Fear and Rationality

Today, during the game I was playing with a group of 25 4th graders, someone softly said, "is that a spider?" And I had to exercise serious self-control to not run out of the little reading area, tossing papers and pens as I went. I slid to the side and said, "is it?" And they said no, it was just a piece of fluff floating down. Which it was. I said, "well... you got me!"

Also today, my daughter mentioned (I posted this on Facebook, so if you are my FB friend, apologies for the repetition!) that she thinks mascots are scary. She said, "I have mascot-a-phobia." and proceeded to compare the various costumed characters that have visited her school and tell me which one is the scariest. 

Notes on Being Mormon: The Fight For Liberty

Click the link to go to a very good article written for the Canada Free Press by a man named Mike Jensen. He is not a Mormon. The article lays out our basic Mormon gospel in a concise, clear, respectful way, then goes on to compare the fight for liberty we believe happened in pre-Earth life to the fight for our rights to choose in the current political climate. It's very good. I hope you'll give it a look. 

The beautiful San Diego temple.

Notes on Being Mormon: Pants

Recently there's been some hullabaloo about a group of Mormon feminists who made a big deal about wearing pants to church one Sunday-- there were articles and blogs written about it. Facebook, apparently, exploded. I... shrugged my shoulders.

Best and Worst

I follow a blog called "It Just Gets Stranger", which is usually funny and always interesting. One thing he blogged recently were "Worst Things Ever" and "Best Things Ever" lists for 2013. I'm a TOTAL copycat (just ask my older sister, who liked Michael Jackson before I did) so I thought I would steal his idea and make my own lists. I'm not as funny as him, but I think it's good to send out the old year with spit in its eye and welcome the new with happy, hopeful, positive thoughts. 

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

I want so badly to travel. Maybe I have a little gypsy blood in me or something. I just want to go places and see things and I fear that I will die before I get to all the places in the world that are just sitting there, being amazing or beautiful or breathtaking. Waiting. For me. Places like:
 (Pictures from National Geographic)

Recipe Hunting: Sandwich Bread

I  made this recipe today, after more than a year since the last time I made homemade bread. Our favorite store bread is the Macey's Cottage white bread. It's got the perfect balance of texture and flavor and tastes magical with peanut butter and grape jam, but also works well with turkey and tuna fish. I prefer wheat bread for ham, and Macey's also delivers well there. I like the bread because it's cheaper than the other, less healthy brands (it's baked fresh, so no preservatives) and, though I usually fill the top shelf of the freezer with it, my family gobbles it up quickly and it doesn't have time to go bad on us, despite the missing preservatives.

However...

Wasting Time on YouTube

Lately, my family has been greatly enjoying these time-wasters on YouTube. Enjoy!

• Tobuscus- Real name Toby Turner. He's super funny and (mostly) clean and although my boys enjoy his video game videos (he plays them, recording himself reacting to the game-- amusing, but too long for me), I prefer his songs. 

Tobuscus' "Dramatic Song" makes me laugh. Every time.