Room to Grow Stronger

Our ward just split because we grew so big. Reactions varied across the board, but for the most part we all knew that this was coming and is for the best! I was selfish at first, I have to admit. Of course I thought mostly of all the extra work that we would have to put into a smaller ward. Oh yeah, I was being selfish, but I quickly had a change of heart. I have friends that are in the other ward. No I'm not in a clique group. Yes, I'm going to miss my friends, but it's not like I'll never see them. There are wonderful families in BOTH WARDS! This is a wonderful thing happening here! I've been thinking the past few days about what benefits come out of the ward splitting. Here is what I've come up with.

Our testimonies grow stronger! We all have to come together and be one...unite with our ward family and serve, serve, serve! We have to 'recruit' new members. Isn't this why we split in the first place? We get too big and can't possibly fellowship the new members or potential members. I can't tell you how many members have moved in the past year or two and I STILL DON'T know their names! Shame on me.

I remember a couple getting up in sacrament to talk and I thought to myself (before they revealed any info)...oh neat, a new family. Then they said that they had been there for almost a year!! (GASP!) This is one reason why we have to split. We (definitely me) can't take care of other members and fellowship them if we don't even know them or know they are there. We need to downsize to increase our size. Does that make sense?

We split, we are smaller, but we grow again by doing missionary work..get members and do it all over again. Then through all of this, our testimonies are growing and growing and we are becoming stronger missionaries, stronger members, a stronger ward family with stronger testimonies.

How long has it really been?

Wow! I've stayed away from here for a very long time. All is busy here at the ol' homestead. Kids keeping me busy. One day while coming back from Joshua's therapy, I looked over at Josh who was napping and I thought...how long has it been since I really hugged him? I mean *really* hugged him. Sure we hug all the time...they are going off to bed in a rush, I'm trying to get Peyton down, etc. Am I really 'that' busy as a mom? I answered, NO! So that evening when they came to me to say goodnight, I did a bear hug. I'm sure I got, "what in the world is she doing...she's not letting me go!!" :D So, I got my hug in. I'm trying to be more 'real' in the hugging department. My kids are important and they need to know that mom loves them very much. They need to *feel* that from mom. When's the last time you REALLY hugged your kid? I hope everyday.

Busy, busy, and cooking

It's been such a long time since I blogged, so I thought I would update just a tad. The economy is bad and it has certainly affected our family. We are right in the middle of it all. I'm trying to do the best that I can to save us money where we can. Oh, I loved my deal I got last month where I bought 14 boxes of Kellogg's cereal for under a dollar. I had gotten 8 boxes of Raisin Bran and for only 79 cents. When you have the buy one get one free (bogo) deals and then have a dollar off of each box, you get them really cheap! I think Johnny just finished off the last box of Raisin Bran. Of course I like to use those for Bran Muffins too..yummy..I grew up on this recipe. I'll have to post this recipe below (if you need to know from someone else besides me how good this recipe is, ask Danice Lewis or Liz Perry):

Bran Muffins

3 cups sugar
5 cups all purpose flour
5 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 quart buttermilk
1 box Raisin Bran cereal (med size box. or use just the Bran Flakes cereal)
4 eggs
1 cup oil
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup nuts are optional (I never do them)

Mix the ingredients in a very large bowl. This makes a lot, so you can store in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks, which WON'T last that long, when you get up every morning and make a batch. lol Cook at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or so.

You can vary the recipe some. Instead of processed sugar, use turbinado or stevia (which is even better for you). Perhaps cut the flour down a bit and add some white bean flour (you can use up to 25% of the white bean flour but add an additional egg or two back to it). Use wheat and white flour until your family can handle all wheat flour. Use the soft wheat if you have it and freshly milled if you can do it. There are many variations you can make with this recipe to suit your family.

I've been making a lot of things lately. After I've experimented with several different bread recipes, I'll post my favorite. Lately, I've been making some sweet breads too. I'm back into my baking mode, which I love to do! Zucchini bread is my favorite. I made a couple of them last night along with some banana bread.

We are trying to work on becoming more self reliant. I'll talk more later about what we are trying to do with this subject.