Sorina piano recital.

Sorina performing in a piano recital June 13, 2012,  at 6:30 p.m. at the usual place.

Bread Pudding

Little Jens loves bread pudding. I made some for our Sunday dessert and he ate and ate and ate. Julie is going to make it for him for his birthday instead of cake which he does not like. Here is the recipe I have. I had one from Grandma Smith which was much like this one. Of course, it was mostly an adventure to cook following the old recipes. It was "butter the size of an egg, a large handful of sugar, a pinch of salt, a sprinkle of nutmeg," etc. Great-grandmother Mina had larger hands than mine and Grandma Smith had smaller ones, so whose handful was best?

Amish Bread Pudding (I think ours was English Bread Pudding since the Smiths were ENGLISH and were proud to eat that way!)

2 cups of half and half milk (or thick milk which was probably just whole milk so I used a pint of whipping cream I had and the rest skim milk)

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

6 eggs

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 to 1/4 nutmeg (a sprinkle)

1 tsp. vanilla

12 buttered bread slices, cubed

1/2 cup raisins (optional and I didn't use them)

Beat eggs together slightly using a fork. Add all ingredients, except butter and bread cubes. (So combine milk, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla.) Place bread cubes in a buttered 9- by 13-inch pan. Pour liquid mixture on top. Mix lightly to make certain the bread is coated. Top with dots of butter. Bake at 350-degrees for 45 minutes or until done. Test using the knife method.

Our Calendar

Alyssa, when is your Senior piano recital?

These are just the things we know about or have been invited to attend. Are there others?

5th, David Ray's Birthday.

Mary's Baptism at noon in Mt. Pleasant. Grammy has Holy Ghost talk.

7th, AnnMarie's birthday

A.J.'s birthday

9th, Erin's orchestra concert

10th, Jen's first birthday

Alyssa and Kyle Choir Concert, 7:30 p.m.

Braden returns from his mission

12th, Jones Dance Recital at 4 p.m. at Snow College (request permission to leave temple 1 1/2 hours early).

13th, Mother's Day

15th, Megan's Concert at 7 p.m.

16th, Sorina's piano recital

20th, Megan's birthday

Alyssa Graduates from Seminary

24th, Donovin's birthday

ALYSSA'S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION at UVSU

28th, Memorial Day

29th, Christene's Birthday

Senior voice/piano recital - May 14 at 4:30 at THS in the choir room.

Seminary Graduation at 7:00 p.m. at our stake center - Alyssa was just asked to speak.

Add Rachel's dance observation May 23 at 6:00 at the ballet studio by the post office.  Not really a recital, but we are invited to come with grandparents and see what they have learned in ballet.  It is OK if you can't make it.

Kimberly wrote: Sounds like busy grandparents. 

Mary Baptized and Cards Forgotten

I forgot to give you your birthday card yesterday. I am sorry. Now it will be late. Happy Birthday anyway.

I feel better about my talk. I found out that object lessons are OK everywhere except at the pulpit in Sacrament meeting. That plus the fact that the Primary Stake Presidency asked for a copy. Also, Dad thought it was wonderful and he is my worst critic. So I can just keep on keeping on.

I am in such awe of Jim's mom. She is one of those who can do it all. I know, I know, never compare yourself with anyone.

I do love you and I hope that your birthday is outstanding.

For A.J.: I thought you were coming to Mary's baptism so I did not mail A.J.'s card. Now it will be late. I am sorry. I will send it tomorrow but that means that it will be late. Tell him that I love him and I am sorry.

Myrna wrote: My granddaughter, Mary, was baptized. It was a great day. I gave the talk about the Holy Ghost.

Eileen Seegmiller Lofthouse wrote: Dear Sweet Myrna,

Thank you so much for covering for me last week. I appreciate you A LOT!!!

Missed you today. Hope your were doing something really fun!!

See you Saturday

Love you,

Eileen

Myrna wrote: I have a new appreciation for the work you do as a trainer. I studied and worried and then I had only 10 minutes. So, of course, I asked a few questions and cut a lot out. When I was done, Sister B. stood up and gave the items I didn't have time for in addition to what else she had planned to say. Oh, well! At any rate, I see how difficult it must be to get the training that needs to be done, done. ;)

I hope each of your students came away from the competition with great honors.

Lots of love, M

Myrna wrote to AnnMarie: How was the birthday? I hope you had a good one. I can't believe I forgot to give you your card. DUH!

AnnMarie wrote: How was the birthday? I hope you had a good one. I can't believe I forgot to give you your card. DUH!

Myrna's 1981 Journal, Page 2

The honest truth of the matter is that I'm converted to everybody else keeping a journal but maybe I don't really want to keep one myself. The clincher is always the idea that your progeny will know what you are really like but, to be honest, I don't want my progeny to know what I'm really like. In fact, the less they know what I am really like, the happier I'll be.

I'm a person who holds resentments and keeps lists inside my mind. I continually work to not be like that. That holding on to things can't be something you want others to emulate. I have a struggle trying to love others (this does not include my children whom I always love) and I have a struggle trying to forgive. That includes forgiving myself. I sometimes wonder if it's possible to "love everyone." I wonder if it is possible to forgive and "remember it no more."

At this stage in my life, I'm not even sure what I want or who I want to be and I'm 41. My life is nearly half over by regular standards and I don't even know what I want to do with what is left.

Many days, I have to work on being forgiving. People can say the meanest things. Some of them mean to be hurtful and others do not mean to be they just, I suppose like me, make comments without thinking. 

My life is just a work in progress. I am, eventually, and who knows when, going to have to die and meet my Savior. I think I would rather not be so mortal and so much the "natural man" and would much rather be more Christlike, more like the Master. I really don't want my unrepented sins to be broadcast from the rooftops for all to know.

What to write

Myrna wrote: What scripture did I write on Emma's pillowcase? I didn't make a note of it and I don't remember. I like the idea of having a fabric-painted pillowcase with a reminder on it of the important event that baptism is. I liked what I came up with but I did not make a note of it and I do not remember what I wrote. 

There are two talks that grandparents have the privilege of giving at baptism time. I have two different talks for the two occasions but I like to give object lessons because I think they are better remembered. The pillowcase works well for the one.

Kirsten wrote: No scripture, just "I will take upon me the name of Jesus Christ." 

Myrna wrote: Thank you, Dear Heart! I love you and hope all is well at your house.

Kirsten Quote About Mothers

Kirsten wrote: Have you seen this? I thought it would be something you'd say. :) Love you!

Myrna wrote: I not only would say that, I have said that. Hehehe!

Salt on Soil

AnnMarie wrote: The problem with salt is that it can make your ground sterile for up to 10 years.  I read an article about using salt as a weed killer.  It would be fine in areas you don't want to plant for years.

Myrna Trauntvein sent: Spring is coming and this is the BEST weed spray. I made 3 gallons for around $4.00 last year after seeing a pin. Worked

better than Round Up and killed the weeds/stray grass on first application. One gallon of Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/2 cup

table salt, 1 teaspoon Dawn. Mix and pour into a smaller spray bottle. (you can purchase 3 gallon size Apple Cider Vinegar in

the canning section of a good hardware store--cheap--or the dollar store. White vinegar works also.)

I used white vinegar but be careful with the spray. It did kill the weed but also the grass in a little patch around the weed.


Dad and I tried straight salt on a patch of wild rye a few years ago. It caused them to die back for a few weeks but that was it. We used a whole water conditioner-sized sack of salt. Nothing. When the ancient soldiers used salt to make fields sterile so their enemies could not grow crops, it took wagon-loads of salt to do the trick. I did not look it up on the web.

I have used vinegar alone, without other additives, for years. It is an old pioneer treatment. I think it works just as well without the salt. I have planted where I used this within three days--how long it took the weeds to die. The plants have done very well. In fact, for a few of them, I think vinegar improved growing conditions. Here in Nephi we have already salty soil--alkaline. However, the Garden Counselor thinks that the salt should be left out and that vinegar is bad also. See: http://www.garden-counselor-lawn-care.com/home-made-weed-killer.html. And also: http://www.garden-counselor-lawn-care.com/weed-killer.html.

I think Round-Up is terrible. Dad uses it but I have more trouble with it than with vinegar.

Back to AnnMarie: "Salt is problematic. It will get rid of your weeds, but also anything else nearby. It will hang around, leaving you with long term difficulty when you want to grow desirable plants. You may have heard the term “burned a plant with fertilizer”. That is because regular fertilizer is a salt. Apply it too heavily and plants die. Salt can remain in the soil, even affecting roots from distant plants.

If your desire in wanting to use home made weed killer is because you want natural products, instead of chemicals, don’t use salt as a weed killer. It defeats the effort of trying to develop healthy soil."

Another of Myrna's Classmate Dies

Dear Classmates,

We have lost another classmate, J.R. Scott.  Don't know if many of you remember him, he was from Price.  We became acquainted with him while we were living in Hanna, Wyoming as he (and his family) was also living and working there. 

He was residing in Moab at the time of his passing.  Our sympathy goes out to his family.

Saundra 

Another Classmate of Myrna's Gone

Dear Classmates,

We have lost another classmate, J.R. Scott.  Don't know if many of you remember him, he was from Price.  We became acquainted with him while we were living in Hanna, Wyoming as he (and his family) was also living and working there. 

He was residing in Moab at the time of his passing.  Our sympathy goes out to his family.

Saundra 

Myrna wrote: Will any of us be left for our 60th? I do remember J.R. He was a good friend in high school. We are not that old, are we?