Name three things that…

Make you smile…

Dogs with their heads hanging out of car windows.

Certain theme park rides

Babies

You can’t buy with money…

Creativity

A sense of accomplishment

Good friends

You want to achieve this year…

(I’m running out of time)

Do a low spend challenge where we use up what we have and put some money away for Christmas

Fit into my winter pants so I don’t have to buy new ones

Make an appointment with the neurologist

You want to try out as hobbies…

Nothing. I am not seeking new hobbies at this time.

You can improve about yourself…

Spend less time on my phone

Say (and think) nicer things about people

Exercise more

You would never do…

Bungee jump

Scuba dive

Run a marathon 

Make you sad…

Cancer

Divorce

Abuse

You always do in the summer…

Get depression

Sweat

Grow a garden

Make you avoid doing your work…

No energy

Distracted

Don’t want to

You are afraid of…

Traumatic brain injuries

Shifty toilet seats

Choking on food - particularly carrots 

Signs That Kids Live Here

A skeleton taped to the ceiling. 

Origami frog in the wreath. 

Socks hanging from the ceiling. 

A candy corn that we aren’t allowed to eat or get rid of because it has wings and looks like an angel.

This entire wall. 

Chewed PopTart remnants on the furniture.

Burn rings in the table from someone pouring fingernail polish remover into shot glasses.

Dirty socks on the table next to the aforementioned burn rings. 

Origami frogs on the wall decor. 

Origami frogs on the TV console. 

Halloween garland in disarray.

Okay. Fine. I wouldn't have it any other way.

But I'm still rolling my eyes. 

Sunday Sentiments - Precious Cargo

Back in August I wrote a little bit about what a blessing it is to have other people love and serve my children. This has been on my mind again this week as I have been thinking about some of the things Nicky is experiencing on his mission (he's gone through a bit of a rough patch which began the day after I posted this update, which means I probably caused it somehow). 

When we were getting Nicky ready to leave for Puerto Rico, we stopped at the Distribution Center to get him some temple shoes so he could serve as a temple worker for a little while. One of the employees was asking about his mission, and she told me that when her children served missions, she had to adopt the mentality that they were in the hands of the mission president (and Heavenly Father), and everything would be okay. That’s a bit of an overwhelming task for a mission president to be responsible for so many young people (in addition to everything else they have to worry about), but there’s some truth to it. There is a person (with various helpers) who presides over a mission and looks out for the missionaries. That brings me some peace. But not full peace because, again, there is so much a mission president has to do! 

Just a few days ago I was telling my friend that I’m worried that Nicky is not being nurtured, and how I hope there is someone out there supporting him and fostering his development and saying, “There, there! You are loved, and you are wonderful!” Perhaps a senior missionary (though I’ve never heard of Nicky interacting with any senior missionaries, and I’m not even sure they exist) or a little abuela. 

Today our Relief Society lesson is on Elder Stevenson’s talk, “Lost Luggage, Redeemed Souls.” In the address, Elder Stevenson discusses the rate of lost luggage in airports (33 million bags were mishandled in 2024). Yet, in the Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan, not a single piece of luggage has been lost in 30 years. “When you hand off your luggage at the Kansai Airport, you get a sense that they are saying to you, ‘We have your precious belongings. We are responsible for them now. We will return them to you.’” 

Right now I definitely feel like I have sent precious belongings out into the world - my son! My highest valued cargo. “The feeling is recognizable: entrusting what is precious into the care of others - and longing for its safe return… years of teaching, preparation, and prayer culminate in a moment of placing [your] cherished possession into the care of others - trusting conscientious stewards to care for [your] son or daughter through the duration of their journey until [you] are reunited.”

Precious Cargo

Elder Stevenson encourages us to be “thoughtful and intentional handlers of His precious cargo,” referring to our responsibility to love, care for, and serve one another. As a mother, I plead for the help of others in ministering to my children. Our loving Father has the same request of us for His children. This week I am reminded that, as I pray for people to care for my precious cargo, I need to do the same for those around me. Even when it’s one-sided. Even when it’s not reciprocated. Even when it’s not appreciated.

“Beloved and blessed are those who care for and nurture others.”

It's a great day for McDonald's (and ten other random facts)

Fact #1: I don’t know what my tongue does during dental cleanings. I feel like I can’t control it or even discern where it is in my mouth. Does it move to and fro wildly? Is it flapping all around the place? Cuz I feel like it might be. 

Fact #2: This week Nicky was transferred to the Commonwealth of Dominica (or just “Dominica” - pronounced like “Dominique-uh” - not like “Dominican Republic”). It’s another Caribbean island in his mission - it’s its own country. 

Fact #3: Dominica is approximately the size of New York City. It has one of the highest concentrations of active volcanoes in the world. They have two places of LDS worship (not quite churches - but designated meeting places with signage nonetheless). They speak English and Creole (so as with his time in Antigua, Nicky’s Spanish will go by the wayside). 

Fact #4: Nicky doesn’t know that we know he’s in Dominica, so everyone act surprised when he tells us on our Monday phone call (wink, wink).

Fact #5: I didn’t take any photos of Daisy for homecoming, but some eventually rolled in. Here she is with her date (just her ex boyfriend’s cousin - no big deal):

Fact #6: She bought her dress for $6 at the DI, and her shoes were $8. She’s not a dressy shoe girl (neither was I).

Fact #7: So far, we haven’t had to do the bouquet trend for school dances, and I’m glad. It’s creeping up on us though. I don’t understand it. What do they do with the bouquets? They pose for pictures and look like a wedding party. Then what? Leave them on the seat of the car? At least you can wear a corsage to the dance. This is what happens when you get old. “Kids these days!”

Fact #8: I am in the height of my PMDD symptoms right now, so I hate everyone, and I feel like the world is ending. 

Fact #9: Yesterday I mentioned that I went to Cedar City last weekend (it’s about three and half hours south of where I live). That was for the Shakespeare Competition at Southern Utah University. For the past three years I’ve gone with Laurel so we can watch our kids compete. It was fun to get away for a few days, and the people watching is always top notch!

Our team performing a scene from Richard III

Fact #10: I bought Laurel and me some matching jammies, and it kind of made us look like we escaped from a loony bin (and with the PMDD, I definitely feel that way).

I am but a wee lad

The Food Strategy

Call me crazy, but I really enjoy meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking. I like finding ways to use what I have in my garden, my pantry, and my freezer. It taps into a creative part of me and often gives me the same high as a successful round of a strategy board game does (nerd alert). I still have days where I don't want to cook and where I use any excuse I can think of to get a pizza or go through a drive through, but overall, I find joy in managing the food in our family (aside from the mess - I make huge messes when I make food, and if I were to employ a helper in my home, it would be someone to follow me around and clean up after me).

This week has been quite triumphant in food. I'm probably going to sound like a braggart, but you know what? I'm excited and passionate, so I'm going to tell you about it.

First off, I went on a trip to Cedar City last weekend, and on the way home, we stopped at Rowley's Red Barn in Santaquin because they had strawberries for $1 a lb (remember when that used to be "normal?") I bought 8 lbs of strawberries, and then Sunday night, I bottled a double batch of jam. 

Now that the weather has "cooled" a bit, our garden has sprung back to life. On Monday I picked about 25 green peppers and two gallon-sized buckets of tomatoes. Scotty and I chopped up the peppers, bagged them, and froze them. I also froze some cherry tomatoes, which I use in the winter to make Chicken Margherita Skillet (which will make Cyndi happy because she introduced me to that recipe). Then I made a double batch of tomato soup (with fresh tomatoes instead of canned), which I froze in individual portions for grab and go winter lunches (we also sampled some for lunch for quality control). 

My friend Julie brought me two boxes of apples from her tree (she is heaven sent - she even washed them!), so every day this week, I've prepped a bag of sliced apples (soaked in salt water to prevent browning) for everyone in the family for lunch/snacking. Then last night, Scotty and I made two batches of dehydrated apples, and I have two more batches drying as I am writing this (with six apples to spare). 

We had baked potatoes with last night's dinner, so I baked six extra potatoes because Zoe has been begging for Loaded Baked Potato Soup. Personally, I'm sick of that soup and won't want to eat any, but it's so easy to make when you have extra baked potatoes, and Zoe loves it, so I promised her I would make her some (despite it being 85 degrees today). 

Also on the agenda today, I will be browning 4 lbs of ground beef to prep sloppy joes, taco meat, and spaghetti sauce for an upcoming trip. They will be frozen, packed in a cooler, and then heated in a microwave in a hotel room. 

Tomorrow is our annual Dip Night - which will bring together three of my favorite things: food (DIP!), friends, and strategy board games. 

I will be trying out three new dip recipes:

Creamy Pork Pulled Pork Dip (strategy-wise, I have a batch of pulled pork in my freezer already, and I have all the other ingredients on hand and didn't have to buy anything - WIN!)

Easy Fried Pickle Dip (I also already have all the ingredients for this - WIN!)

Pumpkin Dip (I might not have pumpkin pie spice, but I feel like I can fake it - WIN!)

Chad's plate from our last Dip Night

His plating techniques needed to be documented

Today when I check the garden, if it's time for another mass tomato picking, I will be making taco soup to freeze.

(Update: there will be soup). 

But first, I need to pick up my grocery order from Smith's where I will be attaining 4x fuel points and getting $30 off a $75 purchase (which gives me the same rush as taking out an opponent in Risk).  

There is...

...one more dental cleaning

...one more Halloween

...one more Thanksgiving

...one more Christmas

...one more New Year

...one more General Conference

...one more Mother's Day

until this boy comes home!

And there are no more...

Father's Days

summers 

or 4ths of July.

I'm just saying. 

Me waiting for Nicky to come home so I can embarrass him

Sunday Sentiments: Saturday Edition

There's a contradiction I experience a lot as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It comes between Message A): "You are doing great. Work at your own pace. The Lord will meet you where you are, etc..." and Message B): "Do better NOW. Be better NOW. Here are 50 ways you don't quite measure up..." Frankly, it stresses me out, and I wonder why we are given Message A and Message B simultaneously (hello, General Conference!) Am I supposed to keep doing what I'm doing, or do I need to assess everything I do and rise up to high expectations that I feel are beyond my current abilities? It's overwhelming, and sometimes it makes me feel like I'll never be good enough. 

There's a lot of commentary about this especially in regards to its affect on mental health. A while ago, I decided to take it to the Lord and ask for better understanding on my part. I asked for help discerning these messages and knowing how to apply them in my life without getting overwhelmed or upset by them, and I received an impression that I want to always remember: 

Each talk, each plea, and each message that comes from a Church leader who is influenced by the Spirit has the potential to invoke change in someone for the better. Maybe that talk on family history (or whatever topic it be) that completely burdened me and made me feel like I'll never be able to "do it all" is the very talk, that upon reaching the ears of ten struggling individuals, changed their lives forever! Or maybe those words were exactly what ONE person needed. Shouldn't it, then, be spoken? Even if it's not the "perfect" message for me? Would I expect a Church leader to not say something that can change or influence someone else just because I'm not in the right place to hear it?

Therefore, we receive all kinds of messages, all kinds of influence, all kinds of words and encouragement in different areas from our Church leaders because we are all changed and influenced in different ways. The message I struggle to hear might be the very message that penetrated the heart of another. And maybe that person will follow that counsel and do that thing that I find hard, and they'll be all the better for it. Perhaps the message I struggle with is the message that brings someone else to Christ, and when I acknowledge that, I have more mercy in regards to the messages that feel harsh to me personally. 

Several years ago I started recognizing the difference between inspiration and guilt. Now, maybe "guilt" isn't the right word choice, but over the years, I haven't come up with something better, so let me explain what I mean. In some aspects, "guilt" is considered a positive thing because it can move people toward change (namely, repentance). But in the context I am using, "guilt" is a feeling of needing to "be as good as" someone else says we should or to "live up to" a standard that we're not quite ready to achieve. There may even be an edge of competitiveness involved. I confess, there have been times where I've chosen another person by which to measure myself. Someone to be better than. This guilt feels heavy and doesn't necessarily stem from the right place. I have learned that if I act on "guilt," my motives are not pure, and I don't really succeed. If I respond to inspiration, however, I have great results. When I feel inspired, I am ready to take action, and the results are usually far more impactful and long-lasting. Inspiration feels light and comes with a special kind of energy. It's also accompanied with increased love for others. Since making this realization, I've often paused and asked myself, "Am I acting out of guilt or inspiration?" 

Now let me clarify one thing. I am not suggesting that the deliverer of the message is to credit for my feeling guilt. Whether I feel guilt or inspiration stems from me and where my heart is. Yes, there are leaders who err in what they say, but my relationship with the Spirit is the tool by which I can discern that, and for the most part, I believe our Church leaders' primary intention is to buoy us up and bring us closer to the Savior. 

Rather than being critical of messages that make me feel "guilty," I try to just set them aside for a time (revisiting them later might bring about a completely different result) and focus on the messages that I find immediately inspiring. This has been an important lesson for me personally because it has helped me to Hear Him more effectively. It has also helped me to do more preparation to receive messages from my Church leaders so that I can feel more inspired and less guilty.