My sister chooses a word to focus on each year. Great way to motivate yourself. Easier than listing 10 goals.
Mine is "Prioritize."
What does that mean?
I have so many good projects/ideas/talents that I am never bored. But I do get overwhelmed with the piles of resources/junk/research.
This year I want to slim down. Physically, environmentally, emotionally. To let go, find release, lose some stuff.
One of many great inspiring bloggers kept a number list, getting rid of 2010 things in 2010. So one up it this year with 2011 things!
So far I am almost up to 200 things I've let go. (No, not pounds, yet. Working on that one.) Two love bags to the thrift store, a bundle of swim shirts and skirts to a niece, an Ikea corner desk (we dumpster dove for once upon a time) and put on the sidewalk (didn't work in our living room anymore). 1811 things left!
John=Patience
Jennilyn=Prioritize
Maxwell=Energy
Suzanna=HAPPPY
Samuel=Brave/Kind
Roxie=Organzied
FAMILY WORD=Obedient
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
For the Secretary
My mom-by-marriage, Sandy, was a great school administrator and a good example. At the holidays, she always remembered all the secretaries. They do amazing work, and are often forgotten in the gift-giving and shared treats from students. I want to be consistent and thankful, following her lead.
And this year, we rememberd, and actually got them to the two secretaries before Christmas break.
Roxie gave me the nicest thank you note, with a sweet request for recipe sharing. "Any chance to share recipes?"
This is what I wrote back to her:
I want to die being famous for my fudge! Glad you liked it. We wanted you to know we appreciate how hard you work for the school!
Yes, I will share my recipe. It is almost embarrassingly simple—just use the back of the marshmallow cream container. Sometimes it is called “Fantasy Fudge.” It doesn’t seem to matter if you add marshmallow cream at beginning-like the simplified recipe calls for, or wait until after you boil sugar & milk…
The tricks and tips: don’t use sweetened condensed milk—follow recipe and use EVAPORATED milk. It is the runny stuff, not the thick yellowy one. Stir! Make lots! My sister-in-law made a maple sugar BACON version this year. Sounds weird, but it was wonderful. Sweet & savory mixes are a big trend.
This batch actually contained a mistake: wrong milk. The sugar crystals never dissolved. Huge disaster. I called my mom (she is on a church mission) and she told me to put it back in the pot, reheat, add the right milk. That was the peanut butter pecan-caramel version. It made caramel-fudge. So I may try that method again next year…
Everything else is just the additives: chopped up dried cranberries and pecans in the white batch (use a whole 16 oz of sour cream instead of the evaporated milk called for in recipe and 2 bags of white chocolate chips); almond flavoring and chopped cherries in the chocolate batch…
I am making myself drool. There is a reason I only make it once a year!
And this year, we rememberd, and actually got them to the two secretaries before Christmas break.
Roxie gave me the nicest thank you note, with a sweet request for recipe sharing. "Any chance to share recipes?"
This is what I wrote back to her:
I want to die being famous for my fudge! Glad you liked it. We wanted you to know we appreciate how hard you work for the school!
Yes, I will share my recipe. It is almost embarrassingly simple—just use the back of the marshmallow cream container. Sometimes it is called “Fantasy Fudge.” It doesn’t seem to matter if you add marshmallow cream at beginning-like the simplified recipe calls for, or wait until after you boil sugar & milk…
The tricks and tips: don’t use sweetened condensed milk—follow recipe and use EVAPORATED milk. It is the runny stuff, not the thick yellowy one. Stir! Make lots! My sister-in-law made a maple sugar BACON version this year. Sounds weird, but it was wonderful. Sweet & savory mixes are a big trend.
This batch actually contained a mistake: wrong milk. The sugar crystals never dissolved. Huge disaster. I called my mom (she is on a church mission) and she told me to put it back in the pot, reheat, add the right milk. That was the peanut butter pecan-caramel version. It made caramel-fudge. So I may try that method again next year…
Everything else is just the additives: chopped up dried cranberries and pecans in the white batch (use a whole 16 oz of sour cream instead of the evaporated milk called for in recipe and 2 bags of white chocolate chips); almond flavoring and chopped cherries in the chocolate batch…
I am making myself drool. There is a reason I only make it once a year!
The Solution (to the FINE Fight)
This whole kitchen make-over has been on the cheap. John still doesn't have a full-time job with benefits (over a year now) and working 2 part time jobs, help from family, plus what I can do means we are squeaking by. No money for renovating.
My dream counter-tops are concrete, made on site, with glow-in-the-dark powder included so they glow like a great big night-lite! Dreaming of the money for that...I also need to practice on smaller surfaces, get really good at it, to reassure John it will be a good project.
Meanwhile, while Ikea (linked to cool new fabric they have!) window shopping with Emma, we found a great breakfast bar surface: long, white laminate, strong but lightweight surface in As-Is (which is 50% off on Wednesdays in Baltimore, or the Handyman corner within the As-is is 50% off all the time!). $20. John notched it to fit the wall and screwed and braced it into the wall. He asked me if I wanted silver screws showing at the top, NO, so he suggested white end-caps, FINE. He warned me he couldn't counter-sink them, because the counter-top was so thin he was worried it wouldn't be secure enough, FINE.
The little bumps he described looked huge NOT FINE in person. I had been dreaming of a smooth surface, and these didn't fit in with my aesthetic criteria.
I stormed out NOT FINE and went to my therapy thrift store, walked around moping. Calmed down as I listened to piped in country music. I found a wooden box not long enough for our whole breakfast bar, but with compartments, and thought how cool that would be to have a resting spot holder, for spices along the disputed back edge of the breakfast bar.
The check out line was too long, so I put it back along with the retro pink roses tablecloth (it had comforted me just to hold it walking around the store). I calmly came home, ready to kiss and make-up and talk. I told John about the wooden box, and we kept talking and came up with measurements that would cover the white dots.
He really is my hero for listening to my concerns and patiently trying to make me happy FINE!
This is not a 2x4 (which isn't even that size?) is more of a 2x3 with the potential for drilling spice jar or tea-light candle holder-sized holes. It needs painting, but I can deal with that.
In process, solving problems one at a time.
When John & JenB came up from Virginia we had a row of tea-lights glowing along this edge, good camouflage. It looked festive, and I didn't have to explain a thing.
My dream counter-tops are concrete, made on site, with glow-in-the-dark powder included so they glow like a great big night-lite! Dreaming of the money for that...I also need to practice on smaller surfaces, get really good at it, to reassure John it will be a good project.
Meanwhile, while Ikea (linked to cool new fabric they have!) window shopping with Emma, we found a great breakfast bar surface: long, white laminate, strong but lightweight surface in As-Is (which is 50% off on Wednesdays in Baltimore, or the Handyman corner within the As-is is 50% off all the time!). $20. John notched it to fit the wall and screwed and braced it into the wall. He asked me if I wanted silver screws showing at the top, NO, so he suggested white end-caps, FINE. He warned me he couldn't counter-sink them, because the counter-top was so thin he was worried it wouldn't be secure enough, FINE.
The little bumps he described looked huge NOT FINE in person. I had been dreaming of a smooth surface, and these didn't fit in with my aesthetic criteria.
I stormed out NOT FINE and went to my therapy thrift store, walked around moping. Calmed down as I listened to piped in country music. I found a wooden box not long enough for our whole breakfast bar, but with compartments, and thought how cool that would be to have a resting spot holder, for spices along the disputed back edge of the breakfast bar.The check out line was too long, so I put it back along with the retro pink roses tablecloth (it had comforted me just to hold it walking around the store). I calmly came home, ready to kiss and make-up and talk. I told John about the wooden box, and we kept talking and came up with measurements that would cover the white dots.
He really is my hero for listening to my concerns and patiently trying to make me happy FINE!
This is not a 2x4 (which isn't even that size?) is more of a 2x3 with the potential for drilling spice jar or tea-light candle holder-sized holes. It needs painting, but I can deal with that.
In process, solving problems one at a time.
When John & JenB came up from Virginia we had a row of tea-lights glowing along this edge, good camouflage. It looked festive, and I didn't have to explain a thing.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Music Substitute
My natural voice range is alto. I can sing higher for short bursts, but it is painful.
My Church calling is seminary teacher, which is not a Sunday job! Just every school day!
Today I subbed for talented soprano-voice-of-an-angel Jeannette. I told her "You owe me" and then had to repent. She's the bishop's wife.
It was a joyous day in Primary with the children.
I started out with the oldest composer: Mozart. Page 161 of the Children's Songbook has a sweet short tune that perfectly summed up my hope for all of them this year. (Click on the link and the big grey arrow at the top left of the page to hear it! You have a choice of INTERACTIVE MODE or RECORDED MUSIC which I would recommend you select, or it will feel like you are actually playing the piano learning the piece. It is going to be a good linking year!) I asked the pianist to ONLY play the alto part as we learned the words, had them stand up, talked about what a pledge is, why this song matters.
I learned that the same composer who wrote "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel" also wrote "Softly & Tenderly." I linked here to a Johnny Cash version. The first time I remember crying to that song was at the end of "A Trip to Bountiful" film.
My Church calling is seminary teacher, which is not a Sunday job! Just every school day!
Today I subbed for talented soprano-voice-of-an-angel Jeannette. I told her "You owe me" and then had to repent. She's the bishop's wife.
It was a joyous day in Primary with the children.
I started out with the oldest composer: Mozart. Page 161 of the Children's Songbook has a sweet short tune that perfectly summed up my hope for all of them this year. (Click on the link and the big grey arrow at the top left of the page to hear it! You have a choice of INTERACTIVE MODE or RECORDED MUSIC which I would recommend you select, or it will feel like you are actually playing the piano learning the piece. It is going to be a good linking year!) I asked the pianist to ONLY play the alto part as we learned the words, had them stand up, talked about what a pledge is, why this song matters.
I learned that the same composer who wrote "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel" also wrote "Softly & Tenderly." I linked here to a Johnny Cash version. The first time I remember crying to that song was at the end of "A Trip to Bountiful" film.
The Kool-Aid Coat
Kool-Aid is a great dye. You know, if you have ever gotten the dry powder on your skin when you are making it--it dyes natural fibers/skin really well. Works on wool! Vinegar helps to set it.
Before off-white 100% serious wooly thrifted coat. Missing buttons.
Strawberry/cherry/black cherry kool-aid after. Use COLD water, or wool will shrink. (I dissolved powder in a cup of hot water and then added to cold-bath tub submerged coat.) Slight ombre effect, muted and variegated, but very, very cool! Brown buttons sewn on with variegated pink thread.
Before off-white 100% serious wooly thrifted coat. Missing buttons.
Strawberry/cherry/black cherry kool-aid after. Use COLD water, or wool will shrink. (I dissolved powder in a cup of hot water and then added to cold-bath tub submerged coat.) Slight ombre effect, muted and variegated, but very, very cool! Brown buttons sewn on with variegated pink thread.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
I am a "Casual" Gamer?
I am a casual gamer.
On Emma's recommendation I finally tried this. And I can't stop. Played too long last night. For hours. Stopped only when John asked me twice to come to bed, after midnight. ("What, Happy New Year's already?")
The premise of the game is simple: you use sunshine to earn points to buy plant weapons to fight the monsters. Simple. Straightforward.
I love the music. I love the visuals.
I woke up this morning determined to rake the yard--my attempt to tame my plant/zombie world? Worked on the yard until I gave myself blisters. Came inside for lunch and another round of this game. Hours later I finally got past the swimming pool and I am on the roof.
I was planning on painting today, but my family is probably glad I am in here gaming.
Must protect my brain!
On Emma's recommendation I finally tried this. And I can't stop. Played too long last night. For hours. Stopped only when John asked me twice to come to bed, after midnight. ("What, Happy New Year's already?")
The premise of the game is simple: you use sunshine to earn points to buy plant weapons to fight the monsters. Simple. Straightforward.
I love the music. I love the visuals.
I woke up this morning determined to rake the yard--my attempt to tame my plant/zombie world? Worked on the yard until I gave myself blisters. Came inside for lunch and another round of this game. Hours later I finally got past the swimming pool and I am on the roof.
I was planning on painting today, but my family is probably glad I am in here gaming.
Must protect my brain!
The Button Story
When we, Jenny-Deb-John the baby, lived in San Jose, California, in the rented blue-green stucco house near the Rocket Park slide and the eucalyptus trees by Dad's work, I had a button necklace. Buttons from Grandma Laura, Great Grandma Jane Davidson. I remember playing with Mom's button jar, stringing the buttons on, and knowing some of them were family-old ones. Wooden ones, old shell ones, probably some bake-lite retro ones! I loved that necklace. I remember running it through my hands when I was supposed to be asleep, thinking about the adventures the buttons had seen.
One day a playmate from across the street offered to trade one of her glass menagerie treasures for my necklace. I picked out a tiny blue peacock and she grabbed the necklace. I went home, noticed one of the legs of the peacock was broken off, missed my button necklace and instantly regretted the trade. I tried to trade back the peacock, but the friend refused. I am not sure if I even told my parents, but I was heartbroken and very sad.
(Pacifiers make GREAT buttons! I have sewn them on quilts, through the holes of these MAM brand pacifiers. Cut off the used nipple, and they lie flat against the cloth.
I've been trying to re-create that necklace ever since! And this holiday, I am sending all of my sisters a button bracelet. I want them to know they are precious to me, and I wouldn't trade them for any worldly treasures. They are all keepers!
If I made it too small/big for your wrists, they can be re-strung with elastic. Or you can use the buttons for a project you need! Know that I value you.
One day a playmate from across the street offered to trade one of her glass menagerie treasures for my necklace. I picked out a tiny blue peacock and she grabbed the necklace. I went home, noticed one of the legs of the peacock was broken off, missed my button necklace and instantly regretted the trade. I tried to trade back the peacock, but the friend refused. I am not sure if I even told my parents, but I was heartbroken and very sad.
(Pacifiers make GREAT buttons! I have sewn them on quilts, through the holes of these MAM brand pacifiers. Cut off the used nipple, and they lie flat against the cloth.
I've been trying to re-create that necklace ever since! And this holiday, I am sending all of my sisters a button bracelet. I want them to know they are precious to me, and I wouldn't trade them for any worldly treasures. They are all keepers!
If I made it too small/big for your wrists, they can be re-strung with elastic. Or you can use the buttons for a project you need! Know that I value you.
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