Food

I combine a [...]]]> During the pandemic, we added an adorable Labradoodle to our family. She’s a micro and weighs between 12-15lbs (depending on the time of year and whether or not she’s getting all her walks in.) I thought I’d share some of her favorites with everyone (and yes, these are affiliate links).

Food

I combine a “fresh food” with a kibble. Unfortunately, the kibble brand we use went out of business, and I bought a bunch before they closed their doors. When I find a new one, I’ll update and add it to the list. In the meantime, we are using Ollie for our fresh food. It’s not cheap, but it is the best deal I found. We tried SO many different kinds of fresh food, and this was the one Luna liked best.

Everything Else

She loves her treats, and there are a lot of types she likes. Here are some of her favorites.

• Pupford – my link will get you 20% off your first order. They have wonderful training, treats, and rewards. Luna has liked everything I’ve gotten from Pupford except the freeze-dried blueberries. We haven’t tried their bully sticks or “engage” line yet. But I’m sure Luna will like them too.
• Most of Luna’s treats come from Amazon.
  • Pawstruck – Collagen Springs, Beef Jerky Chews, Roasted Collagen Sticks, Collagen Sticks, Collagen Rings.
  • Bully Sticks – Trachea (these are stinky, but they are a really good treat), 6-inch bully sticks
  • Blue Buffalo Training Treats – 4-pack
  • Greenies Dental Treats – 3-pack
• Toys, Gear, and Bedding
  • She loves her frisbees (chuck-it and one with a hole that helps with tug), mini tennis balls, and snuffle mat.
  • Favorite bed and one for car travel
  • Crate, Crate Bed, and Cover
  • Collar, Harness, and Leash. Long Leash, lead, and poop bags
  • When we’re away from home – water bottle, paw cleaner, seatbelt
• Other Favorites
  • Brush and Travel kit
  • Training collar by Dogtra
  • Coat and Sweater
  • Life Jacket

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is one of those standout stories from 2023. I hesitated to read it because I was told it was a story about an [...]]]> 25 books received a “favorites of 2023” label in my Goodreads. But there were, of course, a few that stood out as Outstanding.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is one of those standout stories from 2023. I hesitated to read it because I was told it was a story about an octopus. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. I tried to avoid chores, TV, and fixing dinner because I just wanted to hear the story without interruptions. It was not only about an Octopus in an aquarium but about a charming old woman resisting aging and a young man who was seemingly lost and barely making it through the day. It was absolutely lovely, heartwarming, and beautifully told.

Amazon Hardcover | Paperback

Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes kept me engaged from the get-go. Two very different women end up walking in each others’ shoes – literally! And it turns their lives upside down. I read this story in March, and I still vividly remember so much about it. Jojo Moyes is a brilliant artist who paints such a vivid picture through her words, so much so you feel like you are part of the story. I’d love to see this as a movie.

Amazon Hardcover | Paperback

The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand made me think about who would be my five stars. Elin Hilderbrand shares a story of a mom struggling to be relevant while mourning the loss of her husband, finding new hope, new footing, and reconnecting with her daughter. The five stars are someone who was key in each stage of her life – some of whom she hasn’t spoken to in years.

Amazon Paperback | Hardcover

The Power of Writing it Down: A Simple Habit to Unlock Your Brain and Reimagine Your Life by Allison Fallon prompted me to write things down and share with others all about the book I was reading. While I’m not going to write a book, this book has helped me with the direction of my journaling making it more therapeutic, beneficial, and impactful.

Amazon Hardcover

Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals should be required reading for everyone! It is a firsthand account of the Little Rock Nine. I don’t want us to bury our bad behavior but speak up about it and learn from it. While NO ONE should EVER be treated the way these kids and their families were treated, we need to acknowledge it as wrong and learn from it.

Amazon Paperback

There were several other books that I loved, but these were the standout ones.

I was asked to substitute for the 4th Sunday of the month Relief Society Lesson. The 4th Sunday is pulled from a General Conference Talk. I was asked to teach from Elder Russell M Nelson’s talk titled “Sabbath Day is a Delight.”

Elder Russell M Nelson began his April conference talk saying, “because of [...]]]>

I was asked to substitute for the 4th Sunday of the month Relief Society Lesson. The 4th Sunday is pulled from a General Conference Talk.  I was asked to teach from Elder Russell M Nelson’s talk titled “Sabbath Day is a Delight.”

Elder Russell M Nelson began his April conference talk saying, “because of what you have heard and felt during this conference, how will I change? Whatever your answer might be, may I invite you also to examine your feelings about, and your behavior on, the Sabbath Day” and continued with this first question…

Is the Sabbath really a delight for you and for me?

So, let’s speak candidly about the Sabbath and how we feel about it. Is it a delight?

I have a list here of questions about the Sabbath day and I don’t want anyone to raise their hands, but I want you to think about how your Sabbath fits into these questions.

• Do you look forward to Sundays?
• Are you frustrated about all of your Sabbath responsibilities?
• Do you find time to study the scriptures?
• If you have children at home, is it a fight to get them to church on time?
• If you have a teaching calling, do you wait until the last minute to prepare, making Sunday morning a bit of a panic?
• After the Sabbath, are you rested and ready to conquer Monday? Or do you look forward to Monday when the kids are back in school?
• Do you find quiet time to ponder or listen to uplifting talks or music?
• Is Sunday dinner so much effort/work that you are cleaning up from it til late?
• Are you able to gather your family together and strengthen your relationships?
• Do your kids fight more on Sunday?
• Can you find time to serve?
• Is your Sabbath filled with laundry and homework?

Some of those “yeses” that frustrate us are difficult to change. But some of them can give us goals to set to help us make it a delight. But maybe before we can make it a delight, we need to address why we have a Sabbath day at all.

What did the Savior mean when He said that “the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath?”

Through out the scriptures, we are told several reasons and meanings of the Sabbath. First, following the creation, the Lord “rested” on the 7th day. In Hebrew, the Sabbath is translated as “rest”. In the Ten Commandments, we are told to keep the Sabbath day holy. Later it became a day of remembrance of the deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt. And it was called a reminder that the Lord may sanctify His people if they honor the Sabbath. And still later, it became a day of remembrance of the Atonement. But ultimately it comes down to the Sabbath is the Lord’s Day. And He has asked us to “keep” it.

Elder Nelson shared his personal belief on what the purpose of the Sabbath day is to him.

QUOTE #1

I believe He wanted us to understand that the Sabbath was His gift to us, granting real respite from the rigors of daily life and an opportunity for spiritual and physical renewal. God gave us this special day, not for amusement or daily labor but for a rest from duty, with physical and spiritual relief.

Why do you feel that God has given us the Sabbath?

How do we “keep” the Sabbath?

Let’s stop there – we could quickly get into a list of dozens of do’s and don’ts about what we can and can’t do on the Sabbath day. Personally, I have always struggled with the list, because the Sabbath is a day to gather as a church and partake of the sacrament and fulfill our callings and so much more. But it is also a day to build and strengthen your relationship with God and your family. When I was growing up, we received criticism from some about how we honored or kept the Sabbath. And as I look back on my Sundays growing up, they were my favorite day of the week. We would pack a picnic and go to the canyon for scripture study, Frisbee and dinner.

Other Sundays we would go to the “Symphony in the Park” with my cousins and  grandparents. I would love to return to those Sundays now. But as a mom, I often get caught up in that Saturdays are so packed that some of my tasks roll over into Sunday. And that frustrates me. But, I’m working on it.

Instead of making the list we started building, let’s look at the Sabbath the way that Elder Nelson suggested.

Exodus 31:13

Ezekiel 20:12, 20

What sign do you want to give to God?

D&C 59:9-10, 13, 15-16

How can you ensure that your behavior on the Sabbath will lead to joy and rejoicing?

I’ve brought with me a handout/activity to help each one of us create a sign that shows God that we love Him and are grateful for the Sabbath that He has given us.

There are five categories that can help us make the Sabbath a delight.

• Strengthen Family Ties
• Teach the Children
• Study the Gospel
• Family History Work
• Render Service

In closing, I would like to share Isaiah 58:13-14

13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

I am grateful for the Sabbath Day and pray that I can better make it a “Delight” and show my Heavenly Father how much I love Him.

I’ve really been feeling the need to post my thoughts and views about all that has been going on with the new LDS Handbook Policies. But as much as I have wanted to share, I have not wanted to do it on Facebook. There are so many things being said on Facebook that make [...]]]>

I’ve really been feeling the need to post my thoughts and views about all that has been going on with the new LDS Handbook Policies. But as much as I have wanted to share, I have not wanted to do it on Facebook.  There are so many things being said on Facebook that make me sad, angry, upset and frustrated. So with my mixed emotions, I’ve decided my dormant blog is the safest place to share.

First, I would like to say that I have many wonderful gay friends, some of whom have children and are in a same-sex marriage. I love them, support them, celebrate their happiness and respect them. Because of that love and respect, I am most annoyed anytime I read someone comparing the children of a same-sex marriage to children of a serial killer, rapist, molester etc. Oh PLEASE! Every single same-sex couple I know loves their children and is raising them in a home filled with love, tolerance, respect and laughter – not darkness, hatred and anger. This new policy enforces the value of a loving, caring, and peaceful home and protects the children of a same-sex couple. Likewise, this policy discourages strife between parents and children within a home.

Next, a child of a same-sex couple can and is invited and welcome to attend church meetings, activities, participate in the programs designed to teach children and support children in their gospel learning. They can also receive blessings of healing and comfort. If anyone dares to think that they must now exclude these children, you are wrong! Love them, just as I hope you always have.

Also, I do not compare the children of a same-sex couple to a mother who had a child out of wedlock, nor do I compare them to a child of a divorced couple. That is another point of frustration I have had with this news and the many comments from people on Facebook. Single moms that are doing all they can to raise their children in a loving, caring, and respectful home and teaching their children about the gospel of Jesus Christ, I love you, pray for you and am constantly amazed by your strength. Your situation is different.

Over the years, my husband has given me many great words of advice. One that is hard for me, and for many of us is to “cross that bridge when we come to it.” (By the way, I have a very real fear of bridges). We know what has been stated in this much shared update, but we need to quit saying “what if…” and let each individual family and child cross this bridge as they come to it, knowing that they are loved and supported along the way.

I stand by the First Presidency and the brethren in this policy but I disagree with and am frustrated by the way that this news was released and handled. A friend of mine said that this will become a case study. She may be right. Elder Christofferson gave a very nice and calm interview about the policy change. Unfortunately, the damage, the anger, the confusion was far too wide spread by the time the clip was released. News of this magnitude should have been addressed with love and humility rather than in an attempt to fly under the radar (or at least, that’s how it seems). The quiet release resulted in headlines that stirred the pot more and ignited the issue in ways that could have been completely avoided – okay, maybe not completely.

I’ve served a mission where there was a woman we couldn’t teach because her husband threatened our lives and hers. She needed his okay to move forward with the discussions. Where I served my mission, there were dozens of young converts. They required permission from their parents, if they were under 18. Parents knew so little about the Mormons, they rarely forbid it. But even with the permission but without the support, we saw a large number fall into inactivity. Over the years, I have watched children struggle with wanting to attend church but having parents (not same-sex) that didn’t approve or simply didn’t participate and therefore made it difficult for the children to attend. Without parent approval, all children must wait until they are 18 years of age. The church values the family relationship and does not encourage contention within the home.

It is my prayer that we can remember that in the end, it is all about LOVE ONE ANOTHER and LOVE AT HOME.

Additional messaging from the First Presidency here.

Rewind to the audition. Jade and Ivy both attended the audition and were faced with a tough decision. The producer said [...]]]> It s very possible that life at the Sanford home is going to drastically change.  In August, Jade auditioned for a reality show.  As it turned out, I was part of the audition too.

Rewind to the audition.  Jade and Ivy both attended the audition and were faced with a tough decision.  The producer said that only one of them could audition.  They left the camera on the two of them while they talked it out.  There was a lot of going back and forth between the two of them, both wanting it and both putting their sister first. Then they were sent out to have the conversation on their own and the producer talked to me. Eventually they had the girls come back in and state what they had decided.  Ivy came in and said that they had decided that now is Jade’s turn because she is older and more ready for this type of experience.

The producer was so impressed with how the two of them handled it that he said that if Jade made it, then Ivy could go too.

Well December came with an announcement that we had made the reality show, unfortunately, Ivy wasn’t included in the deal.  I am hopeful that at some point Ivy will get to be involved as well, but for now, we’ll move forward with just Jade.

What is this reality show?  Well, here’s the storyline…

10 young potential stars will be put through a handful of acting challenges, ranging from meeting with casting directors and agents to auditions.  These 10 will be weeded down to the final 6 that will be taken to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams.  There will be different deadlines and if the child hasn’t booked a job, then they will be sent home.

Where do I come in?  Oh, well, umm, you know that show “Dance Moms”?  The title of this show will help you get a feel for what my role is in all of this.  Introducing “Stage Moms of LA”!

As you know, my blog is all about finding the perfect balance between Faith, Family and Life.  I’ve been debating changing the Life to “Fitness” but now I’m thinking more appropriate could be “FAME”.

If you want to get a glimpse into what just might be our future, here’s the link to the TEASER.

Last week we talked about what our jobs are in the family. Mom and Dad are here [...]]]>

Junior and Senior Primary –

Over the past few weeks we have talked about how important family is to the plan of our Heavenly Father.  We know that family is the most important part of His plan.

Last week we talked about what our jobs are in the family.  Mom and Dad are here to help you become the best you that you can be.  They are here to help you learn the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His plan.  Your role as the child is to learn how to be obedient.

This week we want to talk about how we can show love to each member of your family.

Last week was Easter and we remembered the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Who can tell me about when Christ was crucified?

When Christ was taken and put upon the cross He didn’t focus on Himself and that He was hung to wait for His death.  Instead He focused on His family…

While Christ was suffering on the cross, He took the time to take care of His mother.  He made sure she was well take care of by a good friend.  What better way for Him to show His mother that He loved her?

Jesus Christ is our big brother.  He loves us and showed us His love by dying and then He rose again.

So now it is up to us to show our family that we love them.

Each of us has a family but our families are all different.

Raise your hand if you have a mother. A father. An aunt. An uncle. A grandma. A grandpa. A brother. A sister.

We need to figure out ways that we can show each member of our family that we love them.

We are going to read a few short stories and decide whether they go on the side that shows love or the side that doesn’t show love.

(Take each of these scenarios and put them on the backs of clipart that you can find on Google images)

Write –  “DOES show LOVE” and “DOESN’T show LOVE”

My mom asked me to do the dishes, but I saw this show on the television that looked like it was going to be really funny.  I watched the show and then my brother asked me to play a game.  Then I went to my friend’s house to play.  I came home for dinner and then went to bed.

I stayed over night at my grandma’s house for the weekend.  It was so much fun.  She had lots of fun activities for all of my cousins.  When it was time to go home, I left the room a mess and gave her a great big hug and said thank you.

My dad taught me to always look for things to do to help make others’ lives easier.  I know that my dad always has to take out the trash early in the morning or the night before the trash man comes.  When I came home from soccer, I took the trash out for my dad.

My little sister has a hard time going to sleep without being read to.  My mom was sick and she lost her voice so she couldn’t read to her.  I had a fun book that I read for school, so I told my mom that I would read to my little sister.  It was fun to read to her while she fell asleep.

It was my aunt’s birthday and I wanted to do something special for her.  I had my mom help me make her a very special cake.  She was so excited when she saw it.

My family went on vacation to visit my uncle.   He has a beautiful garden.  We were playing basketball on his driveway and the ball kept going into his flowers.  My uncle had told us to be careful.  But every time I dropped the ball I would run through his flowers to get it.  After the game, I realized that I had torn up several of his flowers.  I tried to make it look like I hadn’t and I didn’t tell him that I’d done it.

My grandpa lives far away and I don’t get to see him very often.  But every Sunday, I draw him a picture of what we did during the week.  On Monday my mom sends him the picture in the mail.

My big brother does a lot for me but I don’t do very much for him.  I decided that I needed to do more to help him and he had a lot of studying to do for his tests in school.  So every morning for a week, I would make his bed while he was in the shower.

Senior Primary

With the older children, ask them each to come up with some of their own ways that they can show their mom, dad, brother, sister or grandparents.

In closing, I want you to know that there are wonderful little ways that we can show our family members that we love them.  And there are little things that we do that make them feel like we don’t love them.  We need to make sure that we are doing more things that show our love.  Just like we learned last week that we each have jobs to do in our family, we also have the responsibility to show our family members that we love them.  We should tell them that we love them any chance we get.  We should give them hugs all the time.  And we should try to show them that we love them by our actions all day every day.  I love my family with all my heart and I am so grateful for their love and support.  I am grateful that I will be with them for time and all eternity through the plan of our Heavenly Father.

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.