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Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Candied Yams

Ah! Tis almost Thanksgiving. I've always admired Abraham Lincoln for setting aside a day dedicated to honoring Pilgrims, Native Americans, their sacrifices, and their belief in God (or maybe in some cases a belief in a Higher Power). A day set aside to give thanks to God for our blessings is even more necessary in today's world and I hope it sticks around for a long time. However, not to diminish what I just said, but the biggest reason (other than visiting with family) why I look forward to Thanksgiving is....{drum roll}.....candied yams!!!! Why, you ask? Simply, because they are delicious. When you think about it, giving thanks to God is so important, it is something we are supposed to do everyday. It's a commandment. But there is only one day a year (and a few days after, taking leftovers into account) that we can have CANDIED YAMS, and that is Thanksgiving.

Now, "I kinda got the picture that some people aren't that interested in [candied yams] ({cough}NathanMomDad{cough}). I don't know why. It's not my place to judge." (Name that [altered] movie quote.) Fortunately for me, however, I have a talented, kind, giving, and beautiful mother-in-law who makes yams---that are candied!!! And they are delicious! And we are eating Thanksgiving dinner at her house!!!!! (We get to visit my family too. :) And I still love them even thought they don't have candied yams.)

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Hawaiian punch

Remember those commercials?

This is the one I remember...

This is one I stumbled upon...

Commercials aside, I really like Hawaiian punch. I bring this up because I was drinking some tropical type Tampico. It's not as good as Hawaiian Punch. I reflected that I haven't had a Hawaiian punch in a while. Has the product fallen off the map? Fortunately not, at least not according to the official website.

I would warn you, in parting, to beware little cartoon characters offering to punch you, but I think we're all onto Punchy's little trick by now.

Friday, November 14, 2008

An Anouncement

I have decided to start a political blog. The purpose of this is to keep everything that is political or very controversial OFF of this blog. We don't want any of you innocent bystanders getting hurt in the tides of political backlash. So therefore I've created a place where my political tirades are welcome, sassy, and even entertaining!

If you choose to be so entertained, please visit our politically fun blog: and this blog is open for anyone(even if I don't know them) the opportunity (if I agree with them, j/k!) to make comments on my political blog. So please, if you think your friends or family would like this blog please let them know about it

You all thought I was pregnant didn't you? Gotcha ya! I'll let you know the next time that happens.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Complicated

I just recently took this female icon personality quiz (click here if any of you girls want to take it) that my friend Kaarina posted on her blog. It fit her really well so I thought that I would try it. Well for only being two questions, it's really good. My problem was that I could have answered both questions one of two ways, therefore leaving four possibilities. So now it is the time you've all been waiting for, the revealing of which female icons I am. Drum roll please.......

I am a cross between Marilyn Monroe/Ingrid Bergman(?)/Jackie Kennedy/Grace Kelly.

So what I actually did is, look at each profile and then developed my own personalized personality read out by gathering the information about each person that is applicable to me. Here it is for those of you interested in reading it:

Meridy's Personality
A cross between Marilyn/Ingrid/Jakie/Grace

How to get along with me:
(Marilyn):
Be direct and clear (This is not always important, but very important in stressful situations.)
Listen to me carefully
Work things through for me
Reassure me that everything is okay between us
Laugh and make jokes with me
Try not to overreact to my overreacting

(Ingrid):
Be a supportive friend or partner. Help me learn to love and value myself.

(Jackie):
Take your share of the responsibility so I don't end up with all the work. (I probably would never tell you this directly, but it's how I feel inside.)
I'm hard on myself. Reassure me that I'm fine the way I am.
Tell me that you value my advice.
Be fair and considerate.
Gently encourage me to lighten up and to laugh at myself when I get uptight, but listen to my worries first.

(Grace):
I need time alone to process my feelings (I don't always have to be alone, so just wait around while I work through it out loud to you. Sorry, it might be a long conversation.)
Remember that if I seem aloof, distant, or arrogant, it is probably because I am feeling uncomfortable. (So true--but more so when I was younger.)
If I become irritated when I have to repeat things, it may be because it was such an effort to get my thoughts out in the first place. (So true. Ask Nate.)
Help me to avoid my pet peeves: overdone emotions (even my own emotions) and intrusions on my privacy. (pet peeves is a strong way to say it, but I don't like those things.)

What I like about me:
(Marilyn):
Being committed and faithful to family and friends.
Being responsible and hard working. (I'm not always hardworking, but I value it when I am.)
Being compassionate towards others. (I hope I am).
Having intellect and wit (I value it in others; I wish I was more witty)
Being a nonconformist (I think I am only somewhat nonconformist but I value that small part of me.)
Being direct and assertive (When I actually can be direct and assertive, I feel good about me as long as I don't feel like I was a jerk by being direct and assertive.)
Confronting danger bravely (Well not all the time, but I am very brave in certain situations. This is definitely another one of those things that I value in other people.)

(Ingrid):
My ability to find meaning in life and to experience feeling at a deep level (This is more touch and go, but I appreciate it when it happens to me.)
My ability to establish warm connections with people.
Admiring what is noble, truthful, and beautiful in life.
My creativity.
Being able to easily pick up the feelings of people around me. (I hope that's true).
Having aesthetic sensibilities

(Jackie):
Having high standards and ethics; not compromising myself.
Being reasonable, responsible, and dedicated in everything I do.
Being able to put facts together, coming to good understandings, and figuring out wise solutions. (Sometimes it takes awhile).

(Grace):
Coming to a thorough understanding; perceiving causes and effects. (Again, sometimes it takes awhile).
My sense of integrity; doing what is right and not being influenced by social pressure. (In general. I have been influenced by social pressure before ;)

What's hard about being me:
(Marilyn)
The constant push and pull involved in making up my mind. (Amen, and amen.)
Procrastinating because of fear of failure; having little confidence in myself. (Again, amen.)
Fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of. (I was smart, I made sure I married someone who wouldn't abandon me ;)
Exhausting myself by worrying and scanning of danger. (Bullseye)
Wishing I had a rule book so that I could do everything right.
Being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to my expectations.

(Ingrid):
Feeling guilty when I disappoint people.
Fearing being abandoned.
Feeling dark moods of despair. (Sounds dramatic, but I do tend to jump to the worst case scenario. I hate it. Nate has to help me get back on track.)
Obsessing over resentments (I used to be more this way. I try very hard NOT to resent people. When it happens, I do obsess, but I try really hard to stop myself. It just feels so immoral of me to be resentful. I do worry that people resent me. However, now I just choose not to be resentful and can turn it off faster.)

(Jakie):
Feeling disappointed with myself or others when my expectations are not met.
Feeling burdened by too much responsibility. (Sometimes I take a lot on and them am not able to finish everything on time.)
Thinking that what I do is never good enough. (Not all the time.)
Not being appreciated. (Only if I worked really hard on something, then I want you to appreciate it a lot. I don't always work hard on things, and then I don't care so much what you think.)
Obsessing about what I did or should do. (I'm getting better at turning this one off as well, but still have a tendency to do it.)
Being tense, anxious, and taking things too seriously. (Yes I do.)

(Grace):
Being slow to put my knowledge and insights to the world. (Amen.)
Feeling bad when I act defensive or like a know-it-all.

As a child:
(Marilyn):
Anxious and hyper-vigilant; anticipate danger.
Look to groups or authorities to protect them and/or question authority and rebel (I did look to authority figures a lot as a child. Actually, I've gotten more rebellious as I've gotten older. The trick is that I don't really rebel in general. I only feel like rebelling. I would rebel if it was important morally.)

(Ingrid):
Have active imaginations: play creatively alone or organize playmates in original games. (Amen)
Are very sensitive (So true.)
Feel that they don't fit in. (Often I did feel this way.)
Believe they are missing something other people have.(Often. Not really material things, but intangible things.)
Attach themselves to idealized teachers, heroes, artists, ect.
Feel lonely. (Mostly this happened during episodes of not fitting in at school. I felt good with family and friends that I did have.)
(Jackie):
Criticize themselves in anticipation of criticism of others. (Oh, yes.)
Refrain from things they might not do perfect. (Only if a grade wasn't in jeopardy.)
Focus on living up to the expectations of their parents and teachers. (Yep.)
Are very responsible; may assume the role of parent (First child syndrome, which I am.)
Hold back negative emotions (I try. I don't like negative emotions.)

(Grace):
Have a few special friends.
Are very bright and curious and do well in school.
Are sensitive; avoid interpersonal conflict.
Feel intruded upon and controlled. (Sometimes.)

As a parent:
(Marilyn):
Are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty. (I don't always act on my strong sense of duty. Maybe it's better to say I have a strong sense of duty about a few things when it comes to parenting and I can stand up for those things. Such as not letting my kids run out into the street or saying mean things to each other—It's my duty to teach those to my kids for example.)
Sometimes have trouble saying no and setting boundaries. (Pretty much...)

(Ingrid):Help their children become who they really are.
Support their children's creativity and originality
Are good at helping kids get in touch with their feelings (I hope I am. I think this is really important. I am sensitive to it I think, because I have a hard time working through my own feelings. I want my kids to be good at it.)
Are usually very good with children if not too self-absorbed.

(Jackie):Teach their children responsibility and strong moral values. (That's the goal. I hope we start doing better on that—the responsibility part.)
Are consistent and fair.

(Grace):Kind, perceptive, and devoted. (Mostly I hope.)

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Nevermind

I was reading further into the Counselor description when I came upon this paragraph:

Counselors are scarce, little more than one percent of the population, and can be hard to get to know, since they tend not to share their innermost thoughts or their powerful emotional reactions except with their loved ones. They are highly private people, with an unusually rich, complicated inner life. Friends or colleagues who have known them for years may find sides emerging which come as a surprise. Not that Counselors are flighty or scattered; they value their integrity a great deal, but they have mysterious, intricately woven personalities which sometimes puzzle even them.

So, maybe I am a Counselor. Actually, some of the Counselor traits make more sense of my Color Code combination.

Meridy also added a great post right below this one. Check it out.

Nate's Birthday and Waffles

As you should all know by now Nate just happily celebrated his "30th birthday". That's been Nate's favorite joke since he turned 26. "Why, I'm practically 30!" (He just turned 27.)

To celebrate, Garry and Sheri watched our kids, and we had a candle light dinner at home. For our main dish we ate some Bertolli pasta. It is so yummy! You buy it at the store frozen, and you heat it in a skillet for ten minutes and the meat and vegetables come out perfect. It's amazing. We had one with steak, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. The sauce on this one wasn't my favorite, but everything still came out the perfect texture. We also got some frozen appetizers that turned out yummy; some spinach puff things, and some coconut curry spring rolls. And of course we had Martinelli's. We actually had the Smith's brand on sale instead of the actual Martinelli's brand, but it was still delicious.
I took this next picture on the firework setting and it had this unexpected effect. I thought it looked cool so I posted it.
Check SpellingNate didn't want cake, he wanted to blow out is candle stuck in a block of ice cream! So we sang happy birthday to him after we picked up the kids. He had already received his birthday present a long time ago (ping pong paddle rubber) so I didn't have a present for him to open. Ellie wanted to give him a present to open so bad, so we found Halloween candy and various items around the house at put them into bags for him to open. Nate was a good sport and played along.
On an unrelated, side note we actually made waffles on a waffle machine about a week ago. Just thought you would all like to record this in history.

Multiple Personality Disorder

Meridy and I love personality tests. In fact Meridy is about to post about one. In the personality tests I've taken recently I'm getting strange results. I'm not coming out the way I used to, and I don't tend to agree with my profiles. Two examples:

I think of myself as more of a Blue on this test, but the instructions say to answer the questions based on how I behaved as a child. When I answer that way I come out Red. Meridy and I were wondering about it, and she suggested that I might be a Red whose power play was to adopt the goals of a Blue. That's weird.

I used to test consistently as an Idealist Healer on this test, but tonight I came out as an Idealist Counselor. The difference between a Healer and a Counselor is that a Counselor is scheduled; whereas, a Healer is probing. I have never been good with schedules, but in recent times I have really tried to learn to make and follow plans, and set and achieve goals. So maybe I'm changing, but then I didn't agree with the description of a Counselor--at least not most of it.

Sometimes I say to myself, "I don't know you anymore."

Friday, November 7, 2008

Hand in the shadows

I really like this poem. I'm feeling especially grateful and comforted tonight knowing that God is in control, and that he loves me.

Meciendo

por Gabriela Mistral of Chile (Desolación -1922)

A poem in Spanish, recited by and translated by Patricia Cummings

Meciendo

El mar sus millares de olas
mece divino
Oyendo a los mares amantes
mezo a mi niño.

El viento errabundo en la noche
mece los trigos
Oyendo a los vientos amantes
mezo a mi niño.

Dios Padre sus miles de mundos
mece sin ruido.
Sintiendo su mano en la sombra
mezo a mi niño.


Rocking

by Gabriela Mistral, post modernist Latin American poet

translated by Pat Cummings

The sea, her thousands of waves
rock divinely.
Hearing the loving seas
I rock my child.

The wandering wind in the night
rocks the wheat.
Hearing the loving winds
I rock my child.

Father God, your thousands of worlds
rock without sound.
Feeling your hand in the shadows
I rock my child.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Halloween SURPRISE!

We have had such a good Halloween season!! We went to two trunk-or-treats. At the first trunk or treat Ellie was......Super Kitty!!!! That's a dead fish on the back of her costume with an "x" for the eye. (I sewed it myself.) Yeah, Nate didn't get it either, but it makes more sense when you know that Will was....

Super Monkey!!! I had left over material and I wanted to make Will a cape. I thought it would be fun to coordinate it with the monkey costume Deborah gave me (thanks Deborah!)

For the next trunk or treat Ellie was....
Tinker Bell. Ellie was originally going to be a bumble bee again. But when we were at Toys R Us , Ellie just had to have this Tinker Bell costume. I broke down and bought it for her because I was Tinker Bell one Halloween when I was little. And it was cheap for what it was. (We used yellow wings instead of the ones it came with.) Anyway....then she wanted to be Super Kitty after she found out William was going to be Super Monkey. I was a little bit upset, yet another costume to find, purchase, and then purchase more stuff to make it wearable. But I found a kitty costume on the cheap and still had left over cape material. And William was.....

Super Monkey again.....


Sheri and her family came trunk-or-treating with us (the first trunk-or-treat mentioned was actually Sheri's trunk-or-treat). We all had a good time. We even won a cake at the cake walk!

And now, here is where the Surprise comes in for all of you patient readers. We figured out last minute that Nate had school off because Halloween and Nevada day were the same day. So we made a last minute trip to Utah. We decided to surprise my mom and trick-or-treat at her house Halloween night. We got to the door that evening and my brothers answered. I told them to get Mom. They didn't spill the beans; they just told her to come to the door. Good job guys! As my mom came to the door, she looked out the window for our car (she told me this after), hoping against hope that it was us. Well she was disappointed because our car was not there! We sneakily parked it down the street. When she found out it was us, she was completely SURPRISED:
She was so happy that I almost cried! It was so fun. We went trick-or-treating in my old neighborhood. It was very nostalgic. Ellie was a....


Bumble Bee!! I wanted her to wear all of the costume put together with those wings and the hair, because we hadn't got it that cute in years before. I'm happy she went along with me. Will was....


You guessed it, Super Monkey, again. Saving the world one banana at a time. I'm glad that he didn't feel cheated for having the same costume...hopefully next year will be more simple for Ellie's costumes. I really hope I don't end up buying more...

We had so much fun in Utah with both sides of our family! Thanks for making it such a fun trip. And here are more pictures if you aren't sick of them by now ;)

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