Crochet Wire Necklaces, Cousins, Inside Out Smore Brownies

I've been having way too much fun making crocheted-wire necklaces with buttons, pearls, felted wool beads

Double Cousin baptism!

Proof that I met one of my favorite authors! (World Con in the 80's)

I saw this recipe on Pin-trist: inside out s'more brownies.  I used marshmallow cream instead of mini marshmallows and added chocolate chips to center layer.  Tasty.

Family Reunions!

 

Yesterday was an amazing meeting!  We had to pick up 4 of them and gave another one a ride home, but they all came!

These are our 9 new TREK children:  Kevin who got baptized yesterday is standing next to me.  We just found out that Felix, wearing striped tie next to Kevin, is getting baptized in 2 weeks!  Exciting, joyful news!  That will be the next time we will hopefully all see each other.

 

White towel with brown & white trim from "Tuesday Morning" store, brown iron-on applique.

We sat in a circle, on a tarp and on a quilt (my $1.00 thrift store treasure).  John & I explained our family motto:  "Murmur not," and encouraged each of our 9 children (ha!) to think of the phrase with a comma and add something to it, something they wanted to learn or feel or do during Trek (3 days of wearing pioneer clothing, eating out of Dutch ovens, and pushing handcarts loaded with our bedding, clothing, food...).

I started, and said, "Murmur not, be cheerful"
"Have fun"
"Ignore pain"
John said, "Don't quit"
"Be strong"
"Be confident"
"Enjoy it"
"Be thankful"
"Carry on"
"Be faithful"
"Remember"

Unknown to us, two of our "sons" were not members of the Church.  As we walked, talked, and had family prayers, devotionals, read scriptures together, shared stories, son "Be confident" was amazing as he confidently called us "Ma" and "Pa" and encouraged his trek family siblings.  He told us he had been taking lessons from the missionaries, and was thinking of getting baptized at the end of July...but Sunday John got a text from this son who told us he had decided to get baptized this Saturday!

Hard to think that it has only been a week ago that we got home!  It feels like it lasted months and that it has been a lifetime ago already, since coming back to our busy, modern lives.  And tomorrow is our first family reunion!  All our Brown Bandana family will be there to support him!

I have this towel gift for him, inspired by the cool CTR applique towels the Primary president makes for the children in our congregation, but his is with a handcart/wagon wheel.  And pillowcases for all 8 of the rest of the children with the list of "Murmur not," add-ons.

I want them to remember what they contributed.  I want them to feel loved, appreciated.  I want them to never forget Trek, always remember...

Take a T-shirt

I taught Hannah how to take a t-shirt that she and her sisters weren't going to wear, sew up the bottom hem and cut off the sleeves and cut out the neck to make a great bag...

Or APRON!  Work pocket apron for berries, or tools, you could add pockets (this is what comes from brainstorming with a creative niece!  We had fun!)  Or a super-hero cape!

A princess hair veil, wrist bracelet out of a sleeve...pony tail holder!

Or head kerchief tied under your chin or tied behind your neck it is a snood to put all your hair in like a hair net!  Versatile!

The love bags I brought with me to share contained this ruffle-petticoat tiered skirt, that Roxie has outgrown but wore when she got baptized two years ago, before I added the netting ruffles.  There were 4 ruffled skirts in the bags.  Which surprised me.  I seem to go through creation phases, try something several ways, work out the kinks. 

Gateway

Quick canvas for an 8 year old.  It helped me prepare for a talk and organize my thoughts...

Emma & Max left this morning for BYU.  Emma's last year.  Max's first.  Glad we have family there to pick them up from airport (thank you, SarahK!) and places to sleep (thank you, Deb & Becca!) and eat!  And transport, and store over the summer stuff like sheets, towels, winter wear.  Max will be cooking, so I am trying to find good recipes to send him, easy, cheap, yummy stuff. 

What is your favorite college recipe?

Outside Around 4:30 PM

My favorite lighting is outdoors, early evening. Magic happens then.

Post haircut. Michael Harrington. I asked him if he could do my hair every day. He said he would love to, when I am rich and famous and he is my lackey (he had gone to a traditional Greek wedding the week before and saw first hand what a real lackey does. Glass smashing, weeping realitives, a dessert bar 100 feet long, he said it was the best wedding he has ever been to. I asked him what made it so amazing--he said the love the family had for each other, the passion, the emotion. Made me want to invite him to one of our family's someday. I'll introduce him as my hair guy!)

We are in Pittsburgh this weekend for a niece's baptism! YEAH OLIVIA!

On Purpose

There are things I do different on purpose. Ways I try very hard not to appear ordinary.

I asked Sister Babcock on her mission what I could pass on to the pre-missionary youth. She talked about the ability to open up and talk to complete strangers, learning to share your feelings and thoughts about religious and spiritual things, and then she stressed, "Complete obedience in all things."

She told me that they were very impressed with a young missionary who had to go to the doctor with his companion. There was a tv in the waiting room, outside of their control, but this obedient elder purposefully turned his head away and would not watch.

It is okay to stand out in beliefs and moral conviction!

The trick is doing it consistently. Believing it and living it needs FAITH so you act on it and avoid being a hypocrite.

I *cringe inside when I tell the seminary kids they are in charge of their bodies. They don't have to just go along with what is happening to them. They can exert force, choose to get out of uncomfortable and wrong circumstances.

They can STOP breaking the Word of Wisdom, they can STOP kissing before the intensity of passions and feelings and hormones take over; they can stop touching inappropriately.

They can STOP looking at immodest people. They can turn away.

They CAN WAIT until they get married to have sex. They CAN WAIT to experience those pleasures.

They CAN CONTROL their thoughts by singing their favorite hymn. They CAN CONTROL their appetites and desires by exerting faith and acting on the Sunday School Answers that outline what the GOSPEL is all about:

1. be strong, read the scriptures so they will know and can obey the commandments, (FAITH in the LORD JESUS CHRIST)
2. pray every day at least twice, (REPENTANCE)
3. go to Church, keep coming to seminary, (BAPTISM and renewal of that covenant each Sabbath through the Sacrament).
4. do everything in their power to step away from and avoid temptations (listen to the GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST)
5. and then do it every day (ENDURE TO THE END!)

Even though I am not a perfect example of exerting body control (don't say chocolate, ice cream, donuts, or anything about my eating when I am stressed and not exercising enough) the principle is still true*.

I can control my physical body with my spiritual choices. I believe that.

Now I just need to do it on purpose.

Seriously

What were we thinking at this moment? Waiting for the flash to charge? Taken unawares? Tired after a long day for both of us?

I am grateful I can silly/giggle laugh with him and in the next moment be very sober about reverent things. I trust him with my heart, my talents, my weaknesses, my entertainment, my questions, my dreams, my tender feelings, my family, my future, my today. Tuesday was a busy day. I worked all day, and met family at the park-n-ride so we could go down to Alexandria together. John made yummy sandwiches to eat in the car. I am impressed with his care for family, what he does to nurture us, provide for us. (Photo credit: Suzanna)
Eight year old Grace (fourth from left in front row wearing white dress) was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Lots of family! There is never enough time to talk! It was fun seeing cousin Charlene, Jen's sister and sister-in-law and family.

Quilt note: Polly asked me to make a t-shirt quilt for her of Russ's fantastic shirt collection and ties. Personal goal to finish before Christmas.

Birth and RE-birth Day!

She wanted to get baptized on her birthday. Today she is 8 years old, accountable, old enough to know wrong from right. We believe in baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, making a covenant to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, and to follow Him.







It was a beautiful morning on the Susquehanna River!