My $8 Rocking Chair

Another great yard sale find and a little bit of paint! I wish I'd taken a before picture but when I bought it, it looked something like this: And now it looks like this!

$300 For That Hidden Treasure, Please!

This week I spent Monday-Wednesday doing a little detox. You know, getting rid of some of that inner body build-up, like an internal bath. In so doing, an interesting thing happened. My migraine headaches are going away.
In the process, I had a more severe headache and wondered what could be wrong, but I've done cleanses before. I'm realizing that the stronger headache was because a detox was going on. I've experienced my lungs, liver and brain cleansing during a fast before and I'm quite sure this is what was happening.
I'm so grateful for God's commandments and answers to prayers. I know that because I have simply kept the Word of Wisdom or, health law, and prayed much about how to take care of myself in a natural, healthy and effective way, that once again I have been truly gifted with a "hidden treasure of knowledge". So much for an expensive CT scan. Wish I'd done the cleanse FIRST!

10 How-To Home Remedies That Work For Us

Welcome to another week of How-To Tuesday. This week I want to share some things we do at our house to take care of ourselves before seeing a doctor. Well, usually we don't need the doctor after using these methods.
1. When a cold begins to come on, I take 3,000 mg. Natural (not synthetic) Vitamin C. It almost always takes care of the cold in one night.
2. Puncture a Vitamin E capsule (with a sterile needle) and rub the oil onto a cleaned wound. This will help it to heal faster. My Grandma caught her toe in a car door. As a result, her toenail would grow back and then fall off. After this happened a couple of times someone told her about vitamin E. She rubbed the oil on her toe and a new nail grew back and never fell off again.
3. Lysine balm in a tube from the health food store, along with lysine tablets will help a cold sore heal in half the time. I've been told that this is because cold sores are caused by a lysine deficiency.
4. Getting enough calcium prevents muscles from being sore due to exercise or overwork. Herbal Calcium is the best choice. This one has been proven time and time again.
5. For a sore throat, a little cayenne pepper in a swallow of water will often (not always) take the soreness out. You can add a little honey if you like. We were really desperate to help one of our kids once and someone gave them a couple of Flamin' Hot Cheetos. That took care of it! (Although I'm not advocating serving a sick child junk food.)
6. Apply a poultice, or pack made of moistened Redmond Clay or other bentonite clay covered with gauze to pull the infection out of an abcessed tooth or wound. Leave it on overnight, change as needed. Also helpful is the addition of powdered Goldenseal, which is a powerful antibiotic herb, or rinse with the tea.
7. Boric Acid has NEVER failed us in curing pink eye in just a day or two. Don't be afraid of it's name. Yes, you should keep it out of the reach of children, it says on the label that it's a poison because it should not be ingested, but it was recommended to me years ago by a neighbor. He said he'd never taken his kids to the doctor for an eye infection because of it. It's a powder that you can buy at the drugstore. Dissolve a couple of teaspoons in boiled water and allow it to cool. Have the person lie down. Wash your hands and use a fresh cotton ball to squeeze a couple of drops of solution into the inner corner of the eye, by the nose. Slowly have them open the eye to let the solution in. Never use the same cotton twice if there is any chance that it has touched the infected eye. It is important to keep everything sterile so as not to spread the infection or reinfect eyes. Don't reuse cotton balls, throw them away. This gives amazing results, just don't eat it!
8. Dizziness that is caused by blocked passages can be helped by simmering water on the stove with some horseradish in it, maybe 1T. or so. I was only able to find the sauce and it has worked just fine. Carefully lean over the pan with a T-towel over your head and the pan and breathe the steam in deeply. You should only need to do this for maybe 5 minutes.
9. I read that to relieve hot flashes in menopause add 3 things to your diet, soy products, pineapple and sesame seeds. I did this because I had had 2 HOT FLASHES FROM HADES, but that's all I ever had. (And that was enough!)
10. Last but not least, become a label reader. I was not too happy with myself after paying what seemed to me at the time, a small fortune for Aveeno Bath just to discover that the only ingredient was oatmeal!

I'm sure that this is where I must add some kind of disclaimer. Some of these items are not regulated or tested to make sure that what's inside a bottle is what the label says it is. I cannot promise that you'll have the same results that our family has had, and you must use your own good judgement as to whether or not you or your child should be treated by a doctor. I just know what has worked for us. Proceed prayerfully and with wisdom. Follow your God-given promptings.

About What The Doctor Ordered... ?

When I was 5 years old I had a non-malignant tumor removed from behind my left eye. It was called "plastic surgery" and took place at Stanford University. The operation was successful and I am ever grateful. As a result though, I have no feeling on the left side of my forehead back to the crown of my head. After our car accident I had a "halo" connected to my forehead by that left eye. After the halo was taken off, as healing took place a tumor formed, which was removed with out-patient surgery several months ago.
About 4-5 weeks ago I started having headaches, again on the left side of my head. Without normal nerve endings there, I have only been able to tell because I can feel pain around the area and down inside my head. Tylenol didn't help so I went to the doctor.
I love my new doctor. He is very kind and it's obvious that he genuinely cares about his patients. He's prescribed 2 different pain medications that have given no relief so he ordered a CT scan which, I'm happy to say, came back clear of any major causes. The headaches are simply part of being in the car accident. Now another pain reliever has been ordered and I'm again faced with the decision of whether or not to try this drug. One might say, "Why, of course you must take these pills. The doctor prescribed them for you and he knows best." But I have a responsibility to myself as well.
In addition to extreme cautions about how to take this drug, there are some pretty major side effects possible. They include dizziness (I already have dizziness which I treat with herbs), blurred vision (I already am seeing spots), the risk of suicidal tendencies, depression, panic attacks, trouble with concentration, hostility and aggressive behavior, and this is only a small sampling. Plus you have to stop taking them gradually to help avoid these side effects.
If I were to decide not to take this new prescription, what would I do instead?
I have an herbal gel that relieves pain very effectively, even migraines, which is what the doctor says these headaches are. He said to avoid stress, so I am going to try some deep tissue therapeutic massage between my shoulders and in my neck. I'm also going to use lavender and possibly peppermint aromatherapy. The doctor also ordered a return to physical therapy once a week which I will do.
I don't mean to be rebellious or careless with my health - quite the opposite. I just can't see risking those side effects when I have some pretty good alternatives to try first. I'm grateful to have a diagnosis. With major issues ruled out, and knowing that I'm faced with daily migraines perhaps for the rest of my life, I need to do what I can to be responsible for my own health. I'm grateful that I can't feel the full thrust of the pain. Who knew that that would become such a blessing?

How-To Laugh At Incredibly Hot Weather

It's just too freakin' hot where I live! Summer days are over 100 degrees regularly and the nights, over 80. Our first summer here produced $300 a month electric bills and for as small as our house is, that's rediculous.
My Mom told me that she put up clear plastic shower curtains underneath her regular curtains and it brought the inside temperature down by at least 10 degrees. So I thought about this and came up with an over-the-top strategy.I bought lengths of clear plastic off the roll from the fabric section of the department store and cut it several inches larger than each of my windows. I then secured it with small nails so that the plastic almost touches the glass. Then I put up clear shower curtains just under the mini blinds with a small nail at each reinforced hole. For the final touch I put decorative plastic shower curtains over the mini blinds. (They look like sheers to the unsavvy eye.)

Think this to be a bit excessive?

Let me tell you what happened.

Our electric bill is calculated over a one year period and leveled so that each month our payment is the same. When they recalculated for the new year after the plastic went up, they owed us! We had so much credit on our bill we didn't have to pay for electricity for 5 MONTHS. And when we started paying again, our bill was $100 less a month!
(I'm sure that if the plastic keeps the cooler air inside and the hot air out in the summer, it will do the reverse in the winter as well.)

Just a little How-To to help you laugh all the way to the bank as you save that money for your next vacation or to get rid of some debt, or to use however you choose rather than on that electric bill!

Machine Guns and Automatic Grenade Launchers

Yep, these are also part of Basic Training. Mark is to the left of the instructor, in the middle.

North Prepares To Go On His Mission

We got to go to the Medford Oregon Temple this last week with North as he prepares to serve a mission right in our own backyard! He'll be going to the California San Bernardino Mission.

Then we spent a great couple of days with Sheryl and Northrop's family.

Fun times!!

FHE With The Todds

Popcorn Popping made a great springtime opening song. (And then, of course, we had prayer.)

We wrote letters to Uncle Mark and Uncle Sam. And then we had dessert!

How To Write To Mark

Mark's address is just under his picture here in the left column. Simply scroll down to find it. He loves getting letters and will answer anyone who writes if you include a return address. Thanks so much for your support and prayers, my friends.

It Takes A Village

As I observed the kids who came to Chandler's birthday party I saw how well behaved and sweet they all were, both church members and non-church members. I found myself pondering how so very many people contribute to who we become and I hoped each of those children would not succumb to the worldly temptations ahead.
I got to substitute teach in Primary a couple of weeks ago and was impressed by how much those 3 year olds knew about the Holy Ghost. I had them draw what they thought the Holy Ghost looked like and Ella Fiagle said, "He's a man." Ginny Brown said, "He's a good guy!" Our little Adam is also in that class. He didn't have to say anything at all for me to know that he, along with the other kids were building onto the things they had already learned at home and at church. 10 year old Chandler was the first to bear his testimony today in Sacrament Meeting. He talked about how it took faith on his part to be able to complete his fast of breakfast and lunch. He also mentioned the importance of standing and bearing your testimony because as you share it, it grows. Other testimonies born today came from Primary children and youth, and some of my now-all-grown-up Seminary students. What would we do without faithful parents, teachers, friends, family and ward family to be a stalwart and steady support on which to rely? With each of us doing our part, our children are able to grow up with the best chance available for success in this life. Even when children make wrong choices or suffer because of the wrong choices of others, having that firm foundation is essential to helping them find their way in an imperfect world.

As I watch our youth graduate from high school and go out into the world I see that they go with the glow of righteousness that will show others the way and help save souls. I feel grateful to be blessed to live within the safety of The Gospel Village, for the strength I receive every day, and for the blessings my children have received and still do receive both for themselves as well as their children.
It's a perfect plan. I hope and pray that with each of us doing our part to share the Gospel, we'll be able to help children everywhere to enjoy the kind of wholesomeness that I observed at Chandler's party, for their entire lives.

More Photos of Basic Training

I think that's Mark the second from the far left in the front row.

Above, Mark is the one standing and below, he's the one in full concentration!

I want to personally thank F Company and the 58th Batallion for all the pictures they publish on FaceBook.

How-Not-To Mop A Kitchen Floor

OK, I already knew my floor had a problem. I'm probably the last to figure this out, so please don't judge my ignorance too harshly. Here is my over-exhuberance at having finally made the discovery! It's called Magic Eraser is OK to use on vinyl flooring. With all the "soft" mopping I've done over time, I didn't see the buildup till it became In-Your-Face obvious. I even heard that you can buy a Magic Eraser mop but I haven't seen one out there yet. I must not shop at the right stores. Still, I think the best way to get some things off the floor is to get down there and scrub, or would one of those mops really have done the trick? It's pretty easy to see where I've scrubbed and where I haven't. And once the floor was good and clean I simply went over it with Mop-n-Glo.

Ta Da!!

Where I'm From

I am from roller skates with skate keys, and Cracker Jacks; from black and white tv and ice cubes in the ice box.

I am from a little 2-story, white Victorian with tall narrow outside stairs and homemade pies baking in the oven.

I am from blackberry bushes, little purple pansies, and the claw-foot-tub fishpond in the terraced garden.

I am from oceans, streams and mountains, and trying new things; from Shipp and Snyder, Stanger and Hays.

From, being a friend if I want to have friends and being corrected because I am loved.

I am from devotion to God, family and country; from uprightness and truth.

I’m from beautiful San Francisco and pioneer trails; pickup trucks and the scent of fresh-cut wood.

From Great Grandpa Hays and the Indian Chief, Grandpa Shipp’s boyhood 1-cent wealth and Grandma Ellis’ selfless example of service.

I am from boxes of old photos to glorious scrapbooks and compact discs.

I am all that’s past, brought to new discoveries, and an unchanging eternal foundation



*For the Where I'm From template, click HERE

The LDS Drill Sergeant

This is from Mark's latest letter: "...one of the LDS Drill Sergeants got called back to his unit. I talked to him for about an hour yesterday. He told me he served his mission in Germany right after it reunited. When he joined the Army he and his wife went inactive for about 12 years. He said that seeing me, a worthy member of the church, has helped him start going back to church and not swear as much. Even in the military I have found ways to help people and share the Gospel. I am really going to miss him when he leaves. This is his last week with us."

And here are some pics of Mark at Basic: In the top photo, Mark is getting some help aligning his weapon. In each of the lineup pics Mark's face is touching the Drill Sergeant's hat on the right side.