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From April: Prayers for Launi

She’ll probably be irritated at me for posting this at all, but I know there are quite a few of you who would want to know, and depending on the outcome, there may or may not be a post tomorrow. Jillian took my mom to the hospital this morning with some severe abdominal pain. No update yet on what’s going on, but she felt sick all day yesterday and, apparently it was worse this morning. So, you know what I know at this point. I’ll keep you posted.

Prayers, positive energy, happy thoughts, and love her direction are all welcome and requested.

:)Thanks,
April

ETA 8:47am: They have her on an IV and morphine. They are prepping her for a CAT scan. We don’t know yet what they think the problem is.

Update: 10:19am: Just went to the hospital to bring Jillian and Rhen breakfast. CAT scan was done, she has Appendicitis. They will have her in surgery in the next few hours. If all goes well she’ll be home tonight. Will update when I know time of surgery, or when it’s over, whenever I get next news.

Update: 11:31AM, They just finished the surgery before my mom’s. She should be in the OR in the next 30 minutes.

Update: 2:40PM: She got out of surgery about an hour ago. It went well, they were able to do it with scope incisions, so she gets to come home this afternoon. More when I see her. Thank you so much for all your sweet wishes! 🙂

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“Be Nice or Be Quiet”

Update continued…

New Year’s Goal #2   “Character”

“I will take my own advice and “be nice or be quiet” while mingling with the other drivers on the road. No matter how “amazingly” everyone else drives, I will keep my mouth shut and not say, ‘The nuts are loose!’ Not even once.”

How’s it going?

Welllll….I’d love to fib and tell you that I’ve been “snarky comment clean” for weeks now, but my beloved kids would rat me out. The problems start just about any time that I promise to ‘keep my mouth shut.’ You’d think I’d know better by now.

Now, mind you, it isn’t like I’m an angry, cursing fiend or anything…even on my worst day. No, I’m more of a “Pacha, WHAT are you thinking?!” or  “Stay in your LANE, Sparky,” type of gal. Harmless.

At least I strive to be entertaining. (insert sheepish grin here)

Ok, ok. The fact is that my family, actually, one big, tall, nameless, bald boy–to be exact, would like me to ‘less contentious and more peaceful’ to those around me when I drive.

‘More careful and less erratic.

More quiet and less yacky.’

Freedom of speech has died at the Anderson place.  Hmmph.

Nevermind that I’d like HIM to have more hair and less burping, but let’s not open THAT wound.

So, our compromise its this.

To help myself think calm, peaceful thoughts that should seal my naughty lips shut, while driving, I’ll picture the beautiful, soothing Caribbean Ocean–at sunset. Ahhhh… Yes…I’m relaxing all ready.

If I slip up, that boy I mentioned, can hum some nice, encouraging tune—Bob Marley should work. Star-Spangled Banner would be fine. Whatever.

Believe me, this beats his suggestion of squirting an ocean-like spray of Dasani water my direction. Sheesh.

This may take some time.

Pray for me.

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Saving Baby Kisses

So, it’s been roughly two months and a week since New Year’s and the goals that I puttered around with, during the month of January. In the interest of personal accountability, I am forcing myself to evaluate my progress…or–in some cases–lack thereof. Necessary adjustments will be made accordingly. Kinda scary…

Never fear. I’ll look at the goals one at a time to save the sanity of all involved.

This could be painful, but being a sturdy mountain woman, I intend to forge ahead..

“Ahhh…be brave, little piglet.”

So I shall.

———————-

New Year’s Goal #1  Gratitude.

“I will keep a gratitude journal and each day record at least one blessing, one joy or one example of  ‘the Lord’s hand in my life.'”

How am I doing?

My very first goal has been more challenging than I expected. Not so much because I don’t recognize my blessings–I do–but more because I fall into bed each night, when I can no longer function with my eyes open. It makes it difficult to remember all the sweet baby kisses when you can’t remember how to hold a pen.

I did go to bed earlier last night and actually wrote down a few things, but, alas, it has not been anywhere near a daily thing, like I’d planned.

THEREFORE the adjustment I will make is to put the Gratitude Journal on the desk next to my bed. If my night memory doesn’t work–I’ll jot things down first thing in the morning. The point will be to leave it out where it’s easier to see. That should do it–because I truly enjoy this goal.

Gratitude makes the heart happy.

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Pecan Sandies

…you know, like Keebler makes. Yummmm. Sadly, one of the more expensive cookies. But wait—we’ve found the recipe!

Pretty darn easy too. I had no idea. So–prepare to be thrilled…

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3-1/2 cups flour

1 cup pecans–finely chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Measure dry ingredients together and set aside. Beat butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla  and mix well. Add dry ingredients slowly and mix well, then add nuts. Scoop or roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. If you like your Sandies crunchy then flatten each one with the bottom of a glass dipped in cold water. If you like them softer then leave them alone. Bake for about 12-14 minutes.

Milk and cookies and saving tons of money all at the same time! Wahooooo!

Unless, of course, you open the door to those cute little Girl Scouts that are out and about this time of year.

dun-dun-dun…

I’m going on a sugar fast…

soon….

any time now…

Really.

Blast those darn girl scouts…


Pecan Sandies
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 3-1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup pecans--finely chopped
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Measure dry ingredients together and set aside.
  3. Beat butter and sugars together until fluffy.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients slowly and mix well, then add nuts. Scoop or roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
  5. If you like your Sandies crunchy then flatten each one with the bottom of a glass dipped in cold water. If you like them softer then leave them alone.
  6. Bake for about 12-14 minutes.

 

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Family ‘Success’

aprils-family2

“Families unite when they do meaningful things together. Children should work together under the leadership of parents. Common employment, even on a part-time basis, is valuable. So is a family garden. Common projects to help others are also desirable. Families may establish a perpetual missionary fund. They can research and write family histories and share them with others. They can organize family reunions. They can educate family members in the basic skills of living, including managing finances, maintaining property, and broadening their general education. The learning of languages is a useful preparation for missionary service and modern life. The teachers of these subjects can be parents or grandparents or other members of the extended family.

“Some may say, ‘But we have no time for that.’ As for time to do what is truly worthwhile, I suggest that many parents will find that they can turn their family on if they will turn their television off. . . .

“President David O. McKay taught:

” ‘The home is the first and most effective place for children to learn the lessons of life: truth, honor, virtue, self-control; the value of education, honest work, and the purpose and privilege of life. Nothing can take the place of home in rearing and teaching children, and no other success can compensate for failure in the home.’
Dallin H. Oaks
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