Choices and Consequences

Picture this...a long stick with a word written on each end..."choices" on one end and "consequences" on the other. Can you pick up one end without picking up the other end? NO. In life, can you select a choice without selecting its consequence? NO. That is what Karil Sweetwood, my next-door-neighbor, has been teaching in Primary and it's been a great month.

The Gospel is full of examples of choices and consequences. This morning I got up early (like 5:20 am early) to go to the temple. While there, I listened for choices and consequences. Basically, if we are obedient and faithful, we will have every blessing imaginable. I know they may not come in this life, but they will all come eventually. Lehi taught his children that they were free to choose liberty and eternal life or to choose captivity and death. I'll take the first. Elder Bennett reminded us in October Conference that our "eternal destiny will not be the result of chance, but of choice."

This is great motivation to make good choices! Onward and forward!

A Very Good Saturday

Started the day going to Weight Watchers meeting. I'm a lifetime member and try to go every Saturday. I love the meetings and the leader. I'm so proud of some of the members who consistently come. It's fun to be there with them.

I then came home and cleaned the kitchen and bathroom, then got in the car to head to Salt Lake to take care of Rose. Derek and Rachel are working on some home improvement projects and since Rachel works on Saturdays, it's hard for them to do stuff on Saturdays. I went up to watch Rosie so Derek could grout the bathtub tile. The tile is looking great. I had so much fun just watching that cute little girl play. She would pick up a toy, look at it, then put it down. Sam tries to lick her and she turns away. I love that little thing - Rosie - I'm only fond of Sam. I got some work done while Rose played and fended off the dogs. Derek fixed me yummy left-overs, chicken saag. He also made naan. It was a regular feast. He had done all the grouting he could do, so we cleaned the kitchen mini-blind. That dang thing took us over an hour, but it looks great. I loved spending the day at Derek's and just talking while we worked.

It began to snow while I was driving home. Got home, hung out a bit, then dropped the girls off on our way to dinner. The girls looked for running shoes and sports bras while Keenan and I ate at Macaroni Grill. I had grilled chicken and veggies. It was good. Once dinner was done, we met up with the girls and bought what they had found, plus a couple more things. We got home and just hung out til around 11:00 when we went to bed. It's nice to relax and spend time together.

People that Inspire Me

Thomas S. Monson, Prophet
Mom's grace and service
Dad's dedication to the Gospel and to an eternal family
Kamiko's brains
Allie's creativity
Melia's devotion to friends
Keenan's love of life
Debbie's work ethic
Kristen's ability to work through the discomfort
Jen's service to others
Karen's competitive spirit
Kelly's mothering skills
Derek's love of family

I need to add Dave Chalk, my BYU student from 2011, who is fighting cancer for the 3rd time and fighting it with a smile and with humor.

Some Favorites

Movie: To Kill a Mockingbird
Musical: Sound of Music
Dessert: Cheesecake
Food: Pizza
Beverage: Diet Dr. Pepper
Color: Orange
Vacation Destination: Disneyland
Musical Group: Jackson 5
Season: Fall

We Love Pie (and Pizza and Knowing How to Cook)

11 Weight Watchers PointsPlus and worth it!

I love to bake pie and I make a pretty darn good one, too. I come from a long line of pie makers. Both my grandmas, Ruth Sears and Allie Hunter, made great pies. My mom, Ann Hunter makes a great pie. She loves pie. In fact, she almost killed her brother when he took a bite of her pie when they were young. Kamiko is a real pie lover and a pie is always appreciated at our house. I think apple pie is my favorite of all. Here's what was left of a pie I made yesterday, using my new handy dandy apple peeler-corer-slicer.

On another cooking note, we are starting to experiment with pizza and our pizza stone. Here's a picture of the super yummy stuffed-crust pizza that the girls whipped up after church. I don't think I want to order pizza again. It was so delicious. Way to go, Allie and Melia! I'm glad my girls cook. Allie especially excels in the kitchen and Mel is getting more comfortable. I see a lot of college-age kids who can't cook and I really want to help them learn. It is such a vital skill. I know we can buy lots of food and use very convenient already-prepared ingredients, but it really saves money and develops confidence to make things in the kitchen. In fact, over the weekend, I talked Kamiko and Sam into making their own pulled pork and pot roast. They were looking to purchase it already prepared at Costco for about $21 for about 4 lbs of meat. Instead, we bought roasts on sale and prepared them in the crock pot. They got about 6 lbs for $15 (and they got to be in control of the added ingredients).

Mom's Crazy Barbie Phone

So, my mom, at 72, is quite tech savvy. Yep, she can scan photos, work an iPad and has a smart phone. The only down side is that the reception on a cell phone isn't great. Well, someone invented a great gadget the mom now owns. Mike gave it to her for Christmas. It plugs into your cell phone and makes a clearer connection since it fits better to your face and reduces interfering noises. It's hilarious to look at and brings me back to the phones of the 70's, but it does the job. You go, mom!

I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...I know who I am...I know God's plan

First blog of a new year. 2012! I'll begin the year with an important blog. I was born to Ann Sears and Aarl R. Hunter on October 5, 1966. I was their third daughter. My dad grew up in the LDS church. Mom was baptized and attended sporadically until her teens, when she moved down the street from a chapel and attended regularly. Mom and dad met at BYU and got engaged quickly. They were married in the Los Angeles Temple, making me BIC, as my church records read. Born in the Covenant. What a blessing!

I grew up attending church, growing my own testimony, keeping a journal, reading scriptures on my own nightly. I attended Primary and Young Women's. I had a great childhood and had good friends. My best friends were my sisters. Dad was our bishop from the time I was 8 years old until I was 18.

I went to BYU, where I got my own testimony of the Book of Mormon. I remember sitting in church, wondering if this was all true - everything my parents believed. I said a little prayer in my heart and I knew it was true for myself, too. I remember where I was sitting and I can picture it now. That was a needed experience. I graduated in Home Economics Education, then went home to San Francisco Bay Area to work.

I knew, though, that I needed to serve a mission for the church. I went to my bishop in tears, asking for mission papers. I wasn't sure my desire was there, but my desire to follow my heart and my promptings to go were there. Once I took the leap and filled out papers, I was very excited about it. It was just the act of humbling myself and doing what the Lord wanted me to do that took some effort.

I wanted to go to Japan. I was fascinated with the culture for some reason. I even had a Japanese Cabbage Patch Doll. We had joked for a few years in our family that if you weren't good, the church would send you to Bolivia on a mission. Well, imagine my surprise when I opened my call in the parking lot of the Danville post office - Bolivia Cochabamba! I served from August 1988 - February 1990. A life-changing 18 months.

After my mission, I went back to BYU on a scholarship to get a masters degree in Home Economics with a cross-cultural emphasis. During my studies, I met Keenan at a mutual friend's birthday party. We met in March, went on our first date in May, got engaged in July and got married in October in the Oakland, California, Temple.

My testimony has continued to grow and solidify. I don't consider myself a spiritual giant. I do know that I have been blessed with an obedient nature. I like to do what is right because it makes me happy and it makes me feel good. I know that Heavenly Father loves me and is mindful of my needs and my family's needs. I know He helps me be a good wife, mother, and teacher, for which I'm truly grateful.

I like to end my day reading the scriptures and, lately, I've really come to enjoy reading the articles in the Ensign and New Era. If I read from those, there is always something that helps me with my kids. I hope my kids gain testimonies of their own and find the happiness that comes from living the gospel. I know Joseph Smith restored Christ's church and I am grateful for his and his family's sacrifice. I'm grateful for pioneer ancestors who learned about the gospel and gave all to follow the prophets so I can have a strong heritage. I hope to leave an equally strong legacy for those after me. I love my life and the gospel is a huge part of it.