Happy Birthday to My Mom

During this Covid-19 quarantine, I am celebrating my mom's Birthday today by NOT going to visit her in person.
Instead, I will share a few things about my mom that make her special. If you know her, you will agree and could easily add to this list:

1) She does not like being the center of attention. 

2) She is a "quiet giant", always looking for ways to serve others. Recently, I called and asked her what she was doing. Her reply, "I am preparing a meal to deliver to an old lady down the street." She rarely lets her own age limit her when she sees a need.

3) I have NEVER heard my mom gossip or say unkind things about other people. As I have grown older, I realize that she could have repeated so many wild stories and shared so many unkind words. She and my dad were leaders in the church, community, and business world so they clearly knew the good, bad, and ugly about people, yet did not share. Our family spent a lot of time driving in the car and as a child riding in the backseat, I never overheard negative stories, conversations, etc. I also never heard her speaking ill of others while she was on the phone. This is a one of the greatest gifts she has given me.

4) She taught me to live my faith, not just talk about it.

5) She has always prepared healthy meals at home. Growing up, I never went to a restaurant or fast food unless we were traveling. We never had soda, chips, etc in the house unless it was New Years Eve. The Birthday cakes, cookies, and breads were homemade. She still cooks fresh, nutritious meals every day.

6) She exercises daily. Recently, she was at our house and said she could not spend the night on Sunday as she needed to get home to be in her Monday morning Pilates class.

7) She loves music and has participated in choirs, quartets, trios, etc. As a young girl, I recall waking up to her practicing her scales. Her singing voice is angelic

8) She loves to play and learn new games. Scrabble, Boggle, Tile Rummy, Phase 10, and Scattergories, are some of her favorites. She also works on daily Crossword and Sudoko puzzles.

9) Do not call her during the "power hour" each evening aka when Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune air. Don't ask her to record it and watch later. In addition, she loves the Game Show Network.

10) She is always learning, reading, and studying new things.

11) Some of the jobs I remember her having are: working as a car-hop at a root beer drive-in restaurant, working at a grocery store bakery and at an ice-cream parlor that had 39 flavors, a school lunch lady at one of my elementary schools, working for Dun and Bradstreet providing credit report information, working in the office of the Atlanta LDS Temple. She was a PTA Room Mom, a Relief Society President 3 times, Primary President, Young Women President, my camp leader, my sister's girl scout leader, a coach for both of my brothers as they earned the Eagle Scout ranks, and so much more.

12) My family moved all over the United States as my dad's career was advancing. Several times, my mom set up house and started over in a completely new community, getting us enrolled in schools, etc. all the while not complaining. It was hard for all of us but her attitude took the edge off of those moves, always being the new kid in town, etc. ( I attended 11 different schools before graduating from High School)

13) She loves her family and will do anything for any one of us including dropping everything to hop on a plane and be at our sides in times of need, welcoming new babies, attending family milestone events. etc. During these times she cooks, bakes, plays games with the kids, and cleans our houses like they haven't been cleaned since the last time she visited.

14) As she grew up, her home life was chaotic at hands of an abusive father. She found peace in her faith and made a conscious choice to not bring abuse to her future family. She married my dad and they worked together to provide a positive, loving marriage and family life. Her choices have blessed my life every day.

I love my mom and I am grateful she is still here on this earth. I am looking forward to the time is is safe for us to hug and visit in person.

Wedding of Steven and Katherine

Saturday, March 21, amid the Covid-19 restrictions, Katherine and Steven were married. 
Their wedding went from small to smaller to very small but that did not stop them from having a beautiful memorable day. 

Their honeymoon cruise was cancelled and changes to menus, flowers, cake, photographers, clothing, etc., required flexibility.

In spite of all the changes, the most important of all happened... they have each other. 
They have a strong, sweet relationship that will continue to grow as the years go on. Their goals are  positive and they are moving forward together with love and harmony.

Many family members joined us through the miracle of Google and memories were created under extraordinary circumstances.

It was truly a special day for a special couple.
I love them dearly and am so happy they found each other.
Seeing my daughter so happy and loved makes my mamma heart smile.

They requested: 

Italian food, an arch, a tiered wedding cake, cheesecake cupcakes, 

and Katherine wanted tulips for her bouquet. 

All of those wishes were met, and more.

 This bike made a fun decoration!

 Steven has a WONDERFUL family. He is the middle of 3 sons. His parents have raised them to be good men, filled with ambition, direction, consideration, wisdom, kindness, and love.

 Covid-19 kept the flower girls from being able to attend. 

Andrew filled in and made for one of the more memorable moments of the day.

 Seeing Ron walk in with Katherine caught me off guard. I was so emotional seeing them on the way to meet Steven. 

 Steven loved his ring and was excited to show it off.

 This was Mr Cooper's first wedding and he loved every minute.

 The Cheesecake Cupcakes were out of this world.

They reminded me of my sister and I felt like she was close to me on this special day even though she was attending via Google.

Normally, Publix needs 3  weeks' notice for wedding cake orders.

The plan for their cake was that a family member was making it, but at the last minute, it was best they not travel and attend. With 3 DAYS' notice, Publix saved the day. Rather than a wedding cake, they called this a "graduation cake" and voila... they had their tiered wedding cake that was beautiful and delicious (and much less cost)

The day of the wedding, Steven and his mom decided he should get a new suit. Well.... not many places were open and there was no way he could get any alterations done. They went to Burlington and found a suit but NO fitting rooms were open due to COVID-19 restrictions. No problem, his mom created and temporary fitting room to shield him while he tried clothes on. When he found the right suit, he removed the tags, paid, and wore it out of the store. (He already had the shirt and tie)

 I love Katherine.

I am grateful she and Steven found each other.

Their happily ever after" is just beginning.

Quarancleaning

Yes, a blog post! 

I have discovered something so fabulous, it is worth the time to step out of "blog semi-retirement" and share. 

From the response to my recent Facebook post, I am certain this warrants a blog post...

Today's "Quarancleaning" project brought to you by 

Mr Clean Magic Eraser

By far, the most effective and easy way to clean grout.

See photos below for descriptions and cleaning method.

 Before and after

 AFTER! My tile grout is sparking clean!

I am giddy with excitement every time I look at it!

For best results, use the Mr Clean Magic Eraser extra durable not the Magic Erasers made for kitchen or bath.  Save your money and a lot of frustration by not using off-brands, they absolutely do not work on tough dirt. 
Each Magic Eraser comes in the shape of a rectangle. I cut each one in half, making a square. This made them easier to work with and get more cleaning out of each sponge.
Get the Magic Erasers damp, but not too wet, before using.

Before cleaning the grout with the Magic Eraser, I lightly sprayed with water. After cleaning with the Magic Eraser, I sprayed again with this cleaner and wiped away any residue. 
Very little scrubbing is involved and most of the time, it is not necessary to go over the grout multiple times.

Dear Magic Eraser,

I love you!

Thank you for making this sheltering-in-place, self-isolation, quarantine, Corona virus, Covid-19 season much easier as I tackle these much needed cleaning projects!

Fresh Salsa

Recently, I made a batch of fresh salsa that is exceptionally tasty. So tasty that I need to document the ingredients in word and photo:. This is mostly a note to self, but something I invite you to tryg

8-10 medium to large-ish fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped (more or less depending on your love of cilantro)
Juice of 1  large lime (more, if the limes are small)
1 small sweet onion, diced (about 1/2 cup) *I like to use green onion but did not have any for this batch.
2 large cloves of garlic
1 medium tomatillo
1 medium to small jalapeño (seeds removed
1 Tablespoon of salt (play with this, + or - depending on taste)
2 tsp sugar (could leave out but I notice an improvement in the flavor balance with this addition)

For the garlic, tomatillo, and jalapeño, I place them in a small coffee grinder to purée them (you can use a food processor, magic bullet, etc) After those 3 items are puréed, I took half of the diced onion and puréed it so there were not as many chunks of onion in the Salsa.

Stir this all together and serve with fresh tortilla corn chips from a market such as el Bodegon in the WPB area. Buy their freshly made flour tortillas while you are there!

Cooking For a Crowd aka Girls Camp and Youth Conference

It can be intimidating to plan menus and and food amounts for large groups, especially group activities with multiple meals, snacks, and more than one day.
As a Camp Director, I am beyond grateful for Sister Wilson, our incredible Camp Cook.  The food, alone, is worth the week at Camp. Everything she cooks is homemade, fresh, healthy, and oh, so delicious!

Since not everyone has a Sister Wilson, this information from A Bountiful Kitchen will become one of your favorite resources for planning to feed large groups. Even if you have a Sister Wilson, this information may bring some new ideas.

Click HERE for her wisdom.

Happy Young Women Camp planning!

Seminary Moving Up Breakfast

With a few weeks left of school and Seminary, the days and nights are filled with end of the school year activities. My favorite end of the year activity is our “Moving Up” breakfast.  It is fun to invite the incoming Freshmen for a sneak preview of what happens at Seminary and it is emotional to think about the Seniors who walk out of the door, with their scriptures in hand, at the end of the breakfast.

Click HERE and HERE for full details on the Seminary Moving Up Breakfast.

This year will be extra emotional for me as my last child graduates. I have been using these same decorations (with a few additions) since my first child graduated in 1999.
His Seminary teacher, Kate Estey, asked me to organize an end of the year breakfast. She gave me the idea of the moving up, shifting to a new table, having the Seniors walk out the door with their Scriptures, and inviting the new students. I took it from there and have planned and organized this breakfast for many Seminary classes since that year, never thinking that in 2012, I would officially be a Seminary teacher.

Here I am, 5 years later as a Seminary Teacher, planning this exciting tradition, trying not to think about the fact that my baby is graduating and life, as I have known for 37 years, is going to change dramatically

These are photos from an obstacle course when we studied the New Testament.

They are not from the Moving Up breakfast but the messages are appropriate for how the end of the year feels.

Young Women Camp

As a mother, grandmother,  leader of youth, and specifically, Stake Young Women Camp Director, this would be my dream to plan.

Go Laurel Expedition 2017!

If you are a parent or leader of youth, I challenge you to think "out of the box" and overcome the "this is the way we have always done it" thinking. 

It takes layers of people at every level of leadership to implement change.  There is so much fear of change and doing something for the first time. Don't be discouraged when someone initially tells you no. 

As a Stake Young Women Camp Director in an area that does not have the understanding or support for a change this drastic, I continue to add small changes each year toward more and more support of the young women I lead. 

We can do better for the girls we lead. We must do better for the girls AND boys we lead.

Hurricane Preparation Tips

Hurricane Irma is closer to my area and stronger than ever.
In addition to my hurricane preparation tips post from a few days ago, here is a new level of preparation information that I posted on Facebook this morning:

Preparation update:
As Irma moves closer and remains a category 4 storm, here are additional suggestions for your next phase of preparation. I will post a link to my previous list at the end of this update. Evaluate your own situation and plan accordingly.

Preparations should be complete by late Friday or early in the day on Saturday as the winds will pick up later in the day on Saturday and the worst of the storm will hit on Sunday. (This is written with the Palm Beach County area in mind-adjust for your geographic location)

Stay off of the roads, at this point, don't attempt to travel far away from home. If you do not feel safe in your home, today is the day to go to a shelter or call friends and family who live in a secured home. It is too risky to leave now. The demand for gas far outweighs the supply for the entire state of Florida and hotel rooms are in short supply.

1) Shutters-it is time to put them up. Complete this task by Friday or early Saturday morning.
2) Safety- Be cautious using tools, climbing on ladders, roofs, in the attic, lifting and hauling furniture, etc. There are so many preparation and clean-up related injuries that can be avoided. A trip to the ER is not something you want to add to your hurricane adventure. If you don't know how to use a power saw- get help.
3) Gather all of your important paperwork such as insurance and medical. Review the insurance paper work and know who to call if/when you have damage to your property. Store these papers in water proof envelopes/containers.
4) Pets- Give dogs a bath. Stock up on food, treats, and medicine. Have a special toy or object that brings them comfort. Make arrangements for where your pets will stay and how/where they will have potty breaks.
5) Freezers and Refrigerators- turn to coldest setting and fill all empty spaces in the freezer (see post in link below)
6) We may experience power outages before the storm hits. In fact, this is something I have experienced with every storm. With this in mind, on Friday, do the following:
*Turn down your A/C and get your house cool.
*Charge all of your electronics
* Wash all laundry and do any cleaning that requires electricity and/or water
7) Prepare your "safe room". This is a room in your home without windows where you will stay during the worst part of the storm. A walk-in closet, a bathroom, etc. Make it comfortable as you may be there for awhile. If you have children, this is something to have them help with. When my children were young, we turned this part of preparation in to something fun, like building a "fort" or playhouse. They gathered a few activities, games, snacks, along with their blankets. In one of our homes, we put a mattress in the safe room and the children were able to sleep through the storm. Have children bring something to the safe room that brings them comfort. If possible, have a surprise toy, flashlight, book, game, treat for them. Wrap it up and have them open it once all the preparations are complete.
8) Clear your yard of anything loose-furniture, potted plants, garbage cans, pool toys, hoses, coconuts, loose branches/limbs, decorative items-everything. All loose items become projectile missiles and do great damage to your home, cars, and those in your neighborhood. Be a good neighbor-clear your yard!
9) Before the storm hits, if you can't park your car in a garage, park it in between homes or buildings. If not, park it up next to a building.
10) Involve your children and family in all preparations. Communicate what the specific needs are for your home and work together to
11) Even if you have shutters, prepare for roof damage and for water to get inside your home. Even a new roof can have a tree fall on it and cause a hole. Remove photos/art from your walls and place in large sturdy trash bags that can be secured. The same way you are securing your photos and documents should be done for framed art and photos.
12) Prepare for clean up after the storm passes. Have gloves, trash bags, rakes, shovels, insect repellant, sunscreen, hats, water, gatorade, wasp spray, fire ant treatment (the fire ant piles float in the water), first-aid supplies
13) Take a nice warm shower/bath while you still have electricity and running water. Ensure that everyone in your home does the same. Enjoy!
14) Cook a few meals and freeze them. This ensures that you will eat well with a minimum of preparation.
15) Use all disposable eating/drinking utensils, dishes, etc. I use the disposable aluminum pans for cooking.
16) SNACKS- have everyone's favorite chips, cereal, cookies etc.
17) GAMES- take time to sit down and play some card and/or board games. Hurricanes in Florida are like snow days up north. Stay inside and enjoy the time at home with family and friends.
18) MOVIES- Catch up on a movie everyone will enjoy. Although don't count on using electricity. Conserve it as there could be many days without electricity.
19) READ, WRITE, SLEEP ( you will be tired from all of the preparation and need energy for the clean-up)
20) Give everyone their own flashlight. Perhaps a different color for each person in your house Remember the extra batteries. This helps children feel secure and more in control of a situation that has so many unknowns.
21) Don't assume your children know the facts about the storms path. Communicate with them and share the facts and your plans to be prepared.
22) Turn off the news and only check for updates. Having the TV on with constant storm broadcasting raises anxiety for all-especially children who will hear phrases they may not understand.

You are welcome to share this information. This is collection of valuable tips I have learned from others and my own experiences. It is not comprehensive and should be adjusted for your own needs. See link below for additional information.

It is going to be a long weekend. Stay in touch with friends and family for updates, special needs, and offers of help. We are all in this together.

https://shauna-naner.blogspot.com/…/hurricane-preparation-t…

Water Storage for Hurricane Preparation

This is my recent Facebook post as hurricane Irma approaches.
Most of my posts are generated as a result of questions people ask me. 

Questions about water have been coming at me steadily, especially now that people cannot find water. It is safe to say that the entire state of Florida is in full-on hurricane preparation mode, as they should be.

The thoughts below are general and not comprehensive, for details about water storage and purification, visit this website and the links provided

• A few people have asked why we are all stocking up on water. There are several reasons. Water supplies may not be available or safe for drinking and cooking after a storm hits, again for so many reasons. Water pipes break, electricity goes off, preventing wells from running, water supplies have to be shut off during repairs, etc. 
• In my case, during hurricane Frances, we had a tree uprooted in our front yard and it broke the main water pipe to our house. We were the only home on our street that had this problem. 
• In our current neighborhood of 37 homes, we all share the same water meter. If something happens to the water pipes at one home, most likely, it affects all of us at some point, even during the repair process. 
• If you are storing water in your own containers, DO NOT re-use plastic milk jugs for water you are planning to drink or cook with. ( I learned this from Susan Bucklew many years ago.) 
• If you are filling containers with water, put them in your freezer to fill up any open spaces. This will keep your food frozen longer in the case of no electricity.
• If you are filling your bathtub with water, clean and disinfect the bathtub prior to filling. Use this water for flushing toilets and washing hands.
• We have always saved our bathtubs as back up "safe spaces" where we could go and put a mattress over our children/us if things got really bad during a strong storm. We fill the 5 gallon "Home Depot" buckets to keep in our bathrooms for flushing toilets.
• If you have a pool, that water can be used for flushing, also.
• Even if you have running water after a storm, here are 2 major thoughts 1) Confirm it is safe for drinking or eating (a notice from your local government 2) You may still lose running water during times of repair so keep a supply on hand.
• The above information is meant to help and is not complete. For more in depth information, go to the site  linked at the beginning of this post and use the links that may apply to your situation or answer your questions about water storage and purification.
• The main focus is safety, safety, safety. 
• Don't take chances