Blogging Sister's

P.S. Just adding:
Susan Epperson http://johnsusantyler.blogspot.com/
Heather Reed http://shaunandheather.blogspot.com/
Jeanette Jones B. http://growingbrewers.blogspot.com/

Am I the only one enjoying so many sister's blogs? I hope not. In case you don't know about these, here you go! If you know of other's, please let me know! These sister's are from a variety of wards in my current stake since my stake leaders change those ward boundaries on me numerous times and I've gotten to be in 4 wards while living in the same home. The good side of that is that I've been blessed to get to know many more wonderful gals. Feeling grateful!

Chris Price My Life Is A Hoot

Amy Cammack L. http://blog.amyleephotography.com/

Becca H. http://www.dailygrapefruit.blogspot.com/

Allison D. http://allisonandjohndavis.blogspot.com/

Amanda Miller http://jedamanda.blogspot.com/

Tallona Twiggs http://ryanandtallona.blogspot.com/

Ashley Ball http://joeashandkids.blogspot.com/

Becca P. http://kd7kfe.blogspot.com/

Melanie Price W. http://matteringmoments.blogspot.com/

Shelby Price http://shelbysjourney.blogspot.com/

Myrna Z. http://ziegler7.blogspot.com/

Trevlyn N. http://sweettweets1.blogspot.com/

Heather S. http://siteinstone.blogspot.com/

I Am Empathetic!

Did you expect that recipe for Apple Crisp with dehydrated apples? I know, I'm sorry. I've spent so much time putting together a most important post over at Snickerdoodles again.


Begging you to please go to that blog and read/watch. Just click on Snickerdoodles.

Thank you. Really, I mean it. This is so serious. Do you know that!

Apple Crisp

Stay tuned...I'll be posting a recipe soon.

Want something to read relating to my memories of Relief Society as a "twenty something"...go to Snickerdoodles.

White Everywhere

Today Allison D. and I drove out to Mesa to the cannery to fill our orders. What fun to drive with such a sweet, fun friend and get to know her better. We ended up on the powdered milk canning line which was new to me. I usually can wheat, rice or beans. You know of course that I wore a black t-shirt and black shoes which ended up sprinkled liberally with white. That was okay. I came home with only 6 #10 cans of dehydrated apples but am still glad I got that much. They make a yummy and quick apple crisp.

How you doing with your food storage? You can learn alot and get motivated at the church website. Check it out here....please. This is another good website, Honeyville Food Products for food storage products. Thanks. And happy day.

NO BEARS ARE OUT TONIGHT

One of my kiddos recently commented that my blog post's sure are lengthy. They were referring to a poem about flour sacks at my original blog SNICKERDOODLES . They are right. Occasionally there is more than just a photo or two with a little paragraph on each. Oh the case again. But you see, this is really so worth the maybe 5 minutes you will spend reading here. And the benefits potentially are great.

I just read the article NO BEARS ARE OUT TONIGHT on Meridian Magazine by Kimberli Pelo Robinson. . . "Having the priesthood in a home surrounds a family with a sense of security that is available no other way". So much centered on having a righteous priesthood holder/father in your home, protecting the family, working hard to enable the mother to stay home and nurture children and truly make a home. What a huge, huge blessing. It was such a good use of my time to read and I hardily pass it along with recommendation to you.
Photo above: A family playing the game No Bears Are Out Tonight and the Grandpa turned out to be the (bear.)

To read this great article, and I hope you do, click on No Bears Are Out Tonight.

The Blessing of Work

I was listening to repeated conference talks on KBYU while embroidering some flour sack dish towels the other day and loved hearing this - I can't claim it's an exact quote, my fading memory, but close...

Opportunity is missed by most because it is often dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Just passing along a little thought for the day. It will make me glad. Whenever I get to thinking about the drudgery of work I remind myself-I have a HOUSE to clean. I have a FAMILY that needs feeding. I have a WASHING MACHINE to do the clothes washing. I have CLOTHES. I have FOOD to purchase or cook. I have a GARDEN to supply some vegetable and flowers to weed, tend or water. Counting blessings and not grumbling so much. I will look at work as an opportunity.

The Traveling Smile

The following great story is part of the FHE lesson on Joy. You will find a link to that lesson on my side board. Hope we're all having meaningful, thoughtfully prepared Family Home Evening lessons to guide, instruct and protect our families in these troubled times.

The Traveling Smile by Jane Bunker Newcomb

I sat on a San Francisco bus going home, tired and depressed after one of those days when nothing seemed to go quite right. It was rush hour, and the bus was packed with people—dull-eyed, tired, aching, and short-tempered.

A large, package-laden lady got on the bus. Every seat was taken, so she had to stand in the aisle near me. War Horse, I thought as I looked at her drawn and bitter face. That seemed a pretty good description.

Seated across the aisle next to her was a small plain-looking lady, someone you wouldn’t ordinarily notice. She looked up at “War Horse” and her face was lit with a smile. “Could I hold your packages?” she asked. “It’s so hard to stand when your arms are full.”

The woman glowered in confusion and looked away. But when she looked back, the smile was still there. Her wrinkled brow eased some as she handed over the packages. “They are very heavy,” she said. “There are two pairs of specially made shoes for my crippled son, and they weigh twenty pounds a pair.” She paused, and the next words seemed very hard for her to say: “Thank you.” They chatted on, and as they did, she smiled. Her whole face softened and her body relaxed.

Soon the seated lady got off and the other woman sat down in her place. But her expression had changed, and she smiled up at the young coed standing above her. “Could I hold your books for you? It’s difficult to hold on with books sliding every which way.”

The girl smiled back, and as she gave up her books I heard her ask, “Did I hear you say you have a son who goes to Jefferson? That’s where I go to school.”

I had to get off at the next stop, but I imagined that smile traveling all over San Francisco. I too smiled, and wasn’t so tired anymore. (Good Deeds, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003], p. 10.)

Marri.age Amendme.nt

Can't tell you just how important it is that Pro.position 102 passes. If you haven't made up your mind on this please, please watch this. If you are voting to make marr.iage between 1 man and 1 woman the constitu.tional la.w please watch also. Thank you!

And teaching this in schools is just one of the consequences of this amendment failing. Churches would be forced to marry same-sex couples against their beliefs or be sued and/or lose tax exemption. Charitable organizations, certain adoption agencies, and groups like the Boy Scouts of America that do tremendous good in our society will be forced to change their policies or close down... It's started in MA. It's at our doors.

Prepared for Ike

A letter from people in Texas who just experienced 'Ike'. What a testimony for preparedness.

Dear Friends:We have a 6'x6' hole in our roof, no electricity or running water, trees down everywhere. However, because we listened to the counsel of our Prophet we are prepared. In fact it seems to me that it's only the members of the church who seem to be calm, prepared, and helping one another with trees in roofs, flooding, etc.

There is a POD or Point of Distribution in Tomball where we live. There you get water and ice IF you have enough fuel to wait in the 3-hour lines. We don't have to do that because we have 3 full water barrels, 75 juice bottles filled with water, and our pool, which is dirty, but we use it to flush.

It is very difficult to get gas. Police guard the stations when fuel is delivered and you might wait half a day to get up to the pump just to have them say, 'Too bad, we are out'. I am grateful that we have a generator. We run it 4 hours a day to keep our fridge and light. I am grateful that we have had fuel for it. You can't even by gas containers as they are rationed.

We can only buy bread once a week and limited to 2 loaves at a time. Water is rationed by the case at the grocery store - 3 cases per family.The ATM machines do not have power.

For the past 6 months I have stashed small bills away because I have had such a feeling of foreboding. We have cash because of that. LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT. Get cash in small bills because the stores can't make change and credit and debit cards often don't work. I had to pay 5 dollars more for an item because they couldn't make change for me.

And . . . PHONES ONLY WORK OCCASIONALLY. Believe it or not...I have not had a bath in 4 days. Today was the first day I got to wash my hair with pool water. I haven't fixed my hair in a week!!! It just doesn't matter anymore. We cannot do laundry because we don't have water. So, we wear our clothes until they are literally disgusting. When we do finally get water we will have to boil it since it is contaminated.

I am grateful for my parents. When we got low on generator fuel they drove 45 minutes to help us. They filled up their cans and brought us 10 gallons of fuel, which kept us going until this morning at 6:oo am when we finally found some gas. A prepared Family and a loving extended family is the key to survival and making it through right now. I know that my parents would drive to the end of the earth to help me and it's nice knowing they are there. I know that I would do the same for my children.

I want all of you to know that I have such a testimony of following the counsel of our living prophet. There really is safety and peace in your heart if you are prepared. Please get your generators, 5 gas cans full of gas, canned goods, baby items, baby wipes to bathe, and all the water you can store...even if you have to trip on it in your home. Have your lanterns, crank flashlights, tarps, rope, etc. ready to go because you never know when it will be your turn to endure the test. It's overwhelming, but it's going to be okay eventually. I have a home, I have food, and I have water, because I listened to the counsel of the prophet. Please make sure you do the same. It's time to have your life in order. Tomorrow may be too late.

Putting It Out There

...and happy to do so. I hope you find as much power in this message as I do. I hope you'll comment and let me know how you feel about this. Thanks for visiting.