Sunday, December 5, 2010

Book Club schedule



Book club is a group of people who meet monthly to discuss a book that we've read.  We are no frills--come as you are, when you can, and generally don't serve refreshments, except for our March potluck and this year, our December meeting.  We are mostly neighbors from the Hyde Park 4th and 8th ward geographic areas (not necessarily all LDS) and invite others from our neighborhood to join us.  We also include friends of those neighbors.  We take turns choosing and hosting the book discussion at our houses.  Currently we meet the third Tuesday of the month at 8 PM, unless otherwise specified.  Anyone who would like to come can contact Julie Latvakoski, and she would be happy to add that person to the book club e-mail distribution list.  In the past, we've read such books as: Three Cups of TeaGoose GirlLittle WomenThe Five Love LanguagesSkipping Christmas, and The Number One Ladies Detective Agency.



So now that you know what exactly Book Club is....Here's the revised line-up.  The meetings start at 8 PM, unless otherwise specified:



Tuesday, December 14 (note change, 2nd Tuesday of the month!) at Kathy Castleton's house: We will discuss favorite Christmas books and stories, rather than all reading a new Christmas book for December.  Also, if time, we may discuss other non-book club books we are reading.  Optionally, we will bring a plate of cookies to share.



Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at Pat Marshall’s house: Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference by Warren St. John (336 pages, paperback) who brought Clarkston, GA, to national attention in 2007 with a series of articles about the changes in the small Southern town brought about by an influx of refugees from all over the world. This book comes out of those articles. It gives more detail about the town and, most particularly, the three soccer teams composed of refugee boys (the Fugees) who were coached by Luma Mufleh, an American-educated Jordanian woman. The book is a sports story, a sociological study, a tale of global and local politics, and the story of a determined woman who became involved in the lives of her young charges. Keeping the boys in school and out of gangs, finding a place for them to practice, and helping their families survive in a new world all became part of her daily life.  ***FYI, North Logan Library has 6 copies of this book in their “book club” section.***



Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at Cathy Hansen’s house: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows ( pages, paperback) is set in January 1946. Writer Juliet Ashton receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—no ordinary book club. Rather, it was formed as a ruse and became a way for people to get together without raising the suspicions of Guernsey’s Nazi occupiers. Written as a series of letters, so begins a remarkable tale of theisland of Guernsey during the German occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.



Tuesday, March 15, 2011 (starts at 7 PM instead of 8) at Sandi Smith's house: Food and Books Party: a potluck where we bring food related to some book, eat, and discuss books. 

Happy Reading!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

November 21


The Young Women are having Young Women in Excellence is tonight.
Visiting teaching changes are underway.  We will be handing out new assignments soon. Please visit your regular people for the month of November, and your new assignments will start in December.
Our Relief Society Christmas party will be December 4th, at 11:50 am, at the Fishers’ home. Get out your pearls and dust off your fancy hats.  It will be a tea party, except wassail will be served, along with a light luncheon. Lisa Fisher will be giving us holiday and home decorating tips as well. Afterward, anyone going to the Christmas Concert (2:00 pm) can carpool together.
May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!


Saturday, November 13, 2010

November 14


The Young Women are having Young Women in Excellence on Sunday, November 21st,  They need fancy (prom type) dresses in assorted sizes.  If you have one or some that they could borrow, please contact Kjerstin.  They are also looking for temple pictures.  If you would let them borrow yours please let someone in the YW presidency know.
Visiting teaching changes are underway.  We will be handing out new assignments soon. 
Our Relief Society Christmas party will be December 4th, at 11:50 am, at the Fishers' home. Get out your pearls and dust off your fancy hats.  It will be a tea party, except wassail will be served, along with a light luncheon.  Afterward, anyone going to the Christmas Concert (2:00 pm) can carpool together.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

October 31


Thanks to all of you who helped and brought food to the funerals.  The familes really appreciated what you did for them.  It is very nice to see how this ward rolls up its sleeves and helps when there is a need.  Plus there are so many good cooks in this ward that you kind of blow people away.
Thanks to the Enrichment Committee (or whatever we’re supposed to call them now) for the great Fabulous Friday night.  The food was great, the crafts were fun and everyone came away happy, and I’m determined to make at least a few Christmas presents from all the great ideas.
Visiting Teaching interviews are are here at the church from 5-8 pm.  I will be calling to cordially remind you of your appointment.  
The annual Single Mothers Seminar will be Thursday, November 11, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at Bridgerland (BATC) at the south end.  Please tell any single mothers you know.
The Young Women are having Young Women in Excellence on Sunday, November 21st,  They need fancy (prom type) dresses in assorted sizes.  If you have one or some that they could borrow, please contact Kjerstin.  They are also looking for temple pictures.  If you would let them borrow yours please let someone in the YW presidency know.
Saturday, November 13th will be the Worldwide Leadership Training at the Stake Center.

......aaannndd in honor of our Visiting Teaching interviews, a fun little clip.....
Okay, the embedding rights have been revoked, click on the previous post that is entitled Hitler and Home Teaching



Hitler doing home teaching

Monday, October 25, 2010

Book Club!



So it turns out that a little whining goes a long way!  Stephani joined as a follower (hi Stephani!) and Julie even admitted to reading the blog once in a while.  Woohoo!  But more importantly, Julie, our leading lady in Book Club is now sending me Book Club updates so this handy dandy little blog can be that much more helpful.  So, without further ado, here is the BC news:  (She said the date may be changing, so I left it off until further notice.)



For next month I am hosting a discussion of The Twelve Days of Christmas: Ideas for a More Meaningful Holiday Season by Betty Van Orden (176 pages, paperback) with ideas for bringing back the magic and mystery of the 12 days of Christmas to your own children or grandchildren. Packed full of scrumptious treat recipes and charming gift ideas, this little book will have you wondering how you ever did without. Famous for her southern hospitality, Betty Van Orden brings the warmth and welcome that is part of her being to the reader. The Twelve Days of Christmas will enable you to bring more meaning into your holiday season. No more will you shop for gifts that have no purpose. The ideas in The Twelve Days of Christmas can make Christmas all you have wanted it to be in your family. You'll ask yourself, "Why didn't I think of this sooner?" This must-have book is filled with ideas and suggestions for making a more meaningful Christmas. Making treasured memories is what it's all about, so get on the bandwagon and bring The Twelve Days of Christmas to those you love.

Let me know if you have ideas for a book for December, and/or if you'd like to host!

I hope to see you Thursday!

Happy Reading,
                      Julie

Monday, October 4, 2010

Fab Friday

It will be Friday, October 22nd at 6:00 pm.  A light dinner will be served.
Chris Peteresen will also be doing a demonstration on homemade donuts, so come and have fun even if you don’t do a craft.  If you need someone to watch your children, please let a member of the presidency know and and we will arrange for a young woman to come to your home.

Coasters - Set of 4:  $3.00

please bring your own scissors



Decorative Jars - $1.00

please bring your own jar and scissors



Animal Print Scarf - $7.00

please bring your own sewing machine and scissors



Curling Iron Cover - $4.00

please bring your own sewing machine and scissors



Pin Pot - $3.00
(Aaah!  My batteries were dying and apparently decided to kill this picture along the way.  Sorry!)
please bring your own scissors



Hair Bows - $3.50 each
Hair Bows with headband - $4.00



please bring your own glue gun and scissors



Princess Tutu - $11.00
Pink/Black or Purple/White


please bring your own scissors


Harvest Blocks - $15.00
(Can put the Christmas “BELIEVE” on the back add $8.00)

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Did somebody READ this?

Yes, I'm a little incredulous.  It looks like someone ACTUALLY looked at this blog!  (Yay JoAnn!)  As you can tell from my lack-luster entries, I've pretty much given up hoping that anyone will ever look at this thing, and I'm only doing the bare minimum because I said I would.  (When I started out, I was much more interesting.) But weeks went by and no one ever commented, and I started to feel a little like this. (Blogwise, that is.  I'm not usually a depressed sort of person.)

But I said I would do this thing, and by gum, I will!  Then, one day, out of the blue, I saw I had acquired a follower.  A follower!  Then I saw my one and only was a stranger from cyberspace.  (No offense Kristen from cyberspace, I was just hoping that someone from my very own ward would actually log on, glean from the very helpful information posted here, come to a RS activity that would inspire her, turn her life around, and then write an article for the Ensign about how the RS blog changed her life.)  Well, not really, but a comment would have been nice.

But then today, I saw JoAnn had joined the illustrious list of followers!  Thank you JoAnn you made my day.  Please, go back to the beginning posts, they are even a little interesting!  And even better are the links I have listed.  My favorite is Better After.  Even if you only look at once, you have to check it out.  Then if you like to cook, For the Love of Cooking has some great recipes.  I've tried quite a few myself and have never been let down.  And if you like crafts, U Create has endless ideas, I never have time, but when I find myself with some, the cake stand is definitely going to happen. You get the gist. Check them out, you won't be disappointed.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Fabulous Friday Projects

It will be Friday, October 22nd at 6:00 pm.  A light dinner will be served.
Chris Peteresen will also be doing a demonstration on homemade donuts, so come and have fun even if you don’t do a craft.  If you need someone to watch your children, please let a member of the presidency know and and we will arrange for a young woman to come to your home.

Coasters - Set of 4:  $3.00

please bring your own scissors



Decorative Jars - $1.00

please bring your own jar and scissors



Animal Print Scarf - $7.00

please bring your own sewing machine and scissors



Curling Iron Cover - $4.00

please bring your own sewing machine and scissors



Pin Pot - $3.00
(Aaah!  My batteries were dying and apparently decided to kill this picture along the way.  Sorry!)
please bring your own scissors



Hair Bows - $3.50 each
Hair Bows with headband - $4.00



please bring your own glue gun and scissors



Princess Tutu - $11.00
Pink/Black or Purple/White


please bring your own scissors


Harvest Blocks - $15.00
(Can put the Christmas “BELIEVE” on the back add $8.00)


Saturday, September 25, 2010

September 26


General Conference is next week!  Saturday and Sunday, October 2nd and 3rd.
The night for our “Fabulous Friday” will be Friday, October 22nd, at 6:00 pm.  Go check out the projects on display in the hall.  Then, later in the week come to this blog and I will post them there as well.  So tell your neighbors and friends.  Since we only have this Sunday and one in October to display and sign up at the church, we need your help in spreading the word.  Also, if you don’t have someone available to watch your kids, we will be working with the young women as volunteer babysitters so everyone can come.

Autumn is a season followed immediately by looking forward to spring. 
- Doug Larson

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. 
- Stanley Horowitz

“Wild oats make a bad autumn crop”

Saturday, September 11, 2010

September 12


Stake Volleyball has started.  The next game night will be Thursday, the 16th at 8:30 at the Stake Center. Just show up and you’ll be assigned to a team. If you’d like a complete schedule, please take one from the binder.
Susan Madsen will be giving a lecture on the journals her father, the church historian, Leonard James Arrington kept.  It will be Thursday, September 23rd, at the Tabernacle at 7 pm.
The General Relief Society Broadcast will be on Saturday, September 25th, at 6:00 pm at the Stake Center.  All Relief Society members are invited to attend.  There will be refreshments afterward, as well as interesting displays.  Please come and feel the spirit that attends this meeting when we are gathered together.
General Conference will be Saturday and Sunday, October 2nd and 3rd.
The night for our “Fabulous Friday” has been selected.  It will be Friday, October 22nd, at 6:00 pm.  More details about the crafts will be announced later.  Also, if you don’t have someone available to watch your kids, we will be working with the young women as volunteer babysitters so everyone can come.
Both the families of Jerry Wursten and Mckenzie Christoffersen appreciate all the love and consideration they have been shown conserning their respective injuries.  Please refrain from calling or visiting them for the time being so they and their families can concentrate on their rest and care.  Frankie Clark will have updates on Jerry’s condition and can be contacted instead of the Wursten family.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

A little personal

So, I can't resist showing you all the reason I've been absent the last few weeks.  Everyone is healthy and happy, and a little (read, a LOT) sleep deprived.  I will get back on schedule soon, and hopefully we'll all show up at church with a little sleep under our belts!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

August 8


Starting this month our Relief Society Activities are changed from Wednesdays to Thurdays. (With the exception of the upcoming one in August.)
Our next Relief Society activity will be Tuesday, August 24th at 7:00 pm at the church.  Brooke Corbridge will be teaching us about photography and how to take great photos with our basic point and shoot digital cameras.  She has a large, full color booklet that you can purchase for $22.00 if you are interested.  Please sign up on the sheet in the binder if you would like to buy one.
Ivy has got a sign-up for our emergency prep items in the binder.  Please take a look and sign up if you are interested.

Saturday, July 31, 2010



Starting this month our Relief Society Activities are changed from Wednesdays to Thurdays.
Look for our next Relief Society Activity to be around the 24th of August, just before the kids go back to school.
Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration.  
~Lou Erickson

It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato. 
  ~Lewis Grizzard

Did you ever stop to taste a carrot?  Not just eat it, but taste it?  You can’t taste the beauty and energy of the earth in a Twinkie.  
~Astrid Alauda

Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.  
~Jim Davis

Saturday, July 17, 2010


Ivy Cannon, our new Food Storage, Humanitarian Specialist is going to give us the opportunity to build our emergency preparedness supplies.  She has compiled a list of products that could be helpful.  Please put a mark next to anything you’d be interested in ordering to help her get an idea of what is needed most.
Stake Relief Society Softball is every Thursday night from 8:30 - 9:30 pm at the Center Street Church field.  There won’t be any set teams, just come and have fun.
We have a Cannery Assignment on July 30th, from 3:00 - 8:00 pm.  We need three women to volunteer their time.  Please sign up on the sheet if you are willing to help.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

July 11


Ivy Cannon, our new Food Storage, Humanitarian Specialist is going to give us the opportunity to build our emergency preparedness supplies.  She has compiled a list of products that could be helpful.  Please put a mark next to anything you’d be interested in ordering to help her get an idea of what is needed most.
July 16 will be the Pioneer Day Commemoration Concert (Live) at 7:30 PM.  It will also be re-broadcast the following night.

“Liberty is the possibility of doubting, the possibility of making a mistake, the possibility of searching and experimenting, the possibility of saying No to any authority--literary, artistic, philosophic, religious, social and even political.”
~Ignazio Silone

“A country cannot subsist well without liberty, nor liberty without virtue.”
 ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Sunday, June 20, 2010

June 20


June 29th through July 2nd is Stake Young Womens’ camp.
Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.  
~Bill Cosby

A father carries pictures where his money used to be.  
~Author Unknown

He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.  
~Clarence Budington Kelland

Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance. 
~Ruth E. Renkel



Here's another salad from our delicious activity:


Chinese Chicken Salad
(from Hollie Rayfield & Heidi Seeholzer)

1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
4 green onions, chopped, including the greens
1 1/2 1b. cooked, shredded chicken
2 Tbsp toasted almonds
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
2 oz. won tons, cut into 1/4 inch strips and fried in peanut oil

Dressing:
4 tsp salt
1/4 c sesame oil
4 tsp pepper
1 c salad oil
1/2 c sugar
12 Tbsp vinegar

This makes a lot of dressing.  Add lettuce, chicken and onion.  Right before serving, add almonds, sesame seeds, and won tons.  Then add dressing gradually.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

June 13


Thanks to everyone who participated in our Summer Salad Activity.  Our families are going to benefit from a lot of great recipes over the next few months.  Extra copies of the recipes can be found in the binder.  They all come with excellent recommendations.
Tonight at 7:30 PM there is a Stake Young Womens’ Camp Meeting. 
Youth Conference is coming up June 17th, mark your calendars.
June 29th through July 2nd is Stake Young Womens’ camp.
And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.  ~Gilbert K. Chesterton
Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, and there’s nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella.  ~Terri Guillemets

Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
(from Liz Shaw)

pint grape tomatoes cut in halves
1 ripe avocado, roughly chopped
2 ears of fresh sweet corn
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Slice the tomatoes in half. Remove husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes. The corn should have some brown spots and be tender and not mushy. Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices. Set aside and let cool. Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.

Honey Lime Dressing:

Juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp honey
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash of cayenne pepper
Add all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Combine the sliced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and grilled corn and honey lime dressing and mix gently so everything is evenly coated. Be careful not to mash the avocados. Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors mingle. Enjoy.

(I change this recipe just slightly.  I make the dressing without the oil, then put it over rice pilaf (rice, onions, garlic, sauted and simmered in chicken broth) and cheese and wrap the whole thing up in a tortilla.  We can make a light meal out of it.)