did you know...

March is National Nutrition Month.  That's what the elementary lunch menu claims, anyway.  A sporting goods store ad informed me that March is also National Runners Month.  JoAnn and her team pronounced that March is National Craft Month, too.  March is also
National Kidney Month
Berries and Cherries Month
National Women's History Month
Foot Health Month
National Furniture Refinishing Month
International Mirth Month (what the heck?)
Deaf History Month
National Kite Month
National Frozen Food Month
and
National Eye Donor Month

Actually, if you look online, there are dozens more. 

But, in case you were wondering, March is NOT National Chocolate Month.  Drat!

worth the read

Just had to share the best post I've read in a long time. Enjoy!

good reads

Are you a reading addict, like me? I just love the escape that comes when I open a book; the pleasure (and sometimes pain) of living within another's shoes for a short time has brought me much enlightenment, empathy, resolve, courage and gratitude. I read all kinds of things---fiction, nonfiction, classics, new releases, biographies and memoir. Personal, real-life stories are my favorite. That's why I always love getting my issue of Segullah in the mail. It is filled with personal essays written by LDS women, sharing their trials and triumphs, joys and sorrows, lessons learned and those they are still trying to learn. It is lovely, truly. (Plus, I have the privilege of helping recruit the featured artist in each issue, and really, what could be more fabulous that beautiful ART coupled with amazing WRITING?)

And, I'd like to share it with you. Right now, as a promotion for the 5th anniversary of this literary journal, you can get a free issue of Segullah when you subscribe for 1 year. You'll love it, I promise.

Sweet!

Last summer my kids and I took a tour of the Sweet's Candy Factory in Salt Lake City. If I could have moved in, I just might have done it. Pipes move pounds and pounds of CHOCOLATE around the facility. Taffy rolls off conveyer belts in waterfall-fashion. Everything smells of sugar. It was heavenly.

One place I found particularly interesting was the jelly bean-making room. Giant vats, resembling cement mixers, spun round and round, each with a different color inside. The tour guide walked us through the process of making a jelly bean, from the mold of the jelly on the inside to the hard candy coating on the out. To my amazement, she said it takes 7 whole days to make a jelly bean. A week. Really? I don't even like jelly beans, and yet these candy-makers spend a week getting their treats from start to finish.

This little bit of candy trivia has made me appreciate jelly beans in a whole new way. And, now that Easter candy has arrived (the best candy of the year, don't you think?), and jelly beans are available in so many different flavors, I just couldn't help buying a bag (or five). I still don't like plain old jelly beans, but Starburst jelly beans, Nerds jelly beans, Sweetart jelly beans and Jolly Rancher jelly beans...now THOSE beans are worth waiting a week for.

Happy Easter!

Watch out VH1...

My sister turned me on to the crazy fact that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir makes music videos. Who knew? They have several out there, but if you'd like to see my beautiful and talented choir-member mom, this one has a good shot of her. She is in the first clip of the choir, the farthest one on the right whose entire face is showing.

Go Mom!

love love love this...

I was so inspired by this talk last fall, and am again motivated when I hear President Uctdorf's words in this video. Enjoy!

P.S. You can download this here.

Bragging

Yes...she's MY friend! :)
Check out Mara's newest accomplishment: Art Gallery Artist! Her online gallery is here, her blog is here, and her photography site is here.
By the way, thanks to everyone who made comments about my new profile pic. Maralise took it, of course! Thanks, Mar!

I Heart DVR

I've never before been spoiled with Tivo (although I've often coveted the magic recording power of others). That is, until football season started this year. Chad insisted that we NEEDED to have access to "the Mountain" and I was happy to oblige, since satellite would also mean we could get BYU TV and watch Conference at home in our jammies, just like livin' in Utah! And, along with the package came a lovely little black digital recording box.

I love my DVR. Chad cruise through an eternally l-o-n-g football game in an hour. I can record "The Office" to help ease the pain of folding that mountain of laundry I always have on Thursday night. The kids' shows are at beck and call.

But, I was the most grateful for my DVR today. We had recorded a special about President Monson that BYU TV was showing between conference sessions. I turned it on today while I was working on a sewing project. What a man! I've always known President Monson is a worthy, honorable man. This documentary was additional fuel on my testimony fire. President Monson is such an example of listening to the Spirit and heeding His voice, no matter what.

I loved the final words he spoke on the program: "I always want the Lord to know that if He needs an errand run, Tom Monson will run that errand for him."

I want to be that kind of errand runner, too.

Cravings

I'd love to be able to blame my constant need for ice cream on the pregnancy. But, I pretty much crave ice cream ANY time. Except maybe in the dead of winter, if I'm shoveling snow and my nose is cold. But otherwise...I'm always good for a scoop. Lately, my craving has been worse. Maybe it's because Black Raspberry Chocolate Chunk has been on sale at the grocery store, and it is practically a crime to pass that up. What can I say? Our freezer has been well-stocked lately, and my dips into the carton are frequent. But, if you can't indulge while gestating, when can you???

Anyway, I was ECSTATIC to discover this little gem in my inbox today: World's Largest Ice Cream Social. Cold Stone Creamery is raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation this month, and treating customers to free ice cream on September 25th. So, if you don't have the convenient excuse of a 'bun in the oven' to satisfy YOUR ice cream cravings, this might be just the thing. I mean, it is for a good cause, right?

Mmmmmm....

Basil Blooms?

I've never pretended to be a green thumb. In gardening, I am very much a novice. So, it surprised me when, the other day, my nearly 1-year-old windowsill basil plant sprouted these little white blossoms. Is this a bad sign? Is it about to die? Who knows, but these mini flowers remind me of Spring, so they can stay!

My thoughts, exactly...

I've been at a loss for words in expressing my feelings at the passing of the Prophet. But, Dalene said exactly what I've been wishing I could say. If you haven't read her post at Segullah, it is definitely worth a look.

I'm Worried...

I'm a first-rate worrier... just ask my husband. I am claiming non-responsibility for this trait, as my mom and grandma are even MORE worried than I am. I must have inherited it. Anyway, I'll try not to share ALL my worries here, but I'm unabashedly asking for advice, so I thought this was the best place to air my concerns:

First off...I need to apologize if all my past posts have popped up as 'new' on subscriber lists. I just spend the last few minutes going though my posts and editing out my kids' names. This was after I Googled the small bits of personal information I've shared on my blog and instantly found me...too easy! I've always been a little worried about privacy online...there are too many wack-o's out there. So, I've avoided using our last name, listing locations or other specifics. But, after reading this post and all the comments about blog and internet safety, I decided I had better error on the side of caution. Does anyone else have safety tips to share?

I can't imagine that my blog will be free from my kid's pics, but I'm thinking of changing the resolution of blog photos so they aren't very blow-up-able. Good idea or will it not make a difference??

I'll admit it...

I'm and NPR junkie. My daily escape is to listen to "All Things Considered" and make dinner. Hooray for my under-the-counter CD player/radio in the kitchen!

Last night as I was making dinner I heard the teaser for "Radio West" (local Utah program) that was rebroadcasting the morning's show at 7pm. Here's what it said:

Earlier this month at the LDS Church's General Conference, the head of the Relief Society Julie B. Beck praised the power in motherhood. She encouraged women not to postpone having children, and equated nurturing with homemaking. Her words re-ignited a controversy about the role of Mormon women, and within hours, LDS blogs were inundated with responses. On RadioWest, Doug talks to LDS women about Beck's remarks and what those say about women's position in the LDS Church and culture.

I HAD to listen (as I folded laundry), and thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised. I have to give Doug Fabrizio credit for going to the source. He spoke with active LDS women (rather than anti- or former-Mormons with a GIANT chip on their shoulder), and the overall opinion was positive. If you'd like to hear the conversation, click here to listen to the podcast.

As for me, I have to say I was surprised to find out that there WAS controversy about the talk. I was uplifted, encouraged, and excited that Sister Beck was so straightforward, honest and willing to set the standard high. I'm trying to be a "mother who knows."