It hurts my feelings people! Stop doing it!

Again with the Spanish Branch! I gotta tell ya... Maybe I need a thicker skin or something but I don't really like it when I go up to someone to start a conversation, ask if they speak English (they do) and that person proceeds to talk directly to the next person that comes up, in Spanish, while I'm still standing there! I don't know. It hurts my feelings. There were no glaces in my direction - acknowledging that I was still there (understanding their Spanish and trying to be part of the conversation, mind you). That other person was even talking in English! I kept shifting my position closer...farther away...then closer again to the person that was getting all the eye contact. No avail. Hardly even a glance. RUDE!!! I have to assume that the person in question is somehow uncomfortable speaking English. But, she could have at least acknowledged my presence! Shesh. Stop it people! We English speakers are people too! Bother.

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Hummus and Pita Chips, Bunco and New Girlfriends

I recently joined another Meetup.com group - the East Valley Married Women's Group. Tonight was my first activity with them - BUNCO and potluck. I made hummus and pita chips.Anyway. That is not what this is about. It was great for me to expand my circle and meet some new and intelligent married women for a night of food, folks and fun. I've never played BUNCO but I've had friends who played in groups and I always wanted to play. It's a fun dice game and perfect for meeting new people. I enjoyed myself. And it was quite pleasant to meet some of those women as well. Hopefully I will be able to do more with them later.

BTW, Diego demanded that I give him the address to where I was cause we didn't know any of these people. I stood my independent, I-don't-need-supervision ground until he back down...then I have him the address. It's funny cause I talked with another friend of mine and she would have been totally willing to give the address. Hmm.

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Sis. Crandall makes a good point

So as you may or may not know, my SO (Significant Other) and I attend a Spanish Branch at church. And since I don't really speak a whole lot of Spanish I, sometimes, feel out of place. This is especially true with respect to callings. Under these circumstances, it seems as if my callings are less about where does the Lord need me most and more about where can we put the girl that speaks English. So when they called me to the Primary and put me in the Nursery (at a terribly inopportune time, I might add), I was a little miffed. I was with the Young Women previously and now I'm in the Primary - both places where they speak English. I guess I should feel grateful, I mean, a place where I understand. But I was looking forward to meeting the women in my branch and having the opportunity to practice some more Spanish. And now, well ever since they put me in the Nursery, EVERYONE has been asking ME how I feel about Sunbeams. Seriously!!!! Quit asking me!!! Ask the Lord!! Aren't these supposed to be divinely inspired callings anyway??!! And then I run into Sis. Crandall who calmly reminds me that I was called to the Primary, not the Nursery, not the Sunbeams. I was called to serve wherever needed. And she's right. I know she is, but still, make up your minds people. Nobody likes being passed around - including the people who I'm being taken from.

And just for those that are asking themselves, I'm not really sure why we stay in the Spanish Branch. Most of it is because they need Diego - worthy priesthood holders. I'm sure it's for me too. I need to grow is so many way and the Lord does work in mysterious ways. So I guess I should stop complaining and just go and do whether directly or indirectly from the Lord.

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This was supposed to be our "do nothing" day...

Every now and then, Diego likes to have a "do nothing" day. The kind of day where we get the grocery shopping and the laundry done on Friday night so we are free on Saturday. Last time we did this we slept in, read books, napped, did other stuff, watched a movie and slept some more. Not a bad "do nothing" day.

Well things, somehow, aren't nearly as relaxed as last time. I spent the better part of the day in the kitchen! What gives!!!? For breakfast, I made whole wheat blender pancakes (something I was trying out for our food storage). Then I had to prepare things for the family dinner tomorrow. It's our turn, read my turn, to cook. So I was making multi-grain bread and cutting and cooking chicken like there's no tomorrow. Then it was some focaccia bread dough from Fresh and Easy - for a snack. Lately we've been preferring to eat a big lunch and go really light on dinner so I attempted another creation possibly for our food storage. I thought there was a recipe for this out there but I can't find it. Black bean cakes made from black beans and stuffing mix.
They actually turned out pretty good. The rice has a sauce I made from canned pineapple and peaches and some brown sugar and butter. Later on in the evening I was back in the kitchen to make Orange Julius while we watched a movie. I guess we did get to take a 2 hour nap in the late afternoon. Any day you can take a nap is a good day in my book.

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Welcome to the NEW and, hopefully, IMPROVED blog

So, not only have I redesigned the exterior of our blog but the content will be expanded as well. And here is my 1st post to that effect.

You may be wondering, "Why this change?" It does seem rather sudden. I mean, there haven't been any major happenings that would incite such a change rather it's been a few small things.

#1 - I was reading someone else's blog that looked like mine (black background with white text) and it was hard to read. It was dizzying watching all that white dance across the screen. Now, mostly I've posted pictures (that's good, cause I'm a photographer) and I wanted the black background so it didn't distract from my photos. This brings me to #2.

#2 - I can't get my butt into journalling gear again and I so want to get things off my chest sometimes. So, that's what I'll do, vent, I mean, share other things going on in our lives besides our journeys.

So that's it. Not very grand reasons, but mine nonetheless. I hope you will like it. Let me know if you want to be on the email list for updates (I don't send an update every time I post), or you can just become a follower.

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I know some of you out there store food, but what I want to know is, what's your plan?

So our Stake President and recently "encouraged" us to get our 3 month food storage together by the end of September. I'm not really that overwhelmed by that direction cause Diego and I have been storing food every month practically since we've been married. Here's where my concern lies. I've been storing food, food we will eat even, but all of a sudden I realize that can't really do anything with it. I don't have a plan. I don't have 3 months worth of MEALS. I've done some research and got a few ideas but so much of what is out there seems, well, not yummy.

Anyone out there got some ideas? Meal ideas? I made some whole wheat blender pancakes this morning that were delish. I've got a recipe for gnocchi that uses instant potatoes that I'm going to try. Those things sound really yummy. Oatmeal cooked on the stove does not. I think I only like oatmeal when it's in cookies or individually packaged for me with lots of sugar. Is it just me? I've also seen lots of recipes for Mac and Cheese using evaporated milk and like 1 cup of cheese. Really? Come on! Maybe it really is yummy, I haven't tried it, but I just don't see how.

Okay, a word or two about why I'm compiling a 3 month supply of food and why an evangelical leader would ask me to get it done quickly, cause I know not everyone out there shares my same beliefs. Giving the economy at the moment, it's easier to grasp the idea of having a store of food. In the past, it has not been so easy to explain. People think I am crazy. It's not that I think the world is going to end (yet) but there are several shorter-term reasons for having backups. Here's a few for instances for ya. You or a friend/family member looses their job. There's a water shortage (as in Atlanta a few years ago). There's a trucking strike (as in Argentina). There's a natural disaster, however brief or long (as in Louisiana). There's a temporary price hike in groceries (or gas, for that matter). Do you get the picture? Like I said, when there was prosperity, this idea of food storage was that much harder to swallow. People are starting to get it now.

But anyway, back to me. I need help with my meal plans!

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