Just when I am feeling clever, I see something like this and realize…I'm not the most clever person after all.  That is not really any news alert and I am humbly aware of the source of any talent or skills I might have acquired in my lifetime.  But one thing:  I am constantly inspired by others!  The really nice thing about having a clever moment is being able to share that moment.  So, when I have a moment, I'll share and will hopefully inspire someone else and then it will have a trickle-down affect…trickle-down creativity!  Works for me!  What a nice hobby to have.  But for today, I am going to share someone else's cleverness…maybe tomorrow will be my turn! Collin's Lab: DIY iPad Stylus

When I got up this morning, I felt one step ahead because I made the lunch sandwiches the night before.  Ha!  We were still late for Seminary.  My morning prayers (usually said while waiting in the car during Seminary) were delayed a bit because I had decided to ponder BEFORE I prayed, wondering what the day would bring and the tasks that might be ahead.  When I ponder, my mind seems to go a little bit of EVERYWHERE!  Who I needed to call, what I was going to do with all those fabulous Early Bird (Cosmo Cricket) fat quarters, the laundry that needed to be done…I know.  That doesn't sound much like pondering, more like making a mental list.  As I watched the morning sky begin to transform from our San Diego overcast gray to shades of blue, the clouds formed a hand that seemed to beckon me to come…where?  I don't know.  But then the breeze blew the clouds away, the hand was gone, and the day soon fell into one of normalcy, what ever that means. We made our perfunctory excursion to the Everything 99.99Cents store a little before 9am.  There are actually days when we go in and buy absolutely NADA, nothing!  But today we spent $23 and left with a load, including some good-sized califlower, Tollhouse cookie dough and Juicy Juice.  I really am okay with that additional percentage of

No, this isn't a fancy, x-treme sport video, a darling paper project or a death-defying feat…or IS it?  Tell me right now, how many of you would venture to drink a dairy product that was dated to use by "Feb-27-10"?  That's right!  Today, May 12th, 2010, I found the empty carton in the trash and a dirty glass in the sink.  Land O Lakes Holiday Classic Eggnog, made with milk from cows not treated with rBST (whatever the heck THAT is!) Perhaps it was the way our frig outside is just a little colder than most (can't put fresh produce or eggs in it – it will freeze them).  Maybe it is because it was "ultra pasteurized".  It a personal family best record for eating out of date items, at least in the refrigerated department!  This is one of the hazards of having a second refrigerator that resides outside in the garage.  We bought the eggnog after Christmas, but before the expiration date.  It was marked down, clearanced, at Costco and we bought 2 packs of 2 cartons for $2.99 each.  It was a really good deal, but one of the cartons got buried, so we didn't find it before it had expired.  And then it got buried again before we got it out to the trash.  And THEN, my husband found it.  AND THEN, he poured a little into a glass

Yesterday was a really nice day.  I slept in and actually stayed in bed late because our ward council meetings were canceled that – that was nice.  I chatted with my Mom early so the day didn't get away from me before I got a chance to visit…that was nice.  I got breakfast in bed from Megan – I almost never get to do that, so that was nice.  We had three very nice talks about mothers and motherhood by two young dads (a baby for one and a toddler with another on the way for the other) and one young married guy, no kids.  They spoke with great enthusiasm  about their children, wives and mothers. Their heartfelt thoughts were sweet and welcome for any mom to hear.    Hans shared a poem that I thought was appropriate and his delivery was as fun, and thought provoking, as was the sentiment…his mother would be proud!  Very nice! The Lanyard – Billy Collins The other day I was ricocheting slowlyoff the blue walls of this room,moving as if underwater from typewriter to piano,from bookshelf to an envelope lying on the floor,when I found myself in the L section of the dictionarywhere my eyes fell upon the word lanyard. No cookie nibbled by a French novelistcould send one into the past more suddenly—a past where I sat at a workbench at a campby a deep

This term…community organizer…has taken on a less than desirable meaning in the recent past, the same way that many phrases or symbols, when borrowed for a cause, become identified as something that divides rather than unites.  Today we gathered as a community within a larger community, for many great clean-up projects throughout the state.  The one I am sharing is in our own little corner of the world. The University City 1st Ward joined today as Mormon Helping Hands to clean up the Coastal Sage Habitat Interpretive Trail in Rose Canyon.  This walking trail is quite familiar to our family, as Tom did his Eagle Scout Project there a few years ago.  Because of the recent rains, the trail had become quite over-grown with intrusive foliage that was smothering the native plants.  So we went to task to clear the overgrowth. The morning started a little after 8:00am with a continental breakfast, after which the workers were given instruction on what their tasks for the day would be.  The activities committee was right on task with the organization. Ken F., Kiersten K., Will, John, Ruth and Zoe…one of these things is not like the other?!?! All sizes and ages of helpers were welcome! Brothers Hymas and Wood.  That's a big frond for your size girl, Haylee!  The Relief Society was out in force and Don was digging ditches – not his normal routine, for

I had stumbled on this woman's blog some time ago, so when I found this new film, I thought I would share.  Thanks Amy, for getting it to me so quickly.  What an amazing family and what a wonderful testimony about the eternal perspective one can find in the face of trials and challenges.  I can learn a lot from this truly amazing, beautiful lady.  Enough said – just watch and listen!

I don't know how it happened, but I've lost a whole 'nother week!  I don't dare plan out the entire week…too much comes up and I need to make sure that I don't get too behind by scheduling too much.  But I still can't believe how time flies by.  My Mom warned me about this.  It's definitely no major revelation, but every once in a while it just seems to smack me in the face…not in a painful kind of way, but it helps keep me humble and grateful that I got as much done as I did and it inspires me to be careful how I use my time.  I had so much fun over the long weekend.  I worked at the Pinecone Press booth on Friday at the Scrapbook Expo in Del Mar, CA and then taught a make and take at Cool Scrapbook Stuff in Poway…how to make those fabulous flowers.  I haven't taught for a while and I'm out of practice, but I think that the ladies had a good time, even though we were outside and the breeze was blowing our papers away.  I now have an even better collection of colors of Glimmer Mist and can't wait to expand my finished flower color list.  I will have to post them again when I get more done.  It's my new "addiction", but I'm very good about

After a night of Thai dining and being exposed to so many different flavors and interesting ingredients, I had to make a trip to the 99 Ranch Market.  Megan and I had already made a stop at the 99Cents Only store, so I "coerced" Megan into a quick trip, just down the street to the Asian grocery store to pick up a few odds and ends to cook with.  She opted to wait in the car, probably so I would hurry…which I really tried to do.  HOWEVER, when I walked into the store, I knew I was in BIG trouble!  The store is HUGE!  It's bad enough when I go to any new grocery store since every one has a different set-up.  But there are so many items there that you will never see at Von's or Ralph's – things like pig's feet, octopus, and savory baked tofu.  I knew I was in a different sort of store when I found the rice aisle…yep!  The whole LONG aisle was different kinds of rice, including something that Kay had used the night before…longrain sweet rice.  The other side  of the aisle was full of different kinds of noodles!  I had no idea!  I have lived a very limited, sheltered life indeed.  Time to spice things up!   Then there's the fact that probably about 80% of the products are covered in Asian characters/spelling. 

I always love having Relief Society activities (aka Enrichment, or if you go back farther…Homemaking!).  We have a variety of different themes, from baking to sewing, food storage to recycling…whatever has been determined of interest or help to the ladies in our ward.  During a conversation with Brother R., he was raving about a wonderful Thai meal he enjoyed with Kay (Porama) and Jesse, Kay doing the cooking.  Word had spread to Jill as well.  So we thought it might be fun to have a Thai cooking class.  Little did we know that we were in for more than just a taste of Thai cooking…we were treated to a Thai feast!  We wanted it to be a hands-on class so that we could not only help with the cooking, but actually learn how to do it.  I am not by any means an expert, but I got enough instruction to at least get an idea of what some of those strange cooking supplies are and how to incorporate them into the meal.   Fa gave a thumbs up…even though she was a little fuzzy! We started with dessert first.  I won't go into great detail, because we were each involved at different cooking stations with me at the stove with the Coconut Cream, which went with sugar and salt into the sticky sweet rice.  Some was reserved and made into a thicker Cream