Useless info

If you were just saying to yourself : "I'd sure like to read some useless information.", you're in luck! Here's some right now:

I really like using Bath and Body Works body lotion. I like the scents. I put it on my legs and arms after getting out of the shower. But the smoothness doesn't seem to last all day. So I started using baby oil gel with it. I buy baby oil in gel form, put some in my hand along with some body lotion, mix them toogether a little, then rub on as usual. I still get that great scent I like and the smoothness now lasts all day!

And while on the subject of Bath and Body Works, I have a lot of body spray from there. I've been given a lot as gifts and bought some, but I don't use it up very fast. And some I've just gotten tired of. One day one of my bottles of body spray got dropped and the bottle cracked. I was going to just get rid of it when I had an idea to put it in a spray bottle, add some water, and use it as linen water. Now I keep it on the ironing board and spray it on clothes as I'm ironing. It makes them smell good, and gives a new use to body spray.

Sometimes I forget how to walk up stairs, am I going crazy? I'll be in the middle of walking upstairs, when I'll forget which foot goes next. I have to pause and consciously think which foot to move. I'm admitting this to you hoping this same phenomenon happens to others, but it's probably just me.

Here's a Weight Watcher Recipe:
Layered Mexican Chicken
12 corn tortillas, cut into 2-inch strips
2 cans black beans, drained
3 cups fat-free sour cream (I used light, I hate fat free)
2 cups reduced-calorie cheese, grated
2 small cans (8 oz.) green chiles
3 cups cooked chicken cut into bite-size pieces
2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Coat a lasagna pan with cooking spray, arrange half of tortilla strips on bottom of pan, overlapping to cover pan. Mix sour cream, chicken, HALF of cheese, cumin, beans, salt and pepper, and chiles in bowl. Spread half of mixture over tortillas in pan. Cover with other half of tortillas, then other half of chicken mixture. Top with remaining cheese and bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Serve with shredded lettuce and salsa on the side. Serves 12. Points per serving: 6. (This fed my whole family and the neighbor boy, with left-overs, next time I think I'll cut it in half).

Attention all you sweaters out there: I am a sweater. I sweat a lot. Always have. I can get all ready, put on deodorant, go to someplace that's air-conditioned, and still sit there with wet armpits. It's a curse. An annoying one. But curse no more. I have started using clinical strength deodorant. Oh my gosh, where have I been? How long has this stuff been around? I needed it years ago. It has stopped my sweating problem. It does for me what regular deodorant probably does for regular people. Love it.

Lastly, I am going to make a raised planter box. I've looked up directions online and have my supply list ready to go to Lowe's. I want to plant tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers, if I can. I've never had success gardening, but people in my neighborhood do, so if they can, so can I, right? Any tips for me? We'll see how it goes.

Time To Get Those Bonnets Out

 

 

 

 

Yes becky

I guess everyone thinks alike. My first thought was where is the picture. I'll be sitting at this computer until it appeares.

DAD

IGLOO

IGGGGGLLLLLLLOOOOOOOO

Dad mentioned how Jason and I and dad went up on the West End of Mount Graham on our 4 wheelers and built a igloo. We went as far as we could go before getting stuck in about 2-3 feet of snow on the road. We were along ways from the top so no way to tell how much snow was up there. It wasn't really that cold. We had fun. The equipment I borrowed would make a 7,8,10 or 11 foot igloo. We chose the 7 foot one. It was 7 feet tall.

Darvil

OK, SO MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL A CROP, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME FLOWERS, ONIONS, AND SOME OTHER VEGETABLES PEEKING THERE LITTLE HEADS UP THROUGH THE SOIL.


SOMEONE HAS TO WATER THEM YOU KNOW.

AND THATS ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT

DAD

A Little Update

Ok so here is a little news about the Dow House:

Kason passed a test in his seventh grade Spanish class that shows that he gets high school credit for this year of Spanish. Because he and his classmates have been learning Spanish since kindergarten at our wonderful bilingual elementary school, he now has the credit that a high school freshman would have after a year of Spanish. If he passes another test next year, by the time he enters high school in 9th grade, he'll already have two high school credits.

Miranda just went to her first softball team practice last night. She really liked it. The coach tried everyone at pitcher and thought Miranda did the best so at tonight's practice she'll be pitching.

Brady has done two 12-hour shifts of clinical experience for his EMT class. One was in Labor and Delivery and one in the ER. They put them to work bandaging people, taking stats, even giving CPR if necessary. He got to watch a c-section and thought that was pretty amazing. He told me he could deliver my baby if I had another one. I informed him that would be a little difficult since I don't have a uteris anymore. He just said "Ew" and walked away.

Eli has been invited to lots of birthday parties lately. He had two on the same day at the same time. He had already told the first boy yes when he got the second invitation which sounded a lot more fun. As bad as he wanted to go to that one, he decided to stick with the first since he had already RSVP'd. I was proud of that decision and didn't even know the second people so was more comfortable.

Colby is desperately trying to sell a little shifter cart that he fixed up. Someone gave 2 of them to Rob in poor condition. He told the boys whoever wanted to fix them and sell them could get the money. Colby has recently been motivated by the desire for a dirtbike. So he's got one ready to sell and has had several lookers but no takers. I had no idea those things are so popular. He's asking $900 but will go down if needed. It goes about 900 miles an hour too, I think (maybe not quite). We're just excited he has something to focus on besides girls right now.

Rob has been getting a lot of nose-bleeds lately. We assume it's from dryness, but most of the nose-bleeds have been while he's in the shower, or right after putting saline spray (for dryness) in the nose, so that's confusing. He's in the market for a couple of new guns he's been oogling. He and all his friends are doing lots of shooting, reloading, and talking guns. It's funny to watch but I'm sooooo glad he has a new hobby.

I'm doing a little of everything and a lot of nothing. I'm trying to just get motivated to do some cleaning and organizing. The warmer weather is helping, but we sure have been getting a lot of wind. I remember Grandma Hancock saying all the time how much she hated wind. I totally agree. It makes me feel like not doing much of anything.

My Ho Hum day.

Today I did laundry.  Loads of it.

 Then I spent three hours, yes three hours on the computer registering the cub scouts in my ward for cub scout day camp.  So much fun.

  Then I watched Betty White on Ellen while folding earlier mentioned laundry.  Funny Betty.

 And then I made some soup for my family and it was so spicy it burned my Love's lips.

Then Isabelle gave an awesome FHE lesson.  Is anything too hard for the Lord?  No. Faith preceeds the Miracle.

And finished my day off with an episode of Carol Burnett.  Funny Carol.  And a visit from our favorite Missionaries.

Good night.

EVERY DAY LIFE

MOM AND I WENT TO TOWN TODAY AND HAD OUR TAXES DONE. BUMMER. THEN WE WENT ON UP TO WAL-MART AND GOT MY CAT SOME FOOD. WE GOT SOME OTHER THINGS TOO. THEN WE CAME HOME AND FIXED SOME TOSTADAS AND A COKE. GOOD. THEN MOM MADE ME CLEAN MY TOILET. YUCK.

NOW ITS TIME FOR THE IRRIGATION OF OUR CROP.

DAD

OK CHILDREN HERE GOES

SOME TIME WED DARVIL CALLED AND SAID THAT HE AND JASON WAS GOING UP TO THE WEST END OF THE MOUNTAIN TO PLAY IN THE SNOW ON THURS. I DID'NT REALY WANT TO GO BUT AFTER MUCH DEBATE AND THOUGHT I THOUGHT I WOULD GO. WE LEFT ABOUT 9:30 THURS MORINING AND DROVE TO A CAMPING AREA ON THE WAY TO TRIPP CANYON. WE UNLOADED OUR FOUR WHEELERS AND PROCEDED UP THE MOUNTAIN. AFTER ARRIVING AT A PLACE CALLED DRY LAKE, WHICH HAS A SMALL POND WITH WATER. WE DROVE AROUND THIS PLACE FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN CONTINUED UP THE ROAD FOR ABOUT ANOTHER HALF MILE AND THEN BECOME STUCK IN THE SNOW. IT WAS HERE THAT WE STARTED THE PROJECT THAT HAD BEEN PLANNED. WE WERE GOING TO BUILD AN IGLOO. YES AN IGLOO. DARVIL HAD BORROWED A DEVICE FROM A FELLOW AND VIDIO SHOWING HOW TO DO IT. WE WALKED OFF THE ROAD INTO DEEP SNOW. WE LEVELED A PLACE IN THE SNOW AND PROCEEDED WITH OUR TASK. BELIEVE IT OR NOT WE MADE A IGLOO THAT WAS ABOUT SEVEN FEET ACROSS AT THE BOTTOM. DARVIL WAS ON THE INSIDE WHILE WE WERE BUILDING IT AND WHEN WE FINISHED HE DUG A HOLE IN THE FLOOR AND OUT THE SIDE. I THOUGHT IS LOOKED NEAT. WE COULD SEE HOW A PERSON COULD SURVIVE IN ONE OUT OF THE WEATHER. OF COURSE IT WAS STILL COLD INSIDE BUT THERE WAS NO WIND, OR IF IT WAS SNOWING YOU WOULD BE PROTECTED. DARVIL TOOK A LOT OF PICTURES DURING THE BUILD AND THEN AFTER IT WAS BUILT.

WE LOOKED AT IT FOR A WHILE THEN GOT ON OUR MACHINES AND WITH A TEAR IN OUR EYE, DROVE AWAY. IT WAS FUN AND WE LEARNED SOMETHING.

SO THERE

DAD

Vegas nutshell

OK DAD.  Here's the latest.  I looked at a house on Monday morning and Fell. In. Love.  I'm crossing my fingers, toes and eyeballs on this one.  We're one of five offers so we're patiently waiting to hear some good news.  
We had a good time at Beverly's, as usual.  Once we got through that damn dam after two hours, it was all smooth sailing.  Bev made delicious food, as usual.  Emily and I went expecting dental work, but as it turns out I don't have five cavities like my dentist said I did.  Hmm, time to find a new dentist?  And Emily's wisdom teeth aren't ready to come out yet.  So Jared ended up in the chair so Rob could fix something from when his wisdom teeth were taken out last month. Poor Jared.
 We went shopping.  Emily and I got some cute new clothes.  Our Ross stores get all picked over here, so it was fun to go to a Ross that was actually well stocked.  Went to Bev's Relief Society (formerly known as Enrichment) meeting, went to Miranda's choir concert, and went to the Rat Pack show at the Sahara.  We were on the front row! We could see the sweat on Sammy's brow.  It was fun.  The kids played video games, went to the park, went on bike rides, and Emily and Jared even got up and went to Seminary with the boys.  We watched Johnny Carson DVD's in the evening.  Funny Johnny. And that's our trip in a nutshell.
 
Hope you enjoyed it.

I'M PATIENTLY WAITING

OK CHILDREN

EVERY EVENING I SIT MYSELF DOWN TO READ THE LATEST NEWS. GUESS WHAT? IT HAS BEEN A WEEK SINCE I READ SOME GOOD NEWS. LET'S GET ON THE STICK. JUST DO IT. SIT YOURSELF DOWN, RELAX, AND GET WITH IT. JUST DON'T PUT IT OFF ANY LONGER.

LOVE YOU
DAD

More Tidbits

Back by popular demand...(haha, I've always wanted to say that)...some more unuseful tidbits.

I was really tired of my colored hair roots showing before I was quite ready to head back to the hairdresser and slap down a wad of cash. Clairol's Root Touch-up is the answer. It's easy to use, quick, and covers those grays for about 2-3 weeks. I left it on for the maximum time for "stubborn gray hairs". My hairdresser might think I'm cheating on her, but it works for me for now.

I make these cookies all the time because they are easy and yummy. I made them the other day and doubled the recipe because my kids had friends over. I ran to the store, came back and the cookies had been devoured. Brady said his friend Tanner ate most of them.
Mix one box Devil's Food cake mix with 2 eggs and 1/3 c. oil (or applesauce for fat-free version). Roll into one-inch balls and roll in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Sometimes I even put 3-5 chocolate chips on top of each cookie ball before baking.

On that note, I have started Weight Watchers (again). I hate it. I hate counting points and measuring everything and going to the meetings where everyone cheers. I get to eat 23 points each day. A medium blizzard (I dearly love blizzards) is 22 points. But I have to face reality. I have to decide if I want to eat what I want all the time or be able to put on a swim suit this summer without wanting to crawl under a rock. I've tried my own weight-loss methods and failed because I don't have the will-power I once had. So Weight Watchers it is. At least I know it works - I lost 30 pounds on it once (Can I just skip back to that body?) and since I'm paying for those hoo-rah meetings I might as well go. So I'm publicly telling everyone so I can't not do it. The good new is there are some things I like that are low points:
Artichokes, zero points (I love artichokes!) The butter you dip them in, not zero.
Those new thin bagels (I love bagels) are one point and weight watcher cream cheese is one point for a Tbsp.
Raspberries are a point for a cup and a half! Put those on some vanilla yogurt and cottage cheese, and it's a low-point snack.
And I just found a recipe for turtle pie complete with nuts and chocolate pudding and chocolate chips and caramel sauce that sounds delish. (Can you tell I'm hungry?) Each slice is only 4 points. I'll let you know how that one turns out. I'll have to make it when I know 7 other people will eat the other slices.
(The above recipe for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies is only one point per cookie! YAY!)

We used to wash the chicken eggs the minute we brought them in the house since they're usually poop-speckled and gross. But then I learned that when a chicken lays an egg, the egg is coated with a special slime that seals all the egg's pores and protects it from bacteria. If un-washed, the eggs will stay fresh for 100 days! That's some amazing slime! So now we don't wash them until we use them. So if you open my fridge and see lots of brown, poop-speckled eggs, you'll know why.

Jared Boren got me hooked on a song: It's by Ben Folds and it's called "The Luckiest". The lyrics are little quirky, but it's a pretty song.

Here's a quote by President Benson: "When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power"

It's finally getting warmer! I was getting a little tired of the cold and rain, even though I know I have nothing to complain about. So before it gets so hot we all bake, we need to spend some time soaking in the sun each day. 90% of our vitamin D intake comes from the sun. Vitamin D among other things helps slow down the aging process and can prevent certain cancers. And for you non-sleepers, the sun helps produce melatonin, a chemical that helps you sleep. The sun is also a natural mood-booster. Think I'll go out and sit in the sun right now!

Have a good day!

temple

OK CHILDREN

IT'S MY TURN AGAIN.
YOUR DEAR MOTHER INSISTED I SEND YOU A NOTE. IF YOU DO NOT ALREADY KNOW THE TICKETS FOR THE TEMPLE OPEN HOUSE WILL BE AVALIABLE ON APRIL 7TH AT 10:OO IN THE MORNING.

WE NEED TO TRY AND CORDINATE OUR REQUEST FOR THEM SO WE CAN GO THROUGH TOGETHER. BECKY TOLD MOM SHE WOULD LIKE TO BE HERE WHEN PRES MONSON IS HERE. THAT WILL BE MAY 22ND AND 23RD. HE WILL ATTEND THE SPECIAL EVENT AT THE EAC BALL FIELD ON SAT NIGHT AND THEN THE DEDICATION FOR THREE SESSI0NS ON SUNDAY. BUT, THE OPEN HOUSE WILL END ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THAT WEEKEND, SO THAT WILL BE SOMETHING TO DISCUSS.

WE CAN GET TICKETS ON LINE OR THERE WILL BE A PHONE NUMBER ALSO.

JUST A TAD BIT OF INTERESTING INFO.
IT WAS LEARNED THAT WHEN REQUESTS








.

FOR TEMPLES OR OTHER CHURCH BUILDINGS GO THROUGH THE FIRST PRESIDENCY. THEY TAKE THE INFORMATION IN THE FORM OF A PACKET AND USEING WEEKS, MONTHS,OR YEARS TO DISCUSS THE REQUEST, MAKE CHANGES OR WHAT EVER IS INVOLVED WITH IT. THE WORD IS THAT WHEN PRES MONSON WAS HANDED THE PACKET FOR THE GILA VALLEY TEMPLE HE CONSULTED WITH PRES IRING AND PRES UTHTDORF FOR, [AND IF YOU CAN BELIEVE THIS} JUST MINUTES, TURNED AND HANDED THE PACKET TO SOMEONE AND SAID, BUILD IT.

SOMEONE WHO IS INOLVED WITH NEW TEMPLES AND SETS UP THE THE PROGRAMS FOR SECURITY, PROGRAM PLANNING AND SO FORTH, SPOKE TO SOMEONE IN CHARGE OF THINGS HERE AND SAID, I HAVE BEEN INVOLIVED IN THE DEDICATION OF OVER 40 TEMPLES OR OTHER BUILDINGS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THE FEELING THAT HE HAS ABOUT THIS TEMPLE. HE SAID THAT A FEELING HAS COME OVER HIM THAT HE HAS NOT FELT ABOUT ANY OF HIS PERVIOUS INVOLVMENTS ABOUT OTHER BUILDINGS. HE MADE THE STATEMENT THAT [THIS TEMPLE IS SPECIAL, VERY SPECIAL].

BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES.


WE ALL HAVE TO TALK.

I HIT SOME BUTTON AND SEPARATED ONE OF THE ABOVE PARAGRAPHS, AND COULD NOT GET IT TO RETURN TO ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE. DUMB.

DAD

This is What I'm Talkin' About

 

Isn't It Amazing

When I get on the computer intending to do something, and the next thing I know, I have navigated all over the place, discovering pictures, & other tidbits, and still , an hour later, haven't done what I intended. I came across this picture of 2 cute girls, and wanted to show it to you. My oldest and youngest grandaughters. Aren't they cute? All of my grandchildren are so precious. I love it when they visit me.

What I planned on writing about--My Collections and Searches. I think I have always collected stuff, from cats, owls, teapots, rose plates & dishes & so on & so forth.
I like to go to antique stores & junk stores & like to have something in mind to search for. Lately I have found Antique wine bottles covered in wicker. I got some at the antique store in Safford - 3 of them- for $10.00 apiece. I was looking on e-bay, and found a few, and the bidding on them starts at over $100.00. Wow! I will keep looking for more deals on those. Its fun to search for special things.

Almost Spring?

 

 

 

Caged Birds DO Sing Sometimes

 

 

 

 

The Checks In The Mail

When we were selling the puppies, we put an ad in the Courier and we got calls from Silver City, NM, FT, Huachuca, Duncan, Virden,....all over the place. One evening the phone rang and an operator said it was a Relay Call. She said she would tell me what the person at the other end of the line wanted to say, and she would type in my response for him. He wanted information about the puppies, and the operator gave me his E-Mail address to contact him with that information. I sent an E-Mail giving price, male puppy, etc. The E-Mail I got back said he was hearing impaired, the reason for the relay call, and said he wanted the puppy for his son's birthday. He was sending a money order or Cashier's Check and I was to cash it immediately, withhold the price of the puppy, and send the rest to a company for shipment fees. I got to thinking.......I called 411 to find out where the call had come from & it was a Texas number. I sent an E-Mail asking where the man lived. He sent back, saying he lived in Ohio. I sent another E-Mail and said that was too far to ship my puppy, and I was sure he could find one closer to his home. A few days later came another E-Mail that said he had been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor of the brain.
I wrote again and told him the puppies were all gone, and there would be no transaction, the deal was off. Well, a few days later, the UPS driver pulled in, came to the door, and handed me a large envelope, addressed to me. I told the driver I was wary of opening it. But Jerry and him said I might as well. I opened it up, and there was a check for $2,000.00 in a smaller envelope. The check was issued from a bank in the state of Washington from a business there. Jerry called the bank, reading off the numbers at the bottom of the check, and no such account or business existed in that town. Jerry called the police in that area and they said they knew things like that were going on. Then he called the Pima Police, who came and took a report and a copy of the check. Then the next day, in the mail, came a check for $2,550.00 originating from Idaho, same thing, no good. We got a couple more relay calls, but refused to accept them. A few days later, another check in the mail from a bank in Chicago, postmarked New York for $2,550.00

These checks all looked very official and real. If we had tried, our bank would have cashed them, and if we had sent some money on to someone else, they would have been richer. The checks would have eventually come back to our bank as no good, and the money would have been withdrawn from our account. So, I still have the puppy, 3 checks totalling $7,000.00 to put in a scrapbook, and am a little more knowledgeable about scams and how they work. This involved several states, phone calls, e-mails, the UPS, and the US mail. So, if something sounds too good to be true, it most likely is......not true, no good. We had to explain to a few of our friends why 2 police cars were in front of our house, while we were filing the report, but thats better than having warrants issued for passing bad checks. SO BEWARE! PS That isn't why I still have the puppy. I could have sold him many times. I just decided to keep him.

A pair of pups

 

 

 

 

Tidbits

Here are a few tidbits of information. Nothing significant or earth-shattering...

I have been struggling with the 10 or 15 pounds I would like to lose. They don't seem to want to let go. It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that I like to eat and don't really want to restrict myself, I'm sure. But then I rationalize and think, "Well, maybe being a little chunky isn't so bad, maybe I should just drop the guilt and enjoy eating what I want to eat. Life's short after all". Then I read the last line of verse 51 of 2 Nephi, chapter 18: "Let your soul delight in fatness". I'll take that as a sign.

When you shampoo your hair like the bottle says: "Shampoo, rinse, repeat." it really does make a difference. My hair feels much softer when I do that!

We rented the movie "The Devil's Arithmetic". It was a good movie to remind us all about the holocaust. I would recommend it.

Having re-usable grocery bags is only a good idea if you remember to take them in the store with you each time. Otherwise I feel double-guilty knowing I have them and am STILL destroying the environment.

Having teenagers is Heavenly Father's way of making sure we don't try to keep our kids too long. By the time they are old enough to leave, we are all too happy to let them!

A bumper sticker I read said: "It's better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for who you pretend to be"

I have decided that fresh cut flowers are such a pick-me-up for me that it is worth the cost of picking some up now and then at the grocery store or Costco.

Last but not least, for some of the most moist, tender chicken you will ever eat, try this: coat your chicken with the seasoning salt of your choice. Cover the bottom of a baking dish with plain, fat-free yogurt. Place the chicken on top. Cover the chicken with yogurt. Sprinkle with bread or cracker crumbs, parmesan cheese, and several dabs of butter. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 35-45 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Delicious!

Don't live in the guilty past or the fearful future. Instead, live in the precious present. The present is a gift!

Have a great day, everyone!