Gingerbread House Day

When I was a wee young lass I was always in awe at the beautiful delicacies in the grand art of gingerbread houses.  Most look like what many of us would make, with graham crackers, some frosting, and a milk carton, or the new-fangled kit from the store.  Some are masterpieces requiring architectural know-how, an electrician's license, and Master's Degrees in Interior Design and Landscape Architecture.  These amazing pieces bring imagination to life in miniature form to different places and eras and even into animation at times.

All over the country, about this time of year, competitions are held to choose who is master of the gingerbread house.  The National Gingerbread House Competition 2012 was held in Asheville, North Carolina (a place I want to visit someday: hint to G).  If you'd like to see who won the coveted top spot this year head to this link:  Gingerbread Competion link

I decided to try it this year.  Alas, my kids were saddled with what seemed to me an intolerably infinite amount homework, thrust upon them and required to be completed before the day's end.  Sigh!  I was in luck, however, that my little nephew who is not yet in school needed a loving home to be for a few hours.  I bought one of those store kits...I don't have my Master's Degree yet.  He was more than just a little excited.  Here is the Pièce de résistance:


He was not happy I was interrupting his frosting "dessert."

To get a happier face...eating frosting he is.

He did about 80% of the decorating.  I put the frosting on...he embellished.  He did insist that P, my youngest, assist on a few.  I put a few on since he was a little slower than the speed at which the frosting was drying.  But he did a most fantastic job.  He was even more thrilled when he realized he would be taking it home.

At some point, my two boys, J and P will make theirs.  I will have to chat with some teachers about priorities.

Dewey Decimal System Day

Where would we ever be without Simon Dewey when we want a good book to read?  As much as I detested this section of study in just about every English/Language Arts class in school where you had to memorize (supposed to anyway) this system...it sure makes it easy to find what you're looking for.  I absolutely love to read and to learn.  While I have had less time the last few years, it is quite common to find me in a book (or on the internet to learn with today's modern technology).  This system has been quite helpful in many libraries in my life.

As a different side of this system, I thought you could get to know me a little better by knowing what I like to read.  As a reminder, there are ten sections starting with 000-099 and ending with 900-999.  You're giddy with excitement already, I know.  Are you ready?

I enjoy:
010-014 (selected works)
040-041
150-158
170-173, 177
220-228- should be one everyone loves (I really should spend more time with many in the 200's.)
300-307
320-328
342
443, 445- trying to spend more time here
800's (selected works)
900's (selected ones)

I have spent time throughout the 500's, 600,'s and 700's in my lifetime and likely will continue.

I hope that you have learned a little more about me through knowing what I like to read.  Go grab a book of your own in your favorite Dewey Decimal System section.

World Choral Day

Music is great!  For as long as I can remember my life has had a good healthy dose of harmony with family, hymns at church, musical instruments, and living vicariously through the radio.  Music has a way of reaching into your soul and pulling out pieces of you, all explored through poetic runs of notes, different tempos, and the artistic placements of pianissimo and fortissimo.

I never did choir in school, but my sisters and my daughter did.  I have participated in choir at church.  Some pieces were okay, but many left me in awe at the inspiration of the composer and, at times, whomever arranged the choral piece.

While in college, our ward (congregation) had a Christmas party with performances by various ward members.  My cousins (Shauna and Cynthia, and Michelle as pianist) and I decided to perform a harmonized piece called "Gesu Bambino."  We worked so diligently on it, practicing and practicing and practicing...our mother's would have been proud.  It was so beautiful when we finally performed.  I cannot listen to it today without going back in time to that blessed moment we finally shared the fruits of our attempt to make it perfect.  It was a perfect moment in my life.

A few years ago while at a Christmas concert for T's high school choir, I experienced an unexpected moment of joy.  The opening number was done in darkness with each member of all of the choirs holding candles and strategically positioned all around the room.  As they sang "O Come, Emmanuel" I was taken to a place that left me breathless, wanting the piece to continue much longer than it did.  It was one of those moments that I will treasure and lovingly enjoy each time I remember it.  The "light" from the words so beautifully chosen and the music carefully crafted so perfectly matched the visual light from each candle.  To me, it was another of those perfect moments.

In honor of World Choral Day, I would like to present three video presentations that I particularly enjoy.  Two were performed for the Christmas holiday.  One is a portion of a larger program and is about 28 minutes long, but WELL worth the time.  The other is about 5 minutes consisting of one very beautiful song.  The last is a piece by Alex Boye' and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Here is one of my favorite choral programs featuring Walter Cronkite, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and The Orchestra at Temple Square.
One Silet Night Concert link

A new one that I love is a collaboration between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and The Piano Guys.  It is a beautiful rendition of the Christmas carol "O Come, Emmanuel" with video of events in the Savior's life.
O Come, Emmanuel link

This last one could be played at Christmas time, but it is an amazing Spiritual...a style of music I love which originated from slaves.  I was moved the first time I saw this performed during a tour called "One Voice" by the choir.  It stirred me to the core of my soul and Alex performs it so well.
I Want Jesus To Walk With Me link

Do Something Nice Day

Do something nice...seems easy enough.  I can do many little things all day, and I did.  But I was really aiming to do something bigger in honor of this national day.  As the minutes ticked away into hours, and the morning stretched to afternoon and then evening, I began to fear that the little things would need to be what I accomplished.  Little things are important, after all, small and simple things bring about great things.  I believe that.  I had finally settled on that simple truth and found great peace and left with G for our date night.  Little did I know that my desire would be realized very shortly by being in the right place at the right time.

My birthday is tomorrow.  G wanted to take me somewhere special for tonight.  At the very last minute, I picked a place I'd never been to, but had always wanted to go.  Off we headed to a very romantic and gorgeous restaurant.  We were seated at a beautiful table next to a series of very large glass patio doors overlooking a stunning courtyard.  The view was perfect for such a special day.  Not long after our arrival, two other couples arrived and were being seated at an adjacent table, one carrying a large, beautifully adorned gift bag.  They quickly became concerned about something and began voicing it to the host seating them.  The manager was asked for by name, and he soon arrived.  It quickly became evident that they were part of an elaborate plan.  You see a young man was going to be asking a special young lady to be his wife.  The young man had specifically chosen that table for them, the parents of each of the soon-to-be engaged couple, a surprise for his special lady.  It kept them hidden from view from his chosen proposal spot in the perfect little courtyard, but provided a window for the parents to witness the very special event in the lives of their children.  Our table was seated in front of the very window from which they would be able to view this.  They sat down and waited for the arrival of their children.

They began to visit with us as they felt they were being quite disruptive to us and were also quite anxious and excited.  We were actually quite entertained.  As it turns out, the plan was somewhat in jeopardy, as the girlfriend, a teacher, decided to stay late at school to work on some things, and was also not wanting to go to this dinner that her boyfriend said was to meet up with some friends.  Can you imagine the frantic scramble he found himself facing on the most important and nerve-racking night of his life?  Man!  Not an envious spot!

Due to the "later than planned" arrival, the parents settled into conversation with one another, no longer paying attention.  I noticed a young couple arriving in the courtyard, dressed nicely.  I wasn't sure where exactly they were to be sitting, and asked the parents what their children looked like and which table would be theirs.  The description fit, and I told them, "I think they just arrived."  Sure enough.  The parents went into a frantic dash to the window, completely surrounding us.  The couple was visiting with occasional kisses.  He had arranged with the manager to bring out a bottle of champagne and a card to the table.  One mother kept taking pictures, complete with a flash.  Talk about discreet!  Three of them were plastered in plain site at the window.  G told them they may want to hide behind the curtains.  The young man realizing what was happening leaned in to give her a long kiss and began signaling behind her and toward the parents to "get the heck back."  They were oblivious with their joy and excitement.  I told them what he was trying to say, and they quickly moved away.  One of the moms was adamant about not being seen and stayed right behind G, with both hands on his shoulders the entire time, a very personal thing to do considering they'd just met us.

Then, he got down on one knee and pulled out the box.  I suddenly thought of my daughter, T.  I was able to envision what it must have been like when she was proposed to by C.  How I would have loved to have been there.  I had to turn away briefly to not start crying.  In a way, this was a gift for me as well.  The young lady had long dark hair just like T.  I could put myself in the shoes of each of these mothers.

In the end, they were so grateful for the help we had been, more than just what was written here.  They felt like they had been such an intrusion into our dinner, but we were so excited for them because we knew how "once in a lifetime" this would be.  I was so grateful that I could do something nice for a few people that made such a huge difference in their lives and the memory they would forever cherish.

Homemade Cookie Day

I have a confession to make.  I rarely bake homemade cookies, but we always have freshly baked cookies at our house.  When G and I were first married, homemade chocolate chip cookies were frequently made and engulfed every week or so.  Then we moved.  From that point on, we painstakingly tried to create the same cookie experience, but alas, the altitude change befuddled our efforts.  We consulted expert bakers we knew, cookbooks, information on the internet (there was a much smaller version back then), and our own ingenuity.  Nothing worked.  They either came out like cake, hardened disks, or wafers.  We needed our chocolate chip cookies, though.  That is when we discovered Pillsbury ready-to-bake cookie dough in the grocery store's refrigerated section.  Once again, we were regularly enjoying our treat.  Once we took them to a potluck party at a friend's home and were asked for the recipe.  It's a secret recipe you know...well, it is...Pillsbury isn't giving it out I'm sure. 

 

As much as we like chocolate chip cookies, we longed for some of the other cookie gems.  We each had favorites from our childhoods.  The memories of the inviting and loving aroma from each cookie as our mother's carefully pulled the tray from the oven left us desiring more.  Luckily we were blessed with a daughter, T, who was born with a gene in her DNA for baking cookies.  She can whip them out quickly and successfully every time!  Same recipes we use with very different results.

T, with her brother L and Aunt J, rolling out a batch of cookies.

T, age 2-1/2, making cookies- LOVE this picture!

Every year, G asks for her to make cookie dough for the freezer for his birthday, Father's Day, Christmas, any gift giving occasion really.  We have some gracing our freezer now.  What are our favorites that her culinary skills have offered?  All come from our Mrs. Fields Cookie Book, although you can find the recipes in a few other places.

 

Blue-Ribbon Chocolate Chip Cookies   recipe

Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies   recipe

Jessica's Marshmallow Clouds   recipe

 

We have other favorites like snickerdoodles (from my childhood memory), and G likes almost anything with pecans or walnuts.  G calls them his "health discs" when he is sick.  They have healing properties apparently...some are good enough that I don't believe any would doubt that belief.

 

While we sit back and enjoy our cookies, make a batch of your own.

Chewing Gum Day

Do you remember the scene in the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where the little girl who found a Golden Ticket was obsessed with her chewing gum? 

Violet Beauregarde- gum chewing girl- after the chewing got the best of her

While I distance myself from her personality, the first step is to admit that you have problem.  My name is Sonja, and I have a chewing gum addiction.

 

As I approach the checkout counter at the grocery store, my eyes are quickly scouring the wide variety of choices offered in gum...not candy bars.  I find myself excited at the possibility of  a new flavor.  The colors leap from the boxes drawing my attention, tempting me to pick them up.  Sometimes I even desirously breathe in the aroma emanating from the tiny package. The flavors offered have changed over the years, becoming far more complex than just bubblegum, grape, and the mints from the past.

 

I remember the Juicy Fruit commercials where the delicious fruity flavor grew in packs on trees.  If you want to enjoy one of those 1970's commercials, here's a link.  commercial link  My sisters and I naively believed that you could be Juicy Fruit farmers.  We sacrificed a stick of gum one time, carefully planting it in our backyard, watering it, and waiting.  What a long wait!  Eventually we decided that we had to have done something wrong in our planting.  Did we not water it enough?  Were we not supposed to water it?  The commercials had the yellow packages growing on them; maybe we were supposed to plant an entire pack of the gum and not just a single stick.  The thought of giving up an entire pack was more than we could bear.  You see, we RARELY were allowed gum.  My mother frequently found a chewed up piece on the carpet or in the bedding (tip: an ice cube placed on it for a while hardens it and lets you pull it up), or in our hair (tip: peanut butter gets it out).  Hence the ban; a control we found quite Communist-like at our young age.

 

How much did I love gum?  Because of the gum ban in our home, if we were found chewing it...to the garbage can it went.  Did that bother me?  At first...yes.  But I soon found an intelligent solution to my conundrum.  I waited until my mom or dad left the room, then went back and dug it out of the trash to resume my chewing.  I know, I know...you are shocked.  Me and my germ phobia did that.

 

The only time I ever stole anything was around the age of 6 or 7...and it was gum (on two occasions).  I hang my head in shame at the thought of stealing, but again, remember that I was on a gum ban...I still found a way to get some.  Addictions can drive you to a life of crime.  I am living proof that it can happen.  I have since found better and more appropriate ways to deal with gum withdrawals.

 

When my children were very young, in order to help them to be reverent in Sacrament Meeting (church), I bribed them.  Yes... I believe in bribery.  If they were reverent at the beginning of church and all through the Sacrament, they could choose a piece of gum.  I kept about 3-4 packs in my purse.  Today I bring close to 4-6 packs, sometimes more.  I now have two kids out of the house and two not far behind them, and they still ask for gum after the Sacrament.  They have their favorites.  I have passed my addiction on to them.  I have not broken the addiction chain.

How bad is my addiction today?

This is the stash in my night stand. It is a couple of layers deep.

I had several coupons.  This was restraining myself.  

The current favorite for J and P.  It even tastes a little carbonated.  P loves to smell the wrappers as well.

My current favorite is Extra Dessert Delights Mint Chocolate Chip.  It is delectable.  I was surprised at how much it tasted like the real dessert.  As you can see from my drawer and the multi-packs, I am well stocked on that particular variety.  My all-time favorite is Stride Sweet Cinnamon, a flavor very difficult to find, much to my dismay.

I will continue to enjoy my gum.  I hope to pass on this fetish to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  I hope to win the coveted spot of Favorite Grandma by always having their favorite gum when they visit.  Enjoy your gum...I will be enjoying mine.

 

National Love Note Day

Love notes.  I certainly don't mind receiving them.  I know that my husband enjoys them as well, so it's not just something reserved only for the female population.  I don't need Myth Busters to test that theory.  Sometimes we write love notes because it's an anniversary or we saw a sappy commercial that made us remember how wonderful our spouse is.  If we are single, we might have seen our future Mr. or Miss Wonderful across a crowded room and we want to woo them into our life.  Words dripping with romantic overtones across "special" paper, some with little hearts scribbled here and there or lightly scented (hopefully not reeking) with the fragrance of roses, are what we typically envision.  Then there are the old brown-edged envelopes filled with permanently creased handwritten letters neatly stacked and tied together with a beautiful ribbon; letters written to bridge a distance between two people in love.  Whatever the style, it's all sentiments of love.

 

As a woman, it isn't hard to express my feelings in a love letter.  We eat, sleep, and drink romance. For men, it isn't so easy.  It is hard to feel manly while writing a romantic letter.  In their minds, they must pen nothing short of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet styled love poetry.  Women don't need Shakespeare, but the men mistakenly think we do.  Men also find romance a source of vulnerability.  To them it's no different than being caught sobbing in public.  The fear of being seen as anyone other than a cross between John Wayne, Rambo, and the Terminator is quite strong amongst the male gender.  After all, saying, "You are as beautiful as a rose," doesn't gush "tough guy." 

 

To help the men in our lives I found a great website for them to know how to write the kind of love letter that will make their wives or girlfriends shower them with kisses and cry happy tears.  Manly Love Letters link

 

I hope to see some manly men wooing their special someone.  Oh, I gave the men in my life (three here at home) their favorite candy bar and a big hug saying, "I love you."  I think that's how guys also enjoy receiving a love note...maybe not so much on the hugging for the teenage ones.

Talk Like a Pirate Day

I was really excited for today. J was most excited long before today came, and then spent the day speaking as if he was from Scotland.  Go figure!  I cannot do accents...a talent my kids have.  I have a neighbor that looks like a pirate.  He has long, stringy, salt and pepper hair that he pulls back into a pony tail.  To top it off he also has a pet parrot that he walks around with on his shoulder.  He just needs the costume.

Having never been a pirate, I do not speak their language.  Despite my neighbor's appearance, he too, does not speak pirate.  I found this website with a little of their lingo. Pirate Lingo link

Here we go:

Ahoy, me hearties!  Yo Ho Ho and avast ye.  This here landlubber lass reports everything is shipshape, so let's ye and I weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen!  Get out there and heave ho and find your booty!  Savvy?

That's my stint and being a pirate.  No, no, please sit down.  I don't need the standing ovation.  Have fun talking like a pirate.

National Respect Day

I have a considerable amount of respect for "RESPECT".  I demand it for myself, and I will give it to others.  That said, it must be earned.  You have it until you lose it, then it's a long road back sometimes to find it again.  Abraham Lincoln said, "If once you forfeit the confidence of your fellow-citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem."  I do believe that with a lot of hard work and a change of heart to something better it can be regained.  Make no mistake, "Respect should not be confused with tolerance, since tolerance doesn't necessarily imply subordination to one's qualities but means treating as equal." (Wikipedia: Respect).  The opposite of respect is contempt.  I tolerate a lot; I don't respect everything I tolerate.

Respect comes in a few forms: language, gestures, personal actions toward a person or object.  

Language:
This is an everyday offering of respect, yourself included.  What comes out of your mouth shapes your character.  "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles." (Proverbs 21:23)   Some cultures have what are called honorifics. Yeah, I'd never heard that term before either.  We get to be a little smarter together.  This is a word or expression that conveys respect when used in addressing or referring to a person.  An example that my husband would use when addressing me would be "Your Most Amazing Queen."  Then there is a respectful style.  This would be a legal or official way of stating something.

Gestures:
When you travel to another country, it is very wise to spend some time reading up on offensive or respectful gestures recognized in that country.  Now we have a few disrespectful gestures, mostly given on our nations highways, that we view as rude.  I respect myself enough to never use those.  When I have traveled, there have been gestures which are commonly used by most people in the U.S. and, while considered respectful here, are extremely offensive elsewhere.  There are quite a few, unfortunately, which get a lot of Americans in trouble or very embarrassed (only happened once to me- in Mexico- not going there).  Here is a great article I found to help us maintain good foreign relations.  Gesture article link
 
Personal Actions:
This is another area of respect offered day to day.  We can respect our bodies and our minds.  Each can be fed quality "meat" or "junk food."  We can respect our homes...I need to work on that one.  We can respect our community.  I love to volunteer.  I love my neighbors (most...see the first paragraph).  I respect my country and the Constitution.  I stand for the flag with my hand on my heart.  I vote.  I try to respect the environment (this has varying degrees as to what each of us consider enough).  I respect my husband (do not confuse this with blind submission....get your slippers yourself).  I respect my kids (do not confuse this with being equals...I am the boss and "Most Wise One"- their honorific for me).  Also important...I RESPECT MYSELF!  When this doesn't happen, people start to think that respect in other areas of their lives aren't deserved or even that they are worthy of it.  Sometimes others help them feed that thinking error.  Clint Eastwood said, "Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that's real power."  For further perspective, Henri Frederic Amiel said, "There is no respect for others without humility in one's self."  We don't want any big heads here.

Take some time to think about where you are on the respect scale in various areas of your life.  Be the best you.  Respect others.  Expect others to treat you with respect.  Confucius said, Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?"  Also remember the words of Laurence Sterne, "Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners."

Contstitution Day

I have always been a strong defender of the Constitution and our freedoms. I believe they were inspired by Heavenly Father, and therefore, are sacred and to be defended and protected.  But I also believe in a responsible use of them.  Freedom shouldn't be "you can do whatever you want if the Constitution grants that freedom." That, too often, is the ideology. There are consequences, there is right and wrong, there is respect and disrespect. When you cause harm you abuse those rights, and harm our country in a way.  The Constitution is weakened when we let things go to either extreme...too much restriction removing freedom (socialism) or too little accountability in the name of not infringing (anarchy).  Freedom is a privilege that we enjoy, a privilege that we can lose if we do not protect them responsibly.  Just using parenting as an example, we've all seen the negative result of a child who is totally controlled and a child who never had a rule.  It rarely has any positive outcome.

 

Steve Klein uses these freedoms to create and run hate films, hate websites, hate promotions against religions that aren't his own, and people that aren't like him. These items have had direct harmful actions against people and property by those who are then spurred on by them. I believe he should be charged with a hate crime. That is/should be a natural consequence of purposely providing misleading hate information about a specific group based on a purposeful agenda that then causes harm. His organization creates and distributes items as well as provides services with the intent to move people to action, not just to simply inform.  People who read/watch have the agency to choose to act on what he puts out...yes, but when will we hold accountable those who know such a dangerous response will be a likely result and do it anyway.

 

Focusing on the First Amendment, we can be arrested for yelling "fire" in a crowded building when there is none because it is likely to cause harm. We have to start demanding our freedoms not be violated in this fashion either, not just when we are prevented from speaking out!  I do not believe in taking away rights, just holding people accountable, criminally if necessary.  We may need a law created, such as the law for yelling "fire," if current laws when enforced do not apply.   Now we can go down the route of we have to tolerate this stuff to protect our freedoms. While I usually say that, I also believe that we should not tolerate the promotion of hate in any form. Why would anyone allow this type of thing and NOT respond? Our verbal freedom to respond would be in vain here.  Mr. Klein does not care about our words; our words will not prevent him from spreading more hate, nor anyone else like him.

 

Here's an analogy: If you own a gun, get the permits, etc...more power to you. If you use that gun for hunting or target practice or just for a sense of security...more power to you. If you have to harm an individual that is hurting you/or will be...more power to you. If you start shooting your neighbor's mailbox, over their roof, late at night near their home because you want to annoy your neighbor because he made you mad...not okay. You should be arrested for abusing your right to bear arms, and frankly the right to own another gun---natural consequence. It is one thing to say you don't agree with a religion or group of people, it is another to promote the hate and ignore the result of that hate under the umbrella of "First Amendment" and "I didn't do that.  Those people made their own choices."   Mr. Klein, you participated, you promoted, you taught....lie in your bed!

 

When will we wake up and view our freedoms in a responsible manner?  When will we not take them for granted, and stop allowing their abuse in any fashion?  What has to happen before we say, "Enough!"  When will we have the courage to say, "No, that is not okay."  I hope it is today!

Wife Appreciation Day- Guest Blogger

Guest Blogger- Glen Anderson (hottie extraordinaire)

How can I adequately describe my appreciation for Sonja?? Since this is a blog it probably shouldn’t be too personal, or too mushy, or include private or detailed information. But it should be really good, because I truly do appreciate her in many, many ways. The most basic way I appreciate her is for just being herself – the girl I married. She has so many wonderful qualities, beyond her devastating beauty (I exaggerate not). She is the most wonderful, giving, forgiving, loving person I know. And the best and most loyal friend anyone could have. Once again I exaggerate not. Those of you who know her will agree with me. So basically I’ve got a drop-dead gorgeous wife with a wonderful personality – what else could a guy ask for? Absolutely nothing! But on top of that she has committed to stay by my side for eternity, and love only me. Not sure what I did to deserve this, but sometimes I feel like the little kid who found a diamond and is scared to tell anyone because they might take it away! And on top of all of this she has given me 4 wonderful kids. I truly do appreciate my wife. But don’t tell too many people, or someone might figure out that I DON’T DESERVE HER!!

Positive Thinking Day

My Bachelor's Degree is in Psychology.  Yeah, Psych!  One of the things I have come to believe is that there is a very large gigantic difference between being a person who is a "glass half-empty" person and a "glass half full" person.  To make a long story short... one creates a person who finds happiness and gratitude and joy and hope far more often than the other...three guesses as to which one.  Goodness, it is even scientifically proven to create healthier people and help in curing people.  In my family, I have a mixture of both personalities.  I won't name names.  Over the years, I have made very interesting observations between the two and have whole-heartedly decided that you need to be realistic (the politically correct term glass half-empty people prefer to call themselves) to a degree, but hope means everything.  I am a glass half-full.  I'm a dreamer.  I'm a planner.  I have to say that my "realist" has opened the door to more fully looking at something...especially where the ol' mighty dollar is concerned.  Guess that is a good thing, too.  But I also know the uplifting POWER of positive thought, of the "Yes, you CAN," or the "I AM beautiful," or the "Wow...look how much weight I HAVE lost already."
 
A while back, while listening to the brilliant and hilarious CD lectures of Dr. John L. Lund in For All Eternity, he used an analogy and a phrase that I have since adopted.  He said, "Let reality kill the dream."  Now he was applying this to relationships; let people dream, don't be their dream killer, be their supporter...reality will take care of the ones that won't work out and they will achieve some of them.  You could use this in first person, too. all you realists out there.  This is getting easier and easier to do and remember as I've tried to make this my first response.  As my kids have gotten older and come to me with grand ideas of their future this concept has required me to sometimes need to repeat "Let reality kill the dream" over and over in my head while simultaneously saying "that sounds like an interesting idea."  To be honest...I have killed a few of those dreams...no you are not going to be a circus performer (my youngest at one point).  Using this great phrase on myself has been more challenging in a few aspects of my life...but it is a work in progress, and I HAVE done a really good job so far in comparison to what it could be."  order Lund's CD/book link

I am getting ready to leave for Time Out for Women tomorrow...absolutely one of the best womens event you could attend.  I have been looking at clips of some of the past presenters and came across a hilarious one about positive thoughts.  I found it enlightening.  It fit perfectly with today's theme.  Hilary Weeks, a gifted singer, is speaking about an experiment she did on her thoughts with a clicker counter.   Clicker video  Didn't you just love that clip.  In the Book of Mormon, one of the scriptures teach that part of God's plan for us on this earth is that we may experience joy (2 Nephi 2:25).  We read all through Bible, as well, that there have been times we have shouted for joy.  In Psalms alone there are seven references to joy or gladness or another synonym.  Heavenly Father wants us to experience joy.  He wants happiness to be a part of our life everyday.  We can choose to focus on the half-full or half-empty parts.  We choose.  We choose.  There is always something to be grateful for, or to be happy about...ALWAYS!  I had a very difficult trial that taught me that.

Hilary Weeks has created a website to let everyone join in on her little experiment.  She's trying to get a billion clicks of positive thought.  You can even order your own clicker from the site.  BillionClicks project link  Try it out on your own or with thousands of others on Hilary's site.  How many positive thoughts will you have today....how many in a week after this starts to become your norm?  How will you change as you focus on the positive and NOT the negative?  How quickly will you find increased joy and dreaming daily?  And don't just count...journal it!

By the way...I told my "realist" about this project and he joked, "It won't work."

National Day of Service and Rememberance

Today was a day filled with gratitude while driving around and seeing our nation's flag out in abundance, especially the neighborhoods that line their streets with the waving Stars and Stripes.  When September 11th rolls around, I think we all reflect on that dreadful day in 2001.  We each recall where we were and what we were doing, and what we did after realizing the enormity of it all.  I, personally, was getting the kids ready for school and would be leaving soon.  We never made it to the school.  I wanted our little family to stay together that day.  I hung my flag, as did most of our citizens.  I prayed.  I cried.

My parents, especially my dad, instilled in me a deep love and reverent respect for The United States of America, our flag, our soldiers, and our Constitution and the freedom it grants us.  They taught me to stand up when the flag entered/retired or the National Anthem was played, to put my hand on my heart, and to always honor everything that allows me to live in freedom.  As I've gotten older, my understanding of it all has broadened, and I no longer have to be reminded, but am now reminding the next generation.  I have taught my own children and many, many scouts these same ideals, and hope that they will always protect these sacred symbols, their own freedom and others', and seek to understand what that means.

This day is about remembering those who died because others do not agree with our way of life and see freedom as a threat.  It is about remembering what hate and power can do.  It is about remembering the strength we are as a nation as we reflect on how we came together to comfort our neighbor and stand tall in the world.  It is about remembering the brave citizen heroes of a flight that said, "You will not," and prevented the loss of additional large numbers of people, sacrificing their own lives to protect someone they could not see and did not know other than as a fellow American.  It is about the men and women who said their last goodbye to their loved one because they would not leave a co-worker alone.  It is about the first-responders who ran toward instead of away.

It isn't enough to just remember, we must take our wisdom (whatever it may be for each individual) and act.  The other part of today is service.  Everyone can serve, even the very young.  Serving each other isn't very hard or complicated.  Giving our time to a family member, a neighbor, our community, our country elevates us.  We are lifted personally and as a nation.  I think everyone would agree that this nation could use an elevation change...a really big Mt. Everest change.  It also allows that feeling of being in this together to take root and grow, something else this country needs...a great big giant dose of it.

My hope is that we each do something for someone today.  Remember that we, as Americans, are extremely blessed...blessed beyond so many other nations.  In the New Testament it reads, "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." (Luke 12:48).  We have tremendously been given (blessed) and are required to give back.  The second part...this country's military and their families (past and present), and those whose lives we remember this day, committed a great deal for us.  All they ask is that we keep this country free and strong with our own actions.  We owe this to them.  We should honor this.  We should expect this from each generation, each person in our country.

Remember, and then go and do!

National Swap Ideas Day

One of my favorite things is Pinterest.  Yes it takes up time in my day...time I probably don't have and shouldn't give up, but it is a wonderfully relaxing "time out" for me that allows me explore and organize my creative side as well as ideas for anything I'd like to do or have access to down the road.  For a person with ADD... this tool is soooooo much better than piles of papers full of ideas cluttering my house (something my dear husband appreciates as well).  Another plus...I know right where they are.

Right now we are remodeling, so I love being able to go and look for ideas already there, and post the ones I like from the web so I don't have to go and find them again.  It's like shopping in one spot.  My husband can then view my brilliant ideas.  He's a visual and doesn't do well with verbal explanation complete with hand motions of any concept concerning decor or the like.  Pinterest may have saved my marriage from a lot of frustration and misunderstanding.  See, it's awesome in many ways.

Then there's the pride factor....refer to my post here (Pride post)  on my pride weakness.  I do get a rush when I see that people like my pins, or love all of them so much they choose to follow me.  I know, I know...I should not care.  I'm working on it.  It's like a stamp of "good taste" approval, and when you are a mom...sometimes you feel like you are living in a drought of approval.  Even with a few sprinkles of approval you slurp it all up.

Today, I chose to find ideas for subway art and words of wisdom and inspiration.  In fact, those are the titles of my boards.  They are such cleverly or beautifully displayed words that lift and inspire or make you giggle.  We can all use that throughout every day.  (Subway Art and Words of Wisdom)

On a lighter note, I found a really funny make fun of yourself YouTube clip a while back from one of my favorite annual events, Time Out For Women.  It features the fabulous bloggers from "Our Best Bites," Sara Wells and Kate Jones.  It pokes fun at Pinterest; makes you laugh at yourself, in fact.  I hope you enjoy it.  TOFW link

How will you share your ideas?  How do you find your ideas?  Do you try to get ideas?  Stop staring at that wall.  Get inspired, complete a project, dream.... then share those with someone else so they can do the same.

Just Because Day

Isn't it fun to be able to do something just because you want to do it.  There is some wisdom that must be followed here.  Not every whimsy is going to have a positive outcome or is a risk worth taking.  That said, I really wanted to embrace today.  I found it difficult to let my mind wander that direction with all of the regular life things that must be done, even though my whimsy was originally to blow it all off.  I did manage to get a few "in the moment" things to creep in to the mundane normal day.

I bought myself a dozen roses...just because I wanted some.
I bought a new game to play...just because it looked fun (and we played it today).
I bought movie theatre style candy...just because I like that little nicety (yum yum).

I wanted to get everyone a balloon bouquet, with the main balloon saying, "Woo! Hoo!"  That didn't work out because they were out of helium.  It was in the evening, and I didn't feel like driving around just to find a light-weight gas.  I was going to put one in J's car while he was at work, and the rest in the house in the bedrooms.  Oh, well!  At least I tried.  I told them about it, and that counts, too!

Sometimes you have to just make a decision to do something to enjoy a moment.  Some of those moments bring joy into a day for you or someone else.  And we know we can all use that from time to time.  The next time you feel like walking backwards, wearing mismatched socks, singing out loud, or eating breakfast for dinner...you just go right ahead.  If you have teenagers...their embarrassment will make it all the more fun.

National Toilet Paper Day

I didn't realize that today would honor such a monumental item in history.  Thanks to my mom's discovery, I added this to my calendar.  I am very grateful for the invention of toilet paper. I hope that it will always be around when and where I need it.

Some facts about toilet paper:

• 49% of people chose toilet paper over food as the item they'd want with them if stranded on a desert island. (source- online Toilet Paper Encylopedia)
• 72% hang their paper over the roll as opposed to under it.  (source- online Toilet Paper Encylopedia)
• The second most common use for TP is wiping your nose.  (source- online Toilet Paper Encylopedia)

In honor of today, Charmin (a popular TP brand) decided to have elections in order for the public to vote for their favorite Charmin.  They are holding a rally for this event in Flushing, Queens.  Thought that was clever of them.

For the fun, and in some cases, face scrunching facts below and a few other interesting bits, you can go to these links: TP facts 1 or TP facts 2

1391--The first toilet paper reported was used by the Chinese emperor. The paper was made in 2 ft x 3-ft sheets. The Bureau of Imperial Supplies began producing 720,000 sheets of toilet tissue per year.

Prior to toilet paper, these civilizations/classes commonly opted for the following:

• Wealthy Romans -Wool, rosewater
• Public Restrooms in Ancient Rome- A sponge soaked in salt water, on the end of a stick
• Wealthy French – lace, wool and hemp; bidet
• Middle Ages – hayballs, a scraper/gompf stick kept in a container in the privy
• Early Americans – rags, newsprint, paper from catalogs, corncobs, and leaves
• Viking Age/England- discarded sheep and lambs wool
• Hawaiians – coconut shells
• Eskimos – snow and Tundra moss
• India – your left hand and water
• Commoners – Defecating in the river is very common
• Sailors from Spain/Portugal – frayed end of an old anchor line
• Medieval Europe- Straw, hay, grass, gompf stick
• United States – Corn cobs, Sears Roebuck catalog, mussel shell, newspaper, l eaves, sand
• British Lords – pages from a book
• Elite citizens – Hemp & wool

Kiss-And-Make-Up Day

You may think this day is for couples having a "discussion," and not anyone else.  You would be very sadly mistaken.  Now, Kiss-And-Make-Up is a lot more fun if you are having an unhappy tête-à-tête with your spouse, but it is not to be ignored when it occurs with anyone else.  Don't even try to find a way to justify it.  You lose that argument.

Do you realize how many times in the scriptures it talks about forgiving someone who irks you to death, or even just a little.  TONS!  And a very substantially large number of them tie our willingness to forgive others to ourselves being forgiven by Heavenly Father when we goof up or are a big giant elephant's behind.  You also don't get to decide if something is forgivable or not...you forgive it all.  It isn't just for the other guy, but for EVERY person who has or will be born on this earth.  That means me; that means you.  I know there are some people who have really crossed the line, and no one would deny that.  Some are just simple misunderstandings that we just have to have the humility to clear it up. 

So swallow your pride, be the bigger and more evolved person, do what will free you from those yucky, pit of your stomach, make your chest hurt, make you look bad yourself, junk.  Don't be a hoarder of negative feelings toward someone- dejunkify (yes, I made that word up).  Forgive!  And remember two things, you forgiving them does NOT depend on them forgiving you and it does NOT mean you condone what happened...it is saying I'm not going to let it be a thorn in my side anymore.  One tip: make sure the level of the "Please, forgive me," fits the level of the wrong.

Here are 20 ideas to Kiss-And-Make-Up:
1.  Write them a letter (be nice, take responsibility- what would you want to read from them?).
2.  Call them up- almost a face-to-face (same note as #1)
3.  Talk to them face-to-face (this is sometimes not wise if it is too volatile...if it's a go, I again refer to the note in #1)
4.  Make them a plate of cookies or brownies or something (food is always nice- include a note).
5.  Go big and bake an oversized cake with the word's "I'm sorry" blazoned across the top.
6.  Send them flowers (with a note that says simply "I'm sorry."), and the bigger the oops, the more flowers you'd better send.
7.  Give them a hug.
8.  Write them a poem (sincere and corny is good)
9.  Send them a picture of a memory involving them with a nice note talking about it with the words, "I'm sorry."
10.  Write a note in sidewalk chalk at their front door, on their sidewalk, in their driveway.
11.  Leave a note on their car, under their wipers (don't use window paint for them to have to clean up- might not help).
12  Hang a bag of chocolates from their front door (include a note).
13.  Send them a bone and a "Message From the Doghouse."
14.  Send scrabble tiles with the word's I'm Sorry (you could do a picture of it, too).
15.  Make a list of all the things you enjoy/love about them (send it to them).
16.  Take them to lunch or dinner (pick a place they love).
17.  Do one of their chores for them.
18.  Plaster their stuff with "I'm sorry" notes.
19.  Grovel at their feet (don't get too silly if it's a serious mess up).
20.  Give them a balloon bouquet with "I'm sorry" written on every balloon or one letter per balloon.

Get out there, right your wrong, and Kiss-And-Make-Up.  Life's too short and too important to mess up a good relationship.  We need them!

National Waffle Day

Today is also National Knife Day.  I confess that I attempted to get a brand new set of cool knives for the kitchen.  It didn't go over...we have to wait.  Isn't that the phrase you just hate hearing sometimes.  Oh, well....I tried.

To preface today, G and I went to fabulous NYC a few weeks ago, just the two of us, for eight days.  So awesome!  We are foodies, so every trip we take is heavily researched beforehand on what delightsome morsels we can find and where we go to have our tatebuds blessed.  One of our favorites, we just happened upon one afternoon.  It was a food truck called Wafles and Dinges (yes that is how it is spelled).  They made the most divine bites of goodness...on a waffle.  We tried to find them again on the last night we were there, and we totally bombed out.  It was a very sad moment in our trip.

Yesterday (why I didn't think about this sooner), I decided I would try to recreate that heavenly food moment in my kitchen.  I had to figure out the waffle recipe first.  They use some very specific batter- from Belgium.  I knew that they had been part of Bobby Flay's Throwdown Challenge.  I found his recipe that he used to make a similar batter.  I figured he knew a thing or two about cooking and his recipe just might turn out okay.  That part was taken care of.

I emailed G at work about my plan.  It has been a long time since I had an avalanche of excited emails from him.  You'd think he was close to getting the okay from me to buy a Ferrari or something.  They were coming like rapid fire.  In a matter of minutes, we were both searching for the delicious spread used on the food truck.  I had the forethought to ask, while at the truck, if they sold their spread.  Yes they do.  Stupid me walked away without any.  You have to use this spread.  I'm sure they use this spread in heaven.  I emailed their company and they responded almost immediately as to how to get it here.  I ordered 10 jars!  spread link That should last for a few weeks.  They weren't going to get here in time (overnight was as much as the product- sad face), so I started finding out if I could get some here.  There are a few brands, and I found one is sold at a local grocery store...so that will have to do for today.  I must say, we are salivating for the arrival of the correct brand (it is the best...all kinds of awards and contests "best").  Done here.

This recipe isn't a fast one by any clock.  I knew they'd taste good because I sampled the batter and found it a sweet delight.  I did have some problems.  Problem #1: My stand mixer really struggled with the dough.  It is my first time using the dough hook, but I still don't think it should buck like a rodeo bull.  Problem #2: When it came time to put in the butter, I didn't think I would ever finish adding each little cube.  Problem #3:  I can never get anything that uses yeast to raise...no matter what I do.  My cooking skills are allergic to yeast, I have decided.  Mine weren't any bigger that when I put them on the pan.  Back to Problem #2:  I had liquid butter lakes surrounding each ball of dough after sitting to raise.  Silver lining #1:  I didn't have to grease my waffle iron the entire time because of those lakes of butter.  Problem #4:  When you try a new recipe for a waffle iron...you burn a few trying to find the right setting and timing.  Silver lining #2:  Not all of the "trial" waffles were very burnt, and I got to nibble on them...definitely yummy.  All-in-all, I'm glad we made them.  Here are some pictures of our gourmet dessert time tonight.

J- I think this is #3.

G- His is all gone!

P- The "spread" being spread on #2.

National Sponge Cake Day

I made my very first sponge cake.  I believe I'm going to have a lot of firsts in this blogging adventure.  I'm amazed at how many days involve food, and food that creates big butts at that.  You don't see National Asparagus Day or National Eat Something Good For You Day.  We'd all make a scowl and find something else to occupy our efforts.  Can you imagine trying to convince your kids to be excited about National Clean Your Room Day (okay, that's not food).  My husband, my very healthy eater, suggested I skip this one, but no...I halved the recipe so we wouldn't have so much laying around.  I still have about a dozen cupcakes from the other day tempting me each time I walk in or out of the kitchen.  I digress... back to my sponge cake.
 
I love the website allrecipes.com.  You can find great recipes there.  It's like choosing a hotel...5 star recipes are better than 3 stars, but 3 stars aren't necessarily bad.  This is the fabulous place I found my delicious recipe for this sweet and airy dessert.  Recipe Link
 
It was quite an interesting process for me.  I have a stand mixer with only one mixing bowl.  I required two for sponge cake.  I attempted to turn a regular mixing bowl into a substitute bowl #2.  I was trying to mix everything together while spinning and twisting this sorry attempt at a twin, all while measuring and dumping in ingredient after ingredient.  My fingers occasionally found themselves in the path of the quickly whirling beater which yielded a lightning movement away by my hand.  That is not a pleasant experience.  After a few minutes, I made sure my husband knew that a second bowl for my mixer would be a great birthday gift (that's coming up).  After this mixing achievement, I had the long arduous wait of an entire hour (or until done- how silly is that) for it to bake.  Don't you just hate the minute by minute wait when you want to devour what is baking, and you can smell it no matter where you go...well, you could leave the house.
 
My husband made some yummy, sinfully good homemade chocolate sauce.  It was the perfect "frosting."  It could be the perfect anything.

Here's my cake, cut into slices- since I halved the recipe I baked it in a loaf pan.

Delicious!  I got three thumbs up.  My husband and I downed a little more than half before we realized that we hadn't called the boys down to enjoy any.  Darn!  My scale will appreciate them eating the rest.  This recipe is a keeper.  It's a good 4 star delight.  And it is all gone.

National Be An Angel Day

There are a few definitions for angel.  I cannot at this point in time be the most commonly known being from Heaven (at least I sure hope that's not the one soon to be attributed to me, that's a whole different blog).  I have never seen these divine messengers of Heavenly Father, but I know they exist.  I can be two other definitions (as can every one else).  Provided by the wonderful dictionary.com, here are my two definitions:

1.  a person who performs a mission of God or acts as if sent by God.

2.  a person having qualities generally attributed to an angel, as beauty, purity, or kindliness.

 

Definition 1:  a person who performs a mission of God or acts as if sent by God.

I have always believed that one of the responsibilities we have on magnificent Earth is to lift the burdens of one another.  Christ lived the perfect example of this, and He would do it Himself if here on Earth.  Since He is not on the planet at this particular moment, WE are His hands.  I remember creating a video with the title of "We Are His Hands" for a training of Primary (church organization for children ages 18 months-11 years old) leaders and teachers, which also included Cub and Boy Scout leaders on this very subject.  In the video were pictures of Christ with children followed by a teacher or leader doing something similar with or for a child.  It was amazing, if I may say so.  The knowledge that we have within us the capacity to be His hands and to bless someone's life as He would is empowering.  We have been endowed with everything we need to serve each other completely and exactly as needed with His guidance.  We are presented with opportunities, usually daily, sometimes quietly and sometimes screaming in our face, to aid someone.  Our only error is when we choose to not act or do it grudgingly.  So, to be this definition today required some paying attention outside of my focus, not a characteristic of an ADD brain working on projects.  My opportunity presented itself very late last night, actually today by the time it jumped up and waved its arms.  I was helping a friend with some copying that she had forgotten about for a school event the next morning.  I realized there wasn't enough paper to finish, and it was the wee hours of the night (really morning).  She was prepared to run some over then, or come extra early in the morning to bring it to me, all while being up very late herself and having to be at the event for which the copies were intended quite early.  I thought that those options would be easier on me, and then I thought, "What would be the best for her?"  You see, that's what Christ would think (at least I eventually got there).  She had to pick up the copies anyway, but I had her come on her way to her event instead of early.  She dropped off the ream at the same time.  I made the copies, and then brought them to her.  She probably got an extra hour of sleep doing that, which was precious given her day today.  I know I'd have appreciated it tremendously.  It was a little thing for me, but big for her.  These types of things usually are that way.  They frequently come as little miracles for the receiver.  The moral here: pay attention and act!

 

Definition 2:  a person having qualities generally attributed to an angel, as beauty, purity, or kindliness.

I love this one tremendously.  I want so very much to embody this definition.  Wouldn't you just love to hear this definition used to describe you as your eulogy (again...not trying to make myself part of the legions of heavenly hosts)?  What do you want people to say about you?  This month is also What Will Be Your Legacy Month.  Can you imagine a better defining character?  Our world is filled with harshness, cutting edges, difficult realities, people living facade existences based on facade lives we get from various media sources, selfishness, and the list goes on.  The trick is to be in the world but not of it.  This can be, and I guess I should really say it is, quite challenging.  Seeing beauty and purity and kindliness in our world offers hope that it is attainable, real, and precious.  Seeing it in others inspires us to be the same.  Who would you inspire if you were beautifully radiant with these qualities?  What would this change in your little part of this world?  Whose life could you transform?  Even one person is a joyful happening!  The thing about it is this...it's never just one...it is always at least two, you and the other person.

Here is a great video that eloquently talks of angelic characteristics (BibleVideo-Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes)  Video Link

 

Think hard, or not so hard, just pay attention.  Find at least one person today that you can be an angel to.  Sometimes all you have to do is smile!

National Lemonade Day and National Cupcake Day--Combined!

First, no I am not missing two posts.  The last two days were a wash.  They were both "life happens" day, which isn't nationally recognized by Congress.  If it was, I'd have been very successful.  Oh well, "life happens," and I have to move forward.

Today was full of "Days."  I chose two of them and decided to mix them up....literally.  It was both National Lemonade Day (super yummy) and National Cupcake Day (super duper yummy).  This one has been on my radar for a while now, with my desire to have a lemonade cupcake increasing ever so much as the day creaped closer.  Now, my reflection in the mirror of my hips is screaming "stay away," but I am choosing to ignore it today.  I have eaten a lot of salmon and fresh veggies the last little while, so I'm snubbing my loud-mouthed hips and having a cupcake (or two).

There are a billion recipes out there, but they really boil down to a handful of different basic recipes.  Hmmm...which one inspires me?  First dilemma, what flavor.  There's the delicious stand-by of the good old fashioned lemonade;  then the combinations start to come into play...raspberry lemonade, strawberry lemonade, pink lemonade, other flavors other people have come up with lemonade.  I made it easy...I sent my husband to the store to get the ingredients and told him to pick whichever flavor of lemonade he wanted.  Whew, glad that task is taken care of! (The other part about sending him to get it all...he got two of everything "just in case" I "decided to make double or messed up or something."  How sweet of him, I think.)

Here is what I created:

They were good.  I tweaked the cupcake batter.  I made up my own version of the frosting, and it needed to be stiffer.  I also need to work on my swirl.  Guess a job at Dairy Queen may have come in handy.  All in all, for a first time, I didn't do too bad.  I think that I will play around with both the cupcake and frosting recipes and perfect them, maybe try a homemade cupcake rather than starting from a box mix.  That's for when I feel industrious.  I want more lemonade in my cupcake and less in my frosting.  It would be fun to put some lemon zest or yellow sugar on top, or a lemon wedge decoratively placed like they are in the fancy pictures.  I can pretend I'm a gourmet baker.  Actually, there is lemon zest in the frosting, so I'm a little fancy.

Next time, I might try strawberry lemonade with a strawberry filling of some kind and a whipped topping style frosting, AND I DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR NATIONAL LEMONADE DAY OR CUPCAKE DAY!  I can work on my swirl, too.

National Thrift Shop Day

I have never really been one to shop a Thrift Store or for antiques or something.  I always wanted new stuff.  Maybe it was all of the hand-me-downs from when I was a kid, maybe I'm just vain.  Who knows?!  When my daughter was getting married she chose a modern vintage theme.  So, for the first time, I went into an antique shop.  I fell in love with TONS of stuff there.  Ideas were racing through my head on where to use them as is or how I could repurpose them.  The only obstacles in my path were not enough money to get them all, not enough time to do all of the projects, not enough room in my house or my walls for all of them, and my husband would so freak out.  Some are amazing ideas (all of mine are you know), but not all of them really fit my home.  Just minor issues, really.  (I keep telling myself that.)  I have been in a few others since then, and have learned there are good thrift/antique stores and bad ones.  Bad ones are not very inspiring.

Recently I have been interested in making a particular set of items that utilize items you would find in one of these gems.  Here is what I want to make (I found these on pinterest).

Bowl and a plate turned into a cake plate

OR

Stemware and plate turned into a cake plate

Here is a link to a pinterest challenge for it as well.  Challenge Link

Soon...very soon...I will make some of these.  I wonder if my dear sweet husband would build me a room off my kitchen to store all of the cake plates in all of the fun styles that I could make, and then sit through all of the parties I'd need to throw to use them all.  I can hear the laughter spewing from him now.

Here is another great link to some common things you can find in a thrift store and what you can do with them.  Other ideas link

Happy Thrift Store Shopping!