Valerie's Attempt at Pondering

Brian Bingham

2012-01-27T16:29:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I posted music, so I'll fix that today. I found local singer Brian Bingham (and his band) on Reverbnation. He classifies his genre as Acoustic Indie Folk. I've had this song, Beat, on my play list for a while now and he just came out with a little video for it. He has the kind of voice that gives me chills and I love when he sings the duet parts with the female singer (I think Holly Morrison, but I don't know). Remember how I love DUETS?

Watch the video and then go below to listen to more of his music. He has a new song posted on Reverbnation (link above) that isn't on his tune widget below if you'd like to head over there and listen to it and watch some of his live videos too.

"Surrounded by death taking its toll
Feels like fate has lost control."

Hero

2012-01-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

Back when I was 21, I was a substitute teacher in Orem, Utah. I sometimes worked at an elementary school and sometimes at the high schools. It was back when I looked very young. Sometimes the students didn’t believe I was the substitute and I was even stopped in the hallway and asked to show my hall pass a few times. (Those days are long gone, sadly.) I substituted in Spanish, French, biology, English, all classes I could handle.

Until one day, I got a phone asking me to substitute in the weight training class. WHAT? I have never been athletic and knew nothing about weight lifting equipment. The secretary on the phone assured me that I didn’t have to know anything because the students do. I just needed to be there (babysit). I could do that.

When I got there, I found out that it was a boy’s weight lifting class. The young men did know what to do. It was so funny to see them talking to each other about “guy stuff” and challenge each other and show off. Someone in the class came and told me that they always watch MTV during class. Well, I’m not stupid. I know students lie to the substitutes all the time. But I was 21 and bored and I wanted to hear music, so I told them they could turn it on.

I have to admit that back then I was not as careful as I should have been with the music I listened to. I never watched rated R movies or any that I felt wasn’t appropriate, but I wasn’t as particular with music. (Now I don’t even watch MTV, so I have changed my ways.) I wasn’t even watching the videos, but I was listening to the music while making sure the kids didn’t throw dumbbells or whatever. Suddenly, one of the young men got up and turned the TV off. Silence.

With the music stopped, I looked up. I remember him saying something to his friends in the class about the trash on TV, but I can’t remember what he said. Not a person complained or tried to turn it back on. I felt so bad. I was the adult in the room and I felt like I was a pretty good person. I let Satan into that room with all those youth who I was in charge of. I didn’t notice what was on the video, but I should have been paying attention. I wish I could go back in time and not do that…or at least to tell that young man that he was my hero and would be for years to come.

I still often think about how that young man stood up for what he knew was right, in that room where everyone was trying to prove how strong they were, how big their muscles were. In that room, he showed what a man he really was, what a good priesthood holder he was, what wonderful boyfriend/husband/father material he was for some young woman.

Today, I was watching some videos of Andrew Horton’s talk from a BYU Education Week. If you’ve never heard of him, he has several youth talks on CD like Laugh It Up!, Building a 3D Testimony (I haven’t heard this one yet), Getting Past Imperfect (have it) and several others. Funny and spiritual. Well, while I was watching this series of videos from his talk today, Andrew Horton suddenly tells a story that seems identical to the one I just told you AND it was in Orem in a weight lifting class. Could it be the same young man? Mine was years ago so maybe it was another young man in the same exact situation who did exactly the same awesome thing. Wow! If you don’t believe me, check out the story he tells 2 minutes 50 seconds into it. It is video 10 of a series of 13, so you could go to You Tube and watch all of them if you’d like. (Once you watch this one, you'll want to go watch them all with your family. I just know it.)

I wanted to invite all of you to write a blog post on a hero you know or have just seen and don’t even know and then I was going to have a link-up to them here, but I can;t find a free one like I used before. But if you do write a post, please leave a link to it in my comments here and I’ll add your link to the post! Then we can all be uplifted by people who are not afraid of standing up for what’s right or for living their lives the way they should be even when they think no one is watching because that’s who they are.

Finally, I just wanted to close with a song, of course.

Hero by Sanctus Real

You might think, you'll never be the one to save the day
Or do anything that matters in the world
But God can take your ordinary life and do great things
When you step out in faith

[Chorus:]
You don't need to be the biggest in life
Don't need to be the strongest to fight for what's right
Cause a hero's great for who they are inside
Don't need to be the tallest in line
You could be the smallest in size
And if your heart's right, you could be our hero tonight

So will you take, the little that you have, and make a change
For the weak and helpless in the world
If your embrace the journey thats before you, lead the way
Your faith will guide you
And in your weakness, you will find your strength

[Chorus:]
Don't need to be the biggest in life
Don't need to be the strongest to fight for what's right
Cause a hero's great for who they are inside
Don't need to be the tallest in line
You could be the smallest in size
If your heart is right, you could be our hero

And if you feel afraid, when the road ahead looks hard
Follow your heart

You could be the flame, for a world that fears the dark
Brighter than the stars

Don't need to be the biggest
Don't need to be the strongest
To do what's right
Cause hero's are great for who they are inside
Don't need to be the tallest in line
You could be the smallest in size
And if your heart is right, you could be our hero.

Oregano-Lemon Chicken

2012-01-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in a Taste of Home cookbok. I was so glad to find a fast dinner recipe that I could throw together after classes. This semester my schedule makes it hard for me to spend much time on dinner, but we still have to eat. It's good practice for when I enter the real working world.

Oregano-Lemon Chicken

6 chicken thighs

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Place the chicken in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Combine the lemon juice, honey, oil, garlic and oregano; pour over chicken.

Bake, uncovered at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees F and chicken juices run clear, basting occasionally with pan juices.

Spinach And Cheese Cupcakes

2012-01-15T21:11:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe in a cookbook quite some time ago and copied it, but never tried it until recently. I didn't write the name of the cookbook unfortunately. They made several more than 12 minis for me, but I forgot to write down how many it did make. I really liked these and they make a cute side dish or appetizer.

Spinach And Cheese Cupcakes

Nonstick olive oil spray
1/2 c. bread crumbs or instant potato flakes
1/2 c. chopped onion, frozen or fresh
1 c. refrigerated prepared mashed potatoes
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 t. minced garlic, jarred or fresh
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 c. milk, 2% or whole
2 large or extra-large eggs
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese or shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat the oven to 375°. Coat 12 cups of a mini-muffin tin with oil spray and dust with bread crumbs or instant potato flakes.

Coat a nonstick skillet with oil spray and warm the skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 4 minutes.

Combine the sauteed onions, mashed potatoes, spinach, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix in the milk and eggs until blended and stir in the cheese.

Fill each muffin cup with 2/3 cup of the potato mixture and bake for 25 minutes, until browned and set.

Pumpkin Spice Glazed Donut Holes

2012-01-11T18:19:00.005-07:00

These are called donut holes even though they are made in mini muffin pans. Hmmmm. I don't know why they aren't muffins, but whatever they are called, they are really tasty. This definitely isn't health food, but compared to other donut holes which are fried, they are lower in fat. I like the texture and they aren't dense. And two out of three of my children like them. Pretty good for our house. Thanks to Burnt Apple for posting this one.

Pumpkin Spice Glazed Donut Holes

1 3/4 c. whole wheat or unbleached all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. allspice or ginger
1/8 t. ground cloves
1/3 c. applesauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla extract
3/4 c. canned plain pumpkin
1/2 c. low-fat buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease and flour 36 mini muffin cups.

In a mixing bowl, place your dry ingredients and mix them together until well blended.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin. Whisk until mixture is well incorporated and smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredient mixture. Stir until just combined. Do not over-stir!
Place approximately 1 tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven, then wait 5 minutes for muffins to cool slightly. Remove muffins to cooling rack to finish cooling. Glaze once muffins have cooled.

Makes approximately 36 muffins.

Pumpkin Spice Muffin Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. milk
1 t. vanilla

*Tip: Place parchment paper or aluminum foil under your cooling rack for quick and easy cleanup!

In a saucepan, mix together the milk and powdered sugar over low-medium heat until mixture becomes warm. Slowly dip each donut hole into the glaze, turning until donut hole is completely covered in glaze. Remove donut hole with a slotted spoon, allowing excess glaze to drip back into the saucepan. Place glazed donut back on cooling rack to allow glaze to harden and excess to drip off. Continue glazing donuts until completed.

TO FREEZE: Place donuts in single layer on cookie sheet in freezer for approximately 1/2 - 1 hour. Transfer donuts to a freezer safe bag for storage and label. Pull out desired amount of donuts and place in lunchbox frozen. Donuts will thaw by lunchtime!

I Am Such a Slow Learner

2012-01-08T18:09:00.006-07:00

This morning as I was getting ready for church, I listened to the BYU Broadcasting Talk of the Day online. Today it is True Believers In Christ by Neal A. Maxwell from a talk he gave at BYU in 1980. Of course, it’s a wonderful talk with so many things that touched me, but I’ll just share a few. (Sorry for the formatting problems today.)

Don't you just love this photo of Elder Maxwell with some of his grandchildren?

"To begin with, the true believer, notwithstanding his weaknesses, is settled in his basic spirituality. He is settled, to use another of Alma's phrases, in his "views of Christ" (Alma 27:28), so his views of everything else are put in that precious perspective."

I believe that I am a true believer. I am an imperfect one, but I am a trying-really-hard true believer. I know that there is no part of my life that isn’t affected by my eternal perspective because it is a part of me, how I see things and how I make my decisions.

Elder Maxwell lists 13 characteristics of a true believer. I do much better at some of them then others, but the thing that he said that struck a chord with me was even before the list

"Becoming a true believer, however, means trusting not only in the Lord's plan for all of mankind but especially trusting in His unfolding and particularized plan for each of us. This means much more than merely acknowledging that God is in charge….

"Our fully "harmonious relationship" with God must also reckon, however, with the episode of the young man who told the Savior that he had kept all the commandments from his youth. Jesus then gave him a very customized challenge: to go and sell all that he had, giving the proceeds to the poor and then taking up the cross and following the Savior. Doing so, indicated the Savior to the young man, would take care of the "one thing thou lackest" (Mark 10:21). The good and decent young man went away sorrowing because he could not meet that customized challenge; he was clearly an admirer of Jesus, but not a true believer in Christ. Nor are we, if we shrink from our customized challenges.

"Indeed, would that some of us, like the young man, lacked just one thing. But having a healthy awareness of that which we yet "lack" can be a needed spur. We may have proved, for instance, that we can play checkers, but are we now ready to play chess? Are we willing to let the Lord lead us into further developmental experiences? Or do we shrink back? The things which "greatly enlarge the soul" inevitably involve stretching."

OUCH! I am trying to be a true believer, but I am not yet to the point where my first reaction to hard challenges is anything other than wanting to shrink back. I'm comforable enough without the stretching or learning to play chess. (Well, I do play chess, but you know what I mean.) I do believe in our Father’s plan for all of us in this life and the next. But I am weak when it comes to “trusting in His unfolding and particularized plan for” me. I feel like things have gone wrong, whether by accidents, people’s use of their agency, or whatever and that somehow Heavenly Father’s plan for me has been disrupted.

Really?? How can it be that the omnipotent, omniscient, loving Father does not have the power or desire to guide me right where I should be if I am striving to be obedient? At times of weakness and sorrow, I ask myself, “Well, do you believe or don’t you?”

"If he is given a "thorn in the flesh," he does not demand to see the rose garden."

Oh, how I wish to see that rose garden sometimes to make everything feel alright. How impatient I am. I know that in the end, in the next life, all wrongs will be righted and all sorrows will turn to joys, but I want to know that it will happen in this life, that I won’t have to go for the next decades of my life on earth without holding that beautiful rose. This is a stirring reminder that as a believer, I need to let go of that desire.

Lead Kindly Light by Richard Lance Russell

When I read this quote below, I remembered that I had this quote in my quote file and in my heart already.

"Let the kaleidoscope of life's circumstances be shaken, again and again, and the 'true believer of Christ' will still see 'with the eye of faith' divine design and purpose in his life."

Then I looked through my blog history and noticed that I already blogged about this quote, which I had read in one of Elder Maxwell’s books. (If you wanna read that post, click HERE.) This is another time I am so grateful to have my blog and be able to go back and read my thoughts and feelings. I am a bit sad to see that I wrote that in 2008 and I still have the same weakness, but I can only go forward and continue to work on it, and work and work.

Close to the end of his talk, Elder Maxwell leaves this beautiful imagery.

Father, Forgive Them by Eric J. Heywood

"Let us, brothers and sisters, seek to become such true believers in Christ. Let us make our way, righteously and resolutely, notwithstanding our weaknesses, to the beckoning City of God. There, the sole and self-assigned gatekeeper is Jesus Christ. He awaits us at the gate not only to certify us--but because His deep, divine desire brings Him there to welcome us. "He employeth no servant there" (2 Ne. 9:41). If we acknowledge Him now, He will lovingly acknowledge us then."

2012

2011-12-31T13:50:00.001-07:00

Since starting the new year usually means contemplating change and trying to see hope and good in the new year, here are a few quotes to help us.

"It isn't what you have, or who you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about."
Dale Carnagie

“You can never make the same mistake twice, because the second time you make it, its not a mistake, its a choice.”

“Quite often we change our jobs, friends and spouses instead of changing ourselves.” Akbarali H. Jetha

"You will never change your life until you change something you do daily." John C. Maxwell

"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot cange anything." George Bernard Shaw

"A ship ought not to be held by one anchor, nor life by a singe hope." Epictetus

"All human wisdom is summed up in two words - wait and hope." Alexander Dumas

Are you waiting and hoping like I am?

26th Annual Spiritual & Religious Art of Utah

2011-12-28T18:43:00.002-07:00

Yesterday the kids and I went to the Springville Museum of Art's 26th Annual Spiritual & Religious Art of Utah Exhibition. There were so many beautiful pieces. I had a favorite last year (and am still kicking myself for not taking a photo of it), but this year I don't think I did.

This triptych shows the atonement, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ with just his hands. The artist is Jennifer Diane Gubler and the title is Galatians 2:20.

Mother & Child by Emily Ann Gordon

This is a very unique piece entitled Serrano de Christo is by Trevin Prince. He used resin and his own blood.

I just had to include this one just because of its title--Pondering by Catherine Darling Hostetter. Click on it to see it bigger and see the interesting old newspaper articles.

This piece Welcome to My World by Heather Barron reminds me of some paintings by my friend Elizabeth Sanchez, who I mentioned in this post.

Madonna Francesa: Remember My Son by Pedro Jose Ibañez

The light was coming in through a window hitting Christ by David G. Dean.

This one is called "Beacause of Your Faith"-Elder Holland by Matthew Grant McNaughtan. It is based off of a part in Elder Holland's talk Because of Your Faith where he describes the faithful "osteoporotic couples who trundle off to the temple at 5:00 in the morning with little suitcases now almost bigger than they are". It called my attention because I love to see older couples together, especially hand in hand. Two people who have gone through so much together, have so many memories and suffered and celebrated together, and because of their faith, stuck together through it all.

Chicken Nachatta

2011-12-20T21:10:00.001-07:00

Found this recipe at We Heart Food a while ago, put it in my file and finally made it tonight. Yummmmm! Tender chicken with a delicious flavor. It's easy to put together, but looks and tastes kinda fancy. I *heart* cranberries. I followed the directions except I used 100% cranberry/pomegranate juice in place of the Marsala.

Chicken Nachatta

2 T. unsalted butter
1 c. thinly-sliced red onion
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, (approx. 1 lb)
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. olive oil
1 T. light brown sugar
1/4 c. chicken broth
3/4 c. Marsala wine (or cranberry juice)
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. heavy cream

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion and cook until tender and somewhat browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Coat the chicken breasts with the flour, patting to remove excess.

Add the olive oil to the skillet and heat to medium-high. Add the chicken breasts and brown, 1-2 mintues. Turn the chicken over, add the brown sugar to the skillet, and stir so that it melts. Add the chicken broth and boil until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the Marsala, mushrooms, onions, and dried cranberries. Bring to a boil, add the cream, and lower the heat to medium. Simmer until reduced by half and the chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice. Season to taste with
salt and pepper.

Transfer to plates and top with the pan sauce.

Prayer of the Children

2011-12-07T15:37:00.003-07:00

I have heard this beautiful, almost haunting, song many times over the years and I love it. I heard it again Sunday morning and I couldn't stop thinking about children. We all know the deplorable conditions that some children are forced to live in throughout the world. Every minute of their reality on earth is so different from ours.

The song is by Kurt Bestor, who I'm sure many of you have heard of. If you'd like some background on the song you can read it on his BLOG.

Prayer of the Children
Can you hear the prayer of the children?
On bended knee, in the shadow of an unknown room
Empty eyes with no more tears to cry
Turning heavenward toward the light

Crying Jesus, help me
To see the morning light-of one more day
But if I should die before I wake,
I pray my soul to take

Can you feel the hearts of the children?
Aching for home, for something of their very own
Reaching hands, with nothing to hold on to,
But hope for a better day a better day

Crying Jesus*, help me
To feel the love again in my own land
But if unknown roads lead away from home,
Give me loving arms, away from harm

Can you hear the voice of the children?
Softly pleading for silence in a shattered world?
Angry guns preach a gospel full of hate,
Blood of the innocent on their hands

Crying Jesus*, help me
To feel the sun again upon my face,
For when darkness clears I know you're near,
Bringing peace again

Dali cujete sve djecje molitive?
(Croatian translation:
'Can you hear all the children's prayers?')
Can you hear the prayer of the children?
(Feel free to play the song while you read or to watch the video first before reading on.)

I have heard Kathy Headlee of Mothers Without Borders talk about how children in Uganda are forced to be "night commuters", walking miles every single night to a safe location where they will not be kidnapped from their homes and forced to join the military and kill their family and others.

I also heard Rebecca Douglas of Rising Star Outreach talk about how children who have parents with Leprosy in India are rejected from society.

I cannot imagine living with the challenges that so many children live with daily throughout the world. But my thoughts today are about the children right around us.

"The mothers of Helaman’s warriors lived in times not unlike our own. Their circumstances were difficult and dangerous, and youth were being called upon to defend physical and spiritual liberty. Today we live in a world where we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12)."
(If you are not familiar with the story of Helaman's warriors from the Book of Mormon, here is a
children's story version of it.)

The world really is difficult, dangerous, and full of darkness and our children need to be able to feel safe and loved. But many struggle. There are many children around us who need us. They are in our own backyards or in our homes. Some children come from "broken" homes and others have families who love them, but they have been through some trauma or have emotional challenges like low self-esteem, maybe even sickness or disablities that might make them feel different.

There are children whose lives we can touch. I am grateful for people around me who are such a good example. I have friends who have befriended children or teenagers and helped them feel loved. Some of my friends have had children who aren't their own live with them and have treated them like their own children. My children have primary, young men and young women leaders who care for them and get to know them. Right now, I am just trying hard to keep up with my own children with all that is happening in my life. But there is one girl I have on my mind who I'd like to get to know better and help her know how wonderful she is. So this is a challenge to me to hear the prayers of the children, to reach out to their hands and hearts.

Sadder

2011-12-01T15:56:00.002-07:00

Crazy busy school week and finals are coming up in 2 weeks and I spend any extra time with my family, of course, so my blog is being so ignored. I do miss it and all of you!

Back in May I blogged about one of my favorite local singers, Nik Day. Remember that? Well, I saw him sing several months back and he sang a new song called "Sadder". He just released the video for that song so I gotta share it with you. It isn't his usual upbeat kinda song, but I like the catchy tune. I definitely didn't picture what the video looks like when I heard him sing it.

Hope you're having a great December.

Cherry Walnut White Chocolate Fudge

2011-11-25T11:17:00.002-07:00

Finally got to try out a new recipe! I found this recipe at TLC Cooking, but I changed it just a bit. The dried cherries that were on sale were sold out so I bought dried cranberries, which I think was good for Thanksgiving. I didn't add walnuts, but I know it'd make them even better for me. And I did not get even close to 64 pieces since I didn't cut them teeny-tiny. I love how pretty and colorful they are.

Cherry Walnut White Chocolate Fudge

3 c. sugar

1 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. light corn syrup
8 oz. premium white chocolate, chopped
1 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped dried cherries
1 c. toasted walnuts, chopped

Spray 9X9-inch pan with cooking spray. Spray inside of heavy large saucepan with cooking spray.

Combine sugar, cream, butter and syrup in prepared saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil, stirring frequently. Wash down sugar crystals.

Attach candy thermometer to side of pan, making sure bulb is submerged in sugar mixture but not touching bottom of pan.

Continue cooking about 6 minutes or until sugar mixture reaches soft-ball stage (234°F) on candy thermometer, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. (Do not stir.)

Add white chocolate and vanilla; stir 1 minute or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in cherries and walnuts.

Spread evenly in prepared pan. Score into 64 squares while fudge is still warm. Refrigerate until firm. Cut along score lines into squares.

What's the Point?

2011-11-13T16:32:00.003-07:00

I am taking an ethics class this semester. It's my last general education class so it'll be all upper division science classes after this. It has been interesting to see many views of ethics from different philosophers like Socrates, St. Augustine, Nietzsche, Mills and Kant. My ethics professor does not believe in a God, so it is interesting to hear things from a point of view so different from what I would think. Even when I don't agree with him, I can often see where he is coming from and respect his opinion.

One thing he said recently made me laugh at its simplicity. He said that one of the problems with religions that believe in a God is the contradiction that we have free will, but God is omnipotent so already knows what we will choose, so what is the point?

What is the point? Heavenly Father knows each of us and has known us and he really does know what we will choose, but we have been given the opportunity to show him and to show ourselves. We aren't here just to prove ourselves to him, but to us. Just as Heavenly Father knew that Abraham would be willing to sacrifice his son if asked, but Abraham himself didn't know at first that he would be obedient. He learned and grew from the test of faith. He was able to know that he is valiant and would do very difficult things if the Lord asked because he loved the Lord more than his desires, however righteous, and he had faith that if he was asked to do it, there was a reason, even if he didn't know the reason.

"In these defining moments, the crisis doesn't create one's character, it reveals it."
Lynn G. Robbins, "Tithing, a Commandment Even for the Destitute," Ensign, May 2005, 34

We have to be working on faith before we need it, not when the crisis arises. And rest assured, a crisis will arise. It is easy to say that we are faithful when our faith isn't being tested or that we could resist a temptation when we aren't being tempted. Or maybe to say we would give up our spot on the lifeboat to someone else if we were ever on a sinking ship, but we don't actually know what we would do until we are in the situation. So we are often put in situations that give us the opportunity to reveal our true character.

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
John Wooden

Of course, if we fail to pass one of the tests we've been given, we can learn from it and change so that we are stronger and more faithful. There will be another test and we want to be ready for that one. What is the point of progressing? While others do not share our belief, we know that our Father is using these tests to help us progress so that if we prove ourselves worthy, we can also become Gods and Godesses. We cannot be ready for that with just theoretical teaching, without experiencing all that we experience, making mistakes, learning and showing what we have learned by passing the next test.

What a beautiful plan we are a part of. What a loving Heavenly Father we have. What a blessing I have to have a knowledge and testimony of it.

“Tests and trials are given to all of us. These mortal challenges allow us and our Heavenly Father to see whether we will exercise our agency to follow His Son. He already knows, and we have the opportunity to learn, that no matter how difficult our circumstance, ‘all these things shall [be for our] experience, and … for [our] good’ (Doctrine & Covenants 122:7).” Elder Robert D. Hales, "Waiting Upon the Lord: Thy Will Be Done", October 2011, General Conference

Heed the Tiwi

2011-10-30T15:04:00.002-06:00

I really enjoyed a talk that was given in our ward a few weeks ago so I want to share what I took away from it. The speaker had accompanied the high councilman who was speaking also. I didn’t have my notebook with me that day, unfortunately, and I don’t remember his name. (If anyone reading this was there and knows, let me know and I'll include his name.) He was a recently returned missionary who spoke about a monitor that is now put on missionary cars. It’s called a Tiwi . I had never heard of it before.

It’s a unit that is put on the car and then warns you if you are speeding, driving aggressively, not wearing your seat belts or going beyond the area designated as permitted to travel in. Not only does it warn the driver with a audible voice, it sends reports to the mission home or Salt Lake.

“Exceeding speed limit”

“Warning: aggressive driving”

Can you imagine how much many of the missionaries despise this device?

When a missionary had too many bad reports from the Tiwi, their driving privileges would be suspended. Sadly, the mission president was having a hard time arranging new companionships so that at least one of them would be able to drive. I know they are basically just teenagers, but it’s still sad.

The speaker said that some of the cars in the mission weren’t compatible with the Tiwi, so those missionaries would drive however they wanted, not worrying about being caught speeding or going slightly outside their boundary limits. But the monitor on this missionary’s car worked fine so he was careful to drive so as not to get bad reports sent to Salt Lake. After some time, he noticed that the missionaries who didn’t have a Tiwi and weren’t careful, had a lot of problems with their cars that he didn’t have--they went through tires faster, bumpers were falling off, repairs were needed more often. Because he followed the rules, he enjoyed good consequences. Because the other missionaries didn’t, they suffered bad consequences.

Of course, this Tiwi is like the Holy Ghost for each one of us. Our Heavenly Father “gets a report” since he sees all and knows all. The Holy Ghost is a warning system for us. “Approaching boundary limit” “Going too fast” Whether we heed these warnings or not is up to us. Unlike this electronic monitor, if we do not listen to the Holy Ghost, his warnings get quieter and quieter. We may think that we are smart enough or good enough to ignore the “little” things and still avoid the big temptations, but as we distance ourselves from the Lord and the Holy Ghost, we are less able to hear the warning and see the consequences, both immediate and eternal.

I am so grateful for the beautiful blessing our loving Heavenly Father has given each of us to have the companionship of a member of the Godhead to guide and exhort us. To me, it is just another way he shows us that he wants us to return to him and to be happy while we are on this earth. Instead of being shackles that bind us, the rules and commandments give us freedom to enjoy the best in this life, find real, lasting joy and avoid the sorrow that “just having fun by breaking rules” inevitably leads to. I love my Tiwi.

Sharing the Gospel

2011-10-20T12:40:00.001-06:00

"The intensity of our desire to share the gospel is a great indicator of the extent of our personal conversion." Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, November 2001, page 7.

“Missionary work is but home teaching to those who are not now members of the Church, and home teaching is nothing more or less than missionary work to Church members”

Pres. Harold B. Lee, Improvement Era, Dec. 1964, 1078

A month or two ago, I gave a talk in sacrament meeting about sharing the gospel, so I thought I'd share some of it here. It is important for all members to share the gospel for at least three reasons. One, it strengthens our own testimony as we verbalize it and analyze how to explain it. Two, it can help others feel the Spirit, learn about our Heavenly Father's plan and possibly join the church. Three, there are many people who are not at all interested in joining the church, but are interested in learning about what we really believe instead of what others say we believe. We can help dispel untrue stories.

“1. Of investigators found through media campaigns, about 1 to 2 percent are baptized.

2. Of investigators found through the missionaries’ efforts, about 2 to 3 percent are baptized.

3. Of investigators found through the members, 20 to 30 percent are baptized.

…. Whenever there is a member who introduces an investigator, there is an immediate support system.

“The full-time missionaries may do the actual teaching, but the member, wherever possible, will back up that teaching with the offering of his home to carry on this missionary service. He will bear sincere testimony of the divinity of the work. He will be there to answer questions when the missionaries are not around. He will be a friend to the convert who is making a big and often difficult change.”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “The Role of Members in Conversion,” Ensign, Mar 2003, 52–58

Missionaries are set apart to teach gospel and study it daily, but as we heard in the numbers, it is more effective for them to spend their time teaching the people we bring to church than it is for them to spend all day tracting.

People who come into the church can experience two different conversions. One is a spiritual conversion where they believe the things they learn and feel the Spirit testify of the truth. The missionaries help investigators through this conversion. The other conversion is a social conversion. It is our duty as members to welcome investigators whether we invited them, the missionaries brought them or they decided to visit on their own. Whether they stay active in the church or not has much to do with how welcomed they feel.

Our job is to bring them and love them, the missionaries can teach them. Invite them to activities, watch a church DVD at your home, have dinner with the missionaries in your home.

“The 12-hour-a-day, heavy-duty effort we’ll leave to the full-time missionaries, but why should they have all the fun? We are entitled to a seat at the abundant table of testimony as well, and fortunately a place has been reserved there for each member of the Church.

Indeed, one of the axioms of our day is that no mission or missionaries can ultimately succeed without the loving participation and spiritual support of the local members working with them in a balanced effort. If today you are taking notes on a stone tablet, chisel that one in deeply. I promise you won’t ever have to erase it. Initial investigators may come from many different sources, but those who are actually baptized and who are firmly retained in activity in the Church come overwhelmingly from friends and acquaintances known to members of the Church.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, ‘Witnesses unto Me’, Liahona, Jul 2001, 15–17

For me, the desire to share the gospel started when I was young. When I met someone, I would wonder if I promised them in the premortal life that I would find them and share the gospel with them. That thought helped me to share the gospel with many people.

In the middle of first grade, I moved and started a new school. I really liked my new teacher Mrs. Lawson and wanted to share the gospel with her. I was shy, but sneaky. We had free reading time during class where we could read a book from the class, the library or home, so I started taking my Book of Mormon. She asked me what I was reading. Then on Fridays we had music time where any of us in the class could take a record from home so I took My Turn on Earth. Then after talking to my parents about it, I got very brave and invited her to FHE. I don't remember the lesson, but my parents talked to her afterward. I really hoped she would be baptized, but she decided not to and then we moved. I don't know what ever happened to her.

As we are friends with others who are not members of the church, we can teach them about our beliefs just by how we live. Stacie, a friend from high school in Ohio, sometimes attended church, young women and even early morning seminary with me. She decided not to be baptized, but has told me of many times when someone has said something untrue about the church or its beliefs and she has been able to correct them because of the things she learned.

A lot has changed since the time I took the record to school to help share the gospel. The internet can be used for bad things, but it can also be very useful. Here are two quotes from LDS.org.

“Since the launch of the official Facebook page for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in May 2008, the Church has increased its Facebook presence over the last two years, adding nearly two dozen official Facebook pages for everything from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to LDS Technology.

As the Church enhances its presence in the social media world, members have the opportunity to share their testimonies online, according to the promptings of the Spirit, with others. In 2007, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles invited members to “join the conversation” by participating on the Internet to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration.

Joining the Church’s official Facebook pages, linking to them, or commenting on them are effective ways to do this. Find the list of official pages by visiting the official Facebook page for the Church and clicking on the “Official Pages” tab.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, recently joined a growing list of Church leaders who have encouraged members to consider sharing the gospel online as appropriate. “With so many social media resources and a multitude of more or less useful gadgets at our disposal, sharing the good news of the gospel is easier and the effects more far-reaching than ever before.”2 “Waiting on the Road to Damascus,” Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Liahona and Ensign, May 2011.

To go along with the online gospel sharing, I’ll read one more thing for LDS.org.

“With a blog, you have an even greater opportunity to share your beliefs. Talk about your day-to-day life. Remember that some who read your blog may not understand traditional “Mormon jargon”; be careful to be clear in your writing. Share what you learn when you go to Church. Share your family home evening experiences. Share how the Lord has blessed you. Bear your testimony where appropriate and if you are prompted by the Spirit.”

Like some of you, I have a blog and it’s lots of fun. I share pictures of my kids for my family and also recipes and music, but I also use my blog to share the gospel. I post quotes from talks I’ve heard that I like, visiting teaching message thoughts, family home evening lessons. At first when I started blogging, I was nervous that I would get comments from people against the church. Instead I have received good comments from people all over the world, many are members of the church, but not everyone. Even if readers don’t feel the Spirit and aren’t converted, at least they now know more about what we believe and what Latter-day Saints are like. I appreciate being able to have so many ways to share the gospel.

Heads/Tails

2011-10-17T16:55:00.001-06:00

This isn't a new song or one from a local band like I usually do, but it's been in my head and I have no time for a real post so this is what you get. I really like the piano in this song. Hope the guy's interesting mouth on some of the words isn't too distracting. Have a good day! I'm back to studying...

Chocolate Sundae Cookies

2011-10-14T12:59:00.002-06:00

I love sundaes. I mean Sundays. Actually, I like em both. I don't do any studying on Sundays so it is my only day of the week when I am not running around with flashcards if I'm not sitting down doing homework for a good part of the day. I get to go to church and feel the spirit and partake of the sacred sacrament. I get to see the cute and funny kids in my primary class. On the weekends my children are home, we get to spend time together. So last Sunday, the kids and I decided to do one of the things we like doing, but rarely get time to do anymore--bake cookies! But not just any cookies. We went through a bunch of recipes and decided on trying this one for the first time. I found it at Carla's Chocolate Moosey. I like Sundays and sundaes and now sundae cookies. Oh, yummmmm!

We did find one thing wrong with this recipe though. It only makes 12 cookies. Luckily, that is easily fixed and we just doubled it and really did get 24. There's a long list of ingredients, but you probably have everything at home already. (And it's not a typo- there are no eggs.)

Chocolate Sundae Cookies

3/4 c. flour

1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. butter
1 T. water
1 1/2 t. canola oil
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. vanilla
3 T. cocoa powder
1 T. oil
1 T. milk
2 T. cherry juice
2 T. maraschino cherries, chopped
6 large marshmallows, cut in half
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
2 T. butter
2 t. corn syrup
1/8 t. vanilla
Sprinkles
12 whole maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, cream sugar, butter, water, 1 1/2 tsp oil, baking powder, and vanilla until well blended. Add cocoa and 1 Tbsp oil; mix well. Add milk and cherry juice. Add dry ingredients. Stir in cherries.

Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet. Bake 12 minutes. As soon as they come out, press a marshmallow half on top of each cookie. Let cool until sturdy enough to transfer to cooling rack.

In microwave, melt butter, Stir in chocolate and corn syrup. Microwave in 10 second intervals until melted and combined. Stir in vanilla. Spoon over each marshmallow, covering it completely. Top with sprinkles and a cherry.

Makes 12 cookies.

Payson Temple Groundbreaking

2011-10-09T21:51:00.001-06:00

Yesterday (October 9, 2011) my girls and I went to the Payson temple groundbreaking. Well, we went to a stake center and watched it live from the dry, warm chapel there. Elder Oaks and the thousands who were there were out in the off-and-on rain and cool weather in the 30s. Alexander was at a marching band competition so he wasn't with us. I was disappointed that he didn't get to be there. I wanted to make this whole process of temple building special for my children so it is something they won't forget.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks presided and gave the dedicatory prayer. I didn't know that he moved to his grandparents' farm in Payson after his father died when he was around 7 years old and he met his first wife at a football game at Payson high school. Of the temple, he said, "Standing adjacent to I-15, the major north-south artery in Utah, the Payson Utah Temple will be a dominant and visible influence on the millions who pass by here by day and by night."

It was so interesting that we sang two songs written by people who once lived in Payson. One was #147 Sweet Is the Work, with music by John J. McClellan, who was the mayor of Payson from 1887 to 1890. And then I think the other one was Ebenezer Beesley who wrote #5 "High on the Mountain Top". Who knew any songs in the hymn book were written by anyone who even heard of Payson, Utah? If you haven't lived in Utah, you probably have never heard of it.

It was a short ceremony, but there were a few different speakers. One was Elder Steven E. Snow. He said that when he and his wife were sealed in the temple, there were only 13 temples in the whole world and they thought it would be fun to have a goal to visit each one. Now there are 135 operating and many under construction and announced. So Elder Snow said that "President Hinckley and President Monson ruined" their plans.

(Artist's rendering below)

The Payson temple will be one of the bigger recently built temples, at 96,630 square feet. The Draper temple is 58,300 sq. feet and the Oquirrh Mountain temple just slightly larger than that at 60,000 sq. feet.

I don't know much about Payson, but we went down and found the future temple site and took photos. I plan to go with my children often during the construction process so we can take photos and see the progress and hopefully they will feel a little part of this temple and remember it always. It will be fun to do similar things with the Provo Tabernacle that will be turned into a temple. We already have some memories there.

The temple site used to be a wheat field, not long ago. Sabrina found a few pieces of wheat and we brought them home. We're going to frame them, along with a photo of the temple, in the future.

While we were there, someone came and collected a bit of this dirt, which they "turned" during the groundbreaking.

Elisa took a few pictures and touched the lens so the rest of the photos after that had a blurry smudge. Oh, so sad it's on me. :)

We found a little friend popping out of his hole while we were there. Sabrina is very worried since he's about to lose his home.

I am grateful to be able to share such a beautiful thing with my children, step-by-step. I know that the covenants we make in the temple are sacred and meant to be eternal. Some people may not keep their promises, but all of our Heavenly Father's promises are true if we live up to our part. The promises made to us in the temple are so precious and worth all effort of sacrifice and obedience to live up to them.

Write On

2011-10-02T12:48:00.000-06:00

For my LDS friends, hasn't General Conference been wonderful, as always? A few months ago I was at a fireside where Elder Cook spoke and shared the same story about meeting President Monson in the elevator. Remember? Okay, I don't expect you'd remember my old POSTS, but I did blog about it. Apparently, during and after that session of conference yesterday, many people found my blog post by searching for the story. How fun. But today I'm blogging about other things, in a febile attempt to catch up.

I noticed that in many of the classes I attended BYU Women’sConference in August, there one topic came up even though several of theclasses were unrelated. In those classes on parenting, happiness, healing, andgoals, the common topic I noticed was, in my words, “Write On”.

The teachers talked about the importance of writing, an artthat seems to be disappearing in our culture in some ways. The point isn’t tobecome an author or to become a more creative or perfect writer, but to usewriting as a tool to help yourself feel gratitude, be happy, heal, share yourlove, keep your memories, share the gospel, reach out to others and work onyour goals.

I know that my friends who also blog have felt this. Many ofus feel that blogging (writing and sharing) is a form of therapy. It is good toput feelings down in words and then have even one person “hear you” and yourjoy, pain or perspective. Not only is it wonderful to write, but to go back andread. I have been strengthened by going back to my old posts and in mynotebooks and reading what I felt, quotes or scriptures or music that upliftedme and helped me to know truth.

In President Henry B. Eyring’s memorable talk O Remember, Remember, he talked of his gratitude journal and how it helped himto see the hand of the Lord in his life and his blessings and to focus on thepositive. I love how some of my blogger friends, like Ann’s An Old Fashioned Girl and others, have gratitude posts or parts on their regular poststo take time to share what they are grateful for.

I attended all 4 of Dr. Dean Barley’s classes in the Happiness:Sustainable Strategies to Increase Life Satisfaction series and he spokeseveral times of writing—to cement your goals on paper, to work out problemsand to feel more gratitude and therefore, more happiness.

He taught of a study (probably there is more than one) whereone group of people were told to write down 3 good things about their day everyday, and those in the other group were not asked to do this. The group thatkept this gratitude journal was more happy and less anxious. Not only that, butan unexpected result showed up. The group who wrote the good things down alsoexercised 1/5 hours more per week and slept better.

Several years ago I took a class at BYU onpsychoneuroimmunology, studying the effects of our psychological state on ourneurological and immunological systems. Super interesting to me. One of thetopics we studied was similar to this article I found online. (Did you knowthere is something called writing therapy?)

Health Writing Writing for therapy helps erase effectsof trauma I won’t summarize everything since you can go read it if you’reinterested, but it talked about how writing can heal you, both emotionally andeven physically.

“The effect isn't just emotional, Pennebaker says. One of his studies,published in the "Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology" inApril 1988, found that college students had more active T-lymphocyte cells, anindication of immune system stimulation, six weeks after writing about stressful events. Other studies have foundthat people tend to take fewer trips to the doctor, function better inday-to-day tasks, and score higher on tests of psychological well being aftersuch writing exercises, he says.

Dr. Barley, in one of his classes, mentioned something I mayhave heard before, but didn’t really remember. He talked about “post-traumaticgrowth”, and even included divorce as one of the traumas, along with losing aloved one, being kidnapped and other obvious ones. It’s helpful to think ofthat growth, not just the trauma. Dr. Barley and Carrie Maxwell Wrigley, in herclass on Healing for Depression and Low Self-Worth, both talked about the roleof writing in healing. (She has a CD out at Seagull Bookfor only $5.99 right now.)

Those who write out their feelings, problems, and anxietiesheal more quickly than those who do not.

After we write it out, we see things we didn’t see. When wehave to put it in specific words instead of a jumble of emotions, we can tackleeach part of the problem. There are cathartic benefits in writing about yourtrauma or fears. The article above also talks about this.

"Writing gives you a sense of control and a sense ofunderstanding… To write about a stressful event, you have to break it down intolittle pieces, and suddenly it seems more manageable."

I remember my mother writing as a way to work through thingswhen I was growing up. I don’t know if someone taught it to her or if she justdiscovered that it helped her, but she would write out her feelings (I think)and then write over the words with more words so it was unreadable. I don’tknow if it was so no one could read her personal words or if there was someother reason, but I do remember seeing that and learning from it.

Dr. Barley also talked about the importance of writing thankyou notes and letters. It not only helps the person who receives them, but ithelps the writer. He even advocates writing the thank you letter, laminatingit, and going in person or on the phone and reading it to the person. Coolidea, huh?

And finally, In their class on parenting, the famous Richard and Linda Eyre (Did you know they were on Oprah years ago?) talked about how Linda used writing in her role asmother. I love this idea and am sad that I did not hear it sooner so I couldstart when my children were very young. (Okay, I'm horrible at writing, so I probably wouldn't have done it anyway, but I love the idea.) Linda kept a book for each child, andthey have like 9. In their books, she would occasionally write something aboutthem that she saw them do, something funny they said or something special justabout them. Then when they got married, she would give each child their book.How beautiful! Little things that they would otherwise not have remembered wererecorded so they can laugh or cry at them together, reading all about it. Andthis book can be shared with posterity. I am so very bad at anything like that.

Even though I still have so much to post about from theindividual classes, I wanted to talk about this topic since it was mentioned somany times. Have you used writing as therapy or kept a gratitude journal?

German Chocolate Cookies

2011-09-20T21:39:00.000-06:00

I went to my friend Debbie's wedding tonight. She had a pretty cookie bar and many of her friends took cookies for it. I made Lemon Sandwich Cookies and these new cookies that I found at Cookie Madness. They have corn syrup in them so they are chewy and soft and I like the chocolate chunks.

Look at all this coconut and pecans!

Is is bad that I liked the cookie dough with crunchy toasted coconut and pecans even more than the cookies?

German Chocolate Cookies

2 c. sweetened, shredded coconut

1 1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 3/4 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 c. packed brown sugar
3/4 c. salted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 T. light corn syrup
2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
4 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped or grated

Heat the oven to 350°and grease 2 baking sheets or cover them with parchment paper.

Spread the coconut and pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 10 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. Set them aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set it aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, on medium speed, beat together the brown sugar and the butter until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg, corn syrup, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat in the flour mixture, then use a rubber spatula to fold in the coconut, pecans, and chocolate.

Drop the dough onto the baking sheets by the heaping tablespoonful, spacing them a few inches apart, and use a table knife to flatten them slightly.

Bake one sheet at a time, in the upper third of the oven, for 7 to 10 minutes, until golden all over and lightly browned at the edges (you may want to reverse the sheet from front to back during baking to ensure even browning). Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let stand a minute or two to let the cookies firm up, then transfer the cookies to the rack to cool.

Debbie and her children with her new husband right before the wedding. They were getting ready to have a photo taken, but I took this one before they were ready.

Look Into My Eyes

2011-09-14T11:02:00.000-06:00

Many of my blogger friends are Mindy Gledhill fans. Have you seen her latest song with Kaskade (recently voted as America's Best DJ, but I had never heard of him)?

They have worked together before so maybe you've heard their other collaborations.

What do you think? I saw Mindy Gledhill sing once at an EFY concert several years ago. If you'd like to know more about her, check out her Website or Blog.

When Life Gets Hard...

2011-09-11T15:44:00.000-06:00

Today is a "tender day" as one of the general authorities who visited our stake conference said today. (I can’t remember if it was Elder C. Scott Grow or Elder Randy W. Wilkinson, both who spoke.) Remembering 9/11 makes this a somber day, full of emotion. Add on top of that for those in our stake, the fact that they released our beloved stake president after more than ten years of service. I have so much love for President Butler.

I have been able to be in different meetings with him and his counselors when I was in primary and relief society presidencies in my ward and then even more closely when I was a stake primary secretary. Then I was released from that calling and still got to associate with him as a bishop’s wife. And then, he was my leader who helped me through the trauma of being made a single mother. I am so grateful that our Father in Heaven gives us leaders on earth who can guide and advise us and comfort us.

But today’s post isn’t about either of those things. It’s a review of a talk on CD that I hope you all get to listen to someday because it is so great. Really and truly you will laugh lots and cry too. I’m so glad that my library likes to buy LDS CDs that I can listen to while driving.

Last month I found When Life Gets Hard… by Meg Johnson at the library and checked it out even though I had never heard of it or her. Meg Johnson (yep, go to her website !) is a quadriplegic who was paralyzed in an accident while hiking. You may have heard of her since she was on the cover of Wasatch Woman in 2008.

An adorable couple---Meg and her hubby Whit

She is so chipper and happy and her energy is contagious as you listen to her talk. I won’t tell you her hilarious stories about an old lady helping to throw her in her car or when she got the answer to not marry her boyfriend or any of the other stories that made me laugh out loud because I want you to hear it from her. I’ll share with you a few of the other things that she talks about in a kinda random way.

Our worst disabilities are the ones inside that paralyze us, like spiritual paralysis.

She read this wonderful quote. “He is a loving Father who wants us to have the happiness that results not from mere innocence but from proven righteousness. Therefore, he will, at times, not deflect the harsh learning experiences that may come to each of us—even though he will help us in coping with them."
Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “Talk of the Month,” New Era, May 1971, 28

Meg gave 4 steps to what we can do to find joy when life is hard. And of course she had lots of wonderful things to say about each one.

1. Gratitude (Basic first step when we are too weak to start with anything else)
Meg tells the story of when she awoke in the hospital and was so upset about everything that happened and was crying thinking of so many things. Then she stopped herself, thinking that she had to find a way to feel better so she opened her eyes. She could only see the ceiling tiles so she started to pray to our Father that He would help her love those ceiling tiles and then started praying to love one thing after another.

I first heard this last month, but re-listened to it again last week. This time as I heard this, I had the thought, "I have prayed to have peace, to be able to press forward, somehow finish this second degree, to even find joy, but I have not prayed to love anything about this. I haven’t prayed to love this house, to love sitting alone when it seems everyone around me is a couple, or to love chemistry." So since then, I have been praying for love for everything. Just the act of praying for it has helped me a little.

2. Eternal attitude
Meg mentions a time when she was laughing and a guys said to her, "Meg, how can you still smile ?" She felt angry because the unspoken part of that questions was "Meg, how can you still smile when clearly your life could hold no joy?" And she talked about how the atonement can bring joy to all of our lives and our knowledge of our Heavenly Father’s plan can make us happy.

This reminded me an experience of my own. Several months after my divorce, I was at the grocery store with my children. We sometimes get kinda silly and laugh loud, like we were this time. I turned around and saw a woman who I knew and who knew of the divorce, but I hadn’t seen since the divorce. I asked how she was and she said, "I’m doing well." And with a kind of puzzled look she said, "You look happy." Maybe it was just me, but it seemed like she was saying, "I expected you to be walking around sad all the time. How can you be happy?" I definitely have had times when it was hard to do anything but cry, but thankfully, I have been able to feel such peace and love also. Because of the atonement of our Savior, I can have hope for a better future, even if that future is not until the next life. Our eternal perspective can help us see that our trials are temporary, even if they will last the rest of our life on earth.

3. Prayer
Meg mentions how we all know to start our scripture study with a prayer, but do you think of ending your prayer with scripture study? Like the saying goes, "If you want to talk to God pray ; if you want God to talk to you, read the scriptures." We can find answers and comfort by praying, listening, and pondering and reading the scriptures.

4. Service
"You will find that you are your strongest when you reach down to pick up someone else." We need the strength we get from serving others more than those we serve need us.

“To find happiness and joy, no matter what comes, we must make our stand unequivocally with the Lord.” James E. Faust, Where Do I Make My Stand?, Oct. 2004 General Conference

About hard times, Meg says, “The only way you can know how awesome it feels to laugh so hard that you’re not making any noise is to have sobbed so hard that you’re not making any noise.”

Probably every single one of you has also sobbed that hard at one time or many times. We know that there is opposition in this life. Hard times come to all of us and it is sometimes hard to live the saying “Come what may and love it”. How can we love some of the hard, awful things? We can feel the enabling power of our Savior, right there with us. We can know that “all things work together for good to those who love God”.

I really hope you go buy the CD from her site or stop by Deseret Book or Seagull Book…or maybe you’ll get lucky and your library will have it too. Here’s a little video to give you a tiny peek at Meg and her personality. Update: Monserrat at Chocolate on My Cranium just left a comment that Meg also was featured on Episode 9 of Enduring It Well on the Mormon Channel. I had listened to several of the episodes before, but not this one. She's more serious in the episode than on her CD, but it's still good so go listen to her there too.

Watch Your Step

2011-08-28T17:38:00.006-06:00

Do you ever just want to punch Satan??? Okay. I know that technically I can't since he didn't get a body so he couldn't feel it. And I know that Satan is the one who tempts us to feel anger and violence, but I never said I was perfect. I just want to scream, "SATAN, go a-w-a-y!" But we know he is a part of this life and we all have to learn to defeat him or pay the sad consequences.

I am tired of getting news that yet another one of my friends has been affected by divorce because of one thing---Lust. There are other reasons, but this one comes up too often. Whether having affairs, inappropriate relationships in person or online, fantasies about someone other than their spouse, or pornography all destroy a marriage. I am tired of Satan succeeding at destroying another family.

I am especially tired of seeing the poor children being affected by selfish decisions of a parent. Whoever says divorce doesn’t have much of an effect on children is trying to make himself/herself feel better about what he is doing.

“Men, take care not to make women weep, for God counts their tears” President Thomas S. Monson, Standards of Strength, Ensign, Nov. 1990, 47

“God will hold us accountable if we neglect His daughters” President Gordon B. Hinckley, Our Responsibility to Our Young Women, Ensign, Sept. 1988, 11

If you couldn’t tell, a friend of mine has been going through a divorce because her husband decided to leave her. One of her girls has been going through depression after hearing the news and she has started cutting herself. This poor girl. I am glad that her mother found out and she is getting help and doing better, but this is not something you emotionally heal from quickly.

I know that the people who need to hear this message aren’t my blogger friends, but I’m posting as a way to vent and also in hopes that it will somehow help someone. Have you noticed that pornography and divorce are so often topics at General Conference now? You and I know why. The number of families, including LDS families, which are affected by both of these is increasing. I have heard many BYU bishops say that pornography is a big problem in their ward semester after semester. People who have been taught since they were young that this is dangerous and wrong are caught up in it.

“Pornography is like that evil stranger, that enemy operating in secret chambers. It targets children, teens, and adults—both male and female. Its purveyors often operate in secrecy and seek to deceive us by claiming to offer something normal and pleasurable that doesn’t harm anyone.” Loran Cook, “The Secret Enemy", New Era, Feb. 2011

“The father of lies and lust … will do anything he can to counterfeit true love, to profane and desecrate true love wherever and whenever he encounters it. … We can reject the evil one. If we want it dearly and deeply enough, that enemy can and will be rebuked by the redeeming power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, I promise you that the light of His everlasting gospel can and will again shine brightly where you feared life had gone hopelessly, helplessly dark.”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul,” Ensign, May 2010, 46.

“Pornographic or erotic stories and pictures are worse than filthy or polluted food. The body has defenses to rid itself of unwholesome food. With a few fatal exceptions, bad food will only make you sick but do no permanent harm. In contrast, a person who feasts upon filthy stories or pornographic or erotic pictures and literature records them in this marvelous retrieval system we call a brain. The brain won’t vomit back filth. Once recorded, it will always remain subject to recall, flashing its perverted images across your mind and drawing you away from the wholesome things in life.” Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Pornography, April 2005 General Conference

How can someone expect to have the Spirit with them in any part of his life if he is doing something so contrary to the Lord’s commandments?

“When we undertake to cover our sins, … behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man” Doctrine & Covenants 121:37

Pornography destroys relationships. Those who are not yet married might say that their “hobby” doesn’t affect anyone but himself. Those images will stay embedded in his mind for decades and will warp his expectations for how a woman is supposed to act and look. Even after someone stops viewing pornography, it affects his mind. I am saying “He” only because it is most common, but I know pornography is a problem with some women also and the effects are the same. It is something important for us to teach our children, young men and young women and to continue to teach to adults.

"Do not be misled by Satan’s lies. There is no lasting happiness in immorality. There is no joy to be found in breaking the law of chastity. Just the opposite is true. There may be momentary pleasure. For a time it may seem like everything is wonderful. But quickly the relationship will sour. Guilt and shame set in. We become fearful that our sins will be discovered. We must sneak and hide, lie and cheat. Love begins to die. Bitterness, jealousy, anger, and even hate begin to grow. All of these are the natural results of sin and transgression." President Ezra Taft Benson, The Law of Chastity, New Era, Jan. 1988, 5–6

"Trying to find lasting love without obeying God is like trying to quench thirst by drinking from an empty cup—you can go through the motions, but the thirst remains." Elder John H. Groberg, “The Power of God’s Love” The Power of God's Love Ensign, Nov. 2004

Kara's Cilantro Chicken

2011-08-25T18:33:00.002-06:00

We liked this flavorful chicken, but you have to like lime and cilantro to like it too. It's nice and easy to throw together. I found it at Delish.com. Next time I'll make a little more sauce to serve on top of it.

Kara's Cilantro Chicken

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast, or other chicken
3/4 c. freshly squeezed lime juice (Do not substitute)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bunches fresh cilantro, rinsed and lightly chopped
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t. salt, to taste
1/4 t. ground black pepper, to taste

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place chicken in a gallon ziploc bag.

Put all other remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until well blended.

Pour blended ingredients over chicken in bag or dish

Cook on a bbq of medium-low to medium heat for approximately 12 minutes and then turn over and cook for another 12 minutes or until done. Juices should run clear when cut.

Heartbound

2011-08-23T17:03:00.001-06:00

I have decided that I would love if I could change my major to Education Week!! I was able to attend some of the classes at BYU Education Week last week and loved it. For those of you who don't know, BYU has this every year and around 20,000 people of all ages gather on campus from all over and there are so many classes to choose from like gardening, food storage, music, parenting, marriage, and many doctrinal classes and more. I've been before and was so glad that I was able to attend again. (If you happen to be a single mother, did you know there are single mother grants available if you apply ahead of time?)

I seem to have an unwelcoming face since seats filled up everywhere except next to me. One nice lady who was sitting a couple of empty seats away from me gave me this pretty scripture bookmark. She makes them for everyone she sits near. I showed it to my children when I got home. Alex said, "Wow. That must have taken a while to make.That was nice of her." And Elisa said, "She gave it to a total stranger? That's weird." I said, "Alex says it's nice and you say it's weird??" Haha! We got to talk about random acts of kindness.

Besides the good classes, I got to hang out with Paula. Our scheules were opposite most days so we only ended up going to a few classes together, but it was fun. I met Paula at a singles activity (at least I've made a few friends) and she is a wonderful mother of 5 and is back in school at BYU---in case any of you would like to set her up with a great guy. She deserves better than the LDS guys who tell her she is "too LDS". Yeah.

It's hard to choose what to blog about first from the classes I went to. Lots of good stuff! And now I have long list of recommend books that I want to read, but no time to read them even if I find any of them at the library. My classes start on Monday. Aaaaaaaaa!

There was a series of classes at 11:00 (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) called Help, My Life's On Fire!--Finding Peace in an Unpeaceful World by Debbie Anselmi Bastian, Lori Hadley Hales, and Me’Chel Merrill Musgrave. I had never heard of them, but the topic was one I was interested in. The only problem was the same all the other hours. There are so many good classes that I had to choose one and miss the others. I missed the first two so I went to their Friday class entitled From Heartache to Peace...How Do I Get There? I hadn't noticed that after their names was this "(Heartbound)". They are a singing group, obviously named Heartbound.

So I wasn't expecting a class with the speakers singing, but what brings peace faster than music? They did also speak. Here are some of the quotes they included in their class.

"...Brothers and sisters, for the faithful, our finest hours are sometimes during or just following our darkest hours."
Elder Neal A. Maxwell, The Great Plan of the Eternal God, Ensign, May 1984

"To know who we are is important, but to know where we are in relationship to our earthly home and heavenly home is essential if we are to receive all the blessings our Father in Heaven has for those who love him and keep his commandments. Our eternal home is our ultimate destination. A proper yearning for home can prevent our getting lost in detours or paths that lead us away."
Marvin J. Ashton, A Yearning for Home Ensign, November 1992, 21-22

"True success in this life comes in consecrating our lives—that is, our time and choices—to God’s purposes (see John 17:1, 4; D&C 19:19). In so doing, we permit Him to raise us to our highest destiny."
D. Todd Christofferson, Reflections on a Consecrated Life, Ensign, November 2010

They are three lovely ladies who use their talents to uplift and bless others. Connect with them on their BLOG, WEB SITE, or Facebook. I found two of their songs on video and the final video is just a funny story in case you need a laugh today and a reason to make you really grateful that THAT didn't happen to you.

2 Way Whoopie Pies

2011-08-17T16:11:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago I found out that Alexander needed to take cookies to a scout fundraiser...the following day. So I opened my "cookies to try" file and we decided on these that I found at Brooklyn Belly. I made some with the marshmallow filling and some with a German chocolate filling, like she did. I didn't get to use her German chocolate filling because I bought everything on the ingredients list, but I didn't notice that the list didn't include the evaporated milk that was mentioned in the directions. So I looked online for a German chocolate frosting that didn't call for evaporated milk since I didn't have time to go to the store and I found one from the great ladies at The Sisters Cafe. Thanks for the rescue! And then just to make it extra special, I melted some chocolate chips and mixed them with heavy cream to add to the German chocolate filled whoopie pies.

I sent marshmallow ones to the fundraiser and gave the German chocolate ones to friends as thank you's. Got lots of compliments on both kinds.

2 Way Whoopie Pies
4 T. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 c. lowfat buttermilk

Marshmallow filling:
7 T. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 (7.5-oz.) jar marshmallow fluff
2 t. vanilla

Heat oven to 350°. Grease a large baking sheet.

In a large bowl, cream butter with sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add about 1/3 of the dry mixture to the creamed mixture, along with half of the buttermilk. Beat until blended. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture to the batter, along with the remaining buttermilk. Beat until blended. Blend in the remaining 1/3 of the flour mixture until batter is smooth.

Drop batter on the prepared baking sheet, about 1 large tablespoon at a time, leaving about 2 inches between the mounds. You should be able to bake 6 at a time. Bake for about 10 to 14 minutes, until the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Transfer cakes to a rack to cool completely.

Once the cakes have cooled, slather one of the fillings on the flat side of one cake, press the flat side of another cake on top.
For the marshmallow filling:
Place everything but the vanilla in a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat everything until it is blended, then stir in the vanilla.

Brittany's German Chocolate Frosting from The Sisters Cafe

1 c. milk or cream (or a combination of both)

1 c. sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 c. butter
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. coconut
1 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped
Combine cream, sugar, egg yolks, and butter in saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook until thickens, 3-5 minutes.

If I Listen With My Heart

2011-08-14T16:00:00.001-06:00

If you have children in primary or have a primary calling like I do, you have probably heard this song many times. It is one of the primary program songs and one of my favorites. When I wish that I could hear my Heavenly Father or my Savior speak to me the things I need to hear, I can remember that when I read the scriptures, listen to the prophet and listen to the Holy Ghost, it is the same as if Jesus was speaking to me, directly to me, the words I need at that moment, no matter how unique my question or struggle. And if I do not do what He is telling me through the same means, I am not following his commandments. We are very blessed to not to be left alone, wandering and wondering.

Ryan Innes

2011-08-11T15:01:00.002-06:00

It's been a little while since I shared some music and it's about time for some more. Today I'm introducing you to the smooth, soulful voice and music of Ryan Innes.

He's in Utah and used to be in Vocal Point (a fun, talented a cappella group at BYU). He does shows sometimes, but I haven't been to any yet. I've listened to his music for months and like all his songs. Then he recently added a new song, Long Fall From You, to his Reverbnation page is and I've listened to it a bunch. Love it!

For any of my blogger friends in Utah, Ryan (Like him on FB) announced a big show with j.wride and Allred on August 26th on Center St. in Provo. Get all the info HERE. Sounds like an awesome night to celebrate the end of summer!

Not Knowing Beforehand

2011-08-07T21:12:00.002-06:00

Probably like many of you, I love to read the General Conference edition of the Ensign each time it comes out even though I watched Conference already. It never fails that I have missed something or many, many somethings that can pop out at me at just the time I need it. That's what happened to me a month or so ago.

I am not alone. I have my dear children, my loving family, my friends, my church leaders, my neighbors, but of course none of them really fills that void of a husband to counsel with and build a future with. I pray alone to know what plans to make, what classes to take, how to have enough time for my children and homemaking. I wish to see what job I’m going to have and if it will provide well for my family, if I’ll get the opportunity to go to graduate school, and if my children will be okay, and so much more.

I have prayed and fasted to know what to do and have not seen a flashing neon sign in my mind telling me what is at the end. Not surprising, I know, but still, I was struggling to made decisions when I didn’t know exactly where I was going. I have been grateful to feel guided to my major and strengthened through my classes. But I thought I should know what I should do when I graduate in about 2 years. I prayed to see that so I could prepare now.

In the middle of my fasting, I had a quiet moment where I was able to pick up the May 2011 General Conference edition of The Ensign. I just happened to open to Elder Bednar’s talk “The Spirit of Revelation”. Here is a video of the talk, if you’d like to watch to it all, but I will quote a bit of it below (out of order).

I love how he explains that often our revelation is like the sun coming up at dawn, little by little, gradually beginning to lighten the day. It isn’t always like a light suddenly being flipped on and everything going from pitch black to completely light. Heavenly Father usually sends his revelation little by little and we need to learn to see that this kind of revelation is just as divine of a blessing. Me? I wanted a big flood light. The kind they have at the stadiums. I’m impatient like that and sure wish I’d hurry up and learn patience.

“Both the history of the Church and our personal lives are replete with examples of the Lord’s pattern for receiving revelation ‘line upon line, precept upon precept.’ For example, the fundamental truths of the restored gospel were not delivered to the Prophet Joseph Smith all at once in the Sacred Grove. These priceless treasures were revealed as circumstances warranted and as the timing was right.”

“As circumstances were warranted and as the timing was right.” Hmmmm. So if I have prayed about my future and it hasn’t been revealed to me, it’s because the timing isn’t right and I don’t need to know. Okay.

“The very ‘simpleness of the way’ (1 Nephi 17:41) of receiving small and incremental spiritual impressions that over time and in totality constitute a desired answer or the direction we need may cause us to look ‘beyond the mark’ (Jacob 4:14).”

I have felt guided and impressed to make certain decisions, but because I didn’t get it all at once (the light switched on), I was looking beyond the mark.

“This pattern of revelation tends to be more common than rare and is evident in the experiences of Nephi as he tried several different approaches before successfully obtaining the plates of brass from Laban (see 1 Nephi 3–4). Ultimately, he was led by the Spirit to Jerusalem, ‘not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do’ (1 Nephi 4:6).”

Nephi did not get to see the big picture or have all his questions answered. He just obediently followed the promptings and direction he received. He didn’t know where he was going, but Heavenly Father did and that’s all that mattered. I don’t know where I am going, but my Heavenly Father does. I do not get to know beforehand the things I should do, but I will always be guided to where the next step should be. So step by step it is.

I also loved this part.

“’Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. Therefore this is thy gift; apply unto it’ (D&C 8:3–4).

I emphasize the phrase ‘apply unto it’ in relation to the spirit of revelation.”

Receiving revelation takes work and preparation and requires us to be worthy of the gift of the Spirit.
So after reading this and feeling grateful that I understood what I needed that day, I had a new prayer. I did not ask to see everything. I asked to be guided to my next step and I expressed my gratitude.

The next day I had reason to express my gratitude yet again. I received news that I was awarded a scholarship for half of my tuition and a Pell Grant would cover the rest and my books. What a blessing. I was given a bit more light. One more step guided.

It reminds me of the part of Indiana Jones where he steps out, not seeing a path. I know, using pop culture to explain spiritual things... But it’s what I thought of.

So I’ll keep praying for patience and to see the steps I’m being guided to take without looking beyond the mark or ignoring the miracle of revelation in my life.

White Chocolate Lemon Truffles

2011-08-06T21:37:00.002-06:00

This is a dessert I made a few weeks ago for a family party along with the Homemade Milky Way Bars. I found it at Kitchen Simplicity. Head over there and spend some time drooling over the beautiful food photography and recipes. This only made 21 little truffles for me, so a small batch. Love the lemon scent and taste. I added a few drops of yellow food coloring when I added the lemon extract.

White Chocolate Lemon Truffles
1 c. white chocolate
5 T. unsalted butter
3 T. heavy cream
Pinch salt
1 t. lemon extract
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Melt chocolate, butter and cream over a double boiler or in a microwave. Stir until smooth.

Stir in salt and extract. Allow to cool slightly before covering with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm enough to handle.

With a melon baller or small spoon scoop out mixture and form into 1 inch balls. Toss with powdered sugar to coat. Store covered in refrigerator for up to one week. Freeze for longer storage.

Pizza Burgers

2011-08-04T21:35:00.001-06:00

I made these a little while ago for the first time. Found them at Plain Chicken. As you can see from her photo, she toasted or grilled her buns. Oh, so smart! Since I didn't, the marinara sauce soaked into the bun and it was a bit soggy. I didn't use any veggies in the patty this time, but will next time, along with pineapples, one of our favorite pizza toppings at our house. My kids didn't even know there was pepperoni in the patty until I mentioned it. Have you tried any burgers like this before?

Pizza Burgers

1 lb. ground chuck
1/3 c. chopped pepperoni
3 T. pizza sauce
1 1/2 t. Italian Seasoning
1 egg
3 Mozzarella cheese slices
Warm pizza sauce
3 hamburger buns

In a mixing bowl, combine the hamburger, pepperoni, Italian Seasoning, egg and pizza sauce. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly. Divide the meat into three equal portions and gently form them into patties. Grill or broil to desired doneness. Top burgers with mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce.

17 Miracles

2011-08-02T20:59:00.007-06:00

Today I took the kids to see 17 Miracles. Alexander has been asking to see it, but Elisa didn’t want to. But we made a deal that we’d watch a movie Elisa wanted to see (Monte Carlo) and then we’d watch this one. I really wanted all my children to see it so they could learn about the history as well as the miracles.

As we were in line to buy tickets, Elisa asked, “Why do you want to see this?” And I started to answer, but she said, “Not you. I can tell it’s a movie you’d want to see. I meant Alex.” I thought that was a strange question since he likes to borrow my LDS books and talks on CD and he chose to watch The Work and The Glory as our family movie on Sunday.

If you’ve never heard of it, 17 Miracles is a movie about the Willie Handcart Company that uses historical accounts taken from journals of pioneers. They do merge accounts taken from members of both the Willie and the Martin Handcart Companies in the movie. If you'd like to read some of the behind the scenes accounts, read 17 Miracles--An Extra's Viewpoint. Unfortunately, we missed the first couple of minutes of the movie, but I saw online that in the beginning it says: "Some events are not in chronological order, but all of the miracles portrayed are true."

I have read and heard many accounts of the Latter-day Saint pioneers and even some of the events in the movie, but not all of them. It always makes me aware of how many conveniences and blessings I have. I don’t even like to walk from the doors of the university across the parking lot to my car in the snow. I cannot imagine trekking through blizzards uphill, through icy rivers, with very little food and then to lay down on that snow to try to sleep night after night after night. As I watched, I felt, “How dare you complain” and I do whine and cry in my heart about poor me.

I was glad that during the movie, Elisa would laugh sometimes and Sabrina asked a few questions. Sabrina really liked the character Albert

and kept asking me where he was or if he died. Don’t wanna spoil any of the movie so I won’t tell you what happened with him. When we were leaving the theater, Elisa asked me if she had black under her eyes. Yay! She was into the movie and history enough to cry even though she didn’t want to watch something so boring and educational. *Insert evil mommy laugh here*

To see if the movie is at a theater near you, go to 17 Miracles.com.

Polka Dot Cookies

2011-08-01T14:50:00.000-06:00

I absolutely was not going to make any more sugary treats for a while. Then Alexander had a car wash/bake sale fundraiser to do with the scouts and every boy was supposed to donate a couple dozen cookies. I would have had him help me with them, but he was gone at a marching band fundraiser selling scones. I didn't want to go to the store so I looked around at the ingredients I had on hand. Some time ago, these Guittard Mint Chips were on sale and I bought them without knowing what I'd do with them. I looked at the recipe on the back of the bag and it's pretty easy, so Sabrina and I made them.

They turned out pretty good--like little brownie bites with mint bursts.

Polka Dot Cookies

1 (12-oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/8 t. salt
3 large eggs
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
1 (12-oz.) pkg. Guittard Green Mint Chips

Preheat oven to 350º. In top of double boiler over low heat, melt semi-sweet chips and butter, stirring constantly until smooth. Set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until light. Blend in melted chocolate, then dry ingredients. Stir in green mint chips and chill for 10-15 minutes or until stiff.

Drop chilled dough by well-round teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes, cookies will be soft in centers but will harden as they cool.

It's Better to Look Up

2011-07-31T20:30:00.000-06:00

In June I attended a fireside where Elder Carl B. Cook and his wife spoke. He was sustained as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy at April 2011 General Conference. He told us about an experience he had very shortly after being called. He was at the church office building in Salt Lake, coming down the elevator. He had just been in a meeting where he was given a huge stack of papers and manuals to read and learn. His new responsibilities were kind of weighing him down. He stood in the elevator, looking down toward the floor, when the elevator stopped at one of the floors and a man walked into the elevator. But Elder Cook did not look at the person. He continued his downward gaze. Then he heard a voice say, "What are you looking at down there?" He immediately recognized the voice as that of President Monson's and quickly looked up at him. President Monson was looking down, as if to try to figure out what he was looking at.

"Oh, nothing," Elder Cook quickly answered.

"It's better to look up," President Monson said as he pointed and looked up. I can just imagine his voice saying this, in his special uplifting way.

Obviously, that is good advice for all of us. Where should we look when we are weighed down? Where should we look when we have questions? Where should we look when we need help? It is always better to look up. That is where we will find strength, answers, peace and love.

Sesame Chicken Salad

2011-07-30T18:48:00.003-06:00

I made a really fresh and delicious salad for dinner tonight. It's a Better Homes & Gardens recipe. The recipe just called for cooked chicken, but I wanted to add some flavorful chicken so I marinated chicken in a mixture of Teriyaki Baste and Glaze and Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing before cooking in a skillet.

Saucy!

This is similar to Chicken Salad with Spicy Sesame Sauce and Won Ton Salad, but they each have their own unique flavors. We really like this one and I have added it to our files to have again. I like rice vinegar and sesame oil and loved the orange juice in the dressing. We ate the salad with won tons (one of Sabrina's favorite foods), but I didn't get a photo with them. Maybe you'll remember to toast the sesame seeds, but I forgot.

Sesame Chicken Salad

1 (10-oz.) pkg. torn European-style or Italian-style salad greens
2 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken
1 (8-3/4-oz.) can whole baby corn, drained and halved crosswise
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 c. sliced radishes
1/2 c. orange juice
1/4 c. rice vinegar or white vinegar
1/2 t. toasted sesame oil
1/4 t. black pepper
1 1/2 t. sesame seeds, toasted*
In a large bowl combine the salad greens, chicken, baby corn, green onions, and radishes.

For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine the orange juice, vinegar, sesame oil, and pepper. Cover and shake well.

Pour dressing over greens mixture; toss gently to coat. Divide greens mixture among 6 salad bowls. Sprinkle with sesame seed. Makes 6 servings.

*Note: To toast sesame seed, in a nonstick skillet cook and stir sesame seed over medium heat about 1 minute or just until golden brown. Watch closely so the seeds don't burn. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool completely.

What Am I Saying?

2011-07-28T19:10:00.001-06:00

"On those days when we're not ready to stop being offended, not ready to forgive, still determined to dish out the silent treatment, what we're actually saying is, 'Thanks, but I don't want to become more like the Savior today. Maybe tomorrow, but not today.' Perhaps those are the times when we need to pray the hardest, the times it becomes clear that a change in behavior is not enough--that we must have a change in nature."
Sheri Dew, "Saying It Like It Is"

"Nephi said, 'I will go and do' not 'I will sit and stew'."

John Bytheway

Broccoli Crunch Slaw

2011-07-27T19:18:00.000-06:00

I know it seems like all we eat at my house is sugar, but we really do eat real food. I'm not much of a meat and potatoes kinda girl. I l-o-v-e salads. I made this one for our family dinner at my parents'. Since a few people have allergies, I didn't include the almonds. I was going to put sunflower seeds in instead, but wasn't sure who would like that. So I just julienned a carrot instead. Thanks to Everybody Likes Sandwiches for this yummy, easy slaw/salad.

Broccoli Crunch Slaw

1 large head of broccoli
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 c. roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. dried cranberries
2 T. Greek yogurt
2 T. mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon (or to taste)
Couple of dashes of hot sauce
Small squirt of honey
Salt & pepper to taste
Use a large knife to thinly chop up the broccoli into a rough slaw. Dump into a medium sized bowl along with the red onion, almonds, and cranberries. Put the remaining ingredients into a small jar with a lid and shake. Taste & adjust seasoning if necessary. Pour onto broccoli slaw and toss until everything is coated.

Homemade Milky Way Bars

2011-07-25T22:25:00.001-06:00

Found this candy recipe at Erin's blog Making Memories with Your Kids recently and couldn't stop thinking about how much I wanted to make it. (Stop by her blog to see a much better picture of it.) When I needed to take something to a dinner, I knew it was a good time to make these. The filling was so sticky that it took more time to cut, peel off the knife and reshape each piece than I had planned on and then I had to dip them. I only had time to make a few look semi-okay and hurried with the others which didn't look so pretty. I'd eat it either way. These are really chocolatey and very addictive.

Homemade Milky Way Bars
1 (12-oz.) bag milk chocolate chips
3 T. evaporated milk
1 (7-oz.) container Marshmallow Cream
1 (14-oz.) bag of caramels, unwrapped
3 T. evaporated milk
Milk chocolate for dipping (about a pound)

Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 45 seconds. Stir. Continue to microwave in short bursts (about 30 seconds) until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the marshmallow cream and 3 tablespoons milk.

Pour into a lined and greased 8 x 8-inch pan. Place in the fridge to harden while you make the caramel layer.

Put the caramels and the rest of the milk into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 45 seconds. Stir. Continue to microwave in short bursts (about 30 seconds) until melted and smooth. pour over chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Once firm, remove from pan and cut into squares. Melt the milk chocolate over a double boiler (or in the microwave) and start dipping.

Sundance 2011

2011-07-25T00:27:00.000-06:00

After being rained out of our plans to go to Sundance several times, we finally made it. The girls tried on hats, but Alex didn't want to.

We saw some wildlife, but nothing like bears or cougars.

We went up the ski lift and Sabrina liked it.

But Elisa was scared. And Alexander loved teasing her all the way up. Have you ever seen a more mischievous smile???

View from the lift going up

Stewart Falls, which I hiked to with my sisters Tiff and Heather and bro-in-law Tom before

We got off the lift at the top to look around and hike a bit.

The trail was right on the edge and Elisa felt dizzy

See Stewart Falls again?

I didn't think it was good to have a dizzy girl on that trail so close to the edge so we didn't hike long...again.

There were some cool birds giving us an aerial show.

And back down we went

You know how sometimes you're so scared you don't know what else to do but laugh???

For some reason, when we got to this spot, Sabrina wanted me to take a photo here and change it to black and white like it was old. So she wanted to look unhappy like they used to in a lot of photos. Funny cuz that's how she looks in quite a few of her own.

We took a lunch up and Alex, Elisa and I got a super smoothie from the deli. Sabrina doesn't like smoothies so she opted for a Sundance apple. It wasn't grown there, but that's what she called it since we bought it there. We ate outside and had this little friend come and go.

Have I mentioned yet how Sabrina wears her purse around her neck? She wants to start a new fad. Think it'll catch on?

While we were there, they shut down the lift becuase of a storm coming in. After we got in the car and were headed back into Provo Canyon, it started raining. So glad we finally got to take our little trip to Sundance.

More Staycation

2011-07-23T06:30:00.006-06:00

I was gonna try to squash all our remaining staycation activities in one post, but it would be too many photos for anyone to go through. So here are the next three days after days 1 and 2.

On day 3 we were supposed to go to Sundance, but there were lots of clouds and the forecast said thunderstorms all day. I have bad luck with Sundance. Remember last year? Thunderstorms at Sundance then and several other days that I have planned the little trip this summer. So we figured out a plan B and went to Color Me Mine, a ceramic studio, where the kids each chose something and painted it. They each had such fun ideas and they all came out so great.

Gotta mention Elisa's hair. Look at that! She had done that to her hair the day before and planned on going to Lagoon like that, but I told her that it would come out and all over on the roller coasters so she had taken it down. I know you can't see it well, but it got a few stares and hushed comments. "Did you see that girl's hair???" So funnnnny!

The artists hard at work

They painted their pieces and then we left them. Then a few days later, after being glazed and fired by the studio, we picked them up. Look how different the colors look in the after pics.

This is Sabrina's mug

Elisa's bowl

And Alex's bowl--He painted half of it for BYU and the other half (on opposite sides on the inside and outside) the colors and letters for his high school

Another day, we went to my brother Jared and his wife Debbie's house to visit with them and my nephews and spend some time at their pool. As usual lately, I didn't get any photos of the adults and I didn't even get a photo of Alex, who didn't want to swim.

After swimming, my brother had to go to work and the kids all played while Debbie, a super hostess, made a delish dinner for all of us.

I love how my nephews have different colored eyes from each other just like my kids.

The next day was Saturday and it was cloudless so we could have gone to Sundance, but I wanted to go on a weekday for less crowds. So instead we went to hike at Rock Canyon behind the Provo LDS temple. It was hot and Alex and Sabrina lagged way behind and complained the whole time so we didn't actually hike very long. We were passing someone who was coming down the trail when he told us he had seen a scorpion on the trail just ahead. Elisa told me not to tell Alex and Sabrina because it would give them another excuse to leave.

This was the calm part of the water. All the way up (as far as we went), we could hear and sometimes see the rapid waters. Almost everyone who passed us had earphones in, listening to music. They missed the awesome sounds of the water and the birds and all the other nature sounds.

Summer Zucchini Pasta

2011-07-22T14:27:00.002-06:00

Guess what I am having for lunch today. Leftover pasta from dinner last night. I only made like a fourth of the recipe because I didn't think Alex and Elisa would like it much (Sabrina doesn't like pasta) and knew I'd like it, but had no idea how much I'd like it. They both liked it as much as I did. I could have eaten this as a main dish, but I indoor grilled some marinated chicken to have with it. We have just a little left over from last night and I'm about to go enjoy it. Next time I'll definitely make more. I just used a block of mozzarella instead of the fresh mozzarella. Not as fancy, but still tasted great.

I found this recipe recently at Samantha's cooking blog Cool Foodie Mama. If you'd like to check out her family blog, pop by The Extraordinaries. She's in the middle of moving with her family from Oregon to Utah right now (literally on the road).

Summer Zucchini Pasta1 pound penne pasta
1 medium green zucchini
1 medium/small yellow summer squash
2 med. cloves of garlic
1 pint of cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes, DON'T use regular sized tomatoes)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella (not water packed, it's the squishy kind that's next to the water packed stuff, should be in a big ball wrapped in plastic)
FRESH chopped basil
Olive oil

Cook your pasta according to package directions and save some pasta water in a glass, drain and set aside.

Sauté the zucchini and summer squash that have been diced into bite size or slightly larger pieces, add in the garlic on top. Depending on the size of your pieces and sauté pan, it will take approximately 10-12 minutes. Season while sauteeing with salt and pepper. Don't over-sauté the zucchini, you don't want it mushy, just enough to take the raw edge off. Set aside to cool slightly.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and set aside. Dice the cheese and place back into the fridge until the last minute. Chop the basil and set aside.

THIS IS NOT A HOT DISH!

In your empty pasta pot, place your pasta and toss with zucchini mixture, add in cherry tomatoes and stir to just barely warm them through. Salt and pepper to taste. You may need to add in some pasta water at this point to make a bit of a coating for the pasta, also adding a tablespoon of olive oil if needed.

Toss in most of the basil, reserving some for garnish. Lastly, add in your mozzarella and toss to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour into serving dish, garnish and serve.

**NOTE: This is not meant to be a hot dish, the mozzarella will melt and create a big gooey mess, you want it barely warm or even room temperature. Enjoy right away.

I Don't Wanna Do This Anymore

2011-07-21T09:21:00.002-06:00

In my last post, I told ya I'd write about riding the Rocket with Sabrina. If you don't know what it is, there are two towers, two different rides. Here's Lagoon's description of them.

"Blast Off starts out with the carrier at the ground. The car lifts a little as the ride prepares for launch. And then without warning the car is blasted upward 200 feet in 3 seconds reaching forces of 4.5 g's. Once the ride reaches the top the car is then blasted downward at 2 g's. Then the ride slows with air-cushioned bounces and brings the passengers gently back to earth.

Re-Entry starts out much the same way Blast. The car lifts a little to prepare the ride. Then the carrier is slowly taken to the top. It takes 20-25 seconds and the riders are given a great view. But it doesn't last for long. When the car reaches the top of the tower it is then blasted downward at 4.5 g's (faster than falling). When the ride reaches the bottom it is then blasted upward and slows with air-cushioned bounces."

Sabrina has been waiting to be tall enough to go on this ride since she first went to Lagoon years ago. She is my only daredevil. I had only been on it (both towers) a few times during a trip with the young men and women in the Spanish ward since no one in my family would ever go with me, but I had a Rocket buddy during that trip.

Just to clarify, Alex and Elisa did go on all the other roller coasters with us and love them, but neither of them will try the Rocket. They are funny since they both have their own fears. Even though they go on the roller coasters that go really high up and dive down and the ones that go upside down, Elisa is afraid of the very slow Sky Ride that isn't even a ride. It's just the horizontal ski liftish transport that takes you from one side of the park to the other. And Alex hates the giant ferris wheel. He does not like to go at all, but especially hates when we use the wheel in the car to turn it in circles. So funny kids.

Anyway...Sabrina and I first went on Blast-Off, starting at the bottom. When it was over, she said she had tried to scream when we blasted off, but no sound came out. But she also said it was a little boring. It is a very short ride, especially considering how long you have to wait in line. But she still wanted to go on Re-entry. I told her we'd do it later since Alex and Elisa were just waiting at the bottom for us, too afraid to go on, but having fun laughing at all the screaming, terrified people.

So later in the day, we went back to the line for Re-entry, the one that starts at the top and drops down. She was so excited in line, having waited all this time to be tall enough. We got on and then they raise us slowly up, up, up until you can see a be-au-tiful view of the valley all around. Well, that depends on what side you get put on, but we were lucky enough to get that side. After the ride stopped at the top to keep you in suspense before throwing you downward, Sabrina looked around and said, "Mommy, I don't think I want to do this anymore." Poor girl! I just grabbed her hand and said, "I'm sorry. But it'll be over really fast and then it won't seem so bad."

She barely made a sound when screaming on that one. But it really was a short ride and she was okay. Alex and Elisa said her face was so pale. She said she was afraid at the top, but then it was boring too. She does not like to admit she gets scared. She wants to do it again next time we go--next year maybe.

This is just a random video from YouTube in case you want a rider's view. Unfortunately, they had a view of the end of the park instead of the valley view. See how short the ride is? Although, I must say that it feels lots faster when you are actually on the ride.

Sooooo leave it to me to have a lesson with this story. I even thought of it while Sabrina and I were up at the top before we started plunging to the earth. Hehe It's just like all of us in the pre-existence, before coming to Earth. We were told that it wouldn't all be easy and smooth. We'd have trials and even huge challenges while here. It didn't matter to us. We were still so excited to come down and have all these experiences. We waited anxiously for our time to come. Then we get here, forgetting our past life for now, and find ourselves at one time or another at the top, ready to plunge. We see and feel all the pain and fear. We cry out to our Father, "I don't wanna do this anymore", but he does not stop the ride. He could rescue us, unlike me with Sabrina, but he choses not to. Why? He knows we can do it. He knows we will grow and become strong and more like our Savior if we chose to hold on tight and do our best to get through it. Then at the very end, probably not until we pass into our next life, we'll say how short that seemed and maybe even that it was fun.
So let's hold on tight!

Days 1 & 2 of Our Staycation

2011-07-19T00:55:00.001-06:00

We used to go on a little vacation every year to a different state so my children could visit different places and mark off a new state that they've visited. Things are different now. Luckily, Alexander's 2 week break from marching band practice and performances was during my break, so we started our staycation after Alex's scout camp and before Elisa's girls' camp.

On Day 1 we went to Bountiful to stay in a hotel. First we visited the Bountiful temple in an impromptu stop, so in our regular clothes. I had only ever seen this temple from the freeway. Did you know it has underground parking in addition to the parking at the level of the temple? That was handy for such a very hot day! It's a pretty temple with a great view since it is waaaay up there.

Then we went to the hotel to check in and then off to eat at Arella Pizzeria. We had never been there, but that's what the kids voted for so we went. Very pretty interior.

With awesome lighting

And we liked the margherita pizza with tomatoes.

We wanted to try the zeppoles for dessert, but we were too full. So we went back to the hotel for swimming and then a silly movie in the room.

When we woke up on day 2, we got all shiny-faced with sunscreen and headed up to Lagoon (Utah's amusement park) for the day and into the night.

I had my camera, but since we went on roller coaster after roller coaster, where you can't carry a purse or camera, I left the camera in a rented locker the whole time. I only brought it out so Alex could take a photo of Sabrina and me on this ride-The Rocket. Yeah, I cropped my silly face out.

More about this ride in the next post. And yes, those are mismatched socks she's wearing. Her sister started doing it since her friends did and of course Sabrina wants to be like her big sister.

We went on all of the rides we wanted to at least twice (it's no Disneyland) and since it was overcast, it wasn't too hot and the lines weren't bad at all. By the end, Alexander and Elisa were begging to go home and I had to drag Sabrina away. So the first 2 days were lots of fun.

When You Can See the Temple

2011-07-17T21:17:00.002-06:00

A few months ago my friend Debbie was going through the temple for the first time and she invited me to be there with her. I was honored by her request and was happy to be there. That morning I had a blogger breakfast and went all dressed for the temple so I could go straight there after the breakfast. When I arrived at the Mt. Timp temple, I was more than half an hour early, so I decided to drive up in the hills surrounding the temple. You can see a beautiful view of the valley from up there and there are so many gorgeous houses that I can only dream about. After driving around for a bit, I parked and admired the view. Then I decided to go back to the temple. I didn’t know exactly where I was, but I figured that after I drove down a little, I would be able to see the temple and know which way to go.

I drove down for a while and noticed that there were so many trees that I couldn’t see the temple and had no idea which direction to go. I knew I would eventually find it, but started to panic since I might be too late for the session with Debbie. Luckily, I drove down more and soon found the temple and made it on time.

I’m sure you can already see my analogy. When we are pointed toward the temple and have it in our view, we are pointed toward Christ and will be lead down the path we should go. When we do not have eternity in view and have other distractions pulling us away, we will not be able to end up in the same place.

I am so grateful I live close to many temples. My temple covenants are such a blessing and strength to me. What greater blessing can I ask for than to be sealed to my parents, siblings and my children, and all of their children, in one long, happy chain?

"You are never lost when you can see the temple. The temple will provide direction for you and your family in a world filled with chaos. It is an eternal guidepost which will help you from getting lost in the 'mist of darkness.'"
Gary E. Stevenson, "Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples," April 2009 General Conference

"What I am trying to teach is that when we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order to maintain the blessings promised by those ordinances, then come what may, we have no reason to worry or to feel despondent."
Richard G. Scott, "Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need," April 209 General Conference

“A covenant is an agreement between God and man, an accord whose terms are set by God (see Bible Dictionary, “Covenant,” 651). In these divine agreements, God binds Himself to sustain, sanctify, and exalt us in return for our commitment to serve Him and keep His commandments.

“We enter into covenants by priesthood ordinances, sacred rituals that God has ordained for us to manifest our commitment. . . . If we are faithful, we become inheritors not only of the celestial kingdom but of exaltation, the highest glory within the heavenly kingdom, and we obtain all the divine possibilities God can give (D&C 132:20).”
D. Todd Christofferson, “The Power of Covenants,” Ensign, May 2009, 20

Made-From-Scratch Lemon Crunch & Jesse Hart

2011-07-14T14:17:00.001-06:00

Welcome to Jesse Hart's music. Love, love his voice and the music sticks in my head all day (in a totally good way, not annoying like some songs, ya know?). He's played at The Grove Theater and Guru's and I've been both places before, but not when he was playing. Hopefully I'll get to hear him live sometime. Until then, I'll keep listening to his music while I'm baking up stuff like the bars below.

So while you are being entertained with great music, remember this cookbook I got from my parents for my birthday?

I finally tried a recipe from it and now it's my favorite lemon bar recipe. I only had a little tiny piece since I made them to give away so now I wanna make more to eat more of it. Dangerous! The topping wasn't crunchy on mine. Since it's on top of the lemon filling, it is soft. But the crunch does come from the bottom crust. Coconutty and lemony and super-delish.

Made-From-Scratch Lemon Crunch
1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 T. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
1 1/3 c. milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. lemon zest
1 T. butter
1/2 t. vanilla

Coconut Crust:
1 1/4 c. shredded coconut
3/4 c. fine graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400º.

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly.

In a bowl, whisk the egg into lemon juice. Stir a little of the thickened milk mixture into the eggs to temper, then pour everything back into the pan, mixing as you go. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes; add lemon zest, butter, and vanilla; set aside.

Mix all crust ingredients together and press half of mixture into bottom of 8-inch square pan. Pour in filling; top with remaining coconut mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown; chill and then cut into squares.

Prizes for Me & 2 Great Links for You

2011-07-12T23:28:00.001-06:00

Way back in May, I won this online---

Look at that beautiful soap from Pompeii Street Soap Co.! And the body butter is nice and thick. I got to choose the scent I wanted and chose Sweet Orange and Patchouli because I had no idea what that smelled like. It is a very calming scent.

And where did I win this? If you have never been to visit the beautiful Jocelyn at her blog We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ, then run over there. She has a wonderful blog. Don't miss this post about how she met her husband and this great variety of The Family: A Proclamation to the World lesson ideas.

The other prize for me, link for you, was this movie. Have you ever heard of it? I hadn't until I saw the giveaway for it. Sabrina liked it, but I have to admit that I fell asleep watching this movie about a day where all adults became kids and kids became adults.

I won this one at 24/7 Moms. It's a blog (that you can also like on Facebook) where they give you lots of tips and ideas for being a mom (mostly to young children, although not completely) links to great coupons or deals, recipes and tons of giveaways. It's really easy for you to subscribe and they send you emails of all the info they post on the blog, including the giveaways.

So go visit these two fun blogs. Then come back soon for yet another recipe.

Minty Cocoa Fudge Sandwich Cookies

2011-07-11T20:54:00.003-06:00

I found this recipe at Recipe.com and it's from Better Homes & Gardens. I was afraid the cookie would be hard by looking at the photo. I baked them for 7 minutes and they are soft and a little fragile. I am too impatient to wait the one hour before spreading the filling and I'm glad I didn't wait. It was much easier to spread when it was warm. I adore sandwich cookies and these turned out great. Chocolate & mint!

Minty Cocoa Fudge Sandwich Cookies

3 1/2 c. flour
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 t. baking powder
1 1/3 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. canola oil
2 eggs
1 T. vanilla
Sugar
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (10-oz.) package mint-flavor semisweet chocolate pieces*
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1-1/2 cups sugar and the oil. Beat until well mixed. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Add flour mixture; beat until combined. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 350º. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Dip the bottom of a glass in additional sugar and flatten each cookie. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes or just until firm. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.

For filling: In a small saucepan, combine sweetened condensed milk, chocolate pieces, and unsweetened chocolate. Cook and stir over medium heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Let stand about 1 hour or until cool.

Spoon a rounded measuring teaspoon of the filling on the bottom of each of half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, flat sides down, pressing lightly together. Makes about 36 sandwich cookies.

*If you can't find mint-flavor semisweet chocolate pieces, use 1 1/2 cups regular semisweet chocolate pieces and stir 1/4 teaspoon mint extract into the melted chocolate mixture.

To Store: Place filled cookies in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Waiting on My Miracle

2011-07-10T21:37:00.002-06:00

This is going to be a long post full of quotes, but they are just a small part of the talks I have been studying recently as I have been studying the topic of miracles. Sorry if I have whined about this too often, but it is my life. I have, over the past year and couple of months, been pleading with my Father for a miracle. To me it would be a miracle, not just a blessing, to find someone to be my eternal companion. If you have never been single and over 30, you do not understand how stacked against me the odds are! You do not know that at every singles activity, there are 10 women to 1 man and usually that 1 man is not a faithful priesthood holder or is just plain strange. There must be a few good guys out there, but they don't seem to come to activities or just don't wanna talk to me.

If a man actually talks to me, he first asks 3 questions, sometimes before asking my name. “How old are you?” So far, most guys my age are looking for younger so mostly I have men in their 50s interested. *Sigh* “How many kids do you have?” Most men already have children of their own and adding 3 is a lot. “What do you do? A student? You don’t even work?” Exit stage left.

The only way I will ever be sealed is by a merciful miracle. So I continue to pray for my miracle.

“Having faith means doing our best to bring about a miracle, but it also requires having the patience to realize the Lord understands His eternal timetable better than we do.

Do you believe in miracles in your own life? I hope you do.

You have some difficult battles to fight. It is easy to let fear overtake us. Have courage! Have faith! Remember the sons of Helaman. “Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; … yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them” (Alma 56:47).”

…Trust in God is vital, as is confidence that He will do what He says He will do.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) taught that faith requires assurance that God will hear our prayers and answer them. No person can have this assurance when he knows he is not living in the way the Lord wants him to live. This is another key element in bringing about miracles. Faith requires repentance. Miracles require faith. So miracles require repentance. Therefore, faith and repentance (which result in righteous living) are the means by which miracles come into our lives.
Now remember, the Lord’s timetable may be different from yours. As Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles says, ‘When we seek inspiration to help make decisions, the Lord gives gentle promptings. These require us to think, to exercise faith, to work, to struggle at times, and to act. Seldom does the whole answer to a decisively important matter or complex problem come all at once. More often it comes a piece at a time without the end in sight” (Ensign, Nov. 1989, 32).’”
Elder Larry W. Gibbons, Do You Need a Miracle?, New Era, Feb. 2003

“My brothers and sisters, today is a day of miracles. We believe in miracles. The Latter-day Saints may expect miracles according to their faith. As a member of this Church, you are authorized to take a leading part in the development of the kingdom of God on earth within your respective responsibilities. Pray fervently. Actively seek to increase your faith, and with that great gift from God, you can cause great things to occur within your life and in the lives of others.”
Elder Gene R. Cook, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, New Era, Oct. 1982

I know that we can ask for things, even things that we feel is good, and we don't get what we ask for. A friend of mine asked me why I thought that the Lord would withhold the blessing of marriage from me when it is part of his plan. I don’t know, but I know many women who have been single for 6, 10, 20 years. They are faithful, good, beautiful, intelligent women. Sometimes we do not get what we want and it is not easy to trust that it is best for us. But that is what having faith is-knowing that Heavenly Father knows everything and can guide us to what is right for us. I think that most of us ask for a miracle of some kind at one time in our lives--a loved one to be healed or allowed to stay with us on earth a little longer, needed employment in a bad job market, passing a really hard class... Sometimes everything turns out how we hoped, but not always.

“I have been speaking of miracles that happen. What about miracles that don’t happen? Most of us have offered prayers that were not answered with the miracle we requested at the time we desired. Miracles are not available for the asking. We know this from the Lord’s revelation directing that the elders should be called to lay hands on and bless the sick: ‘It shall come to pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed’ (D&C 42:48). The will of the Lord is always paramount. The priesthood of the Lord cannot be used to work a miracle contrary to the will of the Lord. We must also remember that even when a miracle is to occur, it will not occur on our desired schedule. The revelations teach that miraculous experiences occur ‘in his own time, and in his own way’ (D&C 88:68).

…As I said earlier, the Lord works miracles in response to the faith of His children. No denomination—not even the restored Church—has a monopoly on the blessings of the Lord. He loves and blesses all of His children.”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Miracles, Ensign, June 2001

This is a very simple experience, but I love what Meilani says at the end. So true!

"Meilani Smith Kongaika told this experience recently. She went on the choir tour to the South Pacific a few years ago and was very concerned about the fact that she hated fish but knew that fish was the main diet in the islands of the Pacific. Fish was repulsive to her. Staying with members meant that she would probably have to refuse the fish and run the likelihood of offending her hosts. So she prayed earnestly about it and asked Heavenly Father to somehow rescue her somehow from this inevitable situation in which she might bring harm and insult to someone. In one island, she was assigned to stay with a very humble family. When Meilani entered the house the hostess asked if she would like to accompany her to the market to get some food. Meilani was glad to go. When they got to the market the hostess asked “What kind of food would you like to eat?” Thinking that this was the Lord’s answer to her prayers, to give her a chance to tell the hostess what she could or couldn’t eat without bringing it up in the first place, Meilani said, “Chicken, I love chicken.”

The sweet islander hostess, looking crestfallen and very embarrassed, said to her, ‘Oh I humbly apologize, chicken is too expensive for us. How about some nice fish?’ Meilani could only say, ‘Great.’ And all she could do was to pray to make the best out of the meal of fish the lady bought. She determined to do her best. Meilani even helped cook the fish. When she sat down with the family to eat, she very tentatively took a tiny bit of fish. To her amazement it tasted delicious. She felt nothing of her former revulsion. She finished her portion and asked for some more. Of course the family was delighted that she loved the food. Then came Meilani’s profound observation. ‘In our prayers we get so used to telling the Lord how we want him to bless us that we don’t allow Him to work the miracle that He wants to give us for our own good, not just because it’s comfortable.’"
Eric B. Shumway, Do You Need a Miracle? BYUHawaii Devotional, 30 August 2001

I have been feeling very guilty for not living the commandment to be of good cheer and endure to the end. I’m enduring because I have no choice, but not always well. Then today as I was searching for something to listen to while I was baking (new recipes to come), I found this program on the The Mormon Channel called Enduring It Well. It was exactly what I needed. I listened to 5of the episodes so far. They are people who talk about big trials they have gone through and how they have stayed faithful through them. It really lifted me up and helped me be happy today.

One of the episodes I listened to was an interview of Ed and Lois Smart, Elizabeth Smart’s parents. The interview was taped when Elizabeth was still on a mission in France. They are really examples to me. This part at the end really hit me:
Interviewer: “Have you recovered?”

Lois Smart: “Yes. We have to remember and it was just like [Ed] said earlier about Elizabeth. You know, this just makes up a very small part of our life. It’s just a little bit of who she is and of who we are. We have our whole lifetime ahead of us.”

I am praying that I can really see this part of my life that way, that I can enjoy and savor this time in my children’s lives even with my pain, and that I can be grateful for all the many miracles in my life everyday and see this as temporary. It is a small part of my life. I have many years ahead of me. Now I just have to be happy that I have many years ahead of me. Working on it all!

Red, White and Blue Berry Yogurt Cake & Brian Baer

2011-07-09T21:16:00.000-06:00

Pop to the end of the post and then back up if you'd like to listen to music while you're looking at the scrumptious dessert.

I love berries and I love baked goods, so of course, I really like this dessert. I can't find my tube pan, like they use at Baking Bites, where I found this recipe, so I used my Bundt pan. Looks pretty even if it is red, white and purple instead of red, white and blue.

Red, White and Blue Berry Yogurt Cake
2 c. cake flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 c. (nonfat) plain greek-style yogurt
1/2 vanilla bean or 2 t. vanilla extract
4 oz. fresh blueberries
4 oz. fresh raspberries
Cream cheese frosting (recipe below)
Fresh berries, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 10-inch tube pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar until light. Beat in egg and egg white. If using a vanilla bean, scrap the seeds into the mixing bowl, otherwise stir in 2 tsp vanilla extract.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the yogurt in two or three additions and mixing at low speed until everything is just combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.

Pour about 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan, then fold the raspberries and blueberries into the remaining batter carefully. Spread berry batter evenly over the plain batter in the cake pan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

Cool cake completely in the pan and turn it out onto a serving plate before frosting.

Spread a thin, even layer of cream cheese frosting over the cake and garnish with fresh berries before serving.

Serves 12

Cream Cheese Frosting
3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 T. butter, room temperature
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1 – 1 1/4 c. powdered sugar

Cream together cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla until smooth. Gradually blend in powered sugar until frosting is thick and creamy.

Brian Baer is in Provo and he's played recently in Utah, but I missed every one of his shows. My favorite song is Temporary because of its message, but I love Auburn too. He plays the guitar and sings his
original music.

"Brian Baer has been performing musically since the fourth grade... He just released the first EP of his solo career “Halves & Have-nots”, which can be found on itunes, amazon, and most online music stores. Having been compared to Jason Mraz, Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 and John Mayer’s earlier work, his sound is accessible to a wide audience yet unique enough to keep the listener engaged."

TemporaryLyrics and Music by Brian Baer

There’s a vulnerable part
Tucked deep in your heart
Where you wonder if these rain clouds ever goin away
You don’t know where to start
So you take it apart
And it’s back to the drawing board so they say
It’s just not your day
But believe me, better times are on their way

Chorus

It’s only temporary, it’s not fair but it won’t carry on
It’s only temporary, I know you’re scared but, it won’t last too long

We’ve been through this before
still we come back for more
Hopin’ this new story comes complete with happy ending.
At the end of your line
And nearly out of time
Now you’re trying not to break though you’re already bending
And you’re sending you’re last goodbyes
But believe me there’s a reason to dry your eyes

Chorus

It’s only temporary, it’s not fair but it won’t carry on
It’s only temporary, I know you’re scared but, it won’t last too long
You fall down, you lose face, you get back in the race.
It’s not the pace you run, it’s running till you’re done.
It’s only temporary I know these hard times will surely soon be gone.

Bridge

Everyone has wondered if they’re gonna find someone to love them when they’re all alone, No you’re not alone
This thing won’t last forever, everything will come together, everything is looking better, cause you know.

Chorus

Banana Coconut Loaf

2011-06-27T16:01:00.001-06:00

I have been making this bread for so long that I don't even remember where I found it originally. It's a moist quick bread full of yummy bits of goodness. I add an almond glaze to the recipe and love it, but it's optional to your taste. I just take powdered sugar, a bit of almond extract extract, and enough water to make a glaze and pour it on top of the slightly cooled loaf. This last time I used cream of coconut and powdered sugar. Sorry I don't have measurements for the glaze.

Banana Coconut Loaf

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. flaked coconut
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
1/2 c. maraschino cherries, cut up
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 t. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Mix together flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chopped walnuts and cherries. Break eggs in a mixing bowl, and beat until light. Add sugar and melted butter. Beat well. Stir in mashed banana and extract. Add flour mixture, and stir just to combine. Spoon into greased loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes, and remove from pan. Cool.

Or Maybe Not, Not Today

2011-06-25T23:07:00.001-06:00

My classes are over for the summer and I am so excited to have time to just BE with my children. I have so many notes in my notebook and thoughts and feelings in my heart and head that I'd love to share, along with a few recipes, when I have a few minutes to post here and there. But I want to leave a quick thought and some beautiful music, OF COURSE.

This last week was a single adult conference (for anyone single 31 to death) and there were some workshops that are like BYU Education Week or Women's Conference classes, which I love. So I was happy I was able to attend those. The theme was "Be still and know that I am God". Several of the speakers talked about the importance of being patient with the Lord's timing and will and learning to live joyfully now, even as we are waiting for future blessings. Can you imagine why they'd say that to a big group of wanna-be- married-for-eternity-but-instead-alone people? But obviously this same message applies to all of us.

One of the wonderful classes was this group of women One Clear Voice (Tammy Simister Robinson, Johanne Frechette Perry, Tanya Barkdull, LaRene Tinney) who I had never heard before. They shared their beautiful voices and also a few thoughts and their testimonies. Powerful!

I could seriously write a post on every song, so listen to them all. One that they sang that has touched me so deeply is "Gratitude", song #11 above. You will know it's great when I tell you the song is by Nichole Nordeman if you know who she is. These women sing it so perfectly to send the message directly to my heart. I am working on having gratitude even and especially during trials. We all pass through very difficult times while on this earth, but there is no shortage of blessings during those struggles. In fact, if we look, we can find so much to be grateful for every day when "in the midst of affliction". We just have to use our faith in our Heavenly Father that the blessings He is giving us now are the ones we need now. Yeah, "just" that.

Gratitude
Lyrics and music by Nichole Nordeman

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread
Oh, the differences that often are between
What we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace

But Jesus, would You please . . .

Luck of the Irish Dessert Squares

2011-06-16T11:22:00.000-06:00

I have one more exam and a final and tons of homework to finish by next Thursday so this quick break will likely be my only post until after my final. And I have so many things to do the rest of next week after finals so I don't know when I'll be able to catch up with all of you.

I found this recipe at Hersheys.com and made it for a family Memorial Day BBQ (along with Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake). It was cloudy and rainy, like most of the spring and summer days have been this year in Utah, but I pretended we needed a cool dessert. This one is very simple to throw together, although not so simple to cut into pretty pieces when it hasn't had time to be refrigerated long before you have to snap a photo and run with the food to the party.

Luck of the Irish Dessert Squares

CHOCOLATE CRUMB CRUST (recipe follows)
1 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1/4 c. milk
5 c. frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed (about 12 oz.), divided
1/4 - 1/2 t. peppermint extract
Green food color
Mint leaves (optional)
Prepare CHOCOLATE CRUMB CRUST.

Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Add cocoa alternately with milk, beating until smooth. Gradually fold in 3 cups whipped topping; spoon mixture over crumb crust.

Stir together remaining 2 cups whipped topping, peppermint extract and food color in small bowl; spread over chocolate layer. Cover; refrigerate about 6 hours or until set. Cut into squares. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired. Cover; refrigerate leftover dessert. 6 to 9 servings.
CHOCOLATE CRUMB CRUST: Combine 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa and 5 tablespoons melted butter or margarine in small bowl; stir until well blended. Press mixture onto bottom of 9-inch square pan.

Night of Awesomeness

2011-06-13T01:30:00.003-06:00

You can play some music related to the post while you read. And just for the record, Alexander suggested the title when I couldn't think of one.

I took the kids to Acoustic Explosion at BYU. I was the oldest one (by far) and my children were the youngest ones minus one baby that was there. I wanted to go because The Lovecapades were playing and I've only heard them online and their lead vocal singer, Colin Rivera, was the MC at BYU Unplugged that I went to a few months ago. When we got there, but before we found a spot on the lawn, I spotted Ruth, one of the young single adults from our old Spanish ward so I went to say hello. She introduced me to her boyfriend, who it turns out plays with The Lovecapades. How fun!

The show opened with a group called MayDay. I couldn't find anything online about them.

If you look really hard, you can see Ruth and her musician boyfriend in the right upper corner on a bench. Accidental spy cam.

Then Steven Stucki played.

Then the Lovecapades were up. Lots of fun!

Then we ran from BYU to Guru's in Provo to see J.Wride. Do you remember my blog post about them? It was the first time I got to see them live.

Clay Summers opened.

I won't post J.Wride's music since I did before, but it's great. They were energetic and it was fun to watch them jammin. Elisa said they were her favorite of the night. If you look hard, you can see a poster for Nikki Forova on the board behind the guys. Happy listening!

Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake

2011-06-08T21:22:00.003-06:00

One question before the recipe...Why won't Google let me log in and make comments to some people's blogs when I used to be able to? When I click "post comment", I have to choose Google account and it takes me to the Google Blogger log in page. I log in with my info, but it shows me my comment as "anonymous" and then just won't let me post the comment. I can log into my blog just fine. Any bloggers have any ideas???

I made this cake for the first time to take to my brother Jared and sister-in-law Debbie's house for a family Memorial Day BBQ. I really like the orange/chocolate combination. I will probably throw in a few more chocolate chips next time just cuz I like them. I drizzled it with a simple glaze, but you don't need to. I found this pretty cake at Joy the Baker. Head over there for good recipes and gorgeous food photos.

Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake

3 1/2 c. cake flour
1 T. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 c. unsalted butter at room temprature
2 c. sugar
4 large eggs, left at room temperature for 30 minutes
2 t. vanilla extract
2 c. sour cream
1/2 t. orange extract
Zest of 1 large orange
4 T. cocoa powder
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Put rack in the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan and set aside.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add half of flour mixture, and mix until just blended. Add sour cream, mixing until just combined, then add remaining flour mixture and mix until smooth.

Divide the batter evenly into two bowls. In one bowl add the orange zest and orange extract and stir to combine. In the other bowl add sifted cocoa powder and chocolate chips and stir to combine.
First pour the orange batter into the buttered Bundt pan, spreading it evenly around the bottom of the pan.

Next, simply add the chocolate batter on top of the orange to cover. No swirling is necessary, although you can swirl the batters together if you like.

Bake until cake is springy to the touch and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool cake in the pan for 30 minutes. Invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

It's Really June Already???

2011-06-07T12:17:00.000-06:00

Since I don't get to update my blog much at all anymore or even keep in touch with friends like I would like, I'm just posting some random recent photos. It's mostly for my family and friends who actually know us (cuz others just might not care), but you can all enjoy the good music while you're here. This is Taylor Olson, a BYU student and pop/jazz singer/songwriter. We like BYU and good music at our house. If you are around, you can hear her live this Saturday, June 11th at 10:00 at Muse Music Cafe in Provo. She'll be performing and so will some other great women like Jacqueline du Plessis. So click play and look through the photos or listen to her while your reading other windows.

Alexander and I went to a program at BYU called Foundations that helps prepare kids for college and parents to know what to do to help them (ACT tests, classes to take, GPA requirements, etc.). This was his second year and he loves it. The parents and kids were separated on different sides of the room for this opening session. Before I left him, I told Alexander to go up and dance or answer trivia because that's what they do at the beginning. He said, "No way!" Then they asked for people to get up and tell jokes and he ran right up. (Horrible quality photo, but it was the best of the 4.)

He came home with free loot!

We went over to the Provo temple for a quick photo shoot. Only like 10 minutes. It's not easy to get photos of my children without them making silly faces!

Maria Mercer Adams, my sister's sister-in-law, so kinda, almost my sis-in-law, had an art show at BYU and Sabrina and I went to see it. They are illustrations that she painted for a book that is to introduce newly diagnosed children to Type 1 Diabetes, which Maria has. I am in awe of people with such talent!

Sabrina loved the apples!

Maria's mother Lanette and Maria's cousin, who I just met for the first time that night. You can barely see Maria behind her mother's shoulder in the background.

Maria was so busy talking to friends and family (even an art editor for The Friend was there) so I didn't want to interrupt her for a photo. So I snapped one while she was conversing.

When we were leaving the art show, Sabrina asked me to take a few photos of her on campus.

Yeah, we like BYU!

For my family birthday party, we went to my parents' house and Alex played the fluter while the girls sang a couple of hymns for me. Alex taught himself to play the flute recently and didn't even practice the hymns before he played for us. The girls just decided what they wanted to sing in the car on the way to my parents' house. Lots of talent there too!

My niece turned 2 and I snapped some photos at the party. My sister Heather made the cute cake.

This is my cousin Angela and her son Sky. As you can tell, she is lots younger than me. I met her either once or twice before she got married and took a trip out to Utah like a year ago. When I was growing up, I only had 2 cousins. Yep, 2 total on my father and mother's sides. A few more came along over the years, but not many and I barely know them. So it's pretty special that she is living in Utah for a few months while her hubby is deployed away from home.

This is my brother Jared and his wife Debbie. They have the two amazing boys below.

I think that's enough pics for today! My family has probably seen most of these anyway, thanks to Facebook. Hope to be back soon for a new post, but I have a test to study for so I dunno.

Look at Your Heart

2011-05-29T23:20:00.003-06:00

I just got back from a really awesome fireside where I learned a lot and wish the speaker could have kept teaching. Only problem—not a single, stinkin’ guy even said hi to me. All the ones my age ran off right after the fireside was over and didn’t stay for the “mingle”. Plenty of 60 year olds+ stayed. I did make a new friend though. Yay for that! ANYWAY---

When I was preparing my visiting message this month, I was looking through the General Conference talks from April and thinking of things that touched me in so many of them, but I quickly chose Elder Dallin H. Oak's talk Desire. It was funny because the sister I shared the message with asked me if her husband asked me to teach that message because it is something she needed. I think we all do. Here are a few parts taken out of the talk with some interruptions from me. The quotes are in quotation marks and italized in case it gets confusing. Another clue: All the profound thoughts are from the apostles and my little thoughts are just thrown in.

“I have chosen to talk about the importance of desire. I hope each of us will search our hearts to determine what we really desire and how we rank our most important desires.

Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming.

Readjusting our desires to give highest priority to the things of eternity is not easy.”

Not long ago I went to a fireside with speaker Brandon Doman, former quarterback for BYU and then the San Francisco 49ers, and current offensive coordinator for the BYU football team. (GO, COUGARS!!!)

He quoted a saying his father taught him. "If the mind can conceive it and your heart can believe it, you can achieve it." He was talking about how you can be running a marathon (no, I can’t!) and you think that you absolutely cannot continue. Your heart will explode if you keep going. Your body will stop. But then, if you push through it, with a desire to continue and a belief that you can, then you can keep going further than you thought you could. I’m sure it’s like when people are put in situations where they must keep going or die.
Elder Oaks talked about the story of Aron Ralston. He was the man whose arm was trapped under a huge boulder in a remote location in Utah. After trying desperately to get free for 5 days, he still was stuck. He thought that there was no way out and that he was going to die.

“When he was about to give up and accept death, he had a vision of a three-year-old boy running toward him and being scooped up with his left arm. Understanding this as a vision of his future son and an assurance that he could still live, Ralston summoned the courage and took drastic action to save his life before his strength ran out. He broke the two bones in his trapped right arm and then used the knife in his multitool to cut off that arm. He then summoned the strength to hike five miles (8 km) for help.”

When we have a vision of living for eternity with our Heavenly Father and with our families, we can find the desire to do what we need to, no matter how difficult, and we can find the strength to put into action that which we must do to get there.

“Most of us will never face such an extreme crisis, but all of us face potential traps that will prevent progress toward our eternal destiny. If our righteous desires are sufficiently intense, they will motivate us to cut and carve ourselves free from addictions and other sinful pressures and priorities that prevent our eternal progress.

We should remember that righteous desires cannot be superficial, impulsive, or temporary. They must be heartfelt, unwavering, and permanent. So motivated, we will seek for that condition described by the Prophet Joseph Smith, where we have 'overcome the evils of [our lives] and lost every desire for sin.' See Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 211."
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, April 2011, General Conference

In his talk, Elder Oaks briefly quotes Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s talk According to the Desire of Our Hearts . I will quote a bit more of it because I really like Elder Maxwell’s talk too.

“Exemplifying this happy reality are the doctrinal teachings concerning desire, which relates so directly to our moral agency and our individuality. Whether in their conception or expression, our desires profoundly affect the use of our moral agency. Desires thus become real determinants, even when, with pitiful naivete, we do not really want the consequences of our desires.

Desire denotes a real longing or craving. Hence righteous desires are much more than passive preferences or fleeting feelings.

Therefore, what we insistently desire, over time, is what we will eventually become and what we will receive in eternity.

Mostly, brothers and sisters, we become the victims of our own wrong desires. Moreover, we live in an age when many simply refuse to feel responsible for themselves. Thus, a crystal-clear understanding of the doctrines pertaining to desire is so vital because of the spreading effluent oozing out of so many unjustified excuses by so many. This is like a sludge which is sweeping society along toward “the gulf of misery and endless wo” (Hel. 5:12). Feeding that same flow is the selfish philosophy of “no fault,” which is replacing the meek and apologetic “my fault.” We listen with eager ear to hear genuine pleas for forgiveness instead of the ritualistic “Sorry. I hope I can forgive myself.”
Like it or not, therefore, reality requires that we acknowledge our responsibility for our desires. Brothers and sisters, which do we really desire, God’s plans for us or Satan’s?

What we are speaking about is so much more than merely deflecting temptations for which we somehow do not feel responsible. Remember, brothers and sisters, it is our own desires which determine the sizing and the attractiveness of various temptations. We set our thermostats as to temptations.

Once again, we must be honest with ourselves about the consequences of our desires, which follow as the night, the day."
Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “According to the Desire of [Our] Hearts”, Ensign, Nov. 1996

My favorite part of this great talk is: “Therefore, what we insistently desire, over time, is what we will eventually become and what we will receive in eternity.” How do we know what we “insistently desire”? What do we think about when we don’t have to think about something? What do we choose to do with our time? This shows our priorities. As Elder Oaks said, “Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming.”

If we don’t desire the things that will bring us closer to our Savior and our Father and ultimately to live with them and our family eternally, then it is our responsibility to pray for that desire and work on those things we have been told by the scriptures, our prophets, and our local church leaders that we need to do. None of us is perfect and changing those imperfections starts with a desire to change them.

President Joseph F. Smith taught that the "education. . . of our desires is one of far-reaching importance to our happiness in life" (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1939], p. 297).
For one more great talk on desire by Elder Oaks read DALLIN H. OAKS ,"The Desires of Our Hearts" , BYU Devotional, 8 October 1985

Grilled Lime Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

2011-05-25T17:32:00.000-06:00

We had this for dinner last night and really liked it. I was surprised that even Elisa liked it since she dislikes cilantro. The photos don't show the salad on the other side of the plate which made it even better, and there was something else I didn't have, but was craving to eat with it. Fried plantains! Yummmmmmm. This is an easy meal that I cooked up on my indoor grill. I like the lime flavor. I just mashed the beans a little instead of putting them in the food processor. I found this at Simply Recipes.

Grilled Lime Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

Juice of 4-5 limes
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c.+ (more to taste) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 t. dried oregano leaves
1/2 t. coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 red onion, halved then sliced into 1/4” strips

Black Bean Sauce:
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 quart filtered water
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced and chopped
Stems from one bunch of cilantro, chopped into 1/4” bits (approx. 1/2 cup)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, oregano, salt and pepper in a glass bowl and mix well. Trim the chicken breasts, then add to the marinade. Cover lightly and marinate, turning the chicken occasionally, for 2 hours at room temperature (or overnight in the fridge).
Prepare Black Bean Sauce while chicken is marinating. Place beans in a large sauce-pan or soup pan, and add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 hours. Add additional water if needed. Remove bay leaves, then transfer the bean mixture to a food processor. Process well, adding water if needed to make desired consistency.

Preheat oven to 350° F, and prepare grill (gas or hot coals). Place the red onion slices in the bottom of a shallow, oven-proof dish, then cover with chicken breasts and marinade. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil, then bake for 15-20 minutes (only until the chicken is opaque). Remove the chicken breasts to a platter and set aside. Continue to cook the onions in the marinade (covered) for 10 minutes. Save the marinade for grilling.

Place the chicken breasts on the grill over very hot coals or gas flame, and grill until they are thoroughly cooked but still moist (approximately 2 minutes on each side). Drizzle with remaining marinade while cooking. Remove to platter when grilled.
Serve the grilled chicken with the red onions, drizzle with the black bean sauce. Garnish with sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes or fresh cilantro - or serve with a leafy green side salad, as desired.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-05-23T22:18:00.002-06:00

This is the story of how my scientific experiment went wrong. While I was organizing my kitchen cabinets a couple of weeks ago, I found rice flour that I had forgotten about. I bought it to make some gluten-free cookies a while ago. They didn’t turn out good enough to make again so I threw out the recipe and didn’t share it here. I wanted to use more of the rice flour so I searched for a gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe. Sabrina had been begging me to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for a couple of weeks, but I had been too busy. I found this recipe at kill.the.gluten.

So I decided that I’d make two batches. One gluten-free version and one made with regular flour (same recipe) and I wasn’t going to tell the kids what the difference was, just that I wanted to know which recipe they liked better and why. BUT Sabrina was too clever and looked at the recipe on my computer and saw that one was gluten-free and she told her brother and sister. So I didn’t get an unbiased opinion.

They all said they didn’t like the gluten-free version because it has a granular texture. I could tell a difference with the texture, but I thought they were good. For some reason, the gluten-free cookies were less smooth and a little higher than the regular. I think they're a good and really liked them warm with the melty chocolate chips. And I just did one batch of each. We all know that you have to repeat the experiment several times to get a true representation of the product, but I didn't. It's possible that a second batch could have tasted slightly better (or worse). But this was my flawed (and very yummy) experiment.

Gluten-free Version Regular Version

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 t. vanilla
2 c. rice flour
1 t. gluten-free baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. nutmeg
Chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, pumpkin & vanilla. Then add all dry ingredients and mix well. Add chocolate chips and mix in. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until a little underbaked.

Regular Version above

Gluten-free Version above

Nik Day

2011-05-20T15:28:00.004-06:00

Today I am introducing you to Nik Day and his music. (You're welcome...You will thank me.) I heard his music online for a while and when he was playing at BYU Unplugged a few months ago, I went to see it with my friend who had never heard of him. There were lots of good artists that night, but he was my favorite and my friend likes his music now too! He is fun and energetic on stage.

Many singers don't like to be compared to other singers, so I won't do that, but on his own Reverbnation page he did, so I'll quote him.
"His style is uniquely his own, though some say his music is similar to Michael Buble and Jason Mraz, with a warm, raspy voice similar to that of John Mayer."

Any DAY is a good DAY to listen to Nik Day, but I am thinking of his music today because he is playing tonight (May 20th) in SLC, but I won't be there. I'm happy that I'll be at BYU for my sister's sister-in-law's Artist Reception. If you are anywhere around Provo up until May 30th, you should stop by BYU to see the show.

Back to Nik-I included two videos here. If you know Provo, you might recognize a few of the places in the videos. If you like his music, you can LIKE him on Facebook and get updates about his shows or just leave him some words of love on his wall.

Snappish & Willful

2011-05-15T21:48:00.002-06:00

I am so honored that Laura from Living a Big Story asked me to be a guest blogger on her May Mother's Day Series along with other women. She will be posting mine Monday, May 16th. So you can head over there and read my little post, along with some other posts by awesome women guests and Laura's own posts too!

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You most likely have heard the following analogy before in Jeremiah 18 or recently in The Potter and the Clay, Ensign, January 2011. I found a bit more of Heber C. Kimball's quote, which was used in the Ensign article, in Heber C. Kimball: Mormon Patriarch and Pioneer By Stanley B. Kimball.

“I do not know that I can compare it [the proper course of life] better than by the potter’s business. It forms a good comparison. This is the course you must pursue, and I know of no other way that God has prepared for you to become sanctified, and molded and fashioned, until you become modeled to the likeness of the Son of God, by those who are placed to lead you. This is a lesson you have to learn as well as myself….You have come from the mill, and you have been there grinding. For what purpose? To bring you into a passive condition….Now suppose I subject myself enough, in the hands of the potter, to be shaped according as he was dictated by the Great Master potter, that rules over all things in heaven and on earth, He would make me into a vessel of honor.

There are many vessels that are destroyed after they have been molded and shaped. Why? Because they are not contented with the shape the potter has given them, but straightway put themselves into a shape to please themselves; therefore they are beyond understanding what God designs, and they destroy themselves by the power of their own agency, for this is given to every man and woman, to do just as they please…Well, then, you have to go through a great many modelings and shapes, then you have to be glazed and burned; and even in the burning, some vessels crack. What makes them crack? Because they are snappish; they would not crack if they were not snappish and willful."

(Pretty Elisa made this fun pottery)

This goes along with taking hold of the steering wheel instead of trusting our Father to guide us. Before this quote, Heber C. Kimball talks about how "as [His] work progresses, the works of Satan will increase, and he will continue to present one thing after another, following up the work of God, and increasing means of deception, to lead astray such men and women, and take them captive." How can he lead us astray if we are trying to do good? When we are not in a "passive condition" or humble, we may think that we know more than the potter. Who is the potter? Jesus in the master potter, shaping us the way His master, our Father, instructs Him to. But our church leaders are also our potters, as stated in the quote above.

Are we humble enough to listen to our church leaders when they guide us, advise us, teach us? Or do we decide that we know better what shape we should take, trying to mold ourselves and "destroy [ourselves] by the power of [our] own agency?" Why do we fight it when He knows what our design is, what we must become? Why would we question it when He will make us into "a vessel of honor", something we cannot do on our own? I have been blessed with many wise and kind leaders who have helped and guided me. We only have to listen to the Father's words through them and obey. They want what our Father wants--a pot molded just right.

Besides the molding by our leaders, our Father uses our experiences to mold us. Many people talk about how we grow and are molded in our trials, and it is true, but I have also learned so much in the good times. We just need to always be willing to learn and grow. Two people going through the same experiences could come out very differently. We need to let the Spirit guide us and always stay on the straight and narrow.

I'm gonna start using that phrase "snappish and willful" when I start to take over and think I know what's best. Hopefully that will snap me back to humility so I will allow myself to be molded, so I can be what the potter is trying to make me into.

Catchin' Up

2011-05-09T22:19:00.003-06:00

Most of the last month and a half I was studying even during the weekends, but did manage to squeeze a few fun things in. My poor bored children.

I took Alexander to a Japanese restaurant, just the two of us. He loves all things Japanese. He even had the sushi. He said the wasabi was too spicy so he couldn't eat more than a couple of nibbles.

Just hangin' out at home, day after day

My friend Katherine got married and I was blessed to be there. Yay for second chances at love!

Sabrina bought some flowers for me at school and it wasn't even for Mother's Day. So sweet!

I finally got to visit with my friend Kathryn. We've been friends since before we had children, but she has lived out of the state for years. She is also getting remarried and I'm so excited for her! (I think I need to change my name to some spelling of Kathryn. Did you notice why?)

I took the kids ice skating after my finals were over! We all ended up bruised from falls or with blisters from the ice skates. But we had fun and want to go again sometime soon. I didn't want to take my camera so I took these photos before we left. Kinda boring, but I haven't taken many photos of them or with them for a while.

Alexander taught Elisa how to mow the lawn. He does not mind one bit sharing that job.

Alexander had a band concert. He's the one in "concert black", pretending to play the trombone.

We hung out in the mall being silly.

Julie, Me, Lesa, Kendra, Cheryl, & Valerie (another one!)

Then last week I got to go to breakfast with these beautiful, fun and wonderful women! I sure hope it won't be the last time we get together. There wasn't enough time to chat all we wanted to. But now I know them all in person and it makes their blogs even more fun to read! Kneaders=Gooood breakfast, Kneaders with Blogger Friends=An unforgettable morning!

Now I'm back in class. Gotta get through this chemistry class and the lab in half the time of the normal semester since it's a summer block. Here's hoping I survive!
So much stuff bouncing around my head. I sure hope I can find time to blog soon.

Chocolate Recipes Revisited

2011-05-06T21:16:00.000-06:00

My days off before school starts on Monday went so very fast. Several days I was busy baking, which is a nice change from never having time to bake. But I didn't dare try something new because the baking was all for Teacher Appreciation Week and I wanted the teachers' treats that I took to the junior high to be great. So take a look at what I made from some of my old posts. I'm hoping to find time for a new post soon.

Creamy Cocoa Cookies with Fat Fudge Frosting

Ultimate Orange Raspberry Brownie Muffin

Pretzel Crusted Caramel and Chocolate Brownie Cups