More fun than galoshes in the rain.
March 1st:
When I put peanut butter and raisins on my three-year-olds celery this morning she proclaimed that I was clever. #whythankyou
AND she just declared the celery yummier than fruit snacks. #forthemommywin
I’ll tell you what’s clever… wearing a very fluffy lacey slip as a skirt and a sweater on top. Adorable Katey.
Daddy: I love that Katey is always dancing – flitting around on her tippy toes, leaping around and twirling… she is our little ballerina princess.
Mommy: Katey adores her little sister Meri. She is always watching out for her and making sure she is happy. Katey shares her special pink blankie and favorite doll with Meri all the time. She even leaves them with her overnight.
Jacob: What I love about Katey is that she is so playful – running around and being active. She is always trying to have a lot of fun.
Joshua: Katey is always willing to let me read her bedtime stories when Jacob is babysitting.
Katey: It’s your turn Autumn… what do you like about mmeeeee?
Autumn: I love that Katey is always smiling. She shows her bright shiny teeth.
Andrew: I love Andrew. oh… *head shake*. I love Katey because she always plays games with me.
Caleb: I LOOOVE Katey!
Daddy: Why do you love Katey?
(*Katey whispering in Caleb’s ear.* – Later we found out she was telling him that he loves her – no specifics sadly.)
Daddy: I’m sure Meri loves you because you share with her… and someday you will teach her all about being a girl.
*moving on*
Katey: Daddy!! I didn’t tell mine.
Daddy: okay…
Katey: What I love about Meri is that she kicks my hands with her feet.
February 7th was Charles Dickens birthday. He would have been 200 this year! Even Google celebrated:
Isn’t the doodle beautiful?
Here’s another of my favorite Dickens’ pieces of art:
{Dickens’s Dream by Robert William Buss, painted 1875. Donated by the artist’s grandson – 1931.”, PD-OLD-100}
I love all the characters surrounding him, with some in color. I know it’s “unfinished”, but I think it looks kinda neat that way. Like some characters are being developed for a story while others are waiting their turn. A lot of Dickens’ writings were made in monthly or weekly installments and he worked with a variety of illustrators. I love that this artist (Mr. Robert Buss) based the characters in his painting on sketches made by other artists… a homage to them.
We celebrated Mr. Dickens birthday here too. We read from this book:
(found here: Illustrated Stories from Dickens. This was one of my Christmas presents this year. 🙂 One story that is sadly missing is “A Christmas Carol” – although it is in the Illustrated Christmas Stories book.)
What is life all about?
Spit bubbles?
Peek-a-boo smiles?
Perfecting the art of coo?
Or something else entirely?
Back to contemplating…
p.s. For me right now life is about spit bubbles, peek-a-boo smiles and cooing. So thankful.
p.p.s. All photos of Meri taken by Jim Bob yesterday (February 24th) and appear in chronological order. Sweet, silly baby.
Today it is only 40 days until the 1940 census will be available online.
The 40s have always been one of my favorite time periods. I think it’s mostly about the music. A little about the hair and fashion, but mostly about the music. And the stories. I love the stories.
On April 2nd the images of the 1940 U.S. Federal Census will be available as free digital images – something not available previous census years. According to the website, “upon its release, the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project, a joint initiative between Archives.com, FamilySearch, findmypast.com, and other leading genealogy organizations, will coordinate efforts to provide quick access to these digital images and immediately start indexing these records to make them searchable online with free and open access.”
“Here’s a chance for you to remember the spirit of volunteerism from the 1940s by adding your name to the roster of indexers for the 1940 US Census.” (1940 Census Blog)
And a related ambassador… my mother, a Family and Church History missionary at the Family History Library. We received this photo in our weekly email (February 5th) with this info: “On Friday night the FHL was open until midnight – so we stayed late. We were encouraging people to sign up to help index the 1940 Census – thus would explain the dark lipstick and scarf in my hair. FYI – it’s not too late to sign up to help index.”
Learn how to get started here. (It’s easy!) History is waiting.
Remember this post? It’s {past} time for the continuation…
John Tanner’s sons were described as “generous, plain-speaking and long-lived”. All good qualities in my eyes. 🙂 Leonard J. Arrington, a Church Historian, studied the history of the Tanner family. He says “Each has a separate story to tell, but in the activities of the family as a whole, we can see their contribution to the Church. They consistently contributed to the growth of their communities; they served long and faithfully in their local wards and provided children and grandchildren who sat in the highest councils of the Church. Consistently devoted and hard-working, they gave their families economic and spiritual security and left an honorable legacy of commitment that has not decreased with time.” What a blessed legacy!
Spiritual and economic security for my family? Sounds like good goals to me. How does one go about insuring that?
Some things we are doing now to help provide spiritual security:
* Family Home Evening
* Personal and Family scripture study
* Personal and Family prayers
* Sunday evening interviews – complete with setting goals. We currently interview two groups – older children/younger children every other week.
Spiritual security – definitely something we’ve been working on and will continue to do so.
Economic security? Not as much. How does one do that? I think a lot of it comes down to the example we set as parents and the skills we teach our children (much like the spiritual security). Where are our priorities? Do we always pay tithing first? Do they know we set aside savings? Do they see us budget and know money is spent in different categories? Do they see sacrifices being made now and realize it brings blessings later? I have some work to do…
While studying more about the Tanner family I came across two examples with qualities I want to emulate. May I share?
Is there anything cuter than oreo freckles?
Nope, I didn’t think so.
During a lesson a few weeks ago at church we were challenged to show love everyday for the whole month leading up to Valentine’s Day. Simple or grand, well thought out or spontaneous – show love. The sweet sister teaching the lesson talked about how “all people are our brothers and sisters, children of our Heavenly Father”. She said she might be taking it a bit literally – but how do children show love? There was a whole list on the board – children are so good at it! That was the other aspect of the challenge – share child-like love – whole-hearted. Cute notes on pillows, weed bouquets, prayers, hugs and big kisses… a whole month of love.
Here’s my first week:
Made cherry pie for JB, explained gingerbread nativity and let little ones go for it (had all the parts for about a month – kept putting it off – no longer 😉 ), painted Katey’s nails, let Katey paint mine, made banners for Family Story Night with lots of help :), had a baby!, nursed, loved, snuggled, sweet-talked, repeat :), back rub for the mister, and shared my brownies.
The last one might have been the hardest. 😉
I loved President George Albert Smith’s thoughts in the same lesson, “… the more we give of that which is uplifting and enriching to our Father’s children, the more we have to give. It grows like a great fountain of life and bubbles up to eternal happiness.”
It’s been wonderful focusing on showing love in simple ways. Care to join me? It’s down to a little over a week now – but truly, anytime is a good time to show love.
photos captured by Jim Bob, how I love that man.
a fun event took place. Our ward’s second annual chili cook-off occurred on October 21. Thrilled that it happened for a second year – with bishoprics and Relief Society presidencies both having changed this last year. Our bishop and counselors this time were also good sports and along with their wives gave beautiful performances as the “Squeeky Cheeks”. A fine musical group with colorful bow-ties that played rousing renditions of ol’ time favorite songs – with their instruments of choice…balloons. Sometimes the silly fun that causes tears to run down your face can be so bonding and downright enjoyable.
We once again tied two quilts and had a wonderful evening.
I decided to enter a new kind of chili (because I was feeling dangerous, spontaneous and decided – what’s to lose? – except the candy bar prize I suppose. Luckily it paid off. 😉 ). Introducing:
Buffalo Chicken Chili
I heard about Rachael Ray’s recipe and checked it out. I’m sure it’s yummy, but I didn’t have some of the ingredients and I wasn’t too sure about lots of celery in a chili – although I do love bleu cheese. And no beans? I just couldn’t do it. So instead I took my basic recipe:
Chili
Put four cups of beans in crock-pot. Fill water to within an inch of the top of crock-pot. Add palm-ful of salt, 3 oz. chili powder, 2 cloves of garlic, 3 liberal shakes Chicago Steak Seasoning by Weber, small handful dried onions and a dash of crushed red pepper. Cook for 6-7 hours. Throw in 1/4 lb. browned ground beef and tomatoes or salsa.
…And then substituted using 3 kinds of beans (white, pinto and red kidney) instead of just pinto as usual. I then added a whole bunch of hot sauce, chicken chunks, and a little more hot sauce.
Ready for my award? (we won’t talk about the fact that about half the pots of chili there win prizes. 😉 )
That’s right! Thankfully I didn’t eat but a small nibble of my chili that night – there were too many other yummy ones to taste! Not sure I would have wanted that result. 🙂
And the inside of the prize:
yum.
Maybe I’ll have to try a dessert chili next year…
