The Cycle of Life

I've been wondering ever since last night when we witnessed first hand a part of nature that is amazing and yet sad, if animals can move on after loosing their little ones. When a mother dog or cat have their babies taken from them, do they mourn the loss? When an aged animal dies, do other animals that knew it, feel the loss, too.

Last night, a mother grizzly and her two cubs killed a baby elk. The mother elk chased back and forth for quite some time after the baby was taken down. Everyone was in awe with this natural thing of nature and it was pretty fun seeing the baby cubs. But I couldn't help wonder if the mother elk hurt badly inside by her heart.

This morning we ran into a man (Jim)we met a couple of days ago as we were looking for wolves. We told him about our grizzly experience and I told him how I wondered about the animals' feelings. He referred me to a book "The Emotional Feelings of Animals" by Marc Beckoff (I hope this is right). Jim said that evidence shows that animals do have feelings and they have their way of showing respect for the dead. I thought, perhaps, this is a subject that parents could explore and teach their children about. Just a suggestion. I know I want to gain perspective.

The Adventures of Yellowstone

We've been having a lovely time in Yellowstone. I would recommend this trip to anyone who has a love of outdoor life and the animal kingdom. Also, if you want a chance to get to know your family better, confinement in a car for 8 or more hours gives you that chance. That's my suggestion today. Plan vacations with your family often.

Thus far, we have enjoyed seeing many bear. One sighting on Sunday with Grandpa and Grandma Bennett (before Joey and Michelle arrived) we saw a mother grizzly with 4 cubs. A man told us that this is only the 4th known quad births since 1945. Wow! That day we saw black bear and cubs twice and another grizzly.

Of course, we have seen elk, moose, deer, buffalo, mountain goats, marmot, squirrels, muskrat, geese, pelicans, cranes, osprey, and much scenery. The weather has been cooperative with snow, rain, sun, wind, and cooler temperatures.

We were sad when grandpa and grandma announced yesterday morning that they were going home in time to see Roger before he leaves on his trip. I think grandpa just can't sit still for many days before he gets antsy.

Best wish to all. The vacations teach you a lot about loved ones and it certainly helps teach one how to open up and communicate more. Love to all.

101 Ways to Praise Your Child

Yesterday I gave you 101 ways to be a child. Now, today, I give you 101 ways to praise your child:

Wow, Way to go, Super, You’re Special, Outstanding, Excellent, Great, Good, Neat, Well Done, Remarkable, I knew you could do it, I’m proud of you, Fantastic, Super Star, Nice work, Looking good, You’re on top of it, Beautiful, Now you’re flying, You’re catching on, Now You’ve got it, You’re incredible, Bravo, You’re fantastic, Hurray for you, You’re on target, You’re on your way, How nice, How smart, Good job, That’s incredible, Hot dog, Dynamite, You’re beautiful, You’re unique, Nothing can stop you now, Good for you, I like you, You’re a winner, Remarkable job, Beautiful work, Spectacular, You’re spectacular, You’re darling, You’re precious, Great discovery, You’ve discovered the secret, You figured it out, Fantastic job, Hip, hip, hurray, Bingo, Magnificent, Marvelous, Terrific, You’re important, Phenomenal, You’re sensational, Super work, Creative job, super job, Out of this world, Exceptional performance, You’re a real trooper, You are responsible, You are exciting, You learned it right, What an imagination, What a good listener, You are fun, You’re growing up, You tried hard, You care, Beautiful sharing, Outstanding performance, You’re a good friend, I trust you, You’re important, You mean a lot to me, You make me happy, you belong, You’ve got a friend, You make me laugh, You brighten my day, Good listening, I respect you, You mean the world to me, That’s correct, You’re a joy, You’re a treasure, You’re wonderful, You’re perfect, Awesome, A+ job, You’re A-O-K my buddy, You made my day, That’s the best, A big hug, A big kiss, “I love you.”

PS: Remember, a smile is worth 1000 words!

101 Ways to be a Child

We are told we should become as little children so I am always searching for ways to do so. I thought you might enjoy a trip down imagination’s lane with these ideas I found in an old school teacher’s looseleaf at the very front of the book.

Climb trees, Blow bubbles, Play in Sandboxes, Make mud pies, Pick Four-leaf Clovers, Take Naps, Fingerpaint, Cut my own hair, fight dragons, Drink lemonade, Go barefoot, Make prank phone calls, Jump rope, Consult imaginary friends, Save pennies, Take bubble bathes, Read Dr. Suess, Have sleep-overs, Pick apples, Walk in the rain, Be Tarzan, Be a princess, Shoot BB guns, Play kissing tag, Sing in the shower, Look at the sky, Have picnics, Feed the ducks, Build snowmen, Shout as loud as I want, Smell flowers, Fall down and get up, Go to the beach, Leave my clothes on the floor, Daydream, Play cowboys and Indians, Have show and tell, Stay up late, Act sill, Ride bikes, Wander around, Eat dessert before dinner, Dance, Color on walls, Roll down grassy hills, watch cartoons, Be spontaneous, Ice skate, Visit the zoo, Ask lots of questions, Play practical jokes, Swing on swings, Run through sprinklers, Listen to music, Find the end of rainbows, Eat Lucky Charms, Build hideouts, love, Make friends with the other kids on the block, Share, Have grass fights, Build sandcastles, Search for hidden treasure, Lick icicles, Collect spiders, Make believe, Sleep in, Run up the down escalator, Watch scary movies, Jump, Play hopscotch, Fight pirates, Celebrate birthday parties, Have pillow fights, Do nothing, Play hide and seek, Eat ice cream cones, Run in wild fields, Count stars, Ride the carousel, Jump in mud puddles, Buy toys, Climb in dryers, Tell ghost stories, Fly kites, Be a clown, Play with matches, Dress up, Say hello to everyone, Eat Jello with my fingers, Go to the park, Leave my bed unmade, Eat cotton candy, Feel joy, Talk with animals, Wear yesterday’s socks, Pick dandelions, Keep secrets, Learn new stuff, Laugh and cry, Hold hands, Follow my heart.

How are you doing? I have concluded that there is still a lot of kid in me and I bet there is in you, too!

A Zest For Life

I am writing this to women but it could be adapted to a man with the use of a little imagination on his part.

We all know women who have that “special glow.” They can walk in a room and people feel better. People are drawn to these women like bees to a flower; attracted by their joyous attitudes and loving smiles. These women are not party girls nor are they necessarily beautiful. Such women are often quiet and you would not look twice at them in a crowd. But there is something that draws you to these kind of women. They warm your heart—make you feel better about life. These women embrace life with their whole hearts—with passion!

Ask yourself: Am I a woman of passion? Do I embrace life with my whole heart? Do I love God with all of my being? Or, do I hang back, lukewarm and afraid to fully commit myself to the adventure of living? Here are some ways you can embrace life and cultivate passion:

1) Appreciate life itself. Enjoy the details of God’s Creation. Rejoice in the small things as well as the large. Look around you and see how amazing and wondrous life is.
2) Seek out new experiences. Live your life as an adventure—never let it become a routine chore. Always be open to learning something new.
3) Be active, not passive. Don’t sit around and let life pass you by. Join in. Don’t sit back and complain. Get up out of your chair and play. Try an experiment. See if you can go 24 hours without complaining. Then, make a gratitude list with the title “I Am Thankful For…”on a sheet of paper with three headings underneath the title and across the top: “Things,” “People,” “Other.” List what you are thankful for as they apply to each heading. After you have made your list, read it four times in a twenty-four hour period. Really try to sense the gratitude you should feel for all that you have.
4) Cultivate beauty. Plant a garden. Put flowers on your kitchen table. Buy something you consider lovely and wear it proudly. Go to a museum or and art gallery. Take up a new hobby such as painting or quilting. Create beauty as well as enjoying it.
5) Reach out to others. Smile often. Get to know people who are different from you . Appreciate and enjoy their differences. Really listen when you are in a conversation. Give each person your full attention—including your children and your husband. Show affection. Be encouraging.
6) Add spice and color to your days. Try new foods, new recipes from exotic places. Learn new forms of exercise. Get in touch with your body. Stretch your body. Break up your routine. Surprise your husband by planning a date. Give him a gift for no occasion— “just because….” Be spontaneous and do something fun on the spur of the moment.
7) Lighten up. In other words cultivate your sense of humor. Laugh more. Take to heart the biblical command to “Rejoice in the Lord always.”
8) Share your blessings with others.
9) Never be afraid to be passionate about your faith. Love God with your whole heart, mind, body, and spirit. He will be your never-failing source of passion and zest for life.

Here are just a few things you might consider doing: 1) Sign up for a class in a subject that intrigues you. 2) Create a new recipe. 3) Try a new restaurant or order a new dish the next time you go out to eat. 4) Throw a party for all your friends—just to celebrate life. 5) Read a travel book or adventure story. 6) Plan a trip to an exotic locale that you would love to see.

How will doing any or all of the above apply to strengthening your family? Well, let me just say, “If mamma ain’t happy there ain’t nobody goin’ to be happy.” Or as my husband says, “Happy wife, happy life.” Or, “When your cup is full, you can better share with others.” (Please note that some of my thoughts come from inspiration from a little book entitled, “Checklist for Life For Women, pp. 158-160)

What Can I Learn From a Child?

This morning as I read from the Book of Mormon in Mosiah 3:18-19, about becoming as a little child, I had the thought, "blessed are they that have little children in their midst; and wise are they that take the time to be with them, play with them, try to understand them and learn from them." They are our teachers (if we will let them)—here to teach us how to become what Heavenly Father would have us be—submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things that Father sees fit to inflict upon us.

For a long time I have known—if you want to learn about someone, you spend time in their home. The same holds true to learn how to become like a little child, one must spend time with children doing the things that they do.

Many of us have this blessed gift right before us and we fail to see it. Cherish the gift and enjoy it!

Something to Think About; Something to Talk About

As I read the following scriptures and commentary this morning, I thought that it was something to remember and apply and teach to our families on a regular basis—we must never forget:

“And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him. And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?” (Mosiah 2: 23-24)

To go with this, I read the following by Joseph F. Smith:

“I believe that one of the greatest sins of which the inhabitants of the earth are guilty today is the sin of ingratitude, the want of acknowledgement, on their part, of God and his right to govern and control. We see a man raised up with extraordinary gifts, or with great intelligence, and he is instrumental in developing some great principle. He and the world ascribe his great genius and wisdom to himself, He attributes his success to his own energies, labor and mental capacity. He does not acknowledge the hand of God in anything connected with his success, but ignores him altogether and takes the honor to himself; this will apply to almost all the world. In all the great modern discoveries in science, in the arts, in mechanics, and in all material advancement of the age, the world says, ‘We have done it.’ The individual says, ‘I have done it,’ and he gives no honor or credit to God. Now, I read in the revelations through Joseph Smith, the prophet, that because of this, God is not pleased with the inhabitants of the earth but is angry with them because they will not acknowledge his hand in all things.” (Gospel Doctrine pp. 270-71)

Brigham Young said:

“We are not our own, we are bought with a price, we are the Lord’s; our time, our talents, our gold and silver, our wheat and fine flour, our wine and our oil, our cattle, and all there is on this earth that we have in our possession is the Lord’s….
“...There is no man who ever made a sacrifice on this earth for the Kingdom of heaven, that I know anything about, except the Savior. He drank the bitter cup to the dregs, and tasted for every man and for every woman, and redeemed the earth and all things upon it. But he was God in the flesh, or he could not have endured it. ‘But we suffer, we sacrifice, we give something, we have preached so long.’ What for? ‘Why, for the Lord.’ I would not give the ashes of a rye straw for the man who feels that he is making sacrifice for God. We are doing this for our own happiness, welfare and exaltation, and for nobody else’s. This is the fact, and what we do, we do for the salvation of the inhabitants of the earth, not for the salvation of the heavens, the angels, or the Gods.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, pp. 176-77)

A Project With Each of Your Children or Grandchildren

Yesterday, I had a delightful time in an effort to complete a five-generation pedigree chart on a few of my family lines. The time spent was so pleasurable that I was amazed that five hours had passed without even an urge to eat or sleep or move around. Now, this morning, the thought struck me for a wonderful activity with your children.

Why not prepare a pedigree chart for each of them to display in their bedroom. One could make it as simple or as eloquent (with pictures, etc.) as desired. The fun of doing it together is what I am envisioning. There are so many internet sites that would enable you to find records and pictures of ancestors. I found success by Googling names that I knew and wallaaaa… there was the name. Of course, not every name was easy to find, but I did have lots of success. In fact, just for fun, I followed one name through and it carried me almost exactly to 1000 AD! (Of course I had to write them all down on the back of my poster-size pedigree chart for future reference.)

I am confident your children will be amazed with the names, dates and places of birth and deaths that you will find about your ancestors. I can’t wait to tell my Rachael Ann about an ancestor with the name of Rachel Ann Canarda. She was born in Tennessee in 1813. I didn’t even know we had ancestors from Tennessee!

Anyway, you get the idea I hope. Spend some pleasurable time making these pedigree charts with your children or grandchildren and I know you’ll never have any regrets.

Plan a Fox and the Hound Night (Perhaps for Family Home Evening tomorrow night)

First, watch the Movie “The Fox and the Hound. Be sure to include popcorn or other treats. After the movie play this new version (to me) of a very old game—Checkers. It’s called “Fox and Hounds.” Perhaps you could have a tournament to see who can win as the Fox the most. Here’s the details:

What You Need:
Checker board
5 checkers (1 of one color and 4 of the second color)
Instructions:

1) First, decide who will be the fox (a single checker of one color) and who will be the hounds (4 checkers of the second color). Set up the “hounds” on one end of the board on black squares. The “fox” can choose any of the black squares in the row at the opposite end of the game board.

2) The pieces are moved diagonally as in checkers, one square at a time, but the hounds can only go forward, while the fox can go backward too. There's no jumping or capturing; the fox is always up against four hounds. Turns are taken alternately by the fox and then one of the hounds.

3) The hounds win by trapping the fox (so he can't make any more moves); the fox wins by evading the hounds and making his way to one of the hounds' home squares.

You may need more than one Checkers games if you have multiple family members that can play. I have also thought that multiple players could be the hounds in a game and turns could be taken in a rotation basis. (One hound, then the fox, then a different hound, then the fox, then yet again, another hound and then the fox. And so on.) This would take team work on the part of the different hounds. But hey, in a real fox hunt, everyone has to cooperate to catch the fox, too. I don’t know if this would work since I have no multiple family members at my home right now but I think it could be pretty fun.

Some Good Questions to Ask Yourself Often

Here’s are some questions I think everyone should ask herself:

“If I don't change what I'm doing each day, will I ever get what I want or achieve the goals I have for myself or my family?”

More Specifically: “Are my daily actions bringing me closer to my goals?” If not, don't expect things to change anytime soon.

What are your goals for yourself and for your family? If you don't know, take time, today, to get them firmly planted in your mind. Better yet, write them down, make a plan to accomplish them. Give yourself a target date to accomplish them. And then, always remember the check-up question that I first asked.

Enough said, today.

Scavenger Hunt a Room

My purpose in writing, so often, is to give ideas that are quick and easy and that can add to spontaneous family interaction. I don’t know that it matters how quirky the idea may seem, the important thing is that time be spent together as a family having fun, being silly, and never too critical. Just laugh—have fun—be together. Keeping these things in mind here’s today’s idea.

This could be instigated by a parent but I’ll bet your children will soon be wanting to create their own scavenger hunts in different rooms of the house (and I can picture some of my sweet, great nephews creating them at the cabin, in the chapel [but let’s be reverent], or at Grandma’s).

Here’s a list of things to look for in a room. (You may wish to adapt it to your room.) Challenge each child to find at least one answer to every question:
1) What is made of wood? 2) What is made of plastic? 3) What is made of metal? 4) What is taller than you are? 5) What is shorter than you are? 6) Can you find something that starts with the letter “J?” 7) Find something that is orange. 8) Can you name something that has corners? 9) What has wheels? 10) Can you find something that is too heavy for you to lift by yourself? 11) Is there something in the room that you can see through? 12) Can you find something that locks? 13) Can you find something that buttons? 14) Can you find something that is rough? 15) Can you find something that is round? 16) Can you find something that hangs?

Parents, be sure to help younger children participate. Also, be sure to allow time for everyone to share what they found at the end of the activity. Older siblings could certainly create their own scavenger hunts—even out doors in the yard.

Another Activity for Summertime Fun

We’ll call this “Library Book Hunt.” This activity will help keep your child’s reading skills up to par for the return to school in the fall. Here’s what you do. On a 3 x 5 card make a form that says “In the library, I want to find a book about: (Then list the following) an animal, an athlete, a detective, a monster, a mystery, an outer space adventure, United States History, a scientist, a famous person, a family, a holiday, a place I would like to travel, an ocean adventure, and other (child’s choice). Now, make as many cards as there are children and give one to each of them. Have them put their names on their cards. Then, by the subject they wish to borrow a book about, have them put a check mark. It’s now time to go to the library.

Ask the librarian to explain the basic layout of the room, then let your children inspect the shelves until they each find the type of book they indicated they wanted on their 3 x 5 card.

This would be a really nice one-on-one activity for mom or dad to go on with just one child at a time. Repeat visits during the summer would help your child complete the project I described on May 7, 2010.

We’ll make good readers out of them yet!

— “What’s in Your Name” Game for families with children that can read and write.

Start out by asking your children, “What belongs to you, but other people use it more than you do?” The answer: "Your name!"

Now, write down all participating family member’s names (first and last) on the top of individual papers. Mix them up and pass one name to each participant. If someone gets his own name, trade it with someone else. Now the fun begins.

With a set time period, challenge participants to create as many words as they can from the letters in the name at the top of their paper.

After the set time period has elapsed, have each participant read the words he was able to find.

If you wanted to, you could then talk about names and your family name and how important it is to live so that the name is always thought of “for good.”

How Much Work Should a Child Work if a Good Child Should Work Could?

I know, the title is pretty lame, but I thought of it after watching a Wood Chuck in our yard today. (I’m writing this on Saturday.) My son, Shaun, was working (hard) on a project and the wood chuck was diverting Shaun’s attention from the work that needed to be done. I thought of the tongue twister, “How much wood would a wood chuck, chuck, if a wood chuck could chuck wood?”

I had already decided that I would write about our family’s policy for work when our children were growing up. And since there have been many a time we have been asked why our children are such hard workers, I thought I might share our policy.

When our children were in school, their main jobs were to be sure that homework was done because that was their work. In addition, 1/2 hour chore was required each day. During the summer, 1 hour of work was required each day. (Of course, Sunday was and is always observed as a day of rest.) On Saturdays, everyone worked until the work was done and then we played together if plans were such or the children were free to play the things of their choice. If they complained of boredom, they were warned that we could find something more for them to do if they wanted to complain. Thus, they learned to use their free time with discretion. If we announced, “the ox is in the mire,” that meant everyone was needed for a longer period of time and everyone pitched in. Our children would sometimes complain that their friends didn’t have to work but we tried to teach our children that life is not a free ride and since they were a part of our family they needed to work, too. We had to remind them once in a while that if dad or mom decided to quit working, and if other families parents quit working, society would pretty much fall apart. If the children claimed to be too tired or sick to work, we insisted that they must stay in bed and act the part of a sick person. Truly, if the children felt well, it wasn’t long until they wanted to be up helping with the work because it surely beat staying in bed all day.

When the children were old enough to do laundry, they were responsible for their own laundry. Of course, this meant that sometimes the washer and dryer were used non-stop on Saturdays and when the children were teens, clothes were laundered more frequently than we parents thought necessary, but laundry was certainly not a big deal for them when they went to college, on missions, or got married. Cooking was encouraged as soon as the children could read and understand how to follow a recipe. And, if they made messes while cooking, they knew they had to help clean them up, too.

When our sons were old enough, they went to work with Jeff occasionally. (We were blessed to have our own business.) When they turned 16, they worked whenever they could to earn money for their expenses.

I guess our children’s confidence waxed strong in the area of work because it was always part of their life and they learned how much could be accomplished in just 1/2 hour or 1 hour a day. Like anything else, steady and slow accomplishes the goal.

Family Home Evening--The Responsibility of Choice

Once a month I make a Family Home Evening Lesson to share with those who are in my church. I thought others may benefit from this, too. I apologize to those in my church who may have already used this lesson. Here it is:

LESSON IDEA:“The Responsibility of Choice” Please adjust lessons to age, time & needs of your family members.
Hymn #240, “Know This, That Every Soul Is Free”
Scriptures to Reference: Moses 4:1, 3; Moses3:15-17; Moses 5:15.

David O. McKay said the above “three passages demonstrate three fundamentals of life. First, that the Lord considered man’s free agency, his right to choose, so vital that he permitted what is referred to as a war in heaven; so vital that those who were with him in the spirit world had their choice to follow the dictator, known as the Evil One.

“The second was the privilege that those first parents had to take upon themselves mortality. You may choose, but remember, if you choose to take upon yourselves that mortality referred to as The Fall, then you shut yourselves out from his presence and you ‘shall surely die.’

“Third, Adam heard the voice of God ‘toward the garden.’ And the Lord gave him commandments, and said: ‘Offer unto me (Unto God) the firstlings of your flocks,’ and by inference we conclude ‘the best that you raise in the garden and the field.’ See what that means in developing spirituality? The first of the flock is the most luscious, the most tender, the best fleece. Selfishness, the animal nature, would say, ‘I want that,’ but God, knowing that the highest purpose of man is to develop the spirit within him, said, ‘Give the firstlings to God, thinking not of self, but of something higher.’ What a sublime purpose! What an essential purpose! It was as if the Lord said: ‘You who live in the earth need the experience to know good from evil, and to live not for yourself but for God. Whatever you do, do in his name. Therein is glimpsed the whole purpose of life.’” (Stepping Stones to an Abundant Life, pp 47-49.)

Goethe said, “Life is a quarry, out of which we are to mold and chisel and complete a character.”
We can choose but we must always remember, “For inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me.” (D&C 42:38) We can choose:
1) Selfishness or we can deny ourselves for the good of others.
2) Indulgence of appetite, passion, or we can develop restraint & self-control.
3) Licentiousness or chastity.
4) We can encourage hate or develop love.
5) We can practice cruelty or we can be kind.
6) We can be cynical or we can be sanguine—hopeful.
7) We can be traitorous—disloyal to those who love us, to our country, to the Church or to God or we can choose to be loyal.
8) We can be deceitful or we can be honest and have “our word be our bond.”
9) We can be slanderous or we can control our tongue.

No matter what problem you face in your daily life, always remember:

You are the person who has to decide
Whether you’ll do it or toss it aside.
You are the person who makes up your mind
Whether you’ll lead or will linger behind
Whether you’ll try for the goal that’s far
Or just be contented to stay where you are.

Whatever it is you are wanting to be,
Remember, to fashion the choice you are free.
Kindly or selfish, or gentle or strong,
Keeping the right way or taking the wrong,
Careless of honor or guarding your pride, All these are questions which you must decide.

Yours the selection, whichever you do;
The thing men call character’s all up to you.
(author unknown)

At this point in the lesson, you might ask family members if the world would be a better place if everyone tried to live the above 9 positive sides of the choices listed. If they can see that doing good to others, having self-control, being chaste, kind, etc. would make the world a better place, you can bear testimony that these things are true and right because the world would be a better place and our Father in Heaven and Jesus would be very pleased.

Refreshment idea: Make two or three desserts for family members to choose from. Tell them they can only choose one. Make all desserts look nice but make one particularly attractive and appealing. In this dessert add salt instead of sugar. Then, when one or all family members eat this, point out that they chose it. Make the comparison that there are always choices to be made in life and often the things that seem to be the funnest, most adventurous, most beautiful, etc. can be very appealing. One must be prayerful and cautious and look for possible consequences for choices that face them. A guide might be to ask themselves: “What would Jesus do?” “Would my choice help make the world a better, safer place?”

Guide for Responsible Decision Making

1- Define the problem.
2- Explore the alternatives.
3- Apply criteria for responsible decision making to each alternative:

***Would the results of my decision be healthful?
***Would the results of my decision be safe?
***Would the results of my decision be legal?
***Would the results of my decision show respect for others?
***Would the results of my decision follow my parent’s or guardian’s guidelines?

4- Identify values.
5- Make a prayerful, responsible decision and act upon it.
6- Evaluate your actions.


A CHANCE FOR THE FAMILY TO INTERACT:

Prepare in advance:
A Pot of soup or stew.
Attach spoons to arm-length dowels or get enough arm-length wooden spoons for each family member. Be prepared to attach a spoon to each family member’s arm by tying or taping the spoons above the elbow and on the forearm thus making it impossible to bend the elbow (You’ll understand why in a minute).
Read the following story so that you can understand the purpose for the long spoons.
Without telling family members the story, invite them to eat their soup or stew. Have fun with this. Take pictures, laugh, enjoy.
Later, you can share the story if needed. And if there are those that never thought of helping each other, assure them that that’s why we are still on earth—to learn from our experience. Ask them what they might do to assure that if a similar experience occurs in a real-life situation, that they will “think” to put others before themselves.

STORY (author unknown): A man had a dream that he had a conversation with the Lord and he asked, “Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.” So, the Lord led the man to two doors.

He opened one of the doors and the man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the man’s mouth water.

The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But, because the handle was long and attached to the length of their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.

The man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

The Lord said, “You have seen Hell.”

The Lord led the man to the next room and opened the door. Everything in the room appeared to be the same. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the man’s mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well-nourished and plump and they were laughing and talking. The man turned to the Lord and said, “I don’t understand.”

“It is simple,” said the Lord. “It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.” Again, it’s all about CHOICE!

Ask yourself: Which position would I find myself in? Remember, when Christ died on the cross, he was thinking of you. Remember, “I will always share my spoon with you.”

Lazy Lady Stew

2 lbs. cubed stew meat
10 oz. pkg. frozen peas or 16 oz can of tiny peas
1 C sliced carrots
2 onions, chopped
2 potatoes, pared and sliced
1 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 can cream of tomato soup
1/2 soup can water
1 bay leaf

Serves 4: Mix all ingredients in a large casserole. Cook, covered, in a 275 degree oven for 6 hours. The stew meat can be put in frozen, but increase the cooking time by 1 hour. Not only is this stew delicious, but it is unbelievably easy. Serve with Home Style Cornbread and a green salad. (You can easily double or triple these proportions and feed a crowd.)

Home Style Cornbread

1 C yellow cornmeal
1 C flour
1/4 C sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C milk
1 egg
1/4 C vegetable oil

Make 1 dozen muffins, 14 corn sticks or 1 8-inch square pan: Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk, egg and shortening and beat until smooth. Pour into greased or lined muffin tins, or corn stick pans and bake at 425 degrees 15-20 minutes. It can also be baked in a greased 8-inch square pan at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

A Book Of Their Own In No Time At All

I have few regrets concerning my life. Today, however, I do wish to share one thing that I wish I would have had the insight to do—to follow through on, and that is helping each of my children to start a journal, a book written by them in their handwriting, illustrated by them, told in their own words.

It really would have been quite simple if I had established a time each day or each week for journaling and made that time sacred. I think...no...I know I was always too focused on “get the work done so we can relax and watch a good show on television or a movie in the VCR.” (Here’s the subject of the blasted TV again. My! It’s a time waster!)

At any rate, I know I don’t remember the shows we watched; but I surely would like to remember some of the things my children said and the things they did. I would love to read from a journal that they wrote. And, I am sure my children would like to read about their experiences and thoughts of childhood, too.

A few weeks ago, I found a box of things my daughter, Michelle, kept from her school years. There were little books her teachers had had her make that were so precious. As I read some of her thoughts in her childhood handwriting, I had the thought that I had no idea she was really concerned about certain things. In recent years she has told me of her childhood concerns and I had wondered how exact Michelle’s memory really was; but now, here I found these concerns written down and they had been real.

So, take some advice from someone that can tell you what you will regret if your children grow up too soon and you have no record of their childhood from their perspective. Have your children start journaling! Be firm on this. Have your whole family start sitting down together with a journal in front of each person and have each family member write about his day and or week. Encourage each writer to record personal experiences, funny incidents, scary moments, exciting times, hopes and wishes, unusual dreams, personal thoughts, things learned in school, holiday fun and summertime happenings.

If you are faithful in daily or weekly writing time, it won’t be long before each family member will have written a book. Then, I know you will have no regrets.

A Mother's Day Gift

This would be neat for children to make for mothers or your family could work together and make them for the grandmas in their lives. It is really quite simple and very inexpensive but it could be a treasure for a long time.

Flower Pot Bell

What you’ll need:
small clay pot
large wooden bead
string or twine
paint
flat wooden paddle to catch the wind

Directions:
Turn the clay pot upside down and decorate with acrylic paints. Be creative! The kids hand prints, a simple picture, fun designs, anything goes! (Hint: paint pens or markers are as easy to use) Even little your littlest scribbler can enjoy decorating his upside-down pot! (Optional: spray with craft sealant to preserve for years to come!)

To assemble: Loop the twine and make a BIG knot in it. Run the loop through the hole of the pot so that it can be used for hanging your wind bell. Run the other end of the twine through the wooden bead so that the bead will clack against the insides of the pot. Make a hole in the flat paddle and insert the end of the string and tie to keep in place. (This "paddle" can be a flat wooden shape sold at craft stores or a used lid from a canning jar—anything that will catch the wind - why not paint it, too?!) Hang your wind bell and enjoy!

Make Plans for Summertime Reading

I think the following idea (if followed through with) would be very beneficial for your child and the outcome would be a treasure to be talked about and remembered for years to come.

Get a sketch pad or binder with blank paper for each child. Have art supplies ready for all. Now, have your children read books of their choosing during the summer. Each time your child finishes reading a book, ask him to write down the book’s title and author. Then have him draw his favorite scene from the story. As each picture is completed, add it to the child's binder.

This binder will grow thicker as more and more books are read and illustrations are made. Can you imagine Grandma admiring the creative work? Can you imagine your child’s sense of accomplishment as he reviews all the books read and pictures drawn. Over a period of time, your budding artist may even see improvement in his art ability. I wish I would have had this motivation as a child. I loved to draw but could never think of new things to draw. Books could really give way to your child’s imagination with drawing.

DOOR TRIVIA

This might be something fun and that you might wish to start planning for school’s end and summertime stimulation. Post different trivia questions on a main door in your home (perhaps the drinking glass cupboard door). Challenge your children to find the an answer to that day’s question by the following evening for dinner. Then, have an enjoyable table conversation about what was learned. Of course, in the beginning you may need to give help in teaching your children how to investigate, but hey, isn’t this your goal—to have more ways to interact positively with your children? This has many benefits for the doing. Your child has something fun and stimulating to do each day. He keeps his mind open to learning. You will have things to talk about around the dinner table. As already mentioned, you will have a motivation for positive interaction.

To make this even more fun, you could create a rewards program if the reward of “learning” is not enough. 1) If you have more than one child participating, participants of each day could have their name put in box for a drawing that is held weekly or monthly. 2) You could have a prize box for participants to choose from. 3) The winning child of the day could be excused from a chore. 4) Coupons could be earned by a point system and then redeemed when earned. I guess part of the fun of this idea is for you to decide what would best fit the needs of your family. Even the “door question” could be made specifically for each child in the family according to age and you could color code the child’s question thus older children’s questions could be harder than younger children’s questions.

Now, here is a list of possible questions you might ask (just to get your brain flowing):

1) Where was George Washington born? 2) How old is Mickey Mouse? 3) What is the world’s longest river? 4) What is the world’s tallest mountain? 5) How many Presidents of the United States have their been? 6) How heavy was the heaviest person in the world? 7) Why do people’s voices changes when the breath in helium? 8) Why do people hiccup? 9) Why do leaves change color in the fall? 10) What famous people share your birthday?

One Way to a Man’s Heart

Today is my sweetheart, Jeff’s, birthday. Of all he could have asked for, for his birthday, he wants me to make him his chicken pot pie. It’s really quite simple to make but this is the pie he raves about. When I make it, he does something that he has never done for any other meal—he talks about it for a few days past the pleasure of it. Through the years, I have often asked Jeff what he would like for dinner and he has always said, “Anything.” Now, if I ask him, he will say, “How about one of your fantastic meat pies?” Thus, today I share a pie recipe that is a direct way to my man’s heart. Maybe your sweetheart will love it too!

Chicken Pot Pie:
2 C cubed cooked chicken (or turkey)
1 C sliced carrots
1 C chopped onions
1 can cream of chicken soup
Milk (to brush on pie crust)
1/4 C chopped celery
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 C butter
1 C diced potatoes
1 can of corn or frozen corn
Pastry for 2 crusts (When I have limited time, I buy pre-made crusts in the refrigerator section of the store. Now, making the pie is not so overwhelming, either.)

In a frying pan, melt the butter and add the thyme and pepper. Add the carrots, onions, celery and potatoes. Turn frequently. Sauté until carrots and potatoes are almost tender. Stir in soup, chicken and corn. Add filling to a 9” pastry-lined pie dish. Lay the other pastry on top. (Be sure to vent.) Brush top pastry with milk (This makes the top golden brown when baked.) Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy! Serves 4 people if your husband loves it like mine does or 8 people if they can control themselves.

Note, if there is too much filling, save the leftovers for lunch the next day. They are great without a crust.

Additional Note: I love to make a beef version by frying 1 lb. of hamburger with the onions. I then add the butter and seasonings and all of the vegetables and fry them until tender. I then add the can of soup or about 2 cups of brown gravy. (Jeff likes the brown gravy.) Instead of corn I might add peas. Jeff loves this version, too.

I hope this will add to your collection of recipes that lead you to your man’s heart. Oh, and I love it, too!!!

Travel Fun and Interaction

I think the reason I love to get in a car with my family and go is because I then have them confined for a period of time. This means real togetherness. Travel time (anywhere) can be valuable if one recognizes the blessings of it and takes advantage of it. So, here are two suggestions.

1) Carry a small hymn book & a booklet of camp songs and silly songs. I keep mine in the glove compartment. Just sing, and sing and sing!

2) Make a Travel Fun Pack. Here’s what I would suggest you put in it: A) a ball (small and bouncy) B) a sewing kit for quick repairs, C) paper, pencils, pens, crayons, etc. D) finger puppets, E) a deck or two of cards, F) magnets, G) a yo-yo, g) travel games, H) a small mirror, I) snacks (make sure you rotate these often and that they are good in heat) J) a list of quick, interactive travel games to remind you what can be played. K) a few book to read, L) an almanac, M) Story CD’s—just be sure you turn the story off once in a while and talk about the story’s message. N) A flashlight. O)Some water, P) Some blankets. Q) Anything else that applies to the "likes" of your family. ***Please note that this is not a list of things for an emergency kit for your car. These are ideas for your family to have on hand for travel fun and added pleasure.

Family Time Together

If you ask a child, “What make your family happy?” He might answer, “When we get along.” More often than not, however, a child will answer, “When we do things together.” Surprisingly, because this is such a simple way to develop unity and solve the “when we get along” need, we overlook the solution of “doing things together.”

Here are a few questions to help you evaluate what your family could do to improve in the area of Family Time Together:

1) Are we spending family time in the way we would like? 2) If not, how would we like to spend our time together? 3) What things are preventing us from spending time together? 4) Are there things that we can change so that more time can be spent together as a family? 5) Could we calendar family time together? (Ah hah! Family Home Evening Night!) 6) Could we work on consistency?

Now, for a list of things one might consider for making the most out of your family time together:

1) Whenever possible, eat meals together as a family every day. Encourage conversation while eating (see Conversation Jar Idea). Make this a time where everyone is encouraged to slow down. 2) Exercise together as a family. Be it dancing, biking, hiking, walking, great satisfaction and memories will be created. 3) Play games together instead of watching television. 4) Establish family-favorite movies to be watched together as a family. Be sure to talk about “why” the movie is special—what message it gives, and have healthy snacks to go along with the show. 5) Find ways for your family to do community service together. 6) Have family projects and family chores where everyone works together. Have a family garden, family dusting, family pick-up. When the grandchildren come, I hear a song, “Clean-up, clean-up, everybody clean-up.” Soon, all of the grandchildren, mom and dad, and even grandma and grandpa start helping to pick up toys. Why do family chores together? Well, if you’re in the same room together, you’re bound to talk and play more with one another. I used to assign different rooms for each of my children to clean. If I had it to do over, I would have all of us work together—from cleaning rooms to washing dishes. Hey, I’m still amazed that there are more ways to “see things differently.” I love remembering, “There are more than two sides to a coin.” What do you think?

Some Helps for Children with Special Needs

“Playgroups are a great opportunity for a child with a physical disability to gain a little more motivation to move and to mimic the movements of other children. The child with a physical disability may need some Velcro to keep his hands on the handlebars of the tricycle and maybe his feet on the pedals, and then, certainly, a caregiver should be very close by while the child is riding on the ride-on toy. A child may need Velcro on a glove to help her catch a ball. Or a particular size paddle to help her bat at a beach ball. The idea is that the adult thinks ahead about the equipment so the child with the disability will be able to participate.” (Kristi Sayers Menear; Ph.D., CAPE Assistant Professor of Human Studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham)

I use the above as an introduction to “Special Needs” children. Because of my interest in “Special Needs” children brought on because of my grandson, Joe, I have learned that there is a natural love for nature that comes to these children. Without fail, if we have been in a store with Joe and then wheel him outside, he senses the fresh air coming and perhaps the rays of the sun in his face. He becomes animated with joy and begins to laugh the minute we burst into the fresh air—and it doesn’t matter how cold it is. I thought it was just his special spirit but I have since read that even children with ADHD “find their symptom decreased with any kind of direct exposure to nature,” Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, has said and concludes, “We’re beginning to learn that playing outdoors in nature increases the ability of a child to pay attention.” Everyone needs fresh air and sunshine. May I just say here, spend more time outside.

For children with slowed physical abilities, consider substituting a silk scarf in place of a ball to slow the falling effects of an object (now, the scarf), thus allowing a child more time to catch. Here, success, however it’s accomplished, is the goal. Be creative and be an advocate for your special needs child. If you aren’t his advocate, who will be?

One thing I have learned with Joe is that “Special Needs” children don’t break. They love to be played with, to rough-house a little. Joe loves the motion of dancing and the rhythm from music. He loves to tease and loves animation from me as I say, “Joe, what the heck are you doing? Are you teasing Grandma?” We do this over and over again because he requires repetition.
I feel I really connect with Joe when I can forget all that is around me and just “play” with him. I become a little child, too. I forget what others might think and I just have fun with him. This has been an important lesson for me. Who cares if I might look silly to those looking on? For those few special moments I have with Joe, nothing else matters. The joy he expresses by laughing and clapping his hands tells me we are friends and have made a connection. And for me there is no greater joy.

target="_blank" style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size: 10px; color: #000000; text-decoration: none;">Visitor Counter

On Growing a Child's Brain

“When they get to school, the teachers tell us today’s children can’t negotiate; they’re having trouble with social conversations. They’re having trouble because they’re accustomed to just pushing a button and the machine they’re on just reacting to them. The other thing that’s declining now is fantasy play, the ability to imagine, the ability to think up new scenarios, new stories, new ideas, and new concepts in your own head. Kids are having all these stories brought to them so vividly on the screen that they’re not playing imaginatively themselves; and this has got to be a great loss in terms of the future of creativity of the people in this country.” (Jane M. Healy, Ph.D. educational psychologist and author of Your Child’s Growing Mind)

Let’s not wait until our children are in school to decide television should be limited. Also, let’s not wait until our children are in school for them to begin learning different concepts that could and should be learned at home.

For example, you can start teaching your wee babe basic mathematics by counting everything that is familiar to him. Start with his body. Talk to him. Say, “This is your mouth. This is your ear. Oh, you have another ear! Here is your nose. These are your toes.” Count them, “One, two, three, for five toes!” Count actions such as blinking eyes, climbing stairs, “One, two, three stairs.” Count everything with your child: toys, blocks, bites of food eaten, books, steps, people, chairs, etc.

Always talk to your baby and tell him what he is experiencing—what he is tasting, what he is smelling, what he is feeling. If your are tickling his back, tell him that is what you are doing.

Why is it important to do these things? Picture a little seed for each of your child’s 100 billion brain cells. As the child is exposed to a variety of stimulating experiences, each cell is capable of sprouting up to 20,000 different branches to store the new information. So, in a way, the child literally grows his own brain. So, with this in mind, you are helping your child grow his brain if you try to give him every opportunity to develop it through his play (which is really a child’s work). See “Learning Fundamentals,” by Colin Rose and Gordon Dryden; pg. 10.