My Mothers Resolution

After seeing the movie "Courageous" I kept thinking I want to make a resolution for me as a mother and wife just like they had a resolution for men.  I decided to take the "The Family:  A Proclamation to the World" and make action statements to live by.

• I am a daughter of God created in his image with a divine nature and destiny.
• I came to earth to receive a body and to eventually return to heaven to be with my Family Forever.
• The powers of procreation are sacred and I promise to forever be faithful to my husband.
• I promise to care and love my husband and children.
• I will provide for the physical needs of my children.
• I am accountable to teach my children to love God and his commandments, to love and serve others, and to be law-abiding citizens.
• I know my children are entitled to live with both their mother and father who love them.  I will do everything I can to preserve and cherish my marital vows everyday of my life.  
• As I follow the teachings of my Savior, Jesus Christ I will find true happiness with my family.
• I will let my husband be the man of the house by letting him lead our family and provide for our necessities in this life.
• I know it is my sacred responsibility to care for my children and provide them opportunities to learn and grow in a loving home environment.
• As a member of my extended family I will offer my assistance, love and support and know I can also turn to them when needed.
• I know I will be held accountable to God for the way I treat my husband and children.
• I will promote the importance of family in my community and speak up when needed to defend and strengthen families everywhere.

Healthy Living: Pumpernickel Bread

Bread in oven-rising

I just love a good loaf of Pumpernickel Bread so I decided to experiment and make my own recipe.  So after a few trial and errors I found my favorite combination of measurements.   I had to buy some Rye flour, which I found at Smiths Marketplace in the bulk food section.  I haven't found Whole Rye yet so if you know where I can buy some please let me know.

5 cups Warm Water
1/4 cup canola Oil
2 TB Yeast
3 TB dough Enhancer
1/2 cup Gluten
1/2 cup Molasses
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 Cups Rye Flour
1 TB Salt
9 cups Whole Wheat Flour

Grind your Wheat and Rye while you put together the water, oil, yeast, dough enhancer, gluten, molasses, cocoa.  Mix and let sit until your flour is ready.   Add the Rye and 1 cup of flour, mix well.  Then add your salt. Then Continue to add four 1/2 cup at a time until the dough cleans away from the sides of the bowl.  The dough should be soft but not sticky.  Then turn up your mixer to high and knead for 5 minutes.  Portion out your dough into 4 loaves.  Use shortening to grease the pans, hands, and counter.  Do not add extra flour at this time.  Let rise until doubled and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

To save time, I always rise my bread in a warm oven for 30 minutes.  I turn on the oven at the lowest possible temperature while I'm shaping the bread and then I put in the bread and turn off the oven and then start timing.  After it's doubled I turn the oven on at 350 and cook for 30 minutes.  Total time to make is only about 90 minutes.  Beats the cost of store bought bread for our family!


If you like this recipe let me know!  Happy cooking!

Soft Bristle Tooth Brush

 Did you know you should only brush with a soft bristled toothbrush?  I had never really thought about it until my husband recently had skin grafts done on his teeth.  Why skin grafts?  Well he bought a hard bristle toothbrush when he moved out of his parents house thinking, "This should clean a lot better!"   Well it might have cleaned well but it also brushed away his gums on some of his molars.  Our dentist has been recommending for a while to do the surgery because he could loose these teeth if we didn't.  So we finally did it.  Not fun at all, it's a pretty intense surgery where they take gum from the top of your mouth and then graft it to the teeth.  He has to be on a liquid diet for a while.  Spread the word, only use a soft bristle toothbrush!   Tell your kids too so when they move out and buy their first toothbrush they won't make the same mistake my husband did.  Click here if you want to read more about choosing a toothbrush.  

Why can't I vote?

 

Yesterday my ten year old son asked me why he couldn't vote.  It made me chuckle inside.  But it got me thinking, when did I start voting, and I couldn't remember what age I was.  I do remember going with my parents to vote for the first time and it was really exciting for me.  It's funny because I really thought it was sixteen, but after looking up to verify I know that isn't right because the legal age is 18.  So I have a pretty bad memory.  Nineteen states allow 17 year old to vote in primary elections and caucuses if they will turn 18 by election day.
Our ancestors fought for their freedom to vote, and it's sad that the majority of US citizens who can vote choose not to.  I have always thought I have done my civil duty by voting at each small and large elections.  Most of the time I could recognize the names I was voting for.  Deep inside I know I have been skating by and  have not done enough to be involved and informed of the issues.  My church has strongly encouraged it's members to attend our neighborhood caucus meetings.  To read the letter they read at church click here.  So much that they have canceled all weekday church meetings so no one has an excuse.  Needless to say, I will be attending my first caucus meeting this week.  I really believe we should listen to our church leaders and if they feel it's important then I should to right?
I'm a little anxious because I have never attended one of these before.  I also really had no idea where my meeting was so I did a little research and found out.  If you would like to do the same all you need to do it search for, "Democrat/Republican (type your affiliation) neighborhood caucus meeting (then type your county).  I've heard the meetings are usually about an hour and are really our biggest opportunity to make a difference.  For those who have chosen not to affiliate with a party, I don't know but it seems by affiliating you can make more of a difference.  The decisions our elected officials make really have a difference on our lives and the lives of our children so take the time and make a difference this year by attending your neighborhood caucus meeting, get informed, and vote!

Overcome Brushing Teeth Battles

I love this website I was introduced to recently.  You can create tooth brushing charts that are personalized for each child.  They also emphasis that children's names are not stored and you will not need to enter any contact information so your child will be safe.
I think it's a great idea to keep both child and parent a physical reminder of good oral care.  Those habits created when younger really stick so it's so important to make good ones.  I just wish I could go back and brush better during my first pregnancy.  It's so hard to brush when you are sick all day long and feel nauseous.  I remember throwing up a few times because I started brushing my teeth.  Woe is the pregnant lady!  =) Anyway, moving forward I'm committing to do better and help my kids have healthy teeth and gums.

A Festival of Words

This looks like an amazing fun activity for the whole family!  My kids were stocked about the Hogwarts Hall where there will be a sorting hat, and wand duels.  

Check out their website for all the details at:  http://bridgerlandstoryguild.wordpress.com

When:  March 10, 2012

Where:  Bullen Center (43 S Main St; Logan UT)

Time:  2 PM-6PM for the Festival  7pm for the Milk & Cookies Storytelling

Cost: $1 for the festival and $5 for the evening concert/ or $20 for a family

Here are a few of the exciting things that will take place at the Festival:

• Storytelling from some of Utah’s most beloved storytellers—and a few favorites from outside the state.
• Dancing: can you dance words? Of course!
• Singing: The Cache Children’s Choir will be here. Will you?
• Eating: The winner of “Utahs’ Best Chef” Award, John Simpson (Culinary Concepts) will be here to offer a fun workshop and to serve up food as our food vendor for this event.
• Poetry & Essay Contest: Poetry! Short and engaging essays! Who could want more?
• Beat Poetry: featuring some of Utah’s favorite beat poets: it’s poetry performed out loud. Remember to bring your clicking fingers when you hear something you like.
• Workshops: From Oral History to saying “hello” in seven languages, broaden yourself with some hands-on workshops.

2 pm: Festival Begins!

Ongoing: Hogwarts Hall: Harry Potter Activities such as Wand Duels, Quidditch Tryouts, the Sorting Hat and more!
Ongoing: Kids arts & crafts!
Ongoing: Gallery (adult and youth artists compete for prizes and create art all about words or about a saying from Poor Richard’s Almanack.
Ongoing: Read poetry and essays from writers young and old who have submitted works to the Poetry & Essay Contest.
Ongoing: Vendors will be selling a variety of exciting products
Ongoing: Author Tables—find books from local authors. BUY LOCAL–EVEN BOOKS!

2:00 PM: Workshops  •  Performances

3:00 PM:  Workshops  •  Performances

4:00 PM:  Author Shout Out  •  Performances

5:00 PM:  Workshops  •  Performances

7:00 PM: “Milk & Cookies Storytelling”  see website for all the fun storytellers

Doing Hair-My new goal!

I do a lot in the morning.  Here is what I try to get done before I start teaching preschool at 9:00 am
Exercise, shower and get ready, get boys up and practicing their instruments, make breakfast, make lunches, family scriptures study and prayer, eat breakfast, clean up breakfast, last minute prep for preschool, clean my room, make sure the girls are dressed and then practice flute and piano with them.

Kids start coming for preschool and I look at the girls hair and go, Oops I forgot to do their hair!  I'm embarrassed to admit that one Saturday night came and I realized that their hair was still the same from their Sunday hair do.  OK that only happened once but Whoa, I never should let that happen.  It's not that I want them to be little beauty queens but I think they should at least get in the practice of combing their hair everyday.  I think part of the problem is I started out with two boys.  Boy's hair is much easier to do.  Even when I comb my boys hair you can't tell two minutes later because they have rubbed their head on something and it's unkempt again.  I know excuses, excuses...

So I went to Relief Society a week ago and one of the classes they taught was on hair care.  I was deeply humbled and came home and told Devin that I needed to go to the store and get some hair supplies.   I had hair stuff but needed to organize it so I could find it easily.  Here is what I did to organize.  This wasn't what I intended on getting but this is what they had at the dollar store so I adapted and I think it will work fine.  These are little food clear boxes with white lids and then I've organized all my elastics and small clips by color.  Then I have an tote organizer that has my water, combs, brush and the larger elastics and ribbons.  So my goal is to do their hair everyday.  My friend gave them the idea to do it when they are already doing something we do.  I'm too hands on with them while they practice but I thought I would try to do their hair right after they practice.  The Challenge is on!

Free Parent Symposium Class-March 24th

This Parent Symposium looks amazing!  Admission is free- includes lunch and Dr. Glen Lathans book "The Power of Positive Parenting."  Space for the class is very limited so if you would like to go you should register soon!  Register at www.cachecfsc.org or call 435-8880.   The topics that will be discussed will be helpful for families with children of all ages.  I wish I can go but I will be out of town this day.