Seven Things About Me?

I have been tagged by Suzanne! I hope you know, Suz, that my comment to your tag was meant all in good fun!
So I have to write 7 less-known facts about myself. Hmmmmm, let's see.....

1. I had surgery on my left eye at Stanford when I was 6 years old. I had my 6th birthday in the hospital. They removed a "sack" or membrane containing several cancers! This growth was pushing my eyeball out and blocking my vision.

2. When I was in elementary school in San Francisco, I belonged to a group of friends, both boys and girls, who were all different races. There was only one other white person. To this day it feels abnormal to be in an all white community.

3. I played the flute for 10 years in school and I still play for fun!

4. I am still working on overcoming being afraid of heights. I'm not quite as bad as I used to be.

5. Doing the dishes is my least favorite chore and laundry is my favorite. I love the smell of clean clothes!

6. I graduated from high school a year early. I'd like everyone to think it was because I was so smart! But actually, it was because I had enough credits from going to summer school for three summers. I didn't go because of grades, I went at Norma's insistence. I spent my college year in band and in the practice rooms playing music. I taught myself piano and I also attempted alto sax, but it was a blast!!!

7. I love to learn new crafts and skills. When I was very young, about 10, I made my first loaf of bread without being taught, and mostly successfully. I have made cheese, and lye soap, and done needlepoint, cross stitch and loom knitting. I taught myself to play the ukelele and guitar as a teenager. I once sewed my children pajamas and I also made a baby girl outfit for Suzanne. I took a class in cake decorating so that I could do my own borders and came up with a marbled rainbow swirl design of my own. Letters were molded in chocolate and placed over the swirls so I could include a message. Now I sew pillowcases, make tile board pictures and write my own recipes. When we were in Hawaii I photographed flowers and since then I have observed others' photography and have been wanting to try my hand at using different angles and lighting for special effects. It's fun to think "outside of the box"!

Alright, that's about it for me for now. This was actually kind of fun! Now, who can I tag?????

Behind Closed Doors

I spent part of Mollie's birthday party inside. While there in the family room I watched one of the little ones continuously attempting to escape through the back door, obviously thinking there was more fun going on outside than in. Her unyielding persistence reminded me of a little incident that occured when Celeste was two or three years old.
On a spring day, when it was warming up, I had the front door open leaving only the screen in order to get some fresh air in the house. Celeste was not satisfied to stay inside no matter how many times we closed and locked it or tried to block the way, so we had bought a hook-and-eye lock which we installed as high as we could so that she couldn't reach it.
Thinking we had conquered, we had the front door open with the screen door locked. For some reason Celeste was dressed only in a diaper and a smile, when she took the broom and opened the lock by lifting the hook with the handle.
We didn't know she was gone until I saw her out the window running up the hill in the middle of the street, and there was still some snow on the ground! I ran out and brought her home and got her dressed when a few minutes later I had someone from Child Protective Services on the doorstep asking questions, but when we showed them the door and the dressed child they were satisfied with our explanation.

In The Likeness of Harry Potter

We, like everyone else, are gearing up for a super evening of Harry Potter this Tuesday. I say Tuesday because we will be seeing it just after midnight that same night. I have some great recipes that I plan on using, including stoat sandwiches, a favorite of Hagrid's, and butter beer. (I looked up just what "stoat" is and it's weasel. Butter beer is root beer with a bit of butterscotch sauce added.) And there are more.

As part of the fun for me, I have done a quiz on facebook that reveals what Hogwarts teacher you would be and my results were Professor Lupin. At first I was disappointed because I felt I would rather be a lady, but as I have looked more closely at the description given by facebook, I decided I very much like their conclusion! They say that Lupin was the school's best Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. As a Seminary teacher this is my hope, that I will always do my best.

This little quiz also has started my thoughts going on with things like:

- I have taken a class of my own in Herbology and Potions.

- I go to 3 hours of Divination every Sunday, and there have even been times when I have been asked to participate in the teaching!

- Included in Divination class is a four year course that takes about an hour every week, of History.

- Then there is the upper-classmen's course at the temple that is a more comprehensive level of Defense Against Dark Arts.

There may be other parallels I have overlooked but this has been fun!

So, to all out there who are as anxious as me about the upcoming show, have a great 4 days!

Summer Swim Lessons

Remember when you were a little kid and your parents signed you up for swimming lessons? When I went girls had to wear a "swimming cap" which was a fitted rubber cap that you put on your head to keep pool drains from becoming clogged with long hair. I guess they have since realized that sometimes boys' hair is longer than some girls'.

Anyway, I remember my dad wanting me and Richard to be able to swim in a big way with his love of the ocean and skin diving, etc.. I wanted him to be so proud of me; I was such a daddy's girl! But even back then I grew satisfied with the basics and soon became ready to move on to something else. I never have been an accomplished swimmer but I'm okay with that. I am actually rather proud of the fact that I can do a fair job at many things rather than being an expert at only one or two! I suppose that, to me it would be boring (and too much work!).

So today I got to observe swim lessons as a grown up. I was invited to watch little Lilly Brown, 5 years old, as she bravely followed the instructions of her teacher. She could put her head underwater all the way, and she practiced kicking, putting her hands over her head and pushing herself forward "rocket style", and using her hands like ice cream scoops. Everyone clapped as each child followed their leader. It can be scary to float with your legs out strait instead of bending your waist or knees! We were so proud that Lilly was able to do the daring new things she was asked to do. This was faith in action. I am reminded that I want to be more like her when the Lord asks me to do something new or hard. I want to become like that little child.

Extraordinary Friendship

What else do you call it when a friend is on the phone with you, you are talking about hustling to get ready for company just after other company was here (while you were away), and they are bringing someone with them who has always been a gracious hostess to you, and they offer to come and help you and really mean it?
I called Celeste to see where on the road home they were and she said she, the girls and Ruby would be here the next day for lunch. She also said peanut butter, but I couldn't settle for that. I said chicken salad, and I had only 24 hours to plan, clean house, shop, cook and shower. I wasn't satisfied with just chicken salad either. My mind wandered into adding things like broccoli salad and Hawaiian Shortcake which would be, of course, pineapple/coconut that I would have to adapt a recipe for. I had unrealistic allusions of grandeur that I ended up trimming way down, thankfully.
My friend not only came and vacuumed my carpet and swept the kitchen but when I realized I didn't have the car keys, she gave me food from her own cupboard! Thanks to her I had green onions for my chicken salad, and fresh-from-her-garden tomatoes, and for Paige and Abbie she brought, you guessed it, peanut butter! There is truly no better fare than that given with love; more importantly, there is no greater friend. Thank you, Melinda. :)

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

I very much love the patriotism of July the fourth. But in addition to celebrating our nation's independence this day, for me, marks the middle of the year when it's only a few days till Autumn. Autumn means the weather is going to cool down, the leaves will change colors and school will start. Pretty soon there will be a nip in the air. Everyone will be carving pumpkins and getting their costumes ready for Halloween. After this, of course, is Thanksgiving and then - Christmas.

Thinking like this allows holiday planning and the magical anticipation of the all-too-rapidly coming season to be relished all the longer, savoring each day to the fullest.

In honor of past, present and future heroes...

In honor of past, present and future heroes, let us unite ourselves with them in upholding all that is virtuous, of good report and praiseworthy by following this counsel given in

Doctrine and Covenants 98:8-11,

"I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free. Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn. Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil. And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God."

For as in the last verse of our national anthem we are reminded of this promise:

"Oh, thus be it ever, when free men shall stand

Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!

Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n rescued land

Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation!

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust!'

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"

The Difference Between Mashed Potatoes

I am not a fan of Hawaiian food. I think most people who are not native islanders aren't either, as evidenced by the scarcity of Hawaiian restaurants. But while in Oahu, I learned that the word "poi" simply means "mash", be what it may. Sometimes poi is made from the taro root but not always. The poi I tasted at the Polynesian Cultural Center was Hawaiian sweet potato. It was lavender, a bit runny, and not seasoned, but because sweet potatoes are one of my favorites, I didn't think it was too bad.While at the PCC we had dinner at the Gateway. It's a buffet that offers a few Hawaiian selections but caters mostly to mainland tastes. I tried the purple sweet potato salad and thought it delicious.
So, how important are seasonings? One could pity the fact that the scintillating flavors and scents from the Spice Islands just never made it far enough north or, more likely, the explorers didn't think these islanders had anything worth trading.
While poi gets a bad rap because it is rather flavorless, how would our own beloved mashed potatoes be without milk, butter and salt? Perhaps the islands' salt water is enough salt for them, and they are a much healthier people for not using dairy products, but this is a topic for another day.

Is Jetlag Tied To Heart Strings?

The Spirit of Salt Lake

There is a spirit about Salt Lake City that is undeniable. I feel it every time I go there so I sort of looked for it as we were waiting for our transfer flight to LAX. This sweet feeling was inspiring.
There were families, businessmen, couples and singles, people everywhere. While we ate breakfast in Burger King we sat near a group of nine young adults who couldn't have been much over 18. This group did nothing to stand out or bring attention to themselves which was why I noticed them. They were unique, even peculiar in this worldly world. I saw no tattoos or body piercings. They were dressed in modest clothing, and I heard no loudness or swearing. They clearly enjoyed each other's company but did it in such a wholesome way I couldn't help but be impressed.
While I acknowledge that there is no such thing as a perfect place to live and raise kids, there is something worth pointing out about teaching correct princples and that it does "take a village". Our young 9 neighbors had no idea I was watching them. They had no way of knowing what I was thinking or feeling, but they were the model of righteous living, even in an airport.

Aloha Oe - Getting ready to go home

Aloha `Oe - words and music by Queen Lili`uokalani
Sung By Marty Robbins


Aloha `oe, aloha `oe
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au
Until we meet again

Translation:
Farewell to you, farewell to you
The charming one who dwells in the shaded bowers
One fond embrace,
'Ere I depart
Until we meet again

Wiamea Valley Hike

This is a lovely place for a light hike. It is a bird sanctuary and features the

tropical flowers, trees and bushes found here in Hawaii.

The Ali'i Tour

Many movies and tv shows have been filmed here: Giligan's Island, Fantasy Island, Jurasic Park, others I can't remember, some I have never heard of probably because of rating, Never Kiss A Bride (coming soon they said, and which I know nothing about), and, of course, Lost.

We rode a little green bus to a small arena where we had a cooking demonstration, then we were back on the bus for a tour of the gardens. After that we went on a boat ride so that we could see more of the sets and the dramatic mountain backdrop featured in movies - and it was beautiful.

Kamryn's Klassy Klothes

A brand new Spring and Summer line was announced today from the beautiful island of Oahu, Hawaii. Here you see our young fashion model, Miss Kamryn Suzanne Bree, representing Bree Productions, as she makes her stunning debut.

alooooo - haaa...... . .