Thankful Me

To read the graphic better, right click on the picture, and select "Go to copied address." When that page loads, click again on the picture to enlarge it.  (I know that is a lot of steps, but I thought the information was interesting.) Thankful thought:  Thanks for conference weekends! 

I love spring.  I love to see the new plant growth.  The emerging greenery from the bulbs shout out, "Surprise!  Did you remember I'm here?"  The buds on the bushes and trees promise future flowers and fruit.  My nose awaits the lilacs and roses, and I'm practically drooling thinking of the artichokes-to-be. The artichoke overwintered just fine. The chard and lettuce are ready to harvest. So are the peas. The grape vines are preparing to bloom. A view through the grape vines, which will be impossible by summer. The butterfly bush is leafing out, and I've noticed some buds on the irises. I love the fullness of this daffodil. What is growing in your garden? Thankful thought:  Thanks (again) for spring! 

Thankful thought:  Thanks for a wonderful spring break!

I jetted off to the beautiful Pacific Northwest last week to visit with family, and I've thoroughly enjoyed my spring break.  One of the days, I had the chance to drive past a house that John, the kids, and I formerly called home.  We didn't live there very long, but we put a lot of work into making it ours.  We painted, planted, plumbed, and installed porch rails.  We lived a simple life in that tiny town, but we made big memories.  I walked down memory lane as we came into city limits.  The grocery store sign wished Paul happy birthday.  We approached the intersection with the blinking yellow light--the only traffic light in town--then crossed over the train tracks.  I mentally wished Paul happy birthday, too, as I saw him outside his towing/repair shop.  (He towed us home several times in the past, and he never had to ask where we lived.  Gotta love small towns!) A few more turns, and our house came into view....

I couldn't decide whether to make a snowy-backgrounded handout, to tie in with the story about the handcart company, or a cheery spring-themed handout, to go with the season.  So, I made both.  As always, just right-click to save/print.  The visiting teaching message for April can be found here . Thankful thought:  Thanks for visiting teachers!

I've mentioned Family Search Indexing before, and just how cool it is to connect with history by helping to preserve the records which give us a glimpse of the lives of individuals.  Maybe you've considered getting involved, but are still a little unsure.  I was, at first.  I worried that I would somehow mess something up.  I worried that I wouldn't be able to decipher the handwriting.  I worried that I would transpose numbers.  I worried that I would single-handedly start the zombie apocalypse.  (OK, I made that part up.  Just wanted to make sure I had the attention of the male young adult crowd.) Anyway, my worries were in vain.  Not to say I haven't messed up,  been unsure of the handwriting, or transposed numbers.  But I did not single-handedly start a zombie apocalypse, nor did my mistakes have dire consequences.  You see, when you index a batch of records, you are not the only one to index that particul...

Thankful thought:  Thanks for sunshine and snow, Disneyland and my parents' house!

Happy birthday to my oldest daughter! You've loved "The Happiest Place on Earth" since you were a baby. You have a soft spot in your heart for kittens and your mommy. I'm so glad to be your mom.  You make me proud! Thankful thought:  Thanks for my oldest daughter! 

Each semester my kids have been in college, I've sent them survival kits for finals week.  Most of the time, I have just ordered the packages from the university, which advertises to the parents of the students.  This year, I learned that not all colleges offer those boxes of goodies.  What to do?  Design my own, of course! Today I assembled "Finals Survival Kits," and in a moment of corny creativity, came up with a (hopefully cute) note to accompany the packages. Update: I should have put tissue paper underneath the items to make the box look nicer.  I probably didn't need to tell you that, though.  Here's what the note said: When you’ve been wearing your GLASSES so much that you are at the end of your YO-YO rope, and feel like a BOUNCY-BALL bouncing off the walls, put down your PENCIL and POST-ITS , and take a SNACKS break!   Good luck on your finals!   I’m sure you’ll do fine.   I’m so proud of you! Love, Mom...

My son, who is home for spring break this week, reminded me yesterday that we needed to celebrate pi day.  March 14.  3-14.  3.14.  Get it?  I couldn't give him a reason why we should discriminate against geeky holidays, so we had pizza for dinner, followed by pie for dessert . . . .  followed by Weight Watchers this morning.  I survived!  I'm down another 1.2 pounds.  Now, unfortunately, I don't think this actually means eating pie results in weight loss, so I won't be making my fortune writing articles that would scream from the check-out line:  "LOSE WEIGHT with our AMAZING PIE diet!" However, I will happily just keep plugging along on my shrinking journey.  I think I'm going to just stick with it this time, even after I get back to goal weight.  I don't begrudge the fact that I live by a monetary budget, nor do I mope that I will always follow a budget, so why should I approach food any differently?...

A picture's worth a thousand words, and in family history research, few discoveries bring more excitement than finding an ancestor's photograph. Early tin prints usually featured solemn-faced, formally dressed individuals.  As required exposure times decreased and cameras became more accessible, photos increasingly showed smiling subjects and captured scenes from everyday life. The 1940s brought at least two photographic milestones: the introduction and subsequent mass-production of the Polaroid Land Camera Model 95, and presumably the coining of the phrase, "Say cheese." The Polaroid eliminated the waiting game that defined photography in the pre-digital era.  No longer did one have to send film out to be developed and returned as prints; the camera magically produced a print in less than a minute.  The Model 95, introduced in 1947, became commercially available in 1948.     I don't know what year my grandparen...

You might remember this post about Family Search indexing.  Well, in 19 short days, on April 2, the 1940 U.S. Federal Census will be released to the public.  I know I will be helping with indexing that census.  Who wants to join me?  It would make a great project for anyone who shares a love of service and history.  I consider the 1940s my real link to the past.  Though I wasn't born yet, my parents were born during that decade.  My grandparents were young newlyweds, starting their families, filled with the hope of youth.  The events of the 1940s helped shape my grandparents (and parents) into the people they became.  Reading the 1940 census will allow me to see my grandparents not as the older adults they have been my entire life, but as young adults.  The 1940 census will allow me to figuratively read the beginning of a book--a book with fleshed-out, familiar and beloved ending chapters, but not-as-familiar earlier chapters...

I remember reading an article about a blind man who received his first guide dog.  He found that having the dog made him less invisible to other people.  Before, people would notice his cane, but now, people saw a man with a dog.  I know that every time I go anywhere with Reno, strangers come up and talk to me.  Not everyone, of course, but always someone.  And even those who initially said nothing, become friendly with repeated exposure to Reno. Case in point: Every weekday morning, Reno and I pass by a public bus stop, where waits a teenage boy.  The first time we passed him, he barely glanced up from his electronic device.  Each subsequent day, however, he has made more eye contact.  Yesterday he even smiled.  Today, in response to my, "Good morning," he said, "Bonjour."  OK, that surprised me.  In my humble, never-studied-French-before opinion, his accent sounded pretty authentic.  I imagine it's only a matter of time b...

I tried out more recipes from Chef Tess this week, and after getting the "thumbs-up" from my family, I've assembled some of those meals in jars.  My goal is to have at least a three-month supply of ready-to-cook meals.  I used to think, "I've got my food storage; I can whip together a meal."  That's true, but in times of sickness, stress, or tight schedules, having meals already assembled is a great help.  The meals tend toward mass-marketed convenience foods (which I generally avoid), but when I put them together, I know exactly how to pronounce the ingredients.  They are mild enough to be easy on sick tummies, too.  And honestly, it's embarrassing to remember how many times I have run to the store to buy mac and cheese, chicken noodle soup, and applesauce when someone in the family caught a bug.  Not that I plan on 3 months of sickness, but at least I'll be prepared.  (I even canned 18 pints of applesauce on Saturday, and I have more to ca...

Last night, a little after 10 p.m., John heard noises at the front door.  The door knob rattled, right along with our nerves, and John peaked out the window.  Were the thieves back and more brazen?  No!  Youngest son surprised us by coming home for his spring break. Happy day week! Thankful thought:  Thanks for pleasant surprises, and good kids!

We always lock our doors-- both car doors and house doors.  Except when we forget.  Like last night.  (We locked the house doors, but forgot the van door.)  When John went out this morning to head to work, he opened the van door to find the glove box and all other storage areas opened and cleaned out.  Well, the thieves did leave us one quarter--ha!  They also didn't touch the bocce ball set in the back, nor the CD of hymns.  What they did take was a pair of dollar-store sunglasses, the owner's manuals to the van, and the registration.  The police officer who responded to our call scratched his head, and told us the thieves couldn't really do anything evil with our registration.  But still . . . I feel angry, inconvenienced, and a little less secure. That was the bad loss.  On the bright side, Weight Watchers continues to work its magic, and I'm now down over 5 pounds since I started!  Thankful me:  Thanks that things ...

Thankful thought:  Thanks for Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy Formula, which seems to be working! 

Ever have one of those days when you just feel like browsing at the local antique store?  Well, today was that day for me.  I took my time perusing the old photos, secretly hoping, of course, to stumble upon another relative. As far as I know, I am not related to Elizabeth M. R., but I couldn't resist buying her photo postcard.  Though she is fetching in her stylish outfit, what sealed the deal for me was the personable note she had written on the back. "Sat. Nov 21, '08. age 18 1/2 yrs. old. Isn't this the worst ever?  I do declare I'm getting uglier every day.  I think it a shame.  Ha!  Don't you dare show this fright to any one.  I hope you won't go into a spasm while looking at it. Your coz, Elizabeth." I hope Elizabeth doesn't roll over in her grave now that I've posted her photo on the internet.  I just thought it was interesting that the sentiment of a young woman written over 100 years ago matches that of many yo...

Last week's main dish dinners: Monday--vegetable curry and tempura shrimp Tuesday-- Chef Tess Broccoli, Cheese, and Rice Casserole Wednesday--Leek/Potato Soup Thursday--a recipe-less hamburger/onion/tomato concoction Friday--Subway sandwiches (date night) Saturday-- Golden Potato, Cheese, and Sausage Casserole Monday's and Saturday's meals will definitely stay in the rotation.  Thursday's would, except it was one of those "a little of this and a little of that" one-of-a-kind numbers.  I want to try Tuesday's meal again, after I purchase some more-recently freeze-dried broccoli.  What I used had been sitting unopened in my cupboard for a while.  Still edible, but not at its peak of color/flavor.  Soups are generally out of favor at the moment with she-who-must-not-be-named, but the grown-ups liked it. I received unsolicited praise for the Golden Potato, Cheese, and Sausage Casserole from both John and youngest daughter, so I plan on making up sev...

OK.  We've got BIG NEWS here.  Last night my oldest son sent me a picture text with a photo of Captain Picard (from Star Trek) with the word "ENGAGED" under it.  Yes, my first-born is officially engaged!  His bride-to-be just happens to be my oldest daughter's roommate.  Perhaps we should nickname our oldest daughter, Yente.  (As in, "Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match.")  In any case, we're smiling up a storm here. Then, the significance and magnitude of this step hits me.  My son will be all grown up.   Never mind that he has lived away at college for several years.  Never mind that he managed to serve a mission in Japan for two years without me.  Somehow, in my unreasonable mind, I now have a deadline by which I need to have transferred all my wisdom, knowledge, and motherly advice.  I recognize the ridiculousness of that thinking, but that doesn't prevent the thoughts from coming anyway.  (Not that I can think o...

Week one of Weight Watchers went well for me.  Down almost 3 pounds, so no complaints.  I love the new points program, because I can eat most fruits and vegetables without dipping into my daily points.  That definitely encourages healthy food choices.  Now to just keep plodding along to goal weight. Reno, on the other hand, continues to grow.  He must be part moose.  Today, at only 5 months old, he tipped the scales at 53 pounds.  No, I didn't weigh him at the WW meeting--though I was tempted!  I had John weigh him this morning so I would know whether he needed the "under 50 pounds" or "over 50 pounds" preventative heartworm medication.  "Over 50 pounds" won.  At our latest local guide dog meeting, Reno appeared to be twice as big as the next youngest dog, who is only one month and one week younger than Reno.  Thankful thought:  Constant thanks for Reno's mild-mannered temperment, which makes him a gentle giant!