Thursday, March 31, 2011

A Cherokee Legend - Will Good or Evil Win?


An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. 

"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. 
"It is a terrible fight and it is between 
two wolves." 

One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, 
greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, 
inferiority, lies, false pride, 
superiority, and ego."

He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, 
hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, 
empathy, generosity, truth, 
compassion, and faith." 

The same fight is going on inside you - 
and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and 
then asked his grandfather, 
"Which wolf will win?"   
    
The old Cherokee simply replied, 
"The one you feed." 

And this is so true.
Love,
Grammy T.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

To Pooped To Pop And I Ain't Lyin'

Photo by Veer
A little deer eating flowers

I just planted viola's and snapdragons
and now I am too pooped to pop 
and I ain't lyin'!

Are the little deer going to eat my 
pretty new flowers?

Please tell me 
NO.

Love,
Grammy T.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Why Am I Going To Hell She Asked

I have said before and I'll say it again

One thing that I learned while serving with them at the
 University of Florida, was that they all had a special purpose 
for being at a certain place 
when they were there 
and 
while they were there.  

There was a campus ministers group of other young people
that would be on campus while our missionaries were there 
and they always yelled at our missionaries and 
told them they were going to Hell. 

On one of the days while our Elders and Sisters 
were visiting with some interested 
students about the Gospel. 

The ministers came a yellin' 
"You are going to HELL!" 

As they were walking away 
our Sister H. said;
 “Hey come back here! 
Why are we going to hell?” 

The young man turned and looked at her and said, 
“I don’t know, we were told that you were 
so I thought you were.”

She told him that was not a good enough reason, 
in her own special way of telling him,
and to not do it again. 

When they told me that story I laughed and thought 
only Sister H. could have done 
such a good job with that.
Only sister H. 

I love you Sister H. 

Love,
Grammy T.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Good News Minute ~ A Special Story

McKenna
as
Miss Fancy Nancy

Dear Readers, 
My Good News Minute today is about 
a story that changed my life.  

In the 70's we lived in Idaho in a 
small farming community.

Every time that I felt defeated, 

I'd get out this story and hold my head up high 
and bake my bread and make yummy food 
with the bulk items I had on hand.  

It was a very difficult time for my husband 
and me financially. 

My fifth baby was only six weeks old when I decided to babysit two extra
little boys to help out a little with the budget. 

They were the age of my oldest boy so I thought it was a fabulous idea 
until my stomach screamed that it was not. 

The doctor gave me medicine and said that I needed to take away some of my stress. 

Well I couldn't take away the bills and I couldn't take away our other concerns 
so the only thing I could think to take away were 
those two little boys that I baby sat. 

One of the little boys would stand at the window and stare with a broken heart 
because of his parents were getting a divorce. 
It was too much for me. 

My husband asked permission from his boss to work at 
a potato plant on a shift that started at
four in the afternoon. 

So he taught Seminary until three thirty and then loaded box cars with frozen spuds 
of all kinds until 12:30 in the morning. 

He would bring me home frozen hash browns that went so good with the 
home made bread toast, bacon and eggs that I fixed for him to eat at 
1:00 o'clock in the morning.

I would put my little one's to bed all comfy cozy and I'd keep my house spotless 
so that when he walked in the door at 1:00 o'clock he could feel at peace 
and comfortable and was better able to get up at 
6:00 o'clock the next morning and 
start all over again. 

He did this for four months until we could get on our feet again. 

As I look back on those times I realize that if I would have gone to work 
and been gone all day we would have had a dirty messy house with a 
mad husband and sad little children. 

it turned out just right. 

So read the story young mommy's 
and see if it might help you get through 
a little better too. 

Love,
Grammy T.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Coconut and Lingonberry Friands In

Coconut & lingonberry friands
From a wonderful cook and baker Nami-Nami

Coconut and Lingonberry Friands
(Pohla-kookosefriandid)
Makes 8 regular-sized friands

100 g unsalted butter, melted
125 g icing sugar/confectioner's sugar
30 g plain flour/all-purpose flour (50 ml or 3 Tbsp + 1 tsp)
50 g finely ground almonds
50 g grated/desiccated coconut
3 medium-sized egg whites
a very generous handful of lingonberries

Preheat the oven to 200C. Generously butter eight non-stick friand or muffin tins.
Sift the icing sugar and flour into a bowl, add the almonds and mix.
Whisk the egg whites in another bowl until they form a light, floppy foam.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the egg whites, then lightly stir in the butter to form a soft batter.
Divide the batter among the tins. Sprinkle some berries (I used about a tablespoon for each) and flaked coconut over each cake.
Bake in the middle of a pre-heated 200 C oven for about 20 minutes, until just firm to the touch and golden brown on top.
Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. To serve, sprinkle with more coconut

Enjoy.
Love,
Grammy T.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Fireworks And The Peeping Tom

When I was little like Caitlin I lived on 2nd Avenue in Sacramento California.





My house was a cute little white house with two bedrooms, one bath, 
a single car garage, pink azaleas and a huge tree in the backyard. 

My street was close to the old fair grounds so during the state fair I had huge fireworks every night right up in my same sky.


I got in a lot of trouble in those days and often found myself playing 

in my backyard alone. 

I was always given the same instructions: 

don't climb on the fence and don't pick the neighbors cherries. 

So as soon as I found myself bored silly the best thing I could think of to do 
was to climb that fence and pick the neighbors cherries.

One night during the fireworks my Papa King came off of the front porch 

where the grownups had been sitting and told me to come in the house. 

"Why Papa, the fireworks aren't done?" 

"Because there is a bad man hiding behind the telephone pole." He explained.

I came in the house. 

Papa followed the man and made a citizens arrest over by the County Hospital. 


My Papa was awesome, he was a California Highway Patrol Officer 

and he knew his stuff.

I guess Papa had arrested the same man that had been peeking in my window at night. 

Papa called that man a "Peeping Tom."

I could smell Toms cigarette and see the glow of it in the dark. 


I kept telling my daddy about Tom but when he would come in my room 
he said he couldn't see or smell anything. 


My window was always open to let fresh air in but I think that because my daddy smoked he couldn't smell as good as me.


I sure am glad my Papa caught Tom.

Papa never bawled me out for being naughty. 


I think it was because he was just like me.


Love,
Grammy T.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

"Open Your Door" He Said

Jenna and Papa T.
I am having a really hard time writing funny little blog posts what with the sadness in Japan and all the crazy Middle East Drama so I decided to tell you another story about the still small voice that helps me out at very important times.  Remember the story of when I didn't listen to the still small voice and I got hit by a car? 


A friend of mine was a Podiatrist in Reno, NV. I worked for him on a part time basis for awhile. One day when I got to work he asked me to go down to pay a bill for him before I started cleaning instruments and making surgical packs. I took the envelope with the check in it and went out and got in my van. It was a big conversion van with lots of doors. As I sat down in my seat and little voice said “Lock your doors” and being the obedient person I was learning to be I said “Yes Sir” and when I was done locking all of those doors I started the van and was on my way.  

As I pulled into a parking spot in front of my destination I saw a blonde man walking to the right of the van and then I didn’t see him again so I just sat there and waited to see if I could see where he had gone. In just a bit he popped up at my window and said “Open your door” and as I looked at him I could see a very child like look in his eyes. He grabbed the door and tried to get it open. Now because I was a full time mom with 7 kids and I also did day care for many more I was used to working with little children so I said “No I am not going to open the door and you need to go away right now, you are being very naughty.” And I pointed to the sidewalk. In a bit he turned around and walked down the street and turned the corner. 

Whew!!!!

My legs were like noodles but I hopped out of the van, locked the door, and as fast as I could I ran into the office, paid the bill, called the police and told them about my experience and asked them to look for that young man. You see this office was right across the street from the mental hospital and I think they might have had an escape artist on the loose. 

Whew!!!  


Love,
Grammy T. 

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Good News Minute~Amazing Americans

mormon-women-humanitarian-aid-project
Quilts for Japan
I had my day of silence on my blog 
for Japan on Saturday. 

I just found out that everyone else had their 
day of silence on Friday. 

So let's go into our 
Good News Minute for today 
shall we?

Let's see,.......Japans devastation, 
no, that's bad news.

 Libya......we are now going to war with the hopes of helping
 in another Middle Eastern Crisis
......no, that's bad news.

I think my good news for today would be that 
I am grateful to live in a country with amazing Americans 
that give and give and then give some more 
to help others less fortunate.

 Yep, that's it. 

My good news is: 
In spite of it all, our hearts, prayers and means 
go out to the whole world and it's people 
to try to make a difference in the lives of those 
that have been wounded.

Yep, that's my good news. 

Love,
Grammy T. 

Places you can help:





Thursday, March 17, 2011

May God hold you in the palm of his hands

 

May the road rise up to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the sun shine warm upon your face

May the rain fall soft upon your fields

And until we meet again

May God hold you in the palm of his hands


 A few of my favorite Irish things.  
Tate
Mattie, McKenna and Sarah doing an Irish dance
Jessie, Matt and Tytan

 Happy Saint Patrick's day y'all. 

Love,
Grammy T.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Sometimes It Was a Suzy SunShine Kind of Day

Japan is still heavy on my mind and in my prayers today. 

This post is about sacrificing somethings for other things 
because we can't always have all things. 

Granny T. (my mother in-law) said that they used to call cracked wheat cereal 
Suzy SunShine.

I thought who wouldn't eat Suzy SunShine, it sounds so cute. 

So here is the recipe. It is yummy and a family favorite:

Suzy SunShine 

1 cup of Cracked Wheat 
2 Cups water 
1 tsp. salt 
Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

When done add: 

1/2 Cup Sugar or honey 
1/2 Cube Butter 
1/2 cup milk 

Stir until thick and yummy. 
Put into bowl and add more milk 
on top if wanted.



This is a comment that I wrote on Blog Frog last week. 

It was in answer to the question 

"What's For Dinner" 




Starting dinner in the morning for younger moms allows you to have things like 
homemade bread, scones, pizza, pots of beans or slow cooker meals. 

Then at dinner time you know what else has to be done to finish up quickly. 

You aren't going to blow the budget for a fast food deal. 

Back in the day I didn't have money to go fast fooding. 

With seven kids and needing to save as much as possible on food, 
and because I wanted my kids to take 
piano, gymnastics, dance and play sports, etc. 

I would plan for meals a month in advance and go to the store 
just once or twice a month. 

(I told you it was back in the day)

 Also my kids loved Suzie SunShine and they loved it for 
breakfast and dinner with pancakes and eggs too 
so that was an easy fix in a pinch. 


Love,
Grammy T.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Good News Minute For Today Is ~ A Picture

Aunt Kate about 1927 Lammerville School
I had emailed Lammersville School District to see if they could find 
a picture of Aunt Kate.

They just sent me a reply with a picture of 
Aunt Kate and her students.

Look how big her class was
and all grades together 
no less.

Remember how she said that she worked very hard with the 
special needs children to help them to be able 
to read, write and do a little math.

What a wonderful lady she was.

  I am so glad to know that she 
is my aunt. 

Love,
Grammy T.

Friday, March 11, 2011

I Hid It In The Towel Drawer



  My hubby told me it wasn't wise for me to take the telephone off the hook in case something happened and someone needed to call or get a hold of me. 

"I probably will do it again dear" I said. 

The next day at nap time I took the telephone off of the hook 
and put it in the drawer with the towels and hot pads in the kitchen so that 
no one could call to wake up anyone at nap-time.


Speaking of phones hanging in the kitchen....

 We had those looooooooong cords on the phone that would reach clear across the house.

Then we could take the phone everywhere we went including the laundry room, down the stairs to the play room, really it was the big fat mess room, 
that got cleaned at least twice a year whether it needed it or not. 

But back to the phone. 

I could put the baby under that phone (Jessie) with the loooong cord and hang a tied bread bag to it or a toy to it and let her play with that thing for hours....
well not for hours but for a long time while I cleaned the kitchen or messed it up again making bread dough or whatever. 

I must say…who needed cordless phones or cell phones back in the day?

PS:
I am very sad for the people of Japan, the Islands and anywhere else that the Tsunami has reeked havoc. I wish I could send them all dinner, a quilt and a hug to go with it.

Love,
Grammy T.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Everyday Is A Great Day For My Little Brother


Someone said that it is wrong to say 
"have a great day" all of the time.

 It's cheery so I still say it. 

But the fact of the matter is 
that everyone's days are not all great. 

In fact a lot of days are a bunch of 
hard work and can be just plain 
miserable.

I had a little brother 
that was born on March 8th. 

His name was Ken. 

I called him Kenny. 

He would have been 62 years old this March 8th 
but his bad days got the best of him 
and he left us on May 21, 2007.

He loved doing good things for other people. 

He loved all things Native American. 

He loved dogs and he loved to hunt and fish. 

He loved nature and the big outdoors, especially in the pines.  

When we were growing up we did not fight 
or squabble at all....Really. 
He was a very sweet little brother. 

He was very cute and was my parent's favorite child. 

(I'm pretty sure about that)

He was very handsome by the time he got to high school and beyond.



He loved the Lord and he wanted to do better. 

So now everyday is a 

"great day"

  for my little brother. 

Every Day.

Love,
Granny T.