Be Beautiful, Darling

red bead necklace

This one is for the girls.

I see the trend to be more casual, more androgenous, less formal. Oh, yes, honey, I do. That’s one step closer to forgetting how beautiful we are. Go to a musical or classical concert in jeans? Unforgiveable! Greet your husband after a long day of work with messy hair and wearing your frumpy old pajamas? Where’s the romance in that?

What this world needs is more women who know how to dress up. It doesn’t really matter if anyone agrees with me or not. I don’t mind being the only one to wear a skirt to an event or just around the house. Dressing nicely makes me feel happy.

Here are some of my tips for feeling feminine, despite, well, anything.

  1. Wear body spray or perfume. Not too much, just a hint.
  2. Wear one piece of jewelry besides your wedding ring. See how it makes you feel.
  3. Never wear sweats all day long, unless you’re painting and you need greater range of motion.
  4. A little mascara, blush, and lipstick makes anyone look better. It doesn’t have to be a lot of makeup. Just a little is best.
  5. Find something that makes you feel beautiful and wear it often. Shawls make me feel beautiful and they keep me warm because I’m usually cold. Yes, even here. “Can I take your wrap, madam?”

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You didn’t even notice the messy room behind me, did you? That’s the power of the wrap.

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Wal-Mart. Target. Instant glamour for $5? Genius!

two tone bead necklace

I walked into the post office today with confidence, wearing a necklace, some makeup and shoes with a hint of heel. I had my little ducklings all around me and on my hip. I’m not saying that anyone noticed me. But I noticed. And that is what matters.

Softening of the Heart

Desert Museum

How have my interactions with my family helped to soften my heart this week?

  • Richard and I stayed up late and watched our favorite Mormon Tabernacle Christmas DVD. The King’s Singers were the guest artists with the choir.  The most moving piece for both of us is Oh Holy Night, and we saved it for last. We promised ourselves that we won’t listen to it again until Christmas Eve, it’s so special. As I listened to the music and reflected on the words of Luke 2, I just felt so happy. Christ came! He lived and loved us. I wanted to be a better person. I loved everyone.
  • Timothy was so upset on Saturday. All I can say is that it had something to do with being the middle brother. I took him with me to the grocery store. He let me put my arm around him as we walked through the parking lot. He got more and more cheery and chatty as we shopped. He melted my heart.
  • Mark wanted to spend time with me at church today, so I let him skip nursery and he helped me with some church work before I eventually dropped him off in his class. In the process, I lost a lens from one of my glasses. I searched all over the church, only to find the lens was safely in his little hand at the end of his nursery class. He’d held it during snack and playtime in nursery and had kept it safe for my return. Bless his little heart.
  • Learning the human nervous system is a big job and there are a lot of vocabulary words. Paige hasn’t enjoyed it, so I read science to Paige this week as we both stretched out on my bed. I felt the frustration just melt away.
  • Daniel walked Sparky at the park this week. I brought Mark and his friend Aleah along, too. I watched Daniel interact with the little 3 year olds from a distance. He allowed Aleah to walk her spider fingers all over his head and arms. He helped urge Mark forward when he lagged behind. Simple, happy moments.

It’s my greatest hope to have a softer heart, more Christlike ways, and to keep my family close to me. Perhaps in the writing of some of these simple things, the softening can last a little longer. I have some real battles this week in my life. A difficult person to deal with, two big events, and the usual errands and business. I have learned that it’s better to be charitable than tough; compassionate rather than judgmental; patient rather than hasty… and that requires Grace, accessed through prayer and humility and obedience.

Forever Friends

Daniel package 10 years old

Daniel received this package in the mail this week. Inside was a newspaper from his birth date, almost 10 years ago. Our friends, the Espersens have been saving it for us in Austin all these years. Dave is quite the philatelist. (I’ve always wanted to use that word.) I have been staring at this package for a long time, enjoying the beautiful stamps and missing these dear friends.

Daniel has been lonely lately. His best friend moved away last month. I think that our Heavenly Father knows this little boy’s needs and has inspired so many good people to reach out to him. If you think about it, this kind act was put in motion 10 years ago and the timing is perfect. I sit back in wonder, and I’m reminded of the importance and power of love and small gestures of kindness and listening to those little ideas that come to our minds to do good. Who knows what a difference our small acts of kindness will make?

Espersens

The Espersens

If you’re going to be quoted…

Newspaper Richard

We’re not sure why Richard was quoted in this newspaper article, and why the author of the article omitted the line about the members of our church fasting (in addition to praying) for the Hess family. Richard had been in contact with this reporter about some other church business in the news and he had submitted photographs to be used by the paper. However, this is all the evidence of his work with this reporter. But I guess when all is said and done, if you’re going to be quoted in the paper, you’d better be saying something worthwhile, and I think he did just fine.

Looking for a worthwhile cause? Visit Team Ryan Hess or this blog post to find out how to help.

Appointment

by Paige

Dear Paige,

We must not let ourselves get too busy today. I missed painting with you yesterday. I’m getting out the paints today at 2:00. It’s better to paint than to be busy.

Love,

Mom

P.S. You did a good job on these ballet shoes!

ABBA Gold

1977 carrot

I listened to our new ABBA Greatest Hits CD all morning as I cleaned the house. When I was little, aside from having natural highlights in my hair (see above picture), I loved to dance to our ABBA  8-track in our front room on the gold shag carpet. I’d land on the floor and look up at the light fixture which had a golden circular screw which would reflect a tiny image of me. My memories of the seventies have a golden hue. It probably has something to do with the carpet, but I think it also has something to do with the happy childhood I had.

Ice Cream Tutorial

Nothing says good old American holiday weekend like homemade ice cream. Here’s a way to do it the old fashioned way. We did this for my science class on Friday. I’m posting pictures of our kids (the little cuties) making it 3 1/2 years ago in our rental house.

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You will need

  • 1 cup milk,
  • 1 cup whipping cream,
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla,
  • 1/2 c sugar,
  • 2 cups of rock salt,
  • 1/2-3/4 bag of  ice,
  • one #10 can with a lid,
  • one 30 oz. can with a lid (look in the coffee aisle).

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Mix the first four ingredients and pour into the small can.

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If you’re being scientific, you can measure the temperature of your mixture.

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Tape the small lid on the small can to prevent leaks. Place 1/2 cup of rock salt on the bottom of the BIG can and put a layer of ice down. Place the small can into the big can and pack more ice around it and on top of it, layering 1/2 c more rock salt with the ice. Place the lid on the big can, tape all around (to prevent leaks) and….

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Start rolling the can across the floor… and keep rolling…

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for 12 minutes.

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After 12 minutes, unpack the small can and stir the ice cream and take a temperature reading (if you’re being scientific). Work quickly.

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Tape the small lid back into place. You’ll notice that the ice in the big can has melted a lot. This is because the heat from the cream has passed from the small can to the super-cooled  ice. (Rock salt lowers the freezing point of ice, making the ice colder than “freezing,” and this draws more heat from the cream mixture. It’s the heat from the cream that melts the ice as the liquid cream turns to ice cream.) You’ll need to discard the old ice and salt and repack the big can with 1/2 c rock salt on the bottom and more fresh ice and 1/2 c rock salt around the small can. Tape the big lid in place and get rolling again…

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Roll for 7 more minutes. Gloves are a good idea.

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By this time, anticipation will be high and many hands will want to help…

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You’ll have a nice creamy treat waiting for you in that little can.

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Science before dessert…

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All that hard work is worth it. Happy Labor Day!

Dusting off the old Degree

science club september 007

It’s been 13 1/2 years since I student taught at Mountainview High School. I taught biology. And while I student taught, I grew out of all of my clothes and anxiously awaited graduation so I could start getting the house ready for our baby. I waddled just a little as I went through Commencement and all. I snacked on a Snickers bar as I sat in a sea of graduates at the Marriott Center. You know, you’ve got to eat when you’re expecting a baby.

That day, thoughts about the future as a mom overshadowed my dreams to be a science teacher, as they should. But at certain moments in my life since then, I have seen that a TEACHER I must be. Thankfully, I have been blessed with many opportunities to teach… 3 years of seminary, many years in Primary, 8 more years homeschooling…

But today, 13 1/2 years later, I taught a real science class for our homeschool club and it felt really good.

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I also roped Richard into teaching robotics. What a man!

August Sahuarita Saga

I got up early this morning to finish the August Saga. It’s a great way to make sure we Finish Our Essays. Having a deadline is great, and so is the knowledge that someone besides Mom is going to look at your writing. The art this month is amazing.

[book id='6' /]

Lighting a Fire

Education is not the filling of the bucket but the lighting of a fire! -Yeats

This letter from a missionary in Brazil arrived for Daniel today. How exciting for Daniel. He is so thankful! Thanks to a kind bishop who has put in requests to some missionaries to help with Daniel’s coin collection while sharing a little of their missionary zeal.

Smile at a Mormon Missionary today and let them share their message with you! They are good and they love the gospel. Thanks, Elder Farnsworth.

Elder Farnsworth letter