For women’s hearts, lilacs from my yard and a couple of cute stories I found in my journal the other day.

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My initial reaction (I was livid!):

Alright I’m gonna say it. I’m disgusted by the cover on Time Magazine. “Are you Mom enough?” That’s insulting to the rest of us who tried to breast feed and either couldn’t because mentally we couldn’t handle it or we just couldn’t make enough!

I tried my best and I wasn’t able to enjoy my son with the constant worrying about breast feeding, keeping my milk supply up, drinking enough water, what meds to take to make more milk, was he getting enough–am I doing it right?–and then finally coming to the depressing result of not being FIT enough or “Mom enough” to feed him. I was heartbroken. Read more »

Last week, I’d gone to the Social Security Administration offices to get some information on my father. Surprisinggly, I was the only person there for awhile. Then, as I was waiting for Bill to come pick me up (we were in St. George with only one car), a teenage girl came in with her mother, followed by an older couple. Read more »

Princess Buttgold was so doted on that she was sometimes difficult, although most of the time she was sweet and charming. But she had a weird kind of jealousy where if I complimented one of her friends, she’d say “oh, so I’m not?” or, “oh, so you love her and not me?” It drove me crazy.

A few days ago I criticized an article about Romney’s job as bishop that someone had posted in facebook and the person who posted it asked me something like “don’t you think they do this to Obama, too?” And I thought of Sarah’s fractured logic. Read more »

I ordered this book because it popped up while I was ordering Joanna Brooks’ book. I’m so glad I did. I devoured it, feeling much the same elation as I did when I found Times and Seasons. These twenty authors (compiled by Robert A. Rees, published by Signature Books) speak my language.

As I read, I was struck by recurring themes that I want to share with you (this review might be continued): Read more »

We are pleased to announce that Sunshine is joining Mormon Mentality! We welcome her insight and chutzpah and know you’ll enjoy her posts.

Sunshine is a happily married mother of four children, ages 2 through almost-12, who also works as a midwife. She enjoys the wondrous process of helping to bring life into the world and has had all her children at home, so she is able to relate to those young mothers who want a natural home birth. A lifelong Mormon, she has an avid curiousity and an open mind that allows for life’s circumstances that don’t fit into the cookie cutter mold.

Sunshine has worked her butt off in the Young Womens program and is now working in the nursery of her ward. She’s looking forward to adding Mormon Mentality to her to-do list. Whenever I see her posts or comments, I think “Good Morning, Merry Sunshine!” She’d probably think that was hokey, but it makes me feel good.

This morning as I watched the morning news shows, I was dismayed to hear that President Obama ate dog as a child. Not dismayed that he did it, but dismayed to hear about it. For crying out loud. American politics is/are (?) the stupidest of human events.

We have dogs and love them. They’re part of our family. Dogs have funny personalities—ours do anyway. Our first family dog was Emily, a white Chihuaha mix, whose loyalty to James can’t be overstated. We got her when the vet, who lived a couple of houses away, sent her to our house with four little boys, who said “Doc says he’s going to put her to sleep if you don’t give her a home.” She was worth it, quiet and sweet. Read more »

I discovered CS Lewis totally by accident, in the pell-mell way I tend to approach most things. He had me at “hello.” I plan to spend a lot of time with him–and Walt Whitman, when I die. I might not mind being the plural wife of CS Lewis, actually. MIGHT not. I might, too. Never know. But when I was looking for that quote, I found (in some cases, rediscovered) these great quotes. There are probably thousands of others. Thought I’d share Mr. Lewis’ wonderful foods for thought (however it’s grammatically correct) with you guys. What a guy. A confirmed bachelor and atheist who fell head over heels in love with God and woman. Can’t wait to meet him.

“The great thing is, if one can, to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions in one’s own or real life. The truth is, of course, that what one regards as interruptions are precisely one’s life.” Read more »

I made Tilapia for dinner last week and as I was stirring up the sauce (Bill has to have catsup and miracle whip for his fried fish), I had a sudden memory of when I was 14 and living with my grandmother in Tonopah. It was the only house Grandma ever owned, a little four room shack, really. It was built into the side of a hill. I’ll write more about Grandma another time. But I loved lettuce and tomato salad with Miracle Whip on it. That was a treat for me.

Now, I kind of can’t believe I ate that, but Miracle Whip was the absolute bomb. I remember one peaceful afternoon–no one was home and I stirred up some Miracle Whip with the lettuce and tomatoes (nothing else, I thought that was what salad was!) and I felt on top of the world. I don’t think I tasted Ranch dressing until maybe 1975?? Read more »

Brian Duffin put out a call for the bloggernacle to post on this topic, but ended up leaving the country and I don’t think it ever got organized. The subject itself—with an emphasis on eschewing war—makes me feel guilty. Because I’m war-like by nature. I’ve spoken loudly and proudly against the Iraq war, but felt we should have retaliated against the Taliban and Al Queda. “We should make a parking lot out of Afganistan” I said a lot in those days after 9/11.

But, in my heart of hearts, I know I’m a lucky duck and should be more charitable I am grateful and thank God often that I have hot and cold running water–and plenty of it—a soft bed in a warm home. I don’t worry about being dragged from that bed and gang raped by soldiers or my children being blown up by a car bomb. My heart aches for the mothers of Afganistan and those in Africa and elsewhere that war flourishes.. Read more »

While I was giving up blogging and facebook for Lent (let me explain: I kind of got the idea from Jana Reiss and her wonderful book “Flunking Sainthood” and really felt kind of glutted on the internet. I thought I needed a rest. And I did. It was good for me, although not a deeply spiritual experience. I found I didn’t miss facebook, which makes me incredibly nervous, but that I did miss the bloggernacle), I caught something on one of the morning news shows referring to the show “What Would You Do” and a segment depicting a Mormon girl confessing to her fiance that she’d slept with someone. The small part I saw portrayed him as abusive and bullying. I never watched the show, but that little bit made me livid.

For one thing, the implication that only Mormons believe in sexual purity—what’s up with that? A couple who commits to only sleep with each other could be devout members of a number of Christian religions. Then, to portray her fiance as cold and critical and abusive—dang, that pushed some buttons with me. I’ve been mad at members of the church and I’ve griped ad nauseum about policies, etc., but I’m sick and tired of my religion getting put down like this. I’ve found myself defending the church which is a new position for me, being the iconoclast in my southern Utah ward. Read more »

MITT ROMNEY:

1. Good job letting the gray/white in on the hair. Use less hair spray–or whatever makes it so shiny. Get it layered and shortened, but not in the back, so you’re not combing it back on the side. Go shorter.

2. Take a day off. Don’t shave. Put on some good levis and a T-shirt. Have a picture taken early in the morning when you take out the trash. Or some other menial labor that really rich people do….jog with your teenage grandson? Look a bit miffed when caught, then laugh, and make a joke written by uh, Ray Romano. Or Jon Stewart. Either one. Read more »

I took a young gay friend to lunch last spring—had such a good time. He’s smart and kind and funny. His mother is a best friend and has had a hard time accepting her son’s sexual orientation. I felt sort of cool because I do accept it–disloyal to my friend at the same time.

I love this young man. I’ve literally known him since he was born and changed more than one of his diapers. I didn’t notice anything different about him as he grew up, one of my daughter’s closest friends. They became engaged in first grade–she dumped him for another guy and regretted it, but he was in love by then with another first grader. He took her to Sweetheart’s. His mother and I seeing these two beautiful kids and wondering if they were meant to be. Read more »

I finally had time to go over a link in a post by Matt (BCC) about George Albert Smith’s alleged mental illness to Mary Woodger’s paper, went back to put in my (further) two cents worth, only to find comments closed. Why do you guys do that?!–so rude. It’s like hanging up the phone on someone. Read more »

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.

Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.

Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed.

I, too, am America.

-Langston Hughes

A friend on Facebook asked for movie recommendations for his Netflix account and my mind wandered to movies I’ve seen lately and then to movie lines. I recommended “Win-”Win”—I think there’s some language in it, but it was really a great show. Loved the ending. Read more »

Watching the debate on “Meet the Press” this morning. (aside: I LOVE David Gregory! I didn’t think anybody could replace Tim Russert, but he’s doing a magnificent job.) There was an interesting exchange between Romney and Newt. Romney gave a wonderful mini-speech about limiting government service and career politicians and lobbyists, making the point that he came in to serve and left. It was pretty cool. BUT Newt came right back and said something to the effect “Are you kidding me? You left politics because you LOST to Ted Kennedy and then you started campaigning for president!” Read more »

I’m not a big fan of Christmas. Not having much of a Christmas, mostly, as a kid made me indifferent to the holiday. I made sure my kids had “good” Christmases, with the requisite decorations, festive baking and nice (not lavish) gifts. They never woke up Christmas morning to a cold house and nothing under the tree, or no tree at all.

But I’m sick of Christmas. I hate Christmas now. I’ve been noticing all the advertising “you MUST buy this to have a happy Christmas!” crap—-even Lexus has an advertisement for Christmas! And how many of us can actually buy somebody a new car for a Christmas present. Companies make a mint off Christmas—-Betty Crocker, Norbest—Hershey!!! Read more »

I tape both morning news shows—-oh, poor Channel 2, they don’t even count—-and scan one later. Sometimes the (false?) cheer bothers me, and both seem biased against conservatives. I watch Good Morning, America more often because I think George Stephanopolous is more balanced. At least he manages not to look nauseous when reporting on Republican politics.

Several items caught my attention this morning. First, I betcha somebody got to Newt and Mitt and told them “play nice” because according to the news, they’d toned down at the latest debate. This means a deal has been reached and while we’ll watch and wonder for the next six months until the convention, the Republican machine has decided who the candidate is going to be. Will one be the vice-president? Hmmm……. Read more »

Elder Busche has always been special to me because he was called as a general authority during my early “formative” years of activity and as I recall, he was the first general authority from outside the United States. He gave a talk at a singles conference in Vegas that I attended and became one of my favorites.

I think I might have known his story at one time, but I can’t remember anything anymore, so I’ve really enjoyed reading this book. I browse the non-fiction racks once in awhile and choose whatever looks interesting. Sometimes cookbooks, sometimes biographies, sometimes medical books…..anything’s possible.

He’s led a pretty fascinating life—a member of Hitler youth and then as part of the German army during WWII (at the age of 14, he was given a gun and sent to war). He suffered greatly as the war ended. He reports that he began smoking during the war—a very real struggle when he joined the church. Read more »