24 Clever Ideas to Make Life Easier

This from an email with the best idea I received this year. As you can tell I have not done much this year with this blog...
Just thought about posting something useful.

Ideas to Make Life Easier

Hull strawberries easily using a straw.


Rubbing a walnut over scratches in your furniture will disguise dings and scrapes

Remove crayon masterpieces from your TV or computer screen with WD40.


Stop cut apples browning in your child’s lunch box by securing with a rubber band.


Overhaul your linen cupboard, store bed linen sets inside one of their own pillowcases and there will be no more hunting through piles for a match.


Pump up the volume by placing your iPhone & iPod in a bowl.  The concave shape amplifies the music.


Re-use a wet-wipes container to store plastic bags.


Add this item to your beach bag.  Baby powder gets sand off your skin easily, who knew?!


Attach a Velcro strip to the wall to store soft toys.


Use wire to make a space to store gift wrap rolls against the ceiling, rather than cluttering up the floor.


Find tiny lost items like earrings by putting a stocking over the vacuum hose.


Make an instant cupcake carrier by cutting crosses into a box lid.


For those who can’t stand the scrunching and bunching: how to perfectly fold a fitted sheet.


Forever losing your bathroom essentials?  Use magnetic strips to store bobby pins, tweezers and clippers, behind a vanity door


Store shoes inside shower caps to stop dirty soles rubbing on your clothes.  And you can find them in just about every hotel.


A muffin pan becomes a craft caddy.  Magnets hold the plastic cups down to make them tip-resistant.


Bread tags make the perfect cord labels.


Bake cupcakes directly in ice-cream cones, so much more fun and easier for kids to eat.


Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper bag.  Much healthier and cheaper than the packet stuff.


Install a tension rod to hang your spray bottles.


Turn your muffin pan upside down, bake cookie-dough over the top and voila, you have cookie bowls for fruit or ice-cream.


Freeze Aloe Vera in ice-cube trays for soothing sunburn relief.


Create a window-box veggie patch using guttering.


Use egg cartons to separate and store your Christmas decorations.

George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Procamation

"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observe by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:

now, therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who id the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite i rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interposition of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been able to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and in particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may them unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations, especially such as have shown kindness to us, and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best"

Well said. Happy Thanksgiving!

Make a t-shirt dress for the Spring/Summer!

 I love sewing! Unfortunately time is always the reason I don't sew as much as I want. Today I decided to make a t-shirt dress and I loved it. It took less than 20 min and less then $10.

Start with a t-shirt. This is a Target one ($4.99) plus fabric (this is less than 1 yd I had) of a contrasting or complementing color. I love the fabric Hobby Lobby has from "Brother and Sister Designers". They look almost like scrapbook paper design to me.

I made the whole project on the serger but you can do on a regular machine too. Cut the t-shirt lower than the natural waist (about the belly-button height).  Calculate how long you want the skirt to go from there. Sew the fabric together making a tube. To enhance the detail I attached the t-shirt to the skirt on the right side (to be visible). Mark the four points to guide you: sides and middle (on t-shirt and fabric tube) . Match the marks when joining the to parts together with pins. The t-shirt will be stretched to fit the fabric size.

Sew with the t-shirt side up so you can stretch it to match the skirt. Do 1/8 of the length at time to distribute the fabric evenly. Once the two pieces are attached, hem the dress. I used black thread on the serger with the smallest stitch length possible on my machine, to further show contrast. I also created a sach from a strip of fabric about 4", it was really the left over fabric. I folded in half and served around the four sides. Easy, cute and fast.

We are already planning more dresses, with different colors, details and belts. I love playing dress up! Doesn't she looks so great?

Spring already?

I promise you that it was yesterday that I posted my last post. I have no idea what happened to time ever since. It must be the school, kids, kids school, husband, new guinea pig pet, calling and house keeping me busy.

It seams that I'm always trying to catch up with life. So from now on is official. I'm no longer trying hard to catch and I'm returning to my Brazilian roots of living a easy life. How come I managed 23 years of live without stress there? I wondered if stress came with the American citizenship...

Let me explain how life works there as far as I remember:

1- First there's no planners, calendars on the refrigerators, mini planners or gadget in your purse that dictate what you need to do every minute of the next 30 days of your live. In Brazil you'd think: "Who knows if you even are going to be around then? Enjoy now! Take the walk to the grocery and take a friend with you; eat the ice cream and walk a little more; there's no wasting time stressing out".

2 - If you are looking a little pale, just take a walk in the sun, work in the garden, walk the dog (there's a lot of walking involved...).

3 - If you are feeling blue, bored, or otherwise not 100% happy, walk to the neighbor house for a visit, eat the cake they will give you, drink the freshly squeezed juice, and walk back home.

4 - If it is the afternoon, walk to the bakery and buy some fresh bread for the light dinner you will serve. Just the smell of the bread will make you happy. Eat one as you walk back home.

5 - Did I forget music? During the whole day you need to have some music blasting or you won't be able to hear it over the neighbor's music. Sometimes you can hear 3 to 5 different radio stations at the same time, depending on what neighbors are home and listening to what.

6 - Only work when your favorite music is playing. Loud.

7 - If you are hungry, eat. If you ran out of the things you like, walk to the grocery and pick up some.

8 - Watch some TV if you like. Read, for that you can lower the music volume.

9 - Watches and clocks are not really needed. You are going to get there soon enough, right?

10 - If the weather is good, go swimming and sunbathing. It does wonders for your health! Then walk home.

I miss Brazil.

100 Life Goals

100 Thigns to do in Life...

1 – Learn to type correctly
2 – Learn to play piano
3 – Graduate from college
4 – Learn to skate
5 – Learn to play tennis
6 – Learn calligraphy
7 – Learn to paint
8 – Get in optimum body weight and shape.
9 – Race a triathlon
10 – Serve a mission with Marcus.
11 – Go to Brazil to work on genealogy
12 – See my daughters getting married in the Temple
13 - Play with my grandchildren.
14 – Write and publish a book
15 – Travel to other countries with my family
16 – Learn Photography
17 – Teach people how to write their lifestory.
18 – Go to as many temples as I can.
19 – Have my year supply of food storage
20 – Use and rotate my food storage
21 – Get my vision corrected.
22 – Complete my genealogy work for 8 generations at least
23 – Develop a program to help children with weight problems and help them.
24 – Make my house a refuge to souls of the ones who needs help
25 – Share my passion of recording personal stories.
26 - Find my dream career.
27 – Know all the articles of faith by heart.
28 – Know the scripture masters by heart.
29 – Read the Book of Mormom once a year, every year.
30 – Write a journal/blog.
31 – Let my hair grow long again.
32 – Plant and tend a vegetable and flower garden.
33 – Learn to landscape
34 – Learn how to work with concrete and brick work.
35 – Learn how to and take care of my fruit trees.
36 – Learn to sing
37 – Run for sport
38 – Help my mother in her later years
39 – Help my in-laws in their later years
40 – Help my family members to come to the gospel
41 – Be at important family functions
42 – Help Romualdo to help himself
43 – Forgive the ones who hurt me in the pass
44 – Forgive my father
45 – Became an example for others.
46 – Help people to come unto Christ
47 – Learn about genealogy in Brazil
48 – Find my ancestors and their stories
49 – Write/record family stories
50 – Write about both my grandmothers.
51 – Teach my girls Portuguese
52 - Date my husband- at least once a week
53 - Learn a new thing every month.
54 - Visit all the church historical sites.
55 - Pray daily.
56 - Fast monthly.
57 - Invent something that helps people life.
58 - Write poems (maybe in English this time)
59 - Learn to make a new bread every month.
60 - Read the classics - English literature.
61 - Visit Europe.
62 - Visit Jerusalem.
63 - Develop a new skill every year.
64 - Visit Brazil a couple of times with whole family.
65 - Improve my writing skills in English.
66 - Call my family every other week or more often.
67 - Reconnect with lost friends.
68 - Share the gospel with passion.
69 - Go on a cruise.
70 - Go on a all-women family trip.
71 - Go to Nauvoo with all my family and relatives to walk the pioneer trek.
72 - Go to an Opera
73 - Draw my dream home.
74 - Learn to remodel a home.
75 - Get rid of a bad habit every year.
76 - Lear to swim in open waters.
77 - Visit Washington DC with my family.
78 - Learn to dance flamenco.
79 - Drive a convertible.
80 - Visit my family once every two/three years.
81 - Visit Portugal.
82 - Have fun with family every week.
83 - Go to the temple once a month.
84 - See my grandchildren being born.
85 - Discover purpose in life.
86 - Bear testimony of Christ and gospel every time an opportunity appear.
87 - Feed missionaries once a month.
88 - Visit Teach every month.
89 - Sing in a choir.
90 - Learn/improve language skills (Spanish, Italian, French and English).
91 - Become a successful business owner.
92 - Exercise at least 3 times a week.
93 - Learn golf.
94 - Learn to ride a horse.
95 - Become a motivational speaker.
96 - Travel once a year.
97 - Share gospel with my cousins.
98 - Be involved with nephews and nieces.
99 - Join a worthy cause.
100 - Become a better person every day.

A Treasure Found

My kids are into "I love you" but not everyday you find out what they really think of me.

While helping Camila to clean up her backpack for the new school semester, she pulled a paper that I thought was trash ans said, "oh, this is about you". She got my attention.

It was a form she had filled out in school back in August. It was about Leadership. It said:

Choose an adult you know that you believe is a good leader. The person should be someone outside of your school.
 Mom
1- What characteristics does this person have?
 Strong in confidence, good planner, motivating, friendly, funny, a people person, dependable.
2- What are this person's stregths and weakness?
 Funny, kind, sensible, brave  -  forgetful, slightly impatient, can lose her organization
3 - What sets this person apart from others in the same position?
 She's not greedy, she has good morals and she can compromise.
4 - Is the person someone with high integrity? Why and why not?
 Yes because she does the right thing ( unless when dad's not home sometimes)
5- Is the person a great speaker? Why and why not?
Yes because she's motivating, inspiring and persuasive. She isn't "rambly", she get's to the point.

I had fun reading it. I guess Marcus will know now that we eat desert before dinner sometimes and that I do let them stay up later then they should sometimes. Hey, but boy do we have fun!

This shows how important every decision I make, things I read, watch, listen to are being closely watched. I want to become a better person this year. That is my greats goal!

I'm glad I have been doing something right.

The Meaning of Christmas

The Meaning of Christmas
by
Dr. Ellen K. Rudolph

I want to share a recent conversation that I had with Santa Claus. I arranged to interview him this year because I wanted to know what Santa himself thinks about the meaning of Christmas.

It was not an easy trip, mind you. Getting to the North Pole is a bit of a stretch even for a photojournalist. But I persevered, and it turned out to be quite an adventure.

The first thing Santa said to me as we warmed our hands in front of the fire is that he does the Christmas thing to keep children believing. "Yes," he said in a somber voice, "without hope for the future and a bit of joy in their lives, children suffer." He worries that the world is not always a hospitable place for children; that Princes and Princesses and Kings and Queens and Presidents are all failing to buffer children from the discontents of their elders.

So he sees it as his mission to instill in children some wonder, and joy, some feelings of eager anticipation and -- most of all -- the hope that someone will remember them. "I make it a point to find out about each child before I visit them. I want them to know that I have their name on my Christmas list which makes them feel very important!"

He smiled as he slowly stirred the steaming hot chocolate in his Santa mug. "Folks," he said, "have really become quite muddled about Christmas. As the story has unfolded over the years they've gotten some things mixed up."

I busily wrote as Santa talked but I could not help but steal a look or two as this jolly old man reminisced.

"All the pictures show me in a sleigh which is loaded down with gifts. But if the truth be known," he said, "the gifts all fit in my breast pocket!"

Santa then leaned forward in his chair to pull a little worn leather pouch from his pocket.

"The sleigh with reindeer is just a form of transportation," he said. "But in here -- and he held the pouch up against the light of the fire so that I could see it better -- in here are the gifts that I bear."

On a clean page in my notebook I carefully made a list of what was in there:

Joyful laughter
Tender hugs
Shared secrets
Smiles
Delicious smells from the kitchen
A work of art
Squeals of delight
A double rainbow
Angel's wings
A pinch of stardust
The glow of candlelight
A glorious red sunset
Songs from the heart
A morning chorus of birds
A poem written in the sand
An Eagle's view of the world

And -- "Wait a minute!" Santa said as he shook the pouch more aggressively, "this one always gets a little stuck." Finally, out popped Peace on Earth.

Santa sighed as we looked at the little pile of presents on the coffee table.
"This is what Christmas is all about. It is about good feelings and togetherness, it is not about things."

I noted that there was not a single red bow on any of the pouch's contents. And I nodded my head in agreement that Christmas has become altogether too commercialized.

"Take Rudolph," Santa said. "Kids know him as my lead reindeer with a brightly lit nose. But does he make Christmas? No, I make Christmas happen for him and he gives me lots in return. Rudolph was a disabled reindeer until we discovered the charms of his wonderful red nose. He was very sad and very thin when I first met him because no one liked him -- he was different, you see. Other reindeer teased him unmercifully."

"That Christmas I gave Rudolph a life with meaning. He became part of the family."

"Store-bought gifts are OK," Santa went on to say, "but words of encouragement and shows of love are so much better, and so much more lasting in terms of their impact on others."

We stared at the fire in silence for a while as I collected my thoughts.

"Santa," I said as I put down my pen, "I was an orphan until the age of six. I had never even heard of Santa Claus until then. Christmas, to me and to my five older brothers, was just another day of the year. We never had a tree, there were certainly no presents for us under a tree, not even the sweet smell of cookies baking."

"We barely had enough heat in our house and our mother and father were always arguing. Finally they separated when I turned three and my brothers and I became wards of the state."

"I know." Santa said.

"But still, we had such fun in those days! My brother, Philip, who was ten at the time, taught the rest of us the words to 'Silent Night' and we giggled uproariously as we sang it together at the top of our lungs. One year the boys made me a little doll out of old pillow stuffing and rags. That was so precious to me, that doll. I still have it today."

Santa smiled at me.

"Come to think of it, Santa, I never felt deprived as a child because of my brothers. We huddled together to ward off danger and we supported each other. I rode on their shoulders when the going got rough. We made do with what we had and we loved each other. Why, if it hadn't been for them I would have been sixteen and pregnant just like my mother."

I could not talk any more at that point, as strong feelings were beginning to well up inside of me.

"Yes," Santa said, 'but do not forget that you were also their Christmas present. Without you their lives would have been less precious."

Well, those days are long gone, I thought to myself as I gathered up my things to leave. There has been lots of water over the damn since then. I smiled brightly and thanked Santa for the interview and gave him a big hug.

Santa must have read my mind. He reached his hand into another pocket of his big red coat and pulled out a tattered little piece of paper.

"You must have lost this somewhere along the way," Santa said as he gave it to me.

I looked down and read the words 'I am here for you, little sister' that were scrawled in a 10-year old's awkward handwriting. The date on it was 1952 and it was signed, PHILIP.

NOTE: I was adopted that year and separated from him and the others, but Philip and I beat the odds and remained the best of friends until his untimely death in 1999.

To learn more about Ellen K. Rudolph, visit her web site...DrEllenRudolph.com

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I loved this message because our family and friends are really all that we need for Christmas. That's why Christmas exist: Jesus Christ was born to give his life for us, so we could remain brothers and sister forever. He is our brother who is here for us.

Merry Christmas