Everyone is a Homemaker - even men

Sunday our Bishop spoke on the importance of learning skills that will help you during times of economic downturns, such as learning how to cook, how to sew, how to garden, how to budget, etc. He had felt impressed for a few months to speak on that subject, especially when we have a ward with 50 percent young marrieds. I couldn't have felt more inspired by his comments, that I too have felt that our young people have missed so much in the art of "building" a home with skills you have learned and mastered.

Well tonight that truth was very evident. After my "Cooking with Kids" class, a young married woman came up to me and said, "I don't know how to cook, I don't know how to plan a meal, and I know I can't do this the rest of my life. Please help me."

Help is on the way! I gave her a few things she and her husband will need to do, and then we would meet this next week and plan a menu (yes I know - Ann doesn't plan a menu, she just decides 5 mintues before!). I can plan, I just choose not to :)

And the School Year is over!

Finished my last final today. Got a 94% on my final project for sewing - the little girl's dress. She didn't rip it, just percentages of this and that off. It is all good! Hopefully I did well on the written final.

Now WHAT? Relief is the first thing I feel! And now on to some new projects before I head to sweet California......

Cooking with the Kidlettes

In about a 10 days I am having another cooking class. I am trying to figure out which kids in our ward to invite to help. This time around I will have to be selective as we have a sister with children that I want to staple gun to the floor - thus I don't want an open invitation. Is that horrible of me?

And speaking of cooking...yesterday in the food labs, the students were making their magnificent meals (don't ask!). They had quite a bit leftover so the students were sharing with the TA's and instructors. Either I have funky tastebuds, or my cooking tastes a whole lot better.

New Creations

Tonight I finished Kayte's dress that I have been making for my sewing class. Adrienne and Ted choose the fabric, I choose the pattern. It has turned out really cute. Unfortunately she won't have it for Easter, nor next Sunday for church, as it has to be graded. Of course I think I did a terrific job on it, but I am sure my professor will find countless errors! I can think of two - if she finds them! The colors are true in the sleeve detail, very chocolate brown and a baby blue.

My GREEN Homeland of Arizona

Have I mentioned that my favorite color is green? Anyway, growing up in Arizona people wonder if anything is green there. They always associate Arizona as a brown desert. That is sad, because Arizona has lots of green things, even in the summer - which to me can be the greenest when all the trees have their leaves. Our yard growing up was always green because of all the fruit trees and the grass, which was usually a foot tall before I got to the last section to mow! It was a jungle.

Anyway, this past weekend Von and I traveled to Arizona for our granddaughter's, baptism. A quick, but special occasion for going. The thought of getting some wonderful sunshine and warmer temperatures was going to be a treat along with seeing our children!

It was a scenic drive as we drove through the Grand Canyons, the pines of Flagstaff and then the high desert of cactus, palo verde and mesquite trees. Unfortunately the wild flowers were not blooming.

Most of the trip I was reading and would look up occasionaly to see what we were passing by. It was during one of these moments as we were about to turn onto I-10 that I looked up to see multiple fields of green alfalfa.

I started to cry. To see that lush green field of sweet alfalfa made me so homesick and long for a big bear hug from my father. You see, my father was a farmer, but he also was a teacher. Whenever we were with daddy, he would stop and teach us about what was growing in the fields that we passed. It became a game to guess what the crop was. But of all the crops, alfalfa was my favorite, especially just after being cut. The smell would linger for many days, it was sweet and refreshing.

I didn't have my camera with me, but here is a picture of an alfalfa field, but not as green as the ones I saw.

Here is a picture of my father with four of his six brothers. My father is the one in the middle. This past week his youngest brother, Mel, and his oldest sister, Thelma, passed away. Mel was 88 and Thelma was 100 years old. I think my dad's family has had a beautiful reunion this week. Maybe when I saw that green alfalfa field, it reminded me of my family's farming legacy. They were all tillers of the land and took great pride in working the earth and helping create life with God's bounty. I am blessed.

Birthday Tulips!

Tomorrow is my birthday. I am still over the age of 50, darn, and the numbers keep increasing!

Anyway, after grocery shopping this afternoon, I walked into the kitchen to see some beautiful tulips! They are light orange with shades of yellow in them. I wish I had a better vase, but this will have to do. Aren't they lovely?

I had been thinking about the individuals that gave them to me all day, so when I opened up the card to discover who had sent them, I cried. I want you to know how much I love you.

I received some other gifts this week too, again, not expected, and so generous. I am loved by such wonderful family and friends, I truly am blessed.

I am taking a sewing class because...?

I wanted a job on campus as a TA - so to get the job I had to take Intermediate Sewing 287. Fortunately the professor saw my work and gave me a pass on the beginning sewing class. Two things about this class, I enjoy sewing around other people! I like socializing when I am sewing. And the only new thing I will learn in this class is a differnt way to alter patterns, which has been great!

I finished up our first project - a HOODIE! Normally I do not sew for myself, but I decided to make myself something! I don't think anyone in the school has this color of sweatshirt fleece,cha-ching! I decided to line the hood and use the same fabric for a facing. Of course I see all the imperfections in the hoodie/jacket. Who knows - I might even wear it! Our instructor is very adamant about making clothing items that DO NOT look homemade. Do you think it passes?

Tomorrow we start on a man's shirt - but instead, I am making myself a tailored PINK shirt. Von didn't want me to make him one, which I am OK with. Anyway, maybe with all this altering I am doing I will end up with some patterns that fit and I can finally sew for myself!