Gratitude for the closing year.

I am full of gratitude for all I have been blessed with in the past year.

My wonderful neighbors who have been a great comfort to me when I need to ask a question and receive wonderful advice.

I am full of gratitude for Bear, our old black Labrador mix dog, who passed away this Year, for his loving protection and service to our family.

We are grateful for Landon, Our German Shepherd, our new protector and guardian in training.

We are grateful for Koka, our Black Labrador-Blue Healer mix dog, we love her energy and happy smile when chasing a ball. (Please do call before you come over so we can keep Koka from kissing you and Landon from trying to play fight with you.)

I am grateful for my husband who loves me and our children whom we love dearly.

I am grateful for Dorothy (Sister Fidler) being on her mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints in Spokane, Washington.

I am grateful for the return of Joseph (Elder Fidler) from his Mission Spanish Speaking in Los Angeles, California in August and the old neighbor and friend who let him use a phone to call me to tell me I was running late......

I am very grateful to a humble young mentor who has challenged me to read more. Through that reading I pray there has been a noticeable change in my heart towards others, Especially my husband.

I am thankful for the progress in my health and the small steps that are compounding over time into big changes. Which I hope will be inspiring, because I am focusing on the good days.

I strive for everyday to be a good day, even when my body is in open revolt.

I fully hope and pray your new year is one of great personal growth.

May Heavenly Father bless and grant all of your worthy and righteous desires this coming year.

Drawing to Dream

Since the beginning of October I have been going through lessons in The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards and the companion exercise workbook. Why am I reading and actively doing these exercises?

 I am doing these to bring back my imagination. Why? because I need imagination to be able to DREAM! I have found that over time in being in the adult world I have lost my ability to dream and imagine actively. I have not read many fairy tales, since childhood. I seem to have become very serious. This may because I had to grow up fast and accept many things that in my youth that others my own age seemed oblivious to. 

I love to read and read alot. The Work and the Glory by Lund, Harry Potter Series, Twilight Series, and currently The Divergent Series. These books are whenI need a break from all of the other serious (Scriptures, Complimentary health care modalities-herbs, Essential oils, energy work, Nutrition, Fitness, people skills,  Medscape CME articles, finance, leadership, farming, gardening, sewing, and learning new skills all over in general) books, but they are dystopian society (Society is at the fork int he road and has to choose freedom or Force Shift) type books. But I hit periods Where I can read 20 books in a month but then the next I will only read 5. Why? I get overwhelmed with life and my responsibilities in life. This is why I am so deadly serious at times. That is why I may not smile a lot. I appreciate those who say you need to smile because. In all truth I am happier than I have ever been . But that message obviously has not reached my face. Our move to the country has given me back the simple pleasures in life. We do not have cable or Sateleite TV. Netflix is DVDs on demand. We have the internet, yes we can acces those silly cat videos on you tube. We listen to a lot of audio subscription material (in the background) that I have downloaded to my iPod-This is our radio. We have chosen this over the radio itself, not because we do not like music. But because we want to be in control of what the input to is to our thinking i. What does this have to do with drawing?

My thinking has has everything to do with drawing. If I can draw what I see in my minds eye; If I can draw what I dream about each night...then I can make that dream come true. My dreams have to be so real I can feel, see, taste, smell, and hear it all right down to the most minute detail.

I will add some of my initlal drawings so you can see my progress. ***

The inspiration came to re-start the drawing journey to begin vividly visualizing the future and knowing that I must continue to learn. I loved to draw as a child. I still do. I use most of my drawing as a Personal Trainer to illustrate exercises, but you know what stick figures are ok, but not as good as muscle flexing movement in pictures. I use pictures to decipher and understand concepts that are not clear. The most recent one was "3 x 3 x 3 and you are free", became vividly clear as I drew it on the white board. Yes, we have white boards, I use them to draw out many things like our gardens. This allows me to play with it-taking in watering, lighting, etc. It allows me to take abstract ideas and make picture that my mind can understand. Because I want to be able to literally draw out what I see in my mind. I want to write my story in vivid detail with pictures from the beginning of time through all Eternity. Will you 'draw' your story with me?

 

*** I will add these later....

Cheesy Veggie Pizza( Gluten-free, corn-free, potato-free) December 7, 2014

Tonight's dinner ....

This prepared freezer crust has allowed me to enjoy pizza again. It has tapioca starch, milk, eggs, canola oil ( I do not use canola oil and corn oil in my normal cooking, I use olive oil, 100% butter or other oils) cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese ** contains milk products and eggs

This crust is enough for one meal and a midnight snack.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. I stick my pan in the oven to preheat too.

Take the crust on card board out of the wrapper saving the label above for cooking directions.

Take a can of Kirkland signature tomato paste and spread on crust.

Now take and dress with the amount of veggies you want. 

I used mushrooms, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Take a cheese block and grate as much or as little as you like.

Now take the pizza and cardboard, slide the pizza onto the pan. 

Keep the cardboard for after it finishes cooking to cut the pizza on.

Cook 10-15 mins, until cheese is melted and crust is brown.

Remove from oven by sliding into card board with a spatula.

Place the pizza on the counter cut and enjoy!

Thanksgiving 9 days and counting...

We are preparing for our dinner after Thanksgiving. 

The holiday menu ismenu is gluten-free, potato-free, corn- free:

Whipped sweet potatoes

Rice stuffing

Green beans

Veggie tray

Yogurt based dip/ dressing

Fruit tray

Cheese cake dip

Pumpkin pudding

Fresh whipped cream

Home made ice cream

Mulled Apple cider or raw milk or water

We have cleaned out the fridge to hold parts of this. We are scrubbing the kitchen and  disinfecting it. 

To ensure a clean safe environment. 

We are asking that no one bring in outside food. We appreciate offers, but would like to avoid cross- contamination. It is not worth being sick and feeling like a truck has run you over, not being able to digest food for over a week and spending quality time on the porcelain throne. It is better to avoid such situations if it maintains quality of life.

Please consider if you are one who is blessed with food allergies or other dietary issues sometimes it is better to bring your own or avoid the food portion of the event. This helps keep others from feeling awkward from your interrogation about ingredients or cooking methods. I do not want to burden others with these things, because they have so much to deal with already. I appreciate that my mother(-in-law), Nancy and sister-in-law, Barbara have always made the effort to accommodate my dietary needs. Thank you both it means a lot to me because I know you care.

These are our family strategies for maintaining high quality of life during the holidays. I will have to write a follow on pieces about travel and eating out, explaining why you get what you pay for.

September Results

Last Month was a very good month. I was able to read 12 books and I have chosen aspects of each to apply in my life. Eat that Frog by Brian Tracy was a habit jogger, which was a prelude to the book that came down on system or monthly subscription. Get Er Done by Mike Martel this book teaches the basic planning habits taught in the Military. Many of the things he talks about I learned while I was in Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) at Brigham Young University. WE planned exercises or projects from what the goal was outlining the steps and what had to happen from the End to the beginning. Think Covey's Begin with the end in mind. A year later when  was a new enlisted soldier on active duty much of what I learned guided how I behaved. Later as I prepared to become a non commissioned officer (NCO) this planning process was taught and practiced in detail in primary leadership development course (PLDC). Those exacting standards and values at times caused me grief, but I knew I needed to act a certain way and I had to stay with my values. It was worth it. I knew I was not liked by all of those I served with but I was respected. That showed later on as I readied to leave the military and head back into Civilian and family life.

The basics are to answer the following questions:

1. What what have I accomplished in the end or what has my team been able to accomplish together?

2. What steps need to be completed in order to reach this goal?

3. When does each step need to done?

4. Who is involved and what tasks or assignments do they have?

5.

After we ask the following questions to evaluate and see how we can improve next time.

1. What was our goal or project?

2. Was it a success? or What did we do right?

3. What could we have done better?

4. Lessons and changes for the next time we participate in this activity.

Believe it or not my husband and I both having been in the Military actually do planning matrices. This simple activity has saved some heartache when it is carried out and followed. When choosing to just fly by the seat of our pants we do pay the price. Not fun and not recommended.

I hope by sharing that you will benefit and use it in your business and personal life.

The Passing of Bear

~~November 22, 2002 - September 26, 2014 ~~

Our Beloved Guardian from April 2005 until his passing. 

Yesterday our dog Bear passed on around 4:30 pm. We have watched as he was preparing to go. We know he as in pain and made him as comfortable as possible. My oldest boys carried him up and down the stairs as necessary for his needs. He no longer negotiated the stairs and was the only dignified way to help him be as comfortable as possible. We buried him on our back forty. Like all living creatures he will give back to the earth and contribute to the betterment of our soil. As I watched my children each taking their time to digest the loss of our friend and defender who has been with us for just over 9 years. John being our sensitive child was most vocal about the affect of this event. He did not want to think about it and wanted desired distraction. Edward being the stoic young man decided he was ok, but wanted to be distracted by hanging out with his friend Teagen. Dorothy being another tender soul did shed tears, but felt as though Bear had been walked to the other side and knew he was there. Joseph the oldest carried Bear to the planned spot after he had passed. He admitted difficulty while taking to his final resting spot, not wanting him to leave. As a whole we are grateful for the time we had with Bear and happy he is no longer in pain. We appreciate our neighbor who generously helped us bury Bear with dignity and respect. We have a young girl who is very active, but she is her own personality. We know Koka will do her best to fill Bear's shoes. We ask our friends to please call ahead so they can avoid Koka's kisses, unless they want them of course.

Fruits of the Harvest Season

This year unlike the last one we were able to do some canning putting up some pear juice and tomato sauce. My children were able to participate as they are all old enough to know how to behave as to not get hurt. The boys will do the rest of the tomatoes while Dorothy and I are gone to Convention. Joseph is looking forward to eating the sauce and drinking juice. Now if only I could find some Banana squash and green beans to put up. I will pick up some smaller whole tomatoes after I get back specifically for me to can as pints. I prefer smaller ones for the solo meals I prep when I am sick or do not eat what the family is eating.  Whole tomatoes are so easy I figure 49 pints will be enough for me for the year. I can add cooked rice for Rice and tomato soup. I know that simple preparation makes everything easier and more doable.  WE are still eating peaches from a couple years ago. They taste really good and have NO added sugar. My sweet aunt taught me that by putting in a peach pit you can preserve the flavor of the peach as if it was just picked, and oh man she is so right. They still taste like the day we got them.

Dorothy is excited to go to convention for the first time, we all learn so much and it is good see friends we have not seen in years. We will get to connect to family as we are staying with them while there. We will bring our own food and have a great time really, we will be just sleeping there because there is so much to do at convention. WE are awaiting the new oils and products they are bringing out this year. I have saved money this time around to buy convention kits and tickets for next year.

We have been so blessed by the LIFE (Living Intentionally for Excellence) business. It has given me tools to help grow my Essential Oil business. It has taught me the corrections I need to make to have great relationships with my family and friends, plus everyone else I  associate with. It has had such a great impact on my life literally, helping to strengthen  our good marriage into a great marriage. The reading I have been doing has been, well eye opening (that list is updated-I am close to that 52 book goal) because I am thinking through things more carefully, before doing. I hope the changes I am choosing are showing through. I still have things I recognize that when used properly can be quite beneficial. I have learned to see people differently I am focusing on Jesus Christ and learning more of His Gospel. I am learning to be a servant leader. I learned many years ago in ROTC at BYU, that as an officer I was to serve those who I worked with and supervised. even Though I never went to to get a commission and served as an enlisted soldier. I carried that through my service, serving those below me in rank and those above me in rank. I have continued to do so, though not always with the same zeal-sometimes low and sometimes over zealous. I need to keep it even or people get scared off. Yes I am short and small but I know I have scared some really big dudes. I laughed about it when they told me. I do not mean to but when I am sure and have a definite direction I run with it.

All and all it has been a good day. I am so blessed with all I have a great family and wonderful neighbors. I have the desire to serve and help others, I hope to show His countenance in mine.