Happy cleaning!

I had a friend request four sets of 2 washcloths.  So, I've been busy making these little lovelies!

Aren't they pretty?  Darcie and I sit in Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School and we crochet. 

My Mom says it's irreverant....hmmm. I'll have to think about that.  

(I always put mine down when it's time for the sacrament.)

A lady in our ward taught us how and now we are hooked!

Mike say's we look like a couple of Old Granny's...;) 

And here they are all wrapped and ready for delivery.

These are gonna make a great homemade gift this year.

Happy Halloween!  Happy Cleaning!!

It's about how we handle the rough times...

Well, life is a never ending circle of surprizes!  First off, the job that I had finally landed ended up being a temporary situation after all.  The 2 guys that own the company are very young and still learning what it is they need.  So, after 3 weeks of working at the computer and not doing much in the Administrative Assistant department, my boss decided that what he thought he needed was not actually what he actually needed.  He was very kind and very apologetic as he brought me into his office to explain the situation.  I knew something was up when I was stuck sitting at a computer doing data entry this and calculate that all day long for a good 2-3 weeks that I was there.  I personally did not enjoy sitting at a computer all day.  I didn't feel like he needed an assistant at all as he was gone most of the time and he didn't need me to do much for him back at the office.  So, when he called me into the office last Friday, I wasn't dissappointed when he informed me that the job was temporary after all.  I am glad it was thru a temp agency that I was hired and I'm sure he was glad too.  He was very complimentary, gave me extra hours, and even gave me a big hug as he said good-bye.  Did I need that job? Yes. Did I want that job after working at it for 3 weeks?  No.  So, I am back to looking for a job again.  However, I am grateful to realize now, that I do not want to sit at a computer all day for a living.  So, I am being a bit more choosy in what jobs I apply for. 

I'm not stressed.... I should be, I know that seems weird to me, but I'm not.  I know I will find something else.  So, I just keep trudging along.  I do have to admitt that it was nice to not have to go back to work on Monday morning.  So, I've been enjoying my kids again.  Getting myself organized again and back at looking for another job this past week.

So, you know how everything happens in 3's?  Well, on Wednesday morning we woke up to our new home being flooded.  We were all frantic.  Long story short, we did have flood insurance that was due to expire on November 1st....Wednesday was the 26th.  That was not just luck.  With every tragedy there are blessings.  My intention was to start packing since I had the time again.  However, now that it will be a bit longer til we move in, I will be spending my time instead looking for another job.  So, what's #3.  I'm not looking forward to it.  We could name some other things that already happened prior to this as #1 but I'm not sure that will work.  Well, only time will tell.

What I have learned thru all of this is that life is not about the hard things that happen during our journey.  It is about how we handle the hard things that happen along the way.  It's about all the rough terrain that we trudge our way thru, the mountains that we climb.  And then every once in a while we see the beautiful open valleys of splendor and grace...right  before we climb another mountain. So, merrily on our way we go....until we reach the valley-o!

My latest little project...

 I found these little bottles of dish soap at Walmart for .94 cents each.

I decided to wrap one bottle with one of my crocheted washcloths as a little gift to give my

V.T. sisters. 

 I just wrapped them in little celophane bags tied a piece of yarn

around the middle.

Added a little scripture to the front to go along with the "cleaning" theme.

The washcloths are made with 100% cotton yarn and a simple single crochet stitch.

About 5x7 size. Easy and so much fun!

Just some thoughts on being patient...

 Okay, can I just say that I am trying, trying to be patient.  It's getting to be that time of year when I like to do some baking and decorating to enjoy the fall and this wonderful season.  However, we are completely immersed in the finishing of our home. And it is taking forever!  Last weekend I planned to spend the entire day on Saturday helping paint but because I am now working full time, on Saturday I play catch up all day just to be ready to start another week of work and school on Monday for our family.  It was exhausting.  So, this week I am really trying hard to keep up on the house on a daily basis so that I can help at the house all day on Saturday.  My Man hates to eat fast food especially when we are home, however, I think it's gonna have to be a fast food weekend if I am gonna be able to concentrate on the house instead of cooking and cleaning.  Right now it's all the finishing touches.  A lot of painting of trim, baseboards and walls.  Putting in light fixtures.  The carpet is supposed to be the last thing that goes in and we are scheduled for next week.  But we still have toilets to set, the cabinet doors to finish and install, etc, etc,....

So, the sad thing about it for me is that all my fall decorations are packed away.  I feel like I am going to totally miss all the holidays this year.  Before we know it, we'll be knee deep in snow and I will just be setting up house and it will be Christmas.  Then the new year will start and it won't be til next year that I get to enjoy this time of year again.  I never realized how much I loved fall until we moved to Utah.  The season changes are so beautiful!  Especially when you get to see the mountains all around you and how much they change with the passing of one season to another.  Well, back to work I go.  I'm hoping that I can practice making  patience a virtue!

Faith- conference talk 2

The Faith to Move Mountains

Gordon B. Hinckley
President of the Church

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Increased faith is what we most need. Without it, the work would stagnate. With it, no one can stop its progress.

Here's the second Conference talk that I read.  I love President Hinckley.  He was so awesome and his testimony so simple.  Our Faith can move mountains!
 

Faith- conference talk 1

Faith—the Choice is Yours

Richard C. Edgley
First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric

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Choose faith over doubt, choose faith over fear, choose faith over the unknown and the unseen, and choose faith over pessimism.

This is one of the 2 Conference talks I have chosen to read for my first experience under the first YW Value in my Personal Progress "Faith".  I remember this talk well, it's a great one! I'm still working on this experience where I am getting in to a habit of praying every morning when I get up and every  night before I go to bed for 3 weeks.   Enjoy this message!

Still Standing: Setting Goals

Faith  

  Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true (Alma 32:21).
I am a daughter of Heavenly Father, who loves me. I have faith in His eternal plan, which centers on Jesus Christ, my Savior

Required Value Experiences

Complete the following three required value experiences. Have your parent or leader sign and date each experience after you finish.

1

The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Learn about faith from the scriptures and living prophets. Read Hebrews 11; Alma 32:17–43; Ether 12:6–22; and Joseph Smith—History 1:11–20. Read two general conference talks on faith. Exercise your own faith by establishing a habit of prayer in your life. Begin by regularly saying your morning and evening prayers. After three weeks of following this pattern, discuss with a parent or leader what you have learned about faith and how daily personal prayer has strengthened your faith. In your journal express your feelings about faith and prayer.


I've decided to try and get my YW medallion, especially since in order for an adult woman to get it we only have to do the first 3 experiences in each value,  no projects.  I'm excited!  

Eating Healthier

I have been wanting to find an easy way to start eating healthier.  Especially now that I am working full time.  I work sitting at a computer a lot and I need to snack from time to time.  I want to start making my daily routine a bit more productive in the healthy living department.  So, I am starting something new this week.  I'll tell you how it goes if it works for me.  But in the mean time I found this awesome list of low calorie healthy snacks to eat during the day.  I love variety!  I mean who likes to eat the same things all the time? Not me!  So, here's a list I found on the internet that I am excited about using.

28 Low Calorie Healthy snacks 

1. One can Low Sodium V-8 100% Vegetable Juice
(30 calories, 1 gram of protein, 0 grams fat, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber, 80 mg sodium)
2. 14 Whole Natural Almonds
(80 calories, 3 grams of protein, 7 grams total fat, .5 grams saturated fat, 1.5 grams dietary fiber)
3. 1 small box of raisins
(130 calories, 1 gram of protein, 0 grams total fat, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams dietary fiber)
4. Fruit, sliced and packed in plastic mini-bags, or whole
(Think apples, bananas, oranges, grapes, and more…)
5. Sliced Veggies
(Cut them up and keep stored in the refrigerator so they are ready to go. Think carrots and beyond such as sweet peppers both green and red, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, snow peas, celery, cucumbers, fennel, and radishes. Calories vary but you can eat a cup or so any of these for less than 100 calories.)
6. Babybel Light Cheese with 50 calories per piece.
7. Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedge with 35 calories a wedge.
8. 3/4 cup Kashi Heart to Heart Cereal
(110 calories, 4 grams of protein, 1.5 grams total fat, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams dietary fiber. How about ½ cup Kashi Heart to Heart with 1 Tbsp. of either raisins or craisins for a total of about 100 calories. Makes a great low calorie, crunchy and sweet trail mix.)
9. ¾ cup Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran
(90 calories with 5 grams of dietary fiber, 2 grams of protein, only 0.5 grams saturated fat)
10. ½ cup Quaker Oatmeal Squares
(105 calories with 2.5 grams of dietary fiber, 3 grams of protein, negligible saturated fat)
11. ½ of a Balance Bar
(Full bar has about 200 calories, 14 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, 22 grams of carbohydrates)
12. ½ of a Luna Bar
(Full bar has about 180 calories, 10 grams of protein, 4.5 grams of fat, and 24 grams of carbohydrates)
UPDATE: I’ve now learned that you can buy a box of Luna minis each of which has only 80 calories. You get 18 snack-size bars with 6 each of 3 different flavors: White Chocolate Macadamia, Peanut Butter Cookie, and Lemon Zest. They’re pretty good! Available at Walmart and elsewhere.
Another good choice is Larabar. These bars can be purchased 12 mini bars per box with 90-100 calories each. The three flavors offered include Cherry Pie, Cashew Cookie, and Apple Pie.
13. 2 medium Kiwis
(90 calories or 45 calories each. Do watch how you transport these they will bruise easily!)
14. 1 carton Vanilla Soy Milk
(120 calories, 7 grams of protein, 4 grams of total fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber)
15. 1 carton of low-fat plain or flavored yogurt with 100 calories or less
(Read the labels there are a number of choices. (Keep in mind that yogurt is highly perishable so remember to eat within 2 hours of taking out of the refrigerator or keep cold in an insulated bag. Examples: Dannon Light Nonfat Yogurt with 50 calories.)
16. Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop 94% Fat-free Butter Microwave Popcorn
(Has only 110 calories for a full mini-bag that makes about 6 cups of popcorn with 3 grams of protein, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 4 grams of dietary fiber)
17. Finger food puffs
(I haven’t tried this but I know others who say the “finger food” puffs made for babies are a great treat. They come in flavors such as strawberry, cherry, sweet potato, banana, and apple cinnamon. Evidently you can eat as many as 80 for only 25 calories! I haven’t been able to verify this.)
18. String cheese
(Look for convenient individual packages or larger packs in a variety of brands. For example, Reduced Fat, Low Moisture Mozzarella String Cheese by Sargento has 50 calories each, 6 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of total fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of carbohydrate)
19. Individual fruit cups
(70 calories, 1 gram of protein, 0 grams fat, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber)
20. Organic Applesauce Cups
(Earth Kidz is one brand with 50 calories per cup, 0 grams protein, 0 grams fat, 13 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber.)
21. Pepperidge Farm whole-wheat mini bagels
(1 bagel has 100 calories, 4 grams of protein, 0.5 grams total fat, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of dietary fiber)
22. Mi-Del Old-fashioned “Swedish Style” Vanilla Snaps
(These are all natural, made with canola oil and have no trans fat. A serving size is 5 cookies with 130 calories, 4.5 grams of total fat, 21 grams of carbohydrates, and 1 gram of dietary fiber.)
23. Salmon Jerky
(1 package has 40 calories, 7 grams of protein, .5 grams fiber, 0 fat, 2 grams carbohydrate, 274 mg sodium. This product comes in various smoked flavors that are surprisingly good. I liked the Hot & Spicy Smoked Salmon Jerky. Can be ordered from Tony’s Smokehouse and Cannery in Oregon City, Oregon. http://www.tonyssmokehouse.com Sadly these are not cheap at $1.49 each and the shipping they charge is high! Know anyone in Oregon who could buy some for you?)
24. Reduced Fat Triscuits by Nabisco
(A serving of 7 crackers has 120 calories with 3 grams of protein, 3 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 21 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of dietary fiber.
25. Wasa Hearty Rye Crispbread
(45 calories per serving, 1 gram of protein, 0 grams of fat, 11 grams total carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber)
26. Rice Crisps with cheddar cheese and other flavors
(O.K. admittedly, this may be one of my least nutritious recommendations but it satisfies my desire for higher calorie snack foods and cheese which I have to limit at my age. As such, it provides a lot of great flavor for only a few calories per chip. The basic product is made by a number of different companies. The brand that I can find locally has 70 calories for a serving of about 9 chips with 25 calories from fat. It is not a whole grain product and has no fiber. The good news is that is has no saturated fat or trans fat!)
27. Grace’s Sunflower Seeds Petite Cookies
(These little cookies are deliciously satisfying. 6 cookies makes for a serving with 130 calories. Stick with just four or five for about 110 calories or less, 2 grams protein, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 15 grams of carbohydrate, 1 gram dietary fiber. You may have a hard time finding this particular brand where you live. If so, check your local natural foods co-op or health food store to see what else you might find.)
28. One Pomegranate
(Yes, this could get a little messy and be time consuming to eat but it is also very satisfying and nutritious. Look for the juicy flesh-covered seeds inside. One pomegranate has about 100 calories, 1 gram of protein, 0 grams of fat, 26 grams of carbohydrate, 1 gram of dietary fiber.)

P.S.  Don't ever say I never gave you anything! :) 
Happy Healthy Eating!
Enjoy!

Crocheting....my new favorite pass time...again

Recently I bought a small crocheted washcloth like these here.  I brought it home and was extremely impressed with the way it cleaned my granite counter tops.  So, I instantly fell in love with it and decided that I needed to learn how to crochet my own washcloths.  So, I enlisted the help of my friend Marie down the street who brought out several of her own and proceeded to teach me how to crochet them.

Here are a couple of green ones that I made and now I'm working on making more.  I am hoping to have several colorful ones made that I can sell at a boutique we are doing at the end of the month.

You need to use 100% cotton yarn for these and an "H" hook. Super easy and super strong washcloths.

Years ago when my kids were little I became friends with a young girl I met at girls camp.  She and I quickly became very close friends even though I am about 19 years older than her....what can I say, I'm young at heart;).  Anyway, she taught me how to crochet.  She used a very big hook like the blue one you see here.

Anyway, she made some blankets for my kids and then she taught me how to make them and I went crazy.  Seems like I made about 4 or 5 of them for different people.  So, since I started making the washcloths, I decided to make me another afghan of fall colors.  Here's the starting of my new one.  You do use 3 scanes of yarn at a time and you'll probably do this about 3 or 4 times.  I'll post the finshed product when I am done.  Crocheting is so relaxing and rewarding.  If I can do it....anyone can!

Perfect timing

So, General Conference just ended.  It's always sad when it ends.  You can feel it in the First Presidency's voices too.  They dont want to say goodbye anymore than we want them to leave.  However, I was just thinking how blessed we are with technology these days.  Every six months without fail we get to see them and listen to their words of wisdom and love and to see their smiling faces.  It is such a blessing! 

Well, this was all perfect timing I might add.....because....on Friday night as I was realizing that the week had come and gone and once again I was left without a job.  So, I was preparing myself for the coming week when I would be once again out looking for a job.  I had just come home from the store and it was 7pm.  I was in the kitchen talking to My Man and my oldest son when my phone rang.  I recognized the number and could not believe that the temp agency was calling me back.  They called to let me know that the company I had inteviewed with on Wednesday wanted to offer me the position with their company!  I was shocked!  It was so late.  But I guess it was the end of their day and they had made a decision.  Finally!  So, I now have a job.  It was thru a temp agency but the job is actually permanent if it all works out okay.  I'll tell you a bit about it......It is a fairly new company of a couple of years which is doing quite well.  They are an Internet Social Network Marketing Company.  There are 2 owners and and they have about 10 employees but one of the owners is in need of an Administrative Assistant to keep him organized and on his toes.  So, that's me!  I really dont know what to expect.  These guys are probably in their early early 30's.  They are doing pretty well and they have a very nice office in Provo....sooo.....we'll see.  I start tomorrow!  Wish me luck!