Cygnus Opus

News Reality Check

2012-03-05T13:06:00.000-05:00

The "Mormon Moment" seems to be the catch phrase of the day. Some news stories are humorous, some blatantly biased, while others strive to be neutral.

Thankfully, the newsroom for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has set up a page that addresses much of the news being published about the Church.

For updated responses and links to various stories about the LDS Church, click here: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormonism-getting-it-right

Somewhere Simply Beautiful: The Piano Guys Did it Again.

2012-03-04T19:44:00.000-05:00

Okay, can I just say I love what The Piano Guys do to music. Simple Gifts and Somewhere Over the Rainbow have never been more beautiful.

Icy "Finger of Death" video

2012-03-01T09:53:00.000-05:00

Wow. I loved Planet Earth and I'm excited to see the full episode of their next series, The Frozen Planet, from which the following video is taken:

Hi. I’m Bilbo Baggins

2012-02-29T09:30:00.007-05:00

What do you get when you cross two Tolkien fans? A little boy who introduces himself as Bilbo Baggins.

My husband has been reading a chapter of The Hobbit to my children one night a week. They grab their pillows and blankets and curl up on the floor of our bedroom and listen to the story.

Yesterday, my husband took them for a stroll in a wooded area near our home and they each pretended to be characters from The Hobbit out on an adventure. A couple walking their puppy, came through and my little son ran right up to them and said, “Hi. I’m Bilbo Baggins.”

Dirty Windows

2012-02-28T19:08:00.000-05:00

Loved this message!

Hope in the Future

2012-02-26T17:57:00.002-05:00

I hosted a playgroup for some of the moms I know. Above the cacophony of four toddlers, we managed to carry on a lively conversation.

As I looked around the room I realized that two of the five of us moms were born in America, two others were born in former Soviet countries and another in Latin America. Yet here we were chatting about children, work, and countries we'd lived in like we were the oldest of friends.

Forget Him Not

2012-02-23T21:17:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday, I taught Relief Society. Our topic was Elder Uchtdorf’s talk in the General Relief Society meeting, Forget me Not. What an easy lesson to teach. That talk was one of the highlights of the entire conference for me.

Women can be so hard on themselves. Why that is, I don’t know, but we always seem to be beating ourselves up for some shortcoming. Elder Uchtdorf certainly picked up on that and his five points were truly inspired:

The Piano Guys at 180 mph

2012-02-22T14:07:00.001-05:00

Loved these songs from the incredible Piano Guys:

Gluten-free Cream of Mushroom Soup

2012-02-21T11:37:00.000-05:00

http://www.progressosoup.com/soup.aspx?soup=vegetable-classics

Anyone whose grown up in the Rocky Mt./Green-Jello-Belt region knows that Cream of Mushroom soup is a kitchen staple. Almost every casserole, of which there are many ward-dinner variations, has some kind of cream of something in it.

Imagine my delight when while shopping at a regular supermarket I saw Progresso's Creamy Mushroom Soup labeled gluten-free!!!

Some of my husband's favorite mom-made dishes require such soup and over the years, I've tried to make a desirable gluten-free substitute but it's just never been the same. So for all of you gluten-freebies out there, Progresso has heard your pleas.

I can't wait to make my husband's favorite broccoli, chicken and rice casserole that we can all enjoy together. Yipee!!

Get the Bucket

2012-02-17T13:15:00.022-05:00


No worries. This is just an ordinary non-puke bucket :).

I’ve been absent from my blog for several days, but there’s good reason. First a back story…

Once our two oldest kids graduated to a forward-facing car seat, they both got car sick within 15 minutes of any drive. They didn’t out grow out of it until they each hit about age four, but blessedly, as their age increased, so did the space between vomitings.

Our little son was especially susceptible. We went on a safari when he was almost three and the road was of course rugged. Each bump was another vomit until he just didn’t have any left. I’m sure the lions had a surprising new smell to wonder at as they went on their evening hunt.

A Little Bit O' Love Going Out

2012-02-13T21:36:00.000-05:00

Just sending out some messages of love this Valentine's Day:

My Brain Needs a Drink...

2012-02-07T19:41:00.004-05:00

My son has mastered the art of offloading responsibility for his actions onto someone or something else.

Coming home from the store today, he told me, “My brain needs a drink.”

“Oh yeah,” I asked.

“Yep, it wants a chocolate milkshake. It’s thirsty. All of me is thirsty and needs a chocolate milkshake.”

Pioneer Yeast Follow-up

2012-02-05T21:22:00.019-05:00

This was NOT my bread, but certainly what I am striving for. This is Grandpa's famous whole wheat, quick-rise yeast bread that I would love to be able to eat!

I'm finally following-up on my trial run using pioneer yeast. As stated in my previous post, pioneer yeast or natural leaven is thought to breakdown the protein parts of grains that make people with gluten intolerance unable to process gluten. The thought is if natural leaven is used, people with celiac or gluten-related issues may be able to eat gluten-grained breads. Of course since I have gluten intolerance, I was keenly interested in that idea.

Unraveled

2012-02-01T20:50:00.003-05:00

Daddy couldn’t get home fast enough today. I’d had enough, and summarily deposited my toddler into his waiting arms.

This was after she’d grabbed my son’s packed lunch off the table, opened it and began dissecting his sandwich with her little fingers.

I suppose this wouldn’t have irritated me so much if I hadn’t just finished mopping the contents of an entire water bottle that she’d pulled from my daughter’s lunch box and poured all over the floor, ironically right where she was sitting in time-out for a previous transgression. I forget which one as the day was full of them.

The Spirit of Elijah

2012-01-31T13:01:00.008-05:00

I taught a lesson Sunday on Elder Bednar’s Oct. Ensign talk, “The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn.”

Elder Bednar’s talk focused heavily on genealogy and temple work of course, but he also encouraged the youth to get involved in genealogy. With so many genealogical resources now on technologies' fingertips, the youth are well-equipped to master it.

I was curious about so much of what Elder Bednar said that I started looking at additional sources and what I found was highly enlightening.

The Piano Guys

2012-01-25T21:44:00.002-05:00

Saw The Piano Guys guys on MMB and fell in love with the song. Alex Boye is their guest singer and is phenomenal!

The Piano Guys are from St. George, UT and as if that fact alone weren't cool enough, they have their own YouTube Channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePianoGuys/featured.

Hope you love it as much as I did, and here's a bonus one for fun:

Cheerio Glue

2012-01-22T21:20:00.004-05:00

Have you ever stubbed your toe on a Cheerio…sounds like a title to a Ray Stevens song. But seriously, I have and it hurt. (BTW, if Ray Stevens is reading this, I’ll cut you a deal on the title and maybe even throw in some extra lyrics…let’s talk…)

Who knew that Cheerios mixed with milk, plus the added element of toddler, could make a mortar-like substance that once it adheres to your floor is almost impossible to remove.

A Peeping Mom

2012-01-18T19:37:00.005-05:00

I peek out the window each morning my daughter waits at her school bus stop. Our stop is blessedly close, and I find comfort watching her safely get on the bus.

This morning I watched her playing tag with her friends. She was It. She tried running after them, but they always had a lead of a few feet. She then tried trickery. She’d casually walk around the bus stop pavilion until she’d get close enough to have a chance.

She tagged a friend and darted away until the bus was spotted down the road. As she lined up, I noticed she didn’t have her backpack. I was scrambling to open the window and tell her “get your backpack!” Before I could open it, however, I heard her shout, “Oh wait…my backpack!” As I watched her retrieve her bag and board the bus I felt a tug of almost sadness.

I realized that she is very much her own little person. She’s not an extension of me. She has her own thoughts, personality, likes, talents and quirks, and someday she’ll start a life all her own.

My children are so much a part of me that thinking of them as separate from myself is jarring. But they are and that, of course, is how it should be.

Childhood is so short, but motherhood, once begun, never ends. I suppose I’ll be peeking out the window to make sure she's safe even when she’s 40.

Thinking a Reality

2012-01-13T20:40:00.003-05:00

My husband returned from his out-of-state trip recently much to my relief. Every time he flies or drives long distances my worry-factor kicks in and I live with my fearful what-ifs for the duration. Not that I don’t fret and worry even when he’s not traveling. I’m afraid being a mother for me has ramped up my worrying skills.

I’m sure there are other women out there who presuppose every potential danger for their child and live it in their minds a thousand times over. I’ve got scripts of possible threats to life and limb playing out in my mind far too often. Obviously, its no way to live and, well LIVE.

Out of the Mouth's of Little Boys

2012-01-07T21:59:00.003-05:00

My son is going through a particularly funny phase. We had tithing settlement a few days ago and decided to take our kids with us. My oldest was sitting nicely but the two youngest were everywhere. It was like watching an ant swarm. Our attempts to corral them in such a new and exciting place were futile.

Fortunately, our Bishop has the patience of Job, and lots of little kids himself, so he worked with it. Just to warn any of you out there living in Virginia. If you’re not sure whether or not I’m in your ward, don’t use the tissues in your Bishop’s office. My baby was sitting by the bishop taking the tissues out, using them and stuffing them back in.

Red-eye Olives

2012-01-04T17:18:00.007-05:00

Contrary to what you might expect from the title, these are not olives that stayed awake too long, but merely the name my son gave our pimento-stuffed green olives…yum.

He saw them in the fridge last night and wanted some "red-eye olives." Now for a son with a history of being a picky eater, you’d think green olives would be off his short list of food-likes, but no. He gobbled them up, as did his big sister, who has been an angel of a child when it comes to food. This was a girl who as a toddler would devour spicy Ethiopian-style beans and sushi (minus the raw fish that is...which I guess technically disqualifies it from being sushi, but you know what I mean).

A Memorable “Tea Party”

2012-01-01T18:25:00.005-05:00

This has nothing to do with the political movement. I was strolling down memory lane this morning thinking about wide-brimmed hats and a sunny afternoon in Finland.

My mission companion and I were “dog contacting.” Like most people, Finns are more comfortable saying no to you when there’s a door between you and them, so we decided to contact them in the great outdoors. Finns love dogs and they have glorious parks, so we’d walk the park see a dog and ask the person about it.

I love dogs, so it was bliss for me and inevitably, they’d hear our really bad Finnish and ask where we were from and why we were there. We could then tell them and ask if they were interested in more or leave them with information if they weren’t.

Top 10 World Wish List for 2012

2011-12-31T11:25:00.007-05:00

This list is nothing new and not something we don’t see on the news ad nauseum, but as I watch the stories, I can’t help but wish for the following:

10. The end to such enmity in the nation. In a recent article on Meridian, the author referenced President Benson’s talk on pride. One of the biggest, if not the biggest, ingredient in pride is enmity towards others. I see so much enmity in our nation, political parties against each other to the point of irrationality, liberals against conservatives, rich against poor, and the list goes on. Each group holes up behind a wall of protection against the evils of the “other” neither willing to engage in common ground. Frankly, the enmity frightens me more than any outside force. There are ways to disagree without polarizing ourselves into “ites.”

Thoughts of Mary

2011-12-24T15:34:00.002-05:00

As I was holding my baby at bedtime, whose been suffering from a cough/cold, she vomited down my shirt (Ironically, I was wearing my brand new leash on life). I had no instinct to move or get away. I just wanted to hold her safely while she expelled her coughing-induced vomit.

When I had time to clean myself off, I started thinking about all the mothers out there who have done and will do the same thing. Letting someone vomit on you isn’t something one normally invites, but when it’s your kids, things definitely change.

A Very Merry Uplifting Day

2011-12-18T21:34:00.006-05:00

So the girls were in need of some help. No I’m not talking about my daughters. After nursing three kids, it was time for a lift.

JC Penney’s was having a spectacular sale Saturday, so off I go, coupons in hand and head for the…how can I put this to avoid being unseemly googled…ahh yes, French! So of I go, coupons in hand and head for the brassiere section.

Of course along the way, I see some awesome jeans on sale…and a shirt…and some sweaters…so I grab a few to try on. Santa did need some help after all.

That We May Have Light...

2011-12-16T14:43:00.005-05:00

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we rejoice in the restoration of living prophets who act as a witness of Christ and guide us through the difficult challenges of life. On Dec. 23, we remember the birthday of Joseph Smith Jr., the prophet of the restoration. Our prophets testify of Christ and point us to Him. The following is a talk about prophets I gave one year ago.

Each of us who come into this world is left to navigate through its many courses. We like the ancient Israelites, Nephites and Jaredites are searching for a better land of promise. Our promised land may be a goal, direction or state we want to reach, but with so many voices pulling us in so many directions, it’s often hard to get where we desire to be.

All people throughout the ages have struggled in their quest to find truth and meaning. Jared and his people were among them. In the quest for their promised land, we have the beautiful account of the brother of Jared when he approached the Lord for a solution to lighting their ships. The Brother of Jared says:

“O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness; but behold these things which I have molten out of the rock.

“And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea.” (Ether 3:3-4)

Isn’t that what each of us want in our struggle through life—a light that we can have to shine through the darkness while we journey to our promised land. In his great mercy, God has provided us with such light if we heed it. In Ether 6, the story continues…

Puppy Love

2011-12-15T20:02:00.008-05:00

We’re babysitting my friend’s dog for the night. My kids of course are thrilled. He’s a cute little critter who looks like a miniature wookie and fortunately, he’s very tolerant.

My baby, little Buttercup as she’s sometimes called, “wubs” him—that means “love” in toddler. Unfortunately for our little wookie friend, she’s also small enough to crawl where he crawls. Poor pup can’t find an impenetrable fortress to save his life.

I have refereed as best I can but Buttercup is head over heels and can’t bear when “Foofy” is out of sight. I even caught her trying to doggy kiss the poor little guys face…blech…I suppose it’s no worse than her trying to share her sippy cup with him…oh yes, she did…

Poor “Foofy” isn’t sure what to make of all the attention. On one paw, he loved the peas Buttercup was throwing him at dinner and wouldn’t be separated from her presence, but on the other paw, he bolted from the room as soon as he saw her liberated from her highchair.

He retreated to the desk where I’m currently typing and curled up under the safety of my feet. In fact, he seems very fond of that little safe space next to my feet. I fear it’s a love triangle brewing…

A Big Loud Thank You to Primary Teachers

2011-12-12T19:56:00.002-05:00

I am exceedingly grateful for all three of my children’s primary teachers. My oldest daughter’s primary teacher is moving and Sunday was her last as my daughter’s teacher.

At the end of church this week, my big girl trundled into my arms with tears pouring down her cheeks. She was devastated that her teacher was leaving. I had to listen to agonizing wails of “I’m going to miss her so much” all the way home.

As soon as we got in the house, my still-weeping daughter ran into her bedroom changed her clothes, climbed into her bed, grabbed the photo of her primary class, teacher included, and hugged it while still crying, “I’m going to miss her so much.”

Obsessions: Magnificent and Otherwise

2011-12-09T20:39:00.008-05:00

I am obsessed with juvenile fantasy/fiction. Whew, I’m so glad to have that off my chest…When I go to the library, I’m usually in the same section as my kids looking for illustrations on covers of dragons, wizards, fairy-tale creatures or anything that looks remotely like an other-worldly read.

Of course I love the Narnia Chronicles and LOTR. I’ve read them several times even as an adult. I plowed through the Harry Potter series looking every bit the schoolgirl sucked into a gripping tale.

I’ve probably read three books meant for adults in the last 6 months. One is A Magnificent Obsession, by Lloyd C. Douglas (first published in 1929) about a surgeon who was renown for his skill and generosity. When his death is precipitated by the reckless accident of a young, wealthy “wastrel,” Bobby Merrick, Bobby’s life forever changes. He begins a quest to learn Dr. Hudson’s secrets and how he attained the excellence he was know for, both as a human being and a surgeon. It’s an uplifting, albeit dated, novel and worth reading. Douglas is also the author of The Robe.

A Tornado Almighty

2011-12-08T23:15:00.007-05:00

The 70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor has just passed and sadly with it more of the veterans who witnessed it. As the years go by and life speeds up, it becomes easier to forget these events and the sacrifices that shaped our world.

I can’t say that history was my strong suit in high school. I’ve since learned far more history visiting places like Mount Vernon, Gettysburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, Lexington, the Lost Colony of Roanoke and Colonial Williamsburg. But I’ve realized that we are not taught half of what we should know about our nation’s history.

I didn't know, for example that The War of 1812 was the war in which Francis Scott Key penned his lyrics for the Star Spangled Banner? In fact I can't say that I knew much of anything about The War of 1812, but it was a pivotal moment in our history that could have ended our nation before it ever took off.

For a number of reasons, the U.S. declared war on Britain in June of 1812. Outnumbered again and still a fledgling nation, the Americans had little chance of beating the British who invaded U.S. soil with superior forces, better trained soldiers and a larger, more seasoned navy.

Gluten-free Tree Trimmer treats from Rice Krispies.

2011-12-08T21:29:00.000-05:00

I saw a post on Kellog's site for Gluten-free tree trimmer treats. It's a basic Rice Krispy recipe with GF ingredients. They've taken the treats, formed them into a ball and decorated them with candy to look festive.

I haven't made them and don't have a picture, but for those interested in GF treats for your GF friends :) here's the link: http://www.ricekrispies.com/recipes/gluten-free-tree-trimmer-treats.aspx?utm_source=mrcna&utm_medium=olm&utm_content=stndad.comshopperscanron160x600y_standard_holidaygf_160x600&utm_campaign=kelloggs2011rkq4holiday#/recipes/gluten-free-tree-trimmer-treats

Easy Fruit Cobbler GF Style

2011-12-05T20:35:00.004-05:00

I found a recipe on All Recipes for "Easy Batter Fruit Cobbler." It was simple and required very little flour which often means it will translate well to a gluten-free version.

We had it tonight for an FHE treat and it was a big-time hit, so I will share for those of you out there constantly searching for good GF food like me.

Read more »

Light in the Graveyard

2011-12-04T21:15:00.030-05:00

Photo by Pöllö: "A man remembering his dead relatives on Christmas Eve on a Finnish cemetery in Helsinki, Finland. It is a tradition to bring candles to graves on Christmas - thousands and thousands of candles light the cemeteries."

Today in Church, we were asked what Christmas traditions we grew up with that reminded us of Christ. I racked my brain…It’s pretty sorry when it takes a major cerebral workout to think of a Christmas tradition that reminds me of Christ.

Of course it could be the birth-of-children-induced forgetfulness because I know my mom and dad taught us the meaning of Christmas every year and tried to steer our minds from the lights, goodies and gifts to the birth of a Child who meant everything to my parents, and their parents and grandparents before them.

After jogging my sleep-deprived brain for several minutes I remembered a Finnish tradition that I took part in on my mission.

Each Christmas Eve, the Finnish people would visit the cemeteries and place candles on the graves of their loved ones. I was in eastern Finland my first Christmas Eve as a missionary. We stayed with a family from church and went to the graveyard near their home.

The graveyard was radiant and teeming with life. People were everywhere walking reverently through the tombstones, placing candles on graves, and sometimes kneeling beside a marker for their loved one. Others were gathered to honor their heroes. The section for the fallen soldiers pulsed from the light of hundreds of candles placed there by the living grateful. It was a night when the living and dead were together.

Traipsing a graveyard may sound like something for Halloween, but Christmas Eve was the perfect time for this tradition.

On the night when we celebrate the birth of a Child who broke the bands of death, the living and the dead were united. Or rather, the dead regained their chance of life and the living were ensured their victory over death to come.

That Finnish graveyard was a holy and heavenly place on Christmas Eve. As I wandered the paths with my friends, I felt peace and a welcoming spirit of life. The glow of so many lights piercing the cold and dark reminded me that Christ, the Light of the world, has opened the graves for us all.

Like Elephants for Parents

2011-12-01T21:29:00.005-05:00

While we were in Kenya, my husband read an article about some young bull elephants in South Africa who were killing endangered rhinos. Their behavior was very unusual for elephants who don’t normally initiate such aggression. These bulls were not only picking the fights but were also finishing them even when the rhinos were trying to flee.

The rangers were puzzled. What would cause such an unusual change in elephant behavior? What they realized was a program previously developed to remove elephants from over-populated areas and move them to other reserves where there were less elephants had backfired.

It’s Easy NOT to be a Hypocrite…If You Never Aspire to Anything

2011-11-29T22:11:00.002-05:00

I moved out of Utah shortly after college. I worked for an international organization in DC and everyone knew I was from Utah and a Mormon. In fact, when my boss, who is from France, was introducing all of us, he said of me, “she’s from UTAH.” He said “Utah” with a very strong emphasis and a smile as if everyone knew that “Utah” meant “Mormon.”

To those who didn’t know much about Latter-day Saints, everything I did reflected back onto my religion. Because The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is so shrouded in misinformation, my colleague’s watched me waiting to see what I, and by extension, my religion was all about.

On the flip side, when the chief over our section heard I graduated from BYU, he stopped and chatted with me. I could see the other lady who shared my office out of the corner of my eye. Her eyes got wide as she pretended not to notice and carry on with her task.

Jingle Bells

2011-11-27T20:47:00.007-05:00

We put up the tree this year. It’s a six-foot fake tree with lights already on it. One circuit, luckily on the bottom, is out. I tried to find the one bad light that would fix the problem for the rest of the lights, but no such luck. That dim-bulb section now hides in the back.

Since having kids, my Christmas tree décor has drastically changed. Gone are my all-white lights with coordinating gold and burgundy ornaments, ribbons and accents. We now have fabric ornaments, a paper-plate angel, sparkly homemade creations, random bobbles, and multicolored lights.

The ornaments are no longer decoratively spaced for optimal symmetry, there are now strange groupings of ornaments exactly at the eye-level of each child. One branch my son took particular interest in had a cluster of four ornaments crammed as far back into the tree as his little hands could reach.

If I Hold You, You Won’t Fall

2011-11-25T22:01:00.002-05:00

I learned a lesson today, just from walking with my baby. We were on a brick walkway with its usual bumps and grooves. I had her little hand safely in mine, but she wanted to run, so she wriggled her hand out and took off down the path. Of course she tripped and fell splat onto her hands and even teetered forward onto her forehead—fortunately it was a light fall.

But just like a split screen scene I was reaching out to scoop her protectively back into my arms at the moment her little body started toppling forward.

I had her safely in my grip by the time she started whimpering. She was fine, and after a brief hug, she wanted back down to try again. This time, I took her hand and said, “If you hold me, you won’t fall.”

Subliminal Messaging

2011-11-22T22:29:00.003-05:00

I’m sure you’ve heard of the tricks movie theaters allegedly used to get people to buy more concessions…nanosecond flashes of popcorn, soda or candy images in between the reels to trick your mind into wanting food without you ever realizing it?

Poor Boy Sandwich

2011-11-20T18:51:00.006-05:00

No, this is not a recipe post…I have a (mostly) sweet little boy who’s sandwiched between a big sister and a little sister. Talk about a rock and a hard place sibling style.

He can’t get away with anything, unless of course his sisters are in on the mischief. Poor kid gets tattled on by big and small.

Gifting Ideas

2011-11-18T20:55:00.007-05:00

http://www.amazon.com/Bex-Sports-7710-Kubb-Original/dp/B0006A3LWS/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1321654950&sr=1-2

I try to get the Christmas shopping done ahead of time so I can enjoy the season a little more once December hits. Plus, I don’t like being in throngs of people doing last minute shopping.

My family, not my immediate family that is, rotates families each year, so one year I’ll have one sibling’s family and then move down age-wise to the next sibling, etc.

I need help finding gifts for my brother’s outdoorsy family (his kids age range from 26-13 yrs), so I’ll share some of the ideas I’ve had for Christmas gifts and welcome any that you might have:

C-O-R-E-K-S-H-U-N

2011-11-16T21:04:00.004-05:00

I have to check my daughter’s spelling words every night. She usually gets it, but sometimes corrections are needed.

One night, I started realizing how much correction I dish out in a day. I had two wailing children in time out just today and even more threats of time out up until bedtime. We do the one-minute-per-age time out rule.

When my oldest was about four, I put her in time out and she sniped back, “I wish I could put you in time out!” I won’t tell you how many minutes that would require, but I thought, if only I could get sent to time out!

It’s easy to get caught up in my own position of “corrector” and forget that sometimes I need the correcting.

Hoarding Memories

2011-11-14T16:13:00.005-05:00

A beautiful little family, formerly living in a hotel, recently got accepted into a transitional housing program. Our ward got involved as part of a project for the anniversary of the welfare program. We helped furnish their home (plus others), but this family also needed clothes for the 2-year-old boy.

I have lots of 2-year-old boy clothes. In fact, I still have bins and bins of clothes my children have outgrown.

Each time we move, and that’s a lot, I think of selling all those clothes, but as I pick through them, I start to remember the little things they did while in those clothes and back in the bin they go.

ParTAY Mom

2011-11-11T20:59:00.016-05:00

My son's birthday cake. It's supposed to be a cupcake dragon, but the plastic over it doesn't help the glare. I saw the design in the grocery store and used candy to make the features instead of frosting. I'm not that gifted with frosting.

Today we had my son’s birthday party at a nearby bounce house (it’s an indoor fun fest with large inflatables that have the magical ability of draining a child’s energy meter to just above wakeful—they are lovely).

My son got a nametag with his name and “Birthday Boy” on it and I got one too with my name and “Party Mom” on it. “Huh,” I thought, "does this mean I have to dance on the tables?" I can do a pretty mean rendition of “Don’t Bite your Friends” from Yo Gabba Gabba…

Heart, We Will Forget Him

2011-11-10T21:14:00.003-05:00

Many moons ago in college choir, we sang a beautiful piece of music using the lyrics of an Emily Dickinson poem. I loved singing it.

I found two versions on YouTube. One by Copland and another by James Mulholland. We sang the latter, but they are both beautiful.