Life of Pi by Yann MartelMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars to be precise :)
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Thursday, December 2, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Jane Eyre by Charlotte BrontëMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Enjoyed it even more the second time around.
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Thursday, August 5, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Just finished reading again. It's the only book I can read over and over and love it every time.
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Friday, July 9, 2010
I have been a driving machine all week, until today, when I crashed at home almost all day and tried to catch up on laundry.
Monday - Issaquah to visit Michann and Barb
Tuesday - Baby Shower... Doctor appointment for Magen (ob/gyn) - Did an ultrasound to rule out bladder issue and check for cysts, both of which were ruled out as being part of the current problem
Wednesday - Dentist for me (no cavities!!) and Magen (1 cavity)
Thursday - Left home at 8:45am to pick up Michann in Issaquah and go with her to college orientation in Seattle all day... drop Michann off at the temple to meet up with her date... kill an hour at Deseret Book (not a problem) to avoid horrible rush hour traffic and 97 degrees with no air conditioning... got home pretty late and missed the Relief Society crab dinner I had been looking forward to, but wouldn't want to have missed going with Michann
Friday - only one quick outing to meet Nate (Housing Hope) at Cascade Lumber to give the owner a framed certificate of thanks for being a generous sponsor of our recent Stone Soup dinner (very nice guy!)
Saturday - (tomorrow) I hope to do phase two of my laundry catch up and go absolutely nowhere all day, except out to my garden to water it! (and hopefully do my long neglected daily walk!)
Speaking of my lovely garden, I bought a $3 garden art piece to adorn my garden plot. It's a very colorful sun on a 3 foot or so metal pole, which I stuck right in the middle of everything. It reminds me of my first 7th grade art project, a very large paper envelope to hold future pieces I would create that year in class. The cover art was a large "Sun God" which I can still picture. My garden is doing quite well, especially since it has been a very hot week (finally) and it gets watered twice a day! I even mixed up some organic fish fertilizer which I found while cleaning the garage, and watered each section of the garden with it by hand. Almost everything has sprouted and of course the radishes are most prominent, but others are not far behind. The only things I don't see yet are sweet marjoram, parsley, and some of the lettuce varieties. Today I did a bit of weeding. There's still one corner of the garden that I haven't reclaimed which is overgrown with weeds. I may just leave it as it is for this year. Next year I definitely need more dirt and some good organic compost. I'm already looking forward to even greater success :)
Michann starts school on Monday! I hope the bus route works well, and that she likes her classes. I'm excited for her and feel that she will do great things at school.
Magen finally got word that her housing application is processed and she has a dorm! What a nice relief, and hopefully she'll be assigned a roomate she can enjoy and become friends with. Now we're waiting for the list of things to bring. I think Magen will have fun shopping for college things!
Amber and Magen have not had any luck with finding jobs yet. Magen is babysitting a bit so that's helpful. I think we need to go back out and have them get more applications. Maybe they will be less picky this time :)
Tomorrow Jeff doesn't have to work and is going on a hike (back up to Lake 22) with the single's branch. Michann and Magen are both going. Michann is excited to see local friends one last time before getting into her new school year. (She just got here late this evening and will spend the night.) Magen and Amber have been spending time with friends this week at Lake Goodwin, or Iverson Beach, or at pool parties. It finally feels like SUMMER! Amber and I know better than to go back up to Lake 22 tomorrow... once is enough for us! She's going back to the beach tomorrow with Kate, and I'll probably have the house to myself, of course with Daisy to keep my company. I look forward to more reading between all the laundry loads.
Monday - Issaquah to visit Michann and Barb
Tuesday - Baby Shower... Doctor appointment for Magen (ob/gyn) - Did an ultrasound to rule out bladder issue and check for cysts, both of which were ruled out as being part of the current problem
Wednesday - Dentist for me (no cavities!!) and Magen (1 cavity)
Thursday - Left home at 8:45am to pick up Michann in Issaquah and go with her to college orientation in Seattle all day... drop Michann off at the temple to meet up with her date... kill an hour at Deseret Book (not a problem) to avoid horrible rush hour traffic and 97 degrees with no air conditioning... got home pretty late and missed the Relief Society crab dinner I had been looking forward to, but wouldn't want to have missed going with Michann
Friday - only one quick outing to meet Nate (Housing Hope) at Cascade Lumber to give the owner a framed certificate of thanks for being a generous sponsor of our recent Stone Soup dinner (very nice guy!)
Saturday - (tomorrow) I hope to do phase two of my laundry catch up and go absolutely nowhere all day, except out to my garden to water it! (and hopefully do my long neglected daily walk!)
Speaking of my lovely garden, I bought a $3 garden art piece to adorn my garden plot. It's a very colorful sun on a 3 foot or so metal pole, which I stuck right in the middle of everything. It reminds me of my first 7th grade art project, a very large paper envelope to hold future pieces I would create that year in class. The cover art was a large "Sun God" which I can still picture. My garden is doing quite well, especially since it has been a very hot week (finally) and it gets watered twice a day! I even mixed up some organic fish fertilizer which I found while cleaning the garage, and watered each section of the garden with it by hand. Almost everything has sprouted and of course the radishes are most prominent, but others are not far behind. The only things I don't see yet are sweet marjoram, parsley, and some of the lettuce varieties. Today I did a bit of weeding. There's still one corner of the garden that I haven't reclaimed which is overgrown with weeds. I may just leave it as it is for this year. Next year I definitely need more dirt and some good organic compost. I'm already looking forward to even greater success :)
Michann starts school on Monday! I hope the bus route works well, and that she likes her classes. I'm excited for her and feel that she will do great things at school.
Magen finally got word that her housing application is processed and she has a dorm! What a nice relief, and hopefully she'll be assigned a roomate she can enjoy and become friends with. Now we're waiting for the list of things to bring. I think Magen will have fun shopping for college things!
Amber and Magen have not had any luck with finding jobs yet. Magen is babysitting a bit so that's helpful. I think we need to go back out and have them get more applications. Maybe they will be less picky this time :)
Tomorrow Jeff doesn't have to work and is going on a hike (back up to Lake 22) with the single's branch. Michann and Magen are both going. Michann is excited to see local friends one last time before getting into her new school year. (She just got here late this evening and will spend the night.) Magen and Amber have been spending time with friends this week at Lake Goodwin, or Iverson Beach, or at pool parties. It finally feels like SUMMER! Amber and I know better than to go back up to Lake 22 tomorrow... once is enough for us! She's going back to the beach tomorrow with Kate, and I'll probably have the house to myself, of course with Daisy to keep my company. I look forward to more reading between all the laundry loads.
Rush Limbaugh: An Army of One by Zev ChafetsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
An interesting look at Rush Limbaugh's life, written by a non-conservative. Chafets seems to be a fair man who wanted to give an honest look at Rush. A quick and enjoyable book.
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Sunday, July 4, 2010
I forgot to mention that Milly Kloepfer substituted in Primary (chorister) since Abby was gone. It was fun to have her back, even just for a day! She has a special way of doing music and it's great to work with her. I went into the nursery to visit in between music times so that helped the time go by. Abby is doing a great job, too. She's young, married, and no children yet. She does a great job, and much better than I would have at that time of my life. Probably better than I could do even now! She has a much different style and personality than Milly, but that's what makes working in the church so nice. Everyone brings their own talents and abilities to their calling and has some great things to contribute that no one else could. Sacrament meeting was nice, too. It was testimony meeting and I think I went through 3 tissues today. Amber teases me, but that's just what I do. I can't help it! :) It was nice to sing patriotic songs for the 4th of July. I love this holiday!
Earlier this week, I finally planted my garden! I've got about 15 things going, and hope to see some veggies in the coming weeks. I also planted a few herbs, and of course I'm still working on getting some decent strawberries out of those plants. So far, all my organic fertilizer seems to have done is make the strawberry plants more bushy. The berries are not any bigger, so I'm getting to the point where I may dig them up and plant them in a planter box with all new dirt. It may be too late for this year, but at least they will have a better change for next year. And if I'm lucky, since they are everbearing plants, I may still get some better berries later in the season. We shall see! I wonder if I should relocate my blueberry bushes also???
My tomato plants really need some sun, and should get it this week. I'd hate to see them looking really nice now, and then rotting with the cold, damp weather. Either way, I'm going to pull all the plants up at the end of the summer like I did last year and hang them in the garage. I know we'll get tomatoes for at least 3 months if it's anything like last year.
Yesterday Jeff's band played in Darrington at Greg's dad's place. Gary and Henny, friends of Kurt (Curt?) Bressler, the band leader, put on an amazingly delicious barbecue! I haven't enjoyed a picnic that much for a long time. I sat and talked with Starla, Kurt's wife during most of the 2-3 hours we were there. She was really nice and it was nice to sit outside in the beautiful green wooded, hilly, setting we were in, with a partly sunny sky looking down on us. The band played some, and spent some time trying to work out their sound system. It would be a lot easier if they could afford some good equipment, but they just have to work with what they have, and it's often frustrating and time consuming. But I just sat and ate and chatted, so I was happy. The only downfall was the long drive there and back (an hour each way). And that was following a week full of driving.
I had a Friday board meeting on Whidbey for Readiness to Learn (about 3 hours driving total), also on Friday a dentist appointment for Amber (no cavities! but 1 1/2 hours driving), and on Thursday I had to drive to Bellingham for an eye appointment (2 hours driving!). I was really starting to feel it, and was sleeping badly, waking up every two hours with colitis problems and night sweats, and my legs, especially my right leg as usual, was feeling like it was starting to have tingling, slight numbness, and swelling. Those are all signs that my body is not doing well. I went to bed early last night, and even though I had to get up several times during the night, I felt better today than yesterday. I know I need to take it easy, though. Tomorrow we have to drive to Jeff's mom's but at least Jeff will be driving, and that's easier for me because I can move around a bit. I've also had to drive a lot more than usual because we are still working with one car and I have to drive Jeff to work anytime I need the car, so that means I also have to pick him up after work. I hate driving!!! Our KIA should be fixed soon, thankfully, and it will be a little easier. I just noticed that I have meetings and doctor appointments covering Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, so things aren't looking much better next week. I'll have to be very careful to get extra rest and do some consistent walking. I think that will help. Now that we finally have insurance, I've got a backlog of medical/dental/eye appointments to catch up on, so that is adding a lot to the schedule. I'll just do the best I can!
The fundraiser mailing I worked so hard on has finally been mailed and I've actually received mine in the mail! It looks great, and we're hopeful that it will raise some much needed funds for the organization (Readiness to Learn).
With all the meetings, appointments and gardening I've been doing I haven't had time to get to the garage for about a week now, but the next step is to scrub the other half of the floor (it's totally emptied out and ready to go) and then I think we're going to paint the walls, just on that far side of the garage. They were never painted, and it's hard to make the garage into a fun rec room with ugly walls. So floor scrubbing, wall painting, and then moving out the two couches, hanging the curtains, and trying to dress it up with some fun/cute things. That parts a little up in the air! And finding a nice used ping pong table is still out there, too! We have an extra TV, but still need a DVD player for it. I'd also like to roll out a carpet on the bare cement floor, but it's not really in my (non-existent) budget, so for now we'll just do without it. I had hoped to have it done by the end of school, but it just isn't happening that quickly. Even so, I'm very happy about all we have accomplished, and feel good about what a good job we are doing. It was long overdue!
It feels like someone is missing to have Michann gone, but I am also excited for her. She left Thursday for Barb's and I haven't even talked to her yet! I keep wanting to call her, but whenever I think of it I'm not where I can call, or she's at church, or whatever. It's frustrating. We'll be there tomorrow, but I still want to talk to her. Jeff was able to get her earlier today while I was at church (his single's branch meets later). She made it to the Bellevue single's ward and some guy from the ward was picking her up for an activity tonight. I'm glad she's already getting involved and meeting people. She's good at making friends. Also, her friend Rochelle who is kind of an investigator (her grandma recently joined the church) who she met at the single's branch up here, lives in Seattle part of the week so she was already over there at Barb's this weekend and spent the night with Michann. So Michann is keeping busy and hopefully having fun. She has a college open house this week. She wants to find a job asap and will be starting school in about 2 weeks. AJ will be coming to see her and saying goodbye (that's the plan) in a week or two. I hope it doesn't totally throw her off with starting school and work soon. He was told he has inoperable cancer and may not have a full life ahead. He wants to pursue things with Michann, but not in an "LDS stardards" kind of way. Now that Michann is active and trying to do things right he's feeling like he isn't ready for that. So it's best if they part ways, but they both feel very strongly about each other, so I am just expecting that Michann will have a hard time for a while. I hope she will be so involved in a lot of good things that she will be able to handle it without too much misery. (She has had a pretty roller coaster-ish relationship with him for quite a while and it has had some dramatic highs and lows.) He helped her in many ways to be a better person, so I'll always be grateful to him for that. I hope for the best for him, both with his health problems, and finding the right person.
Magen hasn't gotten word about her housing being confirmed yet. I'm wondering what is going on??? We'll call them tomorrow and hope that things are fine. Otherwise, where will she live? She is showing signs of immaturity with her priorities, but I'm sure it's normal for a lot of kids her age. Her main priority is her friends and social activities. Unfortunately, her best friends aren't members of the church, but she's also fairly involved with the single's branch, so she has friends there, too. All the girls could use a car, but there isn't money for that. Magen and Amber haven't even had driver's ed yet, so they have permits, but not a license. They are both still job-hunting. Not like their lives depend on it, so in this job market I'm wondering if they will get a job. I hope they are able to, because they both need to help with their own upcoming expenses.
Amber's excited about her upcoming weeklong trip with Kate and her mom to Oregon. I'm excited she gets to do this and appreciate the invitation. I hope it is a good trip.
I've got so many things on my to-do list that I'm wondering how I can ever get caught up on what I need to do...
My tomato plants really need some sun, and should get it this week. I'd hate to see them looking really nice now, and then rotting with the cold, damp weather. Either way, I'm going to pull all the plants up at the end of the summer like I did last year and hang them in the garage. I know we'll get tomatoes for at least 3 months if it's anything like last year.
Yesterday Jeff's band played in Darrington at Greg's dad's place. Gary and Henny, friends of Kurt (Curt?) Bressler, the band leader, put on an amazingly delicious barbecue! I haven't enjoyed a picnic that much for a long time. I sat and talked with Starla, Kurt's wife during most of the 2-3 hours we were there. She was really nice and it was nice to sit outside in the beautiful green wooded, hilly, setting we were in, with a partly sunny sky looking down on us. The band played some, and spent some time trying to work out their sound system. It would be a lot easier if they could afford some good equipment, but they just have to work with what they have, and it's often frustrating and time consuming. But I just sat and ate and chatted, so I was happy. The only downfall was the long drive there and back (an hour each way). And that was following a week full of driving.
I had a Friday board meeting on Whidbey for Readiness to Learn (about 3 hours driving total), also on Friday a dentist appointment for Amber (no cavities! but 1 1/2 hours driving), and on Thursday I had to drive to Bellingham for an eye appointment (2 hours driving!). I was really starting to feel it, and was sleeping badly, waking up every two hours with colitis problems and night sweats, and my legs, especially my right leg as usual, was feeling like it was starting to have tingling, slight numbness, and swelling. Those are all signs that my body is not doing well. I went to bed early last night, and even though I had to get up several times during the night, I felt better today than yesterday. I know I need to take it easy, though. Tomorrow we have to drive to Jeff's mom's but at least Jeff will be driving, and that's easier for me because I can move around a bit. I've also had to drive a lot more than usual because we are still working with one car and I have to drive Jeff to work anytime I need the car, so that means I also have to pick him up after work. I hate driving!!! Our KIA should be fixed soon, thankfully, and it will be a little easier. I just noticed that I have meetings and doctor appointments covering Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, so things aren't looking much better next week. I'll have to be very careful to get extra rest and do some consistent walking. I think that will help. Now that we finally have insurance, I've got a backlog of medical/dental/eye appointments to catch up on, so that is adding a lot to the schedule. I'll just do the best I can!
The fundraiser mailing I worked so hard on has finally been mailed and I've actually received mine in the mail! It looks great, and we're hopeful that it will raise some much needed funds for the organization (Readiness to Learn).
With all the meetings, appointments and gardening I've been doing I haven't had time to get to the garage for about a week now, but the next step is to scrub the other half of the floor (it's totally emptied out and ready to go) and then I think we're going to paint the walls, just on that far side of the garage. They were never painted, and it's hard to make the garage into a fun rec room with ugly walls. So floor scrubbing, wall painting, and then moving out the two couches, hanging the curtains, and trying to dress it up with some fun/cute things. That parts a little up in the air! And finding a nice used ping pong table is still out there, too! We have an extra TV, but still need a DVD player for it. I'd also like to roll out a carpet on the bare cement floor, but it's not really in my (non-existent) budget, so for now we'll just do without it. I had hoped to have it done by the end of school, but it just isn't happening that quickly. Even so, I'm very happy about all we have accomplished, and feel good about what a good job we are doing. It was long overdue!
It feels like someone is missing to have Michann gone, but I am also excited for her. She left Thursday for Barb's and I haven't even talked to her yet! I keep wanting to call her, but whenever I think of it I'm not where I can call, or she's at church, or whatever. It's frustrating. We'll be there tomorrow, but I still want to talk to her. Jeff was able to get her earlier today while I was at church (his single's branch meets later). She made it to the Bellevue single's ward and some guy from the ward was picking her up for an activity tonight. I'm glad she's already getting involved and meeting people. She's good at making friends. Also, her friend Rochelle who is kind of an investigator (her grandma recently joined the church) who she met at the single's branch up here, lives in Seattle part of the week so she was already over there at Barb's this weekend and spent the night with Michann. So Michann is keeping busy and hopefully having fun. She has a college open house this week. She wants to find a job asap and will be starting school in about 2 weeks. AJ will be coming to see her and saying goodbye (that's the plan) in a week or two. I hope it doesn't totally throw her off with starting school and work soon. He was told he has inoperable cancer and may not have a full life ahead. He wants to pursue things with Michann, but not in an "LDS stardards" kind of way. Now that Michann is active and trying to do things right he's feeling like he isn't ready for that. So it's best if they part ways, but they both feel very strongly about each other, so I am just expecting that Michann will have a hard time for a while. I hope she will be so involved in a lot of good things that she will be able to handle it without too much misery. (She has had a pretty roller coaster-ish relationship with him for quite a while and it has had some dramatic highs and lows.) He helped her in many ways to be a better person, so I'll always be grateful to him for that. I hope for the best for him, both with his health problems, and finding the right person.
Magen hasn't gotten word about her housing being confirmed yet. I'm wondering what is going on??? We'll call them tomorrow and hope that things are fine. Otherwise, where will she live? She is showing signs of immaturity with her priorities, but I'm sure it's normal for a lot of kids her age. Her main priority is her friends and social activities. Unfortunately, her best friends aren't members of the church, but she's also fairly involved with the single's branch, so she has friends there, too. All the girls could use a car, but there isn't money for that. Magen and Amber haven't even had driver's ed yet, so they have permits, but not a license. They are both still job-hunting. Not like their lives depend on it, so in this job market I'm wondering if they will get a job. I hope they are able to, because they both need to help with their own upcoming expenses.
Amber's excited about her upcoming weeklong trip with Kate and her mom to Oregon. I'm excited she gets to do this and appreciate the invitation. I hope it is a good trip.
I've got so many things on my to-do list that I'm wondering how I can ever get caught up on what I need to do...
My patriotic cake :)
I love watching the flag blowing in the wind. It's doing that right now, outside my window. The weather is cold, windy, and it will probably rain tonight. We've had a very cool spring, but the forecast is for sun this week, and 80 degree weather. Everyone is ready and waiting!
I recognize that one of my blessings is to have been born in this great country. The freedom we enjoy, and all that comes with it, is something I am deeply grateful for. I hope my children realize what they have been given and what their responsibilities are. A friend forwarded an email recently with several pictures of U.S. military cemeteries from WWII, in several countries of Europe. Thousands and thousands of U.S. soldiers gave their lives to preserve freedom, not just for ourselves, but for those in other countries. It's hard to understand why so many people twist history to try to say that we are imperialistic and power hungry, when what we really try to do is protect our own people, and those who need our help, against tyranny, oppression, and ignorance. Not that we don't have some leaders, not to mention soldiers, who sometimes are not able to handle the power they have. But it's just sad to know how many "Americans" seem to be ashamed of their own country and what it stands for. I am so grateful to be here, and to be able to raise a family here. I think of the millions of people across the world who would give anything to have what I have. I treasure the blessing of freedom, and I honor those who have sacrificed for me and all of the rest of us. I feel a great appreciation for those early patriots and all the founding fathers. They were courageous and loyal to a cause that was worth dying for. What will we do with what they gave to us?
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Me and Mom at the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple in April (cold!!).
Close-up of the angel Moroni
At the airport - Me, Ben, Amber and Magen
Me, Mom, Amber and Magen
Below are our good friends, the Kelleys, who moved to Utah a few years ago, and Amber and Magen. We got to see all of them except Boomer, who is on a mission in the Singapore/Indonesia part of the world (forgot the name of the mission!).
My roomate and long-time friend Valori and one of her cute boys. We met them for an afternoon at the Dinasour Museum at Thanksgiving Point.
(Since I learned how to do it, I went back and added these pictures from our April trip to Utah. We also got to attend a session of conference but unfortunately I didn't take any pictures.)
Saturday, June 26, 2010
I've been so busy lately I haven't written, but I'm glad I figured out how to post pictures, so I can show some of the things I've been doing. I also spent a day with Susan and Teri at Teri's new house in Lake Stevens. It was great to be together again and visit.
Today Michann and Magen are going to a Young Adult weekend conference. They are taking so long getting ready I was able to get all these pictures posted before I have to drive them to Everett! Then I'll come home and work on the garage. Jeff went through all of his boxes, bins, drawers, and piles out there, so we're on the home stretch! After I get sick and tired of working on the garage, I'm planning to spend the rest of the afternoon or evening reading :)
Today Michann and Magen are going to a Young Adult weekend conference. They are taking so long getting ready I was able to get all these pictures posted before I have to drive them to Everett! Then I'll come home and work on the garage. Jeff went through all of his boxes, bins, drawers, and piles out there, so we're on the home stretch! After I get sick and tired of working on the garage, I'm planning to spend the rest of the afternoon or evening reading :)
Friday, June 18, 2010
I keep forgetting to update my blog! I guess I've been busy with Magen getting ready to graduate, and now actually graduated, Magen's college "to do" list (like helping her register for classes, application for housing, financial stuff, medical appointment stuff, etc.) and Amber's last week of school, and all my other "duties and responsibilities" :)
Michann is leaving to live with Barb in two weeks. It seems like spring has gone by so fast and now she's almost gone again. It has been really nice having her home for almost 3 months. She is really doing great in her efforts to be active in living the gospel. She's had a chance to earn some money, do lots of things with the single's branch and friends who she's met there, and she's helped a lot at home. It has been so nice to have this time with her.
Bishop Flake (our previous bishop, who happens to be over the seminary program in our area, and who is a great friend to Michann) has told Jeff that he wants to surprise Michann with a seminary graduation certificate. She went almost all four years, but in the last 2-3 months, she was really falling away from the gospel and making some wrong choices and hanging out with friends who were really drawing her away from what was right. She decided not to attend for about the last quarter of her 4th year, so she didn't graduate. I knew that forcing her would be a bad idea. But now she's attending institute, and she took a Book of Mormon class at BYU-Hawaii, both of which qualify her to graduate (late) from seminary. I'm really happy for her, and feel it will be a neat surprise to her.
Magen and Amber are behind in with their seminary requirements, and are having to make up a lot of lessons because they missed so much this year. It will be great for them to see her get this certificate. Magen will be able to get one, too, once she turns in all of her late work. And hopefully Amber will have a renewed determination to attend regularly next year. They say they don't get much (anything) out of seminary, but I know that they will be blessed for their efforts, and that they can potentially gain a lot of knowledge and spiritual strength. But I also know that it's like everything in life... you get out of it what you put into it, so it's up to them to invest the time and effort to make it worthwhile.
Amber received a letter from the high school principal today saying that she had passed the HSPE (replaced the WASL this year as the state test to assess learning, which is required to be passed to graduate). Out of the three academic areas tested, she passed Reading at Level 3 (very close to Level 4, advanced), and she passed Math and Writing at Level 4 (Advanced). I'm sure she was happy about that, and so was I :) I am going to try to get Amber and Magen to do some reading this summer to boost their reading level a bit in preparation for next year. Magen doesn't like to read so it will be harder to get that to happen, but I'm going to tie it to some form of incentive. Amber likes to read, but not the good literature that will help her most. So I'm hoping to come up with a good plan that they will be willing to work with. It's for their benefit, but they usually fight my efforts. Why do I try???? I guess I'm a mom!!!!!
Magen's graduation was nice. We were a little cold, but thankfully I wore a coat and brought a blanket. It was a pretty day, just breezy and a bit chilly sitting there for 2 hours. Barb and Ryan came to watch her also, which was really nice. The seniors did a few pranks, like sneaking in several beach balls to toss around between speakers, several mice to let loose during the speakers, and each one brought a penny to hand to the principal as they went up to get their diploma. Derek Britain, my close friend Susan's son, was one of 5 or 6 valedictorians. They all spoke briefly and Derek did a great job. Howard Willard sang a duet with another senior guy, and there was a nice duet by two senior girls. It was a nice program, and not drawn out too long. We came back and had rootbeer floats and chips afterward and a couple of Magen's friends came also, Brooke and Emily. Michann performed some hula for us and was great, even though she's forgotten a lot. I love to watch her dance! Then Magen went with her friends to their friend Katie's for a sleepover to celebrate. I think she attended three other senior parties that weekend so we didn't see her much! They just kept going from one house to another for family/friend parties, and having fun being graduates. Now she gets to focus on preparing for college. She has her schedule set and was able to get all the classes she needed, but we still have several things to get done.
Amber and Magen both want and need summer jobs but it has been so hectic they haven't been able to look much lately. Today was Amber's last day of school so now they will have more time to get out there and apply for jobs. Michann gave her two-week notice yesterday and told her boss that her sisters were looking for jobs so hopefully he will consider them. Magen might get to work part-time at a new tumbling/gymnastics class being started by some friends. Amber is also applying at a pizza place nearby. I'm just praying that we can juggle all the transportation needs, especially since one of our cars is being repaired again. It has some strange problems and we're hoping it's back soon!
We're making great strides in getting the garage cleaned and organized. There's still more to do, but it's getting closer. Amber and I scrubbed 2/3 of the floor after moving everything onto the far side out of the way. Now we're putting everything back but organizing as we go. Once it's all put away we'll clear out that last 1/3 and scrub that part of the floor. Then we can move the old couches out there, do a little decorating, and watch for a really great used ping pong table. We're going to try to make it into a beach theme with a hanging hammock, beach wall panels from the party store (if they still have them), a big umbrella, and a few other things. Hopefully it will look cute when we're done! And hopefully we'll find that ping pong table!!
Yestereday I found one of my tomato plants flopped over. It was one of the bigger ones, and I don't know what caused it. I re-attached it to the stake and I'm hoping it doesn't die. The others all seem okay. I'm waiting for some really sunny weather, but it hasn't hit yet. We're in that middle phase when the cooler weather hits and we all worry that summer will never come, but I'm sure it will get here eventually.
I have so many things I want and need to do. It is a bit frustrating, especially since I'm not feeling very organized, and I keep seeing piles of papers, miscellaneous lists, and bits of things that remind me of other things I need to do. It's everywhere! I definitely need to spend some time getting organized in that department.
Maybe tomorrow... :)
Michann is leaving to live with Barb in two weeks. It seems like spring has gone by so fast and now she's almost gone again. It has been really nice having her home for almost 3 months. She is really doing great in her efforts to be active in living the gospel. She's had a chance to earn some money, do lots of things with the single's branch and friends who she's met there, and she's helped a lot at home. It has been so nice to have this time with her.
Bishop Flake (our previous bishop, who happens to be over the seminary program in our area, and who is a great friend to Michann) has told Jeff that he wants to surprise Michann with a seminary graduation certificate. She went almost all four years, but in the last 2-3 months, she was really falling away from the gospel and making some wrong choices and hanging out with friends who were really drawing her away from what was right. She decided not to attend for about the last quarter of her 4th year, so she didn't graduate. I knew that forcing her would be a bad idea. But now she's attending institute, and she took a Book of Mormon class at BYU-Hawaii, both of which qualify her to graduate (late) from seminary. I'm really happy for her, and feel it will be a neat surprise to her.
Magen and Amber are behind in with their seminary requirements, and are having to make up a lot of lessons because they missed so much this year. It will be great for them to see her get this certificate. Magen will be able to get one, too, once she turns in all of her late work. And hopefully Amber will have a renewed determination to attend regularly next year. They say they don't get much (anything) out of seminary, but I know that they will be blessed for their efforts, and that they can potentially gain a lot of knowledge and spiritual strength. But I also know that it's like everything in life... you get out of it what you put into it, so it's up to them to invest the time and effort to make it worthwhile.
Amber received a letter from the high school principal today saying that she had passed the HSPE (replaced the WASL this year as the state test to assess learning, which is required to be passed to graduate). Out of the three academic areas tested, she passed Reading at Level 3 (very close to Level 4, advanced), and she passed Math and Writing at Level 4 (Advanced). I'm sure she was happy about that, and so was I :) I am going to try to get Amber and Magen to do some reading this summer to boost their reading level a bit in preparation for next year. Magen doesn't like to read so it will be harder to get that to happen, but I'm going to tie it to some form of incentive. Amber likes to read, but not the good literature that will help her most. So I'm hoping to come up with a good plan that they will be willing to work with. It's for their benefit, but they usually fight my efforts. Why do I try???? I guess I'm a mom!!!!!
Magen's graduation was nice. We were a little cold, but thankfully I wore a coat and brought a blanket. It was a pretty day, just breezy and a bit chilly sitting there for 2 hours. Barb and Ryan came to watch her also, which was really nice. The seniors did a few pranks, like sneaking in several beach balls to toss around between speakers, several mice to let loose during the speakers, and each one brought a penny to hand to the principal as they went up to get their diploma. Derek Britain, my close friend Susan's son, was one of 5 or 6 valedictorians. They all spoke briefly and Derek did a great job. Howard Willard sang a duet with another senior guy, and there was a nice duet by two senior girls. It was a nice program, and not drawn out too long. We came back and had rootbeer floats and chips afterward and a couple of Magen's friends came also, Brooke and Emily. Michann performed some hula for us and was great, even though she's forgotten a lot. I love to watch her dance! Then Magen went with her friends to their friend Katie's for a sleepover to celebrate. I think she attended three other senior parties that weekend so we didn't see her much! They just kept going from one house to another for family/friend parties, and having fun being graduates. Now she gets to focus on preparing for college. She has her schedule set and was able to get all the classes she needed, but we still have several things to get done.
Amber and Magen both want and need summer jobs but it has been so hectic they haven't been able to look much lately. Today was Amber's last day of school so now they will have more time to get out there and apply for jobs. Michann gave her two-week notice yesterday and told her boss that her sisters were looking for jobs so hopefully he will consider them. Magen might get to work part-time at a new tumbling/gymnastics class being started by some friends. Amber is also applying at a pizza place nearby. I'm just praying that we can juggle all the transportation needs, especially since one of our cars is being repaired again. It has some strange problems and we're hoping it's back soon!
We're making great strides in getting the garage cleaned and organized. There's still more to do, but it's getting closer. Amber and I scrubbed 2/3 of the floor after moving everything onto the far side out of the way. Now we're putting everything back but organizing as we go. Once it's all put away we'll clear out that last 1/3 and scrub that part of the floor. Then we can move the old couches out there, do a little decorating, and watch for a really great used ping pong table. We're going to try to make it into a beach theme with a hanging hammock, beach wall panels from the party store (if they still have them), a big umbrella, and a few other things. Hopefully it will look cute when we're done! And hopefully we'll find that ping pong table!!
Yestereday I found one of my tomato plants flopped over. It was one of the bigger ones, and I don't know what caused it. I re-attached it to the stake and I'm hoping it doesn't die. The others all seem okay. I'm waiting for some really sunny weather, but it hasn't hit yet. We're in that middle phase when the cooler weather hits and we all worry that summer will never come, but I'm sure it will get here eventually.
I have so many things I want and need to do. It is a bit frustrating, especially since I'm not feeling very organized, and I keep seeing piles of papers, miscellaneous lists, and bits of things that remind me of other things I need to do. It's everywhere! I definitely need to spend some time getting organized in that department.
Maybe tomorrow... :)
Sunday, June 13, 2010
When You Can't Do It Alone by Brent L. TopMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The author shares his "struggles with depression, anxiety, inadequacy, self-doubt, and fear" while serving as a mission president. He encourages the reader to take hold of the Savior's outstretched hand and never let go. He also explains that the Latin root for succor means to "run to help" and that the Savior is uniquely qualified to do this for us. Although not everyone struggles with these same challenges, we all have our own set of challenges to which these principles equally apply.
View all my reviews >>
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Going Rogue: An American Life by Sarah PalinMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's very unfortunate that Sarah Palin allowed campaign "handlers" to control her so much. She has some good positions and could have potentially helped steer the McCain/Palin campaign to a winning end. Nothing (i.e. the potential for a less than conservative agenda by McCain) could have been more harmful than what we're now facing (unless the current disaster inspires a complete overhaul in the next couple of elections). Palin refuses to openly place blame on McCain for muzzling her, but puts responsibility on some of those involved in running the campaign.
The book leaves a lot unsaid, but overall was worthwhile in portraying a picture of who she is and what her personal platform is. It is frustrating to see the harm that misguided people can do to our country through the influence of a corrupt and willing media, and a dysfunctional legal system. It's hard to find fault with her leaving office before the end of her term. The book provides ample illustration of a legal system in need of reform, and fair warning to anyone with a desire to enter public service. Those who are in it for the right reasons need our prayers and support.
View all my reviews >>
Monday, June 7, 2010
Well, I almost forgot I was now a blogger! So I'll do a little blog now and try not to forget again. My first attempt at Topsy Turvy tomato growing didn't go as well as planned. The setback resulted from forgetting to water daily. We got it hanging and watered, and then left it for 4 days. The instructions say to water every day, and now I really believe them. :) So we took it down, put in a new little tomato plant, and we're trying it again. This time we will be more diligent. When I was out shopping for a new plant, I stumbled on a sale of really large tomato plants, so I bought four of them for the garden. Only really small plants fit through the hanging planter opening though, so that one has some catching up to do. I hope they all do well. We dug some good holes and put in good dirt and compost, so I have high hopes.
Michann and I dropped off a carload off items for the thrift store this morning and felt very proud of ourselves for making good progress in our garage organizing project. Then I had lunch with two friends from church at a new restaurant in Stanwood, the Blackbird Cafe. I had a delicious lunch and a strikingly delicious lemon bar. Very nice to have a great new place in Stanwood. It's owned by a couple, one of whom, Joanne Swanson, is a case manager at Housing Hope, in addition to helping run her new restaurant! It looks like they are doing a booming lunch business already. We got to roll the dice after lunch, and try to roll "7" to get a free lunch (the June grand opening promotion, very clever). It must not have been our lucky day, but two of the ladies right behind us hit the jackpot!
I watched a video presentation Thursday night at a Relief Society get-together which really captured my attention. Wendy DeWitt presented a 90 minute food storage/emergency preparedness seminar and it was great. She had some novel new ideas I'd never heard. I haven't checked yet, but I understand you can access her information online, so google her! I know I'll be incorporating several of her ideas.
Michann made about $100 in tips at work on Saturday! She worked all day and it was sunny... a great combination for a carwash job. Now she's just hoping the good weather will continue so she can keep raking it in.
Magen missed the bus. Not a good start to the afternoon. That's all I am going to say!
Amber, Jeff and I had a cozy little family night on physical health/the Word of Wisdom. A prelude to fall when her older sisters will be off to college and she'll be an "only child" for a while. It was fun! We had homemade chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches, yum! but a bit rich.
I really will miss Magen and Michann when they leave. I hope they have a great year at school. I hope they are safe, make good friends, learn a lot, get good grades, go to church, strengthen their testimonies, stay single, and come home at the end of the year happy and even more wonderful than they are now.
Car trouble today... but Mike Miller came to the rescue again and will help us get back on the road as soon as possible. He is a nice, nice person. Jackie Lindblom picked Jeff up from work, and she also is a nice, nice person. We are lucky to have great friends.
I spent a bit of time working on Readiness to Learn stuff today. Hopefully the upcoming fundraiser will go well.
Major accomplishment: I went through my two "children's books" book shelves which are in the hallway upstairs. I never thought I'd be able to do it, but I decided to give away half of them. One entire shelf was emptied and the books have all gone to good homes. It feels so good to get that done. And now that shelf will be used in the garage to help get things organized.
Major accomplishment: I blocked off the non-carpetted areas of downstairs to imprison Daisy. She's been wetting on the carpet and it has almost driven me over the edge. Apparently, dachshunds are notorious for having difficulty breaking bad habits in that department. She was practically perfect for years, and then she went rebellious on us. But now she is going to have to be content to "live" in the kitchen floor area of the downstairs, which is fairly large thankfully. Now I need to have the carpets professionally cleaned. The first night she was forced to sleep downstairs I made a nice cozy bed for her and tucked her in. She barked and barked, so I came down (3 times) to try to help her get settled, but finally just went to bed with ear plugs. Unknown to me (until morning) Amber couldn't sleep through the noise and came down and slept on the kitchen floor with her!!! So last night we brough in her dog crate and thoroughly washed it out, made a new soft bed for it, and put it in Amber's room. She can only sleep upstairs if she's locked in the crate! Hopefully we'll get all the kinks worked out with our new system, because I just can't deal with her messes anymore.
I picked up a "Walton's" TV DVD from the library on a whim. I thought the girls might enjoy seeing what a very old-time TV show was like. It was never really one of my favorites, but I always got a kick out of the end when their all say good night to each other from in bed in their separate rooms... "good night John Boy"... "good night Mary Ellen"...
Good night...
Michann and I dropped off a carload off items for the thrift store this morning and felt very proud of ourselves for making good progress in our garage organizing project. Then I had lunch with two friends from church at a new restaurant in Stanwood, the Blackbird Cafe. I had a delicious lunch and a strikingly delicious lemon bar. Very nice to have a great new place in Stanwood. It's owned by a couple, one of whom, Joanne Swanson, is a case manager at Housing Hope, in addition to helping run her new restaurant! It looks like they are doing a booming lunch business already. We got to roll the dice after lunch, and try to roll "7" to get a free lunch (the June grand opening promotion, very clever). It must not have been our lucky day, but two of the ladies right behind us hit the jackpot!
I watched a video presentation Thursday night at a Relief Society get-together which really captured my attention. Wendy DeWitt presented a 90 minute food storage/emergency preparedness seminar and it was great. She had some novel new ideas I'd never heard. I haven't checked yet, but I understand you can access her information online, so google her! I know I'll be incorporating several of her ideas.
Michann made about $100 in tips at work on Saturday! She worked all day and it was sunny... a great combination for a carwash job. Now she's just hoping the good weather will continue so she can keep raking it in.
Magen missed the bus. Not a good start to the afternoon. That's all I am going to say!
Amber, Jeff and I had a cozy little family night on physical health/the Word of Wisdom. A prelude to fall when her older sisters will be off to college and she'll be an "only child" for a while. It was fun! We had homemade chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches, yum! but a bit rich.
I really will miss Magen and Michann when they leave. I hope they have a great year at school. I hope they are safe, make good friends, learn a lot, get good grades, go to church, strengthen their testimonies, stay single, and come home at the end of the year happy and even more wonderful than they are now.
Car trouble today... but Mike Miller came to the rescue again and will help us get back on the road as soon as possible. He is a nice, nice person. Jackie Lindblom picked Jeff up from work, and she also is a nice, nice person. We are lucky to have great friends.
I spent a bit of time working on Readiness to Learn stuff today. Hopefully the upcoming fundraiser will go well.
Major accomplishment: I went through my two "children's books" book shelves which are in the hallway upstairs. I never thought I'd be able to do it, but I decided to give away half of them. One entire shelf was emptied and the books have all gone to good homes. It feels so good to get that done. And now that shelf will be used in the garage to help get things organized.
Major accomplishment: I blocked off the non-carpetted areas of downstairs to imprison Daisy. She's been wetting on the carpet and it has almost driven me over the edge. Apparently, dachshunds are notorious for having difficulty breaking bad habits in that department. She was practically perfect for years, and then she went rebellious on us. But now she is going to have to be content to "live" in the kitchen floor area of the downstairs, which is fairly large thankfully. Now I need to have the carpets professionally cleaned. The first night she was forced to sleep downstairs I made a nice cozy bed for her and tucked her in. She barked and barked, so I came down (3 times) to try to help her get settled, but finally just went to bed with ear plugs. Unknown to me (until morning) Amber couldn't sleep through the noise and came down and slept on the kitchen floor with her!!! So last night we brough in her dog crate and thoroughly washed it out, made a new soft bed for it, and put it in Amber's room. She can only sleep upstairs if she's locked in the crate! Hopefully we'll get all the kinks worked out with our new system, because I just can't deal with her messes anymore.
I picked up a "Walton's" TV DVD from the library on a whim. I thought the girls might enjoy seeing what a very old-time TV show was like. It was never really one of my favorites, but I always got a kick out of the end when their all say good night to each other from in bed in their separate rooms... "good night John Boy"... "good night Mary Ellen"...
Good night...
Monday, May 31, 2010
Yeah! I got my Topsy Turvy hanging planter hung! I planted a sweet 100 cherry tomato plant and I hope it survives the man-handling it had to endure to fit through the planter opening. They need to redesign that thing. But it's hanging on a large frame Jeff built this morning, which will hold at least two more planters (next year) if this experiment goes well. I can hardly wait for those sweet, juicy tomatoes :)
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Condoleezza Rice: An American Life by Elisabeth BumillerMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
Now to read a book written by someone who respected Ms. Rice.
View all my reviews >>
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
I baked a turkey today, with stuffing, mashed red potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce. It was pretty good, but I don't like all the mess afterward. Jeff and the girls did the dishes and that was nice. I really want to try making pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, but I ran out of energy. I've never made them and new recipes are always a gamble.
I tried a new recipe earlier in the week and it was awful. It was for Cream of Wheat cookies, which I added dried blueberries to. The recipe didn't call for baking soda or baking powder and I was a little nervous, but I looked at a few other recipes (all of these were online) and they didn't either, so I thought maybe it would be okay. It wasn't! After the first dozen were baked and cooled, I didn't even bother to bake the rest (a sad waste of ingredients!) because it was obvious I had a pan full of hockey pucks. The flavor was okay, but a little different. The texture was not great. I won't be trying that again, even with baking powder. I'll just stick with Cream of Wheat cereal for breakfast.
Magen is going on an overnight trip with her school choir tomorrow (leaving the house at 5:15am!). So we had to make a "sack lunch" run to the grocery store. We are getting very close to the end of the year and Magen and Amber are busy trying to catch up on seminary. They have been doing home study most of the year because they have a hard time getting up early. That means they have a short lesson to work on, reading a few scriptures and answering questions. They've done quite a bit, but haven't quite kept up so now they are rushing to finish in time. I don't blame them for doing the home study version. Getting up early has always been really hard for me. Some people really are morning people and feel good (or at least human) in the mornig, but I'm not one of them.
I'm going visiting teaching tomorrow and Wednesday. This month its my turn to give the lesson. Last month I made the appointments. I trade off with my partner each month. I'll read through my notes from April general conference and share some things from the prophet's message. Last night I came up to get in bed and Michann was there in my bed reading her scriptures. It is so great to see her enjoying the scriptures and talking about them with me. I got in bed next to her and read the Book of Mormon for a while. It was so nice. I hope Magen and Amber will grow to appreciate and love the scriptures. I need to ask them if they are learning and benefitting from their home study efforts, or just doing it to get it done. They don't typically want to talk about the gospel. Most of my attempts result in eye-rolling, but once in a while they will talk about things with me. I wish I was better at recognizing teaching moments, and teaching more effectively. I'm a lot better in formal teaching roles. But I will keep trying to get better at it.
I do recognize I have another weakness...writing "run-on" paragraphs!
I had my Housing Hope board meeting today. I rushed home to get the car to Michann for work, and passed Jeff and Michann heading the other way. Michann couldn't get in touch with me so she was afraid I wouldn't get home in time, and so she called Jeff from work to come and take her to work during his lunch hour. And she couldn't reach me because Magen's phone had broken and I had let her take mine to school. Oh well! It worked out in the end, but having a cell phone does come in handy at times.
Housing Hope is developing a new program which will offer additional help to our residents to prepare and train for employment, pursue employment related educational opportunities, and work in volunteer and/or employment positions which have added support. (Many employers don't understand the special needs and gap areas that these people often have, so the work experience is a negative one. Housing Hope is working carefully to alleviate this problem by providing training and support to employers who are interested in partnering with us in this program.) Usually, homeless/low-income residents are lacking in both soft and hard skills which are necessary to get any job, but especially to get the jobs that will provide a living wage. I'm very excited about this new program. It is in the beginning stages, but already showing better than expected outcomes for our residents. This is an important way to address one of the real causes of homelessness. There are often many other factors, but this is a big one.
Saturday Michann and I both joined a Housing Hope board member work party (service project). When I first asked Michann if she would go with me, she said sure. I was a little surprised she was so willing, but then she said something and I realized she thought "work party" meant "office party". :) But she still said she'd go with me and she probably worked harder than I did. Along with about 9 other board members, we spread a very large pile of beauty bark in the proper places. Then as we got ready to go we found that Michann had accidentally locked the keys in the trunk! But thankfully all was not lost... we called the insurance company and they sent a locksmith to save us. While we waited we thought we should go get an ice cream cone at Baskin Robbins which was conveniently next door, and then we remembered our purses were in the trunk! But one of the guys offered to loan us some money, so we were set. I had an old favorite that I hadn't had in years, Burgundy Cherry, yummm.
On the way home we picked up Amber from the church. She had attended a youth activity to perform baptisms at the temple. And then we stopped at the local nursery to pick up a tomato plant for my new "Topsy Turvy" upside down tomato plant hanger. It's supposed to be this great new way to grow tomatoes, and I hope it works. I just need Jeff to build a strong enough frame to hang the planter from (needs to hold 75 lbs.) I guess it holds a lot of dirt! The yield is supposed to be much higher, and you don't have to stake or weed the plant. But you do need to water every day. I'm not very good at remembering to water, so I'll have to devise a plan to make sure I don't forget. I'm so hopeful that the tomatoes will do well that way. If they do I'll buy one or two more for next year!
I tried a new recipe earlier in the week and it was awful. It was for Cream of Wheat cookies, which I added dried blueberries to. The recipe didn't call for baking soda or baking powder and I was a little nervous, but I looked at a few other recipes (all of these were online) and they didn't either, so I thought maybe it would be okay. It wasn't! After the first dozen were baked and cooled, I didn't even bother to bake the rest (a sad waste of ingredients!) because it was obvious I had a pan full of hockey pucks. The flavor was okay, but a little different. The texture was not great. I won't be trying that again, even with baking powder. I'll just stick with Cream of Wheat cereal for breakfast.
Magen is going on an overnight trip with her school choir tomorrow (leaving the house at 5:15am!). So we had to make a "sack lunch" run to the grocery store. We are getting very close to the end of the year and Magen and Amber are busy trying to catch up on seminary. They have been doing home study most of the year because they have a hard time getting up early. That means they have a short lesson to work on, reading a few scriptures and answering questions. They've done quite a bit, but haven't quite kept up so now they are rushing to finish in time. I don't blame them for doing the home study version. Getting up early has always been really hard for me. Some people really are morning people and feel good (or at least human) in the mornig, but I'm not one of them.
I'm going visiting teaching tomorrow and Wednesday. This month its my turn to give the lesson. Last month I made the appointments. I trade off with my partner each month. I'll read through my notes from April general conference and share some things from the prophet's message. Last night I came up to get in bed and Michann was there in my bed reading her scriptures. It is so great to see her enjoying the scriptures and talking about them with me. I got in bed next to her and read the Book of Mormon for a while. It was so nice. I hope Magen and Amber will grow to appreciate and love the scriptures. I need to ask them if they are learning and benefitting from their home study efforts, or just doing it to get it done. They don't typically want to talk about the gospel. Most of my attempts result in eye-rolling, but once in a while they will talk about things with me. I wish I was better at recognizing teaching moments, and teaching more effectively. I'm a lot better in formal teaching roles. But I will keep trying to get better at it.
I do recognize I have another weakness...writing "run-on" paragraphs!
I had my Housing Hope board meeting today. I rushed home to get the car to Michann for work, and passed Jeff and Michann heading the other way. Michann couldn't get in touch with me so she was afraid I wouldn't get home in time, and so she called Jeff from work to come and take her to work during his lunch hour. And she couldn't reach me because Magen's phone had broken and I had let her take mine to school. Oh well! It worked out in the end, but having a cell phone does come in handy at times.
Housing Hope is developing a new program which will offer additional help to our residents to prepare and train for employment, pursue employment related educational opportunities, and work in volunteer and/or employment positions which have added support. (Many employers don't understand the special needs and gap areas that these people often have, so the work experience is a negative one. Housing Hope is working carefully to alleviate this problem by providing training and support to employers who are interested in partnering with us in this program.) Usually, homeless/low-income residents are lacking in both soft and hard skills which are necessary to get any job, but especially to get the jobs that will provide a living wage. I'm very excited about this new program. It is in the beginning stages, but already showing better than expected outcomes for our residents. This is an important way to address one of the real causes of homelessness. There are often many other factors, but this is a big one.
Saturday Michann and I both joined a Housing Hope board member work party (service project). When I first asked Michann if she would go with me, she said sure. I was a little surprised she was so willing, but then she said something and I realized she thought "work party" meant "office party". :) But she still said she'd go with me and she probably worked harder than I did. Along with about 9 other board members, we spread a very large pile of beauty bark in the proper places. Then as we got ready to go we found that Michann had accidentally locked the keys in the trunk! But thankfully all was not lost... we called the insurance company and they sent a locksmith to save us. While we waited we thought we should go get an ice cream cone at Baskin Robbins which was conveniently next door, and then we remembered our purses were in the trunk! But one of the guys offered to loan us some money, so we were set. I had an old favorite that I hadn't had in years, Burgundy Cherry, yummm.
On the way home we picked up Amber from the church. She had attended a youth activity to perform baptisms at the temple. And then we stopped at the local nursery to pick up a tomato plant for my new "Topsy Turvy" upside down tomato plant hanger. It's supposed to be this great new way to grow tomatoes, and I hope it works. I just need Jeff to build a strong enough frame to hang the planter from (needs to hold 75 lbs.) I guess it holds a lot of dirt! The yield is supposed to be much higher, and you don't have to stake or weed the plant. But you do need to water every day. I'm not very good at remembering to water, so I'll have to devise a plan to make sure I don't forget. I'm so hopeful that the tomatoes will do well that way. If they do I'll buy one or two more for next year!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
We just got home from Magen's last high school choir concert! It was amazingly good. Erik Ronning, the choir director, is incredibly good, and the high school has some great talent. Several members of the choir (and regular cast members in the school drama productions) are members of the church and it's especially fun to watch them perform. Kendra Reynolds, a sophomore from Stanwood Ward, performed a solo to start the concert. She played her own piano accompaniment and sang a song from Phantom of the Opera -- it was absolutely beautiful. I've heard her perform in several concerts and I have no doubt she will sing professionally. I love attending concerts like tonights when you feel you've been given a gift just by being there. Magen's choir did a wonderful job, and because I had a close seat and she was in the front row, I really got to watch her sing. She's beautiful and talented! So what if I am her mother :)
Sunday, May 16, 2010
P.S. I forgot to mention that in addition to alpacas, yarn shops, bookstores, and bakeries, we visited a camel while Jan and I were in the San Juans. Actually, we saw one as we were driving along and we had to pull over to take pictures. Jan looked on-line later and found that this is a well-known camel with a story. I forgot the story, but it has one :)
Today I tried something new based on a tip from my sister, Marla. I "baked" potatoes in the crockpot and it really works! I have a larger oval shaped crockpot, and cooked a full load of medium/large red potatoes. Amber washed and trimmed them for bruises, and I cooked them on high. I forgot to check the exact time, but I believe it was 4 1/2 hours. They were totally cooked when I took the lid off, and the skins were very tender. One on the bottom seemed to be a little dry on one side, but not bad. (They were slightly damp from being washed, but I didn't add any additional water.) We had them with dinner, and I'm going to make potato salad with the rest tomorrow, if they last that long.
I enjoyed tucking the girls in tonight. I usually don't get them all on the same night, but tonight I did. When I tuck them in I give them a back/shouler rub, ear massage, head massage, legs, or whatever they want. Now I'm ready for a massage! :)
Tomorrow morning I have a meeting with the Stanwood-Camano School Superintendent and her staff (4 additional people). I arranged to have the director's of Housing Hope and Readiness to Learn each make a presentation to them about our programs and how we can partner with the school district most effectively. It should be a great meeting and I'm excited to have all those people in the same room. Housing Hope and Readiness to learn are the non-profit organizations I volunteer with and they are very important contributors to the success of at-risk students and families in the community. I'm looking forward to the district administrative team getting a more comprehensive look at what is being done and what the goals are. I'm not looking forward to the early hour of the meeting (7:30!).
After the meeting I'm going to visit my cousin Jan in Maple Valley. It's her birthday this week, so we will be celebrating that, and she broke her foot a week or two ago and isn't able to drive herself anywhere. We don't get to visit in person very often so I'm really happy to be getting together. Last time I saw her she came up and we went to the San Juan Islands for a day, and she stayed with me for the weekend. She got me started on knitting a hat. I made a mistake and have let it sit since about a week after she left, so I'm bringing it with me to get fixed! (Jan is an expert knitter and I want to knit just like her when I grow up!)
I sat down and played the piano just for myself today and really enjoyed it. It is therapeautic when I am in the right mood. I have a book of simplified hymns that I like to play from. I flipped through and found my favorites and just played away :) I love "Oh How Lovely Was the Morning." There's a special spirit that goes with that hymn. It tells the story of Joseph Smith's first vision when he was visited by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Very lovely song. Even the simplified arrangement is beautiful.
I enjoyed tucking the girls in tonight. I usually don't get them all on the same night, but tonight I did. When I tuck them in I give them a back/shouler rub, ear massage, head massage, legs, or whatever they want. Now I'm ready for a massage! :)
Tomorrow morning I have a meeting with the Stanwood-Camano School Superintendent and her staff (4 additional people). I arranged to have the director's of Housing Hope and Readiness to Learn each make a presentation to them about our programs and how we can partner with the school district most effectively. It should be a great meeting and I'm excited to have all those people in the same room. Housing Hope and Readiness to learn are the non-profit organizations I volunteer with and they are very important contributors to the success of at-risk students and families in the community. I'm looking forward to the district administrative team getting a more comprehensive look at what is being done and what the goals are. I'm not looking forward to the early hour of the meeting (7:30!).
After the meeting I'm going to visit my cousin Jan in Maple Valley. It's her birthday this week, so we will be celebrating that, and she broke her foot a week or two ago and isn't able to drive herself anywhere. We don't get to visit in person very often so I'm really happy to be getting together. Last time I saw her she came up and we went to the San Juan Islands for a day, and she stayed with me for the weekend. She got me started on knitting a hat. I made a mistake and have let it sit since about a week after she left, so I'm bringing it with me to get fixed! (Jan is an expert knitter and I want to knit just like her when I grow up!)
I sat down and played the piano just for myself today and really enjoyed it. It is therapeautic when I am in the right mood. I have a book of simplified hymns that I like to play from. I flipped through and found my favorites and just played away :) I love "Oh How Lovely Was the Morning." There's a special spirit that goes with that hymn. It tells the story of Joseph Smith's first vision when he was visited by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Very lovely song. Even the simplified arrangement is beautiful.
Friday, May 14, 2010
I read a lot today. Didn't have to go anywhere, and that was nice. It was a beautiful day but once again I didn't walk. After walking faithfully from the 1st of October through the end of February, I feel like a dropout. It started with a knee injury, then 10 days out of town, and the habit was lost! But I am determined to find it again. I'm not sure if I am quite ready to start today. Maybe...
Michann was called in for an interview at AM/PM to work in the carwash. She got the job and was really excited. It may not sound quite up to some people's standards, but she has two friends who work there, will bask in the sunny outdoors, and earn at least some spending money before she starts school in July, so she is quite happy. Magen was called in for an interview as a hostess at Islander's Restaurant and was thrilled. She said even if she didn't get the job it was okay because she was so excited about going on her first job interview :) It sounds like she has a very good chance and should hear over the weekend. I hope she gets it!
Michann was called in for an interview at AM/PM to work in the carwash. She got the job and was really excited. It may not sound quite up to some people's standards, but she has two friends who work there, will bask in the sunny outdoors, and earn at least some spending money before she starts school in July, so she is quite happy. Magen was called in for an interview as a hostess at Islander's Restaurant and was thrilled. She said even if she didn't get the job it was okay because she was so excited about going on her first job interview :) It sounds like she has a very good chance and should hear over the weekend. I hope she gets it!
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann ShafferMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I loved Elizabeth's personality. The book was very enjoyable, even while dealing with the suffering of war. And it reminds us what great depth and meaning books add to our lives.
View all my reviews >>
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
I just stumbled on an option to add my Goodreads.com books to my blog, so I did it, and it worked! You can click on the link to see my full book list. By the way, Charles Dickens is my "reading theme" for the year, but I am mixing in a lot of other books, too.
Good quote -
"Employ human means, as though there were no divine, and divine means, as though there were no human..."
Baltasar Gracian
Jeff and Michann are working on the garage and I think I'll join them. Later this afternoon I'm headed to the annual "Stone Soup" fundraising dinner for Housing Hope, which is one of the boards I serve on. Jeff can't make it tonight, so Carol Jensen and her husband will be picking me up (I don't like downtown parking!). Carol is receiving the "Volunteer of the Year" Award tonight. She is a wonderful long-time volunteer/past board president/etc. for Housing Hope, and it will be nice to honor her. She's a great lady!
Good quote -
"Employ human means, as though there were no divine, and divine means, as though there were no human..."
Baltasar Gracian
Jeff and Michann are working on the garage and I think I'll join them. Later this afternoon I'm headed to the annual "Stone Soup" fundraising dinner for Housing Hope, which is one of the boards I serve on. Jeff can't make it tonight, so Carol Jensen and her husband will be picking me up (I don't like downtown parking!). Carol is receiving the "Volunteer of the Year" Award tonight. She is a wonderful long-time volunteer/past board president/etc. for Housing Hope, and it will be nice to honor her. She's a great lady!
Yikes! My first blog.
It wasn't all that difficult to set up this blog. I have tossed around the idea of blogging for a little while, but kept deciding not to, until today! I usually start feeling drawn to something once it is on the verge of going out of style. So I assume that blogging will soon lose its popularity :)
I have no pre-conceived ideas for this blog, except that I do think once in a while, and I like to write, and keeping a journal is sometimes a priority for me. One thing I don't intend to do is tell my family and friends to read my blog. I'm just going to write it, and let it be what it is.
So here we go...
Michann is home from her first year of college. She's a night owl and a late sleeper when she has the opportunity. The other night she wanted to talk so I got in her bed and we talked for a while. Tonight she's asleep on the couch because she was too tired to go up to bed. So she and I are the only ones downstairs. I wonder if she can hear me. I've got a really loud case of hiccups. I don't remember getting this kind of hiccups for years. They started when I ate a piece of bread a little while ago and it didn't go down very well. She'll probably let me know tomorrow if I disturbed her :)
I know it's disturbing me!
Maybe I'll try a drink of water... I hope that works.
I weeded some in the garden today. So far it only has things in it from last year. Like strawberries, blueberries, chives, rosemary, some sad mint in a pot, and weeds. I tried putting a layer of composted grass clippings on it a month ago, but I guess it wasn't completely composted yet, because as it dried in the sun, it hardened into chunks. I didn't have the energy to do anything with it so I just left it, and hoped it would be okay. I think it might crumble up and mix in with the dirt if I can figure out the right tool to use (a sledgehammer, maybe?). I'm sure eventually it will contribute to the success of the garden.
I also fertilized the strawberries and blueberries last month, and now they are really looking good. No fruit yet, but I'm very optimistic. The strawberry plants are maybe three years old now, and have never produced well. Last year they were tiny, but a beautiful bright red, and very yummy. I hope the fertilizer helps the size increase, and also that it will address whatever was missing in the soil. Same story for the blueberries, except that I think they just didn't get enough water last year. They are still small bushes because I haven't taken the time to water them well, and fertilize them. This will be the year of the berries if all goes well.
I tend to be all or nothing as a gardener. And with many other things. So the goal is to water regularly, weed semi-regularly, and fertilize when the box says to fertilize. I thought I wrote down the next feeding time on my calendar but I just checked and it's not there. So I will make a note for myself to check the fertilizer box tomorrow. Only problem is that it will join all the other notes to myself on my desk (or nightstand). But it will be on top, and it is a priority, so it will probably happen.
Also today I attempted to catch up a little on emails. I have too many to read, but I don't want to delete them. They feel important to get to, so I'll leave them there and read them as I can.
Of course I read the personal ones, but the other ones I sign up for to stay "informed" about things are the ones I'm not keeping up with. It's kind of like reading books... you can either read them, or go out and live life. It seems like there's not enough time to do both.
Michann started cleaning the garage as a Mother's Day gift to me. I have this recent yearning to have a totally clean and organized garage and to take half of it and create a kind of rec. room for the girls and their friends to use during the nicer weather. We have two older couches that I want to put out there, and I'm determined to find a nice used ping-pong table. I'll also get a new carpet remnant to cover the cement floor, and some lamps because it has always been very inadequately lit. But before all that can happen, a lot of cleaning has to happen. Michann made a great start, and Jeff is going to work out there tomorrow. I want to finish in the next few weeks, or we'll lose momentum and it won't be usable before the nice weather is gone. I just hope spiders know when they are not wanted, and that once the garage is clean we can keep it relatively bug-free.
Tonight I finished working on some documents I needed to complete for a fundraiser. One board that I serve on is a very "hands on" working board and I volunteered to create a mailing for a new fundraising attempt. I think it turned out quite nicely and hope that it will do the job (raise money). This organization is small but accomplishes a lot of good, working with students and families to help those who are at risk of academic failure due to personal or family issues, not learning disabilities. Unfortunately, many risk factors are far too common and obviously have quite a detrimental effect on a student's ability to learn (poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, domestic violence, chronic health problems, foster-related issues, and other problems - whether it is the student or parent(s) with these issues).
I just noticed that the hiccups are gone, thank goodness. The water did it. I don't know why I'm staying up so late, I guess the novelty of finally starting a blog. I'm so tired! I did finished a book this morning, "Without Conscience" I think is the name of it. It's a summary of what psychopaths (some call them sociopaths) are like. It's not the type of book I normally read, but it was very interesting. There are a lot of questions that are unanswered about those who have the disorder, but it is far more prevalent than I realized. According to the author, 20% of prison inmates are psychopaths. Not all are violent killers - many are white collar criminals, thieves, con artists, etc. They cause so much pain and suffering, and don't seem to have any remorse. They also don't seem to respond to treatment programs/rehabilitation. Not a very hopeful situation, but it seems to be the focus of some good research which may provide more answers in time.
Okay, I'm going to bed.
I have no pre-conceived ideas for this blog, except that I do think once in a while, and I like to write, and keeping a journal is sometimes a priority for me. One thing I don't intend to do is tell my family and friends to read my blog. I'm just going to write it, and let it be what it is.
So here we go...
Michann is home from her first year of college. She's a night owl and a late sleeper when she has the opportunity. The other night she wanted to talk so I got in her bed and we talked for a while. Tonight she's asleep on the couch because she was too tired to go up to bed. So she and I are the only ones downstairs. I wonder if she can hear me. I've got a really loud case of hiccups. I don't remember getting this kind of hiccups for years. They started when I ate a piece of bread a little while ago and it didn't go down very well. She'll probably let me know tomorrow if I disturbed her :)
I know it's disturbing me!
Maybe I'll try a drink of water... I hope that works.
I weeded some in the garden today. So far it only has things in it from last year. Like strawberries, blueberries, chives, rosemary, some sad mint in a pot, and weeds. I tried putting a layer of composted grass clippings on it a month ago, but I guess it wasn't completely composted yet, because as it dried in the sun, it hardened into chunks. I didn't have the energy to do anything with it so I just left it, and hoped it would be okay. I think it might crumble up and mix in with the dirt if I can figure out the right tool to use (a sledgehammer, maybe?). I'm sure eventually it will contribute to the success of the garden.
I also fertilized the strawberries and blueberries last month, and now they are really looking good. No fruit yet, but I'm very optimistic. The strawberry plants are maybe three years old now, and have never produced well. Last year they were tiny, but a beautiful bright red, and very yummy. I hope the fertilizer helps the size increase, and also that it will address whatever was missing in the soil. Same story for the blueberries, except that I think they just didn't get enough water last year. They are still small bushes because I haven't taken the time to water them well, and fertilize them. This will be the year of the berries if all goes well.
I tend to be all or nothing as a gardener. And with many other things. So the goal is to water regularly, weed semi-regularly, and fertilize when the box says to fertilize. I thought I wrote down the next feeding time on my calendar but I just checked and it's not there. So I will make a note for myself to check the fertilizer box tomorrow. Only problem is that it will join all the other notes to myself on my desk (or nightstand). But it will be on top, and it is a priority, so it will probably happen.
Also today I attempted to catch up a little on emails. I have too many to read, but I don't want to delete them. They feel important to get to, so I'll leave them there and read them as I can.
Of course I read the personal ones, but the other ones I sign up for to stay "informed" about things are the ones I'm not keeping up with. It's kind of like reading books... you can either read them, or go out and live life. It seems like there's not enough time to do both.
Michann started cleaning the garage as a Mother's Day gift to me. I have this recent yearning to have a totally clean and organized garage and to take half of it and create a kind of rec. room for the girls and their friends to use during the nicer weather. We have two older couches that I want to put out there, and I'm determined to find a nice used ping-pong table. I'll also get a new carpet remnant to cover the cement floor, and some lamps because it has always been very inadequately lit. But before all that can happen, a lot of cleaning has to happen. Michann made a great start, and Jeff is going to work out there tomorrow. I want to finish in the next few weeks, or we'll lose momentum and it won't be usable before the nice weather is gone. I just hope spiders know when they are not wanted, and that once the garage is clean we can keep it relatively bug-free.
Tonight I finished working on some documents I needed to complete for a fundraiser. One board that I serve on is a very "hands on" working board and I volunteered to create a mailing for a new fundraising attempt. I think it turned out quite nicely and hope that it will do the job (raise money). This organization is small but accomplishes a lot of good, working with students and families to help those who are at risk of academic failure due to personal or family issues, not learning disabilities. Unfortunately, many risk factors are far too common and obviously have quite a detrimental effect on a student's ability to learn (poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, domestic violence, chronic health problems, foster-related issues, and other problems - whether it is the student or parent(s) with these issues).
I just noticed that the hiccups are gone, thank goodness. The water did it. I don't know why I'm staying up so late, I guess the novelty of finally starting a blog. I'm so tired! I did finished a book this morning, "Without Conscience" I think is the name of it. It's a summary of what psychopaths (some call them sociopaths) are like. It's not the type of book I normally read, but it was very interesting. There are a lot of questions that are unanswered about those who have the disorder, but it is far more prevalent than I realized. According to the author, 20% of prison inmates are psychopaths. Not all are violent killers - many are white collar criminals, thieves, con artists, etc. They cause so much pain and suffering, and don't seem to have any remorse. They also don't seem to respond to treatment programs/rehabilitation. Not a very hopeful situation, but it seems to be the focus of some good research which may provide more answers in time.
Okay, I'm going to bed.
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