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?