tracking my food storage

I'm trying to be a better person. To be better prepared in all of the different areas of my life. To a certain extent I feel like I fail my family when I fail to be prepared for all contingencies. It's challenging. I'm a thinker aheader, sorta. If I think too far ahead I get distressed. One of the preparedness areas i've been looking into is food storage. i feel like food storage can really pull our behinds out of the fires that are nippin' at us sometimes (or lately, always). I've found a bunch of interesting stuff and of course I have friends to encourage me and teach me. I stumbled across a site called trackmyfoodstorage.com. I'm trying out the 'free' option on the site to see if it's worth it to me. Along with the site is a blog titled FoodStorageGirl.com. I found it a good read. Check it out!!

Friend makin' Monday

Ok...I'm going to do it. I'm going to link up to 'Friend Makin' Monday'. I love this idea of thinking through such fun questions once a week and then linking up and finding out about others....

1. Favorite things about Spring: The flowers!! My front yard is like a daffodil oasis right now. I have hundreds of daffs (I love how these bulbs just keep reproducin'). Every year I tell myself that I'm going to add some tulips but right now it's all Daffodils :)

2. What I'm doing for Spring Break: (sigh)...my lovely daughter is so behind in school right now. her teacher has assigned her a bunch of stuff to get done. I support her teacher, i know it's the right move but that means I'm spending my spring break trying to get my teenager to do her schoolwork, so it's just like EVERY OTHER WEEK!! Today she started a model of a volcano (g00d ole' paper mache') and a pie chart of volcanos of the world. hopefully she can finish the model and pie chart tomorrow and then do a BUNCH of corrections on past assignments and then move forward......

3. Favorite Spring flower: Lilac's...I wait all year for these beauties....they are budding up and should be bloomin' soon!

4. Do you have a garden? ABSOLUTELY

5. If so, what do you grow? I've always had my flower beds. I love my flowers. My first garden was teenie, tiny. I had to dig up river rock and then replace it with soil just to put in a few pansys and phlox. Now, my yard's bigger and there is no river rock so I have lots of flowers, particularly bulbs. this year, however, I am doing a new thing. I'm having a vegetable garden. I have grown veggies in the past, don't get me wrong, but this year I have actually built several raised beds and I'm starting my veggies as seeds, they're all lined up in little greenhouse boxes on my bookshelf under my window. It's so much fun to watch them grow. I planted some zuccinni and darned if that zucchinni didn't sprout in 3 days! Cool!!

6. Do you do Spring cleaning? some years more than others. This year it was a start, stop, type of a thing. I'm probably going to be doing spring cleaning in june. My goal is to finally clean out my attic!

7. What is your weather *really* like right now? {Just b/c it's "officially" spring, doesn't mean that it feels like it for some of you} Well, being in Oregon and all it's supposed to be gray and raining but it's blue skies, about 65 degrees (nice 'n warm!) and it's beautiful. We'll probably get rian showers at some point but really this is perfect spring weather!

8. Snapped any weather related photos lately? Share one with us!

9. What's your favorite thing to do on a sunny afternoon? Sit on my back patio in a chair and read with a cup of protein shake. If it's chilly I take a lap blanket. I do this as soon as it seems remotely nice outside.

10. Favorite TV show right now? Hmmm... since it has to be 'right now' it can't be 'Psyche'. So, it is Probably 'the big bang theory' followed by 'Castle'.

FHE in a bag

I Love it when a plan comes together :) (He, He, He.....cackle, cackle, cackle)

So, I like working with a team. I definitely have definite, strong ideas but I seem to charge my energy working with others.

This latest Activity Day girl meeting was a good example of group synergy. I had seen these cute ideas on the web for doing a family home evening in a can. (for those unfamiliar with family home evening, it is one night set aside for us to spend time together as a family. We usually have a lesson on a gospel related topic and an activity or game and then of course desert. ) We chose to do our FHE in a bag as opposed to a can because it was pretty inexpensive and it was readily available. I chose some brown paper sacks (12 for $5.99) and one of my co-leaders had the girls decorate the bags with paper flowers. She set them up with some large paper punches and the girls had soooo much fun! Then, my same fantastic co-leader helped them make job chart/spinners...so cute. I created some lesson 'flip charts'. My lesson was on Joseph Smith and his first vision. I gave them a song to sing (the words) and instructions on where to find more music (lds.org). Then, each of the cards had part of the story of Joseph with a picture, very simple :). At the end of the cards I had one card with "questions" to ask and then the rules to a game (redlight/greenlight). Soooo simple. We put the cards onto book rings and put them in their cute little bags! then, another co-leader created a large batch of brownie mix (from the book mix-a-meal--you should check it out!) and then the girls packaged their desert and put them in their bags. I thought this activity just went soo well! I was thrilled!

st. pats

I really enjoy St. Patricks Day. I used to really have fun with St. Patrick's Day. I used to...I used to...I used to.

I decided to DO! Again! I had fun! I browsed my favorite blogs and found a cute little download that I used to create little goody bag tags. In my little bags I put hershey's kisses and the tags said "I'm so lucky to have you as a friend".

For dinner we were crunched for time. Sarah was gone until 6:30 and John and Sarah had to leave by 7:00 but we still managed to squeeze in dinner, complete with our fancy green bowler hats! FUN! FUN! I think I'm finding my Fun again!!

What about you?

I'm a bit of a blog-a-holic. I am completely unapologetic about it because i don't spend an excessive amount of time doing it and I feel like I've found a community out there of people that I get. I like to follow links from one blog to another until I find something interesting to stop on. Today while following links I stumbled across a blog called aefilikins. This lovely blog author (Amber)has a regular feature she calls 'friend makin' monday'. Every Monday she posts something (questions) and we respond by answering these questions on our own blogs and then linkin' up to her blog. I'm intrigued. I may try it....next week. However, I do want to answer her questions. I thought they were 'fabo' and I'd love to hear anyone's answers in response.

I am... taking time to do something I want rather than something I should...I feel guilty :(

I think... Spring is my favorite time of the year (until fall comes around and then I think it's fall! )

I should... be cleaning the kitchen

I dream... of a time when our family can go on a camping trip together! Those trips keep me sane!

I don't like... loud noises

I smell... the chicken and dumplings I made for dinner. It was quite yummy!

I hear... Peekaboo talking on the phone to her bff. Teenagers are always on the phone. It's practically their natural state.

I fear... that the veggies I'm starting this year won't grow and all this work will be for naught.

I search... for fantastic creative ideas to feed my soul. the most recent was this idea.

I miss... going barefoot. I've realized (as an adult....*sigh*) that I need to take care of my feet better, wich includes wearing (good) shoes...problem is....I like to be barefoot. Alas, those days are largely over.

I always... wish I could be at peace

I crave... *DUH* CHOCOLATE!!! ALWAYS!

I remember... when Peekaboo was little we'd sit together and watch Winnie the Pooh as she was winding down for bed. Lately, I've missed those days of Winnie the Pooh. It's so cute! I miss it!

I need... better quality sleep. *where does one get some of that??*

I forget... to take care of myself

I feel... overwhelmed with all I need to accomplish in the next few days.

I can... get more accomplished. I just need to stay on task better...prioritize better. learn new time management??

I can't... kick myself when I'm down so much. I'm trying to remember to forgive myself more often.

I am happy... That my family is home safe and sound.

I sing... constantly!! Peekaboo and I were singing LOUDLY in the car together earlier with her friend KJ looking on in fascination.

I listen... well...I TRY to listen to my daughter. sometimes I don't like what she has to say but I'm trying to recognize that she has the right to say it and to be LISTENED to. It's a process. I hope to get much better.

I shop... only when I have to...although, if I had unlimited resouces I should shop much more often primarily craft stores...I really want a new 'silouette' machine...*drool, drool, drool*

I eat... too much JUNK! time to get back on track!!

I love... my fun little family *even though they are currently driving me bananas*

an emotional farewell

Today we laid to rest my father in law John. It was an immensely emotional experience. He had a military burial. Military burials are all about respect.

the day was rainy and gray and cold. We drove up to Willamette National Cemetery and met our family. We were instructed to line up our cars in a certain section of the cemetery and wait for our escort. It's an odd experiece to just sit and wait. Shortly before 10:30 (the time for the funeral to begin) our escort came for us. We followed. As we came around a bend we could see a wooden 'shelter' and in front of that shelter was an armed honor guard. They stood there in respectful formation and directed us to the shelter. The moment I saw the guard I began to cry. I know the guard is standard but I felt...John was important to us and here was this honor guard showing their respects because he was important to them. I don't know if I can describe it. It was overwhelming. After being seated in this lovely shelter, one of the directors at the cemetery very respectfully addressed us and started the military part of the funeral. They started with a 3-gun salute. It's very jarring, hearing those shots and yet somehow, a release. I was very stirred by it. The whole time I was thinking "John would have liked this!". Following salute 'taps' was played. I've heard taps played any number of times in movies and the like but it never had meaning until I heard it played today. It was grief and release all together. When taps was completed the honor guard did the presentation of the flag, an elaborate unfolding, refolding and presentation of the flag to the widow "on behalf of a grateful nation". Then, they presented the shell casings to JoAnn with more words of gratitude. JoAnn said they looked in her eyes the whole time and she felt their sincerity. It was beautiful.
When the military honors concluded my John spoke. He had just a few minutes to speak about his father. He was very emotional. It took a while for him to gather his composure but when he did he spoke about how much he admired his father and he spoke specifically about the 3 things his father taught him- the importance of being a good borrower (always return what you borrow & return it in the same or better condition that you recieved it in), the value of hard work, and service. It was very sweet. I was proud of my Johnny for all that he said and for his willingness to expose his true feelings for his father. We completed the service with John reading a poem titled "May you always walk in sunshine".
I don't know how to express how such a short (less than 30 minutes long)service could be so affecting and touching.

something to think about

Food is an issue with me. I reach for really bad food when I'm stressed and I've got bad habits. This is something I know about myself. For years I've struggled with my desire to live a healthier, more natural lifestyle and the selfish part of me that likes quick and easy food. Obviously the selfish part has been winning until this last year. Slowly I've been trying to change. I'm trying to change my perception of food and my personal response to food. I'm working on our garden and trying to make more natural choices. I found this video on one of the blogs that I follow that I found interesting and stirring. It's about 21 minutes if you want to watch it.

In Memorial

My Father-in-Law John Lowell Andrews has passed away. The last few days have been an emotional mixture of grief and relief. Last Thursday he was taken to OHSU. We were told that his heart was struggling and his current pacemaker wasn't sufficient to help him. They suggested that he might have to have surgery and put in a new pacemaker with the ability to shock his heart should it slow too much. On further testing and investigation the doctors discovered that his cancer which he has had and has gone into remission twice was back, meaning he would have to treat the cancer before addressing the heart issues, but his heart was failing. He also was in renal failure and his kidneys were attempting to shut down. Each new discovery of the shutting down of his body came as an unpleasant shock. John looked weak and way to skinny. His mood was good. He stayed upbeat till the end. On Tuesday afternoon he began to have a lot of heart pain. It scared him. He spoke extensively with his wife, JoAnne and his doctors and made it clear that he didn't want to suffer any more. He did not want any extreme measures taken to preserve his life. He did not want to try to go home or go to a care facility. He wanted to be let go. He wanted Morphine and he wanted them to decrease his heart medication and let him go. WE all came to the hospital as quicly as possible. Upon arrival we realized he was already heavily medicated but fairly comfortable. We stayed. We cried. OHSU even let us bring his dog Chevy up to say goodbye as his last request. Chevy was a little too excited by all of the change to slow down too much but she did go to john for pats. He was pretty out of it but he knew his dog was there and knew we were. Whenever awake he would look around at all of us and say hello. We'd ask how he was and he would say fine, that he didn't hurt. Late that night we decided that since nothing had changed and he was sleeping that we would all go home and come back in the morning. We came home. Not too long after arriving home we got a phone call from John's sister Barb saying that John was struggling and they were going to adjust his medications. Peekaboo was already in bed so John decided to leave us here. We didn't realize that it was the end. John was dead before any member of the family arrived at the hospital. He went peacefully and very fast. He was not in pain. John said that he looked entirely at peace and in an odd way, healthier than he'd looked in a while. He died sometime between 11:30 and 11:50 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010. He leaves behind his wife JoAnne of 50 years. Two daughters, and one son. four grandsons, two grand daughters, one son in law, one daughter in law, one grand daughter in law and two great grand sons. he was a wonderful man. I have always adored him. My John adored his dad and patterned much of his life after his dad. John was a veteran of the Korean war and a proud patriot. A man who loved his beer but gave it up. A man who would fix anything, help anyone. He was shy but friendly. He loved guns and took his grandchildren shooting, he especially loved old fashioned muzzle loaders. He was very patient with me because I never knew what he was talking about, so he would explain whatever he could to me whenever I asked him. He will be cremated, as he requested. We will likely have a small military ceremony @ Willamette National Cemetary, only family and we're trying to find somewhere for his ashes. We don't think he'd like to be stuck in a jug on someone's mantle. He will be desperately missed but our hearts are broken.