Saturday, August 31, 2013

As Promised...

After talking to Mama on the phone, I promised her I would get another blog entry posted. So as I promised, here it is....and it's a mish-mash of stuff, so you might want to put a seatbelt on for this ride!
First: This morning I saw a link on facebook that made me stop and think. So I'm sharing the content of that link.

The Weight & Burdens of Life's Stresses


A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. 
As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the 
“half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, 
she inquired: ”How heavy is this glass of water?”
Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. 
If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, 
I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb 
and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, 
but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”
She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. 
Think about them for a while and nothing happens. 
Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. 
And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”
It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses. 
As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. 
Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night. 
Remember to put the glass down!
Second: Jared lost a tooth. Tell me this isn't a funny look for him!


And for now, THIRD: My nosebleeds.
It's ok if you want to be concerned about them, I am too. But please don't be "worried" about them. My blood pressure is not the cause and that's the worst scenario from what I understand. I saw my doctor and he said it was probably the weather causing the problem. When it rains this much, mold is bound to be an issue in a lot of places. I already know I have it to deal with in parts of my house. I'm sure it is somewhere in the building the shop is located in also. We live under a LOT of trees which means a LOT of leaves. There is bound to be stuff in those leaves bothering me too. They tell me that all the barometric pressure changes and the stress to my immune system and the weather encouraging mold growth is probably what has irritated my mucous membranes. The extra burden of preparing for Manti's return home has meant lifting and bending and irritability beyond what is normal for me, so there is my trigger. I've figured out that if I depend on other people to help me (which I hate doing VERY much) and if I prioritize things better (to include my own health) and if I  refrain from rubbing, blowing, bumping or otherwise moving my nose in anyway, I can keep the bleeds under control. I have a scab that has formed and it itches like crazy as it heals,....but I'm not rubbing! I put some of my salve on there and it sped up the skin closing and it hasn't reopened since. So truly, I'm ok. Life is hard on everybody, but it isn't impossible :)

Friday, August 9, 2013

Pioneer Day

Our church commemorates July 24th each year in recognition of the pioneers who traveled west and suffered much affliction for their religious freedom. Much happened over that period of time, but that's not the point of this post.

This year, we did the day up big....bigger than in the past. This time, it incorporated several units in the region (known by LDS as wards in the stake). Volunteers came together to present examples of things done in the past to give children and others a touch of history in the present day. There were non-member participants too....it was a big thing.

It was staged at a park in Douglas County. Friday night, anyone who wanted to was invited to camp together and share dinner and campfires and whatever else. There was dutch oven cobblers and much more. The next morning, we awoke to set up storefronts and such. This was my part in it. Tommy and I ran the Apothecary. We had lots of fresh herbs, lots of dried herbs, lots of preserved herbs, and some that were in the process of drying. We dressed in pioneer style clothing (except for my hot pink shoes) and shared things we knew with others. The kids ran off to experience other activities like a tug of war game, walking across a rope bridge built by scouts, peek inside of tipis, watch their daddy use a huge saw on a log, see what old time undertaker might have used in his work, .... there were beekeepers, covered wagons, handcarts, old-time dentists, an old school room, goats and chickens and horses, spinning wheels, pottery, food preservation,..... it was a cool experience. Here are a few pictures....