Teaching our Children

Last Sunday, I was asked to speak in sacrament meeting. My talk was based off the scripture Mosiah 4:14-15. This is not a topic I am an expert on, by any means, so I did a lot of research and was able to find a lot of really great words from the prophets and apostles. I've decided to post my talk here, only because I want to be able to easily find this information again in the future to review and re-read. And very, very little of it is actually my own words - most of it comes directly from the wise leaders of the church. I'm so grateful that we have such wonderful resources that we can access to help us become better parents and better people. Here is the talk:

I’ve been asked to speak today on King Benjamin’s words to parents found in Mosiah 4:14-15.

14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the devil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.
15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.

In this scripture, King Benjamin points out in a very positive way how we can help our children, for he said we should teach them truth, teach them soberness, teach them to love one another, and teach them to serve one another.

Honestly, this is a topic that I feel quite inadequate to teach about. Considering that my second child is only a couple months old right now, I don’t have a lot of experience yet with them quarreling with one another, and my daughter finds it easy to love and serve her baby brother, who can’t tease or get into her things yet. I watch all of you parents here in this ward, and I am inspired by your examples, and know that many of the good things I know about parenting I’ve learned from you.

I grew up in a typical home. I was the oldest of four children, and though we loved each other, we definitely knew how to quarrel. Now that we are all adults, however, we are about as close as siblings can be. We love each other and consider each other dear friends. I’ve tried to think of what exactly my parents did to accomplish this, and I can’t come up with any one amazing thing other that they were persistent in constantly trying to teach us what is right.

As parents, we are always teaching.

Elder James E. Faust, stated: Being a father or a mother is not only a great challenge, it is a divine calling. It is an effort requiring consecration. President David O. McKay stated that being parents is “the greatest trust that has been given to human beings” (The Responsibility of Parents to Their Children [pamphlet, n.d.], 1).

Elder Faust continues, “While few human challenges are greater than that of being good parents, few opportunities offer greater potential for joy. Surely no more important work is to be done in this world than preparing our children to be God-fearing, happy, honorable, and productive. Parents will find no more fulfilling happiness than to have their children honor them and their teachings. It is the glory of parenthood. John testified, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 1:4). In my opinion, the teaching, rearing, and training of children requires more intelligence, intuitive understanding, humility, strength, wisdom, spirituality, perseverance, and hard work than any other challenge we might have in life. This is especially so when moral foundations of honor and decency are eroding around us. To have successful homes, values must be taught, and there must be rules, there must be standards, and there must be absolutes.”

Elder Richard J. Maynes said, “The responsibility for establishing a Christ-centered home lies with both parents and children. Parents are responsible to teach their children in love and righteousness. Parents will be held accountable before the Lord in how they perform their sacred responsibilities. Parents teach their children with words and through example” (Richard J. Maynes, “Establishing a Christ-Centered Home,” Apr. 2011 general conference).

I want to focus on these two ways that our children will learn from us. 1. Through our words and 2. Through our example.

King Benjamin has said we should teach our children to love one another and to serve one another, and not to quarrel one with another.

THROUGH OUR WORDS
If we are to teach them these things, we must teach them the eternal truths of who they are. They need to know that they are a child of God. They must understand that everyone of us is a spirit child of our Heavenly Father, even family members who may irritate them. They need to comprehend the eternal nature of families that results from the binding covenants of the temple. They must know about their Savior, Jesus Christ, and His example, and have a desire to become like Him. They need to know how to repent and use the atonement to seek forgiveness and change and improve.

President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has stated the principle beautifully: “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior.”

These are things that we can teach through our words. As parents, we have been given the sacred responsibility to teach our children Christ-like attributes and gospel principles in the home. We cannot rely on others to teach the gospel to our children. We have been commanded to teach our children the gospel in our homes through weekly Family Home Evenings and daily scripture study and prayer. Opportunities for gospel teaching can also come in those quiet moments around the dinner table, while driving in the car, or during other daily interactions with each other.

Jeffrey R. Holland, in speaking of teaching our children in the home, said the following: “Do the best you can—if, for example, you keep trying to hold family home evening in spite of the bedlam that sometimes reigns in a houseful of little bedlamites—then give yourself high marks” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “An Ensign to the Nations,” Apr. 2011 general conference).

In addition, Elder Maynes recalled: “We learned that our children might not remember everything about the family home evening lesson later in the week, but they would remember that we held it. We learned that later in the day at school they would probably not remember the exact words of the scriptures or the prayer, but they would remember that we did read scriptures and we did have prayer. Brothers and sisters, there is great power and protection for us and our youth in establishing celestial traditions in the home” (Richard J. Maynes, “Establishing a Christ-Centered Home,” Apr. 2011 general conference).

As parents, we will at times need to discipline our children. Even the best-taught among us make mistakes. Wise parents remember that disciplining is about teaching truth to our children. Lynn G. Robbins has wisely taught:

“When children misbehave, let’s say when they quarrel with each other, we often misdirect our discipline on what they did, or the quarreling we observed. But … their behavior—is only a symptom of the unseen motive in their hearts. We might ask ourselves, 'What attributes, if understood by the child, would correct this behavior in the future? Being patient and forgiving when annoyed? Loving and being a peacemaker? Taking personal responsibility for one’s actions and not blaming?' How do parents teach these attributes to their children? We will never have a greater opportunity to teach and show Christlike attributes to our children than in the way we discipline them. Discipline comes from the same root word as disciple and implies patience and teaching on our part. It should not be done in anger. We can and should discipline the way that Doctrine and Covenants 121 teaches us: 'by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness and pure knowledge' (verses 41–42). … Through discipline the child learns of consequences. In such moments it is helpful to turn negatives into positives. If the child confesses to a wrong, praise the courage it took to confess. Ask the child what he or she learned from the mistake or misdeed, which gives you, and more important, the Spirit an opportunity to touch and teach the child. When we teach children doctrine by the Spirit, that doctrine has the power to change their very nature … over time” (Lynn G. Robbins, “What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?” Apr. 2011 general conference).

THROUGH OUR EXAMPLE
Though it is vitally important that we teach our children, through words and lessons, the truths of the gospel, I believe that an even more powerful teaching tool is our own personal example.

If, as King Benjamin has said, we want our children to be loving, we must be loving. If we want our children to serve one another, we must be an example of service.

Involve your children in the daily service you already perform. When taking a meal to someone in the ward, invite your children to help prepare and deliver the meal. When serving in your calling, involve your children as it is appropriate. Recently, my husband received a blessing of health from two men in our ward. One of those wise fathers brought along his primary-aged son. What a great lesson for that boy, to watch his father as he served others and performed his priesthood duties.

President Eyring shared this sweet experience: “Three children recently carried containers holding a delicious dinner to our front door. Their parents knew that we needed help, and they included their children in the opportunity to serve us. The parents blessed our family by their generous service. By their choice to let their children participate in the giving, they extended blessings to their future grandchildren. The smiles of the children as they left our home made me confident that will happen. And their parents saw the opportunity to do good and spread joy over generations” (Henry B. Eyring, “Opportunities to Do Good,” Apr. 2011 general conference).

We should teach our children to serve in the home by our own example as well. Children should be expected to help and work together to keep the home clean and organized. If we personally complain about the housework, we can’t expect our children to do their chores cheerfully and with no complaining and whining. Instead, our children need to see our happiness in a well-organized home and we should teach them through our example that hard work can be a joy and bring feelings of peace and accomplishment. Our children should see us finding joy in the daily acts of service that we all do for our families. Whether it be preparing food or doing household chores, we should involve our children and do our best to make this a happy time.

Doing little acts of unexpected service for family members is another great way to teach our children about the joy of loving and serving one another. Every now and then, surprise your children by doing an unexpected act of love and service for them. For example, on occasional busy or tired days, I’ll do a chore that usually belongs to Katelee. It always surprises me just how much this small act means to her. Invite your children to help you ‘surprise’ other family members with unexpected little acts of service. Praise their efforts when they serve one another. Even simple things can become great bonding opportunities for a family. These memories will help children learn that great joy and peace come from serving one another.

In addition, if we want our children to get along and not quarrel with one another, they must not see us quarrel.

I am ashamed to admit that most of the unkind words that come out of my young daughter’s mouth she has probably heard come out of my mouth before. Our children listen to us. They watch us. And they learn from our examples. If we are bossy and demanding, they learn to be bossy and demanding. If we speak unkindly or sarcastically to one another, they learn to speak unkindly and sarcastically. If we argue, how can we then expect them not to argue?

I really love Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s talk from the April 2007 General Conference entitled “The Tongue of Angels.” In this address, Elder Holland taught us that our words and the tone of our voices can have a very lasting effect on those around us.

To you husbands he said: Husbands, you have been entrusted with the most sacred gift God can give you—a wife, a daughter of God, the mother of your children who has voluntarily given herself to you for love and joyful companionship. Think of the kind things you said when you were courting, think of the blessings you have given with hands placed lovingly upon her head, and then reflect on other moments characterized by cold, caustic, unbridled words. A husband who would never dream of striking his wife physically can break, if not her bones, then certainly her heart by the brutality of thoughtless or unkind speech. Brethren, these things ought not to be.

Elder Holland also had advice for wives. He taught: Wives, what of the unbridled tongue in your mouth, of the power for good or ill in your words? How is it that such a lovely voice which by divine nature is so angelic, so close to the veil, so instinctively gentle and inherently kind could ever in a turn be so shrill, so biting, so acrid and untamed? A woman’s words can be more piercing than any dagger ever forged, and they can drive the people they love to retreat beyond a barrier more distant than anyone in the beginning of that exchange could ever have imagined.

He continues: May I expand this counsel to make it a full family matter. We must be so careful in speaking to a child. What we say or don’t say, how we say it and when is so very, very important in shaping a child’s view of himself or herself. But it is even more important in shaping that child’s faith in us and their faith in God. Be constructive in your comments to a child—always. Never tell them, even in whimsy, that they are fat or dumb or lazy or homely. You would never do that maliciously, but they remember and may struggle for years trying to forget—and to forgive. And try not to compare your children, even if you think you are skillful at it. You may say most positively that “Susan is pretty and Sandra is bright,” but all Susan will remember is that she isn’t bright and Sandra that she isn’t pretty. Praise each child individually for what that child is, and help him or her escape our culture’s obsession with comparing, competing, and never feeling we are “enough.”

I conducted a little experiment this week, while preparing for this talk. I tried, for a few days, to speak always with the tongue of angels. I tried to catch every thing that came out of my mouth, and make sure the words, the meaning, and the tone of voice was one fitting of an angel.

I learned a few things through this experiment.

First of all, I learned I am not nearly as angelic as I wish I were. My efforts were far from perfect.

But, I also learned through this experience that my effort, though flawed, brought about a definite change in the feeling of our home. The spirit was present in much more abundance. My efforts to speak lovingly and cheerfully and avoid quarreling or criticism of any kind was reflected in my family members. I noticed that my daughter complained and whined less and gave loving compliments more freely. Everyone was happier. There was less need for discipline, but when it was needed I was able to discipline in a more loving and patient manner that invited positive instruction. In short, our family became for a few days a little bit more like the family King Benjamin asked us to be. Loving, serving, and with no quarreling.

I am only one individual in my family, and my efforts in this experiment were so flawed, and yet the results were undeniable and very sweet. What if every one of us took on this same experiment? What powerful changes for good might result in each of our families?

As we work to accomplish all of this in our homes, we will do well to remember the important statement of President Harold B. Lee: “Remember that the most important of the Lord’s work that you [and I] will ever do will be … within the walls of [our] own home.” 10

“We understand and believe in the eternal nature of the family. This understanding and belief should inspire us to do everything in our power to establish a Christ-centered home” (Richard J. Maynes, “Establishing a Christ-Centered Home,” Apr. 2011 general conference).

At the end of his address to his people, King Benjamin leaves us with this counsel:

Mosiah 4:
27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.
30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

I know our homes can be places of refuge, peace, and happiness, and that with the help of our Savior Jesus Christ we can become better parents, better sons, and daughters. I know that working to have a happy and tight-knit family will bring us great joy now and eternal blessings.

Soap and More Soap

Anyone else having trouble lately getting their dishes clean? I thought it was just me, but I've recently learned that products with an ingredient called phosphate are being banned throughout the country due to the damage being done to waterways. From personal experience, and from the research I've done, phosphate-free products are not worth the money you spend on them! My dishes come out cloudy and dirty looking. Ugh. I hate dirty-looking dishes; I want my dishes to sparkle! I cannot find any dishwashing detergents at my local store that still have phosphate in them - they've all been removed, so even my old standby Cascade and Finish brands are giving yucky results.

Because dishwashing detergent is expensive, I've decided not to buy it anymore if it doesn't work anyway. So, I've been experimenting with homemade dish detergents. I'm going to keep experimenting until I (hopefully) find the solution that gets my dishes really clean again! In the meantime, I've tried 3 or 4 "recipes" and my favorite so far cleans as well as my Cascade is cleaning now (so not great, but not too bad) and is MUCH cheaper than Cascade. So, for what it's worth, here is the recipe:

• Put 1 T. Borax and 1 T. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda in the detergent compartment of your dishwasher
• Fill up the rinse aid section with white vinegar

That's it. Again, not as good as my Cascade used to be, but at least as good as it is now.

Meanwhile, I'll keep experimenting and let you know if I come up with something that works better! And if any of you have tried something that works really well, I'd love to hear about it!

___

Also, I just made another year's worth of laundry detergent for my family. Remember when I told you about that? Anyway, because I had the main ingredients left over from last year, and I made a double batch this time around, I paid $2 for a year's supply of laundry detergent! $2! I love that. And now that I have been using the detergent for almost a year I can officially say that I LOVE IT!

By the way, this time I tried something a little different (by accident - ha ha! I guess I can't count)... I added only half the amount of water I was supposed to when it came time to mix it all together in the 5 gallon container. But I really like how it turned out! Instead of a liquid soap with blobs in it, it came out as more of a smooth gel. In other words - I made it concentrated! I've been adding 1/4 c. to each laundry load and loving how my clothes are turning out. And it's much easier to store because there is so much less of it . . . I might make it 'concentrated' from now on! Ha ha ha! Give it a try if you're interested.

No pictures yet...

So, we are still working on the camera cord situation . . . I am feeling pretty impatient and really want to download my ever-growing load of pictures. But in the meantime, I do have a few things to share that don't require pictures:

1. Have you heard about this website, Freebies2Deals? My sister told me about it over a month ago, and since then I've been reading it daily. I have personally benefitted from some fabulous deals (and even free items)! This woman scours the ads and internet for all the most amazing deals and posts them daily. She can post up to 20+ deals a day, so don't hesitate to scroll down. Personally, I've just added this to my google reader, so I don't miss anything. Anyway, if you like saving a buck, you should definitely check this website out. Especially if you live in Utah, because occasionally her deals only apply to Utah businesses. But even if you're like me and don't live in Utah, there is plenty (plenty!) for you to benefit from. Take a look!

2. I have a testimony of paying tithing. We know the scripture (Malachi 3) that promises if we pay our tithing the Lord will pour out a blessing upon us so great that we won't have room enough to receive it. Well, this scripture took on a very literal meaning for me and Katelee the other day when we were putting away her laundry. We were trying to put away her pants, skirts, and p.j.'s and couldn't fit them all in her small drawers. It struck me that we had personally purchased almost none of these clothes. Most of them came from generous friends and family as hand-me-downs or gifts. In fact, I think we've hardly done any clothes shopping for Katelee since Gerald started grad school. And she has more clothes than she has ever had in her life. So many, in fact, that we didn't have room to receive them. It was a small and very visual miracle for us to see the ways the Lord cares for us.

3. Funny story - yesterday afternoon we had a fun and tiring afternoon at the park. We have had NO SNOW yet! Really, other than a few flurries in November or early December. We have no snow that has stuck and so enjoyed a brown and green Christmas. So yesterday afternoon found as at the sunny park where we played frisbee golf with the new frisbee Katelee gave me for Christmas and played tag on the playground. When we got home, Katelee quietly disappeared into her room. I checked on her after a little stretch of silence to find the funniest scene ever! Katelee had closed the curtains to her room, opened an umbrella and set in on the ground, spread her sleeping bag on the floor and placed a pillow under the umbrella (I think she was camping and the umbrella was the 'tent.') And she had climbed into the sleeping bag and gone to sleep. Yes, all that fun at the park must have worn her out because she was sound asleep. It was so funny how she had set it all up like she was camping. Gerald and I had a good laugh! What a cutie!

So, here's hoping I have pictures to share with you soon! In the meantime, we hope you are all enjoying the holidays!

Back on Track!

Thank you, friends, for all your wonderful advice and support with my weight loss! I am back on track and losing weight again thanks to your great ideas! :) I appreciate your help! Here's to losing 15 more pounds! :)

I was asked what I was using to track my calories. I will put another plug in for this great website! I learned about it initially from my doctor, and I really love using this site! It's 100% absolutely free and such a great way to educate yourself about what you are really eating. It can track whatever you want it to: I have it tracking my daily calories, protein, carbohydrates, sodium, and water. If you have a certain nutrient or vitamin you want to eat more or less of, you can have it track that, too. Also, it offers great recipes, tips, and strategies for helping you be healthier. And this is just on the nutrition tab - you also track your exercise, weight, and other information if you want to! Anyway, it offers support groups if you want to be a part of them, and overall I think it's great and recommend it to anyone trying to be more health conscious.

A Summer of Reading

If I had to choose only five words to describe me, one of them would have to be 'reader.'

I have always been a reader. I love and devour books. My life feels empty without a good book within reach.

Although I'm always reading something, the quality of my reading material goes in spurts. Sometimes I go long stretches without finding a book I really love. But this summer has been a lovely summer of reading! I have been very lucky to read one amazing book after the other (thanks in large part to the wonderful reading lists of my sister and my friend, Lisa).

So, if you are looking for something good to read, here is my

Top 10 List of best books (or series) I've read this summer

(in no particular order):

1. The Books of Bayern by Shannon Hale

These books have definitely made my 'must-buy-because-I'll-read-over-and-over' list. I LOVE this series, which includes: The Goose Girl, Enna Burning, River Secrets, and Forest Born. I had read the first two books in the past, but discovered the last two this summer. So, of course I read the whole series again. It's beautifully written, full of wonderful characters and a rich story line, and these books are very clean without seeming juvenile. I highly recommend these books to any reader!

2. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

A story of a young girl living in Germany before and during WWII. This book took me a little while to get into, but about halfway through I couldn't stop reading and thinking about it. It's a very thought-provoking and haunting story; I think my favorite thing about the book is that it is told from the point of view of Death. Sounds gruesome, but isn't so much. The point (as I see it) is that humans can be much, much more terrible than Death, and Death can be rather humane.

3. The Last Lecture by Randy PauschVery inspirational. The last words of a young professor dying of cancer. Very real and beautifully written, this book will definitely make you think!

4. The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli

A historical fiction novel, this book tells the story of the girl who becomes the model for DaVinci's Mona Lisa. A love story. I especially loved learning about the turbulent history of Florence during the Renaissance.

5. The Luxe Novels by Anna Godbersen

There are four books in this series: Luxe, Rumors, Envy and Splendor. These books were so fun to read; I had a hard time putting them down. But take note, they are really for entertainment purposes only. ;) They really have no other redeeming quality but that they are oh, so fun to read! They follow the lives of New York City's top-class young socialites. I recommend reading all four, if you're interested, because they get better throughout the series.

6. Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction by David Sheff

Wow. An amazingly honest book. This real-life memoir is written by a father whose son struggles with an addicted to meth. He tells the story of his son's birth, childhood, teenage and adult years. I thought this book was both inspirational and heartbreaking. Full of information, it opened my eyes more to the power of addictions and made me very grateful for the atonement.

7. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

This novel is a historical fiction retelling of the story of Dinah from Genesis. I will say now that I don't think the author's interpretation of the story is exactly correct. However, I still loved this book for its historical and cultural information about the family of Jacob, and because it really made me think about the biblical characters as real people and decide for myself what I think is true concerning their lives. And because it was simply fascinating to read.

8. Gallagher Girls Series by Ally Carter

I stumbled on this series by accident, but I think it's completely charming! These books are definitely written for the junior high/high school age range, so if you're not a fan of YA lit, you might find yourself rolling your eyes at these books. But personally, I found them very entertaining, clean, fun, and creative. The basic premise is that there is a secret school used to train genius girls to become future spies for the U.S. Government. The girls in these books are brilliant at what they do, but they are still teenage girls. :) There are apparently four books in this series, but I've only read the first two: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You and Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy.

9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Set in Mississippi in the 1960's, this is a great story about the racial tensions that existed at the time of the Civil Rights Movement, about those brave enough to cross the boundaries. I loved the characters in this book and couldn't stop thinking about them.

10. Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore

Okay, so these books are not exactly a series. They are both set in the same land, but not the same time period. These are definitely fantasy/sci-fi books, which I used to think I didn't like but am learning I love if well written, as these definitely are. I loved the characters and the plot of these novels, and didn't want to put them down!

Oh, and even though I didn't read them technically this past summer, I recently read and loved The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

So, what about you? Have you read anything good lately? I'm planning to read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, the Percy Jackson books by Rick Kiordan, and The Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins now that the last one came out. But I'm looking to add to my list, so please share anything else that you read and loved recently!

Biggest Loser!

So, the big news in my life these days is that I'm eating much healthier and I'm losing weight. And I'm excited about it!

I joined a 'Biggest Loser' competition with some family members and friends. Basically we all paid 50 bucks to be in. We weighed in last week and we will weigh in again November 1. Whoever has lost the most weight (in % of total body weight lost) will be the biggest loser! $250 to the first place winner, $100 to the second, and $50 to the third.

I'm determined to win!

Or at least do my very best to be healthier.

I'm using the spark people website I told you about last December (click here) and loving it. I find it so useful!

I haven't had to make too many lifestyle changes or feel hungry at all; I'm just trying to make smarter choices.

And so far I've lost 5 lbs.

The #1 change I've made? I cut out breakfast cereal from my life.

I love love love cereal. As you know, it's one of my favorite foods. But even the extremely healthy brands that I always buy are loaded with too many calories and do not keep me full.

So I decided I no longer had room in my life for breakfast cereal. Sad!

But by cutting that out I have cut many calories a day from my daily diet and I actually stay full MUCH longer!

One of my biggest obstacles when it comes to weight loss tends to be coming up with substitute foods that are still easy and I still like to eat. So, I've spent a lot of time scouring cookbooks and websites for good ideas. And I have come up with three breakfasts that I really enjoy that are also healthy. I thought I'd share for anyone looking for a quick and healthy breakfast idea!

Breakfast #1: Fruit/Protein Smoothie

This recipe comes from my good friend Laurie. Gerald and I both LOVE this. I love the way I feel throughout my day when I've had it for breakfast. I love the way it tastes. I love how easy it is to make and how easy it is to drink while getting my routine morning things done. We have this for breakfast now probably 5 or 6 times a week.

• 1 c. frozen blueberries
• 1 banana
• 1/3 c. fresh spinach leaves (I really just throw in a handful)
• 1/4 c. plain low fat yogurt (Just a big scoop or so...)
• 1/2 a scoop of Designer Whey All Natural French Vanilla protein powder
• 1 T. ground flax seed
• pomegranate juice - I buy the frozen concentrate pomegranate-blueberry and just scoop a large spoonful of the frozen concentrate right in.

Mix well in your blender or food processor. It will be thick, so add water until it's the consistency you want. This recipe is for TWO servings, so pour into two separate glasses and enjoy! Calorie count for one serving: only 184! Both Gerald and I agree that this keeps us full until lunch - something that cereal doesn't usually do. And it's so yummy!

Breakfast #2: Oatmeal

Another quick breakfast idea that I love is a bowl of oatmeal. This is also one of Katelee's favorite breakfasts lately. I buy the plain quick oats and prepare in the microwave with water according to the package directions. Then I eat:

• 1 c. cooked oatmeal
• 1 T. agave
• 1/4 c. blueberries

Yummy. Filling. Easy. And only 218 calories.

Breakfast #3: Scrambled Eggs

I like eggs in the morning, too. One thing I've been doing is scrambling 1 egg white with 1 whole egg. I like the taste a bit better than only egg whites, but it's still healthier. I've also tried adding in veggies and a little cheese and thought it was yummy!

• 1 large egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 c. diced tomato
• 1/8 c. diced green pepper
• 1/4 c. diced mushrooms
• 1/8 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, fat free

Scrambled and cook all together. Yum! If you serve this in a whole wheat tortilla, that would also be really yummy. Maybe I'll try that tomorrow. :) Total calories, with the tortilla: 255.

So, PLEASE SHARE! Do you have any easy breakfast ideas that I could try. These three are good, but sometimes I just need more variety. You don't have to know how many calories they are or anything, but I would LOVE some more ideas!

Thrifty Tip Thursday

Anyone who knows my family knows I have some pretty cool relatives. My cousins are no exception. Over a year ago, one of my amazing cousins started making her own laundry detergent. I was impressed, but I had a friend who had had a bad experience with this, so I didn't try to do it myself. However, the detergent making spread throughout the family. I think all my cousin's sisters and sister-in-laws are now making their own detergent.

Enough time had passed that I could start asking my cousins questions like: Does it really clean your clothes as well? Does it ruin your clothes over time? What about new washing machines? Because I know my cousins well, I really trusted their opinions. They all are very happy with how well the detergent cleans their clothes; one cousin says it cleans her clothes better than Tide used to; since they have been using it for quite awhile (longer than a year) they can safely say it isn't ruining their clothes at all. Also, if you have a new High Efficiency washer, it works just fine for that, too, as one of my cousins did a ton of research to make sure before she began using it with hers.

I was still skeptical that making the detergent would be a lot of work and effort, and I wasn't sure it would be worth it. But I decided to give it a try. And I was amazed - AMAZED! - at how easy it was to make. And how inexpensive. I have definitely committed to making this for years to come. I usually bought cheap store detergent (All, anyone?) and I have been using this homemade detergent long enough to confidently say that it cleans at least as well as the All or Sun brand detergents did. Probably better. Definitely better. I like the smell. And I made 5 gallons of detergent for less than $4. Are you convinced yet? Here's how to make it if you want to give it a try.

STEP 1: GATHER THE SUPPLIES

You will need:

• 1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap
• 1 cup Borax
• 1 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
• Water
• a measuring cup
• a stirring spoon
• a cheese grater
• a large pot
• some sort of 5 gallon container
• and a large stirring stick (for the 5 gallon container)

Notes: I spent about $12 on all the supplies up front, but I only used 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of Washing Soda, and I'll reuse my 5 gallon container, so next time it will only cost me $1 to make. I found all the soap supplies at my local King Soopers grocery store. Walmart sells the Borax for cheaper, but doesn't carry the other things. I used an especially large pot, because I was warned that it's easy to accidently boil over the soap. But I definitely think you could get away with using a much smaller pot, especially if you're watchful so it doesn't boil over. I didn't want to buy a 5 gallon bucket for this, so I went to Walmart and bought a five gallon basic plastic garbage can for about $2. And my large stirring stick is an old wand from our blinds that broke. :)

STEP 2: COOK THE SOAP

• Pour 6 cups of water into your pot and heat it just shy of boiling. You want it warm enough to melt the soap, but not enough to boil over.
• While the water is warming, grate the bar of soap into small pieces. I took a picture of this, but it didn't turn out, but my plate of grated soap looked exactly like a plate of grated cheese! Ha ha ha! Better warn your husband and kids before they try a handful! ;)
• Add the shredded soap to the pot of heated water. Stir the mixture until the soap is completely melted.
• Once the soap is melted, add 1 cup Borax and 1 cup Washing Soda to the melted soap mixture. Stir until dissolved. (This is where your soap might boil over if you're not careful!)

STEP 3: MIX EVERYTHING IN A 5-GALLON CONTAINER

• Pour three gallons of hot water into the 5-gallon container, then add in the melted soap mixture from the stove top.
• Mix everything together.
• Optional fragrance: if you prefer to have a pleasant scent, you can add a few drops of essential oils at this time. I didn't add anything, because I liked the smell of the soap just fine. The amount of fragrance you add is strictly personal preference.

STEP 4: LET SIT OVERNIGHT

• Now that everything is mixed and dissolved, cover your 5-gallon container and place it somewhere it won't be disturbed. Let is cool over night. It will begin to gel as it cools. It does not gel uniformly so the next day it will look like Egg Drop soup. See:

STEP 5: STORE IN SMALLER CONTAINERS

Isn't this a great post for Earth Day? Now is your chance to re-use all those almost-empty detergent bottles around your house and stop adding them to the landfills! ;)

• A funnel and a large pouring container, such as a pitcher, is useful for this step. Pour the finished detergent from your 5-gallon container into smaller containers to use. It will look something like this:

And look what you did! You're amazing! Make sure not to tell your husband how easy this is, so he can brag about what a wonder woman you are! And look how much detergent I now have; everything is filled to the brim expect the clear soap container, which was the last one I filled:

Happy Laundering!

Did You Know?

Tuesday night we had a Relief Society activity about Preparing for a Pandemic. It went really well, mostly thanks to this amazing sister in my ward, Angie, (a nurse) who gave a wonderful and interesting presentation about illnesses, pandemics, and keeping your family healthy. Seriously, she did so good! I was in charge of presenting to the sisters about how to prepare our homes. Do you remember me blogging about that before? You can read this post here to see lists of things you should store. In my preparations, though, I learned something that I think is really interesting and useful.

Did you know that there is a big difference between

sanitizing and disinfecting?

Sanitizing kills bacteria. (Or at least 99.9% of it!)

Disinfecting, however, kills bacteria and viruses.

I always thought those terms meant the same thing. After learning this, I started reading the labels on all my sanitizing household cleaners. None of them kill the cold or flu virus.

Now, I don't think we need to disinfect our houses everyday. But after someone has been sick or in case of a pandemic, we really need to have some disinfectants in our home (I use bleach - including the Clorox disinfecting wipes - and Comet with bleach).

In short, I wanted to share this info, because I always thought sanitizing and disinfecting meant the same thing, and I was surprised to learn otherwise. Now that I know this I will read the labels on the cleaning supplies I buy more carefully, and try to find more disinfectants. I will also make sure that I have something to disinfect in my long-term storage. (Be aware that bleach does start to deteriorate after 6 months. Make sure to rotate it out of your storage.) I thought this was helpful enough to share.

To disinfect a surface: mix 1 part bleach with 9 parts cool water (10% bleach, 90% water)

To disinfect water: filter the water first, or let water sit until all the particles have settled. Then add 2 drops of bleach per quart of water or 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water.

AWESOME WEBSITE!

Do you know about this website?

www.sparkpeople.com

It is my new favorite website, and I highly recommend it to everyone!

My doctor told me about it last week, when we were discussing my futile, frustrating attempts to lose weight.  I told her that the only thing that worked for me in the past was Weight Watchers, but that I couldn't afford it any longer.  She said that as a doctor, she agrees that WW is one of the most effective programs, for two reasons.  The first reason is that WW helps you track exactly what you've eaten every day.  Then she told me about this FREE website, that does the same things as WW.  I've checked it out, and it's true!  My WW website helped me track my 'points' and my exercising and helped me make better food choices and 'budget' my calories.  This website does exactly the same thing, in almost the same format, except that is uses calories instead of points, which I actually find significantly more helpful.  I love it!

The second reason WW is generally effective is the support group.  I've never been to a WW support group (I only did the online program), but there is truth to the fact that there is more motivation when you have to report to someone.  This website offers you email support groups if you want to use them (you can opt not to), but I also decided that I will post here on my blog general updates on my progress every couple of weeks.  I think this will help motivate me to do better!  

Anyone want to lose weight with me?

Anyway, check out the website if you're interested.  Did I mention it's free?  And very easy to use.  It has programs for helping you lose weight, or programs if you just want to exercise more or eat better and live a healthier lifestyle.

A Recommended Purchase

Today I finally made a purchase that I have thought about making forEVER.  

It was inexpensive, useful, and helped solve a very real problem in my life.

Here is the problem:

No matter how I try, I can NOT keep up with the overflowing grocery sack problem in my house.  I use them for bathroom and office trash cans, Gerald uses them to take his lunch to school in, etc.  But we always have grocery sacks coming out of our ears!!!  I feel a lot of guilt about throwing them away; I used to recycle them when I lived in Lehi, but the recycling program here in my apartment complex leaves a lot to be desired.  So, to make a long story short, I FINALLY got around to buying some of these:

And, after using them once, I am officially in love.  I bought 5 bags for $4, and (packed carefully) my entire week's groceries fit nicely in the five bags.  And guess what else?  I could literally carry twice the amount of groceries into my house in one trip with these!  I also feel that my groceries arrived home in better shape than usual - no cans rolled around my trunk, my bread wasn't crushed, my produce wasn't bruised, and no plastic bags split in half and dumped my cereal boxes onto the sidewalk (a recent experience I had).  Not to mention the positive effects for the environment.  

All that for only $4 - I only wonder why I didn't buy them sooner.

If you are like me and have been sitting on the fence for a long time about buying some of these bags, I totally recommend that you take the plunge!

Preparing for a Pandemic

Now, that title caught your attention, didn't it?  I'm surprised it didn't make you turn and run!  =)

Tonight I went to a stake Relief Society training; a member of our stake presidency (who is a doctor) spoke about emergency preparedness, particularly about preparing for a pandemic.  The swine flu has hit Colorado pretty hard this last month, but he (and many others) are of the opinion that the swine flu is just preparing us for how to deal with more dangerous viruses.  He believed that the two most likely reasons we will ever need to use our food storage are because of 1. unemployment and 2. we don't want to leave our homes for a couple of weeks due to an illness outbreak.  Now, whether or not you agree with him on that, he had some good ideas for being prepared - just in case - for future epidemics.  He suggested that every home, in addition to their food storage, have:

• enough food at at all times to avoid a trip to the grocery store for at least a few weeks
• at least a few weeks of water storage
  
• plenty of extra hand sanitizer
• masks, in case someone in the home is sick, for the caregiver to wear
• gloves, for the same reason above
• bleach, to keep the home sanitized
• a cash reserve
• extra medications
• a way to purify water

You know, I am not a dooms-day type of person, but what he said tonight made a lot of sense.  Let's say the swine flu was breaking out all over in your area.  Even though it's not a very deadly disease, you still might be tempted to stay home from work, keep your kids home from school, and stay isolated for a few days.  Now imagine if the virus was even more harmful.  You're not going to want to go stand in a line at the pharmacy with sick people to pick up your regular medication; you would want to avoid the grocery store, bank, and other public places.  Also, if everyone decides to stay home, many businesses, stores, banks, even ATMs may stop running as usual.  His point was basically this:  all families who consider themselves prepared should be ready to stay in their home, if needed, at any given time for at least a few weeks.

I think it's good advice.  Why not be prepared?  Hopefully you'll never have a need to isolate your family inside your home, but just in case . . .  

Anyway, I plan on putting some of these ideas into effect, and wanted to share the information with those I love to use as you want.