Ask Yourself the Question, “Will This Make a Difference?”

I first heard this saying when I was still working in the 1970’s, Then I found it again in a book given to me by my Mom for helping her with her first All-Thomas High School Class Reunion; “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff . . . and it’s all small stuff, Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things from Taking Over Your Life”, #16, by Richard Carlson. This book has lots more good recommendations, but this is the one that stayed with me.

Take a look at whatever circumstance is upsetting you, then simply ask yourself the question, “Will this make a difference—in an hour, a day, a week, a year, five years, etc.? Choose the best time period that alleviates your anger or frustration. Is there really any long-term effect or value?

This question has made a huge difference in my life. Rather than expending too much unnecessary negative energy on small, unimportant things, I could breeze through those times with a joke and a smile on my face. It made it easier to keep things, which incite stress, anger or even unkind words, in perspective.

Maybe this can help ‘tame the beast’ in you during those more challenging times we all have in our lives.

P.S. You might want to buy this little book. There might be something in it that strikes a more harmonious chord with you that is different from me.

Strawberries are a favorite fruit

Some facts for you about strawberries. Did you know—

1. Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring.
2. Strawberries (as well as many other fruits) are members of the rose family.
3. Strawberries are a symbol of perfection and righteousness and were carved into designs on medieval churches and cathedrals.
4. Strawberries are popular—they're in 94% of households in  the United States, and half of the country's children, ages 7 to 9, say strawberries are their favorite fruit.
5. The world's largest strawberry was the size of a large apple, weighing 8.17 ounces.
6. Belgium has a museum dedicated to strawberries.  

(Source: LDS Living, May/June, p. 9) 

Now you know too!

Plastic Containers and food

Have you heard about the danger of plastic?

Never microwave in plastic containers.

cankers

Try this: If you have cankers in your mouth. Rinse with hydrogen peroxide, or swab the spot with a q-tip.

Let me know if this works, then I will know too. Sorry, I am not sure where I heard this.

ACT ON YOUR GOOD IMPULSES

The great novelist and poet George Eliot remarked, "I not only want to be loved, I want to be told that I am loved . . . ."

The biggest disservice we render to ourselves and to others is when we feel inclined to compliment and encourage someone, and then remain silent.

Give compliments often and encouragement frequently—lift someone's heart and bring a smile to their face. It will make you feel good too.

Here are some hints on how to buy the best fruit.

Hop

• Oranges/grapefruits:  Squish them a little; if they have some give, it means their rind is thick and they've had time to mature. Or, as with grapefruits, weigh them in your hand; if they're comparatively heavy, they're nice and juicy. (Note: contrary to popular belief, the most orange oranges are not necessarily ripe; it only means they were grown in colder temperatures.
• Cherries:  Look for deeply-colored, firm (but not hard) cherries with green stems (as opposed to dark stems which will be old).
• Watermelon:  Look at the discoloration, where the melon has rested on the ground. If it is big, broad discoloration (whitish-yellow) along the bottom of the melon, it's been sitting in the sun a lot, ripening, and it's perfect. If it's just a small spot of discoloration, leave the fruit for someone else. There is also the "lots of bugs bite scarring theory." It goes like this:  If there are lots of bug bite scars on the melon, it will be sweet. (This theory originated when my brother sold watermelons as a scout many years ago.) These are two good methods. To me all watermelons sound the same when thumped, I threw out the thumping method a long time ago.
• Peaches:  First, smell the peach to make sure it smells good; if you can't smell anything, it's not ripe. Then feel it to make sure it is tender (but don't push too hard).
• Grapes:  The best, crisp grapes will be lighter than those that are squishy and old; pinch a few on the bunch to see if they are firm. For ripeness, look for flecks of tough, brown skin, which are signals that the grapes have had enough time to ripen in the sun.

(Sources: LDSLiving, July/August 2010, and me)

Weightloss shortcuts

 These are good lifestyle suggestions for everyone.

1. Eat an apple before lunch. This fills your stomach with fiber, so you feel full sooner, thus you eat less of those high calorie favorites.
2. Refrigerate canned goods, these are the ones with fat in them. The fat will solidify, you scoop it out, and no more fat. Pretty cool.
3. Dilute you juice by half. Use water or try seltzer to make it more interesting.
4. Fake a carbohydrate, substitute cauliflower for potatoes or pasta. You know, like mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. I haven't tried this, and I am a little reluctant. Here in Idaho potatoes are king, and I am sure the Italians feel the same way about their pasta. I about left this one out because of my reluctance, but we should all try it at least once.
5. Replace half the oil in your recipe with applesauce. This substitution has been around a long time.
6. Decrease the sugar in your recipe by half. I have been trying this and I like it. However, I don't think this will work on those holiday candy recipes we all love this time of year.
7. Swap gym bags with a friend. It makes you both show up. 

(Source: Dr. Oz and Relief Society)

Some not-so-common sites around Temple Square.

1. Meridian Marker—Location: Temple Square, outside the southeast corner. It is a sandstone obelisk that serves as the center of SLC. The current marker is a replica of the original (now in the Church History Museum). All addresses in the valley are stated in relation to this marker.
2. Cedar of Lebanon—Location: Temple Square, just to the north inside the East Gate. This majestic tree was only 1 foot high when it was brought from Israel in 1949.
3. South Visitors Center—Location: Temple Square, just inside the south entrance. A painting by Joseph F. Brickey shows "Our Heavenly Father's Plan for Families." The painting is read from left to right—backward from normal. Why do think this is so?          Walk outside the northeast exit and look up to see the United States Meridian Base. This U-shaped stone was a telescope base for an observatory built in 1869 and use by Elder Orson Pratt of the Quorum of the Twelve. The observatory is gone, but a replica of the original base remains in the exact same spot. That observatory was part of a series of similar government observatories across he country that were used to establish local time and it was used to regulate the city's clocks until the end of 1897.
4. Salt Lake Temple—Can you find the big Dipper on the west side of the temple? Near the southwest corner is a locust bush that is so large it looks like a tree. It was damaged a little when a freak tornado came through SLC in 1999, but it still stands - with a little help.
5. Assembly Hall—Location: Temple Square. At the entrance there are old boot scrapers. Clean your soles before you go in to clean your soul. Look at the spires. How many square-tip ones can you find? The square tip served as a chimney in times gone by.
6. Temple Square west exit gate—Very close to the southwest corner of the Tabernacle is a small leaf imprinted into the concrete sidewalk. Can you find it?          Look to the North of the gate outside Temple Square. There is an archway in the wall. Water diverted from City Creek used to flow through Temple Square to run machinery (not the organ, as sometimes supposed). This reconstructed arch is a little south of where the original was located.
7. Church History Museum—Location: 45 N. West Temple. Just enjoy. Don't miss the Deuel pioneer log home just outside the Museum. It is only one of two pioneer log homes that remain intact. The structure was once located on Temple Square.
8. Lion House—Location: Next door to Lion House. Eliza R. Snow who was married to Brigham Young, lived in a small room in the Lion House. Her window was the fourth gable from the northwest corner. The room itself is gone and is now part of a larger banquet room. It is not open for tours.
9. Beehive House—Location: Corner of South Temple and State Street.
10. Brigham Young farm original stone wall—Location: Brigham Young Memorial Park, Southeast corner of State Street and North Temple. Walk all the way to the east side of the park, past the water wheel and up the steps. A 9-ft.-high wall surrounded Brigham Young's farm. A short remnant still preserves the original curve of the wall. Look for this curve in the model of 1870's SLC in the Church History Museum.
11. Mormon Pioneer Memorial Park—Location: 140 E. First Ave. This is the burial site of Brigham Young and Eliza R. Snow, a former Relief Society President. Several blocks east at the Salt Lake City Cemetery (200 North and N Street) is where 11presidents of the Church are buried.
12. Kimball-Whitney Cemetery and Park—Location: Just east of the Conference Center, midway up the block on the east side of Main Street. Follow the brick path between the Kimball apartments and the Deseret apartments. 
13. Heber J. Grant home—Location: 174 E. South Temple, on the south side of the street. This home was built in 1904 by President Heber J. Grant wife, Augusta, while he was on a mission in Europe. President Grant lived there until about the time he became President of the LDS Church. This home is not open for tours, and is the office attorney E. Graig Smay, who was restoring the building. Notice the original sandstone sidewalk in front of the home.
14. Wilford Woodruff home—Location: 1604 S. 500 E. This privately owned home is now the site of a monument that was dedicated in June by the Holladay Chapter of the Sons of Utah Pioneers. The nearby First Encampment Park (1700 S 500 E.) was built in 1997 as a memorial to mark the first area where the pioneers camped in the Sale Lake Valley.
15. 10th Ward Square—Location: 800 E. 400 S. This complex has undergone much change, but is still representative of the pioneer era, when Saints used to worship at the Salt Lake Tabernacle on Sundays and use ward meetinghouse for everyday life. The meetinghouse was both a school and social gathering place. The chapel, which President Hinckley used to attend as a youth, was added around 1910.
16. Gilgal Sculpture Garden—Location: 749 E. 500 S. Now a city park, the quirky garden filled with engrave stones created by Thomas Battersby Child, Jr. can be fascinating and fun place.
17. 18th Ward Chapel replica—Location: 300 N. State, across from the State Capitol. The old 18th Ward Chapel is where Brigham Young's family attended church. The building still features several of the original parts and reflects the simplicity of the early Saints in Utah.
18. Mormon Battalion Monument—Location: Ensign Peak.  Mormon Battalion monument is visible just north of the chapel on the Capitol building lawn. Overlooking the area is Ensign Peak, where Brigham Young and some of the apostles looked out over the valley.

(Source: Mormon Times, Saturday, May 15, 2010)

If you have some spare time in SLC, maybe you can check out some places on this list.  I know there are some places I haven't visited and things I haven't noticed. ENJOY!

Wake up, and get up

President Hinckley said "When you wake up, get up." I don't know when or where he said this, but it is good advice.

I also heard someone else say (I wish I knew who), "I wake up early everyday because I feel like I'm missing out of life if I sleep in."

Wake up, get up, and make it a great day! Because great days make a great life!

Do you know how to store bananas, cucumbers, tomatoes and potatoes?

Follow these tips for proper storage to retain flavor and health benefits:

BANANAS—

1. If your bananas are too green, you can put them in a paper bag to ripen. 
2.  Add an apple or tomato to the bag, to ripen even faster. 
3. When the bananas get to the desired ripeness, just put them into your refrigerator. The skin turns black, but the banana inside stays perfect for two or three days. 
4. Never store unripe bananas in the refrigerator! They simply will not ripen properly because the cold interferes with the ripening process.

CUCUMBERS—

1. Store unwashed cucumbers in a sealed plastic bag in the warmest spot in the refrigerator. They like to be at 50-55°.
2. Keep cucumbers tucked far away from tomatoes, apples and citrus—these give off ethylene gas that accelerates cucumber deterioration.
3. You can do a lot of fancy things to the skin of a cucumber, and when it is young, fresh, and unwaxed, it really only needs to be thoroughly washed. 
4. If the skin seems tough or bitter remove it; if the seeds are bulky, slice the cucumber lengthwise and scoop them out.

TOMATOES —

1. Skip the refrigerator ... unless you have already cut your tomatoes. So many people store their tomatoes in the refrigerator which is the biggest mistake that you can make. This quickly leeches the flavor of this great fruit. You want to leave your fresh tomatoes out of the fridge. 
2. Make sure you get the right temperature for your tomatoes. You want to store tomatoes in an area that is cool but not cold. Temperatures as cold as your refrigerator are too cold for your tomatoes. However, your summertime counter may be too warm. Aim to store your tomatoes between 55-60°.
3. Take away the light if the tomatoes still need to ripen. If you have tomatoes that you want to use but they aren't ripe yet, then put them inside of a brown paper bag and store the bag on your kitchen counter. After a day or two, the tomatoes should be ready to use.
4. Store them with bananas ... but only if they aren't ripe yet. You can store tomatoes in the same bag as bananas at room temperature. Also keep them away from apples as they will have the same effect.

POTATOES—

1. Avoid rinsing potatoes before storing.
   
2. Place potatoes in a box, brown paper bag, burlap or plastic bag with holes in it.
3. Store in a cool, dark, dry place. Make sure the temperature in the area is about 45-50°. Don't store potatoes in the refrigerator or they will become too sweet.
4. Avoid storing potatoes with onions because, when close together, they produce gases that spoil both.
5. If the potatoes sprouts, remove the sprouts. They are no problem.
   
   

   NOW YOU KNOW TOO!

10 Tips to Successful Home Decorating

1. Do not add something to your home unless it is useful and beautiful.
2. Pick a color scheme and delineate from it only when you are making a conscious statement.
3. Every time you buy something, throw something (or give something) away.
4. Don't buy items that aren't essential to the way your family lives, even if everyone else has one.
5. Use what you love.
6. Steal, copy, and imitate, then add, delete and finish.
7. Choose a style, choose a sub-style, and keep those in mind whenever you add a piece to your home.
8. Learn the difference between what you like and what can work for you.
9. When you want to change your style, start small and start inexpensive.
10. If something doesn't seem quite right in your home, take a picture, evaluate it, then remove/change  the space. Only add if you have to.

(Source: Relief Society homemaking night attended by Janice and Sarah. We also learned how to sew crazy hotpads, headbands for babies made from knee-hi nylons and  homemade cards which Sarah was a helper.)

Running a Tight Ship at Home

This is a great 'to do' list for a successful home and family. There is lots of flexibility in all this. Do what works best for you and your family. Start by picking one, then add to it as you feel inclined.

Meet each week to discuss the previous week, set new goals, make new assignments, and, don't forget a reward system.

1. Teach individual responsibility/expectations. Make clear and definitive assignments to each family member, i.e. putting dirty clothes in the laundry basket, and then putting clean clothes away.
2. Bedrooms are a mini-home. Make beds and tidy bedroom every morning.
3. Help out at meal time. Each person clear their place at the table, put one additional food item away, and push their chair in at the table.
4. Don't put it down, put it away. Everyone keeps their personal items picked up, especially in the public areas of the home.
5. Learn to finish, i.e. flush the toilet, refill the toilet paper, hang up your towel, leave a room as neat as you found it.
6. Seek to serve daily. Teach them to ask how they can help around the house.
7. Regularly return the whole home to order. Clean up the house 3 times per day, usually before breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Since food is a great motivator, choosing to clean up before meals will bring a higher rate of success.
8. Practice self-initiative. Each week have family members choose a daily chore they will do for the whole week without being reminded.

Be sure to remember to reward each accomplishment as you think appropriate.

Imagine sitting down in a clean home: the laundry is put away, the bedrooms are neater, and the dishes are done. Everyone has more time to enjoy themselves and you home is clean and orderly.

For more information about each of these recommendations, go to ldsliving.com then do a search on Running a Tight Ship.

My recommendation is to start when your children are young and then it will be second nature for them. But for the rest of us who are already grown, I guess it is better late than never. I look at this list and I realize I am not really very good at any one item, so there is lots of room for me to improve.

Brain Booster

Toss or bounce a ball while walking. Now, do it with your eyes closed. No, not really, just joking.

However, do keep practicing you will get better. Bouncing the ball of your toes will soon be a thing of the past. These are words of encouragement from me and for me.

This is said to help with focus and coordination.
(Source: Prevention Magazine)

Cold or Flu?

As temperatures cool and we move indoors ‘cold and flu season’ is right around the corner.

Cold or flu? How do you tell the difference?

                          COLD                        FLU                         

Symptoms:       above the neck           below the neck

                          stuffy nose                 fever

                          sneezing                     body ache

                          sore throat                  chest pain

 Prevention:     wash hands often        flu shot

     Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, hydrate, and get your of rest.

     You can’t ‘burn the candle at both ends’ and expect to stay healthy.

 Treatment:     These ease the symptoms, but not the duration.

                          ibuprofen                   aspirin

                          acetaminophen          acetaminophen

                          antihistamine             antihistamine

                          decongestant             decongestant

                          throat lozenges          prescriptions-tamiflu & relenza

What about home remedies?

NOT RECOMMENDED:  echinacea, zinc lozenges

RECOMMENDED:
salt - ½ T. salt in glass of water. Gargle 3 times per day. Reduces upper respiratory infections by 40%.
sesame oil - Soothes irritated & stuffy nose. (This is new to me, I will be trying it.)
probiotic yogurt - Helps with digestion.
(Dr. Oz) 

I personally like to rub my chest and neck with Vicks vapoRub and then wrap my neck with a sock. (Oh, how attractive is that? My mother likes this one.) Oh wait, there is more. Just before I close my eyes I rub the Vicks on my cheeks for my sinuses. The vapors affect your eyes so I do it just before I close them to go to sleep. I also think eating something hot so your nose runs is good.

Produce with heaviest pesticides & how to clean them

 #1 Strawberries: soak fruit for 2 minutes, then rinse.
#2 Apples: Wash (see below). Be sure to peel where the stem was once attached. This is a nice little holding spot for the pesticides.
#3 Spinach: I buy only organic on this one. It is pre-washed and reasonably priced.
#4 Peaches: The fuzzies hold the pesticide, so be sure to rub off all the fuzzies when you wash your peach.

I like to use a commercial fruit and vegetable wash called 'FIT'. I prefer this because I never worry about it going bad/spoiling.

However, if you would like to make your own cleaner. Here's a recipe:
1 cup each water and distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 lemon, juiced

It's the lemon I worry about spoiling, but maybe I don't need to because the vinegar is a preservative.

Now you know too!

College text books

This is worth a look for all the college students.

You can cut 10 to 60% off the cost of text books by renting books by the semester. Check out these sites:
Chegg.com, CollegeBookRenter.com, Barnesandnoble.com, campusbookrentals.com and BookRenter.com.

Buy used textbooks online at  amazon.com or campusbooks.com.

On all these be sure to order the right edition of your textbook.

Plan ahead—buy early and save big.

Whatever! An introduction.

Quite often I come across what I think is interesting stuff, mostly in the health and fitness arena, and I want to share it with my family and friends. I was considering email, but then 'IDEA!' -  maybe blogging would be a better avenue to share whatever . . . . (pause, wait, think)  - "Sharing Whatever" -  my blog address just came into being. Was that a complete sentence? I don't know. Whatever! Move on!.... See how it works.

It is even cooler because I have a plaque I purchased in the 70's still hanging on a wall in my house (some things never change) - it all just seems to fit. I LIKE IT & "Now you know too!"

Isn't that a cute little face on the exclamation point!

 My kids said they like blogs with lots pictures.  I will try to accommodate as much as possible, but no promises.