Cranford (2007)

I’m a newcomer to the world of Elizabeth Gaskell, an author who wrote during the Victorian era and who is not as well-known as Jane Austen, but nonetheless produced stories I’ve enjoyed every bit as much. My recent indulgence was in the film version of her short stories based on a small village called Cranford. The movie took three of her stories and wove them together to give us a whole that I found delightful.

There are two elderly sisters, Deborah and Mattie Jenkyns. They have lived their lives according to a strict moral code, mostly determined and enforced by Deborah, who can’t imagine behaving in any manner deemed even remotely unsuitable. When a friend of the family, young Mary Smith, writes to the sisters and asks if she might come stay for a while, they feel it their Christian duty to take her in. They are, of course, glad to see her, but their feelings of satisfaction, having done their duty, override any personal joy they might feel.

At the same time, a new doctor comes to town. In a village where hardly anyone ever moves in or moves out, this is quite the development. The residents have been used to their old doctor, but he is becoming overwhelmed in his practice and hopes that the new man, Dr. Harrison, will take off some of the pressure. The coming of this new doctor also adds a new element to the day-to-day doings of the town—he’s young and there are several young ladies (and not so young ladies) who would like to catch his eye.

We also meet Mr. Carter, foreman of a large estate owned by Lady Ludlow, who watches over every development with an eagle eye. She has her feet firmly planted in the past, does not believe in education for the lower classes, and thwarts every attempt Mr. Carter makes to create a better life for their tenants.

As these stories move forward, we have moments of hysterical comedy as we see a precious lace collar get swallowed by a cat (and the efforts made to retrieve said item), moments of romance as we see every woman in town chase Dr. Harrison while he chases the only woman he could really love, and moments of poignancy as characters die and others are born. The acting is fabulous, the writing superb, and the story is one that will remain with me for a long time. I heartily recommend “Cranford” to anyone who is looking for an excellent period-piece story, as well as Gaskell’s other works, but we’ll talk about those another day.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Children are Miracles

My e-mail provider pops up news headlines whenever I sign in to check my mail, and since I check my mail … oh, let’s just say, several times a day, I see the headlines equally as often. I remember the first news flash announcing that Nadya Suleman had given birth to eight babies, and they had all survived. Everyone was in agreement—this was a complete miracle. Doctors were quoted, the media was in seventh heaven … or maybe I should say, eighth heaven, with this fabulous fodder for stories. Truly, we live in an age of astonishing medical advances.

It wasn’t too long, however, before investigations began into Ms. Suleman’s life and medical history. Her former (creative) occupations were dragged into the fray, as well as the fact that she already has a whole lot of other children. Tonight as I ran my errands, I heard an interview on the radio with a woman representing the volunteer nanny service who has stepped in to help out this new mom, and apparently the nannies aren’t too impressed with Ms. Suleman’s lack of attention to her eight little bundles.

It took even less time for the media to drop the word “miracle” from their reports.

Okay, so. Ms. Suleman is a single mom who has held dubious jobs in her life. Her doctor has been criticized for implanting her with eight embryos and now she’s apparently out shopping instead of taking care of the babies. Why does this make the occurrence any less miraculous? Hello, folks – how many people do you know who have had eight babies, at once, with such an incredible survival rate? If the children had been born to a suburban soccer mom in Vermont who wears cardigans and pearls, drives a minivan and buys a case of Girl Scout cookies every year, then would it still be considered a miracle?

I’m not saying I think Ms. Suleman’s behavior is correct, and I’m certainly not advocating her choices. I’m just wondering, who gets to decide when something is or is not a miracle? And I’m wondering what the parameters are for miracles. Is there like a statute of limitations, or some kind of code of conduct that once breeched, takes an occurrence out of miracle running and places it into the humdrum everyday?

The fact is, regardless of how those babies came to be, they are a miracle and there’s no paparazzi picture or media circus that can change that fact. Eight children, brought into the world from the same pregnancy, is a miracle. For that matter, every life that is created, be it a single birth or a multiple, is a miracle. Human life is incredible. You can’t slap a scandal on a child’s birth and make it less miraculous. Jamie Lynn Spears certainly raised some eyebrows with her pregnancy, but that brouhaha didn’t keep her child from being a miracle.

Motherhood is a challenge, and I am certainly among the first to say, there are days when the fact that we all survived another twenty-four hours is miracle enough for me. But let us never forget that even in the midst of the tantrums and the trials and the demands and the hair pulling (either Billy yanking on Jenny’s, or us, pulling out our own) we are witnesses to, and participants in, an honest-to-goodness true miracle. And no amount of hair-pulling or media hounding can or ever will change that.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Blessed

I've had a really rough last two days, the kind that have made me cry and wonder why I keep trying so hard, why I continue to persist even when it seems like no one is listening. No, it's nothing major, mostly just children who won't stop fighting and have my nerves wratcheted up to an unbearable pitch. It's at times like this that I wonder if I really knew what I was doing when I signed up for this whole motherhood thing - and I realize that if I did know, I would have done it anyway.

I went out for the evening, feeling rotten, so glad to get out of the house and let Daddy deal with the punching and the whining and the never-ending demands for a little while. As I drove, I tried to put myself back into an eternal perspective and remind myself that down the road, all of this will have led toward a happy ending, that my children really won't kill each other (even though that seems like their goal right now) and that someday I'll chuckle when I look back on this. Yeah, the little pep talk wasn't helping much, so I flipped on the radio. Playing was "Blessed" by Elton John. Here are the lyrics:

Hey you, you're a child in my head
You haven't walked yet
Your first words have yet to be said
But I swear you'll be blessed

I know you're still just a dream
your eyes might be green
Or the bluest that I've ever seen
Anyway you'll be blessed

And you, you'll be blessed
You'll have the best
I promise you that
I'll pick a star from the sky
Pull your name from a hat
I promise you that, promise you that, promise you that
You'll be blessed

I need you before I'm too old
To have and to hold
To walk with you and watch you grow
And know that you're blessed

Of course, this is a song to an unborn child. But as I listened to the words, it came to me very strongly that this is how our Heavenly Father feels about us. We have all this untapped potential, and He wants to give us the very best of everything. He wants to pick stars out of the sky for us, and He has promised that if we keep His commandments, we will be blessed. It's a promise.

I've seen this happen time and again in my life, where the stress becomes almost too great to be born just before we're given a tremendous blessing. Now my job is to be patient through the trial, wait for the conclusion, and know that I will be blessed, because He promised it.

Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother - Kersten Campbell

From the flyleaf: Welcome to the world of Kersten Campbell! She s a mother of 5 children, a devoted wife, and an extremely enthusiastic homemaker. As she strives to have sanity in her crazy household, Campbell infuses her humor in every situation that she comes up against. Whether its her two-year-old creating a mushroom cloud of powdered milk in the kitchen or trying to sleep in a tent with five children on a campout, Campbell works with her family to overcome their problems and find laughter in all situations.

Humorist Kersten Campbell expertly writes on the escapades of daily life that any woman can relate to. With subjects ranging from zucchini crime to selling rocks to the neighbors, this book is sure to please any mother who is overwhelmed, tired, frustrated, bored, or ultimately happy.

Mothers and grandmothers everywhere will find therapy and comfort through the humor of these hilarious escapades.

Review: When I first got "Confessions of a Completely Insane Mother" in the mail, I set it on the counter, thinking I'd start it after lunch. My daughter beat me to it, though, and had it the rest of the afternoon. She's an avid reader and it didn't surprise me too much that she'd latched onto it. Okay, I thought to myself, I'll read it tomorrow.

Click here to read more ...

The Last Waltz - GG Vandagriff

When I first received my copy of “The Last Waltz” in the mail, I was a little intimidated by its size. This bad boy comes in at 591 pages and one deftly placed blow would stop a midnight marauder in his tracks. But once I opened the covers, I was hooked and the size didn’t matter so much—in fact, it meant more story to enjoy.

The first thing that attracted me to the story is the fact that it’s set during World War I. We don’t see a lot of fiction based on this era—World War II gets most of the attention in that regard. I also appreciated that the book was set in Austria, a country that is sometimes overlooked in the shadow of Germany’s history. And the third thing … well, I’m going to be blatantly honest. I’m not much of a romance reader, but this book had my heart going pitty-pat on more than one occasion.

Click here to read more ...

Don't You Think So?

moar funny pictures

Did you know you can make your own "Totally Looks Like" images? I made this one my own self. If you feel so inspired, you can vote for it by clicking here.

Random Thoughts about Random Acts of Kindness

I remember several years back when Oprah had a big deal on her show about doing random acts of kindness for people. She devoted a few episodes to talking with people who had tried the experiment and how it made them feel. Someone paid the toll for four cars behind them in line at the toll booth. Others carried groceries and performed acts of service. Each person interviewed said they felt uplifted and inspired to continue to find ways to help those around them each day.

At the same time, we often hear news stories about people who were attacked by persons who approached them, offering to help. Television shows portray women who are assaulted by men who volunteer to carry their groceries or help them change a flat tire. I recall another talk show (although which one escapes me) which specifically talked about the dangers of allowing strangers to help you or to get too close to you in any way. The experts on this panel mentioned that if someone seems to be overly helpful, they are most likely a predator seeking your confidence.

So how on earth are we supposed to reconcile these two things?

Sure, I'll offer help ... but I won't be surprised if the person I'm talking to pulls out a stun gun and warns me to stay away?

The other night, I was at Walmart, walking out to my car with a cart of groceries. It was probably ten-thirty at night, not terribly late, but fully dark. I had taken the precaution of parking under a light, as I always do. As I reached my car and prepared to open the trunk, a young man approached me. He was probably in his early twenties, looked fairly well-dressed, and was very friendly.

"Can I help you with that?" he asked.

Immediately the two factions began warring inside me. One part of me said, "Oh, how nice! This young man, who is probably a student at the nearby college, is taking time out of his busy night to offer to help me with my task."

The other voice in my head screamed, "Predator! Run! Flee! Scream! Get away or you'll never be heard from again until they drag the river for you!"

I spoke from instinct. "I'm good, but thanks for the offer."

"Are you sure?" he questioned.

"I'm sure. But thanks."

As he walked away, I just had to laugh. We live in a world where service is becoming rare, where human beings aren't reaching out to each other the way we should. And those who do try? They're labeled as serial killers.

Can we stay safe and still let others into our circle? How do we let others serve us without making ourselves vulnerable?

We've all heard the adage, "Better safe than sorry." I have no proof that the young man in question was just trying to be helpful, and I also have no proof that he's this generation's Ted Bundy. It would be nice if we had a clearer way to determine other's motives and intentions. In the meantime, I think we have to do the best we can. Trust our instincts and listen when we feel we should be cautious. Continue to reach out to those around us when we feel it's appropriate. And as far as trusting young men in parking lots? I'll probably still continue to send them away. Especially if it's dark. Call it paranoia. It probably is.

Bordering on Insanity?

I'm nearly always bordering on insanity! But today, I'd like to share with you something I did that actually turned out well, and that's a miracle because I'm not exactly what most people would call handy.

If you'll recall from last week, I am redoing my bedroom. I painted the top half white and the bottom half chocolate brown, which may seem like an odd combination until you see the border I chose, which has both those colors in it. While the painting was stressful, what really had me worried was hanging the border. I was surprised to discover it was actually pretty easy, and I'd like to share with you just how I did it. As always, if you've got tips to share with me, please leave them in the comment trail so I can continue to feel my way through this whole "being domestic" thing.

The border I got had adhesive on the back, but the kind you have to moisten. No, I didn't lick it like an envelope - my tongue's not long enough. But following the package directions, first I soaked it in warm water in my bathtub, a few feet at a time. (And if you look closely at the pictures, you can see where I have paint smudges all over me ...)

I found that it was easier to have a helper hold the dry portion while I worked with the wet, so it didn't all fall into the bathtub and make a big mess. My helper was my ten-year-old son, who finds things like this pretty interesting, so he was a good ally.

After I soaked each three-foot section of border, I pulled it out of the water and folded it, sticky side to sticky side, as directed on the package, in an accordion pleat, like this:

After the length of border was moistened, I carried it into the bedroom. First I needed to decide how far up the wall to place the border. I'd already made a preliminary decision when I painted, as I brought the brown and white together. But now an actual measurement was taken. If you have a metal measuring tape that allows you to lock the tape at the right measurement, that will come in handy.

I started at the edge of a windowsill, which was straight, rather than out in the middle of a wall. This helped me make sure I was going straight right from the get-go. Then every foot, I measured again, to make sure I was still on the right track. I could slide the border up and down a little as I went - the adhesive gives you a little leeway before it dries.

Again utilizing my excellent helper, I had him hold the folded border while I worked with the loose end. After I had about six inches on the wall, I smoothed it down with a credit card. I started out using a ruler, but one of my kids thought that using a ruler looked like fun, so they ran off with it. The point being, almost any implement with a flat edge will work. I smoothed out all the bubbles in that section, after I measured - if you smooth it down and then measure, it's hard to move it if you've gone wrong.

Going around corners was the hardest part, but the credit card played a big role in helping me accomplish it. I smoothed the border and got it fully stuck down completely up until the corner, and then I used the credit card to create a crease in the border right in the corner. Now, I didn't push too hard, because I didn't want to cut the border, but by making a crease, it folded more easily and was smoother on the other side. I also did this while going over the decorative trim, making creases on either side so it would lay flat.

I took a measurement immediately on the other side, because corners are one of the easiest places to gain or lose as you come around. I took the border all the way around the room, cutting it only for windows and doors, until it was completely done.

Of course, the roll of border wasn't that long, and I had to splice together different rolls to make it all the way. Matching up the border was fairly easy. First I looked at the pattern on the piece where I had left off, and then I held up the new piece to compare.

Once I saw where the patterns lined up, I cut the new piece to match, leaving about a two-inch overlap. Then I placed the new piece over the old and moved it around until it lined up exactly, of course being sure to take a measurement as I began to adhere the new piece.

I've been so pleased to have this project done. Every time I walk into the room, I look around with a smug smile and think, "I did that."



Here are a few more tips on hanging the border:

1. As you're placing the border on the wall, have the person who is holding the border for you stand very close to you, allowing a little slack in the border. If there's a lot of slack, the weight of the wet border will pull the adhered border off the wall, but if there's not enough slack, the tension will pull it off too.

2. You want the border good and wet, but you don't want it so drippy that it runs all down your wall. I suggest soaking it, and then after it's all folded in your hand accordion-style, shake it a few times over the tub to get rid of excess moisture. It does adhere quite well without vast quantities of water.

3. Keep in mind that the border is easy to remove. If you get it up and absolutely hate it, you can take it down and try something else. This isn't a lifetime commitment, so there's really no risk in trying it.

4. Take your time and do it nicely. Yes, you want to get it on the wall before the moisture evaporates, but that actually takes a little while and you do have some leeway. If you rush, you might not get the end results you're hoping for.

5. As the border dries, it may form a little bubble here and there, even though you did your best. This especially happens in corners. There's nothing wrong with taking a little bit of glue and smoothing that puppy back down.

6. Keep an extra package of border after you get done with your project. You never know when Billy might decide to color on it or if the person moving the dresser will smack into it and rip it. Having an extra package will allow you to mend these inevitable mishaps, and if they've discontinued your border pattern in the meantime, you don't need to panic, because you already have some on hand.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

VeggieTales

If you like to talk to tomatoes, if a squash can make you smile, if you like to waltz with potatoes up and down the grocery aisle … have we got a show for you!

Anyone who knows me will not be surprised to learn that I do, indeed, enjoy talking to tomatoes and dancing in the grocery store. Consequently, the children’s television show “VeggieTales” was a favorite from the moment it hit our home.

Picture, if you will, computer animated vegetables who act out Bible stories. Sounds a little strange at first, but go with me on this one. The creators of this series have great senses of humor, and they put that humor into each and every episode, forming something so off the wall and unique, you can’t help but smile.

Some of my favorite episodes include “Josh and the Big Wall,” which tells the story of the battle of Jericho, and “Esther,” which is slightly less funny and yet poignant in the telling. The stories are rewritten a little to make them understandable for young children, and I have to admit, I’ve learned a lot, too. One thing I’ve really appreciated is how the more frightening parts of the Bible are toned down just enough to keep from scaring the children, only retaining enough of the story so none of the history is lost. This was especially apparent in “Esther.” Rather than stating that an entire nation of people would have been slaughtered in the streets, we’re told that they are going to be sent to the Island of Perpetual Tickling. This conveys to the child viewer that the Jews were in danger, but not enough information to give them nightmares. As they grow older, parents can then introduce them to the true historical facts of the story.

Over the years, the series has broadened to include spoofs on classic literature as well. A Gilbert and Sullivan tribute, “Lyle the Kindly Viking,” is often on my lips as I do my housework. I enjoyed their version of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” as well as “The Sumo of the Opera.” Even in episodes that don’t hearken directly back to the Bible, solid moral values are presented and we see how the word of God is present in every situation.

We own at least fifteen VeggieTales movies and will continue to purchase them until we have them all. This is entertainment that teaches our children, that makes us laugh too, and it’s one of the only series we allow our children to watch on Sunday. Give VeggieTales a try – maybe they’ll become a regular dish at your house, too.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The Forgotten Warrior Book Tour Comes to An End

For the past month, new LDS author Kathi Oram Peterson has been on virtual book tour, visiting sites all over the web with her book, "The Forgotten Warrior." After reading all the reviews, it's now my turn to share my thoughts on this breakout novel as the tour comes to a close.

Our main character is Syd, a girl who has really struggled in her life. Her father left the family years before, and her mother has had to support Syd and her mentally challenged sister Gracie by herself. She opened a karate dojo and Syd helps her out by teaching in the afternoons and also keeping an eye on Gracie, who has a kind and tender heart but isn't able to watch over herself. Syd feels the pressure of supporting her family and holding herself together, but at times, her resolve weakens.

Click here to read more ...

Hang Out with Me and Support the Cause of Literacy ... all at the same time!

Pleasant Grove Library Book Festival Fundraiser

This is an event you don’t want to miss! On April 3rd, 2009 from 7:00 p.m.
to 9:00 p.m. at the Pleasant Grove Library (30 E Center, Pleasant Grove), Provident Book and Humdinger Toys, Scholastic books, and fourteen authors are uniting together by appearing at the Festival and selling their books and other merchandise to help raise funds for the Pleasant Grove Library. There will be author readings, door prizes, music, and more! With the economic conditions, our library needs all the support and help that we can give it so our community will continue to have the services we've enjoyed in the past. All the proceeds from the Festival will go toward our library and its programs.

This is definitely a family event so tell your friends and family to come meet their favorite author, do their spring book and toy shopping and show support for literacy and the library in our community!

Some of the authors that will be appearing: Rachel Ann Nunes, Julie Coulter Bellon, J. Scott Savage, Tristi Pinkston, Julie Wright, GG Vandagriff, Suzanne V. Reese, H.B. Moore, Christy Hardman, Jewel Adams, Rebecca Shelley, Elodia Strain, Anne Bradshaw, and Stacy Gooch Anderson.

City of Ember (2008)

I’m probably one of the few people on the planet who has not read the Ember books by Jeanne Duprau. This is not due to some form of arrogance or ignorance on my part, but rather, lack of time. When the movie made from the first book was released on DVD earlier this year, I was excited to see it and learn for myself the reason for the hoopla over these books.

Imagine living so far underground, you never see the sun. What if all your light was electric and provided by a generator that worked inconsistently, and the moments of darkness were darker than the blackest night? This is the only life the inhabitants of the City of Ember have ever known. Years before, their ancestors built them their city to protect them from a crumbling civilization on the surface. The plan was to keep the people underground only for a short time, but then the instructions on how to return were lost.

Now, the people are running out of food, and the generator is failing more and more often. Two young adults, Doon Harrow and Lina Lightfoot, stumble across some clues which make them believe they know the way out, but why won’t anyone listen to them? Why does everyone seem content with life the way it is, even when that life will soon cease to exist?

This movie was a fantastical family adventure that I greatly enjoyed. It was interesting to me to think about how hundreds of people would survive deep underground, and how corruption would naturally come into play as resources became scarce and self-preservation was the driving force behind all decisions. There are some moments of mild peril, so I wouldn’t recommend it for very young children, but I think viewers ages eight and up will appreciate this film, which was rated PG.

Mini Reviews:

The Cat in the Hat (2003) It was crass, the comedy was forced, and it’s not even worth a full review, so it’s not going to get one. Let’s just say, don’t waste your time. Stick with the original Seuss.

Sense and Sensibility (2008) This remake of the classic Jane Austen story of two sisters and their different approaches to love was respectable, but can’t compare to the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet version of 1995. I have to give them credit for trying—the acting was good and the soundtrack was nice, but I’ve still got my favorite and that hasn’t been ousted. I’m sorry.

Madame Curie (1943) I was completely fascinated by this film, which stars Greer Garson as Marie Curie and Walter Pidgeon as Pierre Curie. Brought together by their intense passion for science, the Curies spent most of their time in their research laboratory, content in each other’s company. The film follows Marie’s climb from schoolgirl to researcher, through her tender attachment to Pierre, and then rejoices with her as she discovers a new element, which would become known as radium. It was interesting to see the intense amount of work that went into the discovery, and how well she and Pierre worked together to bring about her dream. This movie was educational, exciting, and romantic, all at the same time.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

I'm Painting My Bedroom Brown - I'm Painting My Bedroom Brown ...

I don’t really paint well. I try, and I do like the end results, but I’m not one of those people who can just pick up a paintbrush and create a gorgeous new living space. I’m more one of those people who fusses and fumes and throws a couple of fits and then makes everyone come see the room and praise her highly in order to make herself feel better.

I am glad to say, however, that it does get a little easier. You learn as you go and you retain those lessons (like, remembering to cobweb before you start to paint—that was a good lesson) and each time, you get a little braver, too. I haven’t outgrown the need for praise, though, which is why I’m posting my project, so you can all pat me on the back and tell me how awesome I am.

When we first moved into our home, this is what my master bedroom looked like:


It matched the previous owner’s things, but didn’t really go with mine. I wanted to paint, but felt a little skittish about doing it. Then I don’t know if it was something in the water, but I suddenly became brave. This is the final result:


Isn’t it pretty?

I’d like to share with you some of the things I learned along the way when it came to the painting, (maybe I can spare you some of the painful moments I experienced) and next week I’ll share step by step instructions on how to hang the border.

1. Don’t be afraid to play with color. I’ll admit, when it came to picking out my brown (which goes by the delicious name Chocolate Almond, by the way) I was nervous. What if my choice ended up being a huge mistake? You’ll never know if you don’t try, and if it’s terrible, you can always paint over it.

2. Don’t worry about trying to reuse your brushes and rollers over and over again. Chances are good, you’ll get called away from your project and your brushes will dry out before you get back to it—rather than spending all kinds of time trying to rinse out your brushes so they can be reused, just throw them out and use new ones. They’re inexpensive and it’s just not worth the time and frustration.

3. Buy a paint that specifically promises one-coat coverage. You’ll save yourself so much time this way.

4. If your house has molding that’s covered in a faux wood finish, don’t mask off the wood. You’ll pull the “wood” off when you remove the tape. Depending on the type of paint you use, you might be able to gently massage off the paint from the molding with a warm, wet cloth—that’s what I’ve been doing. Or you can cut in the edges with an angle brush.

5. Use paint with low or no fumes. This is becoming easier to find, but check the labeling and don’t just assume that’s what you’re getting.

6. Give yourself time to do it carefully. A slap-dash painting job isn't worth the minimal amount of effort you put into it.

I’m really pleased with how my bedroom turned out, and it’s given me confidence to tackle a few other projects that need tackling. I’m going to paint the lower portion of my living room in the same chocolate brown as the bedroom, and I’m looking forward to that. The trick is to stop being afraid of the process. As long as you’re smarter than a paintbrush (and there are some days when frankly, I’m not) you’ll do great.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Tower of Strength – Annette Lyon

Utah Best of State medalist Annette Lyon adds another installment to her best-selling series which uses research and the question, “What if?” to create stories that revolve around the building of LDS temples in Utah. So far, she has featured the Logan temple, the St. George temple, the Salt Lake temple, and now with her release of “Tower of Strength,” the Manti temple.

Tabitha Chadwick had been in love with Fred Hall for as long as she could remember. When she became old enough to start courting, he told her he’d been waiting for her, and before long, they were married. Just two months later, a mining accident took his life, making her a widow at the start of a pregnancy. Wanting to leave her painful memories behind, and definitely wanting to get out from the baleful glare of her disapproving mother-in-law, Tabitha moved to Logan to attend Brigham Young College and find a way to provide for herself and her infant son.

Click here to read more ...

Nancy Drew (2007)

Just like any other well-rounded girl of my generation, I grew up on Nancy Drew. Carolyn Keene’s fresh-faced ingénue detective has been the heroine of girls the world over for decades, and for good reason—she’s smart, she’s pretty, she’s not afraid to face the unknown, and let’s face it, she’s got a great car. Who wouldn’t want to be Nancy Drew?

When ads first started airing for the movie, I was a bit concerned. The Nancy of the books is a little older than the actress in the movie—Movie Nancy is still in high school. But I decided to give the movie a go.

Nancy Drew is a high-school student who excels in everything she does. She gets good grades, she’s the perfect daughter to her lawyer father, and as the film opens, we see her diffuse a scary hostage situation with her winning attitude and a lemon bar. Her hometown of River Heights depends on her wit and cunning to keep their crime element under control.

But when her father, Carson Drew, is asked to go to California to help with a law case, Nancy’s world changes. She’s no longer the most popular girl in school. That role is already taken, and the popular girls don’t appreciate Nancy’s wholesome approach to life and her way of being the best at everything. They spend their time making her school days miserable, and she spends her time solving the mystery that came along with the house they rented, which used to belong to a famous Hollywood actress.

Of course, Nancy opens a can of worms. It wouldn’t be a true Nancy Drew without that. But the peril is always mild. No one ever really gets hurt in a Nancy Drew. She solves the case, wins the respect of her schoolmates, and gets a kiss from Ned Nickerson as the credits roll.

What I liked about the film: Nancy sets a good example of a girl who’s comfortable with herself. She doesn’t feel the need to impress other people or to play to their expectations. The mystery is just complex enough to engage the preteen viewer without being so full of plot twists, we become confused.

What I didn’t like: Nancy does come across as self-important much of the time, and the film was also a little campy. I agree that the books themselves are a little campy, but the movie gave the impression of trying to be a modern take on the old story, and so in my opinion, it should also become more authentic and less campy. There was a small amount of language.

Overall, we enjoyed this film. My daughter pulled out her sewing supplies to replicate Nancy’s detective kit, and I have the feeling many mysteries are soon to be investigated here on the Pinkston homefront. This movie was rated PG.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Pass-a the Pasta

Not every mother knows how to cook. That is a sad fact of life. My own mother, bless her heart, has a hate/hate relationship with the kitchen. She avoids any and all forms of cooking and yet was somehow blessed with four daughters who all love to cook. She says she doesn’t know how it happened. I think it was nature’s way of balancing out the universe.

Most of the cooking techniques I’ve learned over the years have either come to me as pearls of wisdom from other women in my life or from my own experimentation. In some ways, I feel a little late to the cooking wagon as it wasn’t something demonstrated regularly as I grew up, and so some of the tips I’m about to offer may seem a little elementary to some of my readers, but I’d like to share them just the same, as they did make a big difference to me when I learned them.

In order to make perfect pasta al dente, bring a pot of water completely to boil before adding the noodles. Don’t put the noodles in while the water is just hot, or just starting to bubble—a full rolling boil is what you’re waiting for. Oh, and don’t watch it … because you know what will happen then.

Try to add your noodles all at once so they’ve each been in the water the same amount of time. If you add one handful now and another five minutes from now, some portions of your dinner will be cooked and others will be overcooked.

Once your noodles are added, don’t turn down the heat. Keep that roiling boil going. If your pot starts to overflow, you can stick a cup in there and siphon off some of the water, but reducing the heat causes the pasta to go mushy. And next time, just use a little less water.

The shape of your pasta will determine the cooking time. Penne and bowtie pastas take longer to cook because they are thicker. Angel hair takes the least amount of time because it’s so thin. Either way, we’re not talking hours. Pasta does cook up fairly quickly, twelve-fifteen minutes at most for the thickest pasta.

Test your pasta for doneness by pulling out a piece and tasting it. Oh, sure, throw it at the wall if you really want to, but the only way you’ll know if it’s ready to eat is to eat it.

Just as important as all the rest of this is to serve it as soon as it’s done. As pasta cools, it sticks together and turns into a mass of congealed gluten. Yum, right? No. Serve while the pasta is hot and your family will be much happier.

Once a month, I’ll be sharing cooking tips I’ve picked up along the way. Some will be new to you, some will be redundant. But if I can save even one poor soul from burning dinner the night the guy they used to have a crush on comes over for dinner and they’re trying to impress him with their culinary skills, I’ll consider it all a success.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Taken by Storm - Angela Morrison

Leesie is a Mormon. She’s never smoked, never tasted alcohol, doesn’t make out, goes to church, and tries to live her life according to her beliefs.

Michael is a surfer dude. He’s been raised on the ocean, in touch with nature, and has learned to express his deep emotions by having sex.

When Michael’s parents are killed in a freak storm, he comes to live with his grandmother in Washington. He is filled with grief over his parents’ death and hates being uprooted from the only life he’s known. When he starts attending school, he meets Leesie, a girl filled with so much goodness and light, he’s drawn to her from the start. She’s drawn to him as well, sensing his loneliness and wanting to help him, and soon they’re spending all their spare time together. But she’s been taught to wait until marriage to have sex, and he doesn’t understand why.

Click here to read more ...