It has arrived…the first Sunday in 2010.  Twenty ten.  A time for resolutions, New Year's resolutions.  Isn't it amazing how simply entering into a new year can inspire us to make changes in our life?  Not that it's the ONLY time we make changes, but just the fact that it's a new year gives us a fresh chance to resolve to change and hopefully for the better. Sometimes resolutions involve the shedding of bad habits, like "I resolve not to drink diet soda with caffeine, stay up too late or eat chocolate".  I have actually known a few people to make those stick!  I have personally resolved to never order the "I Declair" eclair at Claim Jumpers with any less than 10 people to share it with!  I believe that there was at least a half gallon of ice cream on the bottom and at least a half gallon of whipped cream covering the bigger-than-a-football-sized eclair that was filled with Bavarian cream custard and topped with hot fudge.  Holy Heart Attack, Batman!  Three measly mortals should never attempt this feat on their own!  Megan, mesmerized by the enormity of the task ahead!    But perhaps a better way is to focus on the positive change, like "I will have my personal devotional time, to study scriptures, to exercise more and eat healthy".  I, like a friend, would like to be more organized.  My workroom is still a disaster!  But I also

Anyone that has a Target in their neighborhood (or on their shopping route) knows all about those dollar bins in the front of the store.  I know that it tends to be that "shiny" thing that distracts us from what we are actually shopping for – mostly really fun junk that we don't need, but heck…for a dollar…we can afford that!  But we don't NEED it.  Anyway, I usually just avoid shopping PERIOD because I really don't need anything.  But yesterday, Megan came home with some fun Valentine stuff from the dollar bins.  So while there's still the possibility of you being able to find some of the products, I'm making REALLY inexpensive Valentines, care of Target and their dollar bins, with a little help from stamps from Michaels dollar stamps!   There are patterned card blanks, 8-count with coordinating envelopes, but no text.  There are also dimensional stickers, die-cut patterned papers, rub-ons (not my favorite), clear and cardstock stickers, even doilies.  Here's just a few ideas! Have fun with your super dollar deal finds!

 Beautiful frilly, lace adorned, romantic versed Valentine cards are great for adults, but all that effort is lost on almost anyone under the legal age for chewing bubble gum.  But that doesn't mean that they must be condemned to receive only cards that are packaged in bulk from those "big box" stores or the corner pharmacy.  You can create fun Valentines for kids as well as those for adults. Inside the skunk card…  What sort of cards appeal to children?  Traditionally, children like funny Valentines, and have easily tickled funny bones.  You can take lead from jokes that are super silly…perfect for kids!  I have a box of cute die cut chipboard shapes from Die Cuts With a View from their Green Stack collection that I have been waiting to use.  When I noticed all those cute little faces looking at me out of the packaging window, I thought "Perfect!"   They then inspired me to go online and look for jokes that included beavers, skunks and squirrels.  I am including them in the download section if you are interested.  But you can choose any sort of pre-made die cuts or make up something of your own.  Then go looking for "clean" jokes – the goofier the better!  They don't have to be Valentine related, but don't forget that important little bit of text under the punchline!  Here are some examples! Aren't making Valentine cards fun?  I will get to

 To a casual passerby, the small pile of what appears to be snow next to our front sidewalk may appear to be remnants of a trip to the mountains, since actual snow in San Diego is HIGHLY unlikely.  To the residents of our house, a once in a blue moon occurrence has happened.  While trying to fit our frozen food purchases in our outside freezer today, it was determined by Meg that this could not be accomplished without first defrosting our 20 plus year old upright freezer.  Megan was the official "defroster", and I was her assistant, carrying big pots of ice chunks and shaved ice outside.  Not really enough to build an actual snowman (5' X 2' by 1'high), but funny to see how many pots it took to carry it out.  While at the grocery store, we were just talking about how little we had actually gotten accomplished today, and now we can end the day with a feeling of success, knowing that there is plenty of room to add more frozen goods to the shelf.  One of these days, we are going to need to get a new freezer, but until then, I am happy with the hand-me-down upright from my MIL, grateful that my husband is clever enough to figure out a way to add a latched lock to it so it doesn't accidentally get left slightly ajar.  This is

 Okay…not quite technically DONE!  When I say done, I mean I am ready to move past the the decorations, the tree, the baking (at least for now:), shopping and wrapping presents, hiding things, really…the projects that go along with the season.  I'm done with the green and ready to combine my reds with a little, or a lot, of pink!  Don't get me wrong…I love the traditions of the Christmas season: the excitement, the time spent with family and friends, the parties and service projects, sharing our time and energies.  I get in the mood for Christmas starting about mid-July and can keep going for months.  But Christmas is so BIG and I am ready for simple.  I want to move on to an uncluttered house (easier to dust!), sweet words of love, romance, fresh flowers and definitely different shapes, maybe along the line of…hearts!  I have banned myself from going to my office so that I could spend time with my family, but now the last of the overnight company is gone (boohoo) and although the putting away of the decorations is weighing heavy on my mind, I feel the need to do something different.  Besides, the boys (required for getting all the Christmas bins down from the attic) are out camping in the desert, so the finishing of the clean-up will just have to wait!  Like it or not, I am ready for a change.  So here come the Valentines!   Pinecone

I always find that I am totally exhausted the few days following Christmas.  My visitors aren't gone yet…which makes me happy…but cooking for my troops seems to be an all day (after day, after day…) project.  I don't know if I could handle working professionally in a kitchen for 8 to 10 hours a day – I'd be too grumpy when I was done!  My meals have consistently gotten easier the older I get.  Tomorrow's meal will probably consist of a hearty, yet simple soup and bread.  Coming to the end of a long holiday weekend, I am tired enough to reflect on the moments that I wouldn't trade and those that I might do differently.  There is always room for improvement.  Sometimes we just need to be reminded of the path we should follow. For Christmas, my talented son Jake fixed my computer and now it works faster!  I didn't realize this until I was able to actually get to my computer today!  I have had so much company and spent so much time visiting and cooking that I really haven't been able to see how wonderful it was.  But I am determined to get back to blogging and needed a little something to get me going so I went to www.lds.org and watched some Mormon Messages.  They always inspire me with their simple truths and encourage me to be more

I always forget about this until Christmas time when someone send it to me so I remember to do it for the kids!  Enjoy, and go do it for yourself and/or family! Send your own ElfYourself eCards And a ho, ho, ho!

 I've been alive for over half a century and once again, Christmas has sneaked right up on me.  You'd think that I would have figured out how to avoid this predicament.  I always try to get my act together and prepare for the season a little in advance, but it doesn't matter how well I plan.  My blog goals have slipped right by me without noticing – it's been over a week since my last post and I completely missed my Scripture Sunday, which I was determined not to do!  Not that anyone's life will be different without the cataloging and sharing of MY life, opinions or activities.  Sometimes life gets so busy in the actual living of it that recording it will have to be done by those "angels above us" that are "silent notes taking, of every action"…with the admonition of "Do what is right."  Having relationships with people, one on one, is even more important than sharing with the masses…and I say THAT totally tongue in cheek considering my huge quantity of visitors, which I appreciate nonetheless.  But I had a lot of fun last week, including a last trip to Disneyland with Meg to see the Christmas decorations before our passes were blocked out for holiday traffic.  But I would be remiss if I didn't share the creative talents of my daughter Megan, as well as acknowledging how much

 I don't always get around to blogging the same days, every other day or even a certain number of times a week.  Life has some busier days than others.  Right now, I should be downstairs, peeling potatoes so that I can mash them and get the rest of dinner ready.  In two hours I will be at an Eagle Court of Honor for one of the boys in our troop, who rather than waiting to have his court of honor with a few of the other boys, is having it early so that his brother, who is being deployed to Iraq shortly, can attend with his family.  Immediately after that, Tom and the new Eagle are rushing off to sing in our Stake's Christmas choral program, which our family will be attending.  By the time we get home from that, it will be busy again and I don't want to want to miss a Scripture Sunday.  So this will be brief, but the plain and simple truths of the gospel do not need a great deal of expounding upon.  Fortunately for me, my Gospel Doctrine's class is full of great scriptures, right from our lessons! Our course of study this year is the Doctrine and Covenants.  I am always aware of the adversary and his plan to make us miserable, even as he is.  The counsel to Joseph Smith, as it is to us, is found

Did I forget to figure in a rainy day?  My house smells wonderful, but I am skeptical about completing my goal according to schedule.  I didn't know this before I started this project, but trying to get bread to rise can be more unpredictable than getting children up in the morning…unless we are all going to Disneyland.  Hmmmm…I wonder if I made the rolls into Mickey Mouse heads if they would behave any better?  Oh…did I mention that I burned the first batch?  Those cute little clover leafs in the muffin tins?  Yep!  With the heat circulating all around their bottoms, they cooked WAY faster.  Drat!  It's good that I have a couple of extra bags to work with!  Bake, I mean back to the kitchen!