Beneath the Wraps

        I really enjoyed "Everything on a Waffle" by Polly Horvath.   I had read it and posted about it a few years back ( here ).   Last week I started reading "The Vacation" by same author.   It is hilarious.        Henry lives with his free-spirited mom and his dad who works for Fuller's Brushes and is away from home a lot as he is making sales.        His mother gets the notion that she wants to go to Africa and serve as a missionary - which her dad finds odd as they are not even religious.  She looks into Mormonism to see if she can be sent to Africa that way, but when it doesn't work out, she ends up going to Africa anyway to help build a school house and just tells everybody that she is a Mormon missionary.         Henry's dad reluctantly heads to Africa with her, but they leave Henry at home with his two middle-aged aunts who don't s...

Gideons’ International is an evangelical Christian association founded 1899 in Janesville, Wisconsin. The   Gideons ' primary activity is distributing copies of the   Bible   free of charge.   I remember when Gideons had come to my school to pass out palm-sized copies of the New Testament plus Psalms and Proverbs when I was in junior high. Mine was red.   I thought it was great to take with me when I went to camp or in the car.   My small book had taking a beating through the years, but I actually still had it in my possession until just before the move to Oregon.   I don’t know why I didn’t bring it.   My eyes can no longer view the small print, but I would have thought I could have let Jenna use it. I know some states or schools have had a problem with mixing of school and religion – though I don’t think passing out free scriptures is a crime, some lawsuits were brought against schools for allowing Bibles to ...

          I don't know if I had purchased this book before or after Jenna was born.  I'm thinking before.  I'm thinking 50 cents.  And what a treasure.  It is called "A Child's Story of the Pearl of Great Price" by Deta Petersen Neeley.  This is a book I would love for my granddaughters to have, but sadly it is no longer in publication.  I think it would be a wise thing for the Church publish it again.           The particular copy that I have was published in 1954 by Deseret News Print.  I think when I initially purchased the book, it was in pretty good condition.  Much better than its present state.  It looks like it has received some water damage, and the pages have started to yellow.  I need a backup in case it falls apart and I plan to scan it in a pdf or tiff in order to read it better and perhaps I can create a new form...

My apologies about this disjointed post.  I should have written this all down while it was happening.  Too late now.  The elders had showed us this video before.  They showed it again at the baptism.  I cried the first time that I saw it.  I cried even harder at the baptism.  Both times I had thought of Annaleigh, my brother-in-law's first wife, who was in need of assistance getting her to various doctor appointments and such, and how it felt like there were only a few of the sisters serving her needs and how much time and planning was involved. My brother-in-law, Bill, is great. Some of us just didn't know how depressing the situation was.  Bill lives up to his last name, Jolly.  He was devoted to Annaleigh and if someone just knew him but not her, there was really no clue about Annaleigh's condition or her attitude or needs.  Overall, I felt depressed just being around her.  Nevertheless, she still needed to be served. ...

          There was a Relief Society luncheon yesterday afternoon.  The tables were decorated so nicely.  There was LOTS of food.  I'm quite certain that there were leftovers, but I had gone back home to give Roland a message as he wasn't answering his phone.           I had returned to assist with the clean-up but was told I wasn't needed.  There were several who had helped clean-up the food table to redecorate for Vanessa's shower.  It's fortunate that both were scheduled so closely together as I don't believe the luncheon would have received the turn-out that they did.  At least half who had attended were there for Vanessa's baby shower - which received a good turn-out as well.           I almost didn't go to the shower as we are down to only one car and Roland had a need greater than my own.  But Sister...

          Jenna and I have read together since she was a baby.  After we had moved to West Valley, she researched a program for a Mother/Daughter book club (which I've mentioned in a few past posts) but I think Wonderstruck is the last thing that we read together.     http://beneaththewraps.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-last-two-books.html           I have tried to get her to read with me - but she's either too busy, not interested, or just seems to have outgrown us reading anymore.  Too bad.  I've recently read a couple that I think she would like.            The characters in both books are the same age as Jenna.           Rebel McKenzie (Candace F. Ransom) wants to be a paleontologist when she grows up (one who works with ice age mammals an...

My last post was about the treasures I discovered on 8mm tapes.  Yesterday I found a notebook with a couple of stories that I would like to share.  The first came from Jenna's head when she was three going on four.  I wish I had filmed her telling it, for it doesn't read quite the same (even with visual aids) as it is to watch her tell the story as she uses "Cootie" parts to emphasize particular parts in the story. For my readers who may not be familiar with the Milton Bradley game, Cooties, here is a brief description and history. The younger generation may view "Cooties" as "cute" game pieces.  The heads on the game I grew up with looked like ants. Keep in mind that Jenna was using a cootie body to demonstrate as she told her story (again and again)  And So the story unfolds:               Once upon a time there was a  caterpillar named Date   w...

          I personally have never worked with a camera this large - though I do remember them           When we moved from West Valley to Oregon, I felt rushed.  I think I left behind all the family tapes.  Tony and his wife were moving into the house and I knew that he would enjoy having the tapes - if he happened to have a working VCR.           I wondered if I should bring my camcorder as finding blank VHS tapes seems obsolete.  Many I had purchased over the years.  Many (as it turns out) are ones that got passed down from my brother Corey. I don't remember having so many camcorder tapes in my possession, but thus far I have come across almost 25           We're still not fully settled with the move.  The counselor in RS had called me to remind me abo...

            Sabrina, from next door, came over to apologize for the cries of her young kids (goats) Truth is I don't even hear them unless I happen to be outside and behind the house.  Sometimes I hear Jack through the kitchen window.  I think Sparky may answer him, but Jack is definitely louder.             Sparky is the dog who lives next door.  He shares the fenced yard with the goats.  Jack lives behind us.  His yard isn't fenced.  He feels free to go wherever he pleases at any time.  I don't know all of his daily routine, but it appears to me that his morning routine is to descend the hill that leads from our yard to his and torment Sparky.             I don't speak dog, but this is what I hear, "Ha, ha.  You are stuck behind a fence all day. I am better than yo...

The last ward I was in had some cool traditions that I don't suppose I appreciated as much than as I do right now, as I discovered I have missed them. Take this last Saturday for instance - the annual fundraiser for young women's organization.  Last year the ward had actually combined young men's, young women's and primary scouts into one fundraiser.  Usually auctioning off desserts.  We had done that in my mom's ward, too.  Only we had professional auctioneers and more generous pockets.  But still.  A tradition that continues. These are the cakes we made last year and the themed picture of Roland, Jenna and me at said activity.  we donated three cakes and two plates of cookies we didn't actually auction off this cake.  We had to try one farm theme cowboys and Indians This one actually wasn't made until we moved to Oregon Westward Pioneer! This was for our family memorial day bbq I don't rememb...