Lesson

    The first Sunday of this month, the Relief Society in my ward gathered all the women together to have a lesson on visiting teaching.  Initially, I was excited to hear what the lesson was about.  I wanted to hear what the presidency had prepared, but then I saw the questions on the chalk board, and I lost interest.  I actually really like visiting teaching, and I've had wonderful experiences visiting teaching, but I felt like this lesson was going to be another slap on the wrist, and I didn't want to stick around for it.  So, I folded my arms, sighed a lot, and pretty much showed off how bored I was.  At one point I "went to the bathroom" because I was falling asleep.  I told myself a couple of times that this behavior wasn't nice, and that I couldn't I even learn anything with my total rejection of the lesson.  I thought Greg was lucky because he got to stay in primary and have lots of fun with the kids... 

  When I returned home, I thought about my behavior and my actions.  I was most certainly acting like a baby.  I was pouting and rude towards the presidency.  I thought about those who taught the lesson.   Perhaps this wasn't the subject they care to teach/talk about with all the women in the ward, but they were most likely inspired to do so.  All of the members of the presidency took turns to present--they were unified in teaching the lesson for us.  I doubt the leaders in our church want to chastise/remind everyone to do their visiting teaching, but I am sure they recognized that there was a need for the women to hear this lesson.  

  I didn't want to hear this lesson because I was being prideful.  I actually rejected the message before receiving it.  I thought I was a decent visiting teacher who at least tried to contact her sisters and visited them more often than not.  I know I can improve in that regard. But I am more disappointed in the fact that I went to church, but refused to learn.  I mean, one the main purpose of my going to church is to learn of Christ with the aide of the Holy Spirit!  How can I be open to promptings if I'm not willing to listen to the lesson?  

  I'm sure we've all had these revelations before, but for me these thoughts were a slap in the face.  I hope if I am ever invited back to Relief Society for another lesson that I will listen and care, and that I will feel inspired because that's one of the reasons why I go to church.  

My quest to give up sugar

Yes, I want to give up white, refined sugar, and no this isn't a resolution I made four days ago.  But it has been a process I've been going through since this last summer.

Let me first say, I agree; I am crazy for doing this especially since I like sugary things.  I remember the first couple of nights after giving up sugar dreaming of cinnamon rolls and other wonderful treats.  This has been a very rocky road.  But I have a couple of reasons why I wanted to give up sugar.  First, I recently learned that I have three grandparents with Type-2 Diabetes.  I recognize Type-2 diabetes isn't genetic, but it is a wake up call for me since I do share their genetics.  I also recognize that white sugar isn't the only thing that causes Type-2 diabetes, but I figure that giving up white sugar cuts out a lot of junk food from my diet.

The second reason I want to give up white, refined sugar is sugar makes me feel terrible in a few ways.  The first thing I've noticed when I go long periods without having white sugar that my teeth hurt after eating candy or even a homemade cookie made with refined sugar.  If I have a sweet in the afternoon, I feel exhausted in the evening.  I am way more emotional/crabby after eating sugary items.  I'm sure there are plenty of other side effects from sugar, but these are the three effects I have notice whenever I have sugar.  I hate having these side effects from white, refined sugar.

I'll allow myself to consume of other sweeteners such as pure maple syrup, honey, and sucanat (dehydrated cane sugar juice) which haven't given me similar side effects as white, refined sugar.

I'll allow myself to consume sweets with refined sugar a couple of times a month at most.

I want to focus on eating more fruits as well.

I also want to make my own breads to avoid consuming HFCS (a.k.a. glucose-fructose).

I want to feel healthier and be healthier.  Giving up white, refined sugar isn't a temporary thing, but rather white refined sugar is something I want to remove out of my diet.

Christmas

 

    As I was reflecting back on past Christmases this year, I had mixed feelings.  I felt bitter and disappointed when I thought about missing out on sharing Christmas with my mom and brother for a number of years or the fact that my dad worked several Christmases so that he could support his family (I am grateful for his hard work, but still, disappointed he couldn't have this holiday off).  But I do have plenty of happy memories of Christmas like going Christmas shopping with my family and finding a nice present for each person in my family that was $5 or under and going to a  candlelit Christmas Eve service with my grandparents.

  While not everything is perfect or fair in life, I know I can be happy and create my own happiness.  And yes, I think this Christmas was hard for me to prepare for because I knew that I wouldn't have my family around.  And some days, I really was sad about not having my family around me, but other days, I tried to focus on the meaning of Christmas or on what we would have instead of what we wouldn't have.  I set up our tiny Christmas tree around Thanksgiving, hung the lights on my window, and put our Advent calendar up.  The Relief Society in my ward had a really cool activity early in the month where we learned how to create Christmas center pieces.

The flowers are fake, but the greenery is real.  The white pine unfortunately dried out really quickly.  

I thought it would be great fun to make little Christmas presents for my primary class, so I made rice krispy treats with drizzled chocolate and sprinkles on top, and I also made salt-dough ornaments.

I used semi-sweet chocolate chips for the topping.  I added a little bit of coconut oil to the chocolate which made the chocolate very spreadable.  

I have made salt dough ornaments in the past, but the recipe wasn't that great.  But I found a new recipe at mommypotamus.com that I really like.  I bought a couple of acrylic paints--a mint green color and a light purple with glitter in it-- from the store, and I used some of my water colors, too.

Stars are my favorite shape, and I have recently learned that I find birds to be fascinating creatures.

I had a lot of fun painting and watching Jane Eyre.  

Unfortunately, church was cancelled the Sunday before Christmas because of an ice storm, so I couldn't give the items to our kids (I gave them cookies the following week, though!).  I ended up giving treats and ornaments to the families that invited us over for Christmas.  Greg and I had a fun time playing a game with the Arseneault family on Christmas Eve, and we ended up staying a bit longer helping our friends wrap presents from Santa. When we arrived home, we opened up our presents as is tradition in Greg's family to open presents on Christmas Eve, and we talked with  Greg's family briefly at 1 a.m. our time.  Fortunately, we were able to sleep in. The Skogstad family had us over for Christmas dinner, and we had a lovely time playing with their daughters and their new Christmas toys.  I also was told I looked like a princess with my paper purple crown.

I am really sad that I didn't go Christmas caroling this year, but alas, I couldn't really sing due to my cough.  I hope to make caroling a tradition because I love to sing and I love Christmas music.  However, I was able to complete a couple of projects that didn't require talking or singing over the Christmas break.  ; )

Here is my new infinity scarf.  I really wanted a purple scarf that would go with my new coat.  

The pattern is simple: double, single, double.

Our family is "set in stone".  I had actually created a water color similar to this before, but it was a rough draft.  It's hard to create something from scratch, and I really want to improve my technique.

  Here is snowy, grey Canada on Christmas (view from my back door).  I loved that we had a white Christmas, and it snowed on Christmas day, too!  

 One of our Christmas presents this year was sausage.  I wish I had a better picture of it, but anyway, the Arseneault family shared a pig with another family and this is one of the beautiful things that came from their pig.  I ended up chopping up the sausage and put it in spaghetti as recommended.  I've never tasted a better dish of spaghetti before. Someday, I hope to own a pig and name it 'Bacon'.  

Another one of our Christmas presents!  Free new dining room chairs!  I'm so happy I don't have folding chairs at my table any longer.  I came home one night after work, and I noticed these chairs next to the garbage bins (one of the many trash donations from our neighbors that are moving), and I thought, "These are perfect!"  What a wonderful Christmas miracle.

I love that each year ends with a celebration of Christ.  I think Christmas is placed perfectly in our calendar.  I'd love to hear from you.  How was your Christmas?  What did you do for the holiday?  

Bagged Milk

   I apologize for my hiatus for the past month or so.  Sometimes, I have a hard time blogging here because my life doesn't feel that interesting to share with the world.  Other times, I felt that my journal to satisfying for my outlet for sharing thoughts.

  Anyway, today I wanted to share a new 'adventure' so to speak.  So for my American friends, I'll share with you a new experience.  Bagged milk.  I had avoided buying milk in a bag since we have been here because we don't drink 4 Liters (1.057 gallons) of milk fast enough.  The reason why I bought bagged milk yesterday is because the grocery store didn't have the brand of milk I buy in a 2 Liter container and I really needed milk, so I bought this bag.   Canadians have special pitchers for the bagged milk, but I'm considering just using a regular pitcher with a lid 'cause I hate that the bag stays open while you are still using it.

I buy whole milk; I like the taste and knowing that it has fewer alterations than the other kinds... Hopefully??

Perhaps I'll make yogurt with this extra milk??