Does this math add up? Feb 1- April 8 = 14 days

Too cute and funny and a little sad, to not share this story! 

February 1 - Alyssa began one of the value experiences in the Individual Worth category for Personal Progress that suggests the girls to:  

Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:10 and 121:45.  Do all you can to build others and make them feel of worth. Every day for two weeks notice the worthwhile qualities and attributes of others. Acknowledge them verbally or in writing. In your journal write what you have learned about the worth of individuals and how your own confidence grows when you build others.

It was so fun at first.  She left me 1 heart each day hidden in an unexpected location, with a sweet note written on the back;  "Thank you for helping me with my family history," "Thank you for coordinating my babysitting job," "I liked your stew," " You made me feel good about myself by noticing my skirt."  Well, that lasted about four days.  Then days and days went by and I was sad that they stopped.  I made a comment one day and her reply was to the effect of; "well, you should be excited that I am going above and beyond the required 14 days, I am going to do 29 days.  So, hastily she tried dumping off a few hearts with no personal note on the back, but later I gave them back  noting that they were missing the personalization.  I found out later 'she really got me," because she ripped them up.  OOPS...  Well, Valentine's Day came and went.  No hearts.  :(  A few days later she picked back up and I got notes like,  "Thank you for helping me not pin myself to death," "Thank you for the love crunch cereal," "Thank you for running with me," & "I admire your hard work." 

But then days went by and the month of February ended, March came and I found one on my birthday, "Happy Birthday."  I may have found a few others in March. 

I began to give up and asked her if I should throw the pile away that was missing letters, or how long should I plan for this project to last?  Finally, last week, she made a huge play for the goal and dumped a bunch on me in one day... this was getting fun again. 

Today, I guess I am sad to say, she had me check off her value experience.  I had to figure out the letter scramble and boy, was I humbled by the message.  I no longer cared that it took her 39 days longer than she originally planned. It is another lesson learned for me that I am the reason this took so long.  I hindered her from being able to deliver her loving message to me, while I took away the spirit of love in all my nagging.  I SOOOOO loved finding hearts in random locations all these days and admire her for the sincere notes she took the time to write to me.  I want a do-over...I need to do it over, I need to do better.  I wish I could receive this display of love every day of the year, in fact, now that I know how good it feels, I better take the next 68 days or every day for the next 5 years to return the love she shared with me.  Thank you dear daughter.   

Citizen's Police Academy in Maple Valley - 2011

I have been wanting to get this drafted post out of my inbox for some time. 

Aaron Moulton recommended to me that I apply for the Citizen's Police Academy here in Maple Valley last year!  I was so excited for the opportunity.  Just 14 days later, my background check proved clean and I received my acceptance letter.  PHEW!  I felt like a college student again!

The syllabus was full of amazing speakers and activities; Sgt. Kathleen Larson who knew EVERY detail about the Green River case she worked on for years, Patrol functions, theft investigations, Burglary Investigations, Child Find/Sketch Artist, K-9 unit, Sex Offender unit, Major Crimes, EOCC/911 Center in Renton, Bomb unit, Defensive Tactics, & Firearms Training.  I met some great people and leaders of our community and learned a ton! 

We had some young guys in our class who agreed to be the taser testers.  It was so odd to watch the process.  There was no way in heck I would put myself through such anxiety.  ICK!

I loved loved loved shooting the AR-15. 

I sat in the big chopper.   

  I got a little graduation certificate when I finished the course.

I totally recommend the free 10 week course.  It comes around 1x per year! 

Know when to hold em, know when to fold em, know when to walk away

It's amazing as a parent, the journey that seems so big or so small at the time, and later becomes something more different than you ever expected.  Today, I had my 'come to Jesus' moment.  I had to face that I was the one holding on.  I am the only one mourning our change, today.  These lyrics sum it all up for me, You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em,

Know when to walk away and know when to run.

There's never been a question about this, she likes the water. 

Kids don't always know what they want, they just want to do something. 
So in 2009, I encouraged Alyssa to seek out a sport, "you know, like swim team."
To get her ready for a swim team, we began with the Learn To Swim- four week classes at Covington.

Level 3:  5/26/2009

Level 4:  7/23/2009

Level 4: 8/23/2009

Level 4: 9/28/2009

Level 5:11/19/2009

Level 6: 12/16/2009

She served me faithfully back then.  You know, you remember right? Those were the days that have come and now gone...the days when kids were easy; submissive, willing to please, life is simple, no hormones drowning their brain.  You tell them they had a fun day and they go to bed believing it!  

She was such a small gal back then on this small bike!   

But the truth was, she always just really liked to just play in the water, not really work.

She will grow out of the 'just play attititude'. 

She is young, she will begin to crave the muscle work, or so I thought. 

We explored with a Diving Class 12/19/2009. 

But all she really just wanted to do was play in the water! 

After all the lessons, she moved up to Competitive Swim 2/24/2010, and a bigger bike.

Gosh, she looks so young there still.

Finally, she was ready for the King Aquatic Team.  She tried out on 10/14/2009. 

She started in the Developmental group. 

I never pushed her to feel like she was working toward a scholarship. 

I just wanted her to work hard, have fun, and feel the reward. 

She looked like she was having some fun.  Her friends came and went and we would talk about them quitting too soon, not really going for it.  She continued to humor me, but looking back, I should have realized, all she really wanted to do was play!

Time passed, and she built great form in every stroke and muscle too, both which she appreciates.  She improved her times too!

But all she really wanted to do was enjoy the birthday swims, the birthday cupcakes, and play!

We traveled to a few meets and made family weekends out of them too!

But she still just wanted to only associate the water with playing.

I thought if I got involved and was just as bit dedicated to the sport, she would feel like it was 'our thing.'  The requirement is that parents volunteer a total of 24 hours per season.  It worked out great that Microsoft matched  my volunteer time with cash donation to the non-profit organization.  I became a Stroke and Turn Official and essentially had 'front' row seats to all the meets! She said she liked it when her friends would ask, "your mom is an official?"  They seemed impressed and she liked that. 

We even got her to explore her interests of biking and running and participate in a few triathlons.  She bought a big girl bike!

But somewhere along the way, we didn't make as much time to play.. and my fun was no longer her fun.  She began to lie and skip practice.  The first time we caught this, was 12/27.  Troy and I were so looking forward to date night.  We couldn't believe that she would seriously sit in a bathroom stall for 90 minutes doing nothing.  That night, we said, "YOU ARE DONE, no more swim."  She cried, she begged, she fought for it.  It blew our mind, she seemed to actually care.  So, she won, the next day, we caved and said, "Ok, you can swim, we didn't think you wanted to, so we were trying to do you a favor."  However, then she replied with saying she didn't want to suddenly.  We were so confused.  We kept thinking she didn't really know and all kids have hard days.  Isn't that what parents are for?  To carry them through, motivate them, give the pep talk? 

Well, fast forward another 6 weeks to 2/14... she didn't want to go to swim and I made her, as I always had to.  Typically, she comes home and thanks me for making her go and that she had a good practice.  I mean, really, like 90% of the time.  Well, on this day, she wasted 2 hours by sitting in the bathroom stall and doodling on TP.  It took a week to unfold her lie about where she was and who she swam with.  I couldn't deny it any longer, this was the NOT GOOD. 

I really never wanted her to do the sport for me.  I was not one of those moms, obsessed.  

This face became our new norm and I knew we were done.  

She quit trying to make friends, the coach said she made angry faces when she received drill instructions.  I held tight as long as I could to try to motivate her and see her through this tough period.  We weren't going to be quitters, like the other families that had come and gone.  We were dedicated.  We spent thousands of dollars over the past few years on this sport.   BUT she wore me out and after the 100th 4pm-fight-as she was headed out the door to swim team, I realized it was time to call it. 

Time of death; 4:25 PM, 2/20/12. 

We have closed this chapter in our life. 

Yes, I am terribly sad.  It was still worth it all, I know she would say the same too. She learned alot that won't ever be forgotten. I learned a lot about her and I and parenting.  BUT in this moment, I can't believe it is over.  It took me a long time, but today I realized, it was time to fold, time to walk away, time to let her play in her own way.

She wants to do track now.  I am guarded.  I can't yet imagine getting personally attached or invested, this has to be her own thing.  I have taught her enough in this area, she can ask for help if she needs it now.  We have pushed her plenty, she has accomplished a lot, but down this path we now go.  

Let's see how much she really thinks she likes to run, when her parents aren't 'making' her.

Sunday night, she made a phone call to an 8th grader in our neighborhood and set up a running date for today.  They did a whole mile.. wow.. I have such high hopes... :(  Anyhow.. the good news is that now she is free about 3 extra hours a day, and any mom will know that there are always ways to add value to the house!  :)  I think about 4:00 today, she was rethinking her choices. 

So, as I close this post, with my tears of grief. 

However, I can also joyfully exclaim, I'm going to have one nice clean Master Bathroom this evening! Goodbye KING... it was nice knowing you., but it's time to walk away.   

Shock, Love, Amazon, and 37

Troy's week was quite a roller coaster. 

Monday 2/13 at 7pm
Troy's cousin Hilary lost her oldest son age 16.  Blake went home in an instant during a tragic car accident. It's been so so so sad, even with faith of the Lord's plan, it hurts so bad.  This photo is all the children that are from Troy's three cousins, Heather, Hilary, and Heidi.  What a wonderful collection of souls. 

Tuesday 2/14

For the love day, I made Troy a banana creme pie, and this did give his taste buds some cheer, but still hard to be happy when you know close family suffering.  

Thursday 2/16
Troy's journey to land an internship has been very long and emotional.  I was so proud of him for owning all the work and being very deliberate in his actions and choices. Yesterday, he had a high and a low in a matter of 15 minutes.

• Oct 4 - Microsoft open chat
• Oct 4 - Amazon information session
• Oct 5 - Attended an Employer panel 
• Oct 11- Resume Workshop
• Oct 19 - Fall Career Fair (Microsoft, Google, Amazon - completely blew question from Amazon rep)
• Oct 24 - Tech interview training (Google, Amazon, White Pages)
• Nov 2 - Microsoft UW campus 45 min interview
• Nov 8 - Invite to interview on Microsoft campus, date TBD 
• Jan 3 - Recent grads talk in class - sent resume to Groundspeak
• Jan 12 - Google office hours - met with Yin to be prepped for applying to Google
• Jan 13 - Microsoft Interview day 4x45 min interviews, 6.5 hrs on campus
• Jan 18 - Maq software phone interview
• Jan 24 - Winter Career Fair (visited with Google, Amazon, Tableau)
• Jan 26 - Microsoft rejection (after 7 hrs and 15 min total time)
• Jan 27 - Tableau interview invite
• Jan 31 - Mock Interviews set up by UW CS program, pick the employer of your choice = Google
• Feb 2 - Tableau phone interview
• Feb 10 - Groundspeak group interview

At this point he was feeling down about not receiving interview offers from Google or Facebook

• Feb 14 - Amazon UW campus Interviews 2x45min
• Feb 14 - Tableau invite to round 2 interviews
• Feb 16 - 3:00 PM Groundspeak rejection - feeling very concerned and disappointed
• Feb 16 - 3:15 PM Amazon called to congratulate him and give him an offer (have until March 1 to accept)  He would start June 18 and work 12 weeks until September 7.

And one more interview to consider before this is over.

• Feb 23 - Tableau planning 4.5 hrs of interviews

Congratulations Troy, on receiving a wonderful offer!  Wow.. what a happy boy!  

Friday 2/17
Troy turned 37 today!  Happy Birthday my love. 

 And thank you Connie, Troy loves his wall mount monitor stand!

I will make him some Steak to finish off a crazy week and end his birthday on a good note. 

You know the drill, here's ours....11 in 11

Gosh.. before this year gets along much further, I must do my 2011 post.   As a family we decided on this list.  It was a great year of growth for our each of us.  We are extremely grateful for all we learned and experienced and for those that helped us along the way! 

1) Troy and Scheris' trip to Banff and Jasper National Parks in Canada
2) Nick pointed out that our Olympic National Park Beach Hike was a lifetime highlight
3) Troy was accepted into UW's Computer Science Program
4) Mike and Cindy (Troy's dad and stepmom) drove west and painted our house
5) Scheris met up with family she had never met, gained a HUGE appreciation for my heritage, gathered pictures, stories, and got a jump start on two big projects:  Record my Grandma's life story and create a heirloom recipe box of my own. 
6) Alyssa and Scheris spent nearly two weeks in Utah and attended all sessions of General Conference
7) We flew east and spent Christmas in Pella with Troy's dad and stepmom
8) Alyssa was thrilled to begin using the Liahona Online Education Program
9) Troy produced a great garden and graduated to having a greenhouse
10) Alyssa got to attend the temple and be a proxy for loved ones
11) Troy thinks that our top 11 is that Roxy is down 24 lbs this to a slip 78 lbs, way to go Skinny Doggy... however, no mention of his wife's 40 lb loss, I guess we know who his best friend is!

The Unthinkable - awesome book

I have always been drawn to crisis, disaster, and emergencies, but this year, I learned so much more about all the many options of participating in community programs and discovering that there are now degrees in this subject.  I am intrigued by the human psychology of it all.  In November, I was blessed to sit next to the Head of Security for The Four Seasons Hotel Chain, while in route to China.  We talked the entire flight and wow, that man is smart.  He recommended that I read "THE UNTHINKABLE: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why" by Amanda Ripley (www.theunthinkable.com). I did and I have to say I ATE it up, I loved every word.  The book is probably my top three favorites now!  I took notes from the book and just had to share them with you.

The author consulted over 1000 articles from academic journals and media reports and 75 official reports on specific accidents and spoke to numbers of survivors.  She references for the reader over 30 real situations that have occurred and dissects the Survival Arc of Emotion that has been studied about human behavior; Denial, Deliberation, & Decisive.  Amanda further dives into Delay, Risk, Fear, Resilience, Groupthink, Panic, Paralysis, Heroism, and finally Making New Instincts!  Some valuable survivors were interviewed for the book and their knowledge and memory provide unbeatable lessons and insight.  Survivors offer our greatest hope for understanding what emotions they faced and how they made decisions.  Disaster experts think about disasters for a living, I really would love to be in this professional field.  

Disasters Studied and Referenced
ü  1212 & 1666 – City of London burned down
ü  Winter 1904 – Coal Mine disaster outside of Pittsburgh, 181 died
ü  1912 – Titanic cataclysm
ü  12/6/1917 – Mont Blanc collision, followed by explosion, fire, blindly smoke, , gas exposure, tidal wave, flooding, blizzard, leading to famine, all during the war, 1963 people died and led to a PhD dissertation, “Catastrophe and Social Change”
ü  WWII – Nazi Experiments on prisoners
ü  May 1960 – Chile Earthquake
ü  9/9/1965 – Hurricane Betsy
ü  1969 – Hurricane Camille
ü  1974 – Pago Pago plane crash, 5 of 101 passengers lived, all had read the safety card
ü  3/27/1977 – Pan Am 747/KLM collision
ü  1977 – Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire
ü  1/13/1982 – Air Florida Flight 90 crash, Potomac River
ü  1990 – Stampede killed 1426 people from panic
ü  1992 – Series of sewer explosions in Guadalajara, Mexico
ü  2/26/1993 – World Trade Center attack
ü  9/28/1994 – MV Estonia Ferry in Baltic Sea – worst sea disaster in modern European history (989 people on board, only 137 survived)
ü  1996 – Parsons, West Virginia Flood
ü  1999 - Columbine
ü  12/2004 – Tsunami (compared 1907 to 2004, town of Langi, island of Simeulue (lost only 7/78,000)
ü  7/7/2005 – London Terrorist Attacks, 52 dead, hundreds wounded
ü  8/2/2005 – Air France flight 358
ü  8/29/2005 – Hurricane Katrina
ü  1/12/2006 – Saudi crowd stampede
ü  5/19/2006 – Emergency plane landing
ü  4/16/2007- Virginia Tech Massacre
ü  2007 – Southern CA wildfires
ü  9/11/11

Before diving in, the interesting thing about disaster, fear of disaster, is that we worry more about the things that most likely will not happen to us, then the three biggest killers that we can help prevent, Heart Disease, Cancer, and Stroke. 

Ok, back to the subject at hand though….The best way to get the brain to perform under extreme stress is to do repeated drills, the military calls it the 8 P’s - Proper Prior Planning and Preparation, Prevents Piss Poor Performance.”  One thing that we don’t want to have to do during a disaster is, THINK.  We need to be able to just act.  The time to prepare is GONE.  The brain responds poorly to fear.  However, when people believe that survival is negotiable, they become creative. When we give people the opportunity to do something, they will step up to the task. Only after disaster strikes do ordinary people realize how valuable they are in those types of situations.

Just as we marry who we date, we die with those we hang out with.  So, who you hang out with DOES MATTER.   In fact, during a disaster, we are most likely going to check in with 4 or more sources before acting upon the situation.  We all are concerned with social perception and it does affect our decisions in those critical moments.  Human beings don’t like to be singled out or present ideas that may be mocked, nor do they like to be seen as an over reactor.  Unfortunately, that means we would rather follow a group decision that is fatal, than be left alone to survive. In a disaster, strangers aren’t strangers anymore. 

Of course, during a disaster, it is all about the BRAIN.  I learned so much about how powerful it is, just from this book.  The first rule of fear is that it is primitive.  Fear moves through our body before we can even realize what has occurred.  When that signal reaches the brainstem, neurons pass this information onto the amygdala, which is central to human fear circuit.  This part of the brain handles fear by cascading a series of changes throughout our body.  The chemistry of our blood literally changes.  If a gunshot wound, the blood automatically begins coagulation.  Blood vessels constrict so assist in trying to not bleed the body out.  Blood pressure and heart rate increase, while hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline surge through the system giving our muscles extended power.  Often many people later experience an odd taste in their mouth; this is from the massive dose of hormones and painkillers.  The brain is super busy working so hard, but can only do so much and so it prioritizes.  Because it is doing all it can to protect the organs and the body, it abandons the ability to reason and familiarize ourselves in the surrounding deteriorates quickly.  Normally cortisol helps us to handle complex thinking, yet in the cortisol is busy working on other things, so we can’t handle truly handle how to solve something so easily as how to unbuckle a seat belt or inflate a life jacket.  We can even lose eyesight because the body just can’t take care of all parts at once.  Our nonessential functions shut down; digestion, salivation, and unfortunately often our bladder and sphincter control.  Now, the amygdala understands danger in two ways; Low road (quick and dirty) & high road (accurate and slower).  The cortex of the brain is the outer layer of gray matter involved in the higher brain functioning and it can recognize sounds too and send messages to the amygdala.  However, this is a much slower process and normally we need more time to utilize this beautiful process.  This is the highroad.  As well, consider our emotions are also trying to use up brain power and those are often guided by our former life experiences.  Although our amygdala size does come from our genetic disposition, the brain can be trained to respond more appropriately and quickly! 

Evacuation:  Did you know that planes are designed so that all passengers can escape in 90 seconds AND that is even with only half the exits available and with debris in the aisles.  However, most people don’t pay attention, some ladies wear high heels, many bring their personal belongings, many delay their jumps at the door, and majority of the time, there are NEEDLESS deaths.  In contrast, people who read the safety card and count rows to exits are less likely to get hurt during an emergency.

The experts had to realize that people do not move like water, they do not escape from fire as they should; therefore more unnecessary deaths are associated with this disaster.  Whereas, water molecules do not experience pain, fear or stumble and fall, humans fill space unevenly, by clustering, taking short cuts, stay a wrong course, rather than continue to assess as they move along the way.  They aren’t like synchronized swimmers.  People just don’t understand smoke and how paralyzing it will be when they face it, nor do they anticipate the noise of fire.

Leadership is so important, in fact time and time again, trapped miners tend to survive when a leader has emerged during the midst of a disaster.  Also, when flight attendants aggressively scream, ‘jump’ to each person who approaches the door, people move faster and do not waste time considering the situation.  Often, rescuers yell meanly and profanely at their victims, to get them to listen, to break their stupor.

Profile of a survivor has also been studied and has a trend.  We all think we know how we would respond, but we are most likely all wrong.  However, there are very predictable behaviors that we can see in ourselves now to determine more of the reality.  You may be surprised to know your everyday basket case co-worker or your overly confident manager, just MAY not be what you think they will be during a crisis.  Before we can even think about how we will respond emotionally though, unfortunately, our physical traits are going to help or hinder us.  Overweight people suffer the most, they are slower, their organs work harder, and they are plagued with heart attacks and strokes.  Because they take up more space such as in stairwells and because America is getting bigger, evacuation hinders all people trying to navigate an evacuation route.  In fact, they are 3 xs more likely to be injured or face death.  Sex also determines a chance of survival.  Men tend to survive better than women, however, in some disasters we lose more men because they take higher risk or feel the physical burden to walk into smoke or the over confidence to drive through flooded water.  Women who wear high heels face extreme problems during disaster.  Then there is race and status as well that can affect a person’s survival.  Members of close knit communities or even those that still use the ancient systems to warn and aid, share knowledge through the generations and tend to save more people. 

Panic – can be catastrophic, and yet is preventable. Trait Anxiety and State Anxiety – Trait is basically your normal stress level and a person’s tendency to see things as stressful; State is how one reacts to a stressful situation.  There are people are more prone to lose touch with their reality when under physical stress, their brains become overwhelmed.  They may not cause a stampede or mass panic, but they are likely to put themselves in sudden and intense jeopardy.

Paralysis can be a tragedy or it can be a saving grace.  Under a variety of circumstances, there are times when people just go limp and do nothing. It is very intriguing to the psychologists and yet happens more often than panic and is called the negative panic.   This is not necessarily failure though, this is strategy.  Many predators lose interest in their prey when there is no struggle.  This is an ancient way of avoiding food poisoning.  Rape victims often report they experienced this natural pain killer.  Human beings think, reflect, and make decisions and we don’t always know how much of our brain is at work. 

Heroism – It’s not genetic, not personality, religious, politics, chance, nor wealth.  BUT rescuers did tend to have healthy close relationships with their parents and have diverse set of network and EMPATHY. Would you believe that discipline as a child plays a part?  Those that were reasoned with were rescuers, those that were whipped, where not.  Heroes have confidence in their own abilities; they believe they shape their own destiny. Sometimes what looks like altruism, is actually the opposite.  We do it because it benefits us in some manner. Isn’t it interesting that strangers often treat each other so badly in daily living, yet will do tremendous acts for others in the worst of times.  If you didn’t get anything out of it, you wouldn’t do it.  “What were you afraid would happen if you did NOT help aid in a rescue?”  “I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life, wondering if I was capable of ‘rising’ to the situation.”

I love that there is a Carnegie Hero Fund and that 9000 medals have been given for those who have voluntarily risked their lives to an extraordinary degree to save others. Most are men, most don’t have high status jobs, and most rescues are for strangers.  Tend to be physical laborers, often in rural areas and small towns, most cite their moral values, and lessons learned from parents and wider community.  Male, single, childless, and young – that is who you most likely find rescuing!

Ok, this one is a bit embarrassing for me… the book talks about fantasy rescue or over preparation.  Now, I don’t have a fantasy to rescue, but I do feel pretty prepared.  Amanda says though, that some take it too far and have even caused problems during real rescue efforts.  BUT I just don't want to have the moment when I think, gosh.... if only I had a whistle right now or that water would have been good to keep under my office desk.  I don't want to die because I failed to prepare and you know what they say, "failing to prepare, is preparing to fail."

Amanda was afraid to highlight Heroism in her book, but in the end, obviously she did.  She said one disaster’s hero is another’s accomplice, meaning so much depends on the situation and even luck.  Actually, she realized this is true for all disaster behaviors.  Denial may work for one person, but not the other.  However, heroism is typically more nebulous than the other behaviors discussed, yet it is still true.  It may be still a survival strategy. 

Finally, it was a bummer to read about the legality that prevents proper training and drill practice.  Even our driving training lacks in today’s day and age.  Handling 3000 lbs. of metal is not intuitive, but it is possible to re-wire the brain to have car-control skills and crash-avoidance maneuvers.  It’s not productive to tell people how to get out of a skid, nor to remain calm in an emergency, the brain instead needs subconscious programming.  It is a fluid and adaptable machine.   I loved reading about the company Master Drive; in fact I will seriously consider sending Alyssa there to learn how to properly drive!  http://masterdrive.com/ this nationally recognized company was created by Ronn Langford in Colorado after he lost his teenage daughter to a drunken driving T-bone accident. 

Ok… I hope you will read the book and also know these are some basic things we SHOULD do;  On every plane ride, know your nearest exit and know other exit options, count the number of rows to an exit, take the stairs in every hotel you stay in, take the stairs of your office building 1x per week.  Basically, just practice your life, think about where you spend the most time and that is most likely where you will be during a disaster.  People who have some familiarity with their disaster personalities HAVE an advantage.

And remember my buddy from The Four Seasons, well his brothers were part of the ALERT program headquartered in Texas.  They attended each summer and the program helped them prepare for disaster relief and by developing the heart of service in them.  Cadets learn to respond and work alongside local, national, and international authorities, to provide crisis response assistance, disaster relief, and humanitarian aid. Gosh.. wish they had this for girls!

Anyhow, this was way too long of notes, but I just loved this stuff and really recommend you read the book if you found this interesting!

Recipe Box Makeover

While in Pella, I learned many a tid-bit from Troy's step-mother.  She is very neat and organized and has a trick or helpful hint to nearly everything in life.  I wish she would write them all down for me.  Needless to say, it wasn't in line with her character to have such a 'full' recipe box, but I came to learn and appreciate how much she cherished the handwritten cards from her mother and therefore kept the older, dated, small 3x5 wooden box.  I realized, I wanted an heirloom like this and that I could get one started.  It was already on my list to work with Alyssa to create 30 recipes for her by the time she leaves for college, so that at least she knew how to prepare 30 meals.  I went to the two antique shops in town (Windmill Mall & Funky Junque) and picked up three wooden boxes.

I began with a plain wood box, 4x6 size, and decided to make it a wedding gift for Amelia Cannon.  I would partner it with my favorite measuring spoons, create a Recipe for Marriage, order recipe dividers, and recipe cards so she could begin collecting handwritten recipes from her oldest living relatives straight away.   Here is the end result. 

 Before I left Pella, we asked Mike and Cindy to write down some recipes.  We have more relatives to send cards to now to get their handwritten gems recorded too! 

Now, I will start my own box.  Here is how I picked it up and it will be a shame to lose this pretty paint job, but I want to create my own look.  Next I will ask Troy to help me by sanding and painting again.  Then, I can add brown/black paint to age the corners. Stay tuned.... 

Thank you Cindy for inspiring me and helping me to create an appreciation for this treasured heirloom.