Family Trip Back East - Earlier this year, I told John that I wanted to take Marianne and Evan to to Washington DC since they were so young when we went in 2003.  He didn't think it would be possible this year, but then he found out he would be working at a convention in NYC in October.  John really knows how to travel frugally and he managed to stretch airline miles and hotel points to cover our trip so that we were able to visit DC, VA, PA and NY for 16 days.  We worried that it would be difficult traveling with a baby, but it was an exciting, joyful trip for the 5 of us!

3. Grandbabies - You might think that with a baby of my own, I wouldn't be as excited about grandchildren. Wrong!  I can't wait to see those sweet little girls.  I love hearing their joyful little voices when they come in the house or grabbing those cute little hands as they reach out to me.

2. Lavender Jane -  If you've read my blog at all, you know the joy this sweet baby girl has brought to our home.  I was excited for her to be born, but I was also prepared for reality.  Some babies are colicky, others have medical problems or disabilities (especially when born to older mothers).  But instead of worry or pain, Lavender has brought only joy.  For the first three months of her life, I was constantly surrounded by a powerful peace and joy that she brought with her from heaven.  Later, she began to share her sweet enthusiasm with everyone around her and it has been a joyous ride!

1. Twenty Five Years With the Man I Love - John and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in May. He continues to amaze me with his loving patience.  It brings me such joy to see him play with our beautiful granddaughters and daughter.

Trip to Utah - Bonus: Nordstrom

This isn't part 4 of our trip it just a little bonus I wanted to share.  One afternoon while we were in Utah, the guys went golfing, the girls went to City Creek mall in Salt Lake.  You tell me who made the better choice?  If you have any doubt, I suggest you remember two letters that are very important in the summertime:  A/C!  While we didn't buy anything at Nordstom, we were very excited to see a fabulous work of art by our niece Jennifer Rasmusson.  Jenny is the oldest daughter of John's sister Jean.  The painting is called "Current Reflection" and I love it.  You can see more of Jenny's work HERE.

Marianne wasn't surprised that I didn't buy anything at Nordstrom.  My kids probably think that I have never shopped at Nordstrom. They would be surprised to know that the Nordstrom employees once knew me by name.  Yes, it's true.  I was once a serious Nordstrom shopper.  I used to get a personal phone call when there was a sale or when something new that was "my style" arrived. 

These days I am not much of a shopper.  I buy my clothes at Costco, Kohl's or Old Navy.  But once upon a time, I loved shopping at Nordstom.  Starting the summer after sixth grade, I worked at my dad's temporary employment agency.  During high school I worked full time in the summer and part time during the school year.  During my senior year, I got out of school at noon and went to work for the rest of the day.  I actually got school credit for "work experience."  I had excellent grades and plenty of credits, so I didn't care about getting credit for working.  I did care about earning money and I was able to save enough to pay for much of my college expenses.  I also had enough extra that I could afford to shop at Nordstrom.  I still remember a beautiful ivory linen suit that I bought there. 

Do I miss being a Nordstrom shopper?  Well,  I miss the personal service I received and the high quality clothes I purchased.  But I have never regretted giving up my career to give my full time and attention to my children.  Now I could shop at Nordstrom regularly if I really wanted to.  But I'd rather save for travel and other experiences with my husband and children.  Besides, a Nordstrom Rack opens next month just a few miles from my house!

Gardening - Virtuous and Tasty!

Thomas Jefferson said, "cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens.  They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country, and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bonds." 

This year with our homeschool commonwealth, Evan studied the principle of georgics as described by Jefferson above.  For a school project he made boxes, planned and planted a garden.  We have been enjoying delicious, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchinis.  I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite zucchini recipes. 

The first one is a main course dish.  I got the recipe from my friend Maren and it is yummy!  I doubled the original recipe (everything except the meat) because we always need that much.

Thai Chicken Pasta

2 cups Picante sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter
4 Tbs honey
2 Tbs frozen orange juice concentrate (or 4 Tbs oj)
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp ginger
1/2 cup peanuts
2 large chicken breasts cut into pieces
12 oz fettuccine pasta
1 large or 2 small zucchini cut into pieces

Directions:

1.  Begin cooking fettuccine in boiling water.


2. Combine picante sauce, peanut butter, honey, orange juice, soy sauce and ginger in a sauce pan over low heat.  Stir until mixed well and keep warm.

3. Cook chicken and zucchini in frying pan with 3 Tbs oil until done.

Add fettuccine and sauce to frying pan.  Top with peanuts.  Serves 4-6.

Next up is my zucchini bread recipe.  The secret is to add LOTS of zucchini.  It makes the bread moist and delicious!

Zucchini Bread

1 cup oil
2 scant cups sugar
3 eggs
1 TBS vanilla
4 heaping cups shredded raw zucchini
3 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 TBS cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Combine oil, sugar and eggs in large mixer bowl.  Beat well.  Blend in vanilla and zucchini.  In separate bowl mix dry ingredients.  Add to oil mixture and blend well.  Add nuts.

Pour batter into 2 loaf pans sprayed well with PAM.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour until loaves are done.  Cool on rack.

Heirlooms in the Making

Nearly 16 years ago, my little Marianne wore this dress on her blessing day.

It was a gift from my friend Linda Butler.  Linda and her husband lost 10 babies over the years through miscarriage, stillbirth or death a few days after birth.  They had no living children, but Linda was still hopeful and crocheted this lovely dress, bonnet and booties.  She entered it in the county fair and won first prize.  We moved when I was 7 months pregnant and Linda promised me that if I had a girl, she would send me the dress.  I was thrilled when it arrived and Marianne looked adorable in it!

Since then, my nieces Emma, Alyssa and Cammi have worn the same dress for their blessings. (And somewhere I have pictures of all of them, but I can't find them!)  A year or so after Cammi wore it, I received a call from Linda's husband letting me know that she had passed away. The dress has been carefully tucked away until this year, when it was Lavender's turn to wear it.

The white blanket in this photo also has a special history.  For several years I worked with a woman named Sue. She was single and in her late 30s when she learned she was pregnant.  She struggled to change her diet and cut back on her smoking during her pregnancy and things seemed to be going well.  Then a few days before her due date, her baby's heart suddenly stopped beating.  Her little Jacob was stillborn.  About a year later I gave birth to Ryan and Sue gave me a gift.  She told me that a relative of hers had made a special white blanket for baby Jacob.  The blanket was a keepsake, but Sue explained that she had a talk with Jacob and he wanted Ryan to use it.  Ryan and my other babies did use the blanket.  Hopefully many more babies will use it in the future.

Lavender has received two other gifts that I hope will become family heirlooms.  One is this beautiful blanket crocheted by John's Aunt Ruth, his father's sister.  Since both of John's parents are gone, it is extra special for Lavender to receive a handmade gift from her great aunt Ruth.

Another future heirloom is this gorgeous dress crocheted by my talented cousin Kristen.  Maybe someday Lavender's daughter will wear it.

What family heirlooms do you treasure?

Our Life in Lists

Finished:
1 bouquet of flowers ordered
2 loads of laundry
3 closet shelves organized
4 packages mailed at post office

Music enjoyed:
Moonlight Sonata on piano
Now Let Us Rejoice on organ
Eric Clapton on ipod

You Tube videos watched and discussed:
Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech
Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech
Fall of the Berlin Wall

Books read from:
The Book of Mormon
Key to Algebra
Hershey's Chocolate Lover's Cookbook
The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe

Ingredients for the perfect FHE:
Casual discussion of dreams and goals
Frisbee at the park until we couldn't see anymore
Mint chip & rocky road ice cream

Blast From the Past

Year: 1984
Location: T-203, Deseret Towers in Provo, Utah
Favorites: Sweaters, Cabbage Patch Dolls, White Shoulders perfume, artwork by Bessie Pease Gutmann, getting a perm every 6-8 weeks, trips to Arches National Park and Mexico with my Colloquium class, edited movies at Varsity Theater
Claims to Fame: I had a computer (!) and a toolbox in my dorm room

When I arrived for freshman orientation at BYU, I had no idea who my roommate would be. She turned out to be a friendly, outgoing girl from Georgia. We became good friends and I had a blast my freshman year at college. Tammy and I were close during all our years at BYU and later were bridesmaids for each other. We both have 3 boys and 1 girl and our daughters are the same age and share a name. Last year both of us lost a parent. Her father died in June and my mom passed away in October. So much has changed over the years, but when Tammy and I get together she is still the same great friend you see in the picture below! She also happens to have a birthday this week and I want to wish Tammy a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Love you!
I know some people have horror stories about their college roommates, but I will always be grateful for the blessing I received when I walked into that dorm room so many years ago.

Generation Gap

Yesterday I received a lovely card from a family friend. She had heard about my mom's death through the Christmas letter I sent to her daughter. In her card she shared some thoughts and memories about my mom. I was really touched by such a sweet and thoughtful card. I showed it to my kids, thinking they might want to read it.

The card didn't interest them at all, mainly because it was written in cursive. Sadly, despite my best efforts, my children have fully embraced their generation's disdain for handwriting.

My kids were, however, very interested in the old photos that were included with the card. The pictures were from my bridal shower that our friends had hosted. Evan studied them carefully and asked, "Was this really the style back then?" I assured him it was and he stated, "So, I see you wore your hair up in those days."

I was a bit confused. I looked at the picture and explained, "No, my hair isn't 'up'. It is just cut short."

Now it was his turn to be confused. "What do you mean? Look how much hair is on top of your head. It's bigger than your face! How did you get it like that?"

I tried to explain that I had a perm, but he was too busy laughing to listen to me. Not only is he missing out on cursive, but he'll never understand the big hair of the 80s. Hopefully he won't ask me to explain it either. I can read cursive, but I can't justify that hair. At least it was a little more subdued in our wedding photos!

Fasting on Independence Day

What a wonderful day! Fast Sunday on the 4th of July.

It reminds me of what Abraham Lincoln said in 1863 when he issued a proclamation declaring a national day of fasting.

We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!

These are harsh words. Words that are certainly truer today that they were in 1863.

On this Sabbath day, I am grateful that I can fast (as Lincoln requested) and remember the words spoken more recently by President Harold B. Lee.

This nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail . . . I have faith in America; you and I must have faith in America. If we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

May you have a happy 4th of July, full of fasting, faith and family.

That We May Be Redeemed,
the founding fathers and Wilford Woodruff.
Painted by Harold I. Hopkinson
(The original, beautiful, full-color version is in the St. George temple.)

Counting My Blessings

Well, maybe not ALL of them. Why don't I just start with 10 of the many blessings I have received this week. . .

1. John started his new job!!
2. He gets his company car next week so all 3 of the drivers at our house won't have to share one van.

3. Evan got his Arrow of Light award and became a Boy Scout.
4. He also won 3rd place in his last Pinewood Derby.

5. Marianne begged me to get up early last Sunday so we could get a good seat for Stake Conference. You can read more on her blog.
6. I got to watch my kids meet Elder L. Tom Perry and shake his hand.
7. Aaron promised an apostle of the Lord that he is preparing to serve a mission.
8. Ryan had his interview with his bishop at BYUI and will submit his mission papers soon.

9. I finished two very uplifting and inspiring books this week: Three Cups of Tea and In His Steps.
10. Evan & I got to see a Civil War battle re-enactment and hear Abraham Lincoln recite his Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address. I love Lincoln!

For Sale

I recently saw a book for sale that got me thinking. No, I didn’t buy it; I’ve already read every word of it. In fact, I’ve spend hours poring over them. And I hope that everyone will. I think that everything in the book should be read—even studied carefully—by all Americans.

At the same time, the contents of this book really bothered me. More specifically, it was the combination of contents that concerned me. It makes a difference how things are put together. Three foods I love are: chocolate ice cream, mushrooms and mandarin oranges. Separately they’re delicious, but I certainly wouldn’t want to eat them all together!

But it wasn’t a disgusting cookbook I saw for sale. It was a lovely, little hardbound cloth-covered book entitled, The Inaugural Address, 2009. It was not a surprise that such a book would be published commemorating the historic day that our nation welcomed our first African American President. What was surprising was the rest of the title. It wasn’t just The Inaugural Address. Instead the title continued . . . The Inaugural Address, 2009: Together with Abraham Lincoln's First and Second Inaugural Addresses and The Gettysburg Address and Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self-Reliance.

Why was this surprising? I think that all of these works are worthy of our time and study. But I’m not sure that Barack Obama has met the test of greatness that Lincoln and Emerson have surely passed. And I’m not sure that his inaugural address can be considered a classic like Lincoln’s and Emerson’s writing.

Let’s try not to let our political views cloud the issue. If you’re a fan of Obama’s you may be tempted to say, “Sure he’s great! He’s going to change our nation for the better.” And I sincerely hope that’s true, but it has yet to be seen.

If you didn’t vote for President Obama, you may be likely to say, “How dare they compare him to Lincoln!” But imagine for a moment that your ideal candidate has just been elected President and taken his inaugural oath. He may be perfect in your eyes, but he has yet to prove himself. Who knows what will happen over the next four years?

Does something need to stand the test of time before we can categorize it as great?

Do we need to see accomplishments of a leader before we call him or her outstanding?

How do we compare a few years of service with a lifetime of service or with the sacrifice of giving your life in the service of your country?

My favorite definition of greatness is: “Everyone has the power for greatness-- not for fame, but greatness, because greatness is determined by service.” This quotation is by Martin Luther King Jr., a man whom I believe fell short of his personal potential for greatness. Nevertheless, I believe he was a great leader and I think that his definition of greatness is spot on; greatness is determined by service!

We may not be able to judge the heart or motives of another, but we can look at their life and see at least some of the service that they have rendered. Of course, many of the greatest gifts of service are given anonymously. But even the most humble servant leaves a trail behind him. No one can live a life of service without leaving some evidence that can be uncovered with a bit effort.

Over the years many polls and surveys have been done and the President most frequently rated as “the greatest” is Abraham Lincoln. Although he wasn’t perfect, he served our country and sustained us during a great crisis. He worked tirelessly to hold our country together, he freed us from the horrors of slavery and ultimately he gave his life while serving as President.

Besides his actions, Lincoln’s writing testifies of his greatness. His Gettysburg Address is one of the most often read, quoted and memorized documents in American History. But when Lincoln gave his speech it was not universally hailed as a great speech. Now, after nearly 150 years, we have come to appreciate the greatness that is contained in less than 300 words.

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a contemporary of Lincoln’s. During his lifetime, he gave more than 1,500 public lectures. For more than 25 years of his life he traveled the country lecturing for 4-6 months of each year. He was quite popular at the time and became a famous speaker. But it is not his popularity that made him great. His influence is enduring because of the essays he published. These have been in print for over 150 years and have been read by millions around the world.

The writings of both Lincoln and Emerson have stood the test of time. They have been read and studied repeatedly by countless individuals. I believe their writing is classic in the truest sense. Mark Twain once said that classic is “a book which people praise and don’t read.”

So I am pleased to see the works of Lincoln and Emerson for sale at Costco. Hopefully this is a sign that people are actually reading these classics! Likewise, I hope that each of us will take the time to read and study President Obama’s Inaugural Address. See what you find in his words and then wait and watch and see what you find in his life and his actions.

The best news of all is that you don’t have to buy anything. All of this is available for free online.

Here are links to:

Obama’s Inaugural Address

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address

Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address

Emerson’s Self-Reliance

Happy 200th Birthday Mr. Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is my hero! It is exciting to celebrate his 200th birthday and to see the new pennies that are being issued this year. The front of the penny is the classic design, but the reverse sides chronicle the life of Lincoln.

The penny that was released today features an image representing the Kentucky log cabin where Lincoln was born. Later in the year we'll see the other designs.

The second penny shows a young Lincoln taking a break from his labors to read. This is one of my favorite things about Lincoln. He worked hard to educate himself. He read Shakespeare and other classics and studied Euclid until he understood logic.

The next coin to be issued shows Lincoln in front of the state capitol in Illinois. Lincoln was a successful lawyer during this period.

One of my favorite stories of Lincoln the lawyer tells of his work on Case vs. Snow Brothers. The Snows had purchased a “prairie team,” consisting of two or three yoke of oxen and a plow. They gave Mr. Case a note for two hundred dollars, but when pay-day came they refused to pay.

The note was placed in Mr. Lincoln’s hands for collection. In court, the Snow brothers did not deny the note, but pleaded through their counsel that they were minors and not responsible for their debt. Lincoln listened carefully and said, “Yes, gentlemen, I reckon that’s so.” He allowed the Snows’ attorney to continue without question or interruption. When he had finished, Lincoln rose slowly and said, “Gentlemen of the jury, are you willing to allow these boys to begin life with this shame and disgrace attached to their character? If you are, I am not. The best judge of human character that ever wrote has left these immortal words for us to ponder:

Good name in man or woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls:
Who steals my purse steals trash; ‘tis something, nothing;
‘Twas mine, ‘tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him
And makes me poor indeed.” (Othello)

Then Lincoln rose to his full height and looked at the brothers compassionately. He continued, “Gentlemen of the jury, these poor innocent boys would never have attempted this low villainy had it not been for the advice of these lawyers. . . you have it in your power to set these boys right before the world. “ He never mentioned his client’s name and the jury came to a unanimous decision in favor of Mr. Case without ever leaving their seats! (The Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln, by Anthony Gross)

The final bicentennial penny shows the unfinished capitol dome that reminds us of Lincoln’s service in Congress and as the President. I love the way a very busy Lincoln, was never too busy to write many, many personal letters. I also love the fact that he often carried such letters in his hat. One of my favorite letters is the reply he wrote to 9 year old Grace Bedell who suggested that his thin face would look better if he grew a beard. Lincoln replied,

My dear little Miss,

Your very agreeable letter of the 15th is received.

I regret the necessity of saying that I have no daughters. I have three sons—one seventeen, one nine, and one seven years of age. They, with their mother constitute my whole family.

As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affection if I were to begin it now?

Your very sincere well-wisher,

A. Lincoln

Despite his question, he did take her advice and grow a beard.

Happy Birthday President Lincoln!
And Happy Birthday to my Grandpa Zobrist who shared a birthday with this great man.

My Mom's Birthday

Last week my Mom celebrated her birthday.

Actually, she was supposed to celebrate, but instead she spent the day sick in bed!
We had planned to have a grown-up celebration--going to the temple and out to dinner.
The kids didn't really like this plan, so they're not a bit disappointed that the temple is closed this week.
They were thrilled to have a Family Home Evening honoring Grandma.

We were also happy because the beautiful birthday banners my cousin Kristin made arrived just in time! You can see some great photos of them on Marianne's blog.

I won't tell you how old my mom is, but I will show you these cute cupcakes Marianne made for the occasion.
We were very careful not to get the trays reversed when we set them out on the table!

We had plenty of cake and ice cream and we played "How Well Do You Know Grandma?"

We learned some very unusual things about my mom:

• She always wished her name was Julia
• She has firewalked
• She had an uncontrollable laughing fit at girls' camp (And she was a leader!)
• She played the accordian as a child
• She doesn't like oysters
• She had her moment of fame in 1989 when she appeared on "Totally Hidden Video" (She brought a video of the show and the kids LOVED watching her!)
  

Happy Birthday Mom! We love you!

The celebration continues because we gave her tickets to see
"The Scarlet Pimpernel"
We really wanted to invite our husbands and kids, but you know how the economy is.
We all have to make sacrifices.
We saved lots of money by only getting 3 tickets.
One for Mom, one for me and one for Jenny.

Thank goodness the economy is finally good for something!!

Questions from Mom

Ryan was called to be a gospel doctrine teacher in his BYU-I ward.

Do you think it would be over the top to send a thank you note to his Bishop?

******************

Aaron finished his Eagle Scout project. He's been planning it for almost a year.

Do you think the write up will take another year?

*****************

Marianne has been making & photographing all kinds of yummy things.
(See her blog for more details.)

Do you think she'll load the dishwasher too?

**************

Evan went on this great fieldtrip organized by his devoted mother.

Do you think he'll practice the piano when I ask him to?

************

My children are now taking very unflattering photos of me.

Do you think they like this post?