Chasing Molly

Confession: Sitting Down Now.

Bianca — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:44:31 +0000

Today, I decided that I can not be everything. Teacher, Mother, Raw Chef, hostess, crafter, housekeeper, spiritual leader, a cover model, and….you guessed it, Father. When your husband is a traveling salesman, it is glamorous at first. He brings you home chocolates and trinkets from exotic countries and cultures….yea! Lately, not even the chocolate (85% cocoa) is working for me.
Just when I begin to be successful in one area of my life, like keeping house or preparing a few good meals, I have one moment of pride, before I see other parts of my life fall apart. I don’t know how you all do it out there. You have time to lunch with friends after serving on the PTA and you still get home before your kids do. You have dinner at 6:30 every night without fail. And you look AMAZING!
Maybe I put too much on my plate. Maybe it is because I am getting old. Maybe it is because everything I do has to be done perfectly which naturally takes more time. Whatever the case, I should probably let something go….only too bad for me, I can’t figure out what so……I’m just going to sit down today……here I go…sitting down now……….

VT With Me, April: Rescue Me!

Bianca — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 02:03:58 +0000

As most of you know, my last pregnancy was extremely hard. I was very sick and my husband was only home on weekends. On one particularly hard day, I was lying in bed while my teens were caring for my toddler and it was getting to be crunch time. They were all hungry and my toddler needed to be changed. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it all. I was so hungry and so nauseated at the same time. The thought of making food and or eating it seem so overwhelming. As the tears rolled down my cheek, I prayed for help, then I slowly and carefully got up and changed my little one. As I began to try to think about what to make, the phone rang, it was my visiting teachers. They were bringing us dinner. What comfort filled my heart. My prayer was answered. I felt the love of my Heavenly Father through my visiting teachers. How they knew I will never know. But I love them for being so in tune with the spirit and with me.
This month’s visiting teaching message is all about that. I can feel the compassion of the women at that general conference as they heard about their sisters hundreds of miles away who were starving and cold. I would have wanted to get on the wagon and ride to them with supplies. I would have done anything I could have to help. If you knew that your sisters were in need, wouldn’t you do anything to help them? Me too. My handout this month comes from the Friend magazine, July 2001.

Friend Magazine, July 2001

I printed these out on cardstock and filled them with Runts candies and added a poem written by my daughter and I. For a printout (Sister’s Poem) click on link.
Your Sisters
With burdens to share
Loads to lighten
With comforting words
Your moods to heighten
We open our arms
To our sisters dear
We ask only
That you let us near
Let us celebrate your successes
Let us support you in your calling
Let us push with you against the blizzards of life
Let us pull with you through times of strife
Let us be the oxen to your wagon
The coats upon your back
Let us love, watch over, and strengthen you.
Let us be your sister.
Sincerely,
Your Visiting Teachers

VT With Me, March 2012 “Silver Spoons”

Bianca — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 23:26:58 +0000

I was watching an episode of “Gilmore Girls” the other day. Rory 19, one of the main characters in this series is the grand daughter of wealthy socialites. Throughout the series, they have used their social position and resources to protect, help and sometimes even spoil Rory. In this episode, Rory’s father has recently inherited a lot of money and begs Rory to find something he can buy her. He offers her castles, ponies, cars etc. I thought to myself, while I was watching this, I should have been so lucky, to have been born to wealthy parents. And then It came to me… I was born to wealthy parents!!! Parents with power, knowledge, and wealth beyond measure. I myself, little ol’ me, was born to privilege, the privilege of answered prayers (Doctrine and Covenants 112:10 “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.”), protection from my enemies (Doctrine and Covenants 44:5, “That your enemies may not have power over you; that you may be preserved in all things; that you may be enabled to keep my laws; that every bond may be broken wherewith the enemy seeketh to destroy my people.”), knowledge when I need it (Doctrine and Covenants 42:61 “If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”), comfort during hard times (2 Corinthians 1:4 “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”) , prosperity (2 Nephi 1:20 “And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land.”) and much more because I am His daughter. All I have to do is, show my love for Him by loving my neighbor and keeping the commandments. It says in the VT Message: Daughters in My Kingdom, “We are daughters of our Father in Heaven. He knows us, loves us, and has a plan for us. Part of that plan includes coming to earth to learn to choose good over evil. When we choose to keep God’s commandments, we honor Him and acknowledge our identity as daughters of God. Relief Society helps us remember this divine heritage.”
When I read the visiting teaching message for this month, I immediately thought of the scripture, “Where much is given much is required.” Feeling abundant and grateful because of the wealth of blessings our family has received recently, I wanted to share, to give and to love. I believe the trick to giving is being grateful for what you have been given, this month’s message is a reminder of that.

I used plastic silver tasting spoons for this handout. You can find them on Amazon.com (click Here) if you would rather use regular size spoons just leave the pillow box open and cut off the front flap.
For instructions on how to make the candy spoons from Family Fun, click here
The four inch doilies, I purchased at Michael’s in their candy making area.
For the template and printout click here
Good Luck!

Confession: What Have You Done All Day?

Bianca — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:01:40 +0000

My name is Bianca, it has been one week since my last confession and about 6 months since I mopped my floor. (We have dim lights and dark floors.) I was so sick with my last pregnancy that I did practically nothing but grow a baby for 9 months. Instead of feeling ashamed about how dirty my floors were, I was elated. As I mopped the filthy floors today, I realized something fantastic, they have never been so dirty. That has to mean that before my pregnancy I must have mopped the floors every once in a while. And that got me thinking that while I am playing catch up most of the time lately, I will “Fly” once again! Of course it could just be that the flooring is barely 2 years old but that is besides the point. It is amazing how much we really do even when we don’t think we have done enough. It reminds me of a story I read back in my college days. One of the Family Science majors gave me a copy. You may have read it too,

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.The door of his wife’s car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog.
Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.
He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.
As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, ‘What happened here today?’ She again smiled and answered, ‘You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world I do all day?’ ‘Yes,’ was his incredulous reply. She answered, ‘Well, today I didn’t do it.’

Confession: What Not to Wear.

Bianca — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:43:15 +0000

It has been two weeks since my last confession, six weeks since I had my baby, and nothing fits yet. My name is Bianca and I am still wearing maternity clothes and….I like them. Here is the thing, I get that I am old and that fitting into my size 4s is a ship that sailed a long time ago, but I refuse…REFUSE to buy pants this size! I have never been this size, and I hope to never be this size again. My plan is to hold out in my house with my water bottle and some low calorie something, until I can at least fit into my pre-pregnancy “fat Jeans” (the ones I saved for that time of the month and other special occasions).
Why can’t there be a store where you can buy postpartum clothes? And why can’t normal clothes look cute on us right after we have a baby? It doesn’t matter what size they are, they just don’t look natural. (I think I found the cause of postpardum depression) I need pretty fat clothes and since I am at a loss as to where to find them…we are wearing maternity even if I’m not pregnant anymore. So if you see me out and about wearing my maternity clothes and still looking pregnant, I won’t be offended if you ask me when am I due. At least I still look adorable.

VT With Me: Feb. 2012 Guardians of the Hearth

Bianca — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:12 +0000

This VT message reminded me of the song “Keep the Home Fires Burning”. It was about women who’s husbands went away to war. They kept their home fires burning by remembering the love they have for them and hoping for a safe return. As parents and wives, we really have to work hard to keep the fires of the gospel burning in our homes. There is so much distraction, so many GOOD things to do with our time….and yet we simply can not afford to let the warmth, and light of the gospel grow dim. It is just too dangerous these days. I must do the BEST things for my family to keep the home fires burning.

Handout Instructions:
Print out images found here
To make this card watch the end of this video, it is the only one online that I could find that shows how to fold this card, with a square sheet of paper. I made this with a regular 12 x 12 sheet of double-sided scrapbook paper.

Paste pieces as shown in the first image and close with a strip of paper folded around the box that can be slipped off and on. The images pdf has additional instructions.

Forms Friday: Job Description

Bianca — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:58:39 +0000

One of the most important things you need to know when you get your new calling is what you are suppose to do. It can save a lot of heart ache and prevent you from stepping on toes or not doing enough, but most of all it will give you a lot of comfort. Knowing what you need to do is half the battle. Write up your own job description by questioning your leaders, looking it up in the Church Handbook and then adding in what personal touches you feel you could bring to the calling. You can find joy in any calling when you add those special touches that only you can bring. Here is the job description form in pdf.

Confession: It’s a Girl!

Bianca — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:27:10 +0000

Years ago, I was the editor for our Ward Newsletter. (Doesn’t that sound professional?)Being a young member, and mother I was very proud of my newsletter and myself for creating such a beautiful piece of editorial genius. I was beginning to think myself a real journalist until one fateful issue. I had taken a picture of the new babies in the ward for the newsletter and when I went to post the captions and the names of the children, I mixed the boy with the girl. YIKES! I was sure I was right. The girl looked a little masculine I guess, (I hadn’t noticed the beautiful diamond earrings she wore in her delicate ears) and the boy way too darling to be a boy….uh proof that pride comes before a fall. The parents were truly Christian about how they handled the news and forgave the mistake with a hardy laugh. Lately, as I have gotten older, and more mature in the gospel, I have learned not to take myself so seriously. I’ve learned that while I may have a talent in a certain thing, It is Heavenly Father who gave it to me and he can take it away just as easy. I’ve learned that it is more about how my talents can help the church and not how my talents can help me, and I’ve learned to appreciate other people’s talents more and more for what they can teach me. The other day my visiting teachers came promptly at ten (during Sesame Street) and showed me how to put a bow on my baby’s head and glue it on with Karo Syrup so that everyone will know she is a girl. I am so grateful that other’s are willing to share their talents with me. And I will always remember the lessons I learned as a ward journalist.

Forms Friday: Contacts

Bianca — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:47:46 +0000

The next section in your binder is stewardship. It is in this section that you will put the contact information for everyone you work with or who’s help you need or those you are in charge of. It should be the first page in the section so you can find it quickly. Here is the contacts.pdf file.

Confession: As Long as You Have a Plan.

Bianca — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:00:56 +0000

Elmo is my son’s favorite person, the Grouch is his personal hero and Curious George is his best friend. My name is Bianca and I plan my entire day around Sesame Street and other shows on PBS. Even my visiting teachers know that any weekday at ten is the perfect time for a visit, because that is when Sesame Street comes on. All of my children have learned the alphabet from furry little monsters and they think that a monster under the bed would be a fun learning experience. I am totally OK with that. In fact, my children probably watch more TV than Molly’s kids but if it is any consolation to all my fans, I watch it with them! In fact the Grouch is my personal hero too. (And sometimes my nickname) Always something to work on.