On the Wings of Eagles

Today's favorite moments included . . .

. . . watching Joy and some of her friends flap around our house pretending they were eagles.

Nienie and Artie

Today's favorite moments included . . .

. . . reading some recent entries on Nienie Dialogues. Her love of life and family always inspire me to appreciate mine more.

. . . reading some nummy bread recipes in the King Arthur Flour whole grain cookbook I recently checked out from the library. Now if only the weather would cool down so I could bake a few of them.

Hot Stuff

Today's favorite moments included . . .

. . . hearing my son giggle as waves washed over his feet at the beach.

. . . rearranging the furniture in my kids' room - it's nice to have the dresser by the changing table.

. . . letting the solar oven cook my dinner outside, since it was a whopping 113 degrees today. Makes me think of Malachi 4:1 ("For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven . . .").

. . . eating popsicles for dessert with my family.

Love Scarf

Today's favorite moments included . . .

. . . meeting with the humanitarian service committee at church and feeling inspired about the projects we're considering. If we don't end up including the Love Scarf Project in our plans, I'll probably make and donate a few on my own.

Pumpkins and Prophets

Today's favorite moments included . . .

. . . seeing big, green pumpkins growing on the vines in my garden.

. . . sitting next to an acquaintance and worrying we'd think of nothing to say to each other, but finding we had plenty to talk about.

. . . hearing inspiring and occasionally entertaining words from the Prophet. It's nice to know that a man with so many serious, important things to say also likes to have a good laugh now and then. :)

New Direction

For nearly four years now, I've struggled to find a good direction for this blog. I think I've finally come up with something I like that I can also manage.

A few times a week--perhaps even every day--I'm going to post one or more of my favorite parts of that day. Not necessarily THE favorite, since that's hard to quantify and I'm not sure I really want to--just a favorite, or two or three.

It'll be good practice for me, and hopefully it will make pleasant and occasionally uplifting reading for you.

Here's to many favorite moments shared.

Impressive, Yet Insufficient

Last year we bought a solar oven, for two reasons: 1) So we can cook if the power goes out, and 2) so we can cook without heating up our house on hot days. All summer I've been trying out various recipes, and this morning I prepared a dinner recipe that needed to simmer all day. The weather report promised clear skies by 10am. It lied.

I couldn't even see a ghost of a shadow until 2pm, but even with so little sunshine the solar oven managed to heat up to 150 degrees. I was impressed that it could double the outdoor temperature on a cloudy day, but that still wasn't enough to cook our dinner. I had to finish it in the oven inside. Good thing it wasn't a hot day.

Correction

Actually, Daniel DOES find my singing relaxing, but Joy doesn't (and she tells me so in no uncertain terms). If this family were a strict democracy, Joy would be out of luck. It happens to be a biarchy, though, and we try to keep it a benevolent one, so I try to keep my musical outbursts short or let Joy choose the song.

Sometimes, though, you just gotta sing.

Sing a Song

I find singing soothing in stressful situations. Too bad my kids don't feel the same way.