The True Easter Story

I post this for your Easter week enjoyment.  This is my granddaughter, Brielle when she was three years old. She is now seven.  I love to watch it each Easter to remember the Easter story according to a precious child.

My Favorite Things- Larkrise to Candleford

If you know us very well, you already know we love this BBC series, "Larkrise to Candleford."  We started watching it on Netflix, but ended up buying the boxed series on DVD.  This character- driven series is not high action, but each episode is entertaining and satisfying. It took awhile to watch them all, but we found ourselves looking for an odd hour here and there to sneak downstairs and watch an episode.  I guess you could say we were a little addicted!  Just seeing these pictures of characters we came to love makes me feel happy inside:

Larkrise to Candleford:  One of our favorite things.  

The View From the Cherry Tree

The View From the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I just reread this murder mystery for the third time. I've been reading "hard to plough through" books lately, and needed a page turner. I knew this one would fill the bill. I try to wait long enough between readings that I don’t remember "who done it." I didn’t wait long enough this time. Before many pages, I remembered who the murderer was, but still that didn’t spoil it for me. I literally couldn’t put it down. The book is written for older children, but it is intense! It’s the story of a child who accidentally sees a murder from his favorite hiding place in the cherry tree. His family is so busy with preparations for his sister’s wedding that none of them will listen to him when he tries to tell his story. The killer knows he saw, though, and keeps trying to kill him so that he can’t tell his story. It is page turning intensity right to the last page. It’s the classic “Kid verses Evil Adult” story, and I’ll bet you can guess who wins!



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Practice is Nine-tenths

Ralph Waldo Emerson's mantra:  Practice is nine-tenths.  This, at first reading seems incomplete; but a little reflection suggests that Emerson is deliberately giving us a chance to finish this idea in terms of our own experience, while recognizing the major contribution of sustained, repeated work.  "Practice makes perfect" is another way to say it, but I like Emerson's better.  It allows that 10%  comes in other ways- often Divine help. "Perfect" may never be achieved, but there is great value in the effort- in the practice. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go and practice the piano.
 To see other mantras, click here.

Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and me, Elizabeth

Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley and Me, Elizabeth by E.L. Konigsburg

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really like E. L. Konigsburg. I like her writing style. I like her ability to create children characters that help you remember what it was like to be a child. I really like her books. This is the story of two “misfit” girls who find each other and eventually learn how to relate normally to one another and become friends. It’s an interesting journey getting there. Both of the main characters use anti-social defense mechanisms to cope with their harsh social world. Through their friendship, they gain confidence and learn how to relate to others and eventually to each other in a more normal way. It’s a journey many, many young people travel. I think this book’s greatest value is that other adolescents might read, then recognize these symptoms in their peers. . . or even themselves. My only question is why “Hilary Ezra” wasn’t included in the lengthy title of this book? He plays a lot bigger role than William McKinley or Macbeth. I guess it’s too late to change it now!



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Seven Miracles That Saved America

Seven Miracles That Saved America: Why They Matter and Why We Should Have Hope by Chris Stewart

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I’m not a history buff. I like to blame it on Miss Baldwin, my high school history teacher. She was nice, but certainly didn’t light any history fires in me. So reading a book like this is a bit like reading a text book for me. I’m glad I read it, but it’s a bit of a chore. I have to set reading goals and make myself accomplish them. This book has a lot of historical facts and dates and, well, history, but it’s interspersed with fictionalized stories of someone living in the time being discussed. That helps to internalize it for me. The premise of the book is that there are seven times when God provided miracles to save America- His promised land. I think I could name a few more than seven, but these are the seven discussed by the authors:
1) Christopher Columbus
2) Jamestown
3) The Battle of New York in the Revolutionary War
4) The Constitution
5) Abraham Lincoln’s prayer that turned the tide in the Civil War
6) A series of miracles at the Battle of Midway that made us win; thus winning WWII
7) The assasin’s bullet missing Ronald Reagan’s heart, thus preserving him to be so instrumental in bringing down the iron curtain.
I really did learn a lot about each of these events and to appreciate how God truly did preserve us a nation. I needed to read this right now. I’ve had a feeling of hopelessness about our country and this renewed my hope. But , I have to admit, I’m ready to read a mindless, fluffy novel next. Any suggestions?




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Embarrassing Moment at the Bank . . . Very Embarrasing!

I guess I'm ready to tell the story. I can't believe I'm telling it, because it's so embarrassing.  Oh man.  Last week one day, I made dinner for a friend who just had surgery.  I take it over to her.  I l look like, well, you know:  No make up, food-spotted clothes (from cooking), hadn't combed my hair since  morning. . . not good.  I decide since I'm already out, I'll run a couple of errands on my "to do list." ( Dang "to do list.")  I drop off some dry cleaning, then go to the drive-through at the bank.  I pull up real close to the post at the bank so I won't have to get out to get the tube. ( Dang tube.)  (Dang lazy me)  So I take care of my business at the bank and then try to start my car.  Click.  I try again.  Click.  Again, click, again, click,   . . ., well you get the picture. I just drove here- why isn't my car starting???  Okay, what do I do?  I try to get out of the car.  Nope, too close to the post.  I can't even get the door partway open.  I get in my purse to get my cell phone and remember I left my cell phone home on my dresser.   I can feel the panic rising in my throat.  I've read that phrase in books.  Now I know what it feels like to have panic rising in your throat.  I. AM. STUCK!  " Stay calm, Kay.  Stay calm," I tell myself over and over.  "Okay,I'll try to climb out the other door."   I can't.  I can't get over the middle hump.  I. AM. STUCK!  I pray and pray.  I try to start the car again, and again.  Click. Click.  I try the door again.  Nope.  I try not to panic.  I try not to cry.   What do I do?   I meekly push the call button. and say, "I'm stuck."  Oh man. Can you say humiliation?   About then, the guy in the next lane over sees my predicament and says he has cables and will come and jump my car.  Then two guys from the bank come out.  Their plan is to push my car out of the way and get me some help.  I can't get it in neutral.  I can't find the lever to pop the hood.  One of the bank guys has to reach through the window to pop my hood.  Humiliating.  Meanwhile, many other cars come to the drive through.  All watch.  I look at the window of the bank.  Employees are gathered, watching.  A guy in one of the other cars calls out,  "Hey, could you change my oil?"  One of the bank guys responds, "Sure, we're a full service bank."  The nice jeep guy comes over and attaches his cables.  He says, "Give it a try."  Oh, blessed, blessed relief.  The car starts.  He unhooks his cables and closes the trunk. My only goal in life right then is to get out of there. . . or at least get away from that pole!   I wave and thank them all and drive away, praying hard that the car will keep going and that none of them will recognize me if they ever see me again. It takes hours for my heart to calm down.  When Ken gets home, I don't even let him get inside the house before I start telling him the story.  I tell him we're going to have to move. . . .or at least change banks.  He tries to comfort me by telling me that it will  make a good blog post.  I hope he's right.

Prophet's Prey

Prophet's Prey: My Seven-Year Investigation into Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints by Sam Brower




I HATE to start a book and not finish it. It really bothers me. But I’m afraid I can’t finish this one. I read a few chapters, but hate how it makes me feel. It is the story of a cult and of a very evil man- Warren Jeffs, their so-called prophet. I think I maybe could stand to read the sordid details if I thought the story was over. . . If I thought Warren Jeffs was behind bars and could never hurt or wrong or destroy people again. But nearly every week there’s more in the news about him and his cult and how he continues, much like Manson did (does?), to control them from his jail cell. It is just sickening that someone so evil can continue his mind control and evil ways in the name of God.
I am grateful to the author, Sam Brower, who was able to do what very few have been able or willing to do before: infiltrate the cult and really find out the truth. I appreciate his perseverance. I’m sure the work didn’t pay him for his efforts. I hope this book does. He was instrumental in putting this evil man behind bars. That’s good. But I wish the law allowed that Jeffs be silenced and that innocent people- especially children- could be rescued from his evil grasp.
I’ve read books about Hitler (way too many), Stalin, Mao Tse-Tung and other evil men. There are lists of the most evil people that have ever lived. There’s even a Discovery Channel series called Discovery’s Most Evil. Who belongs on that list is debatable, but I think Warren Jeffs belongs there. He may not have the huge influence or killed thousands like others on the list, but he has sadistically destroyed the lives of hundreds of innocent people and preyed upon innocent children. Even the bible says the most evil are those who offend children, so I don’t think I’m far wrong. Though I don’t want to endure the dark feeling I have when I read this book, I’m glad it was written and that there are those who care enough to try to make a difference. Maybe doing so will prevent another Jonestown. As my dad would say, “At least let us hope so.”




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Being George Washington

Becoming Washington by Glenn Beck

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Today, in the Senate chambers, Kelly Ayotte, a woman Senator from New Hampshire will participate in a tradition that has continued every year since 1896. She will read George Washington’s final address in the senate chambers on his birthday. Probably very few senators will even be there to listen. Mostly pages will hear the remarkable and prophetic words spoken in 1796 by one of the greatest men who has ever lived. I finished this book about Washington a couple of weeks ago, but, in honor of him, waited until his birthday to post my review.
I liked the premise of the book. It was not just an accounting of the events and character of the man; other books are far better at presenting the history. The author’s intention is that we all look inside at what we can do to be George Washington ourselves and make a difference in our world. That is worthy of some contemplation, I believe.
I thought the book started a little slow, but when I got to the Benedict Arnold part, I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t help but notice that Arnold and Washington were similar in desire at the beginning. But George married Martha and Arnold married a selfish social-climber who I’m sure pressured him to do the unthinkable- according to Benet’- to sell his soul to the devil.
I loved getting to know George Washington and to appreciate his willingness to put aside his personal interests and desires and do what was best for our nation. I wish he were here now. Enough said.




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"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

Aibileen, in "The Help," tells this to  Mae  each day so that she'll remember.  It's especially moving when she says it to her just after she's been fired and has to leave.  She gets down on that little girl's level and tells her to always remember, "You is kind.  You is smart.  You is important." What a great mantra.  What a great thing to repeat to yourself every day. I see this as a "fill in the blank" mantra.  Choose three adjectives or characteristics you want to instill in yourself and repeat them to yourself several times every day. In the last conference, President Monson suggested three things people need to understand about themselves: You is beautiful, you is valued, you is worthwhile.  Sounds pretty similar to Aibileen's!  Other suggestions:
You is energetic
You is self-disciplined
You is compassionate
You is happy
You is loving
You is calm
You is friendly


You can see you can personalize this to help you achieve your goals and improve your character.
And isn't that the very purpose of a mantra?

I Looked Out the Window and What Did I See?

It must be a holiday, because the balloons, they be a'flyin!   

The Perfect Valentine's Day

Ken and I had the perfect Valentine's Day.  Every year we take a pilgrimage back to where we honeymooned- Ruby's Inn at the mouth of Bryce Canyon. Ken audits a little town near there and each winter he attends their city council meeting and reports his findings.  The meeting was scheduled on Valentine's Day, which was perfect for us.  

We enjoyed a beautiful drive up there on a beautiful, clear winter day.

Ken dropped me off at the hotel while he went to the city council meeting.  When he came back, he surprised me with a dozen red roses.  Who knew you could buy roses in the little town of Tropic?

 While Ken took his walk five miles to the entrance of Bryce Canyon, I sang for an hour, preparing for The Keynotes to sing for our ward's high priest social on Friday night.

We had a delicious steak dinner at Ruby's Inn.  Their steak is THE best we've ever tasted.  Ken asked them once for the recipe.  He came home and ordered all the ingredients online, but it wasn't the same.  He's got a source that used to work there and is hoping they'll give him the recipe for the rub and marinade.  It is his quest to figure it out! Whatever they do, the steaks are incredible!

We also love the portebella mushrooms with gorgonzola cheese.

We took dessert " to go" to eat later.  We then went swimming in the indoor pool.  I did a 45 minute swim and Ken did an hour swim.  We both were sucking wind.  But we had to do something to work off all of those calories!  We then enjoyed dessert in the room and I even got a foot rub!   It was the perfect Valentine's Day.

We got home in the afternoon on Friday.  That evening, the Keynotes, well actually HALF of the Keynotes( the rest were out of town) performed for our high priest social.  We all had to work hard to get the seven songs ready in time(not quite half of our whole program).  Our concert is in April, so February is a little early to have songs memorized and performance worthy, but they all did it and it went great.  I sure love these ladies.

  

So, for me, it was the perfect Valentine's:
1)A nice, long drive with my husband
2) Staying in a nice hotel
3) Roses!
4) Singing
5) A delicious dinner
6) A good swim
7) A foot massage
8) As Ken would say, "A good time was had by all."

The Secret Heart

I want to share my new favorite poem with you.   It's the perfect Valentine gift, I think.  What parent hasn't looked in on a sleeping child and found their heart melting with love for their dreaming little one?  This poem captures the memory a grown man has of waking up as a child and seeing the unspeakable look of love on his Daddy's face and a secret heart in his hands:

The Secret Heart

by Robert P. Tristram Coffom

Across the years he could recall

His father one way best of all.

In the stillest hour of night

The boy awakened to a light.
Half in dreams, he saw his sire
With his great hands full of fire.
The man had struck a match to see
If his son slept peacefully.
He held his palms each side the spark
His love had kindled in the dark.
His two hands were curved apart
In the semblance of a heart.
He wore, it seemed to his small son,
A bare heart on his hidden one.
A heart that gave out such a glow
No son awake could bear to know.
It showed a look upon a face
Too tender for the day to trace.
One instant, it lit all about,
And then the secret heart went out.
But it shone long enough for one
To know that hands held up the sun.


Happy Valentine's Day!

My Favorite Things-Great Value Brand White Corn and Black Bean Salsa

This is THE best salsa.  I got hooked on it when I stayed with Shonna and Blake last summer.  Blake discovered it, and I think he deserves finders fees.  I'll even (are you sitting down?) GO to Walmart for this stuff.  I hate Walmart.  But I'll go for this.  (This, and the Creamy Peach Yoplait Yogurt.)   I bought another brand of white corn and black bean salsa- I think Target- and ended up throwing it away.  It has to be this Walmart Great Value brand.   It is great on everything and in everything that you put salsa in/ on.  It is one of two secret ingredients that makes Ken's Guacamole THE best in the world.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm headed to Walmart  (EEK!) to buy a whole case!

Books I Want to Read in 2013

Books I Want to Read in 2013!

2011 Books

You may (or may not) remember a post I did two years ago (really??? Has it been two years?) about books I intended to read in 2011.

  You'll notice two that I had planned to read that year are in this year's stack.  No, I never read them.     I feel a bit guilty that I haven't read them, so I'm going to give it another go.  Many of the books in THIS stack  are for our family video chat book club.    Plus there's a few that I'm just itching to read; just because.  So, we'll see how I do.  There's also a few books that are scheduled for our book club that aren't pictured.  I intend to get them from the library in the month we're reading them.    So, I think there's a total of 24 books.  That's two a month.  Doable, right?  

   Very few things make me happier than a delicious stack of books, waiting to be read!

The Duck

It's fun to finally be the keepers of the duck at our house. The Gabrielsen Family - my side- has an annual (recently changed to bi-annual) golf tournament called "The Gabrielsen Open."  It started in 1986.  My mom bought this duck to serve as the tournament's pass around trophy.  Last summer, Ken won it for the first time, so it's at our house.  It doesn't fit our decor very well. but I still proudly display it in our home.   It has more meaning to me than a duck, or a golf tournament.  It lists all the men in my family- since all have won it- some several times.  That list includes my Dad who won it in 1991.  That's special to me.  

Hal giving his "What the duck means to me" speech at the last reunion.

Hal relinquishing the duck to Ken.

Ken giving his "I don't deserve the duck" speech.

Congratulations, Ken!

.P.S. He's gonna hate this post.

The House on Mango Street

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Nope. I didn't like this one. I am slightly tempted to give it two stars because the writing style is poetic and unique. But, I didn't care for it, even though I see it's literary value. I felt it detracted from rather than furthering the story. And I didn't care for the content. It took me where I didn't want to go. Simply put: I didn't like it.



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Out of the Best Books, Volume Four

Out of the Best Books, Volume 4 by Bruce Budge Clark

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I've now finished Volume Four of this series of collections of great literature compiled for The Church of Jesus Christ's Relief Society Cultural Refinement lessons in the 1960's. As I've done in the reviews of volumes 1-3, I'd like to mention some of my favorite selections from this book.
The Death of Socrates, written by Plato was powerful. First, I hadn't realized that we have no writings from Socrates himself. Everything we have came from Plato, his student, writing it down. Plato was present at Socrates' death. He was put to death by poison because he wouldn't retract things he said. He gave a speech and willingly drank the poison. The speech was powerful emphasizing integrity and obedience to principle.
I was also mesmerized by Balzac's "Christ in Flanders Field." First of all, I've always wondered who Balzac was. I was in the musical "The Music Man" in high school. I played the part of one of the Pick-a-little-talk-a-little ladies. Our characters were critical of Marion, the librarian because she advocated "dirty books," including Balzac. Well, there was nothing "dirty" about this Balzac selection. It was an allegory on the people of this world and how our only hope of being saved is Christ.
These books each have a few selected paintings in them. I love one called "Lady Jean" by George Bellows. I would love a print of it for my kitchen, as the colors are perfect. I love her sweet face and the vibrant colors.
A poem called "Ars Poetica" had a powerful, ponderable ending:
" A poem should not mean
But be."
A poem's meaning maybe skips the mind, and, as a beautiful piece of music does, goes straight to the soul.
A selection by Mark Twain called "Learning the River" was fascinating to me.
Maybe the best part of this volume was a selection of great speeches and writings at the end of the book. It included selections from men (and one woman) who the authors felt achieved serenity in this life. There were speeches by Martin Luther, Gandhi, Churchill, Kennedy (probably wouldn't be included in a similar book printed today as evidence now suggests that Kennedy did not achieve serenity in his life- but quite the opposite! But he did have great speech writers!) and my favorite of all- Abraham Lincoln. It, of course included the Gettysburg address. A lesser-known selection of Lincoln's just thrilled me. It was a letter written to John Johnston. Google it. It was a response from Lincoln to Johnston when the latter wrote to Lincoln asking for a loan. Lincoln's response was genius. I have to wonder if this was the basis for our current federal grant system?? I'm sure a collection of this kind written today would include selections from Ronald Reagan.
I'm sad there is only one more volume of this series left for me to read, as I'm enjoying them so much. Maybe I'll have to start over when I get through volume Five!



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Christmas at our House

Keynote concert at the tabernacle on Sunday night.  Considering half of us had colds, it went pretty well.

Christmas eve program

Christmas eve nativity

The wise man brings gifts.  That is one colorful wise man!

Santa reading to Joseph

Singing

Bucking donkey. "Walk, walk, trot, trot, gallopy, gallopy, gallopy."  "Again!"  I love how he clings with his little feet.

Christmas morning

Ride em cowgirl!

Lily girl

My Favorite Things : The Fitbit

Can something that is only 2" long rule a mature adult's life.  Yes, yes it can.  Let me introduce you to my fitbit.  My sister Joan introduced me to him about a year ago.  He's ruled my life since.  I do posts about my favorite things, and I'm including this among those.  It's one of my favorite things; but it's also one of my least favorite things.  I think they call that a love/hate relationship.  This little device is a despot. It is a taskmaster.   It counts my steps each day and when I push it's button, it says "I like you" and "Ready to rumble?" and such.  It records each and every step, and if I'm good I can make the flower grow.  It really motivates me to move.  

It tells me the time.

It tells me how many miles I've walked today.

It tells me how many calories I've burned . . .

, , , and how many flights of stairs I've climbed.

And most important of all, how many steps I've taken today.

Through GPS, it records and keeps track of all my data on my computer.  Once a week I get a report card.  That's motivation! Each morning, I clip it on me and go. Actually, in the interest of full disclosure, I sleep with this little guy- just in case I get up in the night.  Hey!  I want credit for every step!    This has been somewhat of a challenge in the pool, as it is not waterproof.  I've figured out a way:

I put it in a ziplock bag and attach it to my glasses.  People stare and suppress smiles when they see me.  They think I don't see, but I do.  One day, when I went to water aerobics class, I could see a group of ladies on the other side of the pool clustered together, looking at me and talking.  Finally, one of them swam over and asked me what that was hanging from my glasses.  I explained.  She said they'd been guessing and that she had thought it must be a music device.  "I know she sings in a group," she'd told the others.  "Do you have no pride?" you're asking.  I guess not.  Yes, I really go to the pool looking just like this- disheveled hair, no make up, with a bag hanging from my glasses.

I learned one day how completely I've let this little guy rule my life.  I was shopping at Costco.  Costco is a BIG store, and I always get lots of steps on Costco days.  I was about half-way through my shopping and, to motivate me to keep going, I went to check my fitibt, only to discover I had forgotten to put it on!  AHHHHHHH!  I nearly melted in a puddle right there on the Costco floor.  "I'm taking all these steps for NOTHING????"  I was devastated.  Somehow I sucked it up and resignedly finished my shopping trip.  When Ken got home that evening, he found me sitting in a chair, hitting the fitbit, trying to get it to think I was taking steps.  It didn't work.  But then I came up with a brilliant idea.  He was planning to go on a  walk (he often goes on a de-stress/ exercise walk right after getting home from work)  Lightbulb!   I clipped the fitbit on him as he left for his walk, and so HIS steps counted on MY fitbit.  The little devil (the fitbit; not Ken) never knew the trick we played on him.  And I'm pretty sure Ken got more steps on his walk than I did at Costco.  Brilliant!  But then my grandson, Nathan, got me back.

When the kids were here visiting, I got worn out.  I just didn't feel like exercising.  It was extremely hot outside.   Nathan, who is ALWAYS full of energy seemed like the perfect solution. I clipped the fitbit on his shirt and told him to run around the house.

   Each time he came around, I  gave him ice water. 

                                    

  Then, he said he was just too tired.  "Grandma, you go!  You do it!  YOU run and I''LL take pictures of you"  Only for Nathan would I run around the house in 110 degree heat.  I clipped it on and started.

Pretty soon that little boy who was "just too tired" ran up to me, giggling about the trick he'd played on me.

Pretty proud of himself!

  

So, I introduce you to one of my favorite/ least favorite things- the fitbit!