Peer Facilitation

In High School, I chose an elective that only a small handful of other people chose- Peer Facilitation.  This meant I was able to work closely with the greatest kids in the entire school, the Special Ed kids.  Our class periods were 90 minutes long so I would take a few of them to Cooking or Art class for about 30-45 minutes then we would go back to their classroom for the remainder of the period.  I would work one on one with them, play games, work on simple tasks or just hang out with them.  It was my very favorite time of day!  Those kids were so special.  I don't care to remember much about high school or the people I knew, but I will never forget the kids I came to love through Peer Facilitation.

R to L  Back row:  Manuel, Michael, Johnathon, Gilbert, Daniel

Middle row: Ashley, Keith, Stephanie, Manuel, Bill, Roise

Front row Jim, Donella, Toni

I remember Toni for her contagious smile.  Her family obviously cared about her very much.  Her hair was always done perfectly and she was clad in the most stylish clothes.  I don't think I have ever known someone whose smile could light up a room like hers.

And sweet little Stephanie with Down syndrome.  Man, was she boy crazy!  She would blush at the sight of any boy who passed her.  She had the sweetest most gentle personality.

Johnathon Baker aka Stone Dawg (Seriously!).  He was an aspiring gangster and breakdancer.  Everyone knew and loved him.  He would start breakdancing (which he was terrible at) during lunch or passing period and everyone would circle around to watch and cheer him on.  He's got to be nearly 40 years old now but my friend, Monica, told me he is still running the streets of Southwest Queen Creek, or as she still calls it, Chandler Heights.

Now Micheal, oh what a sweet kid.  He was head over heels in love with Stephanie.  He would wait for her outside the classroom door and light up the moment he saw her.  I was able to take him to Art class and spend time getting to know him personally.  He had the sweetest and softest heart of anyone.

Ashley was a force to be reckoned with!  She was a fireball and could be a little mean.  But if she loved you, she really loved you!  And you knew it.  Fortunately, I felt like someone she loved.  It wasn't easy to make her laugh but when she did give in and chuckle it would warm your heart!

Jim was the most handicapped of all of the kids but I am so glad I had experience with him. It was a little difficult in the beginning because he had less control of his body which meant he would flail, drool and moan.  But working with him helped me to overcome any fear or trepidation I had.  The ability to work with and understand people like Jim has come in handy many times in my life!

Little Donella was truly one of the happiest people I have ever known.  I don't think I ever saw her without a big grin on her face.  I often wonder what she knew that I didn't know that made her so happy.  Her body was limited in its capabilities and her life had its challenges but she smiled all the way through it.

Daniel was a giant!  He was the biggest and most intimidating of the bunch, but there was nothing to be intimidated by other than his size.  He was nothing more than a teddy bear.  He always wore a plain black t-shirt and jeans.  It was almost like a uniform for him.

Bill was the cutest!  I remember him always being so cheerful.  He was also polite and well mannered. I remember that he always wore polo shirts with jeans or shorts and tennis shoes.  Bill, what a funny name for a teenage kid, but it suited him.  He seemed like an old soul stuck in the body of a teenager with the mentality of a child.

I will be forever grateful for the chance I had to work with these special kids for two years.  It has helped so much as I have encountered other people with similar needs throughout the years.  The things I learned, the fears I overcame and the opportunity to be with such perfect and celestial people changed my life.

Go to websites

If I want to find a deal:  Hip2Save

If want to listen to something uplifting:  Mormon Channel

If I want to check an Amazon price:  Camel Camel Camel

If I want a DIY home remedy:  One Good Thing By Jillee

If I want to try a new recipe idea:  Mels Kitchen Cafe

If I want a hair tutorial:  The Small Things Blog

If I want a home DIY or decorating idea:  Young House Love

If I want a workout:  Fitness Blender

If I want a super simple sewing project:  Made Every Day with Dana

If I want a coupon code:  Retail Me Not

Something Special

Being a parent is harder than I ever thought it would be but more rewarding than I could have ever imagined.  Each of my kids brings something special to our family and helps make us who we are.  I thought it would be fun to dig a little deep and share a few things about each of my kids that make them special.

 Addie- she is the perfect oldest child.  She always steps up when she sees I need help and always backs down when she sees I need a little room to breathe- all without me ever saying a word.  She tries very hard to care for her younger siblings, even when they don't easily accept it.  

One thing I really admire about Addie is that she is not afraid to stand up for herself.  Recently she was struggling with a friend at school.  Instead of letting it get to her and wondering what went wrong, she approached the girl, asked what the issue was and cleared the air.  And just like that they moved past it and are doing much better!  Most girls, especially girls her age, would not dare speak up.  She is also not afraid to stand up to me to tell me when I need to change something that frustrates her.  

And she has a lot of nerve, in a good way.  She is not afraid to do new things or put herself out there. I was so proud of her for running for Student Council.  Elections involved giving a speech to the entire student body and she approached it like it was nothing at all.  She won the vote and is handing her responsibilities (which are way more than I ever expected!) like a champ.  It involves doing a lot of things that would make some kids her age squirm, but not Addie.  She rolls up her sleeves and gets the job done!  On that same note, she is so great to have in Young Women.  She always has an answer to help move the lesson along.  One of the other leaders mentioned this to me recently and it was such a nice thing to hear.  I hope this skill takes her far in life.

Addie is also very open with me, and I love it!  She tells me all about her crushes, the drama of Jr. High, her struggles and frustrations, her highs and lows, who said or did what, etc.  I hope she will always be that way.   She is a great girl and I love the bond we have.

Kimber- what a great girl!  Kimber loves her mom!  And doesn't like to be far from me.  It's flattering at times.  She is also a great friend.  She is devoted and complimentary.  I know this because she often comes home saying great things or reporting on the nice things she noticed about someone at school.  She looks for the best in her friends and stays true to them.  She also has a broad variety of friends and I admire that.

She has been playing the piano for three years now and is lightyears ahead of where I was at her age. She has picked up on the piano so well!  She loves to play hymns and songs from the Primary Children's Song Book- and she plays them so great!  It's so nice to hear A Child's Prayer or Choose the Right rather than the ear piercing beginner songs most kids struggle through.

Kimber doesn't love to do hard things but who does, right?  The thing I love is that she will do them and always come out seeing good changes in herself.  She used to be so afraid to participate in the Primary Program.  It was terrifying to her but she would do it and each year she noticed that it got easier and easier.  We just had our program on Sunday and she gave a talk!  She did wonderfully!  She has also had an interesting year at school.  Two weeks into the school year I requested that she be moved to another teacher.  It was extremely difficult for her to say the least.  But she did it and now she is seeing how much better off she is.  She has made a new friend, she loves her teacher and she is enjoying the growth she has seen in herself.  I love to hear how she feels the change has benefited her.

I'm not sure where she gets it, but she is very artistic.  She loves drawing, painting, creating, designing- basically anything that uses her creative side.  Last week for Spirit Week she decided she wanted to make a pineapple headband to wear for Tropical Day.  She asked me to take her to the store to pick up the supplies, a headband and pipe cleaners.  Not catching her vision, I dragged her around the store for nearly an hour trying to come up with another idea but she kept insisting she knew what she was doing.  I finally relented and wouldn't you know it?  She blew me away with the most adorable pineapple made from pipe cleaners hot glued to a headband.

Kimber is a fantastic student.  She has maintained an A+ report card since she started school.  If she doesn't understand a concept she works at it until she understands it adequately.  Her teachers have also told me this about her.  Her new teacher recently told me that Kimber is one of her top three favorite students.  I'm not exactly sure she should admit that she has favorite students, but I was glad to hear she likes Kimber so much.

Lucy- She has got to be the sweetest 7-year-old out there.  She is super timid and does not like to be the center of attention.  Trust me, she flat out refused to say her part in the Primary Program last week!  

Not only does Lucy keeps us laughing but she laughs easily at herself.  For some reason she has misunderstood several of our conversations lately, only to chime in with a very distorted view of what she thinks was said.  It's often way off- but when we laugh she laughs right along with us.

Along with Kimber, Lucy is a great friend.  She makes friends easily and is a ton of fun to play with.  She is easily entertained and when she has friends over they never complain of boredom.  Not only is she a good friend at school but she is a good friend at home as well.  She plays nicely with everyone, especially Colton.  She is happiest when she is outside riding her bike, jumping on the trampoline or having some type of adventure.

I love to listen to Lucy pray.  She asks for the greatest things without any coaching.  Just tonight she said, "bless that if anyone has a test or anything tomorrow that they will do good."  Every time she says the nightly prayer she asks for something that we actually need but no one else really thinks of.  It's really sweet!

Lucy is always dressed so great and it has nothing to do with me.  She really cares about her appearance. She usually chooses her hairstyle for the day based on her outfit- a ponytail for something casual, a crown braid for something fancy, etc.  She takes good care of herself and it shows.

Colton- our caboose.  I hate to think that I almost didn't have him!  He makes our life so exciting!  It's fun to have a kid who gets dirty, loves tractors and building things.  It's definitely a change from my girls!

I always heard that boys have a special love for their mamas and I've learned that it's true!  He is rough and messy, but he melts for his mom and I melt for him.  He is my buddy and he keeps me busy during the day when it's just the two of us.  I have an extra year with him before kindergarten because he is a September baby, and I am so grateful!  We have a great time together.

I've noticed that Colton makes people around him happy.  That's kind of a neat thing for a four-year-old.  His Primary teacher seems to adore him and often tells me how happy he makes her.  His preschool teacher says similar things.  I know he makes his parents and his sisters happy but I'm glad other people get to experience it as well.

He is also easy to please, which is nice because he spends a lot of time playing alone.  I will often find him playing in quietly with his trucks, lining them up from biggest to smallest or by color, just happy as can be.  He will play outside for hours digging in the dirt or burying seeds to make a garden.  He doesn't need constant supervision, he's just happy to be busy.

Man, I've got some great kiddos.  They keep life busy but worthwhile and rewarding.

Snacks

I am a big time snacker.  In fact I've discovered that I'd rather snack than have a meal.  Because of that I am always on the hunt for a yummy snack.  Here are some of my favorites.

Honey Vanilla Greek Yogurt with berries.  Easy and yum!

Roasted Vegetables.  I love to roast a variety of veggies then eat them over a period of a few days.  Some of my favorite vegetables to combine together are: brussel sprouts, broccoli, red onion, zucchini, cauliflower and red bell pepper.  Really, the possibilities are limitless.  I just cap everything up, drizzle with olive oil and add some flavor like salt and pepper or Italian seasoning.  400 degrees and 15 minutes later and you have a healthy and yummy snack.

Talenti Gelato.  I've eyeballed this for a long time but never felt like I could justify the price.  After hearing about it on a podcast I talked myself into spending almost $5 on a pint.  It's very indulgent so you get satisfaction out of a single bite.

Sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper.  It's easy as 1-2-3!  Sliced tomatoes are also super yummy with graded parmesan or sliced mozzarella cheese.

Steamed edamame.  I love these steamable bags- toss one in the microwave and in three minutes you a have a  healthy snack.

We don't eat Kettle Corn often, but when we do it's a fun treat.  Sweet but salty...mmmmm!

Speaking of popcorn, I came across this stuff a few years ago and got hooked!  I'm glad it's a seasonal product and that it's not carried at a store near me!

I only eat cinnamon bears about once a year, but when I do I totally enjoy the heck out of them!

Even better?  Chocolate covered cinnamon bears!

Me and my kids love love love frozen grapes!  They taste like candy but they're actually good for you.  Just pull your grapes off of the vine, throw them on a sheet pan, flash freeze them, then add handful size amounts to ziplocks bags.  Store them in the freezer for a quick-on-the-go-snack.

Sister Beast

I've developed a friendship with the funnest little grandma lady.  She attends the same temple session as I do each week.  Her name is Doris but I've affectionally come to call her Sister Beast.  Let me explain.

Doris has a great personality.  She is probably close to 80 years old but she is spunky and a crack up.  A few weeks ago she told a story of when she was about 17 years old.  In her childhood when you lost a tooth you placed it in a cup of water and left it in the kitchen window.  The tooth fairy would come visit during the night, take the tooth and replace it with a penny.

One evening her mom, who wore dentures, took her teeth out and left them in a cup of water on the window sill.  During the night Doris snuck into the kitchen, took the dentures and left a penny in the cup!  The next morning when her mom went to retrieve her teeth they were gone!  Her mom immediately called out, "Doris!  Bring me my teeth!"  She knew who took them!  Doris insisted that the tooth fairy had paid a visit.  After some coaxing Doris finally handed the dentures over.

Doris has a 48-year-old mentally retarded son named Mike.  He doesn't have teeth, he does not speak in complete sentences and blames everything on his dad.  Mike has to wear a diaper to bed and each morning when his mom bathes him she asks him why he wet his bed.  His response is always, "it was dad!"  And if she asks him how he slept he gives one of two responses, "like a porpoise" or "like a big rock."

Mike attends a daily respite program.  When he returns home Doris will ask him how his day was.  He responds that it was good.  She then asks him what he did that day.  Because Mike does not speak in complete sentences he says "eat my friends."  Meaning he ate lunch with his friends, of course.  Because Doris can't pass up on an opportunity to tease, she asks how they tasted!

Now that you know that Doris is a big tease, let me explain her nickname.  A few years ago Doris was 28 pounds heavier.  She was struggling with high blood pressure and the doctor explained that she was on the low end of being obese.  After her visit with the doctor she went home and called her daughter to report the news.  Mike was listening in and not being familiar with the word "obese" heard this instead, "the doctor said I'm an old beast."  Haha!  Sweet Mike kindly said to his mom, "didn't know you an old beast!"

I jokingly asked her if she was Sister Beast.  Being Doris, she loved it!  When we entered the session and kindly pointed out Brother Beast I had to chuckle.  And my heart smiled when later in the session she lovingly looked over at him and waved with her pinky.  She is the cutest!

I've learned to love her for so many reasons.  Not only is she always there, very fun and a kind person, but think of what it takes to care for her son.  She routinely cares for him, even at her ago.  And she attends THREE endowment sessions every week!  I hope that I can have the same fun and positive outlook on life as Doris.

Getting More from Your Temple Experience

While sitting in the temple yesterday morning a thought came to my mind that I needed to write about getting more out of time spent in the temple.  I am aware that there are people who would do a way better job at this, but I have learned a lot of over the years and have found things that have helped me enjoy my experiences more.  I hope there is a small take away in this for you.

I think the most important thing you can do to enjoy the temple more is to go often!  Set a goal to go once a week, once a month, twice a month, whatever!  Just get yourself there!  Set a goal and stick to it.

Even better, have a set day and time you go.  I block out my Thursday mornings each week so I can attend the 9:30 session.  I don't schedule appointments or commit to anything during that time because it's set in stone.  If you don't schedule it in and you just anticipate going sometime during the week it will be much harder to get yourself there.  My little sister, Annie, shared a great story of why it makes a difference to attend the temple regularly.

Another advantage of this is that you get to know the workers and other patrons who regularly attend the same session.  I have made friends with two grandmas who are always there are the same time.  We seem to always land on the front row together and over time we have created a special friendship.  They are so dear to me!

I have learned that it helps me feel more peaceful and ready for the session when I arrive early and have a little time to enjoy the quiet of the temple.  I'm fortunate right now because I am able to drop Colton off at school and head to the temple, giving me 45 minutes before the session starts.  I have learned to cherish that time!  I've been late and felt rushed many times before and I can truly say that I don't feel settled and prepared quite like I do when I start the session feeling calm and peaceful.

When I was in high school and attending seminary, the temple came up in a lesson one day.  My seminary teacher mentioned that many people don't attend the temple often because it is the exact same thing every single time and they get bored.  I feel like one remedy for this is to take a question every time you attend- big or small.  I've tried to teach Addie this principle too.  Don't miss a chance to be taught in the House of the Lord!  He is waiting to teach you, you just need to ask!

Along the same lines, ask Him to teach you something new each time you go.  Yes, the process is exactly the same, but the opportunities to learn something new are endless!  Just yesterday I learned something I have not caught onto before.  He wants you to learn while you are in His house, so ask and He will teach you!  It may not always be something big or life changing, but it may be a tender little lesson meant just for you.

One way to prepare yourself to learn is to pray before you go.  Begin praying about your visit and your desire to learn several days in advance, not just the day of.  Pray about the question you will be taking with you.  Pray that you will learn something new.  Pray for comfort.  Pray for anything you need!  This will help you prepare mentally and spiritually as you will be thinking about things ahead of time.

It's such a special experience when you are able to take the name of someone you have discovered through genealogy.  Some of the sweetest experiences I have had in the House of the Lord have been because of the name I held in my hand.  It's always rewarding to pray to feel if they have accepted the work, then have the confirmation that they do.  Nothing is sweeter, so take a name!

There are so many beautiful things about the temple ceremony.  I have found that when I intently look for something specific during the session, that thing will stand out to me throughout the whole ceremony.  I often find myself looking for ways He shows His kindness.  It's easy to recognize that kindness when I am looking for it.  If my mind is wondering or if I am just "there," I miss so many chances to see how kind He really is.

My last bit of advice would be to move mountains to attend the temple.  The blessings, the knowledge, the peace, the comfort, the answers- they are waiting!  He is waiting! You will never regret making the time to go but you will always regret not making the time to go.

If you feel like you are missing something in your life, if you feel spiritually starved, if you need help you can't seem to find anywhere else, visit the temple!  If you feel like you cannot make the time to attend, schedule it in and make it happen!  You will never regret it.

I am so lucky to have a temple close by and that I am in a season of life that allows me to attend regularly.  My life is enhanced each time I visit.  And your's can be too.

Kitchen Favorites

Much of my day is spent in the kitchen.  It's the heart of our home and where much of the action takes place.  I'm sure that's the case for home families.  But because so much of my time is spent there, I have found that over time I have a few items or products that have become my favorites.

Have you ever used one of these scrapers?  I was given one by a friend once and fell in love!  It's perfect for scraping sticky messes up while mopping, crusty food from dishes, the edges of your pots and pans and so much more!

I know silicone baking mats are super popular right now so I guess I'm a little old-fashioned for loving parchment paper.  I love that once you're done baking you just crumble it up and throw it away! No dishes!  I love to line the bottom and edges of my pan with it before adding brownie batter.  When the brownies are done and have cooled down just lift them out and they'll be easy to cut!  And they won't stick!

Here's another favorite I was introduced to by a friend.  These liners make crockpot meals that much easier!  Once dinner is finished just lift the liner out, throw it away and give the crockpot bowl a quick wash.  The usually-hard-to-wash-stuff will be thrown out with the liner so you'll just have to wash any condensation that may have built up between the liner and the bowl.

The black mat from my Happiness Hacks post is back!  I don't have to repeat why I love it.  It's a definitely a favorite right now!  And that white shelf that sits on top of it is worth mentioning as well.  It gives you a little extra storage space under the sink.

I love these drawer organizers.  My kids have no excuse to put utensils in the wrong spot when everything has clearly it's place.

I use smaller ones in a cabinet to keep pill bottles, bandaids and loose pill packages stored neatly.

Because I washed dishes by hand for so many years I would not settle for mediocre dish soap.  The one and only soap I used and still use to this day is Dawn- the original blue stuff.  No fancy smells or colors.  Nothing cuts grease and gets the job done like Dawn does!

I'm cheating a little bit here because I don't actually own a Brown Sugar Bear, but I am going to buy one soon!  My friend had one sitting on her counter the other day and explained its purpose to me.  Just toss it in your brown sugar container and it will keep it moist!  Um, yes!