|
September 2007
Quotable Quote
September 30, 2007
“I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”
—Abraham Lincoln
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Newsletter Snippet—Apple Mouths
September 28, 2007
Apple mouths are a fun snack. Slice two fairly thin wedges of apple and spread one side of each wedge with peanut butter or marshmallow crème. Line the marshmallows along one of the wedges, securing them in the peanut butter/marshmallow crème. Sandwich the other wedge on top. The skin of the apple slices look like the lips (albeit the ones in my picture look rather chapped) and the marshmallows look like teeth and they’re really quite cute!____________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
For those of you who receive the newsletter I gave an untried recipe for crock-pot apple cobbler. Michelle tried it and said, " Jane, I tried the crock pot recipe last night and it was yummy! The only change I would make is to decrease the time to about 6 or max 7 hours as the 9 was too much and it was too mushy. Flavor was yummy and topped with fat free half and half was super yummy." Thanks for the update and tip Michelle!
Cute, cute, cute apple picture, Jane! I had a picture in my head when reading your newsletter, but it was so far beneath the real thing – what a fun idea for the kids! Thanks -Heather
__________________________________________________________________________________________
 
Teaching Idea—Coat of Many Colors
September 27, 2007
I love teaching stories from the Old Testament because, one: they’re interesting, and two: the prophets and people faced many of the same challenges we face today and it’s fascinating to see how they met them. Take Joseph, for instance. Joseph had a lot of strife in many/most of his relationships. He also had many temptations and trials. It’s heartening to watch him conquer his challenges, rise above the temptations and mend relationships while seeing that those trials, met humbly, always turned into blessings. It’s encouraging seeing methods that work and can help us overcome our temptations and challenges while understanding that “all things can work together for our good.”
To help the students learn that we all have hardships and blessings and that they can work for our good, each student paper-weaved a coat of many colors. On each white square they wrote a blessing in Joseph’s life. On each colored square they wrote a trial, adversity, challenge or temptation in Joseph’s life. Some events, like being cast into prison, fit in both the white and colored squares: in the white square, because Joseph could have been killed instead, so prison was a nice alternative and it eventually gave him access to Pharaoh. But it also fit in the colored square because Joseph was innocent and prison is not a fun place to be. After we had examined Joseph’s life, we flipped the coats over and used the back to liken our lives to his. In each white square, the students listed blessings they have. In each colored square, they listed trials, challenges or temptations. Again, some things could be in both squares. A student suggested her cell phone was both a blessing and a temptation to her.
After the students had filled in the squares on their coats, they copied their trials/challenges onto little slips of paper and put them into a large bowl. With M&M’s as place markers, we played Bingo. Calling out the challenges/blessings helped everyone to realize that many of our challenges and opportunities are the same and that we can be successful with them.
This idea works well for Sunday School, Primary Sharing Time, Bible School or Family Home Evening and helps the Old Testament stories not only make sense, but apply to our own lives.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
I think my favorite thing to copy are good sharing time/ family home evening/or object lesson ideas. This is great. Thanks for sharing. Lucy
I completely love this idea! When I saw the picture of the shirt and the m&ms, I knew it was going to be something for me! I was not disapointed, and I can't wait to use this in FHE. Any game involving treats will hold the attention of my kids no problem! Love, Marie
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Homekeeping Tip—Serving a Super-Sized Salad
September 26, 2007
I have several friends who also sent their last child to college or on a mission this fall. My good friend, Shelly, organized an empty nester lunch for all of us today at her home. She made darling invitations with a photo of Lucille Ball and Ethel Mertz looking totally baffled. Below the picture Shelly had written a poem about this upcoming stage of our lives. One part said,
“School? Work? What’s up next?
This time of my life makes me perplexed.”
The last stanza said
“We are empty nesters one and all,
So let’s get together and we’ll have a Ball.”
It was such a nice day and Shelly is the perfect hostess—she’s warm, inviting, inclusive, funny, assertive and makes the best rolls. Shelly asked me to bring a large green salad, but since I only have large Tupperware bowls and wanted this salad to look nicer, I served it on a platter. The large white Thanksgiving turkey platter had a bed of lettuce and spinach with chopped apples, olives, cheese, tomatoes, celery, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, croutons and sunflower seeds strewn down the center of it. It was pretty and a great substitute for a salad bowl.
Shelly asked each of us how our lives would change with our kids gone. Nearly everybody agreed we were relieved not to have to wait up for kids to come home at night and were excited to be able to spread our projects out without having to put them away before supper.
It was a great afternoon and not only was the conversation and food good, it was fun to reconnect with friends and realize you’re not the only one offering to cook scrambled eggs for supper more often than you ever have before in your life.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
Jane – what a great idea! I always get stuck on the fact that salad should be in a bowl. But, this way, it is also easy for everyone to get the lettuce and the goodies. When it’s in a bowl, usually only the first few people get the best of the goodies on top ;-) Thanks for another great tip. -Heather
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Lelly's Challenge: "I've been meaning to do this for a long time. I'm so glad I finally got around to it!"
September 25, 2007
Visiting my friends M&M
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
What a great SPT! I think the challenge in of itself made me do mine. Jenny
(I agree, Jenny. The deadline made me get it done and I was grateful for the extra nudge, especially since M is 93!)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
one of my favorite fruit stands
Life in My World—Colorful
September 24, 2007
Purple: I’ve never considered purple a fall color till I saw the grass on our canal bank. It turns purplish as it dies. It’s really quite pretty and makes for an elegant death. And since we don’t have the hardwoods trees that turn brilliant red and orange, purple is a nice consolation prize.
Green and Brown: Cali and I spent the day painting the bathroom—wilderness and harvest brown. It looks even better than I imagined. I had hoped it would take two hours (I’m always too optimistic about tasks I dislike). Seven hours later we almost finished—the cabinet needs another coat in the morning.
Rosy: I have been asked to do something way out of my league. Way out. Every Christmas our Stake (the name used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to signify a grouping of smaller church units called wards) has a grand Nativity. Each year I come home from it and think, “How do those women even know how to think THAT big? How do they come up with ideas THAT big? How do they even have the courage to spend the money that has to be spent for something THAT big?” It has boggled my mind and kept me mesmerized for the last several years. It’s truly an incredible Nativity.
I got a call a few days ago and was asked if I could please write the script for this year’s Nativity. Oh. Don’t they know I don’t think THAT big? Don’t they know I write little bits for a newsletter, I write little bits for a blog, I don’t know how to write scripts. But, I told them I’d be glad to do whatever I could. Blush. Blush. I thought, “Songs. The songs are what carry off a Nativity; all I’ve got to do is connect the songs with a few scriptures. I can connect those kinds of dots.”
Last week I met with the two women who organize the event. I was re-reminded that I don’t think THAT big after seeing what they have planned. These women are incredible. Their talents are amazing. The last few years they have used a huge supply parachute over the entire cultural hall to give the affect that we are in a cave looking at Mary and Joseph and the Christ child—and it has created a wonderful ambiance. That seems to be the least of their ideas; they are truly a bottomless pit.
Did I mention this is out of my league? Did I mention I don’t think THIS big? Did I mention that I can connect dots, but I’m worried that these dots might go higher than I can count? The good news is that it’s not my Church it’s the Lord’s and He always takes care of it. Connect the dots. I just need to concentrate on connecting the dots. I’m still a bit rosy with embarrassment and hope I can do the part they need me to do.
Orange: We had meatloaf and baked potatoes (harvested today) and butternut squash for supper. Though we eat meatloaf all year long, this menu reminds me of fall.
Pink: As in tickled pink because there are so many little things to be grateful for: e-mails from the kids and Rachel, Pink Christmas, warm house with a cool breeze, great students to teach.
Life in my world is colorful.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
I love the way you connected the dots of *life in your world* by using color. Very creative. Hey, I just noticed purple grass as a fall color myself this year on the ninth grade field trip I was on! Love, Barb
Oh, Jane, I can't imagine anyone more suited to writing that script than you! You will do a beautiful job, I'm sure. I love your blog. Every time you post about your days, and your family, I want to move to where you live and be your neighbor. That sounds a bit stalkerish, doesn't it?! LOL Love, Susan W. __________________________________________________________________________________________
by Norman Rockwell
Luck of the Draw—Freedom of Religion
September 22, 2007
Happy Yom Kippur.
This morning two Jehovah Witness missionaries stopped by to share their message.
Tonight we’re going to a church party and then to a friend’s baptism.
"Each according to the dictates of his own conscience." ________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
Happy first day of fall! I celebrate the first day of school with carmel sauce and apples - so autumny! I have done the sugar scrub thing on my feet before, but I took it upstairs to the bathroom so that I wouldn't gross out my husband, who would be grossed out if it saw me down at the kitchen sink. He prefers my smooth feet, among other things, to be a feminine mystery. Ha!
I have never seen that piece of art by Norman Rockwell. I appreciate diversity, and I appreciate the message of your most recent post.
Oh yeah, the booklet Cali made Ande is priceless! That was one of my favorite parts of the HP#7.
Love,
Barb
I've always loved that picture. The old woman looks a lot like my grandmother who lived with us when I was growing up. Thanks for the reminder to enjoy our freedom and agency. Lucy
__________________________________________________________________________________________
applying the recipe in the kitchen sink
Newsletter Snippet
September 21, 2007
This week's newsletter was about pondering. I included several thought-provoking questions that I had recently read. I also included this in the recipe section: A friend gave me a similar recipe to the one below several months ago. Every time I saw her she asked me if I had tried it yet. Finally, I decided to either try the idea or spit it out. I did and oh, my! I should not have let this idea stay in the pile so long; it softened my legs and tamed my heels.
Oil-Sugar Rub
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1 ½ Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Mix together for a wonderful exfoliant. Rub onto elbows, legs, hands, feet and then climb in the shower and wash it all away. You could also add a drop or two of essential oil.
Now, I have another question for you, do you use homemade concoctions? What?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They are always appreciated.
- Now those are questions to cause many thoughts! - causing much "ruminating". I love those types of questions though - as they are the things in life that are what life is about.
I like how the price of anything is the life we exchange for it. wow. I have been evaluating my life lately (doing YW personal progress), and thinking on that very thought. What am I spending my life doing? Is it where I should be putting my time? What things really matter? Sorry - as you can see I am "ruminating" - thanks for the thoughts to think on today! Cyndi
- Jane, these questions are very healing for me and your words of wisdom are always such a strength and help to me. Finding you as my friend has been such a blessing in my life! kristi
- Hi neighbor, I haven't given a lot of time to your thought-provoking questions, but as soon as I read your opening sentence, I started chuckling and said to myself, "best opening line ever!" Yes, I would definitely say that you are a ruminator! Have a great day, BRENDA
-
I loved the newsletter today and Cali’s dating tips. Her book was darling. I thought she just wrote a letter, that was a masterpiece. Love, Rachel
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Cali and Ande
Gift Tip—Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches Boys
September 20, 2007
Cali made Ande the cutest “gone-away-to-college” gift. Inside the package was a $15 iTunes gift card, a handmade book of dating tips and a package of strawberry Mentos as a reminder for a private joke they share. Cali’s note to Ande said:
Dear Ande—
The iTunes card is so you can make a “freshman year” CD of songs that when listened to, will take you right back to that time in your life. I still love listening to my “freshman year” CD.
The book idea came to me as I was reading Harry Potter a few weeks ago. I was laughing so hard @ the parts where Ron put the book of fail-safe ways to charm witches on Hermione, so I made a book for you.
Enjoy!
Love,
Cali
the book’s cover
Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches BOYS
-Advice from Cali’s head, MSN dating and common sense-
sample pages from the book
Here are some of Cali’s dating tips:
Do Not Pick Things!
Such As:
Butts
Noses
Teeth
Be On Time!
If, for reasons beyond your control, you are going to be late, call them before you are late and let them know you are running a few minutes behind.
FOCUS 100%
Your eyes, body-language, and mind should be totally focused on the person you are with. Give them the gift of your
FULL ATTENTION!
Be Gentle on the Let Down… if you must Let Down
Show You Care
If you like this guy, then find small things you can do that let him know you care about making him happy!
Wear Perfume
There is nothing more sweet and selfless as wearing perfume so that the other person will enjoy being near you
DON’T FART!
Not even a squeaker is okay. Bean-O may need to be purchased and kept in purse for the occasional Mexican Food Date
Love Notes are always SWEET!
Especially when remind them of all the reasons you think they are an amazing person.
BE YOURSELF!
Your very inner you is your most attractive quality. You are very very very funny! You are beautiful. You are gentle and kind by nature. You enjoy doing things to make people feel good about themselves. You are smart. You have an eye for beauty.
Those are all qualities that are SUPER attractive. Let them be shown!
Before A DATE…
1. Brush your teeth (and Tongue)
2. Write a list of Conversation ideas on your palm
3. Blow your nose and then look up it to assure no bogies are hanging
When He Shows Up for the DATE…
4. Don’t forget to tell him you like his Skinny jeans… even if you think they are ugly
5. Give him the benefit of the doubt when his wallet is on a chain.
6. Act excited if he has planned a date that includes you having dinner in a highway median
Ande loved her gift!
______________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
-
That Cali is one of a kind for sure – what a blessing to have her for a sister! I loved your excerpts from the book – what an imagination! Ande will treasure that forever . . . –Heather
-
Oh, I think that's a marvelous idea. I'm going to make those for graduation
presents next spring! How cute. Lynn
-
What a darling idea for a book. I may have to bookmark that one for later use. Jenny
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Homemaking Tip--Happy Autumn
September 19, 2007
You know when you just keep repeating yourself even though every one has already heard you, but you just. can’t. let. it. go.? Well, that’s today’s tip—one I’ve told lots of times, but it’s such a good one I’m afraid you didn’t hear me or understand just how good it is! Today’s homemaking tip is a caramel recipe for apple slices.
My sister, Rachel, celebrates Fall by taking her kids to the fancy chocolate store and buying each one a caramel apple on the first day of Autumn. The other day I told her I was making caramel apple slices to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and she decided to do that instead this year.
Here’s a great recipe that can just bubble away while you do the dishes or type a blog post. It’s a great way to get in your apple for the day (or if you just add a few almonds and chocolate chips to a spoonful of caramel, it's a good way to get in your turtle for the day). In the fall I keep a jar of homemade caramel in the fridge (it's much more versatile than say, pickles) and warm it up if company stops by or we need a quick dessert. It's great on ice cream, apple cake, brownies, or in caramel crunch bars. I’ve also sold caramel apple slices at street fairs and they did very well. I’m telling you, in the Fall, homemade caramel in your fridge is a good tip!
Caramel Sauce for Apple Slices*
2 cups Half & Half (light cream)
2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter (no substitutions)
1 Tbsp vanilla
In a heavy saucepan, heat cream, sugar, and corn syrup until boiling. Cook and stir over moderate heat for 5 minutes, then add butter and salt. Turn heat to low and boil gently, stirring often until the temperature on candy thermometer reads 228 degrees—give or take two or three (depending on how chewy you like your caramel). Remove from heat and when cooled slightly, stir in vanilla. Cool and serve with apple slices. (If you find, after you caramel has cooled, that you didn’t cook it long enough—put it back on the stove and cook it more. If you find you cooked it too much, warm it up and add a little cream to it. Caramel is very forgiving.)
*I usually double or triple this recipe and cook it in a large, heavy bottomed pan
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
Oh Jane! I love caramel, especially homemade, but never took the effort to find out how to make it. Once again, you are so timely with your post. I think this will be a project for this weekend, for sure. Thanks a bunch, neighbor! -Heather PS – about how long does it keep in the fridge?
(Heather...a very, very long time! Several weeks.) __________________________________________________________________________________________
SPT—Clean Hands
September 18, 2007
I’d like to think I’m clean. I’d like to think I don’t carry cooties or am a heavy-duty germ transmitter; but the truth is I’m not as frequent a hand washer now without little kids. Now mind you I wash after the obvious dirty chores like gathering eggs and going to the grocery store, but not to get a bit of cookie dough or peanut butter off my fingers. I do hope you’ll still shake my hand though and I’ll pretend I don’t notice when you rush to wash yours afterwards.  Check out Lelly’s blog for today's Self-Portrait Tuesday challenge and a list of the other participants.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
(Oh ho, I promise Jenny!)
-
Jane, Love your blog so much - had to share a new recipe find with you as it is fabulous. I made it tonight and that is the second time in three days. I like it made in the 9 X 9 or doubled in the 9 X 13 but a single recipe only takes two fresh peaches and is so yummy right out of the oven - I thought of you. Michelle
Peach Cobbler
1 can sliced peaches in heavy syrup (save syrup)
OR
2 cups sliced fresh peaches (combine slices with 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water and boil for 10 minutes)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup SELF-RISING flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in pan size of choice (9X13 for thin cobbler or 9X9 for thicker cobbler) and place in oven to melt butter. Prepare fresh peaches if using fresh. In a bowl combine flour and sugar. Add milk slowly while stirring to keep from forming lumps (this will seem very thin but it is fine). Pour flour mixture directly into pan with melted butter in it - DO NOT STIR. Place peach slices over the top of flour mixture - DO NOT STIR. Finally slowly pour syrup (either from can or that you cooked peaches in) over the top - DO NOT STIR. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.
(Thanks so much, Michelle, I can't wait to try it.)
- Love your picture. I am just the opposite. I wash more since my children are gone than before. But, I may not wash after licking the peach juice off my finger.—Sandi
- Great twist on the SPT challenge this week, and how beautiful are your eyes in this picture! Barb
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Life in My World—Scarlet and Black
September 17, 2007
I love a good movie. The Scarlet and the Black is a great movie based on a true story of a Vatican Monsignor’s impact during World War II. It is an incredible account that makes me think for a few days every time I see it. Gregory Peck plays the role of the Monsignor and Christopher Plummer plays the Nazi officer (now that’s a stretch for the mind since he played Captain Von Trapp who scaled the Alps with seven children rather than serve Hitler in The Sound of Music).
Though we watched the movie last night, I was still thinking about it as I went about my day today and appreciated how much Scarlet and Black I saw:
I started out early this morning preparing a seminary lesson by watching a video on our black VCR which sits on our scarlet table. The movie was Beginnings/Abraham filmed by the Genesis Project. The movie is old—filmed in 1986, but since it’s about old-world people speaking old-world languages wearing old-world clothing filmed in the old-world, it’s timeless. (Besides, I think Abraham looks just like Tevya in Fiddler on the Roof and I like the gap between his front teeth). I love the stories of Abraham.
The raspberries are bearing in the garden so I started a batch of raspberry fruit leather this afternoon. The black blender with the scarlet berries was another reminder.
Next I went to offer moral support to Cali who was peeling away the old fiberglass shower lining to make way for the new tile. Her scarlet fingernails next to the black mold were reminder number three.
After I snapped these pictures I thought, “Hmmm. I wonder what else will be scarlet and black in my day” and then deleted that thought and decided to post quickly for fear a black widow spider was next.
And that’s life in my world, scarlet and black and good movies (I couldn’t help but think of Life is Beautiful, truly a favorite, while watching The Scarlet and the Black).
Pray tell, what’s your favorite old movie? I’d love to find more.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
Oh my goodness Jane! I love so many old movies. I love Alfred Hitchcock movies, Rear Window, North by Northwest, Dial M for Murder. I love all those old musicals too, The Music Man, Singing in the Rain, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Fiddler on the Roof. I guess what I love about old movies is that they are simple; sometimes with a principle, but sometimes, just simple. I really love all the old movies. Just look at my Netflix Queue. Susan
My favorite has to be Sound of Music. My Dad took my Mom to see it in the theater in 1966 on the night he proposed. THey are still happily married today. We were nearly raised watching this movie and I knew 95% of the dialogue and can tell you exactly what has been cut for TV but still watch it on TV every year at Christmas and on DVD at least once or twice. How can you not be happy singing and dancing with Julie Andrews? Michelle Rogge
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Newsletter Snippet—Celebrate!
September 14, 2007
The newsletter this week listed some of the upcoming holidays like National Cinnamon Raisin Bread Day, National Playdough Day and Talk like a Pirate Day. In our house for the next week or two we’re going to be celebrating the rid of carpet in our bathrooms.
We went to Home Depot today to buy tile to redo our bathroom floors and tile for the shower. We also bought paint. I have a talent for making do; I do not have a talent for home repairs. Remodeling does not come natural and I don’t really enjoy painting or wallpapering or rebuilding. However, I do like the projects when they’re finished and am glad Calvin is handy, a perfectionist and can measure really straight, and that Cali likes and is also adept at home repair projects.
There are some colors that I was glad left with the 70’s, i.e., avocado green and gold. However, our home was built in the 70’s and one color never left—the gold tub. For the last nine years we’ve pretended it wasn’t gold and thought we’d keep ignoring it through the next paint job. We planned to paint the bathroom green and eggplant with white trim and hide the tub/shower with a deluxe shower curtain. As we were looking at the color swatches and saw so many reappeared colors of the 70’s (including gold), I suggested to Cali that maybe we should work with the tub rather than fight it. On a bold move, we changed the color scheme to wilderness and harvest brown. When I asked the lady at the paint counter the colors to mix she said, “Ahhh, yes . . . avocado green.”
I said, “Oh, no. It says it’s w-i-l-d-e-r-n-e-s-s. Please don’t say avocado green, wilderness sounds much better” and we both laughed. She said, “Some of the colors from the 70’s were bad, but the smoked mirrors were the worst.” At least we’re not working with smoked mirror tiles.
So, here’s to trying to take a 70’s tub and add it to an 07 design and you can bet we’ll celebrate when we’re done.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
“Ahoy, thank you for the timely newsletter. i''e actually been cra'in' cinnamon raisin bread and now Me have a reason t' make it. Aye, and Pookie will just flip when he realizes we can talk like pirates on Tuesday. Aye, he's been beggin' me t' make him a pirate party. Arrr, the kids just lo'e playdough and we''e got lots o' it hangin' around har. Gar. Ahoy, your newsletters be always so great, shiver me timbers! Arrr, and what a wonderful way t' think about what could be such a sad time in your life. Gar. Ahoy, sincarly yours, Nikki
Jane, Sweet newsletter. Your kids will need you more after they are married and on their own. Our kids want to be with us every chance they get. It will only get better. I was always happy to see them off to a new adventure. I guess because I didn't get the chance to leave home. Miss you. Maxine
We love cinnamon raisin bread, and we love playdough, thanks for sharing their special days, because we also love to celebrate. You are going to wonder if I'm serious like when Kelly says she loves Dwight, but I love avacado green! Barb
Could I please send you my orange bathroom countertops to go with your bathtub and paint? Please? That way at least one of us would leave the 70's era in the past, where it should be decent enough to remain. Lynn
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Gift Ideas—Friends Give the Greatest Gifts
September 13, 2007
Remember the pictures I accidentally deleted a few days ago, including Ande’s first days of college? Well, I also lost this week’s gift idea. Melanie made our family a beautiful and delicious cream cheese/fresh peach pie. It was wonderful, but the pictures and pie are both gone. Perhaps if we blitz her blog and request it she’ll post the recipe for us. The pie was a wonderful gift—so fresh and flavorful. We had friends over that night and it was nice to have a great dessert to serve them. Melanie's gift gave twice.
I also got this funny card from Susan on the first day of school. This picture was on the outside and inside it said, “We’ll always be bosom buddies . . . no matter where our bosoms end up.” It was a fun "go-get-em" note and I’ve used that picture in other projects. It, too, was a gift that kept giving.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
That pie sounds so good. I just cut up and froze two big boxes of peaches. I love those flat rate priority mail boxes too. It's always a challenge to see how much I can stuff into one. Andrea
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Homemaking Tip—Boodle Boxes
September 12, 2007
Today I sent a couple of boodle boxes. I don’t know why, but that is what cadets at West Point call boxes of candy/cookies. I love the flat rate boxes from the Post Office to send boodle. No matter how much the flat rate box weighs it only costs $8.95 to mail it. The box* is big enough to hold an 8”x 8” pan of brownies, plus an 8” x 8” pan of caramel crunch bars, plus a 3 ½ pound bag of peanut M&M’s plus some candy bars, pop tarts, pudding and cereal crumbs. (The cereal crumbs were for Ty. He always likes to eat the shreds in the bottom of the box from Frosted Mini-Wheats so I saved him a baggie full and added it to his boodle box.)
Flat rate boxes let you spend your money on the contents rather than the shipping.
*the boxes are free and measure 12”x 3.5 x 14” or 11 x 8.5 x 5.5”
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks, they’re always appreciated!
Jane, I love the flat rate boxes! I have stuffed so much stuff in there before. I feel like I'm getting away with something. What an awesome boodle box for Ty. I'm sure he'll love it! Melanie
Jane – I love the flat rate boxes! FYI – you can get about 100 golf balls in there – I really felt like I was getting my money’s worth on that one ;-) -Heather
__________________________________________________________________________________________
SPT--School Photo
September 11, 2007
Lelly’s Self-Portrait Tuesday challenge is a look at old school photos. Here’s mine.
This is probably the only morning I wasn’t running for the bus, in fact I was so early mom caught it on film and I don’t recall her ever taking pictures. I think every morning after this the bus and I raced—with the bus usually winning and not much has changed about that, I’m still always chasing time.
I loved elementary school. I went to the same one my grandfather did--a country, three story brick building with wood floors. School is still in session there. Ten things I loved
- Erasers (the pink smelly ones my friend brought)
- Pixie haircuts (Fifth out of seven girls with no such thing as a curling iron, there was no choice but—)
- Monkey bars (They were in the shape of a beehive and could hold a bunch of us at a time)
- Rollerskating on the sidewalk (over-the-shoe skates with the key worn around your neck on a string)
- Mrs. Roberts reading the “Little House” books by Laura Ingalls Wilder after lunch recess
- Hot lunch (especially chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes)
- Reading and the library
- Crayons (the big 64 count box with colors like green-blue and blue-green)
- Playing Rotten Egg and Helen Keller on the front steps
- Riding the school bus (for one of my school years, our bus driver was a senior in high school and once he hid pop and candy in the borrow pit and we stopped and picked them up on our way home. Can you imagine?)
Four things I didn’t much care for
- All of the Tarzan/Jane teasings
- All of the Dick/Jane/Sally/Spot/Puff-Puff jokes
- Being called Jane Chatterbox instead of Jane Chadwick
- My cross teacher in first grade
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
i loved your spt this week. i now have a perfect picture of you racing the school bus, your page-boy haircut flying in the breeze!! Lelly
That photo is darling Jane. I too enjoyed the chicken with mash potatoes. It was the only meal I would buy from school. I had a strict 1st grade teacher as well, bummer was I had her again for 6th grade as well (she hand picked me) dang it anyway! Jenny
Your pixie cut and plaid pants are adorable. I'm also admiring your beautiful scrapbooking job you did.
Barb
(Ahhh...thanks, Barb. I love 4" x 6" scrapbooking. It's a size I can handle! JP)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Life in My World
September 10, 2007
This last weekend Calvin and I took Ande, our youngest, to college. To mitigate the mourning, we took a trip through Yellowstone National Park on the way home. It’s been a long time since we’ve traveled alone and I remembered again why I love to take a trip with this man.
- He makes me laugh. He is chock full of “Calvinisms”—little phrases he uses and reuses. He sings loudly with the Cd’s and substitutes words when he forgets or completely makes up his own songs. He makes funny comments about things we see, like the people at breakfast—a man and his wife and their little girl were at the motel in full royal regalia. The man looked like Robin Hood’s merry man—complete with tights and knee high boots with a shirt/skirt combo. He had thick, thick hair (including bangs) around the edge of his head with a large bald spot cut out of the center. The woman wore velvet flowing robes with a high neck but a bosom peek hole. The little girl must have represented the kingdom's peasantry as her hair was matted and stringy. Their Highnesses stood behind me while I was dishing up watermelon and cantaloupe and the woman reached for something and muttered and the man said in a loud sing-song voice, “I should be caring for you. You should have told me so that I could care for you.” I expected him to sweep and bow and kiss her toes when he said it. Calvin got to our table first and positioned himself so that he could watch them throughout our oatmeal (you’ve got to watch him on that—if Calvin is seated first he always takes the prime people watching spot or you leave go to the bathroom, he switches your place so that he has it). His comments were funny and nailed the attitude the royalty had toward us common folk precisely.
- He is a personified Wickopedia—animals, geology and historical biographies are his specialty—but he knows a lot in several areas and patiently teaches it. He remembers the right story with the right person for the right event.
- He is “See-more.” He can spot a grizzly a mile away (no exaggeration) and spy antelope, elk, deer, turkey . . . any wild game . . . ten seconds before anyone else. He also wants to see new things, travel new roads and stop and see historical markers and museums.
- He likes to eat at good places and constantly keeps an ice-cold drink in the car. He always offers to get me a drink and I always decline and then get thirsty and sip on his, but he never complains. Since Calvin is a carnivore, we have eaten our fair share of steaks, but never have we had one as good as at we had in Red Lodge, Montana this weekend. Calvin had a charred buffalo steak with a creamy blue cheese sauce and I had a regular steak. Yum. He always finds good food for us to eat.
Reason number five that I love to travel with Calvin is when I accidentally deleted every. last. picture. I took of the trip—including an excellent shot of a bull buffalo, a grizzly, a few great empty-nester pictures of us, the snowstorm at the top of an 11,000 foot mountain pass, the picture of the mouth of the Missouri River and a dozen other average photos—he only got disgusted for about ten minutes and then said, “Well, I guess that means we’ll have to take this trip again next year then.” And that is life in my world, reliving the last weekend while planning another one just like it in 2008 . . . and trying not to miss our kids too much.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
Oh Jane, How I love Yellowstone -- we mentioned it several times last week. And another OOHHH Jane -- no pictures? That's one more reason I just can't do digital. Missed you. Deb
Jane, I hope you don't mind that I peek at your life!! But I just have to tell you that I love life in your world! Isn't life GREAT!! You have always been a huge example to me and to my growing little family. Thanks so much. I must admit I love Yellowstone and I am sad that we missed it this past spring and summer, but I guess the trade was even better. We got our darling little Cambree! Thanks for sharing your life, your thoughts, and your inspiration. You can check out my life at fackrellfamily.blogspot.com. Love, Tiffany Fackrell
Jane – I love this post! I did that (the losing the photos thing) of my dad’s entire trip to Arizona one year – he was so merciful. I rarely get the people watching spot – when you are usually out to dinner with a law enforcement officer, his back is never to the crowd – so, I usually snag that spot when I’m out to lunch with Darla – she either doesn’t notice, or she’s gracious enough to bite her tongue!! -Heather
Well actually, when I read about you losing your pictures, all I could think of was, "Great, now you don't have to scrapbook them...." That would be a bonus for me. I'm convinced some memories are just meant for the heart and not for the pages of a book (and I'm sure that just steps all over the toes of people who love scrapbooking.....sorry). Anyway, you sent your last one to school-- you gave her wings. Good for you. The best mommas are the ones who dare to hurt themselves for the good of the child. Now go shut yourself in a closet and cry all you want. Lynn
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Homemaking Tip--Trash Talk
September 5, 2007
First I felt cross-eyed when I was buttoning up my shirt with my glasses on, then when I was reading. Figuring I’d entered the season of bifocals I went to the eye doctor where he confirmed it and ordered progressive lenses. For the last few months I’ve lived in a dizzying or blind world depending whether I was wearing my new glasses or not. I went to the eye doctor office today and asked for help or a change. The fitting lady wasn’t too obliging—she’s a “speak nice but slay them with a condescending attitude” person. However, after explaining my problem several times and taking my glasses off so I could see the picture she was pointing to, she decided I probably need pocket bifocals—the one with the line—instead of progressive lenses. She said, “Some people don’t want other people knowing they’re wearing bifocals.” By her tone I wasn’t sure whether she thought I was too vain to wear them or whether she was implying I really should care what other people think. That is the thing about condescending, nice people; you never know what they’re saying.
Relieved to have that over, but still having to do something else I dislike, I went to the tune-up shop to have the oil changed in our car. The last time I got the oil changed they forgot I was there for an hour and a half and they filled the windshield washer with a terrible chemical that dirtied the windows and did not wash away bugs. The time before that they left something important unscrewed and we leaked oil badly. But, whether I like doing it or not, the oil still needed changed so I tried a new place. A man sat on the chair next to me in the waiting room, but I had a book to read so he only had the receptionist to visit with. He told her about asking his father-in-law for permission to marry his wife over 50 years ago and politics. I see now why politics is not a good social topic. Though I agreed with many of the man’s opinions, it was just plain awkward to hear him tell someone else how the country should be run with such know-it-all brashness and volume. It was Monday morning quarterbacking at its finest with every other word being me, mine or I. His incessant hacking and gurgling probably had something to do with the unpleasantness of the conversation, but the dialogue was annoying also. It was tiresome hearing the receptionist answer with trite phrases of politeness and political correctness, obviously bored out of her gourd. I didn’t think I was a conversation snob; I love to hear people talk, but my goodness I thought I’d go mad listening to this one. I was thrilled when the oilman came in after only twenty minutes, right in the middle of the man’s rant on a state law saying we must have a trash bag in our cars or be fined $25. The receptionist politely said, “We used to give trash bags away when we changed your oil.”
Now I’m wondering who the chump is—me for not knowing there is a trash-sack-in-your-car law or me for now wondering if there could possibly be such a thing as a trash-sack-in-your-car law. It’s what I get for being so judgmental and unfriendly—I was too pompous to ask.
The homemaking tip of the week has to do with trash bags. It’s not new, but maybe it can help someone. We store extra trash sacks and a bounce sheet (fabric softener) in the bottom of the wastebasket. The bounce sheet keeps the odors down and the extra sacks make it easy to replace the liners when we empty the trash.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
I can just picture your glasses appointment. *Slay them with a condescending attitude* meets *Kill 'em with kindness* I'm sure! Barb
Janey Payney – you are a fountain of knowledge. I’ve done the trash bag thing, but never thought to add the Bounce sheet – what a genius idea. Now, when I tell Chance to take out the trash, I won’t have to tell him to “pretend it smells like roses!” -Heather
Heather, I wish the idea were mine, but my fountain gets its knowledge from bigger streams...the Bounce idea came from somewhere....Bounce maybe?
I hate it when I don't know what people mean. The younger me would read WAY too much into it. The older me works at just hearing it the way I want it to be said. I guess you could say I'm a conversation snob too (and you know I love to talk). Love the bounce idea! =), Melanie
__________________________________________________________________________________________
SPT—End of Summer Me
September 4, 2007
Lelly’s challenge this week is to take a picture of ourselves at the end of the summer or in our fall routines. Here’s my self portrait for Tuesday:
I’m putting one foot in front of the other in the parking lot of the seminary building where I teach. The end of the summer means a half day of teaching—the Old Testament is our subject this year. I love teaching. I love the kids. I love the subject matter. I do not love the end of summer—especially a bonus one like this where our family was together for several weeks. I will miss the warm morning walks, sitting on the roof in the evening, visiting face to face with the kids, red potato salad and corn on the cob. Although I don’t love summer ending, I still love fall—hello sweaters, caramel apples, funny comments from students, russet potatoes, notes left for me on the board and the smells (blowing dirt, sugar cookies, soup, breads, rain, dead leaves).
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
I didn't know you taught. I bet your class is amazing. Hope the first day went well! Jenny :)
Great picture Jane! Jill
Jane, I'm sure the kids were just as excited to have you as their teacher. I
hope you have a great year with the Old Testament! Love the stepping into
fall photo! Melanie
Oh, I'm so glad that is you! I'm so glad that you teach! My kids all think you are amazing and yours is the only class they look forward to! Love, Susan
What a great photo. I bet you are a wonderful seminary teacher. I love those fall things also but sadly it never really feels like fall here. It's a good trade off though. Elizabeth.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Labor Day
September 03, 2007
My sister, Rachel, and I have a few code phrases. When I say, “I have a corndog for you” it means I have advice that I feel strongly about and may get overzealous when I give it so she needs to brace herself, but I don’t expect her to necessarily take it. It comes from an incident when someone told Rachel she needed to eat a corndog at the fair—not an elephant ear, not a taco, not a hamburger—she had to have a corndog. Rachel bought a taco and the person recommending the corndog humphed and had hurt feelings. We laughed over the absurdity of the command and the phrase stuck. When she asks me for a corndog it means she expects me to tell her what to do, but not to be mad if she figures something else out. It’s a funny little code and is so common between us that I forget others don’t know what it infers when I preface advice with, “Here’s a corndog for you . . .”
Another phrase is, “Not gonna happen…wouldn’t be prudent…no sir, it’s not gonna happen.” I don’t know where Rachel got it, something with George Bush, Sr. and a comedy spoof. But sometimes when I ask her something she’ll use it. Well, school is back in session, thus so am I. Posting regular last week until I got in the swing of things? Well, it wasn’t gonna happen….it wouldn’t have been prudent…no sir, it wasn’t gonna happen, no matter how good my intentions were. But today? Well, it’s Labor Day and I’ve got a list seven inches long to accomplish in the wake of Labor and one of those jobs says, “Blog.”
We’ve had a great weekend. Just knowing I had Monday off heightened Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Isn’t that funny? I love teaching the kids, I love what I’m teaching, but I still am just so grateful for days when I get to stay home. Friday and Saturday I kept thinking, “If you don’t get it done today, no big deal, there’s always Monday.”
We went to the first high school football game Friday night. It was fun crowd-watching, sitting with Calvin, seeing the game and being outside on a late summer evening. And a random piece of news, I cooked a turkey Friday—it smelled good all day.
There is nothing Calvin hates worse than when I plan his Saturdays for him, but Saturday morning we ran into town to grab stuff to make tamales, to Home Depot to get a new kitchen faucet and to the Farmer’s Market to get some apples and peaches. We came home and made seven or eight dozen tamales—from the turkey. Oh yum, I do love fresh tamales and this was an especially good batch. Here’s a homemaking tip for the one I missed last week: I used the fruit juice steamer (commonly used for making grape juice) to steam the tamales. It worked better than any other thing we’ve tried, including a tamale steamer. It was perfect.
Saturday night we attended an outdoor pizza party at our neighbors. I pride myself on making do, but my neighbor, Raymond, puts me to shame. Everything he does or owns has been reconstructed, overhauled or recycled. Why, he even cut apart his plastic above-the-ground-swimming pool that his wife got at a yard sale and made a windbreak out of it—and it looks and works great. He scrounges things and converts them to whatever he needs and one of those things was a double oven from a retirement home. Because of its size and voltage, it sits outside so they hold pizza parties in his back yard. They were GOOD pizzas. Everybody brought toppings and made their own and then Raymond slid them onto a wooden paddle and then slipped them onto a stone and baked them. It was really great and fun to visit with everyone.
Sunday after church I was sitting on the lawn waiting for Calvin to finish up a few things inside. It was warm, the sky was blue with a few white, white clouds and there was a light breeze. Cornfields are on two sides of the church and the wind made the cornstalks rustle. It was as close to perfect as you can get and I just kept thinking of all the good things in my life—even little things like fresh salsa and hot tamales that were waiting at home and big things like new opportunities and experiences for our family. Life is good in my world.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com Thanks! They’re always appreciated.
That corndog phrase is a hoot. As is wouldn't be prudent. We have actually used that one a few times ourselves. Wasn't it Ross Perrot that used that one? Your neighborhood pizza sounds so yummy. Glad you had a great holiday. I actually enjoyed ours as well and normally HATE those Monday ones. Have a great week :) P.S. Tomorrow is SPT again yippee! Jenny
|
