New Blog

Just in case anyone doesn't know, I started a new blog at WickedWildRI.wordpress.com This is where you will find any new posts. Make sure to follow! God bless!

Receiving Inspiration and Revelation

“Communication with our Father in Heaven is not a trivial matter. It is a sacred privilege. It is based upon eternal, unchanging principles. We receive help from our Father in Heaven in response to our faith, obedience, and the proper use of agency.”
Elder Richard G. Scott, How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration for Your Personal Life, April 2012 General Conference

“Revelation is communication from God to man. It can occur in many different ways. Some prophets, like Moses and , Joseph Smith have talked with God face to face. Some persons have had personal communication with angels. Other revelations have come, as Elder James E. Talmage (1862–1933) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described it, “through the dreams of sleep or in waking visions of the mind.”
In its more familiar forms, revelation or inspiration comes by means of words or thoughts communicated to the mind (see Enos 1:10; D&C 8:2–3), by sudden enlightenment (see D&C 6:14–15), by positive or negative feelings about proposed courses of action, or even by inspiring performances, as in the performing arts. As President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, has stated, ‘Inspiration comes more as a feeling than as a sound.’ ”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Eight Ways God Can Speak to You, BYU Devotional 29 September 1981

“Praying, studying, gathering, worshiping, serving, and obeying are not isolated and independent items on a lengthy gospel checklist of things to do. Rather, each of these righteous practices is an important element in an overarching spiritual quest to fulfill the mandate to receive the Holy Ghost. The commandments from God we obey and the inspired counsel from Church leaders we follow principally focus upon obtaining the companionship of the Spirit. Fundamentally, all gospel teachings and activities are centered on coming unto Christ by receiving the Holy Ghost in our lives.”
Elder David A. Bednar, Receive the Holy Ghost, October 2010 General Conference

“One of the great lessons that each of us needs to learn is to ask. Why does the Lord want us to pray to Him and to ask? Because that is how revelation is received.
When I am faced with a very difficult matter, this is how I try to understand what to do. I fast. I pray to find and understand scriptures that will be helpful. That process is cyclical. I start reading a passage of scripture; I ponder what the verse means and pray for inspiration. I then ponder and pray to know if I have captured all the Lord wants me to do. Often more impressions come with increased understanding of doctrine. I have found that pattern to be a good way to learn from the scriptures.”
Elder Richard G. Scott, How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration for Your Personal Life, April 2012 General Conference

“You must begin where you are. Pray, even if you are like the prophet Alma when he was young and wayward, or if you are like Amulek, of the closed mind, who ‘knew concerning these things, yet … would not know.’ ”
Prayer is your personal key to heaven. The lock is on your side of the veil.
President Boyd K. Packer, Personal Revelation: The Gift, the Test and the Promise, Ensign November 1994

“When it is for the Lord’s purposes, He can bring anything to our remembrance. That should not weaken our determination to record impressions of the Spirit. Inspiration carefully recorded shows God that His communications are sacred to us. Recording will also enhance our ability to recall revelation. Such recording of direction of the Spirit should be protected from loss or intrusion by others.”
Elder Richard G. Scott, How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration for Your Personal Life, April 2012 General Conference

“The flow of revelation depends on your faith. You exercise faith by causing, or by making, your mind accept or believe as truth that which you cannot, by reason alone, prove for certainty.
The first exercising of your faith should be your acceptance of Christ and His atonement.
As you test gospel principles by believing without knowing, the Spirit will begin to teach you. Gradually your faith will be replaced with knowledge.
You will be able to discern, or to see, with spiritual eyes.
Be believing and your faith will be constantly replenished, your knowledge of the truth increased, and your testimony of the Redeemer, of the Resurrection, of the Restoration will be as ‘a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life.’ You may then receive guidance on practical decisions in everyday life.”
President Boyd K. Packer, Personal Revelation: The Gift, the Test and the Promise, Ensign November 1994

“Some guidelines and rules are necessary if one is to be the recipient of revelation and inspiration. They include (1) to try honestly and sincerely to keep God’s commandments; (2) to be spiritually attuned as a receiver of a divine message; (3) to ask God in humble, fervent prayer; and (4) to seek answers with unwavering faith.”
President James E. Faust, Communion With the Holy Spirit, Ensign March 2002

“A sure testimony of Jesus Christ and of His restored gospel takes more than knowledge—it requires personal revelation, confirmed through honest and dedicated application of gospel principles.”
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Your Potential, Your Privilege”, April 2011 General Priesthood Meeting

“Do we . . . remember to pray earnestly and consistently for that which we should most desire, even the Holy Ghost? Or do we become distracted by the cares of the world and the routine of daily living and take for granted or even neglect this most valuable of all gifts? Receiving the Holy Ghost starts with our sincere and constant desire for His companionship in our lives.

We more readily receive and recognize the Spirit of the Lord as we appropriately invite Him into our lives. We cannot compel, coerce, or command the Holy Ghost. Rather, we should invite Him into our lives with the same gentleness and tenderness by which He entreats us (see D&C 42:14).

Our invitations for the companionship of the Holy Ghost occur in many ways: through the making and keeping of covenants; by praying sincerely as individuals and families; by searching the scriptures diligently; through strengthening appropriate relationships with family members and friends; by seeking after virtuous thoughts, actions, and language; and by worshiping in our homes, in the holy temple, and at church.”
Elder David A. Bednar, Receive the Holy Ghost, October 2010 General Conference

The Atonement of Christ

“I suspect that many Church members are much more familiar with the nature of the redeeming and cleansing power of the Atonement than they are with the strengthening and enabling power. It is one thing to know that Jesus Christ came to earth to die for us—that is fundamental and foundational to the doctrine of Christ. But we also need to appreciate that the Lord desires, through His Atonement and by the power of the Holy Ghost, to live in us—not only to direct us but also to empower us.”
Elder David A. Bednar, The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality, Ensign April 2012

    “Grace is the divine assistance or heavenly help each of us desperately needs to qualify for the celestial kingdom. Thus, the enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity.
    In my personal scripture study, I often insert the term ‘enabling power’ whenever I encounter the word grace. Consider, for example, this verse with which we are all familiar: ‘We know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do’ (2 Nephi 25:23). I believe we can learn much about this vital aspect of the Atonement if we will insert ‘enabling and strengthening power’ each time we find the word grace in the scriptures.”
Elder David A. Bednar, The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality, Ensign April 2012

    “The Savior has suffered not just for our iniquities but also for the inequality, the unfairness, the pain, the anguish, and the emotional distresses that so frequently beset us. There is no physical pain, no anguish of soul, no suffering of spirit, no infirmity or weakness that you or I ever experience during our mortal journey that the Savior did not experience first. You and I in a moment of weakness may cry out, ‘No one understands. No one knows.’ No human being, perhaps, knows. But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He felt and bore our burdens before we ever did. And because He paid the ultimate price and bore that burden, He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy in so many phases of our life. He can reach out, touch, succor—literally run to us—and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do through relying upon only our own power.”
Elder David A. Bednar, The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality, Ensign April 2012

“We knew that our purpose was to gain a physical body, to overcome trials, and to prove that we would keep the commandments of God. Our Father knew that because of the nature of mortality, we would be tempted, would sin, and would fall short. So that we might have every chance of success, He provided a Savior, who would suffer and die for us.”
President Thomas S. Monson, He Is Risen!, Ensign May 2010

    "The great legacy those who went before you in the Relief Society [has been] passed on to you.
    The part of the foundation they laid for you which seems to me most important and persistent is that charity is at the heart of the society and is to come into the heart, to be part of the very nature, of every member. Charity meant to them far more than a feeling of benevolence. Charity is born of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and is an effect of His Atonement working in the hearts of the members."
President Henry B. Eyring, The Enduring Legacy of Relief Society, Ensign November 2009

“There is no greater evidence of the infinite power and perfection of God’s love than is declared by the Apostle John: ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son’ (John 3:16). Another Apostle wrote that God ‘spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all’ (Romans 8:32). Think how it must have grieved our Heavenly Father to send His Son to endure incomprehensible suffering for our sins. That is the greatest evidence of His love for each of us!”
Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Love and Law, Ensign November 2009

“Those who repent will be particularly blessed by the Atonement. Without the Atonement, the eternal principle of justice would require punishment (see Alma 42:14). Because of the Atonement, mercy can prevail for those who have repented and allow them to return to the presence of God (see Alma 42:15).”
Elder Quentin L. Cook, Strengthen Faith as You Seek Knowledge, New Era September 2008

    “Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said, ‘I will not leave you comfortless. [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].’ ”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, None Were with Him, Ensign May 2009

    “Our salvation depends on believing in and accepting the Atonement.  Such acceptance requires a continual effort to understand it more fully. The Atonement advances our mortal course of learning by making it possible for our natures to become perfect.  All of us have sinned and need to repent to fully pay our part of the debt. When we sincerely repent, the Savior’s magnificent Atonement pays the rest of that debt.”
President James E. Faust, The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope, October 2001 General Conference

“Any increase in our understanding of His atoning sacrifice draws us closer to Him. Literally, the Atonement means to be “at one” with Him. The nature of the Atonement and its effects is so infinite, so unfathomable, and so profound that it lies beyond the knowledge and comprehension of mortal man. I am profoundly grateful for the principle of saving grace. Many people think they need only confess that Jesus is the Christ and then they are saved by grace alone. We cannot be saved by grace alone, ‘for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.’ ”
President James E. Faust, The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope, October 2001 General Conference

Family

 Quotes from latter-day apostles and prophets:

    “The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is to see a husband and his wife and their children happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood. Husbands and wives should understand that their first calling—from which they will never be released—is to one another and then to their children.”
President Boyd K. Packer, And A Little Child Shall Lead Them, April 2012 General Conference

    “This divine privilege of raising our children is a much greater responsibility than we can do alone, without the Lord’s help. He knows exactly what our children need to know, what they need to do, and what they need to be to come back into His presence. He gives mothers and fathers specific instruction and guidance through the scriptures, His prophets, and the Holy Ghost.
    In a latter-day revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord instructs parents to teach their children to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Notice the Lord doesn’t just say we are to “teach the doctrine”; His instructions are to teach our children to “understand the doctrine.” (See D&C 68:25, 28; emphasis added.)”
Sister Cheryl A. Esplin, Teaching Our Children to Understand, April 2012 General Conference

    “Our most important and powerful assignments are in the family. They are important because the family has the opportunity at the start of a child’s life to put feet firmly on the path home.”
President Henry B. Eyring, Help Them on Their Way Home, April 2010 General Conference

“Near the end of his life, one father looked back on how he had spent his time on earth. An acclaimed, respected author of numerous scholarly works, he said, ‘I wish I had written one less book and taken my children fishing more often.’ Time passes quickly. Many parents say that it seems like yesterday that their children were born. Now those children are grown, perhaps with children of their own. ‘Where did the years go?’ they ask. We cannot call back time that is past, we cannot stop time that now is, and we cannot experience the future in our present state. Time is a gift, a treasure not to be put aside for the future but to be used wisely in the present.”
President Thomas S. Monson, Dedication Day, October 2000 General Conference

    “Our Heavenly Father wants husbands and wives to be faithful to each other and to esteem and treat their children as an heritage from the Lord. In such a family we study the scriptures and pray together. And we fix our focus on the temple. There we receive the highest blessings that God has in store for His faithful children.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Salvation and Exaltation, April 2008 General Conference

    “One of the great discoveries of parenthood is that we learn far more about what really matters from our children than we ever did from our parents. We come to recognize the truth in Isaiah’s prophecy that ‘a little child shall lead them.’”
President Boyd K. Packer, And A Little Child Shall Lead Them, April 2012 General Conference

    “In Church callings we are subject to release. But we cannot be released as parents. From the first days of human history, the Lord has commanded parents to teach the gospel to their children. 15 Moses wrote, ‘Thou shalt teach … diligently … thy children, and shalt talk of [God’s words] when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.’”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Salvation and Exaltation, April 2008 General Conference

    “The best counsel for us to give young people is that they can arrive back to Heavenly Father only as they are guided and corrected by the Spirit of God. So if we are wise, we will encourage, praise, and exemplify everything which invites the companionship of the Holy Ghost. When they share with us what they are doing and feeling, we must ourselves have qualified for the Spirit. Then they will feel in our praise and our smiles the approval of God. And should we feel the need to give corrective counsel, they will feel our love and the love of God in it, not rebuke and rejection, which can permit Satan to lead them further away.
    The example they most need from us is to do what they must do. We need to pray for the gifts of the Spirit. We need to ponder in the scriptures and in the words of living prophets. We need to make plans which are not only wishes but covenants. And then we need to keep our promises to the Lord. And we need to lift others by sharing with them the blessings of the Atonement which have come in our lives.
    And we need to exemplify in our own lives the steady and prolonged faithfulness that the Lord expects of them. As we do, we will help them feel from the Spirit an assurance that if they will persist, they will hear the words from a loving Savior and Heavenly Father: ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.’ And we who help them along the way will hear those words with joy.”
President Henry B. Eyring, Help Them on Their Way Home, April 2010 General Conference

     “Our parents served faithfully in their most important calling—as parents. Our father led our home in righteousness, never with anger or fear. And the powerful example of our father was magnified by the tender counsel of our mother. The gospel is a powerful influence in the life of every one of us in the Packer family and to the next generation and the next generation and the next, as far as we have seen.”
President Boyd K. Packer, And A Little Child Shall Lead Them, April 2012 General Conference


   “When a child needs correction, you might ask yourself, “What can I say or do that would persuade him or her to choose a better way?” When giving necessary correction, do it quietly, privately, lovingly, and not publicly. If a rebuke is required, show an increase of love promptly so that seeds of resentment may not remain. To be persuasive, your love must be sincere and your teachings based on divine doctrine and correct principles.
    Do not try to control your children. Instead, listen to them, help them to learn the gospel, inspire them, and lead them toward eternal life. You are God’s agents in the care of children He has entrusted to you. Let His divine influence remain in your hearts as you teach and persuade.”
Elder Russell M. Nelson, Salvation and Exaltation, April 2008 General Conference

Heart Disease

Heart Surgeon Speaks Out On What Really Causes Heart Disease
~Dr. Dwight Lundell >

We physicians with all our training, knowledge and authority often acquire a rather large ego that tends to make it difficult to admit we are wrong. So, here it is. I freely admit to being wrong. As a heart surgeon with 25 years experience, having performed over 5,000 open-heart surgeries, today is my day to right the wrong with medical and scientific fact.

I trained for many years with other prominent physicians labelled "opinion makers." Bombarded with scientific literature, continually attending education seminars, we opinion makers insisted heart disease resulted from the simple fact of elevated blood cholesterol.

The only accepted therapy was prescribing medications to lower cholesterol and a diet that severely restricted fat intake. The latter of course we insisted would lower cholesterol and heart disease. Deviations from these recommendations were considered heresy and could quite possibly result in malpractice.

It Is Not Working!

These recommendations are no longer scientifically or morally defensible. The discovery a few years ago that inflammation in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease is slowly leading to a paradigm shift in how heart disease and other chronic ailments will be treated.

The long-established dietary recommendations have created epidemics of obesity and diabetes, the consequences of which dwarf any historical plague in terms of mortality, human suffering and dire economic consequences.

Despite the fact that 25% of the population takes expensive statin medications and despite the fact we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before.

Statistics from the American Heart Association show that 75 million Americans currently suffer from heart disease, 20 million have diabetes and 57 million have pre-diabetes. These disorders are affecting younger and younger people in greater numbers every year.

Simply stated, without inflammation being present in the body, there is no way that cholesterol would accumulate in the wall of the blood vessel and cause heart disease and strokes. Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body as nature intended. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped.

Inflammation is not complicated -- it is quite simply your body's natural defence to a foreign invader such as a bacteria, toxin or virus. The cycle of inflammation is perfect in how it protects your body from these bacterial and viral invaders. However, if we chronically expose the body to injury by toxins or foods the human body was never designed to process,a condition occurs called chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is just as harmful as acute inflammation is beneficial.

What thoughtful person would willfully expose himself repeatedly to foods or other substances that are known to cause injury to the body? Well, smokers perhaps, but at least they made that choice willfully.

The rest of us have simply followed the recommended mainstream diet that is low in fat and high in polyunsaturated fats and carbohydrates, not knowing we were causing repeated injury to our blood vessels. This repeated injury creates chronic inflammation leading to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity.

Let me repeat that: The injury and inflammation in our blood vessels is caused by the low fat diet recommended for years by mainstream medicine.

What are the biggest culprits of chronic inflammation? Quite simply, they are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods.

Take a moment to visualize rubbing a stiff brush repeatedly over soft skin until it becomes quite red and nearly bleeding. you kept this up several times a day, every day for five years. If you could tolerate this painful brushing, you would have a bleeding, swollen infected area that became worse with each repeated injury. This is a good way to visualize the inflammatory process that could be going on in your body right now.

Regardless of where the inflammatory process occurs, externally or internally, it is the same. I have peered inside thousands upon thousands of arteries. A diseased artery looks as if someone took a brush and scrubbed repeatedly against its wall. Several times a day, every day, the foods we eat create small injuries compounding into more injuries, causing the body to respond continuously and appropriately with inflammation.

While we savor the tantalizing taste of a sweet roll, our bodies respond alarmingly as if a foreign invader arrived declaring war. Foods loaded with sugars and simple carbohydrates, or processed with omega-6 oils for long shelf life have been the mainstay of the American diet for six decades. These foods have been slowly poisoning everyone.

How does eating a simple sweet roll create a cascade of inflammation to make you sick?

Imagine spilling syrup on your keyboard and you have a visual of what occurs inside the cell. When we consume simple carbohydrates such as sugar, blood sugar rises rapidly. In response, your pancreas secretes insulin whose primary purpose is to drive sugar into each cell where it is stored for energy. If the cell is full and does not need glucose, it is rejected to avoid extra sugar gumming up the works.

When your full cells reject the extra glucose, blood sugar rises producing more insulin and the glucose converts to stored fat.

What does all this have to do with inflammation? Blood sugar is controlled in a very narrow range. Extra sugar molecules attach to a variety of proteins that in turn injure the blood vessel wall. This repeated injury to the blood vessel wall sets off inflammation. When you spike your blood sugar level several times a day, every day, it is exactly like taking sandpaper to the inside of your delicate blood vessels.

While you may not be able to see it, rest assured it is there. I saw it in over 5,000 surgical patients spanning 25 years who all shared one common denominator -- inflammation in their arteries.

Let's get back to the sweet roll. That innocent looking goody not only contains sugars, it is baked in one of many omega-6 oils such as soybean. Chips and fries are soaked in soybean oil; processed foods are manufactured with omega-6 oils for longer shelf life. While omega-6's are essential -they are part of every cell membrane controlling what goes in and out of the cell -- they must be in the correct balance with omega-3's.

If the balance shifts by consuming excessive omega-6, the cell membrane produces chemicals called cytokines that directly cause inflammation.

Today's mainstream American diet has produced an extreme imbalance of these two fats. The ratio of imbalance ranges from 15:1 to as high as 30:1 in favor of omega-6. That's a tremendous amount of cytokines causing inflammation. In today's food environment, a 3:1 ratio would be optimal and healthy.

To make matters worse, the excess weight you are carrying from eating these foods creates overloaded fat cells that pour out large quantities of pro-inflammatory chemicals that add to the injury caused by having high blood sugar. The process that began with a sweet roll turns into a vicious cycle over time that creates heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and finally, Alzheimer's disease, as the inflammatory process continues unabated.

There is no escaping the fact that the more we consume prepared and processed foods, the more we trip the inflammation switch little by little each day. The human body cannot process, nor was it designed to consume, foods packed with sugars and soaked in omega-6 oils.

There is but one answer to quieting inflammation, and that is returning to foods closer to their natural state. To build muscle, eat more protein. Choose carbohydrates that are very complex such as colorful fruits and vegetables. Cut down on or eliminate inflammation- causing omega-6 fats like corn and soybean oil and the processed foods that are made from them.

One tablespoon of corn oil contains 7,280 mg of omega-6; soybean contains 6,940 mg. Instead, use olive oil or butter from grass-fed beef.

Animal fats contain less than 20% omega-6 and are much less likely to cause inflammation than the supposedly healthy oils labelled polyunsaturated. Forget the "science" that has been drummed into your head for decades. The science that saturated fat alone causes heart disease is non-existent. The science that saturated fat raises blood cholesterol is also very weak. Since we now know that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, the concern about saturated fat is even more absurd today.

The cholesterol theory led to the no-fat, low-fat recommendations that in turn created the very foods now causing an epidemic of inflammation. Mainstream medicine made a terrible mistake when it advised people to avoid saturated fat in favor of foods high in omega-6 fats. We now have an epidemic of arterial inflammation leading to heart disease and other silent killers.

What you can do is choose whole foods your grandmother served and not those your mom turned to as grocery store aisles filled with manufactured foods. By eliminating inflammatory foods and adding essential nutrients from fresh unprocessed food, you will reverse years of damage in your arteries and throughout your body from consuming the typical American diet.
— with Birdie Indadell.

Happy Mother's Day

Plymouth Part 5 (conclusion)

Sunday morning after breakfast and saying good-bye to our fabulous hosts Andrew and I went to church in Plymouth. It was a small branch held inside a strip mall. I was surprised to find two of my classmates there. I didn't realize there were people in my Pathways class at BYU-I from Plymouth. So that was fun, I got to meet Sasha and John's families and introduce them to my real husband. (For the first bit everyone in class thought I was married to Eric, my step-father-in-law).

We left after the second hour because we had to go home, I had to bake cookies, then Andrew was baptizing someone at 1:30 and we had a dinner appointment at 3:30. We finally got to see our boys at 3:30 and they were exhausted! They spent Friday night with my parents and Saturday with Andrew's mom and they were ready to be home. I missed my munchkins. It was nice to be back. Though we are so busy, it was so great to take a short break. In fact, on the way home from Plymouth I turned to Andrew and said, "Well, it was nice spending this time together dear. I'll see you around sometime." Life gets so crazy. But I love it and I wouldn't change any of it!

In conclusion, I highly recommend the Whitfield House in Plymouth, as well as Martini's, Bangkok Thai and the Blue-Eyed Crab. Plymouth is a nice little getaway and for those of you who are from RI, it's really not that far. I know it's ALL THE WAY in Ma, and it's a whole 45-60 minute drive, but well worth it!

Plymouth Part 4

After lunch we walked to a monument which was in the middle of a neighborhood off the beaten path. It was kind of random. In fact, when people were telling us about things to see in Plymouth they mentioned the monument but kind of dismissed it as not worth the time.

It was huge, and very elaborately carved our of granite and sandstone. I took a lot of photos, but I'll spare you. Here's the overall monument.

And here's just a little bit of a closer view.

Unfortunately the monument has not been well cared for and parts of it are being worn away by the weather. Plymouth apparently has a love-hate relationship with tourism. It seems like the locals want to keep it quiet and quaint, kind of like New Hampshire, but need the tourism to upkeep things. Since they kind of fight the tourism there's a lot that needs touching up. Lots of buildings that need new roofs or a coat of paint, monuments that need some restoration work, things like that. It's sad because there's so much history there but it's just kind of being left to rot.



After the monument we went back to the BnB and, again, took a nap. Again, awesome. Then we went to dinner at . . .

Martini's They were the winners for us. We loved the atmosphere, the service and the food. We got there at 7:00 and it was busy but not too noisy. I could enjoy my husband's company. And we actually had the same server we'd had the day before.

Again we ordered the mussles but we decided to order an app that's actually on the menu too, in case anyone wants a recommendation. We got the Honey Scallops Frites, which were fried scallops but the batter had some honey in it and then they had honey drizzled on top of them.

These were fantastic! In fact, Andrew and I both liked them better than the mussles, and the mussles were out of this world. After this Andrew ordered Cashew Encrusted Swordfish, which he raved about, and I got the Beef Medallions. His meal came with roasted potatoes and asparagus and mine with roasted potatoes and brocclini. The veggies were very good, and didn't seem microwaved, they were actually cooked. I didn't get photos because we were hungry and dug right in. I thought of it as we were taking our last bites!

They don't have a dessert menu here. This is what the menu says about dessert:

I was bummed we weren't going to be there on Tuesday, I'd like to check out the live jazz.
Anyhow, back to dessert. They had a chocolate cake on the menu that evening which I got to go. It was fantastic, just like everything else we ordered.

It doesn't look very nice in a styrofoam box, but it tasted just fine.

That concluded our food adventures. I should also mention the Friday we went to lunch at a little place near our BnB called the Blue Blinds Cafe. It was excellent. The bread was very fresh and made the sandwiches so great.

Plymouth Part 3

Let me start by saying that we saw families at every place we went, so I will not say if a place is kid-friendly or not, just assume they all are.

We started our evening at a place called Martini's. It reminded me of a place you'd find in Newport, RI. Very modern, well kept and classy.It was very mello and quiet here.

This place was not along the water, it was actually more in the center of town. We got there around 5:30 and it was almost empty. We sat at a high top table right in the open window. It was a perfect evening for it. The appetizer we ordered was actually a special, Portuguese Mussles. They were fabulous!

We asked for more bread because we didn't want to waste the sauce. In fact I contemplated picking the bowl up at the end and drinking the leftover liquid, that's how good it was. I refrained.

The service here was great, our server was very friendly and personable. All in all a great experience.



Next we walked down toward the water to East Bay Grill. It reminded us of ABC in Newport, minus the beach. But there was seating inside and out, and an outside bar as well.

This place was hoppin'! It was so noisy we had to yell in order to hear each other. It was 6:30 and there was an hour wait. Since it was just the 2 of us and we were only getting an appetizer we sat by the bar. This was one big advantage to being a small party just getting apps, we could squeeze in wherever there was room. We ordered scallops wrapped in bacon. The scallops were HUGE and the bacon was nice and crunchy. They were fantastic.

And the service was great. We were just off to the side at a counter near the bar, but one of the bartenders acted as our server and though the bar was extremely busy, she was right on top of making sure we had everything we needed. If you like lots of people and socialization, this place would do it for you. Not our favorite, but the food was still yummy.

After East Bay, at about 7:30,  we crossed the street and headed to the Blue Eye Crab, but got distracted by the Waterfront Grill. We went in there because it looked empty.

However, we were deceived. We had a wait, even for just the 2 of us. It was only about 10 minutes though. We were seated upstairs near the bar and again, and this place was also busy and loud. Not quite like East Bay, it wasn't as big a place as East Bay.

We struggled to find something we could eat because of our dairy allergy. They were not very accommodating here and so we settled for garden salads. They were decent sized salads for only $5. And it wasn't just a nasty iceburg lettuce salad, there were some mixed greens in there.

It was good, but not our most exciting stop as far as food goes. We probably wouldn't go back here, but we're not knocking it. If you like a crowd but not an overwhelming one, like at East Bay, then this would be a good choice. And again the service was great, no complaints there.




The Blue Eye Crab was right next door and that was our next stop. We were excited about this one, it came highly recommended. In fact we asked our server at East Bay how to get to the Blue Eye Crab and she told us the food there is great and we were lucky we were on our way there, lol! Unfortunately when we got there there was about an hour wait. At this point it was getting late, and cold, so the host offered to take our number and call us if a table opened up. In the meantime we started walking back to the bed and breakfast.

On the way we passed Isaac's.

So, curious, we bopped in. At first glance it was pretty cool inside. Lots of glass and mirrors made the place look huge. As we sat there though I was trying to put into words how I felt about it. I still can't adequately do that. It just seemed like it was cheap classy. Like they had a good idea about how to crate a classy environment but skimped on materials. It wasn't just that either, but I couldn't place my finger on the funny feeling I had about this place.

Anyhow, it's all part of the adventure! At this time it was about 8:30. We were seated and looked again for a dairy free food item. The appetizer we were interested in was chicken medallions, but they were cooked in butter. We asked about doing this dairy free and they obliged. The chicken was served over rice and had a garlic flavor to it.

It looked kind of bland but tasted fantastic. Our server was so funny. She came over to see how we were enjoying our food. When we told her it was really good she said, "Really? Because it didn't look too appetizing." We had a good laugh about that, Andrew and I. It's still a running joke.

Anyhow, the food was good, but very oily. We felt OK after eating it though and, eager to try the place everyone spoke so highly of, made our way back to the Blue Eyed Crab.

 
When we got there the host was wiping down some outside tables. Andrew said, "So, how's it lookin'?" meaning as far as us getting a table. The guy went white. "Oh my goodness, I forgot to call you. We have plenty of tables now, you can even sit at the bar if you want. Here, let me clean this table off by the window." We were treated like royalty, lol. We weren't upset because we were just at Isaac's, but he didn't know that.

We sat down and that's when the food from Isaac's hit me. I felt so sick to my stomach. I ordered a Coke and that was it for me. I was sad because I wanted to try food from this place, but I couldn't even think of food then.

Andrew ordered the shrimp and bacon tacos. He loved them. He said they were his favorite app of the evening.

Totally not my cup of tea, but he loved them. I'm not sure what I would have ordered because I couldn't even look at the menu.

The service here was great. It was a very small place and it was decorated all funky with tropical colors and fish hanging from the ceiling. This was more our type of atmosphere than East Bay, Waterfront, or Isaac's. It was very cute. But with the food being so good (so I hear), and the place being so small I would recommend making a reservation.

That was it for our Friday night experience. We continued it on Saturday. For lunch we went to the Thai place in town, Bangkok Thai. I forgot to get a photo of their sign, so here's me :)

I also started eating before I remembered to take a picture of the food so this is what was left of my springrolls.

They were so good. Andrew ordered a veggie soup that I couldn't get a photo of because the second he got the soup it was gone! LOL, he thoroughly enjoyed it.

For our meal Andrew ordered Pad Thai, which he said was fantastic, and I got a noodle soup which also was fantastic. The only thing we would both do if we went again would be to ask them to hold the cilantro. Too much cilantro.

Since it was lunch time there were not many people here. In fact, we were the only customers for awhile. The service was good and the food was great. We would go there again.


So after sampling all of these foods we decided that we would go to dinner Saturday night at the place that was our favorite. Check the next post to see who the winner was :)

Plymouth Part 2

Our bed and breakfast was right in the center of all the places you'd want to see if you visit Plymouth. The only place we did not go is the Plantation. Every place we went was within walking distance. We started out by Plymouth Rock.

 

Then we walked along the shore and saw various monuments.

 The Day of Mourning was actually a perspective I'd never thought about.

This is William Bradford, first governor of Plymouth.


Then our journey brought us to a nice walk through a park.

 It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed this place a lot. As we got closer to the end of the walk it came to a pond. It seems there were fish, herring, trying to get up to that pond. As we got closer to where the river met the pond it was full of fish. It was amazing! And they had to get up this ladder-like structure to get to the pond. It was crazy to see them struggle and fight so hard to get up it. I took some video but you can't tell really what you're looking at unless someone explains it. It was better in person.

Then we went to a little shop called the Sparrow House. It had all kinds of local art for sale. From jewelry to purses to mirrors and decor. I love shops like that, and this one was awesome. If I had a ton of money I'd spend it at a place like that.

After that we went up to the cemetery, which we were told had a great view of Plymouth. Which it did, it was worth the walk up the hill. It wasn't a tough hill, just being pregnant and carrying a backpack it was hard to keep my heart rate down.

and here we are sitting on a bench contemplating life. Graveyards have that affect on you I think.

Later we went back to our BnB and took a nap. That was awesome! And for dinner what we did was we tried 5 different restaurants and got an appetizer at each place. The next post is my review of those places. We had so much fun doing that! We rarely go out to eat so this was a treat for us. It was nice to be with my husband, we have fun together. And we both like good food so we really enjoyed ourselves.

 

Plymouth Part 1

My husband Andrew and I were getting to the point where I was feeling like "I think my husband still lives in my house with me," so I booked a much needed weekend getaway for us. I wanted something close, but not Newport because we always go to Newport. So I randomly chose Plymouth, MA and looked up places to stay. I found a bed and breakfast online and so I called, booked it and we were set.

The pace we stayed at was right in Plymouth and it was a lovely little bed and breakfast called The Whitfield House. It is owned by Bryan Whitfield and operated by his sister Barbara. The house is one of the oldest, I believe, in the country. It was the oldest on the street, one of the only originals left. When Bryan bought the home he went through an extensive process of renovation and restoration to get the home to look like a house would have in the 1700's. It has a cobble stone drive and carriage doors, which were added by Bryan and were not originally part of the house. He did a great job, the carriage house looks like it was part of the original home. Here are some outside and inside photos:

This is the view of the front and what you see as you pull up. It looks like a modest home.

 

Then you pull in to the cobble stone drive and you see this view. It makes the house look much bigger. In actuality, it's a garage with a music room above it. Bryan plays piano and viola. I would have loved to see that room!

 

And the plaque that tells a little more about the house's history.

 

This was our room, the Blue Room. 

Andrew's shirt just happened to match the decor.

 

And another shot of our room.

 It was a beautiful place. I wish I had thought to take pictures of the rest of the house. But you can see it online.

Andrew and I have a dairy allergy and that can be tricky, especially for breakfast. Barbara was happy to accommodate us. We brought some rice milk and she cooked for us. Saturday morning we had pancakes loaded with fresh strawberries and blueberries. They were amazing. And Sunday we had homemade coffee cake and fresh fruit and date salad.

We would go back here just to visit with Bryan and Barbara again. In fact, Saturday morning breakfast was at 8:00 but we didn't leave the table until 12:00, we were so busy talking to them. It was nice for us to have that time to spend, but I felt badly keeping them because they weren't on vacation! They never made us feel like we were a bother though. We had great food and great conversation.

Quiet Moments

I know the word "quiet" is not one that's often in a parent's vocabulary. But every now and then it happens. This morning was one of those special times. Vance, my 4 year old, woke up and went to cuddle under his favorite blanket on the couch. I went over, picked him up, and put him on my lap. We snuggled for awhile and I was soaking in the time together. I know someday he'll be too cool (and too big!) to snuggle with his mama, so I'm really grateful for these moments.

Logan, my 2 year old, woke up later. At this point Vance and I were reading. Logan, in just his little pull-up, wiggled his way onto my lap as he usually does and snuggled. He's my little teddy bear. I was reclining and he turned around, wrapped his little arms around my neck, and just put his head on my chest. He lay there looking up at me with those big blue eyes and said in his sweet little voice "I love you mom".  The strains of William Joseph on piano were playing gently in the background. For a few minutes there was peace in my home. No yelling, no fighting, no running around and making messes. I hope I will always remember these quiet moments. They're so special and I try to drink in every precious second. I'm so thankful for these quiet moments.

Shelf Reliance

So I signed up to be a Shelf Reliance consultant and find I have no time to host any parties or workshops or anything. I think most people don't even know I'm a consultant. I chose them because I really like their products. I love their shelves, I love the planners they have on their website, I love the different options as far as sizes of food items. I really think it's a great company. Check it out, www.shelfreliance.com. If you order through me, as opposed to through the site, it's a little cheaper.

Also they have this amazing monthly program called the Q. All you do is use the free food storage planner on the website to customize your own plan and then set a monthly budget. Shelf Reliance will send you shipments every month from your food storage plan, staying within your budget. They will also select items that are on sale first. And you can pause the Q at any time. I'm on it and I love it. Food storage shipped right to my door. Contact me to sign up today!

Besides that, if you're more ambitious and want to stock your storage without purchasing prepackaged foods check out this amazing site: http://everythingunderthesunblog.blogspot.com/ . If you send Wendy an email and ask about food storage she will send you her Food Storage booklets and they are full of, well, everything under the sun!

Easter

So I've been trying to post to my blog and every time I have tried to connect to blogger.com I have been redirected to MyLDSmail.com. Weird redirect!

That said, I will be more consistent now that I can access my blog again!

Happy Easter to all. I am so grateful for my Savior and what He has done for me personally. He knows and loves each of us, and suffered for us so we could return back to our Father in heaven. His love is incomprehensible and I hope we all take a moment this Easter to ponder on what He did for each of us.

The Temple

Andrew and I had the opportunity to attend the Temple yesterday evening. I was feeling a little sick to my stomach, but decided to go anyway. I'd rather be feeling a little sick at the Temple than at home. On the way I fell asleep for a bit. As we arrived and I awoke and realized I was feeling very sick. Much worse than before we left. As we pulled in I looked at the beautiful Temple and prayed that I would be well enough to enter and learn what I needed to learn that evening. As I was praying I felt impressed to ask for a blessing. I turned to Andrew and told him how I was feeling and he suggested we just return home. But I asked him for a blessing, feeling confident it would help. As he blessed me I felt better immediately. We went in to the Temple and I learned a lot while we were there. I know the Lord knows me and knew how I was feeling. I know He wanted to bless me and wanted me in His house. It was a great experience and a testimony builder for sure.

One of the things that stood out to me in the Temple was how often the word "joy" is said. This really is a gospel of joy. No matter what happens in my life I know I have a Father in heaven who knows and loves me. There is a plan for me and my life has a purpose. I know where I am going after this life and why I am here. God's plan for us is simple and perfect and He wants us to be filled with joy as we live it. I love the gospel and what it does for me every day. I think more people need this joy in their lives!

Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Why is it so hard to talk about religion? Why are there so many people who get offended if you have an opinion other than theirs? And why are so many people so close-minded?

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We are the restored church of Christ on the earth, not a reformed church. We have all the power and authority that Christ had and gave to His apostles and prophets throughout the ages. We have the authority to seal families together forever as eternal units. We have the authority to act in God's name, to heal the sick, to perform miracles, THE CHURCH IS RESTORED IN IT'S FULNESS!!! And because of that my life is so blessed, so full of joy, so amazing. I want everyone to experience the joy that I do, to know as I do how our Father in heaven knows each of us personally and hears and answers our prayers. I love this gospel and I am so thankful to be alive on the earth at this time. I am so grateful to know that I am a daughter of God and I am important to Him. He is always there for us, always. We are the ones who move closer to or further from Him. I am so thankful for the guidance I have received and do receive from the Holy Ghost, and through the scriptures. I have been so blessed and I love this adventure of living life as a member of this church. It's AWESOME! So, why do I have trouble sharing it? And why do others have such a hard time hearing it?

Crack-Nutkers

My youngest son, Logan, was looking and the Christmas decorations in my mother-in-law's house and he said "Look! A crack-nutger!" as he pointed to a nut-cracker. It was really cute and very funny. So I have decided to name these tasty treats Crack-nutgers, coining his new word, since they involve nuts and it will always make me remember that moment when he was a sweet little two year old. These treats are so good you won't believe they're actually OK to eat! And they're super easy. Here's what you need:

• 5 C ground nuts and seeds you enjoy, preferably raw
(In my last batch I used walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and flax seeds. After grinding them I had a total of about 15 C of ground nut mixture)
• 2 T honey
• 3/4 C brown rice syrup
• shredded, unsweetened coconut

1. Put 5 C ground nut mixture into a large bowl. Pour honey and brown rice syrup over mixture and mix with your hands. Consistency should be that of cookie dough.
(depending on the nuts you use you may need more or less brown rice syrup)
2. Using your hands roll into ping-pong sized balls.
3. Roll balls in coconut.

I like these best after they've been refrigerated but you can eat them right away. I would refrigerate the leftovers though, if there are any.

This recipe is the basic recipe. You can add different dried fruit for different flavors. Experiment and make it your own. I used to add chocolate chips, but I am cutting back on sugar so I took them out. I was afraid I wouldn't like them without the chocolate, but I love them! My boys love them too and it's great being able to let them have a treat that I know is good for them. I almost feel like I'm tricking them!