Day 14

Lately, I have taken a ton of pictures of my food and blogged about them. I promise I am not just discovering food for the first time. I just get excited and want to share! Today I made the best loaded baked potatoes! I haven't had one of these for a long time. It was quite the dinner! 

Today I wanted to get out and do something out of the normal, so I went to the pool at my apartments by myself. Normally, I probably wouldn't even go with people I like so to go along was really stretching my limits. I don't really like swimming because I don't like the way I look in a swimming suit, I don't really know how to play in the water, and I don't like water in my eyes (even clean water). Also, I feel the need to wear much sun screen when I am out doors longer than a half hour and that is kind of a pain in and of itself. So I went by myself. There was no one down there. I sat and read my book for a good chapter or so, but then I got too hot so I knew I had to just get in the water. 

At first the water shocked my body and I was uncomfortable, but once I was all the way in, the water felt so refreshing. So a little something about me: I don't like to just play, or tinker, or do anything much by myself really. But when I am around people, I am so afraid of what people think of me that I kind of freeze and don't know how to be myself. So I am sitting in the pool, by myself, and I popped my bubble! I tried to float on my back and then suddenly, my arms started moving. I didn't know I knew how to do a back stroke! I swam laps and played in the water! I don't know what changed in me this afternoon. I didn't care what people would think if they saw me or feel silly that I was playing all by my lonesome. It was such a great feeling to just let go. I think the last time I felt that secure with myself was when I was a child growing up in Orangeville, Utah. 

13th Day

So the day is only half over and I still have accomplish more than I have in the last two days. If I keep pushing, I might just break some records haha but probably not. I have been known to over cram my days.

I made another trip to Wal-Mart. They scammed me. If they did not have the best prices for specific necessities, I would not ever go there again. Maybe when I grow up and have more money, I will be able to shop other places! I will keep dreaming! . . . . Glad I got this off my chest.

I threw on my Baker mojo today and baked! And experimented, which you should know is not uncommon in the Baker house. I made a goal not to eat cold cereal for breakfast so like I mentioned in earlier posts, I am finding breakfast alternatives like muffins. I found a recipe using Bisquick and blueberries and I loved it. Too bad I was out of delicious muffins this morning because I really didn't want to eat eggs or french toast or oatmeal. Oatmeal was easier to make so that is what I made haha. I normally really love oatmeal, but for some reason today, it just sounded unappetizing.

To make my trek through breakfast, I decided to read about the health benefits of oatmeal. Let's just say that I will probably keep oatmeal a main part of my diet! As I was reading this, I thought, "Why not put oatmeal in my muffins?!" I felt like I was a genius until the next thought came in: add granola as well! I kind of made up my own recipe for these muffins. None of the ingredients have the bad fats and sugars (minus the three TBS of sugar in the entire batch of muffins) in them. Most of them are high in necessary dietary fiber, protein, calcium, vitamin A, iron, and good carbohydrates. So these are pretty much the healthiest muffins ever; the only thing that could make it better would be to use whole wheat flour. Here is the recipe:

2 Cups Bisquick (will probably reduce this next time)

2.5 Cups oatmeal

1 Cup granola (I used Kashi with almonds and flax seed)

4 TBS white sugar (reduce or add if you want more or less sweetness)

1 TBS brown sugar 

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 Cups of milk

1 Cup blueberries (gonna try apples next time)

Preheat oven to 400. Mix everything together except milk and blueberries.

Add milk until mixture is pretty creamy; add more milk if batter is chunky. Add Blueberries. 

Place in muffin pans (grease or use cups, duh). Cook for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

August 13, Day 12

The phrase, "Give place not more for the enemy of my soul" (2Nephi 4:28) has been in my head lately. I have been trying really hard to pay attention to the feelings in my heart so I can protect myself from things that could potentially harm me. So I was driving today and Krispy Kreme popped out of no where with that glowing "Hot Doughnuts" sign right in my immediate vision. Let's just say I lost the battle today. Tomorrow will be better :)

I have a Fish friend that I admire very much. Sometimes however, we do not understand each other's humor. I thought that maybe he doesn't understand mine because I was afraid to show it because I was afraid of what he would think of me. I know, it's silly, but it was/is a fear of mine so I kinda hold back. I thought it would be a good idea to share a few things that make me laugh no matter what. I hope this shows a little bit of my sense of humor!

Day 9, 10, and 11

Ya I know I rock. I cannot allow myself to skips days again! I still have hundreds of them! Just so you know, I did take a picture over the last four days, I just chose not to post it. I know, it defeats the purpose; promise to better in the future :)

Day 9 was on Friday August 10th. The night before I stayed up with some friends way too late. Guess who wasn't tired in the middle of the day?! Sarah Jane! I was so excited to see my mom and brother who came up to do school shopping for Cole but the three of us know that we all enjoyed buying me clothes instead haha. That night we slept over at my aunt and uncle, Kelly and Tatum's, house. It was so much fun! Granted the air mattress deflated in the middle of the night, but it was fun to spend time with my family. I learned that night that I have a black grandma. This explains why I tan so well (period)

Day 10 was Saturday. I went to Hobby Lobby with my aunt Tate. Dear future husband if you ever read this: this store is the ultimate temptation for me to spend money. Keep this mind. Now to continue, I came off conqueror, but if I would have bought something, it would have been these sweet colored jars, a fish bowl, candles, picture frames, paint, fabric, and pretty much everything and anything to have the ultimate craft box and decorations. I don't know if it is healthy for me to want these things. I think I will be avoiding that store. So later that night, I helped the Carriers, dear friends, with their catering gig. I got paid and could take enough leftovers to feed me for three meals, but I learned something more from this. The guests were the class of 1957. They all finished their plates! One man even told me that he didn't like any of the food  that was offered, but he took a plate anyway. I watched him, and he finished every little bit even though he made it clear he didn't like it. I thought about this and it is because they were born around the end of the Great Depression and grew up during WWII. They probably never had a choice on whether or not they finished their plate because their parents wouldn't allow them to be ungrateful. How generations change! This whole "children in Africa would love to eat your dinner" campainge is not working. I hope I can teach my children to be grateful.

Day 11 was Sunday naturally because 11 comes after 10 and Sunday follows Saturday. This was a very comtemplative day for me. In relief society (men be jealous you don't get to go to relief society), I learned a valuable lesson. The topic was about being member missionaries so I bet you could guess the generic things we talked about. However, it was the young women teaching's testimony that caught me off guard. She explained that she did not feel welcome in relief society or in church in general, so after a few weeks of trying when she moved away to college, she gave up. She made mistakes and is now coming back to church. She pointed out that this week, there are going to be hundreds added to our ward as new people move into the dorms. She said that these next couple weeks are so important to make these sisters (and brothers) feel welcome because if they don't feel that way and their testimonies are not as strong as they thought, they will not come back after a month. I really liked what she said and I want to take it to heart.

den osem (day eight)

Ever since I was a little girl, I have felt the need to be a great baker, literally. I should be on the show the Next Great Baker! To be honest, I just want the cool chef's coat! Today however, I thought I would pull a Betty Crocker and just whip up some muffins out of thin air . . . and bisquick. . . and an egg. ... and blueberries. . . . and sugar. . .and milk. . . and Love :) I even dressed up like her! So anyway, these muffins are great! I will definitely be making these for breakfast. Not only are they cheap, I could make these healthier by adding flax seed oil or something like that! Can I just say. . . Check out that muscle in the picture! Bet you didn't know I was also mimicing Rosy the Riveter ;) So thanks to fabulous women in my family, I have a bowl from my dear Sugar and my mom bought me muffin pans recently. Both taught me the importance of a good rubber spatula (mine isn't too hot though). I am so grateful that I have women in my life who have taught me the importance of good nutrition (muffins aren't that bad) and how to cook! I am also grateful for cell phones for those times that I forget things like how long to cook a certain casserole and I can just call up my mom and say, "Hey mom! So umm, shepherds pie. . .. . . 350 got it." Yes sometimes, I don't even have to ask a whole question and my mom knows what I am going to say :)

Day 7: Week 1 Complete

As usual, I had a few pretty neat things happen today. Today when I went to the temple, I saw a girl from one of my classes last year. We were never friends and to be honest, I don't really remember her name. We talked like we had known each other always. When I first saw her, I was so excited. I cannot explain why I felt so genuinely happy to see this young woman or that I was able to have a full on conversation and enjoy it. I had forgotten about her until I saw her. I want it to be like this with most people I meet. Is it possible? Well, I have a goal to remember every person's name that I meet this year by the second introduction. I  want to do this so that people can feel important and loved. I know I feel flattered when other people remember my name. So maybe with this goal, I will be able to have that kind of reunion with people I meet.

I woke up pretty sick this morning. I was bummed! I knew that tonight was our ward activity which just happened to be riding a zip-line down Provo canyon. I started feeling worse as the day progressed, but I decided to go anyway. Seriously, when would I ever get a chance to go on a zip-line for free?! It was one of the funnest summer activities I have ever participated in! The sun wasn't out and there was a cool canyon breeze. I could see down the canyon with all the pines and the river at the bottom. It was so beautiful! I wasn't even afraid of the heights and normally I feel a sense of danger up that high. I actually felt safer (more safe?) on the zip-line than on the gocart ride up the mountain. I had so much fun! It was also great to meet new people (ask me their names I dare you!) and get to know previous acquaintances even more. What a great activity!

Day Six

As I was growing up, for some reason I felt I had to be up before seven and to school before eight in the morning. Once college started, I failed waking up that early. Let's just say that I feel no need to wake up before seven any more! My nine o'clock class was easy to get to; that gave me enough time in the morning. So what I am getting at is that it has been so nice to get up when I want and get ready at my own pace this summer! I have quite enjoyed it. I don't think I will have a problem when school starts though because I will have a reason to wake up earlier.

My roommate Gaby Seeley and I went to the UVU campus today to get some things settled for school before deadlines and such. All last year, a new science building was under construction and it opened up partially at the end of our last semester. It its completely open now so we thought we would go check it out. I think I may have found my new study spot on campus! This building is so neat and HUGE. We found a skeleton statue that we named MR. Bones-Jones. We also came across this counter that holes in it for garbage and such, but there were no garbage cans placed underneath . . . yet. I fit in a cupboard pretty easily, so naturally , I had to get in a stick my head up through a hole. We thought we were pretty sneaky by making sure no one was watching, but neither of us thought of security cameras. I hope we made someones day haha :) 

Day . . . . . 5 !

I know I said the challenge was a picture a day, but it seems as though I put two on. Perhaps this will change as I become busier with school and such. So anyway, two pictures again today :) I wanted to share with you my delicious breakfast of cinnamon french toast topped with homemade apricot jam with a side of milk and a perfectly ripened banana, but you were not there! Where were you? I would have shared! I have a goal to not eat cold cereal for breakfast in an attempt to say healthy and well this up coming school year. So far so good! We will see how well I keep to this goal. I will keep you updated because I am going to learn some sweet breakfast recipes!

If any of you have met my car, you know that it is a rolling miracle. When I was on my way home from church yesterday, my car wouldn't start. The young man that was helping me couldn't jump it and no one could tow it that night. So miracle number one: My car was not booted or towed by the city! Later on today after I was able to get someone to help me, we went to Walmart to get some towing cables which I really did not plan into my budget. The package that they were in was pretty torn up, but it was the only one.We get to my car and miracle number two greets us with a handshake: my car started when my helper jumped it! Miracle number three: I was able to drive to a car parts store and buy a new battery after closing hours and they installed it for me! Also, when they tested my battery (I can't remember what the measurements are called)  measured at 40/600. Normal cars need like 200/600 to run, so really my miracle car stayed true to its reputation. Miracle number four: Although I managed to loose the receipt for the badly packaged towing cables, I was able to return them and get a full refund! That black rectangular looking thing is my new battery :) I now know how to install them and jump it if needs be.

I have had many reasons to believe that we are the children of a God of miracles throughout my life. Today was another testimony to me that God really does pay attention to the little things and that He answers our prayers. He is aware of us!  In all reality, I could manage without a car if I needed to, but my car is important to me and Heavenly Father knows that. Earlier today, I said a prayer specifically for miracles so that my car wouldn't be booted and that I would be able to move it from the parking lot to my apartment and that it would start if possible. I had hope in these prayers, but Heavenly Father answered in a better way than what I had expected. Not only did it start, He provided me a way to fix the problem and I made it home safely. All of the series of events today seemed frustrating and I was stressed, but as I reflect this evening about what happened and the tender mercies of the Lord, I know that He was watching out for me and teaching me lessons of gratitude, prayer, faith, hope, and patience and humility. What a great day!

Sunday, Day 4

What a day! It started with my sweetheart waking me up with a happy message. That may have made my day. I am so blessed to have someone that cares about me and lets me know about it.

To be honest, I was kind of nervous about today. My ward started church at 1:30 in the afternoon and that is what I thought would throw off my groove considering I have had church in the morning my entire life. I thought it would drain out my day. Time did in fact fly today, however, I was surprised at how well I was able to focus on the Sabbath. I think it is because I wanted to stay focused on the gospel and in particular Jesus Christ before I took the sacrament today. So I focused all morning on spiritual things and by the time I got home from church, it was five in the afternoon!

So I had a good scripture study before church today and I want to share a few things that I learned that I feel are appropriate. I have always had a hard time distinguishing the difference between faith and hope. Well it just happened that today as I was studying the Christ-like attributes section of Preach My Gospel, those two topics were in the pages that I studied. This book described hope as "believing and expecting" something to occur and faith as a "principle of action"(pages 116-117).  So eventually, I came to the conclusion that faith is what you do to follow Jesus Christ and you hope for certain blessings because of what you did. The trick is to make sure that we are putting our faith and hope in the right spot. Another way to put is is faith is what you do to receive a specific hope.

The picture that I posted today is of my notes in my gospel study journals. One is for my daily scripture study, and the other is based on topic. I just wanted to say that I know that if we take the time to write down what we learn and feel as we are studying the gospel, we will learn more than we ever expected. By writing these sacred thoughts and feelings down, we allow the Holy Ghost to teach us even more because we show that we want to learn and that we value what we learn. I definitely see a difference in my study between the instances when I have a pen a paper right by my side and when I just have my scriptures. I have also seen a difference when I make an effort to organize and label my recordings too. You should try it some time :)

Day Tres

Once upon a time there was a young lady named Sarah Jane Baker. Sarah Jane loved plants and working in gardens. Naturally, Sarah Jane grew up and went to college so she could be an educated woman. Sometimes, she missed being home so to solve this dilemma, she bought a plant. It was one of those miniature looking palm tree things that people normally put in pots with their petunias. As the semesters went on Sarah Jane grew attached to this plant. You see, it was one thing that didn't change during her growth spurt way of college life. She promised that she would keep this plant all through her college experience. Then one day when she was moving back home for a while, she left the palm tree thing in the hot car. It's once perky, foot long, luscious leaves now looked like that lettuce you forgot was in your vegetable drawer in the fridge a month ago. Sarah Jane tried to baby it to make it perk up. She clipped all the dead leaves off and kept it in a stable environment. Eventually, she lost hope and neglected to even try to take care of it.  Weeks went on and she decided to put a new plant in the pot. When she went to remove her beloved palm tree thing, she noticed little starts budding from the top of the twig that was left over! Sarah Jane was amazed! She had not watered the plant for at least three weeks and it was not anywhere near a window. What Sarah Jane forgot, is that this palm tree thing is constant. It remained strong even though it was choked and neglected. She knew it was strong, she just forgot to see it's real worth and potential.

So what did I do about this? Well, I still wanted a new plant in the pot so I carefully removed my palm tree thing and separated the roots from the dirt. Surprise there was actually two of those whimsical plants in that ceramic pot! I put them in a jar of water. It has only been five days since it just had little buds and the leaves have grown just a little over an inch!  When they are big enough, I might put them in some dirt so their roots can take hold to something. I might just leave them in the jar too! It is cool to see the roots; maybe I should put some rocks at the bottom so the roots can hold onto something.

So I think I got my love of plants from my Great Grandma Dorthy Tucker. She is famous for her giant gardens from the past. She is 85ish now and she still has a huge garden. Mind you her garden now is about the size of a large garden for normal people, but she will insist that it is small. She is so healthy and hard working! I want to be like her when I am 85ish! I got to see her today at my Uncle Steve's wedding. She is remarried to a man named Merlin who I am sitting by in the picture. They are both so kind to me and I really appreciate them. I am so blessed to know them. In fact, I have met all of my great grandparents except one! Now that is a privilege!

Day TWO

I finally have everything unpacked and organized! Well, mostly organized; I would like to organize my book shelves a little different than I already have them. I also did some deep cleaning because the people that had my room and bathroom before left a mess. While I was working today I listened to music nonstop either from Pandora Internet Radio or from my ipod. It was interesting to notice how I felt while listening to each song. I realized how much music affects my attitude a behavior in a different way by paying attention to how I felt rather than focusing on the fun-ness and catchy beat. I think I need to be more careful about what I listen to. I also need to whip my ipod into shape!

I went to the Provo Temple this morning. I made a goal to go once a week this year since I live so close to two temples. I did go home for six weeks this summer so the temple was not as close, but my parents made a special effort to take me to one. In fact, as a family we visited the Vernal, Utah temple. Anyway, I have made my goal almost every week so far! I think I might have been taking the opportunity for granted earlier this spring and summer. I realized this when I was home in Price when I had to make more of an effort to go. I think I would like to revamp my goal to attend the temple once a week with purpose, reverence, and an open heart. What a blessing it is that I can go so often! I want to make the most of it. I want to go for the right reasons, not just to check of a weekly task.

Day 1 X 2

Pinterest has done it again! I have a list of things I want to try that I have seen on that website, but I think one in particular will benefit me and future generations. This great idea I saw was to take one picture everyday and write about it for one year. Considering I cannot afford to print off 365 pictures or the time to paste it onto a paper, I thought using my blog for this project would be a great idea.

I wish I would have started yesterday, so I will include a few things about it. I moved back to Orem, Utah for school yesterday. I was terrified! I moved by myself, but luckily I have good roommates who helped me bring my stuff up from the car! I really like my room this year. The closet isn't as big as the other rooms, but I would much rather have a good sized window than a big closet.

So today, was not my best shopping day. Needless to say, my list of things to buy grew once I realized how much stuff my old roommates bought. Also, I forgot my list when I went to the all powerful Wal-Mart. I don't really want to talk about it. If anything, I will not go hungry for at least three weeks! I bet I could even stretch that if I needed to.

 I had a good talk with my friend Chase Hart. What a blessing it is to have a friend to talk to who knows how to give feed back. He remembered that I enjoy hiking and suggested that we hike up to the giant BYU Y that is on the side of the mountain. I had so much fun! My roommate Gaby came with us, and I am excited to see the pictures she took. The view overlooking the Utah Valley was amazing, plus, we were up there for the sunset! I could see the Provo Temple and the Mount Timpanogous Temple up there. It will be neat when the Provo City Center Temple and the Payson Temple are done because I bet you will be able to see those from up there too! My legs are going to kill me tomorrow! Especially from the steep descend. It really was a great experience.

To my Baker family who may or may not read this: My hiking up to the Y is not a sign of treason to the Utes.  I think I might have littered up there on the Y itself. Yes, it is true, I cannot find certain wrappers. This does not detract from my loyalty to the Utes. In fact, this is a fun accomplishment to hike up that mountain.

steps.

waiting for the light to change
tries the blind as they search
through the darkness for a
signal to move forward.

likewise, these blizzards in july
stunt the memories of the heart
which naturally changes as 
experience exercises the muscle. 


when reflections of life 
mimic a well used chalkboard
I wonder why I'm still waiting 
for someone else to write.  

The Desert Wave

When I was a kid, it was THE COOLEST thing to go to the Desert Wave or as we called it,   "the wave pool" in Price, Utah. We lived in Orangeville which is about 40 miles away. We went to Price all the time to visit my grandparents, but it seemed like it took 10X longer to get to the wave pool. Later, my family moved to Price about two blocks away from the pool! I haven't been in years. The famine has ended!  When my mom got home from work this afternoon she said, "do you want to go to the wave pool?!" It was random and spontaneous and fun! We got some tubes and went floating on the pool in the waves for hours! I can't believe my mom took me to the pool again. What a treat! 

Sewing!

I am an avid believer that women are to be homemakers. I am sure that everybody has their own definition of homemaking, but I think part of it is sewing. You better believe that I will be making my children's Halloween costumes or those dumb outfits they will have to wear at school programs; they will be the cool kids with the cool mom. I might make table cloths and place-mats if they are cheaper that way. Although those are some fun things, there are so many other practical uses for sewing. Some include hemming pants, shirts, and skirts (all of which I have to do anyway as petite as I am), patching wholes in jeans and beloved blankets, fixing broken zippers, and reattaching buttons. I can say that I can do all these already because my mother and grandmother have taught me over the years. (You know, if someone wanted to get me and my future family a sewing machine for a wedding or Christmas present, I wouldn't complain.)  My latest achievement is I successfully sewed together a skirt that has a zipper on the side and I will be be wearing often. It cost $7.00 to make it verse buying one from the store for at least $25! The pictures are not the best so please forgive me :)

HAIR CUT !!

I have been trying to grow my hair out for about two years now. It grows and then the ends look bad so I cut a few inches off to make it look healthy again. So really, it has been about the same length for a while. I have been debating whether to cut it or not for months now and I finally did it! I ended up cutting eleven inches off my hair! These are not the best pictures ever taken of me, but I think they get the point across :)

You are Precious

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The other night, I went to my mother's Relief Society activity at our home ward. I had the opportunity to see many of my role models and teachers from my young women experience. I also saw other women that I hold in high regard who I know love the gospel and keep their temple covenants.

As I was sitting listening to the lesson, I noticed the dress and appearance of these women. Most were wearing long shorts or pants. Their shirts had sleeves that went to the middle of their bicep area and were not revealing in anyway in regards to the cut and thickness of the fabric. Not only did their clothes cover them completely, their clothes were not flashy, not meant to attract attention, and not exactly fashionable according to the standards of the world. These women were happy and clearly confident about who they are. I then noticed that I did not match these women. It's not like I was wearing skimpy clothes, but my shorts were a little too short. I bought them because I thought they were long enough. They go to my knee when I am standing, but while I sit, they ride up my leg a little bit. There is no way I could wear these shorts after my future temple marriage. Needless to say, I felt a little uncomfortable sitting there with all these modest women around me. I'm sure none of them were judging me for it, but I felt that I needed to make a change.

The definition of being modest differs from person to person based on their own belief system and how they were raised. However, God has revealed through modern day prophets and apostles the standards he expects us to live by. One great source to learn more about this is the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet put out by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Check out this link! https://www.lds.org/youth/for-the-strength-of-youth?lang=eng Not only does it explain God's standard for modesty, it explains other standards in an uplifting, edifying way.


 The current fashions of the world and the number of people wearing it make the idea of being modest unpopular, old-fashioned, and unappealing. It is much cheaper to buy immodest clothing as well. It is a common thought that specific clothing (or lack thereof) is attractive, sexy, and beautiful. Also, it seems as though it is expected of women to wear "flashy" make up and accessories to be recognized. How sad is it that so many women and girls think that they have to dress like this to be accepted especially by the male gender! It is easy to compare ourselves to other women especially when we see pictures of "the perfect body" or read quotes that suggest that if we do not do certain things then we are not worth it yet. I found a an article that addresses this very well so I will let you read it when you get the chance. I highly suggest it! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lexie-kite/fitspiration-isnt-inspirational_b_1524706.html

The human body is beautiful and sacred. It should not be exploited the way that society promotes. It has been scientifically proven that pornography is just as addicting has illegal drugs and has the same effects, lowers self-esteem, and lowers the level of interpersonal relationships. Have you ever thought of dressing immodestly as a form of pornography? Women, when a man sees you dressed immodestly, it arouses him just as much as if he were looking at pornography. 

Women, please pay attention! You are worth more than to be "eye-candy." You are more than just a body; you have a heart that feels. You are daughters of God. You are important and loved by Him. The price of your virtue "is far above rubies" (Proverbs 31:10). You do not have to dress immodestly to be accepted, loved, or noticed by others.

Modesty is not just about what you wear. Modesty is the way you speak and act. Modesty is a way of thinking. Modesty is an act of Virtue. Modesty is a lifestyle.  King Mosiah said, "But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not" (Mosiah 4:30).


We need to make sure that we use appropriate language and tone of voice. No one likes someone that boasts about everything and we have been advised not to do so. Elder Richard G. Scott spoke about receiving spiritual guidance in the April 2012 General Conference. As you read this small excerpt, think about how this relates to modesty in our words: "Another principle is to be cautious with humor. Loud, inappropriate laughter will offend the Spirit. A good sense of humor helps revelation; loud laughter does not. A sense of humor is an escape valve for the pressures of life. Another enemy to revelation comes from exaggeration or loudness in what is stated. Careful, quiet speech will favor the receipt of revelation." Doesn't it make sense that if we watch what we say and how we say it, naturally people will respect us more than if we were trying to impress them with something that may be inappropriate? 


 President Dieter F. Utchdorf teaches in his talk Forget Me Not addressed to the Relief Society of the LDS church simple truths that can help us live modest lives. http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-relief-society-meeting/2011/09/forget-me-not?lang=eng 

I believe that if we live a virtuous, modest life we will have more confidence in ourselves. I know that if we follow the council of the prophets, we will receive blessings that we couldn't even imagine; we will be protected from the evils of this world. But most of all, I know that if we are virtuous, the Spirit of the Lord will be with us.

Since I moved to college, my mom moved a ton of her stuff into my room. One feature is this framed letter on my headboard on the top shelf (about a foot and a half above my head if I lay on the bed). Attached to this frame is a clip-on tiny lamp. It really is a balancing act waiting to give out. Ya well it gave out. There I was sleeping at three a.m. like a normal person and the acrobat team fell on my face! It scared me so bad! I yelled and threw it on the ground along with everything else I could find in the dark on my headboard. Oddly, none of my family heard any of this even though I was throwing a fit. To be honest, I fell back asleep after a minute or so haha. This morning I was thinking about what happened and why my family didn't rush to my rescue. First thing you need to know about the Baker's is that we are pretty deep sleepers. They probably slept through the whole thing because they were in another world.  They were probably all in their classic sleeping positions. For example :

Mom: either she is caught red-handed or is doing the YMCA very slowly

 Dad: classic dead-man's stance

 Sarah Jane: rock-climber. If I was true to myself, my face would not be injured.

 Coleton: he starts out normal but he always ends up like a possum at the end of the night.

Names

The concept of a name is universal. Everything has a name along with everyone.  Did you know that names from the beginning has had meanings and symbolism?  Hebrew was the language for the Old Testament; the following are commonly known Old Testament Characters. The name Esau is Hebrew for "God Hears," Saul means "Asked," and Elijah means "Jehovah is my God." We learn that Abraham's first name was Abram which means "Exalted Father" and Abraham means "Father of a Multitude." Each of these characters didn't have their name because their mom thought it was cute. If you study these characters, you will find that their name's match their missions in life (their moms were inspired!).

 My name also happens to be old Hebrew. Sarah means "princess" and Jane means "merciful." So even though technically my parents named me after my great grandma who left a marvelous legacy, perhaps I should consider what my name means and strive to be a merciful princess.

I am a daughter of the King of Heaven and Earth so I already have the entitled to be princess, but I need to step up if I want to reclaim and maintain my divine nature (which everybody has fyi). Heavenly Father has given us specific commandments and standards. Wouldn't I be the best princess ever if I learned how to keep all of His commandment continually?!

Now for Jane (merciful). As the Savior taught the people on the Sermon on the Mount and the Nephites when He visited them, he talked about mercy. The Savior taught, " blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (3 Nephi 12:7 & Matt 5:7). I want mercy, so I need to give it meaning I need to be forgiving and judge righteously. What a great reminder to have that in my name.

So basically, my name reminds me of my divine nature, what I need to be working on, and what my potential can be. I challenge you to look up your name and give it a meaning to help motivate you. If your name is something odd and you have a hard time connecting it to something, remember that when you were baptized (assuming you are LDS) you took upon the name of Christ. You are reminded of this each time you take the sacrament. Your name has meaning. This life has meaning. You have a purpose.

After reviewing what I can remember from my prayers lately, if I would not have even "woke up"  to enjoy the things I did say thank you for because I said nothing about being thankful for a body. I want to claim all the blessings that Heavenly Father gives to me daily by having a more grateful, productive life. When I was a child, my dad would say, "Sarah if your room is not clean by dinner, I am going to take everything left on the floor to the dump." It was kind of harsh I thought, but now I can kind of see Heavenly Father saying the same thing about being grateful for the blessings he gives me that I sometimes leave unclaimed on the floor.

{sweet thing}

I learned a lesson today that I have looked over many times before. I was babysitting my younger cousins today but mainly the one who is two. He is a gabber box that doesn't stop unless caiou is on the tv; he even talks while he sleeps. He asks lots of questions, or yells "Sarah watch this" or "Buh-buh- bananas!" He also only has two volumes: louder and loudest (just normal loud doesn't cut it). He is also always in motion and into something he shouldn't be. If you ask him what is name is, he says "Danger."  A few times tonight he would completely stop, look me in the eye and say, "Sarah, I promise." in a very sincere whisper. This caught me off guard because I didn't expect something so reverent from the boy who named himself Danger. He meant what he said even though he never mentioned what he promised, but he promised it. I can be pretty busy sometimes. It seems like I have a few solid productive things, but the majority of my busy is just "gabber." I want to be like my two year old cousin and stop all the nonsense for a moment of reverence and remember what promises I have made such as those found in the Sacrament prayers. He is only two, but he is  onto something ;)

Gratitude

One Sunday in Relief Society, a young woman made a comment that went something (not exactly) like this:

 " How many women do you know when they are complemented on their hair or make-up or outfit say 'oh I just rolled out of bed' or ' I really didn't spend much time on it'? I am guilty of this brush-off. I wish women would just take the complement and say 'Thank You'. I think if women did this, more women would be confident." 

I agree with her. I am guilty of this almost everyday (I made note of it for a week now). Not only did I "brush-off" the complements on my appearance, I pushed aside the complements towards tasks I had completed, character attributes, and time I invested in projects. Maybe if I accepted these complements, I would be more confident about who I am and what I do because I recognized a kind gesture from someone else. Now, if graciously receiving complements contributes to my emotional health, wouldn't it make sense that honestly complementing others would have the same if not a greater affect? On a broader spectrum, wouldn't it make sense to express more gratitude to attain more confidence?

There are more benefits than just confidence when you make an effort to be grateful. "Two psychologists, Michael McCollough of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and Robert Emmons of the University of California at Davis, wrote an article about an experiment they conducted on gratitude and its impact on well-being. The study split several hundred people into three different groups and all of the participants were asked to keep daily diaries. The first group kept a diary of the events that occurred during the day without being told specifically to write about either good or bad things; the second group was told to record their unpleasant experiences; and the last group was instructed to make a daily list of things for which they were grateful. The results of the study indicated that daily gratitude exercises resulted in higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism, and energy. In addition, those in the gratitude group experienced less depression and stress, were more likely to help others, exercised more regularly, and made greater progress toward achieving personal goals"( Marelisa Fabrega, How Gratitude Can Change Your Life)(emphasis added). 

There was a difference between the people who did nothing and the people who made a list of things they were grateful for. They took action! Gratitude is not a noun, but a verb, an action word. Modern day prophets and apostles have advised us to keep "gratitude journals." This can be as simple as writing a list of things you are grateful for in that little notebook you bought that you don't know what to do with because it is so little.  Try saying a prayer in which all you talk about things you are grateful for and why. I like to make thank you notes or letters. These things can take some time. One of the easiest ways to show gratitude is to simply say thank you when the occasion arises. When you say thank you, it gives the recipient an opportunity to accept it and feel  confident as I mentioned at the beginning. Your kind gesture, your action, could brighten someone's day as you help them feel important, needed, and happy.

Circle "yes" or "no"

I feel like I am an option, not an important person. Employers see my name at the top of a job application. It seems like my family views me as a person to do a specific job that  I don't necessarily want to do in the first place. My friends turn to me when they have a problem, no one else to turn to, or when it is convenient for them; they will come back from the summer and will have to decide if I am the best option for them at that time. The school has to decide if I am the best option to award a scholarship to. This is exhausting because I never know what people want to do with me. Who are they to judge if I am the best anyway. I do good things and I work hard. I put in lots of time and energy in things for other people and causes that I love. I am tired of standing in the line waiting to be picked for a team; I have been the last one to be picked since first grade literally and theoretically. It would be so nice to be someone's first choice. I recognize that I should be thankful that I am even picked to be on a team. It is hard to be patient and be happy being patient. I wish people would stop leaving me hanging waiting for them for months sometime to make a choice. I am a good choice. I am important. Please, stop playing with me; I don't want to be your maybe or I don't know yet.

Just a Thought

I am an out-loud thinker. Often times by thoughts and opinions are solidified as I speak to other people. Not that I don't think before I speak. I think about it, but the subject is solidified when I say it. This method can be embarrassing sometimes because once in a while, the thought just popped into my head as I was speaking and I didn't think about the consequences of what I said. Believe me, I think way to much sometimes, but there those rare occasions that I wish I would have thought about it more. As I see the consequence of my words, I realize how much power of influence is in each of us. The more I realize this, the more I want to be a positive power influence for other people.  One of my biggest problems is, I talk about my problems to others. I feel this could be detrimental because it may remind others of negative things in their own lives. I saw this quote on Pinterest and I think it could help me (and other people too) as I try to build others up rather than talk about my issues and concerns with them.

I have also given another idea some thought too thanks to Pinterest. This other quote said, " Have you prayed about it as much as you have talked about it?" The idea came to mind that if I actually did this, my problems wouldn't seem as big, I would sound more educated, and I would feel more at peace. I try my best to talk to Heavenly Father first especially if it is concerning things that could effect other people. For example: I seek council from Heavenly Father about my one of my dearest friends before I talk to my parents and and other friends. Doing this has given me a better understanding and appreciation for him. This also helps me to not be detracted from what is true and real from "what-if's" and personal feelings from others. As I have applied this to other things, life has become so much easier! I am not as stressed about issues and the answer to problems seems to come quicker as I turn to Heavenly Father. I hope that you would try this. It works.

Not-So-Great Expectations

Ever since I was little, I have had high expectations for myself. I have always felt the need to be the best. For example,  when I was six in first grade, I had to have more pencils than Jason Tatton. Later I had to be better than Michella Turner at basketball. Now, I don't feel that I need to be better than people, in fact, I prefer to help other people and encourage them rather than compete against them, but I expect nothing but the best from myself. I feel so excited on those rare occasions that I feel that I worked my hardest and achieved the results that I wanted. Those rare occasions are becoming more frequent and I feel more accomplished as I make an effort to progress everyday.

Here is the problem. I set high expectations for other people. I expect people to treat me a certain way especially those I have relationships with. I expect people to be completely honest with me. I expect them to work as hard as I do and put in as much energy as I do as I try to help, strengthen, and love them. When it comes down to it, I just want people to put as much into me as I do them. This is a big problem. Maybe I shouldn't have these kind of expectations for other people. If I didn't expect so much, then I would never be disappointed. So I am going to drop all expectations I have of other people and be thankful for what they actually give. I want to learn to accept people for who they are. I want to learn to love the strengths and weakness of others. I want to learn to love other people unconditionally without expecting anything in return. I want to dedicate each day to serving someone else. This should change my attitude if I focus on others right?

Flower's in Jars

 Flowers are pretty much the coolest thing in this world next to glitter, glow sticks, and microwaves. I have always loved to garden. Playing in the dirt is therapeutic for me. So is anything with color especially pink. I saw these terrariums online that were in blown-glass orbs and I really wanted to try it. I have not been able to find orbs, but I found old salt shakers at the DI in Price. So to tie this all together, I planted whimsical pink flowers in salt shakers just for kicks and giggles.

 My mom liked the idea and handed me other little jars to put the remaining flowers in. This activity was quite exciting and fun for me. I didn't even have to be outside. There was a severe wind warning for this area and gardening would have been impossible. I have the coolest mom! She let me bring dirt into the house and work on the kitchen table. Be jealous.

Rasberry Tarts

So once upon a time I had this friend that loves sweets, but has chosen not eat any lately. This made me think, I haven't made my favorite treat lately: pie. I love to make pies and it has been about six months since I have made one. I saw these cute little pies on pinterest made in a muffin pan. Did I try it out? You betcha!They didn't hold together so well out of the pan, but they were a good little snack!

*nineteen*

I am so blessed! I have never been without the support of friends and mostly family for my entire life. I may forget this sometimes, but I have always had a support system. I could look at most everyone on my contact list in my phone and feel comfortable calling them just to say hi or ask for help or just to talk. Earlier this week, I forgot about this and was not expecting people to remember by birthday due to recent events. I was wrong! People started texting me "happy birthday" at 1:25 a.m. this morning. This was a first haha. I remember in high school, I would get tons of messages on facebook or even people in the halls telling me happy birthday, but today was the first time it was narrowed down the the people who actually care about me. I was even surprised by a few messages I got today.

My mom actually came up yesterday to take me to lunch for my birthday. She brought me a present of course. She gave me a pocket watch on a necklace, two Jane Austin books, hangers, envelopes, pens, notepad, and a grocery bag. I wanted/needed these for a while now so it was a pleasant surprise. Guess what she wrapped these in! Paper doilies! It was the cutest thing ever. She also bought we one other gift as we went shopping. We found this beautiful picture of a dead tree, an old fence, and my favorite scripture painted on the bottom. I literally cried because I was so happy when I saw it. If you know anything about me, I love dead trees and old fences so this was perfect. Also, I don't cry over things like that because generally I am not a sentimental person.

Today, my Aunt Bonnie made me a beautiful cake. She spent hours piping the frosting on it and making it just right. She also took me and my dear friend Ashley Allred to dinner. Ashley and I went to see The Avengers before dinner. That may or may not be my new favorite movie :)

 My sweet boyfriend Alex Fish sent me gigantic chocolate covered strawberries in the mail with a sweet little note to go with them! He is in Missouri for work right now. I thought I might get a card from him in the mail so I was very surprised.  How thoughtful was that?! His family also sent me birthday wishes today which I was not expecting either. Let's just say that I really did feel special today :) I am so blessed!

Why it is Hard for me to Focus

Just to give you an idea of what goes on in my thought process, I thought I would share a few questions and thoughts that pop into my head more than once :) These are all connected in my brain, but I don't want to take time to explain how they are connected. Please know if I get distracted when I talk with you it isn't because I am not listening.  I am interested and what you said made me think. 

Why does color make me so happy? Why do people like the color orange? oompa loompas are orange. If I had to be a color, it would have to be either yellow or hot pink.Why are babies so flexible and strong and healthy? If we treated ourselves like we take care of babies, no one would ever die! Can someone teach me the shortcut key strokes on the key board? Who came up with those anyways? Speaking of genius, cottage cheese and strawberries. Try it. Your life will never be the same. Same thing with cold tacos from taco time but in a negative way. Who came up with the word Mexichanca?! Hilarious. Do you know what is hilarious? Pimples! I don't understand this one and apparently neither do the genius' who make face wash and acne cream because it doesn't work. period. Do long mustaches itch? Why does Alex Fish want one. Why doesn't Alex Fish like glitter? This is tragic.  Why do they make automatic car? If people drove stick, cell phones would not even be an option while driving because you would not have a free hand. Speaking of free hand, I want to learn how to write short hand.  Do I have a facebook stalker? He better be cute. I hope my cute boy would beat up my cute stalker if he ever found out about him. Why are weddings so complicated and expensive? I don't want to be a part of this one. period. I want to watch and go home and not write about it in my journal.  What kind of flower was that?! Why do people think that what they think is best for me is? It is so hard for me to make decisions for myself when people who are close to me tell met the opposite of what I want to do and what I feel. How does the root system for grass work?
Do I have a twin? Was he sold at birth? Yes it would be a he. I like boys better than girls haha.  Why do guys not understand the concept of special occasions and holidays? Why do you have to tell most step by step instructions when you want/need their help? How many people will remember my birthday this week? How will I learn to adapt to people not paying attention to my birthday now that I am older. I don't want to feel bad if my family doesn't remember. They have so much going on in their own lives, I should be more worried about how I can help them. How do they make toothpicks?! seriously. What shirt am I going to wear today and how will I fix my hair to match the shirt? What time is it? How come no mater what when the time has a 7 in it do I automatically round it up to the next ten minute interval? For example if It is 9:37 it is really 9:40 in my brain. Or if it is 3:07 it is really 3:10. I have got to fix this. This is 144 minutes that I take from myself everyday.

If I keep this up, I am going to be one confused old lady with dementia!

Time to Run

Another goal I have for this summer is to develop a morning schedule that includes waking up before 7 a.m., 30 minutes of running/exercise, eat a nutritious breakfast, and have a solid scripture study. Well guess what! I did all these things today minus the waking up before 7 part. It was more like 8:39. . . . oops.

I am currently living with my Great Aunt Bonnie. I decided it was safe to run in her neighborhood considering half her ward is over 70 most nearing 80.  My mom would be so proud of me! I remembered to put sun screen on. You would think I would remember that more often because I am so white, but I forget a lot.  It felt so good to run.  I thought I would have a hard time because my asthma has been acting up lately, but I actually feel better than I did before. My allergies are not as bad either even though I ran past those shrubs of death that normally put me into a sneezing fit for a half hour.

I want to run for a reason. I want my asthma to improve, and after one day, I think this might just help. I have felt tired the last week or so and I thought that running would make me more tired, but it actually energized me. I made one mistake though. I ran down a hill that had to be 100% steep. I was doing ok and then I tripped. Then I rolled my ankle trying to catch myself from slamming my face on the hill. Don't think anybody wasn't watching, because this old guy was trying not to laugh as he asked if I was okay. Old people. Oddly, I felt I needed to keep running and now my ankle is fine.

Do you know what the best part about my morning run was? All the beautiful gardens!!! I love flowers. I was in heaven. There is no other way to describe how excited I was to see those flowers. It was so neat to see every yard with a well kept garden.  I could probably spend hours looking at all the flowers! I don't know what these flowers are, but I think they are my favorite find of the day.

Step One: Done!

Just so you know, I like to be doing something always. With school being over and the CAL program on hold, I have many hours of free time. I decided to reevaluate and come up with new goals to work on this summer until school starts up again. A few things on my list include hiking Mount Timpanogus, learn how to play the guitar, and find a job within the next month. I am not the most sentimental person, but I decided I wanted to do something to connect me to my ancestors so i want to learn how to make doilies.
My first planned step to accomplish this goal was to look up understandable instructions and try it out. My Sugar (grandma) taught me how to crochet so this was a huge benefit. I have done scarves and hot pads before, but doilies are much more complicated. I thought it would be wise to turn to the all powerful YouTube for instructions to make a doily. This was a good choice. Thank you dear lady with the raspy southern accent! I made my first doily today! I didn't have the right size of crochet hook so my stitches are a little loose. It is about the size of a silver dollar.  For a first try, I think this looks pretty good!

I want to eventually make more elaborate ones, but I will definitely need to practice some simple ones first. I want to learn how to make doilies like my Great Great Grandma Martino. I will inherit a few of hers when I am older. Maybe I can make beautiful doilies for my grandchildren to have too. This is one of Grandma Martino's doilies. I have some work to do :)

(mine next to grandma's)