Soul Carving

       When I drove past this creative mural on the way to the library, I knew it had to serve as the backdrop for this year's Father's day photo-shoot. My three-year-old happened to be wearing his homemade cape that day, so he was excited to get out and take a few pictures to test it out.        While we ran into a few challenges coordinating the wardrobe, and soliciting smiles from each kid (or, in the case of the baby, trying to snap the photo before she sat back down -- or fell over!) I was enormously pleased with how everything turned out.        Adding to the awesomeness factor was the comic book filter and themes available on the online photo editor I used. We ended up with this epic collage: I hope all you fathers out there had a SUPER day! (I know I felt pretty incredible after saving the world  a couple bucks with my  DIY photograph...

        I'm in need of married, LDS volunteers to help me out with a school research project. I'm enrolled in a Family and Social Sciences Research Methods class at BYU. Please follow the link to take a brief, online survey. https://byu.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3IRNSbhITDDjLVz If you are interested in the results of our research, leave a comment and I will be sure to share our findings with you at the conclusion of our project. If you know of any married, LDS individuals who would be willing to take the survey, please share/repost this link. Our goal is 300 participants.  Thank you, dear readers!

We fancy that God can only manage His world with battalions, when all the while He is doing it with beautiful babies.  When a wrong wants righting, or a truth wants preaching, or a continent needs opening,  God sends a baby into the world . . . perhaps in a simple home of some obscure mother.  And then God puts the idea into the mother's heart,  and she puts it into the baby's mind.  And then God waits.  The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and thunderbolts.  The greatest forces in the world are babies."  -- E.T. Sullivan

        What to give at the annual Valentine exchange for our homeschooling friends? Why not homemade fortune cookies? The children had a delightful time helping whip up these special treats and choosing the best jokes to tuck inside each crispy shell. With very few ingredients and the use of a blender, the batter takes virtually no time at all to prepare. However, the recipe I followed did suggest letting the batter chill for an hour prior to use. That, plus the watchful intensity and quick flipping and folding required during the baking stage does make for a rather lengthy project. I will admit that at one point, nursing my burnt fingertips and wiping my sweaty brow, I snarled irritably at having to make these "cursed cookies". But in the end,  I was very glad that I did. They are such a fun way to celebrate. They require only 4 common ingredients and are very versatile. Depending on what type of "fortunes" you choose to conceal in them, they can be used for...

Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton        Public Libraries are a Homeschooling mother's best friend. We visit our library at least every other week. My six-year-old was excited last year to join the ranks of proud library card-holders, receiving his own library bag and card for his birthday. I thought I'd share some of our old (and new) favorites with you.                 A book with bold and unique artwork that makes the kids giggle becomes a quick classic! Very simple, repetitive text, yet full of charm. The youngest ones especially appreciate the repetition, and enjoy "reading" the book to each other.       I appreciated the subtle moral of the story: What so called, grown-ups can learn (or perhaps, fail to learn!) from the innocence of a child.         But - to quote Lavar Burton - you don't have to take my  word for it...

The Valentine flowers Richard gave me reminded me of my wedding bouquet, with roses, wax flowers and berries.          Hawaiian Heart-shaped pizza. Leftovers never tasted so good! Hawaiian and Pepper & Olive joined as one. It's true love! For more sophisticated palettes, the Spinach and Sun-dried Tomato option.  My sweetheart surprised us by bringing home a flower for each of the girls. Purple is her favorite color! I don't know that I've ever seen two happier faces!        I think Valentine's gets a bad rap. Some argue that true love does not need a commercialized holiday to prove itself. I won't disagree. But I will say that true love can also withstand such a commercialized holiday and is none the worse for having one day a year in which to indulge its participants.        I hope your Valentine's day was sweet as sugar and bright as fresh flowers! xoxoxox Betha...

       This semester I'm taking an interesting class, teaching me the ins and outs of research within in the fields of Family and Social Sciences. Last month I had my first exam.         It was snowing as I drove to campus, and when I emerged from the testing center two hours later, I felt as though I'd passed through the wardrobe and entered the world of Narnia.        One of the things I'm enjoying most about this class so far is that the Professor allows you to retake the test. So long as it's within the 4 day period that the test is offered, and if you actually take another day to study in between attempts, then only your second score will be counted. I took the exam earlier in the week and realized there was some material that I was not familiar with. So after some more study, I retook the test and my score rose from a C to an A! I'm alright with that!         I'm am...