How To Test

I've made some Frog Prince / Swan Princess name and picture magnets for the nursery class I teach on Sundays. Having been inspired by other How-To'ers, I'm trying it out.
Here is what I did:
I started with templates I drew up. A frog, A swan, A crown, A circle, A rectangle.

Using the frog, I place the template and trace it.

Then cut it out.

Measure out contact paper and position the frog and crown on half.

Then fold contact paper over the other half and trim the edges.

Cut out the rectangle and circle (I juse a straight cutter and circle punch for them).

Lay down some packing tape, sticky side up.

place the rectangles on the tape and write the child's name.

Fold the tape up over the rectangles and trim excess tape off.

Repeat for the child's picture. Then Rubber Cement the name and picture to the animal.

Then hot glue a magnet to the back of the picture.

ANd ta-da you're done.

I come to my blog when I'm bored and in need of some snooping into other people's lives. SO I look at the post that is weeks and weeks old.. and turn to the links at the sidebar.
But recently I added Reader and now I can go to one place and see what updates have been made to every blog I sometimes run across. It's super convenient. But now when I come to my blog in boredom... I'm forced to post something, because I've just come from Reader and there is nothing new.

Ah, the irony.

Inspirations

Michelle inspired me to post a talk I gave in church last week... or two weeks ago... anyway, Just like her I had fun researching out and writing my talk. The topic given for every speaker that month was Home as a Sanctuary for Righteousness. All the generic talks had been given. Beautify your home, keep it clean, speak and act with good manners, show respect, show love etc. So Scott and I had to change up our approach.
And just like Michelle I timed out what I wrote and then after a short youth speaker my talk just flew by and Scott had to make up the difference for the remaining meeting time. He did a great job. He has received so many compliments. I got a few, mumbled, good jobs. I realize that it needs to be fleshed out a bit more. But the last time I spoke in church was like 4 years ago and I spoke for like 20 minutes. No to sound petty, but I think my last two talks have averaged themselves out. I'm good and the next talk I give should be a well written, well delivered, well timed talk.

Enjoy:

Good morning brother’s and sisters, I am Arren Quigley. My husband Scott and I are new to the ward, the state and the region. We are both from Texas. I grew up in Houston and Scott was born in Dallas. He moved around in his youth but when we got married, he brought me back to Dallas.
Recently it seems that my family is expanding in location across the nation while Scott’s family seemed to be collecting here in Washington. We joined the move west three months after our daughter, Jaedyn, was born, and here we are in Redmond.
We both have extended family in the greater Seattle area and as we have been driving all up and down the state we have made some observations. One of the first things we noticed when we got here was that Washington is weird.
The street signs look different. Drivers here are not quite so aggressive. Nor do they “Drive friendly, the Texas way” by waving thanks when you let them in or cut them off. The sky changes from dark to light and back to dark at a different pace. The people wear different clothes and because of the latitude difference, they have a tendency to wear more of them. I am aware that Texas is like a country unto itself, but most of the differences we noticed are just cultural.
Culture, defined as the quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits, etc.
OR the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another.
OR The customs, beliefs, arts and institutions of a group of people,
Means it is the people here, or there, that make this place seem so different.
It’s what they value, like tall trees vs. wide open spaces.
In other areas value is placed on nature, on becoming one with the earth, on food, on technology, on entertainment and maybe on what not to wear. Culture changes and morphs as one generation places emphasis on a new value and something old loses importance. It’s lost in the transfer from generation to generation and new values take hold.
I was making a calendar on-line recently and had the option of adding various holidays. I noticed a trend as I browsed through the holidays from around the world. We tend to celebrate three things, freedom from oppression, cleanliness or new life, and beauty. Across continents and cultures these holidays have different names and wax and wane as the generations change. For instance, spring celebrations, like New Years and Spring Cleaning may have less import as gifts and cleaning are provided year round.
One custom, or institution, that every culture has is a home.
Ann Douglas said that “Home is an invention on which no one has yet improved.” It has been shaped and modified to fit the needs of the climate, geography and lifestyle of its people; but the institution of a home spans all cultures. So a home is different to everyone. For some of us it is boxlike with doors and windows. Some have levels and stairs. Some homes are circular, like the Mongols’ yurts, some like the pygmies in Africa are packed up and moved everyday. “different lifestyles influence the shape of the habitat, the division and distribution of domestic spaces” We have these domestic spaces, in every culture because homes are special. Homes can be our refuge, from the elements, from predators and sometimes from the “world” or the very culture we live in.
A place of refuge, a special place. In other words, a sanctuary.

Sanctuaries are protected places. In outdoor sanctuaries, wild animals are not hunted. Indoors a sanctuary is a sacred or holy place. In our Bible dictionary a sanctuary is defined as a tabernacle or temple. The tabernacle of the Ark of the Covenants was so sacred that those who touched it were killed. Forms of temples have been built as a safe place, a sanctuary for worshiping Heavenly Father since the time of Adam. Our bodies are also called temples or tabernacles. In D&C 93: 35 begins with,
“The aelements are the btabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God.”
Our spirits share these tabernacles with the light of Christ, with the love of Christ. His love is protected in layers of sanctuaries called tabernacles, homes, churches, temples and righteous living.

Righteousness is a term that can mean something different to everyone. When I was looking up the definition in the scriptures, the allusion to the armor of God popped out at me. Again and Again. In the war against the Devil, we have been given the following armor:
• Loins girt about with truth
• Breastplate of righteousness
• Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
• Shield of faith
• Helmet of salvation
• Sword of God’s Spirit and His word through revelation
Righteousness is the breastplate. Protecting the heart. Protecting Love from the fiery darts of the adversary. So as we live a righteous life we can feel the love of our Father in Heaven and our lifestyle will protect that love. It can be hard; our adversary is cunning and has experience on his side. In 2 NE 2: 27 we read:
“Wherefore, men are afree according to the bflesh; and call things are dgiven them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to echoose fliberty and eternal glife, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be hmiserable like unto himself.”
He wants us to be miserable like him. Cut off from the love of our Heavenly Father, like he is. Currently he is doing a good job of disrupting the institution of the family. By undermining the family, and dividing families from units to individuals he is creating a platform from which cultures of discontent and frustration instead of love and acceptance grow.

Winston Churchill said “We shape our dwellings, and afterwards our dwellings shape us.” Like so many adages we hear it’s true that you reap what you sew. If you want a life of love and acceptance, create a loving and accepting home to live in. If you are not the master of the domicile, or you don’t feel that you get to make the choices about the atmosphere of the home, remember that home is where the heart is. A home cultivating righteousness can begin at the doorframe of your bedroom, or inside your car or within your journal. The important thing is to protect the love Heavenly Father gives you, to not allow a fiery dart called “I can’t” get to you. As you cultivate your home to be a safe place or sanctuary for righteousness it will return the favor and shape you to be a righteous person living in a sanctuary or tabernacle and both sanctuaries will protect the love Heavenly Father shows you. So while not every home is the same, they can all be sanctuaries for right as defined by the culture they are found in. Our goal as Latter Day Saints is to create cultures of righteousness. To cultivate and create the culture where home is a sanctuary for righteousness. Where love is given greater value. Where the plan of our Savior is applauded, encouraged and prevails over our adversaries attempts to dissuade us.

I’m so grateful for the excellent counsel we have been given in conference and the past weeks as well as from our Bishop on this topic. I encourage you to take the Bishops advice and “take what is good in your home and improve upon it.” I bear testimony of our Heavenly Father’s love for each of us in the name…

children's books I'm looking for

Actually there is just one that is really important. I don't know the title... or the author. It's an anthology of stories and fairy tales... with excellent illustrations.

The book is blue hardback and the end sheets in the front and back of the book are blue with black sketches of people in all attitudes of reading.
There is a lady with a parasol in a boat, reading, a boy in a tree house by the river, reading, and a gentleman in a bowler hat leaning against the tree, reading, among others; all of them, reading.

Inside there are the regular fairy tails... and some others... like a dragon that lives with a family or something... the picture for that story is of the family and the dragon and a Farris wheel in the background. There is Rikki Tikki Tavey the mongoose / family pet that saves the family from a cobra. There is the dog who thinks it's a cat. Ah, so many good stories from my childhood.

Anyway, I've been looking for it. Does anyone know of this anthology?

I'm also keeping my eyes out for the Great Fairy Tale Classics Vol. I and II... I had them as a kid, and still have one but some pages are missing. They are good stories, not great illustrations but I think they are worth keeping.

SEAFARE

 

 

 

 

JOBB

Today was Jaedyn's half-Birthday party. We went to a park near by and set up in she shade. It's been hot in Washington. Today was supposed to be 100 degrees at party time. It was less humid than yesterday and we had a nice breeze so it did not feel too bad. In the shade, with a bottle of water. It was really low key and easy. Scott and I figure that we will reserve our big parties for when she will remember them. A cake with minimal frosting and candles in the shape of a J, water in bottles and streamers completed the decorative festivities. Oh, we did pull out some party hats for everyone when we gathered for food.
We had fun and our wonderful guests even brought us presents!! We were not expecting anything, it was so nice of them.
Sariah and Gwyneth and Eric brought a Hello Kitty sippy cup thermos. I've been wanting to, among many other things, teach Jaedy to drink from a straw. This thermos has a straw and should be great. Karen Farrar brought a booster seat chair. Now we can give Natalie and baby Claire back the bumbo. I'm sure Jaedy will be thrilled to have a tray to slap her hands on... or color on... or whatever. AND our presents were red. Aside from Scott's theory that red is the BEST color, we are trying to keep Jaedyn's stuff keeping with her lady-bug theme.(ie lots of reds and greens). So without even trying, they were the perfect gifts!!

THANKS YA'LL!!

 

Jaedy and Uncle James playing in the grass. They blew raspberries at each other.

 

The party crew.

 

Jaedyn spots a cake!

 

AND DAD LETS HER EAT SOME!!!

I purchased these Bergismanias from the local community college at the beginning of the summer. They were flowering and have come around for a second flowering this season. They smell wonderful, I wish I could capture the smell on camera. One day though, right?

 

 

 

 

The flowers ares o heavy on one branch that they have made it bow down. Scott was noticing how they have opened more and are even more beautiful than when I took pictures the other day. So I ran outside and took pictures of them at night. I think they look stunning.

 

 

 

 

Pictures!!!

Well you have to go to my picasa site to see them... but there are some pictures out there.

Singing

Ugh. So I have some severe critiques.
I need to remember stage presence.
I don't have a spot light to blame for the deer in the headlights look...
Gah.
Smile, remember how?
And wow I was flat for a good chunk of the performance.
But here is the video... it was taken of our rehearsal before the meeting. The actual song was worse!!!
I'm disappointed with my performance, but glad I did it. I'm also glad I got a video so I could see what I looked like. And sounded like. I have been battling sinus pressure and drainage all week so I could only barely hear myself sing. I'd like to think that if I could hear, I would not have been so flat. But really it probably would have been just as bad.
Well Grandpa. I've started singing again. I hear that the music lady at church is always looking for people who can sing to do musical numbers and that I will likely be getting a call to do so again. I kinda hope so. I can't improve without trying again.


well it's been 12 hours and the video has not loaded. If you are interested click here to view.

The Fish Ladder

We went to the Locks yesterday. There is a beautiful botanical garden, a private residence for ... someone important... something like the head of the army corp of engineers... and the locks between Lake Washington and the Puget Sound. The guy who built the locks also built a fish ladder for the salmon who come this way each year.
I heard at a Relief Society activity that this is the time of year to see them jumping up stream.
We had a wonderful time. It was a bright sunshiny day. We all got a little sun burn. Their were not so many fish as I had imagined there would be. But we got some cool pictures.

Goings on

So I have been having much thoughts lately. Unfortunately for the internet, they have been going into my journal, lest someone be offended by them. It's interesting to watch the correlation of handwriting to typing proficiency. My handwriting has improved to a level I find acceptable. My typing skills have dwindled.

I do need input. I'm singing a song in church next week and I'm thinking of having Scott video-record it so I can post it and share my skillz... or lack thereof with the world. The thing is... the girlI'm singing a duet with is like... um ... exactly like Megan. Megan died 2.5 years ago and it's still hard on certain family members... I don't know if it would be callous to post this duet. It will look and sound pretty much exactly like I'm singing with her.

PLEASE send me your comments.

Our Growing Girl

Jaedy-bug is growing so fast.

She can:

pull out, drop, pick back up and replace her binky

eat rice cereal, peas and squash (and keep her hands, face and bib amazingly clean... she watched us eat for a while and then after about two or three bites she had the hang of it)
58 seconds of Jaedyn eating.


splash and play in the swimming pool (we have not waterproofed her yet, but she is not afraid of the cold wet water at the pool)

find her feet (she "caught" them for the first time yesterday)

roll over from tummy to back (she watched cousin Holly, who was at our house this weekend, roll all over and the next day started trying. Monday she could do it by herself)

pass toys from one hand to the next (I watched her do this for several minutes today)

grasp furry things like cats and bunny rabbits very tightly
27 seconds until she gets it in a power squeeze!


We are so happy with and for our little girl!

Food

I am cooking... that's not really important. The important thing is that I have taken a few photos to show off. Showing off on the internet, that's what is important, Right!

So in no particular order we have:

The way my kitchen looks after I use it... and before I get disgusted enough to clean it. Which was right after I took the picture.


Breakfast Burrito, it's kinda washed out but believe you me it was GOOD.


Bread from the bread machine. The important thing here is that I sliced it thus. And I had no slicing guide on my blade. I have never been able to slice bread this well!


The Spice Cake I made yesterday. It is so yummy, and I tweaked the recipe so I though I'd post my recipe here, for posterity's sake. The original came from Better Homes and Gardens.


Spice Cake Recipe

Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 35 minutes
Cool: 1 hour
Stand: 1 hour

Ingredients

* 3/4 cup butter
* 2 eggs
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 cups milk
* 1 tablespoon white vinegar
* 1/4 cups plain yogurt

Directions

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, measure out and cut parchment paper to line one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan aside.

2. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger; set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

4. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.

5. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well combined.

6. Add vinegar to milk; set aside.

6. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

7. Alternately add flour mixture, yogurt and soured milk to butter mixture in 1/4 cup increments, beating on high speed after each addition until well combined. The mixture should be very creamy.

8. Pour into prepared pan(s).

9. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes for the 13x9x2-inch pan, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

10. Cool cake layers on wire racks for 10 minutes.

11. Remove cake layers from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. Frost with desired frosting.

12. Makes 12 servings


* Calories 265,
* Total Fat (g) 9,
* Saturated Fat (g) 4,
* Monounsaturated Fat (g) 3,
* Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1,
* Cholesterol (mg) 47,
* Sodium (mg) 182,
* Carbohydrate (g) 41,
* Total Sugar (g) 25,
* Fiber (g) 1,
* Protein (g) 4,
* Vitamin A (DV%) 0,
* Vitamin C (DV%) 1,
* Calcium (DV%) 7,
* Iron (DV%) 7,
* Other Carbohydrates (d.e.) 3,
* Fat (d.e.) 1,

Pictures from our trip to Texas

are found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Nerra.B/June#
I'm getting lazy... I know. I will write up stories to go with them soon... or later... who knows.

Quigley Quibbler May 2009

May was such a fun month! We got the idea from James and Alicia to keep a family book. Part of the family book is a Weekly Planning Page. On these pages are recorded our favorite activities of the week specifically written out for inclusion to this our Quigley Quibbler. The last week of April and into the first week of May we went to the Roozengaard Tulip Fields with Paul and Diane, had a great date night, had family over for dinner at our place and Arren was able to get up and work out each morning. The tulip fields were so impressive. It was late in the season, but there were still blossoms as far as the eye could see. Jaedyn stayed with Pop-pop and Granna Di while Scott and I went to see X-Men Origins. We had a blast, unfortunately the same could not be said for Jaedy or the grandparents… We have a table now and we had Paul and Diane over for dinner. At the table. I was very excited. After we finished James, Alicia and the boys showed up and had their own dinner at our table. We got to show off our apartment and the progress that had been made.

The next week we went to Alicia’s parents for Tres de Mayo and saw the Reflections of Christ traveling gallery. Scott really enjoyed driving the 3000 GT (he has fond memories of Megan when she had the car) and visiting Mamma’s Hands an ‘extended-stay’ shelter for abused women and their children. There are some really great service opportunities and we look forward to visiting again. The women we met were so sweet and the property was SO beautiful. Arren started going to a music group for moms and kids (Jaedyn is the youngest by about 9 months) and had a fabulous time at book club with Maris. Also Arren’s brother, Miles, graduated from Boot Camp that week.

The second week in May we got together with Arren’s Aunt Janelle for lunch. It was so fun to see her again and hear how everyone is doing. Arren also got together with Alicia and her mom and sisters and cleaned house. We moved Alicia’s stuff in and set it all up and turned James’ place from a bachelor pad into a real home. James and the boys were out at a Stake Father-Son Campout while the gals cleaned and they were quite surprised when they came home. Scott also volunteered to do church security for the week. Each night we hopped in the car and took a short walk around the building, checking doors and windows and verifying the lights were out etc.

The week after we were supposed to send out the Quibbler but we were having so much fun with the following:

Helping Paul and Diane move. Well, this was not fun, but it was definitely an adventure for them. We were glad that we could be there to help them the whole day. We did have fun going to the Patterson’s for dinner. Lori is Arren’s cousin and the daughter of Janelle. We met up at their house and I got to meet Lori’s little girls (who are SO CUTE) Dea and Dylan and her husband Derek. For whatever reason I was nervous to visit… I shouldn’t have been. We had a blast! The food was just as I remember Aunt Janelle’s cooking (ie perfect) and the company was amazing. Dea and Dylan are awesome (so endearing!) and it was fun to chat with Lori, Derek and Janelle. Later in the week we got together with Scott’s cousins the Nault’s for pre-wedding festivities. We went to Snoqualmie Falls and hiked to the bottom of the falls. After the hike we went to Kevin and Christie’s place with Bean, Pam and Holly Nault for dinner and a movie. It was fun to make some new friends. Scott enjoyed talking cars and stuff. The girls cooked and took pictures of the babies.

That week Arren also started working on James’ yard. I can do ‘whatever’ and I am hoping to make it look really good. Weeds were pulled, limbs clipped, and seeds planted. Scott surprised Arren with a walk to a nearby park and a picnic waiting at the park. We will have to visit again soon.

Memorial Day we went to a beautiful park for Nault / Hernandez wedding. It was a fabulous day and Arren had a fun time taking pictures of the couple. Wednesday the 27^th was our Five Year Anniversary. We dropped Jaedyn off with James and Alicia and drove north. We had a destination in mind, but only got to a riverside park before we decided to stop and eat our picnic lunch. The river was cool, there was a train bridge over it with a cool shack and a live band played music close enough that we caught the quiet sounds of country music. We also had a mini photo shoot of Arren in her wedding dress.

Which fit! Once again Jaedyn did not do so well with the baby sitters, but for some reason everyone still seems to enjoy her company. We started her on a more time strenuous schedule to help our sitters know what to do with her. Friday, Pam Nault and I went to a session at the Seattle Temple. It was fun to have some church-y girl time. That afternoon we (Pam, Holly, Scott, Arren and Jaedyn) went to a park at Lake Washington and hung out. After Bean got off work we split for a picnic and regrouped at the park. We love family and are REALLY enjoying having so many of them around.

Next week we are traveling back to Texas to visit more family. Can’t Wait!