A Family Is Forever

Who is the sexiest?

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:43:00 +0000

from Marie Claire
I also think face and hair skewed the voting but happy to see that hardly anyone finds the skinny rail the most attractive.

But what about all the skinny rails in Hollywood that everyone drools over? I think I may do a poll of Hollywood bodies with no faces and see who gets the most votes.

Check out http://about-nichole.blogspot.com to participate in the poll

Boys and Dogs

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:23:00 +0000

We need a change

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:50:00 +0000

Kinda bored with the same old bloggity blog look. Love the layout but pondering an overhaul. Any comments?

In three hours

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:01:00 +0000

It will be 2010

Another year ahead of us. So much to be excited for. The boys are already asking how many months until spring? How many months until April? How many months until Christmas? How many months until we get on the airplane?

The big thing we are planning for in twenty-ten is spending our holidays in Florida. We'll be saving every penny all year so we can spend Christmas and New Year's in Orlando at Disney World.

The second big thing we are planning for is pregnancy or SOMEBODY is in trouble BIG time! Keep your fingers crossed and send up TONS o'prayers for us.

Pregnant Barbie on Flikr My favorite comment is "Barbie never wore panties till she got pregnant" hahaha

AHHHH!

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 10:21:00 +0000

It was wonderful. It's rejuvenate day tomorrow.

AHHHHHH!

New member of the family....Congrats on getting engaged Uncle Dave and Marie which is almost Aunt Marie now. YIPPEE!!

Our Christmas Letter

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:53:00 +0000

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! We're so grateful for friends and family. Ya want the scoop on what we've been up to? Read the blog from post number one "The Big Step" or start from our first post in 2009 "Happy New Year 2009". God bless you one and all.

Aprons

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:23:00 +0000

This is what I've been working on. Aprons for my friend in Utah. I HATE rick rack although it looks so stinking cute, it's ALMOST worth it.

Technical Story

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:30:00 +0000

'Twas the Night Before Christmas' as written by a technical writer for a firm that does Gov't contracting...

'Twas the nocturnal segment of the diurnal period preceding the annual Yuletide celebration, and throughout our place of residence, kinetic activity was not in evidence among the possessors of this potential, including that species of domestic rodent known as Mus musculus. Hosiery was meticulously suspended from the forward edge of the wood burning caloric apparatus, pursuant to our anticipatory pleasure regarding an imminent visitation from an eccentric philanthropist among whose folkloric appellations is the honorific title of St. Nicholas.

The prepubescent siblings, comfortably ensconced in their respective accommodations of repose, were experiencing subconscious visual hallucinations of variegated fruit confections moving rhythmically through their cerebrums. My conjugal partner and I, attired in our nocturnal head coverings, were about to take slumberous advantage of the hibernal darkness when upon the avenaceous exterior portion of the grounds there ascended such a cacophony of dissonance that I felt compelled to arise with alacrity from my place of repose for the purpose of ascertaining the precise source thereof.

Hastening to the casement, I forthwith opened the barriers sealing this fenestration, noting thereupon that the lunar brilliance without, reflected as it was on the surface of a recent crystalline precipitation, might be said to rival that of the solar meridian itself - thus permitting my incredulous optical sensory organs to behold a miniature airborne runnered conveyance drawn by eight diminutive specimens of the genus Rangifer, piloted by a minuscule, aged chauffeur so ebullient and nimble that it became instantly apparent to me that he was indeed our anticipated caller.

With his ungulate motive power travelling at what may possibly have been more vertiginous velocity than patriotic alar predators, he vociferated loudly, expelled breath musically through contracted labia, and addressed each of the octet by his or her respective cognomen - "Now Dasher, now Dancer..." et al. - guiding them to the uppermost exterior level of our abode, through which structure I could readily distinguish the concatenations of each of the 32 cloven pedal extremities.

As I retracted my cranium from its erstwhile location, and was performing a 180-degree pivot, our distinguished visitant achieved - with utmost celerity and via a downward leap - entry by way of the smoke passage. He was clad entirely in animal pelts soiled by the ebony residue from oxidations of carboniferous fuels which had accumulated on the walls thereof. His resemblance to a street vendor I attributed largely to the plethora of assorted playthings which he bore dorsally in a commodious cloth receptacle.

His orbs were scintillant with reflected luminosity, while his submaxillary dermal indentations gave every evidence of engaging amiability. The capillaries of his malar regions and nasal appurtenance were engorged with blood which suffused the subcutaneous layers, the former approximating the coloration of Albion's floral emblem, the latter that of the Prunus avium, or sweet cherry. His amusing sub- and supralabials resembled nothing so much as a common loop knot, and their ambient hirsute facial adornment appeared like small, tabular and columnar crystals of frozen water.

Clenched firmly between his incisors was a smoking piece whose grey fumes, forming a tenuous ellipse about his occiput, were suggestive of a decorative seasonal circlet of holly. His visage was wider than it was high, and when he waxed audibly mirthful, his corpulent abdominal region undulated in the manner of impectinated fruit syrup in a hemispherical container. He was, in short, neither more nor less than an obese, jocund, multigenarian gnome, the optical perception of whom rendered me visibly frolicsome despite every effort to refrain from so being. By rapidly lowering and then elevating one eyelid and rotating his head slightly to one side, he indicated that trepidation on my part was groundless.

Without utterance and with dispatch, he commenced filling the aforementioned appended hosiery with various of the aforementioned articles of merchandise extracted from his aforementioned previously dorsally transported cloth receptacle. Upon completion of this task, he executed an abrupt about- face, placed a single manual digit in lateral juxtaposition to his olfactory organ, inclined his cranium forward in a gesture of leave-taking, and forthwith effected his egress by renegotiating (in reverse) the smoke passage.

He then propelled himself in a short vector onto his conveyance, directed a musical expulsion of air through his contracted oral sphincter to the antlered quadrupeds of burden, and proceeded to soar aloft in a movement hitherto observable chiefly among the seed-bearing portions of a common weed. But I overheard his parting exclamation, audible immediately prior to his vehiculation beyond the limits of visibility: "Ecstatic Yuletide to the planetary constituency, and to that self same assemblage, my sincerest wishes for a salubriously beneficial and gratifyingly pleasurable period between sunset and dawn."

McCall Childrens Choir and McCall Chorale

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 06:10:00 +0000

Reed's first Christmas Concert! Little White Church in McCall Sunday morning at 10:45am. Sunday evening at 6:00pm Monday evening at 7:00 pm. Don't arrive any later than 45 minutes early or you won't get a seat. PACKED HOUSE EVERY YEAR!

Friday Funnies II...Blonde Cops

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:33:00 +0000

Three blondes were all applying for the last available position on the Texas Highway Patrol. The detective conducting the interview looked at the three of them and said, "So y'all want to be cops, huh?"

The blondes all nodded.

The detective got up, opened a file drawer, and pulled out a folder. Sitting back down, he opened it, pulled out a picture, and said, "To be a detective, you have to be able to detect. You must be able to notice things such as distinguishing features and oddities like scars and so forth."

So saying, he stuck the photo in the face of the first blonde and withdrew it after about two seconds. "Now," he said, "did you notice any distinguishing features about this man?"

The blonde immediately said, "Yes, I did. He has only one eye!"

The detective shook his head and said, "Of course he has only one eye in this picture! It's a profile of his face!
You're dismissed!"

The first blonde hung her head and walked out of the office.

The detective then turned to the second blonde, stuck the photo in her face for two seconds, pulled it back, and said, "What about you? Notice anything unusual or outstanding about this man?"

"Yes! He only has one ear!"

The detective put his head in his hands and exclaimed, "Didn't you hear what I just told the other lady? This is a profile of the man's face! Of course you can only see one ear! You're excused too!"

The second blonde sheepishly walked out of the office.

The detective turned his attention to the third and last blonde and said, "This is probably a waste of time, but..."
He flashed the photo in her face for a couple of seconds and withdrew it, saying, "All right, did you notice anything distinguishing or unusual about this man?"

The blonde said, "I sure did. This man wears contact lenses." The detective frowned, took another look at the picture, and began looking at some of the papers in the folder. He looked up at the blonde with a puzzled expression and said, "You're absolutely right! His bio says he wears contacts! How in the world could you tell that by looking at his picture?"

The blonde rolled her eyes and said, "Well, Hellooooooooooooo! With only one eye and one ear, he certainly can't wear glasses."

Friday Funnies...Clone

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:42:00 +0000

In light of the consideration of human cloning, we must ask the hypothetical question:

If you pushed your naked clone off the top of a tall building, would this be:

a. Murder?

b. Suicide?

c. Merely making an obscene clone fall?

Thanks Jules

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:05:00 +0000

A DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS POEM

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear..
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile..
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.."

" So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities.. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people
stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.

LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq

You Think You Want A Lab Puppy (or 2)?

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:48:00 +0000

This may well be the image that greets you when your two lab pups are 8 months old and you try to provide them a warm soft place to lay while you go inside to go potty then come back out ten minutes later.

Aren't they sweet?

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:57:00 +0000

BOWL BOUND!!!!

GO VANDALS!

I-D-A-H-O Idaho Idaho GO GO GO!!!!

Friday Funnies: Ahhhh...That's us!

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:59:00 +0000

98% OF PEOPLE SAY 'OH SHIT' BEFORE

GOING IN THE DITCH ON A SLIPPERY ROAD.

THE OTHER 2% ARE FROM IDAHO AND THEY SAY, 'HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS.'

Right NOW!!!

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:43:00 +0000

I have never wanted anything in my entire life like I want these cookies RIGHT NOWWW!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Just the name of these make your mouth water. A graham cracker crust with mini-chocolate chips in it topped with a layer of cheesecake and then loaded with drops of cookie dough. A drizzle of chocolate on top makes it out of this world. You'll have to thank Bake or Break for introducing us to this thigh expanding treat. It has a lot of components and sometimes less is more, but not in this case. Heaven.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
by The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°. Butter a 9″-square baking pan (*I used an 8x11 pan). Line pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to extend over the sides. Butter the parchment paper.
Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter until crumbs are moistened. Make sure you mix it well so that the crust isn't too crumbly. Stir in chocolate chips.

Press crust mixture into bottom of pan and 1 inch up sides. Bake for 6 minutes. Set pan on wire rack to cool.

Cookie Dough (you could cheat and use store bought dough here)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Using an electric mixer , mix butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract at medium speed until smooth. Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour (Add a little at a time. You might not need all the flour. Just add it until the mixture sticks together). Mix just until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

Filling
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar just until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating just until blended.
Pour batter into baked crust. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the top of the filling. It will seem like a lot of cookie dough but you want some in every piece.

Bake about 30 minutes at 325 degrees, or until set. Transfer to wire rack.
For chocolate topping, melt 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. *I think it's easier in the microwave. Put in a ziplock bag in a microwave safe bowl and cook for 30 seconds at a time, mixing within the bag after each interval. Snip off the corner of the bag and drizzle. Add about 1/2 tablespoon of butter if necessary to make chocolate smooth. Drizzle over top of bars.
Cool bars in pan completely, about an hour.

Using the edges of the parchment paper, remove bars from pan. Cut into bars, keep cool in the refrigerator and serve.

Dinner with the LDS Missionaries

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:27:00 +0000

The menu...

Spencer's Prime Rib (which is sold as Boneless Ribeye Roast, who knew?) with A Jus that I burned DANGGIT!

Aunt Doris' Candied Yams

Cherrie Stewart's Korn Kiblets (I couldn't find a pretty picture of corn that resembles my creamy corn recipe, so here's some pretty corn)

Aunt Doris' Crescent Rolls

Peas and Carrots

Green Beans

Ned's Vanilla Pudding

I wish I knew how to photo shop all these De-lish pictures and put them on a fancy table with a cute Christmas table cloth. But I digress...

I'm a great thief! I am seriously so un-original but I am a wicked good copy cat!

Here is the recipe for the rub that is TO DIE FOR!!! From The All New All Purpose Joy of Cooking. Which is my MOST used and very favorite cookbook.

Herb Rubbed Rib-Eye Roast (High Temperature Method) on page 650
2 Tb EVOO (extra virgin olive oil for ya'all that live under a rock)
1 Tb minced garlic (it seems like a lot, but it's perfect)
1 Tb dried thyme
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

My favorite part of the meat was the crusty outside. This inside cuts tended to have too much fat for my taste.

Boys kept eating and eating and eating and eating and eating. Will (no joke) had a stomach ache after because he ate so much.

Is he my boy, or is he my boy....sad for him.

Totally Groovy Temple Trip

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:37:00 +0000

Yay for the new eternal family!

This couple was married in the temple (we actually saw our friends from Hollister Ward, I think Gary is the Bishop in that ward now, in the waiting room. This is our friend's niece. Small world in the LDS church isn't it). I didn't see her temple dress but could this ensemble be any more beautiful! Amazing! And so out of the ordinary. Couldn't tear my eyes away.

We saw the Pillings in the waiting room too. Spence and Summer's Meridian neighbors. WEIRD!!

We ate at the Garden Restaurant at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The building was decorated all for Christmas and all the interior detail were beautiful. But this view, undeniably the best part of the building! Salt Lake Temple spires right next to you while you nosh.

The best part of dinner! Not that the food wasn't good, it was, but these were delightful!

Our unforgettable Thanksgiving Holiday

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:07:00 +0000

We spent time with Ned's family after traveling over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go. Our horse and sleigh DEFINITELY know the way. Did we take any pictures? No, we were having too much fun eating.

Friday morning started so beautifully with gently falling snow.

We were privileged to attend Sweet Super Special Sierra's baptism. We've waited so many years for her to be baptized, it was just AMAZING! Congratulations dear friend. We are so blessed to know you.

Spent some great family time with Nichole's family in Meridian and surely missed our long lost sister. It's just not the same when family members are missing. But sounds like we get to see Jessica at Christmas!

We are so grateful to Spence and Summer for always hosting our crazy family get-togethers. You guys are AMAZING! And so gracious.

Ned and I headed to Salt Lake for our fantastic friends' sealing in the temple. What a great cap to our family weekend. To witness a new eternal family being created. So happy to be included in your wonderful day. The bride was perfectly packaged and I'll share a couple photos this afternoon. WOW! Because you know a wedding is all about the bride.

We are done vacationing and back to our great little quiet hamlet. I get chills (inside and out) when we enter our picturesque valley and I say a prayer of thanks to my Heavenly Father that we are privileged to live here.

Friday Funnies...Speeding...Bad golfer and bad sky diver

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:59:00 +0000

A young man was caught going almost double the speed limit through a small town. As the police officer walked up to the car, he said to the young man, "I've been waiting for you all day."

The young man replied, "Don't worry! I got here as fast as I could!"

He got off with a verbal warning.

This is a true story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Q: What's the difference between a bad golfer and a bad skydiver?

A: A golfer goes *SMACK* "Dang!" and the skydiver goes "Dang!" *SMACK*

Received from Dalton Green.

Pumice Stone Clean

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:24:00 +0000

I've been told by the landlady "NO PUMICE STONES ON THE TOILETS OR SINKS!!" for more than a year.

I understand her side, tenants who don't know how to use a pumice stone. Point taken.

Today....

I could take it NO LOnGEr! Took the pumice to the toilet and I dare say, if I was paid a hundred dollars, I would drink from my upstairs toilet. The toilet my six year old son and my four year old son use.

I would not LICK the toilet, but I would take a drink of the water.

OK

Make that a thousand dollars!!!

Make A Quote Monday

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:45:00 +0000

Please explain the High D personality

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:17:00 +0000

First read the book by Dr Robert Rohm
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Then read this....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
can't you follow directions???
.
.
.
.
OK
.
.
.
.
.
Read this...pique your curiosity and then read Dr. Rohm's book. It have saved my sanity!

D (Drive)

General Characteristics:
Direct. Decisive. High Ego Strength. Problem Solver. Risk Taker. Self Starter

Value to Team:
Bottom-line organizer. Places value on time. Challenges the status quo. Innovative

Possible Weaknesses:
Oversteps authority. Argumentative attitude. Dislikes routine. Attempts too much at once.

Greatest Fear:
Being taken advantage of.

Motivated By:
New challenges. Power and authority to take risks and make decisions. Freedom from routine and mundane tasks. Changing environments in which to work and play.

Ideal Environment:
Innovative focus on future. Non-routine challenging tasks and activities. Projects that produce tangible results. Freedom from controls, supervision, and details. Personal evaluation based on results, not methods.

Remember a High D May Want:
Authority, varied activities, prestige, freedom, assignments promoting growth, "bottom line" approach, and opportunity for advancement.

DO:
Be brief, direct, and to the point. Ask "what" not "how" questions. Focus on business; remember they desire results. Suggest ways for him/her to achieve results, be in charge, and solve problems. Highlight logical benefits of featured ideas and approaches.

DON'T:
Ramble. Repeat yourself. Focus on problems. Be too sociable. Make generalizations. Make statements without support.

While analyzing information, a High D may:
Ignore potential risks. Not weigh the pros and cons. Not consider others' opinions. Offer innovative and progressive systems and ideas.

D's possess these positive characteristics in teams:
Autocratic managers - great in crisis. Self-reliant. Innovative in getting results. Maintain focus on goals. Specific and direct. Overcome obstacles. Provide direction and leadership. Push group toward decisions. Willing to speak out. Generally optimistic. Welcome challenges without fear. Accept risks. See the big picture. Can handle multiple projects. Function well with heavy work loads.

Personal Growth Areas for D's:
Strive to be an "active" listener. Be attentive to other team members' ideas until everyone reaches a consensus. Be less controlling and domineering. Develop a greater appreciation for the opinions, feelings, and desires of others. Put more energy into personal relationships. Show your support for other team members. Take time to explain the "whys" of your statements and proposals. Be friendlier and more approachable.

Some other "information pools" that I have not fully proofed so proceed with caution

http://www.discinsights.com/cyber/Scripts/default.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DISC_assessment

http://sagastevin.com/TestYourself/DISCPersonality.html

Fast Sunday

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:27:00 +0000

Reed gets treats from his teacher when it's not Fast Sunday. He frequently asks if it's Fast Sunday.

Dad starts to explain as we are eating Lemon Pancakes, bacon and eggs, that Fast Sunday is when we go without two meals to show our willingness to sacrifice and put aside our physical needs to be obedient and draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Members of the Church may fast at any time as they have a need, but the fast contemplated on the day referred to as fast day, as defined by President Joseph F. Smith, “is that food and drink are not to be partaken of for twenty-four hours, ‘from even to even.’ ” From even to even has been given the meaning of going without two meals—from the evening meal on the night before to evening meal on fast day. President Smith went on to say:

“In addition, the leading and [principal] object of the institution of the fast among the Latter-day Saints, was that the poor might be provided with food and other necessities. It is, therefore, incumbent upon every Latter-day Saint to give to his bishop, on fast day, the food that he or his family would consume for the day, that it may be given to the poor for their benefit and blessing; or, in lieu of the food, that its equivalent amount, or, if the person be wealthy a liberal donation, in money be so reserved and dedicated to the poor.” (Improvement Era, Dec. 1902, p. 148.)

Are we not wealthy if the Lord has blessed us with something we can share with others?

To discipline ourselves through fasting brings us in tune with God, and fast day provides an occasion to set aside the temporal so that we might enjoy the higher qualities of the spiritual. As we fast on that day we learn and better understand the needs of those who are less fortunate.

Howard W Hunter 1985

Will interrupts Ned and explains

" No Dad, Fast Sunday is when we are late for church!"

We got a call soon after from our friend Marie that she needed help with her garage so we hustled out of the house and as we tear around the corner up to the highway Will leans over to Reed and says "Yep, it's Fast Sunday."

Will is becoming a man....and a HIGH D personality

homedawgeducation@gmail.com (Nichole) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:51:00 +0000

Reed asked if he could help roll cookie dough into balls. I asked him if he'd left the shredded magazine a mess in my room.

"I put it in the garbage" he replied.

I asked if he left his church clothes on the floor in his room.

"I hung them up!" he insisted.

Wow, I guess there's nothing you have to do then to earn your cookie making. Yes you may help make cookies.

Will is sitting at the table opening cans of peas for dinner. Dad asks him if his church clothes are hung up.

"Uh...no" he claims. Dad sends him upstairs.

Will comes downstairs screaming at Reed. "Your underwear is on the floor! You have to go put it away! You left it on the floor! You get up there and clean it up!" He is extremely serious and he is giving Reed a stern dressing down. All the while pointing and yelling and telling him to get up there and take care of it. Reed is calmly claiming it's not his because his dirty underwear is still in his pajama pants which are across the room in the dirty clothes pile. Will is INSISTENT! He stomps back upstairs to take care of it.

Ned meanwhile is in the kitchen laughing his head off. He can't control himself he's so hysterical. I turn to look at him and we both say at the same time "Will has turned into his mother!" It was HILARIOUS!