Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving. I am thankful for Saturdays. I do believe that perhaps Saturday should come after Sunday. Or maybe the weekdays should be Tuesday through Saturday. The weekend would then be Sunday/Monday and we could have a recovery day from our Sunday day of rest. What do you think?
Back to the gratitude, I loved having my children all home. I am grateful for family, friends, good food, happy laughter, music and a warm house. I am grateful for my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ and how to apply it to living in this world.
Love and ~Hugs~ to all!

Lighthearted

Laughter, I have missed it. Ad and AMS are laughing today in abundance. Last weekend when Cody was home I heard lots of giggling. I feel good hearing that sound. School has been stressful and I understand a little more about why homeschooling felt so heavy all the time. Any how, I prefer happiness and joy. Here is to a more lighthearted approach to lifes daily challenges. And some things I am exploring to bring joy and have fun.

I want to sew a dress that someone will actually wear because it fits great and feels fabulous!

I want to paint, creatively paint, get one of those pictures from childhood,I really don't have many, out of my memory and on to some solid surface.

I want to share what I know in a big way! I want to make a difference!

To start..I shall take my to do list seriously..and enjoy the outcome as well as the time progressing through it. Appreciate that I am a STAY AT HOME MOM! I love you sweetheart of the daily grind. Ask for help when needed, stop being afraid to say what I need. ~Hugs~

Six Stages of Learning

This post is simply to show the quick steps involved in order to learn. I am trying to implement these tools in creating a learning environment in my home and in taming chaos. Hmmm. I pulled eight coats out of the closet this morning. I know that they once belonged to someone, I can identify who, but what if they would like it for something sometime...If I choose to get rid of them then I need to make a conscious mental memorization that I no longer own that Item, and if I choose to keep them... again I need the conscious memorized choice that I kept them and am storing them...Here. And then someone will test my knowledge by asking "Mom, have you seen my senior sweatshirt." Ha! moving on...

1. State of Mind. "resourceful" meaning calm, relaxed, confident and motivated. Concentrate

2. Intake of Information. When taking in new information..you must do something to make that information more memorable to you. What you do depends on your preferred learning style. Visual, Auditory, Physical.

3.Explore the Subject. When you explore you create understanding. What do I already know...What don't I know? How does this apply?

4. Memorize the Information. The aim is to commit one or two key facts to memory, that way there is a trigger for all the learned information to be brought back for use.

5. Show you know. Put your information to the test. With out this you cannot measure whether you have learned.

6. Reflect on how you learn. How well did learning go? This aims to improve not only what you learn but how you learn as well. This step will help you become a better and better learner.

Response...Why yes, I discovered that senior sweatshirt in the folded down van seat which has been in the garage for how many months?

Dinner with an Apostle

I had the opportunity to go to the J. Reuben Clark Law Society dinner with my husband, where apostle Elder D. Todd Christofferson was speaking after. Tom Moss of Blackfoot and United States Attorney for years was honored for his service. People and their life stories are amazing.
Elder Christofferson spoke about his days as a law clerk at the US Supreme Court during the Watergate trials. Fascinating to say the least. Then he bore testimony of Jesus Christ and the fact that he knows each of us, he loves each and he cares and desires to serve each. Never forget that he leads this church, he is always at the head, directing and guiding. Was worth the trip across the desert.
About that...I drove the suburban to Idaho Falls so I could take AMS to the Chiropractor growing issues, and then meet DH for dinner. When driving in town it felt like something wasn't quite right with the wheels of the suburban. I ended up at Wally's on the Ammon side to discover to every ones "horror" that I was driving around with only slippery metal against metal plates to stop me with "yikes"! Two hours later I am back on the road. I know I am blessed and am truly grateful for the safety we were afforded driving around with out proper brakes. I really like the service at Wally's. I am grateful for their kindness and professionalism. And I am grateful for my knowledge of Jesus Christ his atonement and example. ~HUGS~

Two in One

Two posts in one day. Well the learning posts are good for me, but they take a lot of time. And I need to learn more about using the blog. It will be fun for me when I learn to up load pictures, but one thing at a time.
First success. Planning and preparing meals is paying off. I haven't gone formal big errand day shopping yet this month and it is already the 11th. It helps that Ralph butchered, and cooked a turkey two and a half weeks ago and we ordered from bountifulbaskets.org. Menus using turkey; turkey pita pockets on homemade pitas, Turkey chili and homemade bread, turkey vegetable soup - veggies from the garden, sweet and spicy turkey over rice, turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce, turkey and stuffing with green salad, persimmon smoothies, collard greens and fried potatoes and onions and turkey, turkey salad, Turkey tacos on homemade tortillas and more turkey sandwiches. Nice week.
Looking forward to the results of following a success model for the homemaker. Some things I have got down pretty well, others well...not so good, but I am watching for the perfect mentor. ~Hugs~

two in one

Stressed or stretched, there is a difference between feeling stressed - a negative emotion and the feeling of tension you get before you start something that you know will stretch your ability. To be stretched is positive _ it makes life fun.

One of the secrets to learning is to "get into a calm, positive mood", before you start learning.

Negative emotions need to be put away. Emotions of fear will trigger your middle brain to perceive a threat and shut down...never sending the new information on to the thinking brain.

You must do things that trigger pleasant emotions. Learning that involves color, illustrations, games, and sometimes music - engage the brain positively and we learn better. Someone suggested to me to put a chocolate bar broken into little peices to eat in your pocket to eat while taking a test, I suggest m&ms, easier and less messy, nothing like a little chocolate to give a sense of happiness right.

How you feel about learning is extremely important.

If you lack confidence because of past negative experience, it is important to know that you are not stuck with those feeling.

Positive attitude begins with:

1. Understanding how your feelings are formed and how you can choose to change them. Take deliberate action to create the strongest possible belief in your own ability. Self-belief is key.

2.Being able to set clear goals, because to spend time to learn means choosing from competing possibilities. Motivation to choose study time over a more immediate pleasure, depends on how clear your vision of your future success is.

3. Being able to relax and calm yourself whenever you need. (watch for more tips on accomplishing this in the future.)

When people say "I don't like math," what they are really saying is; "I don't like the feeling and thoughts I get when I'm faced with math". This is an example of a learned response to an original occasion of learning something new and being threatened by it. If you learned one response - you can choose to learn another. This is true in all areas of your life. But that is another post.

Some people unconsciously over generalize a single error into an overall feeling of defeat, so you can consciously generalize a single moment of success into a general feeling of confidence.

Recognize what shuts you down. What thoughts or feelings are you experiencing?

Set goals. What do I want? How well do you want to do? Create a vision of what you desire, feel really good about it, now create an action plan to get there.

Think about, feel and remember a time of success...when you did well. see it, feel it, say it, believe it.

Taking a few moments to breath deep, moving your arms in a figure eight from one side of the body to the other, sitting up tall and proud in your seat and wear a smile. These things will have an immediate calming effect on you brain.

Writing this post is more difficult than I thought it would be. Is my audience me, or am I trying to help someone else. I will keep working on that because I don't know how much detail to go into, what do I know, what is new to me, and how does it relate to where I want to go , or what I want to know. I hope to get to the more concrete helps, but understanding our brain and its ability to function is important. Let your mind organize and think about what you know and what you still need to know. Until next time. Hugs

Learning intro.

I am sharing what I learn this week about learning faster and retaining more. But I also would like to say I learned that time management is vital to success and in any arena home, school, work ect. The best way to succeed is to follow a success model. Meaning if you want to be a good homemaker...find people who are good homemakers and do as they do, If you want to be an excellent student successful and well learned, then do what good students do, manage their time and use effective study skills..not more just trying to spend more time or study harder, finding the right ones for you, to maximize your time, learning and understanding. These two principles are what I am seeking to live by more fully, time management and success modeling. Will I follow through?
"The brain may very well be like a miracle computer, But it is also the only on that runs on glucose, generates 10 watts of electricity and is created by unskilled labor!" David Lewis.
We are all capable of genius status.
It helps to understand how the brain works, you see we really have three brains. At the base of your skull you have a rather primitive brain that keeps you breathing, tells you to fight or flight when threatened ect. or when someone is too close. Safety
Next is a mid brain. Mammals all have mid brains. It is very important to learning. Your middle brain controls your hormonal system, your health or immune system, your sexuality, your emotions and our long term memory. When something is attached to a strong emotion we remember it well. Feelings of Love, death, fun, enjoyment ect. are all attached to memory in the mid brain. Thus the reason some things are never forgotten. Of course we only focused on the positive emotions...they create the best learning environment.
The third brain is incredibly powerful. A brain cell looks like an ocean creature with its branches streaming out from the center of the cell. Each time your senses are activated the thoughts or impressions are sent out the branches called "dendrites" Greek for branches. There is then a split-second mental chain reaction..conducted by electrical activity.
Your intelligence is not determined by the number of brain cells you have, but by the number of connections created by experiences that stimulate the brain. Intelligence is not fixed. The more connections that are created between your brain cells, the greater your potential is for intelligent thought.
Barring injury or major illness, you do not lose brain capacity as you age. It is important to continue seeking new experiences and learning through hobbies, reading, work, sports, art music ect. The brain is excited and healthy when it is processing new, and declines with lack of stimulation.
The left brain specializes in Speech, Step-by step- logic, and numbers.(logical)The right brain specialized in melody, patterns and intuition(creative) the brain is too complex to put into simple categories so we do a little generalizing realizing that the goal in any learning is to engage both sides of and as many areas of the brain as possible for greater understanding and retention.

Now a bit about learning.
Most traditional educational materials rely too heavily on a linear presentation, ie. a slow detailed, build-up of information. The more global learner gets frustrated. They cannot see where it's all leading to. So they get bored and switch off. Most of our learning experiences are based on the type of instruction that linear learners like. this is sad for people who like intuitive thinking. Here's a tip for learning something you are stuck on, unable to retain or maintain interest in...
Look at the war you are approaching it. Can you identify your approach as linear or global? For example, if you are laboriously working your way through a textbook taking careful notes - try something radically different. try using some visual images - take a range of colored pens and create a poster that represents what you are trying to learn. You will have changed from a linear approach, to a more whole - brain mode of learning.
I hope that makes some sense to you. It is a condensed version of my recent study. Tomorrow, I will talk about being stressed - a negative state vs stretched to improve your learning ability.
Happy learning. ~Hugs~

Just a thought

I think I prefer homeschool. Why I thought it would be better to send them off to somewhere else too learn I just don't know. I worry that "I" haven't done my part, that I forgot to tell them something, and it is true, I probably did leave something out. Perhaps that is how my Heavenly Parents felt. You know, I really don't want them to leave, but I understand that I can't do, be, and give them everything they might need, want or desire. That being said, I miss my children. I know they can. It is hard to watch them figure out if they need to, want to or desire to, but I know that I certainly don't have all of the answers and perhaps they will interact with people, visit places and experience events which give them answers that I can not. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I hope. Hugs.

This week was spring break for USU. That means my children have a chance to come home. Yeah! Well two of them came home the other hung around to get in some hours at work. Good for her. One came home and then spent the weekend convalescing, and returned home with 4 less unnecessary teeth. Her poor face. I really hope the dentists were right and that those teeth really did need removed. Any how too late to look back. Sweetheart feel better soon. I love you.
My son got a job. It is awesome, but the fear of not being able to handle all obligations, like staying awake in class and doing well on the exam the next morning are nothing to laugh about. Change is difficult and requires something more of us than what we are comfortable doing. In the end what we learn and become is worth it.
Well, It was a great weekend with, weddings and convalesce (wisdom teeth) and crutches (ACL and meniscus's).The youngest son has ten more days before he might get his leg back for further use. Here's too crutches, wheel chairs, physical therapy, ice packs, soft foods, and pain meds, and homework. I love you . ~Hugs~

This day was not as productive as yesterday, although the list of accomplishments is pretty impressive. I am reminded of the importance of the statement, never put off until tomorrow what you could do today. This is difficult to follow because, doing it often leads to a never ending list of do this, pick me, take care of that. I am learning that if one is working off a list, that would take care of the always needing to do more perfectionist state of mind. And leads to a greater sense of accomplishment, perhaps even inspiration and creation of greater things to come. I am working to be more faithful in some areas of my life. Doing so I expect to slip... however that slip is not going to Vere me off course. I have received great confirmation that good things are mine. And promises are fulfill. Don't forget to pray! ~HUGs~

There is something marvelously refreshing about clean. I enjoy cleaning and cooking. I do find it difficult to when there are so many extras to be done like canning, dehydrating, shopping, mowing the lawn and getting the mice out of the vehicles. It is fun to just do and I enjoyed cleaning my way uninterrupted through the house today. It seems I have reached another layer and it feels good. Maybe, just maybe, tomorrow I will have the moments to spend making space at the next level. And if not I am basking in the feeling.
Now if I could just remember if I have the pattern for that cute stuffed ghost I have been storing for 16 years or if I decided I didn't need it anymore and threw it out last spring....That is my newest Nemesis in the clear the clutter saga. "I know I had that. I remember thinking about getting rid of it...so did I keep it or not...?"
Make it the best day ever! ~hugs~

Do what is Right

This conference weekend was a great blessing. Inspiring me to continue in what I am doing.
Do Study the scriptures and seek inspired answers to concerns, take care of nurturing family and marriage and friendships, serve others by being kind and connecting to the holy spirit, and care for self..be patient and kind to oneself give encouragement and acknowledge what is right. Do All knowing that faith doesn't mean the answers are spelled out. It means life is a work of heart. Continuing on doing what is good and kind and RIGHT. It is enough!
I love you! Be of good courage!
Do even the mundane with a sense of peace and perseverance. Count your blessings and focus on what it is that YOU do have. Set goals and be the person you desire to BECOME. Keep your head up and your EYES toward HEAVEN! ~HUGs~

Gratitude

I am grateful to Heidiann and her Chocolate covered cinnamon bears blog post. (I so want about 10 those sweet treats).
I am grateful for peach and pear and apple orchards.
I am grateful for phone calls and long conversations about stuff I know. (because sometimes I must admit "I am stupid and I don't know what I am talking about".)But I do know alot! I haven't wasted away my 47 years.
I am grateful for Doctors (specialists who know what they are doing and why)(but not all doctors just yet...I don't quite trust them all)
I am grateful for clean carpets and wide open spaces.
I am grateful for children. (Shayna I miss you.)
I am grateful for time and accomplishments. (progress if you will)
There, that is the beginning of me, beginning to begin again, my seeking of joy, by writing daily in my gratitude journal five, well at least five things which I am grateful for. Hugs~

What a wonderful life I lead. I often look out and see the beautiful life others are living and wonder, "How do they do that?". As I get to know people I am fascinated by their stories. Though some of them are only pretending that life is ok, when they quietly seek for the escape button. Others when you spend some time with them only whine and complain loudly about every little perceived injustice, ahh the unfairness of it all. But really where is the manual for life? Is there one? My children each received a fathers blessing before school began. Each instructed to study the scriptures (the manual) in order to be most effective in learning and understanding their school work. Hmm great advice. Perhaps that is the escape button and the answer to understanding what is necessary to move forward or upward.
I know that we are not alone. I am seeking more to understand and gain clarity into the answers to prayer. With the question, Am I doing enough? So count me in. I want knowledge and wisdom. I will do, not try. And I am living a wonderful life.

Appreciation

I recently read a study. The study says that the number one attribute of a happy family is APPRECIATION. Simple and uncomplicated appreciation. Remembering to say thank you and please. Noticing the "invisible tasks", like taking out the garbage and laundry, and a myriad of chores and responsibilities that when done are well...hardly noticed, but when not done create different not so pleasant responses. Do you say thank you for washing and folding my socks? I hope so. Because while no one really notices that the room was "un"dusted, they do notice if it is not or even better probably you haven't been thanked for clean underwear today but you will certainly hear about it if there is no clean underwear. And being appreciated for doing the task sure makes it easier to march on and complete those need to, should do, ought to be done little and big necessities of life. So if you decide your family could do with a little more showing of appreciation, start modeling it. Tell them thank you gently and unassumingly for that which you are grateful to have benefited from. Like noticing when they put their dishes in the dishwasher or hang up their coat or help their sister with something. Do it for a month. Watch and see what changes you experience. I love it when a Savage say's "Mom, thanks for dinner it was delicious." or "Mom, thanks for putting those clean clothes in my room." One of my favorite "Thanks for putting gas in the van." I know, doesn't it just warm you all the way through? And I should remind you that working to earn a living is in need of appreciation also, so remember to tell the spouse how much that helps that he is willing to go to work every day. Hey I just remembered, Blind Side the movie...Happy family..appreciation "Everyone tell mom thank you for going to the store and bringing us back this food". Thank You Mom! ~Hugs~

I am grateful for feeling inspired, peaceful, and aware. Those are the feelings I enjoy. I have felt sad and soleful the last few days. As a mother, my life is changing and change, well what is there to say it is change. My oldest Daughter is attending USU. I miss her. I long to have soleful visits with her. Eat her delicious cooking, I miss her helpfulness and just listening to her happiness. My Middle Child left for USU last week. I dropped her off sick and homeless. (Thanks to grandma and grandpa for giving her a place to land.) I miss her much. Her beautiful music, her quiet determination, her inspiring dedication to move and exercise her mind and body. Her regular search for creating beauty. The house is quiet. I neglected to spend the time to learn some of their secrets. Here's to you my beautiful loved daughters.
I have been questioning why such a happy life is so complicated and seems so hard. I am thinking it is in the thinking. As a result I have been listening to some cd's on creating happy homes. My home is happy! I think I would like to have far far away's theme be. We are happy people. We create happy people and this is the happiest place on earth.
Somehow, I know that living the gospel principles is the key to true happiness. I could say more about this, but in the interest of self correcting my hypergraphia I will allow you to think on this on your own. The joy is in the present. And the purpose of the task, whatever it is, it to build the relationship. I am grateful for the time I spent listening to my children. I am grateful for the moments we have spent repeating lines from movies and laughing as they "sing to tattle". I am grateful for the time spent baking and cleaning the kitchen. Gratitude, keeps me grounded, peaceful, inspired and aware of the marvelous blessing of being a mother. ~Hugs~

My sweet sister in law asked if I had a blog. I told her that I did but I never knew whether I would go public or not. I love to put my words on paper. I write out my feelings, thoughts and ideas all the time. Notes to my dear husband are often too long and wordy for his interest. I carefully write in my journal, because I tend to write things that later I don't want published. Paper with notes can be found everywhere, evidence of my illness. "Hypergraphia" a tendency toward compulsive and extensive writing. I recently learned this by reading Change Your Brain, Change Your Life. By Dr. Amen. I also read The Brain That Changes Itself. by Dr. Norman Droidge. I found both fasinating, and a little disturbing at times. I recognize many dysfunctions which have become evident over the years in my own life. Getting caught in mental loops that won't let go. Thinking about some faucets of life "like all the time"..background noise that is exhausting. Now some of this is all just personality...to which I am grateful. However, there are areas of brain function which I vow to reclaim, to retrain, and regain. I choose to seek the joy meant to be learned and felt while in this life. I no longer want to focus on the negative, have the dentist on my mind all the time, or feel not good enough. I desire to create, dream and imagine then live..like that. I am intrigued by the scientific research into learning, processing, mapping and functions of the brain done through nueroscientists and keyed to educating. Keeping my mind sharp requires I learn new things, not just keep up what I already know. A stagnant life leads to a brain that continues to take the same pathways over and over again. If I want to feel alive and excited I must create new pathways. I want to be old and functioning, old and communicating so well that I can not be misunderstood.(more on this later.)
See what I mean...I can just keep writing, and writing. Next, to invest in some of the scientific projects that have come about from the reasearch of years past. Stay tuned, we will help each other. And just in case you needed it today...Here's a ~hug~! Lisa

My third child just graduated from High School. Boy did that time fly. Life just seems to be so heavy lately. Many things to do and accomplish. Much of the time I get bogged down with the things that I own, being pulled back to unfinished chores and projects, dealing with all the "stuff" I thought I wanted. all of it taking my time away from what I really want. I so enjoy visiting with people.I recognize that the real value in living is being able to know others heart to heart. I received this video in the mail this morning. Though it is hard to live every day as if it were your first and your last, the idea to cultivate gratitude in every opportunity and Every Moment deserves some attention. http://www.gratefulness.org/brotherdavid/a-good-day.htm One thing I have noticed is that I have been blessed immensely by the presence of my amazing children. To my three grown children, I love you and your own unique personalities. Cody, submissive and gentle, serving and kind, hard working and strong, creative and oh so enjoyable to be around. Heidiann, full of energy and love, looking for more and always giving, smart, funny and oh so enjoyable to be around. Shayna, her own being, full of dreams and ideas, the traveler, the perfectionist looking to always do more, be more, a searcher of beautiful projects, the creator of attracting what she needs and wants, and oh so enjoyable to be around. I miss them when they are away and I am so excited to see their desires manifest as they meet their match and live their lives today for the gift that it is. ~Hugs~Lisa

This is the first response to my desire to share my thinking out loud. Actually it is my second, my first post disappeared before I could get all of the words from my head to the page. I have a learning curve ahead of me. One blogging site listed a bunch of skills and knowledge that would be beneficial to know before beginning a blog. I have some learning to do. Education and Parenting are some of my favorite topics. I titled the first post Every Moment, after considering why it is that I would like to blog. One, to give myself permission to play (any time), I tend to be too serious. And two because I think I have important stuff in my head. I have read a lot of books and as a result I share what I read from the perspective that I under stand. I believe that nothing that adds to the person is ever a waste of time, and that there isn't anyone you couldn't love if you just knew their story.
I also discovered Havi found at fluentself.com . What a wonderful fun way to look at life. I have lived in a walled room for far to long. Far Far Away is about to be transformed into my lifes playground. I can hardly wait for the next moment to come! Until next time. Lisa