Jakes Show and other Things

Last night we went to Jake's show at the Secret Society Ballroom. It was a quaint building that used to have some kind of Secret Society in it. It was fun to see Jake and his band having a great time and playing amazingly great music. They are all very talented. It is great fun to watch Jake, I wish everyone could watch him. He is definitely in his element up on stage. He has a great time and it just makes me smile to watch him. I wish I had a camera, it would have been cool to post some pics. He had a cool wool felt hat that someone made for him. They have some new songs that I really liked and were a big hit. Can't wait for you all to hear them. They are almost done with their new album.

I told Jake that no matter how old your kids get it is a great joy to watch them do something they love to do. Steve and I were so glad we went. It was a last minute thing. We found out about it on Thursday. We both had a good time! It was fun to see the kids and Lyndsey also. We both read a lot of books and got jumped on a lot by guess who? You guessed it Miles. He is all boy. What a riot.

Aside from the wind it is really pretty outside. If we lived at Idaho Street, I would go out to my little corner on the deck that is protected from the wind and pretend I was in Hawaii and start tanning my legs. The deck here isn't the same. It's more a walk outside for a minute and come back in deck. Oh well. Hopefully in one year, 5 months and 2 days we will be signing papers and moving back. I know I am ungrateful. Oh well, I'm still mortal so still very human.

Working on a dress for myself. It is really cute, but it is like walking through very deep mud to make myself work on it. I think it is residual mental garbage from being obese. One of these days I will be past that. I was talking to Amy about it on the phone the other day. Being obese made me feel I wasn't "worthy" of beautiful fabric. So it is hard to sew for me. I go through fear and all sorts of weirdness as I sit and sew for myself. It feels like that when I think of painting by myself also. I think it is a Satan not wanting me to be happy thing. I hope as I push myself I will get passed this. I used to love sewing for myself and was as confident doing that as I was sewing for anyone else. Time.... boring. I want all the crap feelings to be gone immediately. Oh well, it will come!

I'm going to be doing my first Sharing time tomorrow, excited and a little nervous at the same time. Loving being in Primary.

Love you all!

Favorite talk

One of my favorite talks in conference was this: http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/the-atonement-covers-all-pain?lang=eng We read it today for our Family Home/scripture study.
It moved me as much or more the second time. I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone.

It is different when you are together 24/7 and have no children at home. So we have family prayer and scripture study when I eat my breakfast. On Mondays we read a conference talk instead and I count that as Family Home Evening. We read 1 page a day in one of the Standard Works and as a result of that we have completed the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, the Doctrine and Covenants, and now we are reading the New Testament. It's like the scriptures say "out of simple things proceedeth that which is great." I think half the reason we don't do certain things is because we make then too hard.

love you all!

Yummy Date Treat

Megan wants the recipe for the date treat I had at Lizzies that I mentioned in the post below. Here it is!

First it needs to be fresh dates. They sell them at costco in a container not a bag. Ask Rebecca or Lizzie where. I got some at a farmers market where Lizzie lives.

1 Recipe makes 8 yummy treats (small but tasty, I'm sure you could double it or triple it)

8 dates
1/4 ounce of walnut pieces
3 tsp cocoa
1/2 tsp maple syrup(real thing if you want it to be healthy snack)
1 tsp coconut oil (I think you might have to go to a health food store for this but I'm not sure)

Pit dates if they are not already pitted. Chop walnuts into small pieces and put into dates, just enough so they can still be closed so to speak. In a small measuring cup, if you have the heavy duty kind use that. Heat over low heat just until warm the last 3 ingredients. Take off heat, mix thourghly. Dip your dates in it.

I haven't tried it yet because I just got home and don't feel well. I didn't watch Lizzie, so I would think you would use a fork or a toothpick to dip them. If it doesnt' turn out right call Rebecca, Lizzie is crazy busy right now. For WW's it is 1 pp for 4 dates. You really can't eat too many because they are really rich. The first one I ate I said "oh I can taste the coconut oil." After that I didn't even notice it Rebecca or Lizzie invented this I think I'm just a world of knowledge tonight aren't I! Bon Appetit

Being Sick, Fingernails, Conference,Ward and Branch Boundry Change, New Calling, Dates

Being Sick: I have decided I hate being sick. The only good thing about it is having no responsibility which kind of isn't true, but mostly is true. My throat is killing me. I hate swallowing, my glands are so big that I swear the opening to my throat is smaller and the muscles that I use to swallow hurt and I swear my ears hurt also. I know I am almost never sick so I shouldn't complain. One of my favorite things is you're supposed to get as much rest as possible, and I have a great husband who definitely supports me in that, BUT you are also supposed to drink as much water as possible so I get all nice and cozy and then I have to take the covers off, get off the couch or bed and go to the bathroom. I was listening to conference and one of the seventies said there were things to be learned from illness. So I am trying to figure that out today! Enough complaining!

For about 3 months now I have been growing my fingernails out. It has been great! One day I thought" I think I will stop biting my nails". They got longer then started breaking and were different lengths. When I was in the airport coming home from Missouri, I was exhausted and wanted to be pampered so I had a manicure and a pedicure. She made my nails all even. At first I was upset about it and then I decided I was glad because it only took about a week or so for them all to be the right length again. I keep them just a tiny bit above my finger and I keep them polished-key!! very important. I learned the secret to keeping polish on. 1 coat of Nail Envy, then two coats of color(mine has been red, a shock I know!) then a coat of Nail Envy. Then a coat of nail envy every morning when I read my scriptures. The color lasts a week that way, and I don't use gloves at the sink, just in the garden. One broke at Rebecca's, but that will happen. I would have taken a pic, but I still don't have a camera!
Conference... oh how I love conference. I watched the Sunday sessions at Rebecca's on the internet. Boy is that ever great, it was just like watching it on TV. Today since I couldn't go to church I watched the Saturday morning session on DVR, it was wonderful also. I just feel loved, filled and at peace when I watch conference. It makes me have more faith, hope and feel happy.

I think I have told all of you, but I haven't put it in the blog yet, the boundaries for the Branch and Newport ward were changed about 2 months ago. I finally got a new calling a couple of weeks ago. They sustained me this week, I am the first counselor in Primary! I am totally excited. I haven't worked in Primary since Lizzie was a 3 years old! I need to order the Friend magazine and today I am going to study my calling online. The church has so much out there now.
Dates!! My new discovery. I was at Rebeccas and she has been talking about dates for some time now but it didn't click with me. Then at Lizzie's she started telling me why Rebecca and her are so into dates. They are healthy and sweet! On weight watchers if they are fresh they are free because they are a fruit. They make this date, walnut cocoa thing that is to die for! Danielle you need to do this, it would be sooooo healthy for you two and not cheating in the nth degree. You can only eat a few because they are so rich. Rebecca doesn't' consider it a treat because it is so healthy for you. I agree!

Well it is another windy winter day, but I still love looking out the window at it. Love you all!!!

A very busy month!!

It's been a crazy busy last month. Had to go to the Springfield and Portland in one week for Steve's eyes, and colonosc0py. A week later I flew out to Missouri to meet up with my sister for a week of painting classes-good but hard. Stayed a night and a day with Judy for Crystals baby shower. Tried all week to get Gracies b-day present done, finally got it done by staying up late. I would post a pic, but on my way to Missouri, I left my camera in the overhead bin and someone stole it. Left for California to help Amy and Mike move, like Amy said, we had a really great road trip it was great fun. Stayed at Amy's and Mikes helping them organize their whole apartment for 3 days, Her apartment is great! I was very happy for them. Then she drove me to Rebeccas for 2nights and days. We watched conference on Sunday and then Rebecca took a day off with Amy while the girls and I spent the day together. Sadly Gracie was sick and we didn't realize it until I picked her up to put her in the Walmart cart, she was burning up. We also went on an adverture, not by choice, the gps took us off in the tooleywigs we went an hour out of our way for Aliese to do a 15 minute PE test, crazy! It was pretty at least, but the fuel is low light was blinking and there weren't any gas stations so that was scary. We bought nail stuff at Walmart, came home and did nails. Then we made cupcakes and the girls frosted and decorated them. Rebecca then took me to Lizzies where I spent 3 days and nights at her house. It was great also. I was able to help as well as play. Lizzie has several errands that the kids couldn't go on so I was glad to be there to play games, make cupcakes twice and just enjoy being with them. Next month is probably going to be crazy too. Maybe June will be slower? Am I dreaming? I hope not. At times like that I am so grateful that I started taking better care of my body. I am grateful I can help my kids.

Well, I came home sick so I am going to close now. I hate being sick. I am feeling better, just tired and very tired of swollen glands in my neck.

love you all!