Rare Snow Day in St. George

On Monday, February 18th, we woke up to snow which had fallen all through the night.  Because it was a holiday, snow-starved families in our ward gathered in our backyard and in the park behind our house and HAD. A. BALL!  It was so fun to watch from our deck.

Monday, February 18th

Sunday evening, the snow started to fall.

Monday morning.  It was gorgeous!

The kids started coming (this was early.)

Pretty soon, there were over 60 people out there.  It was a spontaneous ward party.  Because it was a holiday, parents had the day off work, so there were people from babies to grandpas and grandmas.  It was so fun.

Happy Snow Day!!!!

Young Womanhood Recognition Award

Yea!  It's complete!  I finished the requirements for the Young Womanhood Recognition Award!  I now proudly wear my new medallion. Funny story, I actually OVER finished the requirements.  As I was writing my testimony in the back of the book, I read and discovered that leaders only have to do three of the value projects.  I guess that serving in young women counts for the rest.  I didn't read that before, so did all eight of the projects.  But I'm glad.  I'm all the better for it.  I have loved working on this.  It truly has helped me stretch and grow.  I actually earned this award about 25 years ago when I worked in young women then.  So now I need to figure out how to wear both medallions at once.  I love the young women program and the young women!

My worn out personal progress book.

The accompanying journal

The value ribbons with the bookmark.  I'm not sure I will ever figure out how to put this together!

Young Women New Beginnings

On February 12th, we had our young women New Beginnings program.  One of our Beehives, Abigail, planned and prepared it for a value project for her personal progress.  She did such a wonderful job. (Her mom is the 2nd counselor in young women's and helped her a lot!)

A lot of hours are represented in this picture.  They made frosted sugar cookies, and prepared those sweet necklaces for each girl with this years' theme, "If you love me keep my commandments."  Abby and her mom untangled chains (ordered from China), put the necklaces together, made cute stickers to close each bag, and bagged them.  

The decorations were so cute.

Our laurel president, Aubrey, conducted.  She is such an awesome young woman.

Seva, the Beehive President,  talked about Beehives

Kristen ,my awesome Mia Maid president talked about Mia Maids

And Emma (my recently released Mia Maid president, moved onto Laurels) talked about Laurels.

Abby is at the microphone (the one who did this for her project)  She is introducing the three new Beehives.

Sister Gerth, our stake young women president gave a beautiful talk on personal progress.

Our bishop also gave remarks

It was a beautiful evening.  I was so proud of these girls!

Hidden Figures

We are always looking for good/ clean movies and shows to watch.  I decided to start posting about ones we watch and like in hopes it will help others.

I'll start with this one:  Hidden Figures.

Here is the plot summary from 20th Century Fox:
As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of African-American female mathematicians that served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history. Based on the unbelievably true life stories of three of these women, known as "human computers", we follow these women as they quickly rose the ranks of NASA alongside many of history's greatest minds specifically tasked with calculating the momentous launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, and guaranteeing his safe return. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Gobels Johnson crossed all gender, race, and professional lines while their brilliance and desire to dream big, beyond anything ever accomplished before by the human race, firmly cemented them in U.S. history as true American heroes.

The movie was based on the true story of this event and the stories of these three women.
We loved it.  We watched with our family's own brilliant math brain- our granddaughter, Brielle.  That made it extra fun!

My Favorite Things- Bamboo Charcoal Deoderizing Bags

On my Internet newsfeed, I saw an article about the twenty-five most popular products ordered from Amazon or something like that.  Included on that list were these little bamboo charcoal deodorizing bags (or a similar product- there are several similar items on Amazon.)  I ordered them to put in my shoes.  I LOVE them.  When I take my shoes off, I just put one in each shoe.  They really work.

They can be used in lots of other places, too like the fridge.
Once a month, on a sunny day, you take them outside and let them soak in the sun for an hour to reactivate the charcoal.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FDXL1XR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bamboo Charcoal Deodorizing Bags- one of my favorite things.

To view others of our favorite things, click here

St. George Temple Closing

On January 25th, the church posted that the St. George, Utah temple will be closing later this year for major renovation.  Here is the official news release:

The temple will close November 4, 2019, as crews begin extensive structural, mechanical, electrical, finish and plumbing work. The renovation is expected to be completed in 2022.

Church President Russell M. Nelson first announced in October 2018 that the Church was making plans to renovate and update pioneer-generation temples.

The St. George Utah Temple was originally dedicated in April 1877, the first temple completed in Utah. It was rededicated in November 1975 after it was remodeled. The temple serves Latter-day Saints in southwestern Utah and parts of Nevada and Arizona.

Further information on the temple renovation will be released later this year.

 Though we have heard rumors of this for a long time, we hoped it wasn't true or that it would happen after our new temple is built and operating.  It is difficult news for us personally as we have so many ancestors that need their ordinances.  The closure will greatly affect our lives as we are in the temple so much- often four days a week.  We are already plotting how we will fill our time after it is closed.  We are thinking maybe more frequent visits to Vegas where Michelle and Brian live would combine family with temple work.  And there is a temple in Cedar City only 45 minutes away.  We will survive and come 2022, we will have a greater appreciation for our beautiful temple only 10 minutes away!

The Secret Keeper

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


If you’re looking for a well-written page turner, here she be. I loved this historical fiction/ mystery. Set in England, it is one of those books with chapter headings announcing the place and year: Small town on the seaside in the 1960s, Suffolk and London, 2011, and seaside and London in the late 1930s through 1941. It is not a “who done it” as the reader witnesses the murder early in the book, but it is a fascinating journey of discovery as to why the murder took place. It keeps you guessing and just when you think you have it figured out, new information changes everything. It would make a great movie. I will look for other books by this gifted author.



View all my reviews

Personal History of Nedra Pauline Gabrielsen Bedke

When my sisters and I visited Aunt Nedra last year, she gave us a copy of her personal history.  We took it to a copy shop and made copies for each of us.

When we visited Aunt Nedra in 2017.  L to R: Leslie (cousin), Joan, Pam, Nedra, Me, Patty, Eric (cousin)

Nedra

I loved reading this personal history.  Nedra is my father's youngest sibling, and the only one still living.   Nedra has always been kind of a personal hero.  She is such a strong, amazing woman and certainly worth emulating.  I learned so much about her and about my dad's family in her history.  It was full of pictures:

Some of the stories she told from her childhood I had heard from my dad and from his written history, but it was enlightening to read them from her perspective.  She helped me know and understand better my grandparents and great-grandparents.
Aunt Nedra is 86 years old.  But you would never know it.  She is young-looking and beautiful.  She is very active: still baking and cooking and canning and gardening (she takes care of her large yard except the mowing.  And she teaches 20+ piano lessons every week to children in her community of Oakley, Idaho.  She is an amazing cook.  She learned as she cooked over a wood stove at the ranch. The cabin had no running water, power, refrigerator, or toilet.  She fed ranch hands delicious meals under those circumstances.  She is widowed as she lost her amazing husband, Ray many years ago to cancer.  Her children are wonderful people.  Her oldest son, Scott serves as speaker of the house in Idaho.
Years ago, she had a strong desire to help our family be closer and started family reunions.  Those reunions are treasured memories- especially ones held at their ranch.
I am so grateful to have her personal history.  It is a treasure.  And I am grateful to have Aunt Nedra in my life.

Sendai Mission Closed

I felt so sad when I heard the announcement from our church that several missions would be closed, including our beloved Sendai mission. Really?  Why?  Were all our efforts for naught?  
But since then I have become much more philosophical. The Sendai mission was small in numbers.  Sendai is considered the outback of Japan, much of it agricultural and with many older people steeped in tradition.  We heard, though have not confirmed, that is was the 2nd lowest baptizing mission in the church.
The announcement included the realignment of mission boundaries. 

The southern part of the Sendai mission will now be in the Tokyo North Mission.  The northern part of the mission will be absorbed into the Sapporo mission.  The area we served in (the Yamagata prefecture on the coast) will now be in the Tokyo North Mission(in fact we lived just an hour's drive from the Tokyo North mission boundary- Nigata prefecture- the brown area on the map,  was and is part of the Tokyo North Mission.)  Being part of the Tokyo North Mission may really be a blessing for the area.  It will be harder on the leadership of the mission, but for the people of that area, it might be better.  For one thing, it will improve attendance, membership and other statistics;  maybe helping Sendai to get a temple.
Our observation was that the people in the Sendai area really need models of church.  In our Tsuruoka branch, no adult was a second generation member of the church. Not even one.  No one ever attended Primary or mutual or had FHE or the priesthood in their homes while growing up.  Tokyo area members can provide that example and model, as there are many more long-time members there.  
So, though I feel sad that our mission in name no longer will exist, I am grateful for hopefully greater opportunities for blessings for people in that area.  

Personal Progress: Integrity

I really enjoyed working on the goals in integrity for personal progress.  One of the experiences included reading from the scriptures many references to people in the scriptures who showed integrity.  That was a very meaningful and eye-opening exercise for me. Some of those included were Queen Esther, Paul, Joseph Smith, Joseph of Old, and of course, Jesus Christ.
Another of the experiences I did was read a book called "Covenant Keepers" by our prophet's wife, Wendy Watson Nelson.  Here is the short review I wrote of that book:

I loved this little book by our prophet’s wife. I was especially moved by her teachings and experiences with angels,

“We could also say it this way: As we keep our covenants, we can ask for angels to help us. Literally!”

She goes on to explain how she learned this truth and gives examples. This little book made me grateful for the protection and blessings of my covenants. 

For my value project, I served as an ordinance worker in the St. George temple- a project that took well over the required ten hours.  In fact, one shift was six hours and I served there for over a year.  I especially enjoyed serving as a veil coordinator.  It is a privilege to serve in God's house.

Pinchy, Fisty, Flatty, Cutty, Cow!

A Hinton family tradition is a game played especially for activity on FHE night: "Pinchy, Fisty, Flatty, Cutty, Cow."  The Rick Hintons taught it to us years ago.  We played it all while our children were growing up, and each of our children continue the tradition in their homes.  From Wisconsin to Logan to Las Vegas, cries of "Pinchy, Fisty, Flatty, Cutty, Cow!" can be heard on Monday evenings.
Here's the game.  One family member lies on the floor facedown.  Everyone gathers around them.  One person is the leader (Brielle here)  She puts her hands out indicating whether it will be pinchy (thumb and forefinger in pinching mode), fisty (hands in a fist), flatty (Hands palmdown- flat), cutty (hands sideways in cutting mode) or cow (hands curved like you're playing the piano)  All say "Pinchy, fisty, flatty, cutty, cow!"  The person in the middle guesses which one, usually while giggling.  If she is wrong, all do that motion on her back.  If she is right, her turn is over and someone else gets in the middle.  They all LOVE it!

Little Sammy especially loves this game and wants many turns in the middle.  This picture shows "cow."

Mackrorys have added, "or tickle, tickle, tickle."  It is such a fun game that everyone can enjoy and such a fun tradition.  Thank you Rick and Sherrie and family for teaching it to us so many years ago.

My Favorite Things- Black Sweater

This post will be meaningless to everyone else, but if we're listing our favorite things, I have to include my black sweater.  I'm worrying about when this thing wears out.  I wore it constantly on our mission to Japan, and have continued to wear and wear it since we've been home.  I love how it is fitted in the back, I love the 3/4 sleeves, I love how it feels on- not too heavy.  I just love it.  I have probably five other black sweaters.  Anticipating that this one will wear out, I keep buying them.  But none compare to my beloved black sweater.  It truly is one of my favorite things.

To see other favorite things click here

The Grandpa Machine Lives On

  The grandpa machine was started by my Grandpa and continued by my dad, who did it with all of his grandchildren. It is a hit with the grandchildren, and a wonderful tradition!
Grandpa lays on the floor.   The child stands with a foot by each of Grandpa's ear and Grandpa lifts them by the waist and flips them over to land on his lower legs, near his feet.

Sometimes the machine breaks with the child in midair.  There is always a lot of giggling and pleading and begging when the machine breaks.

This is my favorite picture taken this year so far, I think.  I LOVE this picture!

I think Grandpa Gabe would be happy to know that the Grandpa Machine lives on!!