Joy is last nights performance of the The Nutcracker Ballet by The Boston Ballet. Hillary and I have been attending for years. But what really made this JOYFUL was the fact that everyone in the family was now old enough to attend….so the whole family went enduring the 8 degree temps and freezing wind. It was so fun to see families from everywhere dressed to the nines enjoying themselves together..

Photo by Juggling Motherhood

Want the “wow” factor the next time you bring a plate to a Christmas function? Try making these delicious treats using MallowPuffs (or equivalents).

I saw the recipe by Simon Holst in the Little Treasures magazine a year ago, and thought they were the cutest things! I made a tray of these for the Family Home Evening we had last week at my friend’s house.

Photo by Juggling Motherhood

Christmas Pudding Puffs

Ingredients:

MallowPuffs (or equivalents)

Jaffas (or some sort of red candy)

Spearmint leaf lollies (I found these at The Warehouse)

Icing – You can either use melted white chocolate, or make your own icing with icing sugar. I used the icing sugar version. As I assembling each “pudding”, I would put it straight into the fridge to allow the icing to harden so the “holly” wouldn’t start sliding off.

Icing

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tbsp boiling water

1 cup icing sugar

1-2 tsp extra water if required

Put the butter in a medium-sized bowl, add the boiling water and stir until the butter has melted. Sift in the icing sugar, then mix to make a soft, smooth icing. Add 1-2 tsp extra water if required, but don’t make the icing too soft or you won’t be able to stick the decorations on.

Assembling the “puddings”

Spread about a teaspoon of icing on each MallowPuff then decorate with a couple of spearmint leaf lollies and a jaffa or two!

(I used 1 packet of jaffas, a packet of spearmint leaves and 3 packets of MallowPuffs and it made a huge tray full.)

Photo by Juggling Motherhood

I don’t think my kids have ever seen a traditional Christmas pudding!

Read the chapter here.

This sounds easy (logical, who doesn’t want those things?) until you really try it. How do you work on charity and love? Can you express love if you don’t feel the feelings that go with it? Is it possible to go through the motions and/or make the right decisions unless your motivation is pure and right?

Decades ago, I was home teacher to a young single woman. She seemed to move every month, so I helped her move, since I thought that was part of the calling. She thought I did it because I liked her and she wanted to be romantic. I didn’t, not with her. Did I do right? I don’t know? I just wanted to get the job done. Same as now.

How would a neurotypical male have handled the matter?

What does that have to do with the scripture? I answer the question with a question: “How do you plan and hold meetings (5-8 hours per week), home teach (3-5 hours per month), do family history, attend the Temple, hold Family Home Evening (1-3 hours on Monday nights), hold family council, love everybody, avoid all appearance of evil, study scripture an hour per day, work for your own support, be generous with your time, continue to educate yourself, prepare for emergencies, be self-sacrificing, keep your home neat and clean, spend time cleaning the church, teach with the missionaries, bear testimony, have missionary moments, blog your testimony (“Join the Conversation).”

My wife and I just slept away the day due to exhaustion and (for her) nausea and eyestrain. We also watched the new Star Trek movie. Tomorrow we will fulfill our callings in some measure.

Did we do right?

I don’t know, but I do get a sense where I lack on all of the characteristics described in the section. May I get clear on what things I do bring to the party?

Perhaps tomorrow.

Christmas Bingo is a simple game that can be pulled together relatively easily and cheaply. The great thing about bingo is that it is a game that can be enjoyed by little children, as well as big adults!

Our family was assigned to run a game at our friend’s Family Home Evening that we were invited to. After surfing the internet, I came across crayola’s site with this great bingo game!

http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/search.cfm?txt_search=christmas

If you want to be tricky and make a larger bingo playing card, follow these steps:

1. I printed all the 5 playing cards onto white paper.

2. Then I cut out the bingo portion of the page.

3. I worked out the right percentage to enlarge the bingo game to the width of the paper. (If you have a copy function on your multifunction printer, click on 100%, then I clicked on Zoom, then I increased the percentage to around 122% – I have a preview function on my Canon MP520, which was helpful to see how big the enlargement was going to be.)

4. Then I copied the enlarged version onto red and green cardboard paper. (Obviously you can use any coloured card. I copied each playing card more than once, as we had over 10 people playing the game.)

5. I also copied one more enlarged version of the bingo game onto some white card and cut it out to make the “calling cards”.

If you want to use this game again, I would recommend laminating it. For counters you can use cut up bits of cardboard. In our family we use a variety of “gems” as counters that we have collected over the years.

The winner received a mini candy cane

Prophets
-by Shauna Gibby

“Whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived.” In each dispensation, the Lord has given commandments to the prophets.

Conference Talk:
For more information on this topic read “His Servants, the Prophets,” by F. Michael Watson, Ensign, May 2009, 106-8.

Thoughts:
The answer to [our] searching questions comes from the prophets throughout ages past who taught the importance of searching the scriptures, along with a promise: “Whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived.” In each dispensation, the Lord has given commandments to the prophets.

(F. Michael Watson, “His Servants, the Prophets,” Ensign, May 2009, 106-8.)

Song:
“Follow the Prophet,’ Children’s Songbook, p. 110.

Scripture:
What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and
though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same. (Doctrine and Covenants 1:38)

Activity:
Obtain pictures of five or six scriptural prophets, such as Noah, Isaiah, Lehi, Daniel, and Samuel the Lamanite. Have one family member select a picture without letting anyone see what picture he has. The rest of the family can ask yes or no questions to determine what the picture is.

Lesson:
Discuss the prophets in the pictures used in the activity.

1. Noah: Told the people to repent and live the
commandments or Heavenly Father would punish them.
2. Isaiah: Saw the birth of the Savior.
3. Lehi: Preached to the people and told them to follow the commandments or Jerusalem would be destroyed.

Story:
In September 1972 President Harold B. Lee visited Israel. President Lee was accompanied by Sister Lee, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley of the Quorum of the Twelve, and Sister Hinckley.

Refreshment:
Sweet Corn Bread with Honey Butter

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup honey

For a downloadable PDF packet of tonight’s lesson, go to: http://ldsliving.sparklist.com/t/1517834/22060295/8175/0/

For family home evening last week my hubby came up with an idea that had me crying because I was laughing so much.

He laid a kid down, covered their nose, eyes and neck lightly with a scarf/piece of material. Then stuck a couple of metal washers with blu tak on their chin……

to make….

a chin face! (I didn’t take the photo below. Ours was a really simple bald chin person.)

I took some video on my cellphone, and we asked the “chin faces” questions and then fed them chocolate cookies! We all had a go, it was such a laugh!

Tonight is FHE, and Saturday was Halloween, so probably the last thing on earth you want is a cookie recipe.

But these are gooooooood.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Cookies
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups quick oats (or old fashioned oats – ground, fine)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 – 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 – 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 – 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 – 1/2 cup milk chocolate – in chunks
1/3 – 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together quickly.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy – 2-3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and mix. Carefully add dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.
3. Beat in the chips.
4. Drop heaping tablespoons on cookie sheet. I like to make these big. Bake at 350 Degrees (F) for 10-12 minutes. Super scrumptious.

I like to make these cookies because they are so good and easy. Also, you can form the dough into balls, and then freeze them for about a month. (I make them into balls, place them in a little ziplock bag, and then when I need cookies, just pop them on the cookie sheet, and bake. So easy!).

I hope you enjoy your family home evening and your cookies.

Okay, so maybe it is because I was an administrative assistant, or maybe it is because I love record keeping and journaling – I keep notes of our family home evenings. At first, I think that my husband thought I might be crazy, but now, these are some of our favorite things to look back through. Our FHE records are not frilly, cute, or exciting – they are super simple.

First of all, get your binder. Here’s mine:

Inside, I have a little pocket divider. In the pocket divider I’ve placed several blank agendas. (I’ve also punched holes in them).
Our agenda looks like this—

Every week, the person in charge of the Lesson will also fill out the agenda.
After FHE, put the completed agenda into a binder. I love having these past lessons on file. It is so cute to see the kids’ handwriting, spelling, and lessons. They love looking back, too.

Often, I also keep notes during FHE. It is fun to write down what happens. Sometimes, life is boring…not much to report. But you never know when a kid is going to say something (inadvertently) hilarious. You never know when a hummingbird may fly into your house and cause complete havoc. Those things are fun to remember! It is also a great place to write down the forming testimonies of our children. Don’t forget: record your own (or your spouse’s testimony)!

Finally, I often include a sampling of what we did for an activity. Sometimes, we play games. Obviously, nothing will be kept for that. Sometimes, the games are more interesting (ie: twister)…Then, you might want to get out your camera, print out the picture and put in your folder. Still, other times, we actually make something. Then, if I’m able, I try to include it in the binder – sometimes even attached to the FHE agenda from the night it was given.

This is a little craft we did when learning about the 2nd article of faith. It was small enough to fit into a baggie. Then I stapled the baggie to the FHE agenda page.

Anyways – this is a lengthy post, but I hope you enjoy. We have been keeping these records for some time now, and it is really great looking back and see what is different or what is the same. It is great to see a record of what we learned during hard times and good times. Just remember – do what works for you, and have fun with it.

It’s no secret that we love traditions at our house. We love to do the same things over and over again, year after year.

Chase carves up his masterpiece!

Brian and Noah

I guess that is what I love about fall- it is deeply ingrained with traditions in our families. Last night we did pumpkins- I relish watching the children interact and build bonds while carving.

Family traditions are a deep priority for me.

We all know families that did the same things over and over again, who longed to come home, who wouldn’t miss the ritual. I loved that. My parents were good about holding weekly family nights, we often ate at the same pizza place each week- Tony’s in Ogden. As I have written in the past, now I return each time I go back to Utah. My parents were equally great about Sunday Dinners, certain recipes (which are inspiring my own cookbook) skiing on Saturdays and ski trips- which we still do today.

Traditions bind families together and helps everyone know who they are and what God expects of them.

When my parents were visiting a couple of weeks ago. We loaded about 1000 pictures of family when we were younger and of relatives who had died. It was fun to read through and hear stories of traditions and things that we still love to do today, like growing gardens and maintaing orchards.

For the first time, I saw a photo of my Great, Great Grandfather Charles Henry Draper who died in his young 60’s. He served an LDS mission to Samoa in 1906 when he was younger. Now his granddaughter and husband (My Aunt and Uncle) and “their” grandson are serving there right now. Recently I talked about their challenges with the tsunami/earthquake in Samoa.

I love looking at the old photos- they are so powerful. They remind you that you belong to a much larger unit. The heritage they left behind reminds me of my deep responsibility I have to continue to raise a righteous family and do missionary work for my church and encourage my children to do likewise. These traditions are binding.

“Such traditions cannot only effectively teach gospel principles and serve to strengthen testimonies, but can also help create an atmosphere in which family members gain self-esteem—thus helping build strong family relationships.” (Ann Banks)

My great-grandfather went to work one day- went to fill-up with gas and dropped dead. Something about Carpe Diem and seizing the moments ran through my head.

Oddly enough, my grandfather Derral Draper (Charles’s son) died on the exact day he did years later and at the same age. I loved my Grandfather. I only knew him as a young child, but memories of running around his raspberry bushes, seeing his horses, and playing with his dog Champ fill my mind with sweet memories.

We held our breathe when that day/age came for my father. That is one tradition we wanted to break and did.

Because we know that traditions are formed over time as we repeat the same actions over and over again. As we are steady and unchanging in doing that which is good, our traditions become firmly rooted in righteousness. But I have a question. How do we determine what is good or, more importantly, what is good enough? Another scripture that gives us a little more information is found in 3 Nephi 6:14. It speaks of people “who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.” (Cheryl Lant)

This weekend we are hanging out on the coast of Maine…….and man oh man, it has been fantastic.  We have walked around Bar Harbor……………..

Tested the waters out…….

Ate lots of Clam Chowda……

We checked out the scenery………….

And ate lots of Ice Cream……………

We drove to the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Forest and had a 360 degree view of the world………..

And did some hanging out………..

We skipped rocks in the Harbor………..And walked along the seacoast………. (and don’t die of shock, but my husband finally learned how to take a picture with my Nikon, so I am in a shot!….Finally my posterity will know I was for real!)

We walked around the town of Bar Harbor and saw amazing views like this……………….

and continued to eat more Ice Cream……….

I was called to be an FHE leader last year and have been one ever since. This summer has honestly been the hardest for me with this calling. My FHE co-leader doesn’t put in any initiative and just sits back and lets me do everything. I’ve been so frustrated that right now FHE has become a hated and loathed calling for me. I finally talked to my friend Shawn who is an FHE leader, like me, and told her what was going on and how frustrated I was. We decided that we were going to combine FHE groups and just have FHE together. Right now I feel like crying because she called me around 7, right before I was having a friend from the mission come over, to tell me that her and her co-leader were planning right then and I needed to come over. I told her I couldn’t right then but next time we could get together and plan. Well she called a few minutes ago, after my guest had left and I’m getting ready for bed, to tell me that I’m in charge of finding someone for the snacks cause it’s not fair that they do it on their own. I’m totally fine with that and agree whole heatedly, but the way she said it made me snap at her and get angry! I felt like crying after I hung up! I called her right back and told her how I was sorry and explained why.
When I hung up I felt a little better but still felt depressed and frustrated that I was all alone in this calling. We have 9 apartments and with 4 people in those 9 apartments that I’m soully in charge of, it’s enough to cause a major freak out!
Just as I was getting ready to tear up, my friend’s co-leader called me. I was so thankful to hear from him. He kindly told me what the plan was and asked me to invite my people. It was a total difference and I wasn’t on edge… He even suggested we talk to the FHE Chairs and tell them my situation. I’m fine with that. I really want to get help and thankfully I’m getting it now.

It’s funny how when one person says something to you in one way and another person can say it in another it makes all the difference in the world. I went from on edge to complete agreement and it was only the way they chose their words to present the information. Wow…. What’s that book? The Color Code? Where it talks about communication styles?…. hmmmm

Our temperatures have been hanging in the very low numbers this summer with a rain shower nearly every other day.  I have been pulling out out of my bag of tricks, all of my indoor activities  to keep everyone happy, since swimming and sunscreen are not even an option this season.  I’m not complaining though, I don’t mind nice cool San Diego weather on the East Coast, it just takes a little more talent to entertain the younger crowd.

We decided to head north after picking Noah up from the Minor League Manchester Fisher Cats Baseball Camp.  This was his second year attending and he loves working out and training with our local team.  He could play all day every day, and then watch the Rex Sox all night and not complain about it.  (Where the heck is the picture I took – did I delete it…augghhh)

North- you ask?  Yes, to Concord, the capitol of N.H.  a small town with not too much to do, but with great historical significance.   We made a stop at the State House with the gold dome, to continue our citizenship unit that we are so casually completing this summer.

I have lived here nearly 8 years and have only been there once.  I spoke in front of the Senate about 6 years ago, on Families- One Man, One Women, on a political fight against gay marriage in NH when I served on the National Board for American Mothers.  Memories flooded my mind, as I was attacked coming out by a couple of women, and the media that day.  

We continued our Concord day, by making a surprise stop at the space center- Christa McAuliffe Discovery Center.

Noah learns about Moons and Planets

 Remember she was the school teacher who died in the Space Shuttle accident years ago?

Chase lands a space shuttle

 We spent the afternoon learning about space, Mars, weather, viewing the night sky in the planetarium and learning more about the International Space Center, which by the way, will be flying over our house the next couple of nights around 9:50pm.  So if for some magical reason the clouds disappear, we will have this unique viewing experience.

We used telescopes

 This space center was fun to visit, I took the kids to NASA in Cleveland, Ohio, last fall where the big time operations go on.  Space is a very exciting field to study.  I hope to continue to inspire Chase to use his skills perhaps in this area.

Check out Noah’s Face above, as he discovers what astronauts eat in space- not too excited about it!

So remember yesterday, when I said I was going to go to the South shore to the Orchestra with the kids?  Well this guy….my husband, talked me out of it and begged me to go to the minor league baseball game with the younger half of the family, and firework show.

These boys beg for their baseball at the dugout- Yep- they got one!

 How could I resist? As if I really needed another game in my life.    So needless to say, I never made it to John Adams house, to sit and listen to fine music and eat cheese and crackers.  He promised we would go next week, alone to Boston to hear next weeks concert.  I love feeling needed:)  He is negotiating so well right now!  

Noah and Brian enjoying the game together

The day ended up feeling like we were on vacation in our own state.  Just going from one activity to the next-  What’s New?  We love it!

 It started like it does every Saturday at the field watching this all-star play…………

Noah's All- Star Game and a Win

Noah Pitching in the Game

We celebrated the big 12th Birthday of this awesome kid-

Chase and Noah Box it Up in Style

Hard to believe he is 12

Chase was ordained a deacon in the priesthood at our church on Sunday by Brian…………Man I love these two guys!

Monday,  we finally went to the Robert Frost Farm and learned about the great poet, check it off my “Good for Your Mind” summer list……………….

Noah learns how to put something besides me through the ringer

Chase checks out his homeschool book collection

Robert Frost Farm

Where Robert would read and write

Hanging with our friends the Spencers

On a perfect summer night like this………….

We had Family Night and talked about courage and here is how we feel about being together…………….

Liz roasting marshmellows at Family Night

Awesome!

A new unplanned addition to our yard.....

Yummy!

Sleep is fun as always. Last night was better then most. I expect it to suck this entire week as it is usually worse when I’m on travel.

I’m in New York city, far from home. I’m here for a four day course on Linux. I don’t want to be here. I really don’t like going on travel by myself and yet here I am. I happened to be able to listen to part of the Sotomayor hearings while at the airport. My favorite speaker was Hatch from Utah. I think he ripped Obama for not voting one way and then appointing a person who is believed to position her self for what Obama has not voted for. But then a commentator said that Hatch would vote for her anyway.

It’s been fun these last few weeks, trying to get my act together. I’m more prepared then I ever was before and I’ve barely even touched the subject. I’m almost done with my 72-hour and car kit. I’ve started on food storage. And the most important thing I think so far is learning to budget.

You see before two weeks ago, I didn’t budget. Didn’t really know how to, and didn’t really care to. I went over my all my bank info, tithing, money order, and anything else financial I could find in order to see where my money went. All from the beginning of the year till now. It’s like those motivational photos that say, when you see it, you’ll crap bricks… figuratively speaking I did. I’ve wasted a fourth of the income I’ve earned so far this year on… I have no idea what. I can’t track it. I just spent a lot of money with nothing apparently concrete to show for it. There are a handful of documents remaining to look through, and that will give me a few more explanations, but I’ve really been shooting myself in the foot. I could be farther ahead with my plans if I hadn’t been wasting my resources.

And with getting myself straightened out there, I’ve actually started to set goals. One of them is to find a money market fund to put my emergency fund in. It’s been a fun search for one. I figure my search for a college was easier, but then again, I do admit I was lazy about that.

I shaved my head friday night. I have a ridge of fat on the back of my head that looks funny when you take a picture of it. And it also has a bad case of razor burn on the bottom of the ridge of fat. Never shaved my head before. Had to do it once in my life and I don’t think I’ll ever do it again. I’ll probably buzz it real short from now on. My hair is thinning on top and going bald in the back. I’m overweight and in my honest opinion my hair and my body just doesn’t look well together. So It’s a buzz cut for the rest of my life. Which I don’t mind.

You know what would be a great idea for Family Home Evening? Target Practice. Last time I went shooting was with my cousins young mens group three years ago. We went to the Orem Rec Center and fired a 9mm pistol and played racquetball. There was a girl scout troop there at the same time with .22 rifles. I hit target maybe three times out of a whole clip. The time before that, 14 years ago, was in scouts where I hit 6 for 6 with a black powder musket. While at the rec center, two of the young men and myself broke the target hanger from the rail it was suspended from. I shot and hit it once which broke something off it and then each successive time it was hit, it broke and had to be repaired.

I admit my eye sight isn’t as good as it was before. I’ve worn glasses since I was 2 years old due to Strabismus. I’ve had eye surgery twice on my eye muscles and it lessened the effects of strabismus. It gets weird though in that if I’m tired and relax my eyes, my sight goes blurry and for the most part I see one thing except to my left I still see double. If I focus my eyes so I see everything non-blurry, everywhere I look I see double. I’ve got two amusing stories relating to my vision. As a child, before the poly carbonate lenses came out(they just don’t focus the light the same), I could start fires with my glasses, and I did try and set fire to the school bleachers one lunchtime in middle school, but I just got it smoking and stopped with that. The other was when I found out I had surprising good vision mixed in with the bad. I was told I should have 20/500 vision, but had around 20/30. The doctor was using a bar of prism to measure how much I needed to correct the strabismus, and she started with the smallest end and asked me to let her know when the double vision stopped being double. She went through one bar, and I said no to every size. She then got a second bar of prism and I said no to every size. She then said that I could either get goggles to wear for the rest of my life or get eye surgery. The prism was over an inch thick.

In just the last few days alone my e-mail has been pommeled with “Please support” such and such causes. Among which have been the following

1. not paying for Facebook (which is ridiculous b/c FB has made it perfectly clear that this is just a rumor
2. grieving more for Michael Jackson
3. grieving for Farah Fawcett
4. creating the biggest FB group ever -million dollar entrepreneurs
5. cooking with sprouts
6. learning how to enhance your sleep
7. Reliv
8. Xango

and a list goes on and on. While I think that none of these are “bad” causes per se, the deliverance of their message is damaging because they ignore and distract from a much more perilous cause–that of the freedom and honor of our country.  The enemy of best really is good.

Why don’t we have a MILLION members of THIS group? Is patriotism that dead even among our own faith? Have we forgotten the honor, sacrifice, and integrity of those of our own faith who have fought valiantly so that we might have the freedom of religion? Have we forgotten that God bestowed this great nation of freedom upon us so that He might restore the Priesthood powers to the earth? Do we not realize that without freedom we cannot exercise those powers, rights, and ordinances freely?  Do we not realize that without this nation we don’t even have access to the sacred temple ordinances that we should value so dearly?

We have millions of voting members in this nation, and yet we are silent in the name of visiting and home teaching duties, raising a family, holding family home evening, and attending our other meetings. Don’t we realize that without the freedoms that already have been sorely trampled we are losing the freedom and liberty to pursue such eternally effective actions?

We must put first things first. Right now our nation is at peril. Preserving it must be our focus. Our very lives are thus at peril, let alone the freedom that our forefathers and the prophets of the Book of Mormon lost their lives to preserve. Is this how we SHOW our testimony of the Gospel?

I’m pleased that we have 400 members of this site. But let’s face it, these “members” only represent people who really have only taken a moment to post that they have an “interest” in such a topic.  I am dismayed at the lack of comments, causes, and true proactive movement that I see in this group and among our nation. Are we not the holders of light to the rest of the world–not just as members of His church but as citizens of this nation? Where is our light? Is it drowned out by the glare of the television, the computer screen, or the movie theatre?

We cannot afford to be silent any longer. We MUST bring about change in this nation. We must act. We must ALL write letters, send faxes, and make telephone calls for the freedom and liberties that we hold dear in order that the Gospel may continue to roll forth fully in the lives of our own citizens and the rest of the world. So very, very much good can be realized in our own lives and in the lives of the rest of the world if we will but take a stand against evil. Yes, indeed we hold inherent within us THAT much power for good.

May we pray in earnest that we may recognize the truth of ALL things that we may ACT accordingly. And then may we exercise our duty and right to uphold that truth vigilantly!

If you would like to follow me on twitter, my Twitter account is @preparednesspro.

If you would like to “friend” me on Facebook, you can do so by going to http://www.facebook.com/kellene.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Feeling a tad bit spontaneous this morning, I packed up the car, the kids and headed North- way North to Burlington, VT.  I don’t know what came over me, but I was up for an adventure, and with a rainy day in the forecast, I had no choice but to leave the state.  

Lake Champlain, Burlington, VT

 I had never been here, didn’t know what I would find, but was happy with the skies once they cleared .

University of Vermont

We have had our fair share of rain this month (like everyday) and this week doesn’t look any better.  But I didn’t let that ruin my chances for summer success today.

Burlington, VT technically wasn’t on my agenda until October with Fall foliage and leaf peeping, but I thought why wait?  Brian had to work with one of his rep’s up at the hospital at the U of VT, so I hi-jacked his hotel room and the fun began.

We caught up after his day for dinner and a walk along Lake Champlain with the kids

Beautiful Lake Champlain, Burlington, Vermont

My boys then were delighted that this counted as our weekly Family Night, and they could enjoy it at this piece of work near the end of the boardwalk-

We stumbled upon this Boardin' Park that boys loved

Noah tries his way...and where the heck are the helmets?

Now I feel like summer is beginning and it is almost July-

Elizabeth enjoying the waterfront

I really don’t like family home evening anymore.   It’s less and less fun, and I’m on the activities committee.  To cut you off, I guess I don’t try hard enough.  For those who want to know more, keep on reading.

We were playing a game like scrabble, but not because that would be copyright infringement.  I was in charge, having to conduct, officiate the game, and then close the show.  We started playing, and I said team 1 went first because they were taking to long to start and I arbitrarily started the game.  A few people didn’t like that.  They voiced their opinions but didn’t do anything.  Things soon took a turn for worse as we had one person who has Aspergers there.  This brought up a lot of contention, and other people quickly stepped in to silence him, but the problem came up a second time.  Then a three of the four teams each in a row decided to make rules as they went and played as such without asking me anything.  No big deal.  What’s the harm.  Repeat this five or six times and then other teams aren’t playing by the same rules and the contention spills out again.  Finally on the last round of turns, another player decides to just go out and decide on how we were all goign to play.   I turned and walked out leaving everyone there.  I was no longer in charge.  They had decided it.  I realized it.  This has almost happened several times before.  So I cut all losses and ditched out of there.

Sounds like I’m whining about it.  I really don’t care about FHE.  I don’t feel like I can magnify my calling.

Friday is a holiday. Rock on.

I’ve started to work on a few of my projects today. I went to a Salvation Army Thrift store and picked up some candles for my 72 hour kit, and a really cheaply made wood two drawer file cabinet for my financial stuff. All of the cabinet is there, but some of it needs to be glued together again. I also bought some ties, a metal pot w/ lid, and a mini crock pot for my best friends birthday. I hope it works as it was sold as is. I then stopped next door at Aco Hardware. I picked up some tarps, one for the camping kit, and one for the car kit. I also got a hatchet and prybar for the grab and go kit.

That’s a lot of kits mentioned. I figure it will be easier to maintain a group of items then to have a closet and a basement and maybe a garage full of stuff. The Car kit will always be in the vehicle. The camping kit is for when I go camping. I load up some or all of it for… well camping. The Grab and Go kit is for emergencies where you have to leave, and you don’t really have time. The prybar and hatchet are to demo stuff, which may seem risky, but they will come in handy. I just realized that I need to get a really good pair of dykes for the grab and go. Maybe a machete. Get through any terrain, urban or brush. And the 72 hour kit is supposed to last me at least 72 hours if not more for times when the power goes out.

Eventually I will expand into or out of these kits, but I figure a better way to be prepared is to start small and grow.