I had the kids pull up all the carrots because they were getting big and bitter. I don’t know why they’re bitter, but they look pretty. We’ve been pretty successful with tomatoes, basil, and jalapenos. We’ve got 3 bell peppers growing too. Next year I will remember to plant cilantro to go with the jalapenos and tomatoes so we can make salsa. This year we’ve been eating a lot of pesto, which is yummy.

I’m still trying to recover from our trip. We kept busy over the long weekend too. And we started school this week. I’m trying to figure out how to get my life back in control and find some kind of routine. I really want to get my craft room organized so I can quilt and make things–with a baby gate to keep Logan out.

On a totally unrelated note I’m going to talk about shoes. I generally hate shopping, but I love shoes. Last week we took the kids to get some sneakers and Barry found these:

I’m a clog girl, and these were knit!! These are about as “me” as a pair of shoes can get.

Well, Ellie ruined her reputation as a dog who doesn’t chew shoes, because, I found one of these just now–and it’s completely unraveled.

(This is my article for our September Relief Sociey Newsletter.)

As you read this, I want you to sit and think of a favorite person. Why do you like them so much? What characteristics do they have? Here are some I thought of: non-judgmental, funny, wise, efficient, sensitive, cheerful, kind, sincere…the list could go on, but I think this paints the picture. Characteristics like “grouchy” or “impatient” just don’t make the cut. We love people who are positive and focus on the good. But, optimism takes a lot more effort than complaints and fault-finding. Life is hard. There is not a single day that we come in contact with a perfect person. There is not a single day that we are perfect ourselves. Our bodies get sick. Traffic is bad. Our kids wear on our nerves (or even wear them out). Tragedies happen. Our lives may even be turned upside down. We struggle with depression, aging parents, or marital discord. Each one of us has hills to climb and, as Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, “Murmuring seems to come so naturally to the natural man.”

Lehi led his family out of Jerusalem. His oldest sons, Laman and Lemuel, were full of anger and bitterness. They had gone from living in wealth and comfort to tents in the desert. They reacted to their circumstances by blaming their younger brother Nephi for their hunger, ridiculing their father for being “visionary,” and plotting to kill one or both of them. Nephi lived in the exact same circumstances—yet he saw visions, found food, and built a ship that carried his family to the promised land. He accomplished great things. Laman and Lemuel were left full of hatred and anger. What gave Nephi the power to do so much in such trying circumstances? He said, “I will go and do.” He focused on what could be done and he did it.

Can we be like Nephi? When asked to serve will we think of the reasons we can instead of the reasons we can’t? When faced with oceans to cross will we rely on the Lord to help us build a mighty ship to carry us through? The principles that bring power to our lives are all choices of attitude—faith, hope, and charity.

I’ve thought of 3 simple ways we can foster optimism in our lives: gratitude, service, and having a sense of humor. Let’s remember that we “are that we might have joy (2Nephi 2:25).” Remember we shouted for joy in the premortal councils before we came to earth. We said “Yahoo!” I get to go through some suffering and tribulation! Just remember what Christ said in John 16:33, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” He’s on our side—and the good guys always win.

This is a pretty amazing work of art done with 60,000 spools of thread.

Now, I’ve mentioned my computer genius husband before. He is the reason that my sight is new and improved. Anyway, awhile back I started planning my dinner menus and going through recipes to make my shopping lists so that I didn’t have to go to the store more than once a week. Barry decided to streamline the process for me and created a web-based program that has a data base of recipes I use and can generate a grocery list with a click, click, click. I’ve just been sitting here making a list. I just print it out, go to the store, and then put it on the fridge when I get home. No worries about what’s for dinner or if I have the ingredients and it’s so easy!!

The cool thing is that anyone out there can use it and add recipes. So I’m isuing a plea if there is anyone out there actually reading this… I’m tired of the same old, same old. Come join in the fun and add some recipes, make your shopping lists, and let’s create a healthy-eating, shopping once a week community!

Here’s the site. The details of how to use it are right on the first page. You do need to set up a username and password so that it knows who to give credit to for recipes you enter, and also so you can retrieve past menus should you leave your list in you shopping cart and need a reminder of what you planned.

Come on, join in the fun!