I miss Scripture Study!!

Last year I belonged to two scripture study groups.
My Tuesday group met at Lisa's house and we studied the Book of Mormon.  My Friday group met at Larissa's house and we studied the Book of Esther.  The Friday group was interesting because I was the only Mormon invited to attend.  I learned a great deal in both groups and enjoyed the camaraderie and discussions immensely.


This year I decided to host a group.  We are starting small, just three of us and we imagine as the year rolls along we will find more volunteers.
We are studying the New Testament, following along with the our Church's Gospel Doctrine schedule, since the 3 of us serve in Primary this way we get Sunday School. :-)  
I immensely enjoyed our first session and am looking forward to many more.
Because parking can be/was/is a problem on my street we have moved the group to Margie's house.


Please come join us at 10:30 on Wednesdays!

A way to make friends!

January tends to be my homesick, tired, S.A.D. month.  This year I thought I would also make it my- "Make new friends" month.
What is one of the fastest ways to make friends?  Invite them over for dinner, or lunch or brunch.  
I remembered to pick a menu, I remembered to cook all the things, I remembered to set the table, then when the new friends came I forgot to take their photos.  Oops!  It was a lovely evening anyway!! The 11 of us enjoyed the food and the conversation.
     Menu:
1st Course: Fruit with yoghurt dressing
2nd Course: Veggie, bacon and spatzle soup & rolls
3rd Course: Chicken ala King, corn and peas, Mom's bread dressing, brown-rice Pilau
4th Course: Ice cream and cookies

first time I used my linen table cloth from the Ukraine.

Lunch might be a bit late!!

I love throwing parties, now that I no longer get terrified, or nervous when cooking for others.  I am always looking for an excuse.  A Beat the Winters Blahs party seemed a good idea. So I invited some mormon neighbors that live nearby and chose a simple menu.


Crustless veggie, cheese and ham Quiche
Cool cucumber salad
Many bean salad
Green salad
then mixed fruit salad with orange yoghurt dressing & chocolate for dessert.


Lesson learned if you put the quiche pan in the oven for the butter to melt.
watch it closely and removed it immediately.  Don't get distracted and let the pan get really hot .....or you will get a bit of a surprise when you pour the quiche mixture into the pan.

I know how to clean up a mess quick with a spatula and dustpan.  And luckily my stove top is easy clean.
So I put the liquid that hadn't been poured out yet into another pan, mixed up a new batch and baked them both.

Changes Made! 1-2-3 and ready to sew!!

I love before and after shots that magazines have. Now I have some of my own.  

the mess I created while emptying some boxes

Another view of the work to be done.

Work Done! now I can sew!

more piles to sort through

mostly cleared away, there is a small orderly pile
behind the room screen.

took a few hours but I figured out how to hang the
blackout curtain on shower rings so I can view my fabric.
And the curtain slides back into place to protect from fading the rest of the time.

probably looks cluttered but having some of my favorite things displayed
and supplies at hand makes me happy. Did you know that if you click on the photos you can see larger closer views?

the shelf before and after it was painted

the shelf hung where I want it.

the drawer is strong enough to support my machine
so it is at a lower-
less-stress-for-the-back-height.

A wink ignored!

I  love leading the singing in church.  My grandmother, Aunts, Cousins and Mother like it too.  Yesterday one of our church leaders asked just before the meeting started if I would lead the singing.  I excitedly thanked him for the opportunity and turned to the correct page in the hymn book. Ack!! it was one with a 6/8 time signature. I stared at it.  Do I lead it with 6 beats, 3 beats or 2?  I wasn’t sure.  2 seemed best but???  Should I walk up to Dean at the organ and ask?

Oh, the professional musician was sitting across the aisle from me!  I asked him.  He wasn’t sure either. 2 or 3?  I picked 2!  And smiled all the way through Ring out, Wild Bells # 215 in Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

 I got off a little at first, was giving the up beat on the down beat because I was leading a bit too fast but that was easily adjusted. I kept smiling, as I noticed my singing wasn’t very pretty.  Breath, open throat, sing with an inner raised smile.  still not right??  oh, yes it is the book.  I don’t know where the music stand is kept. So just like the usual hymn leader I was standing holding the hymn book with my left hand and leading with my right.  Oh, well nothing I can do about that.

It is an age old problem with me.  When I move my arms about it can affect my singing, if I hold a book or sheet music it can affect my singing too.  But doing both at the same time, really affects the tension in my rib cage, affects breath control, and therefore affects how I sound.  

It wasn’t until I returned to my seat that I remembered that last night while I was packing my Sunday bag;  the thought had come that I ought to put my tiny hymnal in and spend some of the Prelude time going through and marking the 6/8 time hymns with the correct way to lead them... a project I began many years ago when I lead the singing monthly. I ignored the prompting.  If I had listened then I would have been holding 5.6oz instead of 25.4 oz or 1lb. 9.4oz.  (yes, I checked with my electronic Weight Watchers scale.)

Hmmm! interesting that my Father in Heaven would give me a prompting that really only concerned my vanity.  How good one sounds leading the singing isn’t really crucial, it is the smile and competence of keeping the beat that really matters.

I resolve to do better at paying attention to HIS winks, nudges and suggestions.

And will continue to feel thankful for his guiding hand in my life.

How did I miss THAT? Or what I’ll write to put off preparing my sacrament talk.

The other day on my walk I was thinking about writing a “this was our year” letter, a.k.a. “my kids are cuter than yours”. (I went and laid down till the urge went away. And I apologize to those of you who will now be one birdcage liner short) I began by listing some of my major achievements for 2010.  

Before I tell you what is on my list let me back up and tell you I’ve always wanted to take martial arts classes.  While in Moscow the stars finally alined as in I had the money, time, and teacher to take TaeKwonDo.  I attended class from April to June 2009, then September till November. I worked hard and I was asked to participate in my first belt test and exhibition in December.  Sadly my daughter and I were sent to the US for medical treatment at the end of November so I missed the December date.

Which is leading to my 2010...

In order to not lose ground I worked really hard in the apartment’s gym 5-6 days a week during our medical leave.  And returned back to Moscow and TaeKwonDo training.  Then ski season came and I missed a few or more classes to go ski in the sun and snow while chatting with friends and missed being invited to take part in the belt exam in February. doh!!

So June 2010 I participated in my first ever belt test!!!  A little over one year of preparation and passed!  No, I did not pass out.  I passed!  I was given a gold belt.  Which is curled up in a nice circle on my dresser and makes me smile every day. 

And then because I was busy emptying out of the house to move from Moscow.  I didn’t blog about it.... Which I am remedying right now!

I’m a gold belt and preparing to find another Master to study with so I can begin the process again. :-)

putting the belt on means you passed

Master Inna and Me!
I wore my hair in pigtails because of the backward rolls ugg!! 

And I am hoping to talk the master into letting me join a parent and child class again even though I don’t have a child to take with me.  Because I think Parent and child classes are the most entertaining/motivating. (And explains why all the other people taking my belt test are midget sized.)  

doing the dreaded crab walk with kick!!

Push ups are required in every belt test

as well as the correct bow

If you Do this- Then you get to do that!

A strategy that I employed successfully while I raised my children. Was the "If Then" principle.

Example:

The house was a mess and I was fed up with the disorder.  So I'd think of something that my children loved and say.  "If you all can give me your very best effort doing the following chores (I'd have a list)

then in 2 hours I'll take you to: _______________________.   But if one of you doesn't give me their very best effort then the deal is off.  This put positive peer pressure on everyone to work as a team. (And if dad didn’t/couldn’t participate in the work, he did not go on the outing with us.)

The "# hours" was important because they knew when the work would finish.  We often set a cooking timer... when it rang we were finished irregardless if the list was completed. Sometimes if I was called away so my cleaning had to stop I’d declare a “time out” and everyones work would stop.

Rewards that really worked for mine:

going to Pizza hut or the fish n chip shop and getting take away and eating it in Valley Gardens....with time to play afterwards.

going swimming

taking them to a show they wanted to see.

walking to the store and each getting a certain amount to spend to purchase a treat.

popping popcorn and watching a DVD together.

Going some where they wanted to go.

We all had  daily and weekly chores so we didn't need to employ this strategy too often but sometimes life happens and clutter catches up with us.

I'm sure you know what your children love. 

What rewards will motivate them to vacuum and scrub and tidy like whirling dervishes.

I didn't go and sit down and do something while they worked.  I worked really hard along side them. cleaning, teaching, praising, complimenting them on being so diligent, efficient, hardworking etc.

Cleaning a house can take all day or a few hours, depending on the vigor the children give to the task.  I did inspect closets and under beds to discourage....certain children from cramming everything that was previously on their floor under their beds :-).

I also employed the If Then principle at the dinner table.  If you eat 10 bites of vegetables (or whatever "dreadful" item they had an aversion to) then

 you get 10 bites of dessert.  If 1 bite then 1 bite, 5 bites then 5 bites etc.

And I use this principle on myself.  Example: If I do this paperwork for 30 minutes then I get to sing at the piano for 30 minutes.

The If Then principle can be found in our scriptures. The Lord uses it to teach principles and set up covenants.

I believe that by employing these strategies I was living the example of our God.. and thus preparing them to make covenants and live the gospel.