My top 5 books for 2010

I got this idea from my SIL go to My Meandering Musing for my SIL's picks for 2010.
Some of these books may not have been published in 2010, but they are still my top picks for the books that I have read this year. Unfortunate I only picked 5 books, there are others that I have loved from start to finish. I tried not to put up series. I have read book series and they tend to drive-me-up-the-wall and yet I keep reading book series..........hmmmm that explains it. So my 2010 picks are:


I couldn't believe it took me so long to pick this book up, and I am so glad that I had. I had felt so sympathetic for the Invisible Man, I just couldn't help it. So you can possibly imagine my surprise when I found out that this main character (Griffin) was just a deluded, mad, stupid, smartest, albino scientist, I have ever met. All in all I did have fun reading this book. H. G. Wells makes the question of invisibility a possibility, however after reading this book and the adventures that Griffin has, I think being invisible is an option that I don't want want to make.

Synopsis:A gripping and entertaining tale of terror and suspense as well as a potent Faustian allegory of hubris and science run amok, The Invisible Man endures as one of the signature stories in the literature of science fiction. A brilliant scientist uncovers the secret to invisibility, but his grandiose dreams and the power he unleashes cause him to spiral into intrigue, madness, and murder. The inspiration for countless imitations and film adaptations, The Invisible Man is as remarkable and relevant today as it was a hundred years ago.


I was so surprised by this book, The Mark by M.R. Bunderson. Perhaps you have notice that I have this book on my side bar under the list of my favorite books to read. I didn't want to put this one down at all once I started to read it. There are twist, turns, teen love, forgiveness, murder, mystery, plotting, prejudice, fantasy, puzzle, with an emotional roller coaster. Oh yeah, this was fun for me to read.

Synopsis:She's had it forever. A tiny mark on her hand. No big deal, right? But when Tori discovers that her ordinary freckle is really some kind of microscopic tattoo, she doesn't know what to think, especially after meeting Eric, a guy she feels strangely connected to--and not just because he has a mark too.


All too soon, Tori and Eric realize that their marks are only the first clue to a mystery that will change everything. And with each new discovery, Tori finds herself pulled deeper and deeper into a world she could never have imagined.

Before My Heart Stops by Paul Cardall. Wow this one is emotional, and a hard one to read when you, yourself are going through a some hard trials. I have never had any heart problems but I have had some hard times myself. So even as different as our trials are, I still learned a lot on how to over come hard times.

Synopsis:"I was born with half a heart. God made up the difference."

After living for more than three decades with congenital heart disease, popular musician Paul Cardall has undergone twenty-eight operations and seven open-heart surgeries. But the one surgery he needed most - his last chance at seeing his three-year-old daughter, Eden, grow up - was a heart transplant. This is the remarkable true story of one man's struggle to survive long enough to get a second chance at life.

Along the way, Paul wrote down his thoughts, feelings, and observations in an online blog called Living for Eden. This book reflects those weekly blog entries - insights and wisdom beyond his years. After reading his story, you may come away asking yourself, "Who do I need to love ... before my heart stops?"

My Fair Godmother is a very fun, fast read loved it to the very end. As a younger sister I can relate in more ways then one. I loved how Janette Rallison put together different fairy tales to make a delightful read. I can't wait until the next one.

Synopsis:After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah’s gum-chewing, cell phone–carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she’s only Fair—because she’s not a very good fairy student—Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah’s class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight. Laughs abound in this clever fairy tale twist from a master of romantic comedy.

As one of my non fiction picks this one is amazing! I learned a lot from this book by Dieter F. Uchtdorf .

Synopsis:If you are feeling overwhelmed with change, challenges, or checklists, you may wonder how you can partake now of God's happiness and find your pathway to peace, hope, and joy. With loving insight, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf addresses two attributes that contribute to our Heavenly Father's perfect happiness the power of creation and service with compassion. As a treasured daughter of our Heavenly Father, you can develop those remarkable abilities as well as find happiness in the journey. In The Remarkable Soul of a Woman, President Uchtdorf's timely thoughts on creating and being compassionate will buoy you up, give you strength, and help you realize what a great power for good you truly are.

Waffle Cookies

This is a fun cookie/brownie. It's fun, fast, and easy!

4 one ounce square of Unsweetened baking chocolate/or 1 Cup of coco powder.
1 cup of butter
1 1/2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour

Method:
Heat your waffle iron.
Melt together chocolate and butter in heavy sauce pan,(or you can use a glass bowl, melt in microwave on high 2 min. stir then 2 min. more.) Stir in sugar until dissolved,(I placed back in microwave for 30 seconds, it dissolved faster). Remove from heat whisk in eggs, vanilla and flour, mix until blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a heated waffle iron, bake according to manufactures instructions. ( I bake mine for about 2 min.) Top with chocolate frosting, confectioners sugar, melted chocolate chips, etc. Makes about 4 dozen. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

A very surprise day!

Yey an updated blog post.

During choir practice the last couple of months the other choir members and I have been learning various Christmas songs. No matter what I have did I couldn't get into these songs. I would mess up the ASL on Silent Night, be out of tune, my heart would just not be into the songs. I was dreading today when we would perform the songs for the Christmas program. Two reasons I was dreading this day, one it's my birthday,(by-the-way I got tons of wonderfully awesome birthday wishes, thank you!), I don't do Christmas on my birthday. Reason is that I like to keep the two separate. The other big one was that I just couldn't get into the songs to do them justice. I worried over that. I fared that that what I was feeling would come out in the performance.

When I got to church this morning I was still concerned about my performance for these songs. During the first song something happen to me. I finely got into the songs. I was wondering about the change, what made the drastic change. All morning I was trying to remember that a lot of people forgets what Christmas is about. People forget Jesus birthday and why He came to earth. During this program I was finely able to forget my problems and focus on what I was doing. I wasn't just singing but I was singing praises to Jesus, thanking Him for coming down to earth to do the most important thing that one man could do; redeem mankind.

I remember back in 2006 I directed a play that was performed by special needs. It was the Nativity, special needs style. One special needs man was our angle in the play. What made the play so special was that this little special needs man kept kneeling down in front of baby Jesus during the performance and saying:

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Ever sense that performance night I have wondered if I did the same thing if I didn't then singing praises to Him I hope would be my thank you!

By-the-way I so got an awesome Happy Birthday song from some cool guys. What more could a girl ask for??

Cheers everyone and Happy Holidays!

A Heart Felt Thank You!

During the past 3 weeks my family and I fave felt the influence, and power of collective prayer from family and friends.

Three weeks ago I went with my brother Elton, to not only pick up my mother from work, but also my brothers girlfriend from the airport. After we picked up my mother from work, she felt like something was wrong. We were going to go straight from my mother's work to the airport, but we all forgot cash money for parking fee at the airport, so we end up going home to get cash. My mother deiced to stay home, I picked up Elton's girlfriend.

When I got home I found out that my mother and brother Jeremy, took my father to the ER. My mother was worried because his legs was severally swollen and his left leg was a bright red. Come to find out that his lymphoid was full of infection. They gave him an antibiotic shot, and some antibiotic pills. As time went by the infection got worse, his legs became more swollen and the redness in his left leg became more red, and the color was spreading. He went back to the clinic and he got more antibiotic shots in his hip, one shot on each side. He also got different antibiotic pills. Before my parents left the Nurse Practitioner told my parents to see her in the day.

My mother took him the next day to see the Nurse Practitioner took his temperature and it was at 103. She said: "what hospital do you want to go to?" They chose IMC in Utah.

My dear o'le father was in IMC for three days. While there they gave him 6 different kinds of antibiotics, trying to find the right combination to kill the infection. This infection ravaged his body, because of this his doctor wouldn't let him take any of the pills that was previously prescribe. They wanted to control everything that was going into his body. Their was also a phlebotomist that took his blood 4 times a day, to find what caused the Staph infection. They couldn't find what caused the Staph, no kidding.

During this time my mother didn't know if she would have her job. While my father was in the hospital she had to go to work, they wouldn't let her have PTO to see her husband who was in the hospital fighting for his life. All what they could say was: "if I give you special treatment then I half to give it to everyone else." She finally got on FLMA, good thing.

It was a Monday when we got a phone call from my father saying that he can finally go home. He said that it took 4 different doctors to decide if he can go home. So that afternoon we got him home. His leg was still red and swollen, but looking very good. His antibiotics was in pill form. Soon one of his legs became its normal size, the other was still swollen and the color was still there.

Now it has been a week and a half that he has been home from the hospital. His legs are good, the color on the left leg is almost completely normal. He still needs to wrap his left leg so that the cells can regenerate. He has also lost over 20 pounds. We think that when infection in his body left that is what caused him to loose the 20 pounds or more. How insane was that?

His recovery wouldn't have happen as quickly if not for the collective prayers from family and friends. Thank you all so much for your support, love, and prayers. Their have been so many people that have offered up prayers on behalf of my family. Forgive me for not mentioning any names, I am afraid that if I do someone would get left out.

Cheers Everyone!!

Elder Dallin H. Oaks preaches protection of the Constitution

I took this from KSL.com and loved it. Not because I am LDS, but because this came from a former member of the Utah Supreme Court Justice, Dallin H. Oaks. I also love this quote by Elder Oaks:

"Some of the things said by various persons in recent public discourse cause me to urge that we be more careful in the way we throw around the idea that something is unconstitutional. A constitution should not be used as a weapon to end debate."

Too many persons are using the US constitution as a *weapon* to get what they want. When clearly they have not studied the constitution themselves.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Click on the link for Elder Oaks full talk on Protection of the Constitution.

It was also claimed by religious leaders that Freedom of Religion is under attack. In the USA we have the right under the Deceleration of Independence and the US Constitution to have Freedom of Religion. That of course means that we can by law, have the right to belong and practice any religion in the USA. It is imperative that we keep our Freedom of Religion. Not only did our founding father's of the Deceleration but the founders of the Constitution gave so much of themselves to give us such freedoms. Some of our founding fathers lost everything; their family's, lively hood, riches and reputations to give us the freedoms that we so do enjoy! People are fighting to take away our precious freedoms, we must fight to take it back!

Cheers Everyone!!

Book Review: Welcome to Stalk Lake City

Welcome to Stalk Lake City by Sheralyn Pratt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Deciding to go "off grid" for a while, Rhea Jensen can think of no better place to disappear than Utah. She settles into a quiet Mormon lifestyle--unless you count the skydiving, racecar driving, mountain climbing, and overly obsessive workouts. But when her best friend, Kay, tips her off to a stalking case, Rhea takes the job out of sheer boredom. Only then does Rhea realize two things--first, being good is hard; and second, she knows way too much to get out of the PI game.



Everyone's favorite private investigator is back in this second installment of the Rhea Jensen Series by Sheralyn Pratt. Packed full of new mysteries, new relationships, and all of Rhea's old habits.


I know that I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars, to be honest that was generous. Their was some things that bothered me about this book. This is my honest opinion. There was a hot debate that was approached in this book. The question is the women and the Priesthood.

1. Why can't women have the priesthood in the LDS Church, when we preach of equality?
   
2. Why does God want this earth to be patriarchal and not matriarchal?

Like I have said, this debate have been going on for a long time, probably ever sense the LDS church and the Priesthood was restored. Some women have been so passionate about this debate that these same passionate women have apostatize over this debate. Some men have called these passionate women sexist. I don't think that their is one answer that all women would be satisfy with. I'll say this, I understand that it is in God's wisdom that only worthy men of the LDS church can receive the priesthood.

Some men have said that the priesthood it the equalizer for men. These men believe that women are by our nature, naturally more closer and sensitive to the Holy Ghost/spirit. So much so that these men believe that the priesthood equalize them so much that they can finally be on the same level with women. Is this true? I don't know. All I know is that "Many [are] called but few are chosen,"( D&C 121:34 ), with both men and women.

Now I'll say this, I'm going to trust in God's wisdom, after all I am not smarter then God.

The other thing that I have a problem with this book is that, it was way to easy to figure out. Rhea, is such a stupid character, all of the clues were right in front of her face and it took her forever to figure it all out. There were minor editing problems.

View all my reviews

One of my Hobbies

I'm a photographer, however once in a while I'll have fun plying around with the pic's that I'll take. This one is one of the latest one I goofed around with. It's of my cousin Shella. This pic of her is so cute, and I thought that it turned out pretty good for not being a pro.

A Delightful Summer Desert

Blackberry Cream Pie. This Summer desert is really good, and perfect for hot Summer days.

2 8oz of cream cheese
1 16 oz or one pound of frozen whipped cream
1 10 oz of Blackberry jelly
2 9in gram cracker pie crust
Fresh Blackberry's

Method:

Mix cream cheese, whipped cream, and Blackberry jelly altogether until smooth. Put mixture in the gram cracker pie crust, (or make one big pie. I didn't buy 2 gram cracker pie crust. yeah oops) Freeze the Blackberry pie for 3 hours or more. Served with fresh Blackberry's on top.

My mom made this and a friend of hers was surprised that he coulden't smell any sugar. He was a diabetic, and was excited that he could have some, and loved it.

Cheers Everyone!

(dis)Abilities in the Gospel

Ok, I know that it is past the 23rd for posting a VR. tour about (dis)Abilities in the Gospel.
Well I have not read this book. I have never got it from the company that have asked me to do a VR. book tour. I have found out that the company is restructuring. I also don't know what is going on with the book.

So sorry about this.

cheers everyone!

Autism and Surfing

In states that are not close to the Ocean, we have Horse back riding lessons for autistic along with other children with disabilities. One mom of an physically disabled child sees her son on a horse, he becomes a different child. I have never thought that surfing would create something of the same results.

Cheers everyone!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This post is for every Parent and Caretaker!

The Swagger Wagon!

Reading Challenge part B

"Who Invited the Undertaker?" Is an other one that is out of print, however you can find it at amazon.com. It is another one that should have never been out of print. It's about a family who is trying to survive, and cope with the loss of their father. At the same time Dale the oldest boy, is trying to keep his family especially his mother happy. Dale sets his mom up on dates, and crazy things start to happen. One night she ends up going on a date with an Undertaker? Ruckman uses some dry humor for instance, this is some of the undertaker's jokes that is in the book:

• She was talking about this recipe with the mushrooms, see?And how she'd simmer the sauce all day long?Oh, my gastrics!
• Do you have any idea how we interns eat? And where we eat when we're on call?
• Pale is something people expect. You hear what happened with Bob Smedley's first case? He's colorblind, you know, a terrible handicap in this business. You might get by with high blush, but making someone bright red? With bright-red hands? We put this tasteful little sign on his door that said, 'Better bodies by Bob.'
• No one ever invites the undertaker. He just shows up!

Ruckman's book takes the reader on a year long series of mishaps, that are piratical, everyday things that just happens.

Book Synopses:

"It's not easy being the man of the house when you're only in seventh grade. And Dale has decided that he's had enough. If Mom isn't interested in finding someone-well, he will just have to do it for her!

Since she won't go to Single Shoppers' Night at the supermarket. there's only one solution: an ad in the personals section of the paper. Something like "To owner of Honda Prelude. Call me. Black Corvette," but a little more conservative, because this is Mom, after all-and she only drives a Ford station wagon. It seems like the perfect plan- until the phone calls start coming, and Dale gets a lot more then he's bargained for!"

Another book that my mom read to me as a kid, thought that is was funny as a kid. Now as an adult the jokes that I didn't get as a kid, I got now. It made it even more funny read.

Cheers Everyone!

Autism & Sacrament Meeting

Last Sunday my nephew who has autism came to church with me. We went to go out the car, when low and behold he escape from me and went across the street to play in someones backyard. During Sacrament Meeting he escaped me and his dad and ran around the choir seats. He came and ran towards me; before he could get a way from me, I caught him. He made more noise then usual. His dad took him home early. He was on his way for a melt down.

He usually doesn't act like this. Usually he is more calm. What happened? Why was he acting like this? Why can't he behave like *other* children? The answer to all of the questions is; my nephew has autism.

He likes a schedule, he likes what is normal to him. When he is out of his norm. that is when he acts the way he did last Sunday.

People still say: "why he doesn't look like he has autism"

What does autism supposed to look like?

So now my mom and I got on a discussion. One thing I told her was that I believe in "strengths and weaknesses." Ponder about this for one moment. You are not going to ask a musician to perform brain surgery. The strength of a musician is to perform music.

Special needs have some amazing strengths. One strength is to except people, and love them without restraint or judgment. To love without restraint or judgment, is the Pure Love Of Christ. That is an amazing strength indeed.

Within our discussion, she told me something different. The autism spectrum is large, very large. So her thought was ( note, this is just thinking ) that in some way we are all on the spectrum. Everyday the autism spectrum is getting larger and larger. Everyday people are limited in strengths. Not everyone is a doctor, musician, writer, painter, carpenter, educator, and etc; be we appreciate others talents and strengths. We can go to them ask them for their help in their expertise in their field.

While I was working with special needs, is that the first thing that I have notice is that special needs are so ready to accept people. They don't care who you are, or where you come from. They just love you, you are their instant friend. If anything that is one thing that all special needs can teach us. How to love people, and in that same instant be a friend to all.

Cheers Everyone!

Reading challenge

It has just occurred to me that upon right hand side bar, I have two books that do not have links to them. "Don't call me Katie Rose," and "Time Riders," you might be wondering what they are about. These two books are out of print, you can however find "Time Riders" By Sierra St. James, at amazon.com for a little over $200.00, no kidding. "Don't call me Katie Rose" you can't find, lest I can't.

"Don't call me Katie Rose;" by Lenora Mattingly Webber, is an old love of mine. This book was read to me by my mother when I was very young. I also read it as a teen.

Synopsis:

"Sensitive Katie Rose Belford longs to be called Kathleen, which she feels is more glamorous, but that's an impossible dream in her informal family! Katie is on of six children, and her widowed mother has little time for Katie's "airs."

During a very eventful year-which includes transferring to a new high school and meeting a divinely handsome boy who just might be a beau-Katie struggles to come to terms with herself, her more extroverted family, and her name."

A delight. This book should have never been out of print.

The next is "Time Riders" By Sierra St. James. Another delight, and just all around fun.

Synopsis:

Sheridan and Taylor are ordinary college students until a mistake by twenty-fourth century scientists drags them 300 years into the future. They find themselves in Tachames, a colorful, orderly, and completely corrupt city. Religion is banned. All citizens are tracked. As the government and a mafia like organization called the Dakine struggle for power over the population, Sheridan and Taylor search for a way to escape the deadly walls of doomed Tachames. Echo, a mysterious, brilliant "wordsmith," says he’ll help them escape; Sheridan is drawn to him and wants to trust him, but Echo has secrets of his own.

Time Riders is an exciting and suspenseful adventure through an Orwellian world of lost freedom and humanity; yet the novel is interlaced with the humor of Sheridan and Taylor communicating through twentieth-century idioms that bewilder their Tachamesian hosts, while preserving their secrets and freedom.

Now you know why two of my books on the list do not have links.

Cheers Everyone!

Rooted in my ward?

Time has flown-on-by for me. The past two months I have been looking for a new place to move into. With a lot of houses setting empty (unfortunately), you'd think that this task would be easy. It is not.

However something strange has happen. Let me explain, but please bear with me, as I try to make this easy on both of us, it's a bit complicated.

Two years ago on the last of May, my ward boundaries changed. The result of course my new ward was filled with lots of new faces, I hardly knew anyone. My poor bishop need to organize the new ward from scratch. People were outraged that the new boundaries had formed. I was excited to get to know more people in the stake; sure I would miss the friends within the old boundaries, but thought this was such an exciting time!

Now after the new boundaries was presented to us, on the following Sunday was time to meet my new ward members. We gathered in the cultural hall to introduce ourselves, it was loud. People were saying that they were freaked out about their new calling, others (including myself) was saying:

"Yay! I don't have a calling!"

Little did I know! Any how, I had this fleeting epiphany; it was fast and I thought I was crazy that time. This epiphany was that I would be moving. I don't know when and I still don't. Like I have said I am still looking for a place to live.

So came the realization of a decision, and while looking back, I think that this decision was a stupid one. It was that I would not try to form any real friendship's with any one, it would make saying "good-by" so much easier. At the same time I wasn't rude to anyone. I was still polite and talked to my fellow ward members; at the same time trying not to *root* myself in the ward. Do you know how hard that was? I thought that it would be easy, and that I was doing a pretty darn good job of it! Until last Sunday.

I didn't know how much I became apart of this ward. The choir director found out that I can sing a tune last spring. The *hidden* talent was found out while we worked together on the ward road show. For five months she persuaded, beg, and pleaded for me to join the choir. I made some pretty insane excuses,( if desired to look at some these lame excuses see Sunday the day of Confrontations and Hints, come what may! Please note: you have been warned, they are stupid!).

I did joined the ward choir. As last week practice came to a close, I happen to say to my choir director that I might be moving, however difficult that has proven to be. Her response along with another sister in choir, went something like this.

CD: "Inventing excuses, what is up with inventing such excuses? I don't see a problem if you do leave, all what needs to be done is to come back and do the songs."

SIC: "You're leaving?"

Their was more to the conversation that I will not type up. As I looked at this sister as she said that comment, I felt like how she looked. Like I had slapped her. I didn't physically touched her, but the news brought on a mental slapped for her. I was surprised. I have realized some things.

1. No matter how much I tried to *distance* myself from the fellow ward members, it didn't happen.
2. With the news of possible of moving away from the ward, bought on a mental slap for not only this Sister, but for myself as well. We became friends. Not close, but friends non-the-less.
3. If I leave my new *ward family* I will miss them. Life will go on, someone else will take my calling, but no one can, or will replace *me*.

Things I learn along the road of life. I thought that it would be easy to distance myself, but last Sunday proved otherwise.

Cheers Everyone!

Secret Sisters

As promised, the book tour of Secret Sisters by Tristi Pinkston.

Synopsis:

Ida Mae Babbitt, president of the Omni 2nd Ward Relief Society, didn't mean to become a spy. But when visiting teaching stats are low and she learns that one family under her care is in financial trouble, she'll do whatever it takes to make sure they have what they need. If that includes planting surveillance cameras in their home and watching them from a parked car in the woods, well, isn't that what any caring Relief Society president would do?

With the help of her counselors Arlette and Tansy, Ida Mae soon learns that there's more to the situation than meets the eye. It's all in a day's work for the Relief Society.

I like the side stories within this book, Tristi brings out a lot of good points. I do agree with the book synopsis of Secret Sisters Ida May, have brought the Relief Society to a completely new level! The book it's self is a fast easy, delightful read.

I think out of the whole book of characters Arlette was the most amusing for me. The woman is always knitting socks in strange colors, like magenta. She is a good supporting character.

On page 21, paragraph5 Tristi created this paragraph:

"Sure, Darcy was a "good girl." No one ever worried about her because she was good. But in labeling her that way, was it possible that her needs had been overlooked? Had they been so busy shepherding the"lost sheep" that they forgot to feed the ones in the pen?"

It just reminds me that we need to look after all of our needs.

Cheers Everyone!

Dating-An endangered Species?????

Back when our grandparents were teens and young adults, life and dating were so much different. Our grandparents got married for survival. They needed to have a companion and children to work the farm or the family business.

Just for laughs and giggles:

• Men got married because they needed a women to tell them that “The meat is bad. Lets put in the flour sack and bury it!” Mens response “Or lets make Mince Meat Pie out of it. Waste not, want not!”
  
• Women got married because, if she did not, she would be forever with her family or be the local school teacher. If she was lucky, then she would be the that governess.

Now when our parents got married, it was out of companionship and family. Then during the late 70's inflation was on the rise. So now "mom" needed to go to work to help support the family. So corporation's had to recognized the "Woman Suffrage Movement," and found out that women are capable of doing the same jobs as man. So many women then opened doors for other women, that were never even opened before, so women are walking though those doors.

Now it is our turn, singles. Face it, a lot of us have stopped dating, or just date to have companionship on a Friday or Saturday night; before that lonely week begins once more. Some problems have arrived for us singles. Once-upon-a-time a woman was defined on her ability to have a husband and children. If she couldn't do it, then the poor woman would not be viewed as a woman, she has failed. Today, if a woman had a husband and children; society would not view her as a woman, she as failed; her status, she would not be a women or a person. Society view a woman as a person of value if she has a career. Divorce has been made legally easy, you can do it online in one day. The family now is not as sacred as it was during the time of our grandparents and earlier times. Times have changed indeed, and the Plan of Happiness becomes discourage. A friend of mine said:

“It is so hard to find a good man.”

I disagree, I find good men all the time whether they are LDS or not! What is hard is to get that good man to take up their responsibility and get married; LDS men, Priesthood responsibility. So Men are not the only ones reluctant to take up their traditional role's. I agree that it is hard to challenge what society has foisted on us. Society have made single life look glamorous, but we singles who are 30 and over know better; we are the ones who need to deal with the loneliness during the week. Oh sure, we compensate the loneliness with family; a lot of singles who has siblings who have children of their own; we surround ourselves with their children, to only go home and think:

"I now have my fill. How do they do it?"

Sometimes I get the sneakiest feeling that my nephews love to come over because they know they will get spoiled. Like I have said, we are compensating.

Now a mother of a teen boy of dating age told me this:

"My son and his friends are not dating, AT ALL! My daughter couldn't wait to start dating, my son, he is a different story. "

I remember being in my teen years and couldn't wait to start dating. All I could think of is how much fun it would be, to be with my friends and date the boys we thought were cute. Now that society has made single life looking virtually glamorous, these teens are a new generation of Non daters . If our parents and other family members are looking at us 30 something and shaking their heads and wounder if we will ever get married; the parents and other family members of this new young generation of Non daters are discourage, scared, worried, that the devil's opposition of our Father's Plan of Happiness are getting to their youth. This opposition is, to stay single and avoid eternal exaltation, or to become as miserable as the devil.

We all want to experience great happiness, this is the shocker, (yes,that was sarcasm), to achieve that great happiness we all need to follow God the Father's Plan of Happiness. Within A Proclamation to the World given by the First Presidency of the LDS church says this:

"In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally."

Within the LDS Church, we teach that you must be married before we can "Be fruitful, and multiply, (Gen. 1:28; Abr. 4:28). The reason is, again it is in the A Proclamation to the World:

"The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets."

Now all we need to do is to challenge what society has foisted on us; that single life is glamorous. To achieve this great happiness that God the Father wants us to have, we can't give up hope, it can happen. We must keep keep our eye on what God the Father wants us to have, all what He has, Eternal Life, and Happiness.

Please note:
I saw this title in the New Era that is put out by the LDS church, I thought that it was hilarious and had to borrow it. The real article is called "Is Dating Dead?" If anyone is interested you can subscribe this Magazine and others that the LDS church make online at Subscriptions, Renewal, and gifts. Pleas note that you do need to register to make such purchases.

An Irish Blessing.....

Wishing you a rainbow,
For sunlight after showers.
Miles and Miles of Irish smiles,
For golden happy hours.
Shamrocks at your doorway,
For luck and Laughter too.
And a host of friends that never ends,
Each day your whole life though.

-Author unknown.

Cheer's Everyone! :)

Beaslty

I think that this needed to be 2.5 stars. First of all I liked the basic story, but hated all of the sexual harassment, groping, drugs, alcohol, and the sexual innuendos. If that type junk was left out then this book would be good.

Am I saying this because I am LDS, and I live in a bubble? Quite the contrary. while I was growing up I lived by a family with 4 girls. The first girl was 12 when she was pregnant, she now has AIDS. The second I confess, I don't know what happen to her. The 3 girl was in and out of rehab; had a little girl who was born without a brain. That was the result of the hard drugs, and heavy alcohol abuse. The last girl, well she end up in jail; with a DUI and possession of drugs. The best substance is abstinence.

Come on authors, you don't need sex, drugs, or alcohol, to write a good story. Notice that a lot of peoples favorites are books who by no means has that type of junk in it; I understand not all people but a lot.

Teen's and the family are under enough pressure. With the family under attack, mom & dad are hardly home, so-call-friends getting teens to do stuff because it is all the rage, or everyone it doing it; you authors don't need to part of the problem, but part of the solution.

Cheers Everyone!

Tell us what you REALY think.....

I went to the library yesterday, I picked up a few books that people have suggested that I should read. When I went to check out the books I saw a small questionnaire form. On the top it read:

"Tell us what you really think..... Have you read an e-book yet? "

My answer? A resounding YES!

Now the future is e-books. Some are free, just like library books, with others their is a small fee. The cool thing is that, you can read in the DARK, with out your FLASH LIGHT!

Now I understand that their is something very personal about the traditional book in your had. Not only you can write notes in the margin of the pages of your book; but when you get frustrated with the characters in the book and you throw it, the book won't break, unlike an e-reader. No, I have never thrown an E-reader..........yet.........I hope that never happens. That book get even more personal when the author signs it, I so have a few of those.

The bad thing is that the e-readers will somehow one day make the public libraries obsolete. New public libraries will be found online. Take goodreads for instance you can download e-books for free. I expect that we will find more and more e-books to down load on line in the future. Meanwhile I will continue to go to that library and find the books that I can't find to down load.

Happy Reading! :)

Entertainment for Singles Awareness Week/Day

This is a list of Entrainment for Singles awareness week/day. Within these list, (book and movie), are all about spurned love, tragic love, or it-took-awhile-for-the-characters-to-know-what-is-going-on love. Anyhow take a book or a movie, either on these list's or a book/movie that I have not listed and eat some popcorn with other single friends, (if you have decided to have Feb. 14 to be a movie night).

As of right now, I am reading The Scarlet Pimpernel, (so not like the movie). This is a paragraph from The Scarlet Pimpernel. pg 125, paragraph#2, Sir Percy Blakeney is speaking to Lady Marguerite Blakeney:

"Yet 'tis simple enough," he,(Sir Percy Blakeney), said with sudden bitterness, which seemed literally to surged though his words, though he was making visible efforts to suppress it, "I humbly put the question to you,(Lady Marguerite Blakeney), for my slow wits are unable to grasp the cause of this, your ladyship's sudden new mood. Is it that you have the taste to renew the devilish sport which you played so successfully last year? Do you wish to see me once more a love-sick suppliant at your feet, so that you might again have the pleasure of kicking me aside, like a troublesome lap-dog?"

Books:

1. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
2. Lord of the Rings trilogy
3. The Scarlet Letter
4. The Scarlet Pimpernel
5. War of the Worlds
6. The Raven (this link will take you to the poem on line)
7. Captivating Couples (celebrating love in the silver screen)
8. The Simple Truth about Love
9. Love from the Heart of the Home
10. Love Letters A Romantic Treasury
11. Romeo and Juliet
12. Othello

Movies:

1. Love Potion #9
2. The Raven
3. Haunted Honeymoon
4. High Spirits
5. Darby O'gill and the Little People
6. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
7. Farther Goose
8. The Women
9. Charade
10. The Ghost Breakers
11. Monkey Business
12. Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Google SketchUp

I have found an article called Google workshop to help parents and teachers of children of Autism. Using a 3D program that is used and originally made for architects, however the entertainment industry have used this program also. Google have decided to put the program to use for a different type of audience, that audience is children with ASD,(Autism Spectrum Disorder), called Google SketchUp .

This is free to download, watch a video, create your own models, share with friends, and it is also for educators.

Also on Saturday February 6 10 a.m. to noon at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, 320 Alfred Emery Building, 225 S. 1400 East in President's Circle. The designer of SketchUp and a designer for Universal Creative will be at the University of Utah for a presentation on Google SketchUp.

Cheers!

Valentines day craft

Ok I'm not really a crafty person, I need to be in the mood to do things like this. The mood needs to be after, I have no problem cleaning up after the mess. But I got creative. My mom had these wood cut outs, I painted one she did the other.

Mine is the pink one on the right. My mom did the one of the left. The creative part is that I used Pink Twinkle, glitter nail polish, on the wood lace that surrounds the word love. On the word it's self I used Pink glitter glue. It doesn't look half bad.

For what my mom used was just regular acrylic paint. But used red glitter glue on the on the small heart, and the same glitter glue was used for the dots on the white wood lace.



What a great way to decorate for Singles Awareness Day. You know what they say:

"The sky is the limit!"

Cheers!

My Epistle: Dear Sweeter

My dearest sweeter, (sweater)

You have been so kind to this past winter, and you still are. I have enjoyed your warmth, and the feel of you against my skin. Oh how I have loved you during those cold, windblown, snowing nights. How I have love to have you near while I was drinking hot chocolate, curled up on the couch with a blanket, reading.

I have to confess something very important, I have Spring fever. So to day I did something that I know you would detest. I wore my short-sleeve shirt, purple; you know the one, you have shared the same closet for over a year.

I know what you are thinking. It's still cold! It snowed only yesterday, and still you choose an article of clothing that is for spring and summer! Please now my dear sweater, don't overreact, please. I am sure that before this day is out, I will put you on over my purple short-sleeve shirt; it is as you are thinking it is still cold out, but as of now, it is just the shirt.

I would appreciated that you would not remind me of February 14, singles awareness day out of spite. I am aware that day is stocking me. Boy do I know, I am the one who is single, after all. Mother always reminds me of just that often enough. Just yesterday in church she found out that their is a group of single young men who will go to the temple every Friday. How do I know this? I was bombarded by Relief Society women after church, they told me along with my mother's reaction. Just know dear sweater I have not forgotten you, it is just this blasted fever that I have.

You must understand, it is the first of February. That means that Spring is just around the corner also. So you must know of my anticipation for rock climbing, fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, running around in my sandals, or bare foot. How delightful would that be!

So again I plead with you, don't be angry. As much as I love the changing of the seasons, but my favorite time of the year is almost hear! My soul feels like it will almost burst with anticipation, and joy. All that I ask of you is that you will be happy for me.

With all of my love dear sweeter,(sweater).
Hollie

Now to all of you who are reading this. I really do have spring fever, and I am a huge fan of the warmer weather. So this was just all in fun, and I am warring a purple short sleeve shirt. :)

Cheers!

Young Single Adults & Dating

Yet again the subject of dating and YSA are back. I think that this will never go away, as much as we want it to.

I have been part of a online discussion on the question;

"Why are their so many YSA's?"

The answer varies from person to person. Coming from a females point of view, a lot of girls are freaked out, we keep hearing from the media *X* number of spouses are disappearing. I have found this article "He says She says" by Kimberly Webb. It is a good read.

Parents and family members are frustrated that their son/daughter are still single. Sadly I fall into that group, I'm just as frustrated. One parent was so frustrated that he has suggested that arrange marriage should make a come back. To be honest I am so freaked out about that. I could just see divorce numbers sky rocked.

One question was, why are so many YSA's ignoring prophetic council. What I have notice is that a lot of us think that we are *smarter* then God. As in: We are in control of our lives, we can do what we please, if we half to pay for it later, that will be later. I know that a lot of us YSA's will half to face God and tell him why we are not proactive in seeking for that eternal spouse, or not get married altogether.

When I was in Young Woman's, the lessons were “Because dating is a preparation for marriage, date only those who have high standards, who respect your standards, and in whose company you can maintain the standards of the gospel of Jesus Christ” (For the Strength of Youth, p. 7).
This is all wonderful council, to the youth of the world, not just the church. This brings up a question of:

"Have we YSA's got so used to group dating/hanging out that we got into that habit?"

So problem is that YSA's are not being proactive in getting out their and dating, they are more incline to *hang out*. The problem with that is people don't know who they are with. In my former singles branch, the branch presidency was always freaked out that everyone in the branch was committing fornication, to my knowledge nobody was fornicating, as well as dating. They would constantly tell us to always be in a group, and get married. Yes, that is such a problem, Elder Dallin H. Oaks says this, in Dating versus Hanging Out

"Young women, resist too much hanging out, and encourage dates that are simple, inexpensive, and frequent. Don’t make it easy for young men to hang out in a setting where you women provide the food. Don’t subsidize freeloaders. An occasional group activity is OK, but when you see men who make hanging out their primary interaction with the opposite sex, I think you should lock the pantry and bolt the front door.

If you do this, you should also hang up a sign, “Will open for individual dates,” or something like that. And, young women, please make it easier for these shy males to ask for a simple, inexpensive date. Part of making it easier is to avoid implying that a date is something very serious. If we are to persuade young men to ask for dates more frequently, we must establish a mutual expectation that to go on a date is not to imply a continuing commitment. Finally, young women, if you turn down a date, be kind. Otherwise you may crush a nervous and shy questioner and destroy him as a potential dater, and that could hurt some other sister."

Awesome council if you asked me. My young singles branch presidency, should have said something like that to us. I don't think that it is right for ether men or women to mooch off of each other, or to go on a date just because you have nothing to do that night. As singles we must be sensitive to each other. Don't date just because, date because you are interested. The way I see it if you date just to get out of the house, you might just pass up an opportunity with someone who is interested in you; that person might think that they will never be good enough.

Hope

I so love to be reminded of things like this. Never give up.