Great Lesson on Sunday..Dec. 29th

We are going to be putting lessons from Relief Society on the blog.  We want all sister in our ward to be able to enjoy the message given each Sunday.  We may not get them all but we are going to try.  This last week the lesson was given by Sister Carisa.  We are sorry that all of you couldn't have been there but don't despair--here are the highlights.

Setting goals for the coming year..we need to set them even if we don't accomplish them all.  And remember that just because you don't reach every goal (which we should be specific and limit them) doesn't mean you fail!! 

We need to have long term goals and short term goals

We need to have SMART goals

S-Specific, M-Maintainable, A-Attainable, R-Reasonable, T-Time line

Great quote from Elder Nelson's talk--Decisions for Eternity, Nov. 2013

"You are never too young to learn, never too old to change.  Your Heavenly Father has known you for a very long time.  You, as His son or daughter, were chosen by Him to come to earth at this precise time, to be a leader in His great work on earth.  You were chosen not for your bodily characteristics but for your spiritual attributes, such as bravery, courage, integrity of heart, a thirst for truth, a hunger for wisdom, and a desire to serve others."

Dallin H. Oaks--Talk--Focus and Priorities, April 2001

Because of increased life expectancies and modern timesaving devices, most of us have far more discretionary time than our predecessors.  We are accountable for how we use that time. 

"Thou shalt not idle away thy time." 

Time flies on wings of lightning, we sing in a popular hymn; we cannot call it back.  It comes, then passes forward along its onward track.  And if we are not mindful, the chance will fade away, for life is quick in passing, tis as a single day.  We need priorities.  Our priorities determine what we seek in life.  The treasures of our hearts--our priorities--should not be what the scriptures call "riches and the vain things of this world" (Alma 39:14)  The "vain things of the world" include every combination of that worldly quartet of property, pride, prominence, and power.  As to all of these, the scriptures remind us that "you cannot carry them with you."  We should be seeking the kind of treasures the scriptures promise the faithful--great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures"  (D&C 89:19).

Our priorities are most visible in how we use our time.  Someone has said, "Three things never come back--the spent arrow, the spoken word, and the lost opportunity."  We cannot recycle or save the time allotted to us each day.  With time, we have only one opportunity for choice, and then it is gone forever.  In terms of priorities for each major decision, we should ask ourselves, what will be the eternal impact of this decision?  We need to have inspired priorities and apply them in ways that will bring eternal blessings to us and to our family members..

A bit of advice--Be realistic, don't plan the whole year because it will change.  Make reminders and have them visible.  What works for you, works for you.  We are all different

We need spiritual goals!!!

Remember--Don't compare with others, there is a time and season for everything, be kind to yourself!!  And take the time to review.  If it's not working, then change it.  Modify if you need to.

DON'T GIVE UP!!  NOT REACHING EVERY GOAL DOES NOT MEAN YOU FAILED. 

Keep trying!!

 

Temple Day for January

YEAH!!!!  It's going to be a temple excursion for the ladies!!  It's an evening event!!

Wednesday, January 15th

Leave from the church at 6:30 p.m.

We figure that by leaving at 6:30 you will be able to feed husband and kids, get homework done, have bath time, jammies and then off to enjoy an evening with good company and be feed spiritually.

We are excited to be able to go together as sisters to the temple.  Bonding time is a good thing!!!

PLEASE PUT THIS ON YOUR CALENDAR!!

Thought for the day..

Who doesn't love and adore Marjorie Pay Hinckley--LOVE THIS QUOTE

"I don't want to drive up to the pearlly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly styled, and with long perfectly manicured fingernails. 

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. 

I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.

I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. 

I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

Manuals for next year

We will be passing out the manuals and the new lesson schedules for next year in Relief Society tomorrow.  If you are in Young Women's and Primary please come in after and pick yours up.  The bishopric is encouraging everyone to go electronic.  We still have the schedules, but if you enjoy using you phone or ipad for the manual please do so.  If not, that's ok too.  We have a manual for you.  They are great resources to have on hand.

Thought for the day

Here's to GOOD Women...

May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them!!

 

(This was a quote from Kathy Hansen's mom, who passed away this year!!)
Thanks for sharing!!

Carisa's Cinnamon Roll recipe

A BIG THANK YOU to Carisa for the awesome cinnamon rolls we had on Sunday. She is an amazing cook and is willing to share with all of us. Here is her recipe that she made and it only takes 1 hour from start to finish

 

Quick Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 15 medium rolls

 

1/3 cup sugar

3 TB. yeast

1/2 cup oil

1 1/4 cup warm water

Mix together til yeast and sugar dissolve, cover, let stand 15 minutes...

Blend 2 beaten eggs into yeast mixture.

Mix 5 1/2 cups flour and 1 1/2 tsp. salt, then gradually add to yeast mixture. 

Knead dough 5 minutes.  Roll dough into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick onto slightly floured counter. 

Brush dough with 1/4 cup melted butter. 

Combined 1/2 TB cinnamon and 1/2 cup brown sugar and sprinkle over dough. 

Nuts and raisins are optional..

Roll and cut 1 1/2 inches thick.  Place on ungreased pan.  Let rise 10 minutes.  BAKE!!

Bake 10-15 minutes @425

 

ALSO:  Perfect cinnamon Roll icing

2 oz. softened cream cheese

7 TB. softened butter

Cream together then add 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 2 TB milk to cream cheese

  Gradually add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp. salt until smooth.

ENJOY!!

Thought for the day...

Marjorie P. Hinckley

"The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it.  You either have to laugh or cry.  I prefer to laugh...crying gives me a headache."

GOT TO LOVE IT!!!

Sunday, December 22, 2103

Ladies..please make a special effort to attend Relief Society this Sunday..December 22nd.  We are going to have a great lesson and a special Christmas treat from the Presidency.  Come and see!!

Found!!

We have a new sister that we are so excited to have in our ward.  Her name is Caren Cantu.  She lives in Sunset Ridge right next to Carisa Wood.  (To the north of her, not attached)  She has lived there for a year or so but we never knew she was there.  Please, if you get a chance, drop by and say hello!! 

Visiting Teaching

I just want to THANK YOU for being such great Visiting Teachers!! 

 You take the statement:  Watch over one another" seriously.  I know you love your Savior by how you follow through with what he has asked all of us to do.  We are so blessed to have the desire to take care of each other.  I read a quote the other day...

"You may be the only LINK between your visiting teaching sisters and the Lord. 

Don't break that LINK!!"

That is a humbling thought!! 

 

Giving to Christ all year round...Where we came up with the idea!!

Thank you so much for coming to our Ward Christmas Party!! We hope you enjoyed the food, the program, and the visits.  Thanks for all the help bringing the food too!!  We hope you enjoyed the DVD.  We wanted to help you and your family make Christ the focus of Christmas this year. It's what we all should do, but somehow we seem to put our efforts in other places with all the hustle and bustle surrounding this wonderful season.  We also wanted to give you a way to help your family focus on Christ all year long.
Kathy Hansen spent countless hours putting the DVD together for all of us to enjoy.  Please, if you get a chance, thank her for her time and efforts.  She has a real talent and it helps to have the knowledge on how to run your computer.  And she does!!  Thank you Kathy!!  

I read an article in "LDS Living" this last month.  This is what gave us the idea for

"Giving to Christ all year round."

The woman that wrote the article, (Merrilee Boyack) told of her Christmas a few years ago.  She was sitting by the tree on Christmas night, completely exhausted and weary, after a full day of excitment that normally accompanies Christmas day. She could hear the kids upstairs playing with their toys.  The thought came to her.."Where was Christ in our Christmas this year?"  "What did we do that helped us focus on His life and His birth?"  She really couldn't remember much of anything.

She promised herself that she would try to change the upcoming year,

to make Christmas more CHRIST centered. 

She was visiting a friend a couple of months later when she noticed a Christmas stocking still hanging on their mantle.  She mentioned to her friend that she had forgotten to take the stocking down with all of the other Christmas decorations. 

"No" she replied, "I didn't forget.  We leave it up all year long.  Whenever we do something for Christ, we write it down and put it in the stocking.  It reminds us that we can celebrate the life of Christ all year long by what we do each day.  Then on Christmas Eve we take our stocking down and read to each other the gifts we gave to Christ during the year." 

After her visit, Merrilee liked the idea so much that she wrote a book called
"12 gifts for Christ" by Merrilee Browne Boyack

(story recalled from memory, may not be exact!!)

 

Hopefully this may give you some ideas on what you can do as a family, or personally, to focus on Christ all year round!!        

A few more recipes...Yeah!!!

These are from our evening with the Emery's

 

Blueberry Lemon Frost Pie

1 cup sifted flour          1/2 cup butter or margarine

2 TB. sugar                    1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs whites                2 tsp. grated lemon rind

2/3 cup sugar                1/4 cup lemon juice

5 drops yellow food coloring

1 cup whipping cream.

Mix flour, butter, sugar and salt until crumbly.  Place 1/3 cup crumbs in baking dish.  Then press the rest in greased and floured pie pan.  Bake at 375 until lightly browned.  Combine egg whites,

2/3 cup sugar, lemon rind, juice and food coloring.  Beat to stiff peaks.  Whip cream.  Fold into lemon mixture.  Turn into pie shell and top with crumbs.  Freeze. 

Blueberry Sauce:  2/3 cup sugar, 1 TB. cornstarch, dash of salt, 2/3 cup water

Cook until thick.  Add 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries and bring to a boil.  Chill.

 

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

1 - 7 oz. water chestnuts--drained  1 pound bacon cut into thirds

Wrap bacon around chestnuts and fasten with a toothpick.  Bake at 300 for 1 hour.  Drain fat.

Mix together:  1/3 cup sugar    1/2 cup catsup

Pour over the chestnuts.  Bake  for 1 hour more at 300.

 

Christmas Bruschetta

1 loaf (1 lb.) French bread, cut into slices  1 jar (7 ozs.) prepared pesto

2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped  1 pkg. (4 ozs.) crumbled feta cheese

Arrange bread slices on an ungreased baking sheet.  Spread with pesto, and top with tomatoes and cheese.  Broil 4" from heat for 3-5 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

 

Scandinavian Creme

2 cups heavy cream     2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup sugar     1 pkg. unflavored gelatin

Add sugar to gelatin and sweet cream.  Stir and heat slowly.  Then add sour cream and chill. 

Serve with fresh fruit or fruit sauce.

 

Oshtashi

1 lb. asparagus or green beans     2 TB toasted black sesame seeds

2 TB sugar     2 TB light soy sauce

Steam Asparagus--retain crispness

Toast sesame seeds in open frying pan, then crush for flavor

Mix sauce and pour over the vegetables and chill at least two hours.

 

Sunomono

4-5 large firm cucumbers     Thumb size piece of fresh ginger (just use juice)

Small pkg. fresh or frozen shrimp     1/2 cup Marukan seasoned rice vinegar (orange label)

1/2 cup sugar     Dash of salt

Toasted sesame seeds

Peel cucumbers, slice in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.  Thinly slice the cucumbers.  Wash and drain the shrimp.  In large tupperware bowl mix the sugar, salt and vinegar.  Squeeze the ginger through a garlic press into the mixture.  Mix well and add cucumbers and shrimp.  Chill at least two hours or overnight mixing occasionally.  Sprinkle liberally with sesame seeds prior to serving.

 

Thanks again to the Emery's!!  We love the recipes!!

A Gift to the Savior

A Gift to the Savior..."We are simply asking all members to pray, knowing that if every member, young and old, will reach out to just 'one' between now and Christmas, millions will feel the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.  And what a wonderful gift to the Savior.

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2013 General Conference

A few of the recipes

                               Chocolate Peanut Butter Parfait
1 1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate wafers or chocolate graham crackers
4 TB butter, melted                                     1 TB honey
1 pkg 8 oz. cream cheese, softened                1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar                                  3 TB milk
1 tsp vanilla                                               1 (8 oz.) whipped topping
1/2 cup chocolate chips or 1/2 cup chocolate ice cream syrup
1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts
     Combine melted butter, honey and crushed wagers in a mixing bowl.  Fill each small glass or bowl with a heaping teaspoon of water mixture, about a 1/2 inch and pack down slightly.
     Add a few chocolate chips or drizzle with chocolate syrup.  Add some chopped peanuts on top of the cookie crumbs.
    Combine cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth.  Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.  Mix together until well blended.  You may need to add a little more milk to make this creamy.  Gently fold in whipped topping.
     Carefully spoon cheese mixture into glass or bowl.  Garnish with chocolate shavings or add another drizzle of chocolate syrup and some chopped peanuts.  Refrigerate a couple of hours until set.  ENJOY!!

                                            Tropical Pineapple Orange Delight
1-20 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice           1 box (3 oz.) package vanilla instant pudding
1 can mandarin oranges, drained                     1 container (8 oz.) whipped topping
1 pound cake or angel food cake
Cut the cake into small 1 inch square pieces.  Place a small square of cake in the bottom of the dessert dish.

Cut up the mandarin oranges into small bite size pieces.  Mix the orange pieces, pineapple, pineapple juice and instant pudding together.  Gently fold in the whipped topping.  Spoon into small dessert dishes over the cake.  Can be served immediately or refrigerate for an hour or so.  ENJOY!!

A Taste of Christmas Attendees (at least some of them that we got pictures of!!)

Thanks so much for coming! We had a great night eating and learning and socializing!  A HUGE THANK YOU to the Emery's for their hardwork, time spent and opening up their beautiful home to all of us!  We missed those of you who couldn't come!

It was such a great night!

 

                                                                            Pumpkin Cheesecake Delight!

                                                                         Lemon Bluberry deliciousness!!

                                                                       DECORATIONS WERE AWESOME!!!

Lessons for each week

We will be adding on our blog the lessons that are given in Relief Society each week.  For those of you that miss them, they will be summed up for you here.  Great way to stay connected.  This will be starting the first of 2014.  Looking forward to it!!