2013

"First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. During this beautiful season when we celebrate harvest and Thanksgiving, I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.
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Merry Christmas! I know that we've all had a full day with family and friends. I'll share our Christmas Eve dinner next week. This morning we were invited to share Beatrice Emaline's first Santa Claus tree at KC and David's new home. It was such a precious time.

A week ago, I was blessed to gather some of the Garden Friends around my table to celebrate the most important birthday of the year. Christmas...such a blessed season...we had a marvelous time filled with food, fun, and fellowship. A good number of us were out of town for the holiday or entertaining family home for the week. I set a table for six at our 'temporary' dining table.

Come on in. Christmas is waiting for you...

Traditional colors...

...made the season bright for our Christmas luncheon.

The red Bormioli charger continues to demand a spot on my holiday tables. The flatware is Retroneu Holly. I've had it for years. Tip: Occasionally it shows up on eBay!

The Copeland Spode Pink Tower is one of our everyday patterns. It set a comfortable, casually traditional tone; plus, it goes in the dishwasher. Perfect for a busy schedule.

The Kings Crown ruby flash accent plate has also been a regular performer during the holidays.

The napkins were a gift from my sister, and the tablecloth was a fortunate eBay find.

Continuing with traditional Christmas colors, I paired the Vietri optical red goblet with the AJKA Arabella wine. I get so much mileage out of these two patterns. The crystal salt cellars were a gift from my friend Debbi. They had belonged to her mother-in-love, Norma.

A few easy "at hand" elements for the centerpiece...

The Copeland Spode Camilla tureen, an eBay acquistion, is flanked by a pair of red transferware vases filled with Alstroemaria and a pair of Paden City ruby glass lidded compotes. One of the compotes belonged to our precious Nana. I found its partner on eBay.

Ready to roll!

The buffet features a number of elements that I've used for different luncheons throughout the season.

I'm serving Quiche Lorraine, Simple Salad, mixed berries, hot bread, and chocolate cake balls and cookies for dessert.

May the details of your Christmas come together for you just the way that you've visualized them! Merry Christmas, my dear blogging friends and readers. You've made my year shimmer and sparkle!

This week I'll be joining the following parties:

Let's Dish with Cuisine Kathleen

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

Garden Friends Christmas Luncheon, 2013

Did you know that gestational diabetes occurs during 2-10% of all pregnancies? As new ways of classifying and diagnosing gestational diabetes emerge that number could rise to as high as 18%.

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes where women who have no history of diabetes have above normal blood sugar levels during pregnancy due to increased hormones. Most of the time, it disappears after the pregnancy is complete. The following is how the American Diabetes Association describes gestational diabetes.

“The placenta supports the baby as it grows. Hormones from the placenta help the baby develop. But these hormones also block the action of the mother's insulin in her body. This problem is called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance makes it hard for the mother's body to use insulin. She may need up to three times as much insulin.

“Gestational diabetes starts when your body is not able to make and use all the insulin it needs for pregnancy. Without enough insulin, glucose cannot leave the blood and be changed to energy. Glucose builds up in the blood to high levels. This is called hyperglycemia.”

There are quite a few risks with gestational diabetes. One of the main ones is having a “fat” baby. This can happen because the baby will develop high blood sugar, which causes the pancreas to make high amounts of insulin and that extra energy is stored as fat. These children are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Other complications while giving birth can arise for mom and baby when the baby is too large.

Of women who have gestational diabetes, 35-60 percent will develop type 2 diabetes later in life. This could happen immediately after pregnancy or 20 years down the road.

One way to diagnose gestational diabetes is to do an oral glucose tolerance test. This is when the mother drinks a solution containing a certain amount of glucose (usually 75g) and then has their blood sugar tested at certain intervals after it’s finished. This test can be done at your doctor’s office and is usually done between weeks 24-28.

Sources:

American Diabetes Association. (2013, July 2). What is gestational diabetes. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/gestational/what-is-gestational-diabetes.html

American Diabetes Association. (2013, December 11).Diabetes statistics. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/diabetes-statistics/

US Department of Health and Human Serices. (2013, September 09). National diabetes statistics: 2011. Retrieved from http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/

WebMD. (2011, July 5). Oral glucose tolerance test. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/baby/oral-glucose-tolerance-test

Wikipedia. (2013, November 6). Gestational diabetes. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestational_diabetes

Pictures: http://www.whallc.com/wellness-and-education/wellness-journal/12-06-28/Bittersweet_Diagnosis_Gestational_Diabetes.aspx

Gestational Diabetes

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I've missed you all so much! I can't believe that it's been more than a month since I've been able to post. So....where have I been? Sweet Mister had hip replacement surgery in November. On the day that he had his surgery KC and David closed on a new/old home in one of our city's historical preservation districts. There's a neat story to go with the purchase of their new home, but I'll tell you about that a little later. Sweet Mister came home from the hospital on the 23rd, KC and David made their move on the day before Thanksgiving, and we hosted Thanksgiving for the family. I could have slept for a week, but no time for that!

I've been dancing as fast as I can. It's been a blessing to care for Sweet Mister, and I have often thought about those of you who are sole caregivers. You have every ounce of respect and admiration that I can muster. My mama was my daddy's sole caregiver for 25 years, after he became a paraplegic. My esteem for her has always been great, and it has grown even more during the last month. My Sweet Mister is doing quite well, and this evening some of his friends took him to one of their hunting leases for a hunt tomorrow morning. He was ecstatic!

Today I was thrilled to once again entertain a small group of my friends. Come on in. We'll be seated in the dining room...

Whoa, Nelly! What's going on? Where are the dining room table and chairs? That would be part of the story about KC and David's new home. They just bought Sweet Mister's childhood home! We are so excited about it. It's the only home that Sweet Mister lived in, from the time he was born until we were married 45 years ago this week. His mom sold the house in November, 1971, while Sweet Mister was in Viet Nam. He never had the opportunity to say goodbye to the home, and now it's back in the family. Shortly after KC and David closed on the house, Sweet Mister asked me if I would be willing to find new dining room furniture, so we could return the table and chairs to the home for which the suite was originally purchased. I thought it was a grand idea, and immediately said "Yes!" I found 12 Karges chairs in a wonderful local consignment shop, and the same night, I found the dining table that goes with them on....wait for it....you know the answer...yep...eBay. It is currently at an antique store in Pennsylvania, waiting to be loaded onto a truck that was already preparing to make a trip out here to the prairie. In the meantime, we are improvising for the Christmas season. Never a dull moment!

Today's tablescape was all about...

Cranberry bells! I first saw cranberry bells used on a tablescape in A PASSION FOR FLOWERS by Carolyne Roehm. I've never forgotten the idea, and I was inspired to collect my own grouping of bells...on eBay, of course. Thanks for the idea, Carolyne! I knew that I wanted to create a Christmas table with the bells, and I planned to give each of my guests a cranberry bell for their Christmas gift. The bells also worked perfectly as place cards for the table. The azaleas are in an old cranberry bowl that belonged to my dear Aunt Ida.

I love them! Aren't they pretty!? I placed the large "Whimsy" bells on festive, glittery candle rings.

The Bormioli red glass charger plate kept with the cranberry color story. I've had the Retroneau gold Holly flatware for many years; I always enjoy using them during the Christmas holiday.

The texture and creamy white color of the Copeland Spode Jewel dinner plate was elegant...

...paired with the thumbprint ruby glass accent plate, used later for a dessert of individual sized red velvet bundt cake.

The stack was crowned with each guest's cranberry bell.

I'm smiling...I love the way that it all came together.

I was really committed to all things cranberry for this design. I paired the AJKA Arabella wine goblet with the Waterford Simply Red goblet. Tip: The Waterford goblet is actually the Glendora pattern, but you can usually find it on eBay and Replacements listed as Waterford Simply Red.

I purchased the cranberry and white Fenton splatter ware pitcher at an auction during my birthday week in early November. It will always be a special reminder of the first time that I got to meet sweet and wonderful...

Sarah @ Hyacinths for the Soul. She came with her friend Susan, who was helping with the auction which featured an abundance of antique Quimper. We had a great time, I bought some wonderful treasures, and I can hardly wait for us to get together again! It was a superb birthday treat! But I digress...

Because we were a small group of 4 at a 60" table, I used an assortment of other cranberry glass pieces to act as "filler." Smaller containers held posy arrangements of flowers.

We had such a wonderful time today. I prepared Quiche Lorraine, a simple salad, mixed berries, and hot garlic bread. I felt so blessed to have time to gather friends around my table once again. Matter of fact, I'm hosting two more luncheons this week! I can hardly wait!

This week I'll be joining:

"Let's Dish" with Cuisine Kathleen

"Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

Bells Will Be Ringing

As girls we love to take care of our hair, but we aren’t always the best at it. There are all sorts of advertisements trying to tell us which products to buy and what will fix our damaged hair but what works and what doesn’t? What can you do to have healthier hair naturally? How can you make your thin hair look fuller? Here are some tips and tricks to help you have fuller, healthier, better looking hair.

Brush your hair BEFORE washing- hair is much more likely to break when wet and wet hair tangles more easily. Save yourself some trouble and wash your tresses when they are tangle free.

Don’t wash every day- MOST hair does not need daily washing. Unless your hair has excessive oil, stick with washing every other day. Unnecessary washing can strip the healthy oils on your scalp and leave your hair with less shine.

Lightly towel dry- There is no need to be rough with the towel when drying your hair. Rubbing too much can lead to breakage so try blotting your hair with a towel and then if you decide to use a blow dryer, use the low setting. Hair that is shoulder length is approximately 2 years old, so be careful with it!

Use a heat protectant- If you like to blow dry, straighten, curl, or otherwise apply heat to your hair, use a heat protectant first. Make sure to get a non-greasy, light product.

Blow dry upside down- If you’re looking to add volume to your hair, blow dry upside down to give your roots a little lift from the start. Also use a volumizing powder to help your roots hold all day.

Curl the ends under- By straightening your ends, it makes the rest of your hair look thinner. So if you already have thin hair, try curling the ends under to give it more body.

You can’t mend split ends!- Hair is a non-living thing so once you split a hair it isn’t growing back together, despite what product advertisements claim. The only thing the FDA regulates on hair product packaging is the ingredient list so other claims made are based solely on the person manufacturing it.

Sources:

Beauty High. (2013, November 21). 8 ways your're making your hair look thinner. Retrieved from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/thin-hair

Loux, R. (2013, September 24). The 10 biggest hair care mistakes. Retrieved from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/hair-care

LoveYourHair. (2013). 20 hair health tips. Retrieved from http://www.loveyourhair.com/hair-help/20-hair-health-tips/1284.html

Picture: http://blog.babymilano.com/2011/08/baby-hair-care/

Hair Care: What You're Doing Wrong!

Tis the season to show others you care! As the Thanksgiving and Christmas season approach, we all look for ways to serve others and show them we care. Here’s a list of ideas for acts of service (some of them very small!) you can do right here in Rexburg.

Call and talk to a family member who lives at least an hour away
Focus on not saying anything negative for a day
Write a letter to a missionary
Smile at someone as they walk by
Pick up trash outside
Rake someone’s yard (or shovel snow!)
Pay for the person behind you in the drive-thru
Attend the temple
Give a stranger a compliment
Say good morning to someone you don’t normally talk to
Write a thank-you card to someone who has helped you recently
Give someone a hug
Hold open the door for someone
Be extra courteous to pedestrians crossing the street
Make a treat for someone
Do something nice for the person/ family you visit or home teach
Remember to say please and thank-you…even for simple things
Give someone a high-five and tell them good job for something
Leave an anonymous note for someone
Send a card to a stranger in the phone book
Make breakfast for your spouse or roommate
Throw away someone’s trash for them
Leave a large tip for your waiter/ waitress
Babysit for someone’s kids so they can go to the temple
Tell someone you love them
Tell someone a joke
Tell someone why you appreciate them
Write and send a letter to someone you love
Do a chore for your spouse/ roommate that they usually do for you
Put $10 in a random gas pump
Index at least 20 names
Visit the nursing home and talk to the residents
Go Christmas caroling (or Thanksgiving caroling…be creative)
Take a treat to those waiting in line at the testing center
Take a treat to those who finish their test at the testing center
Write your roommates notes of appreciation
Get involved with Activities on campus (they even have SERVICE activities!)
Volunteer at the animal/ horse shelter
Give someone a ride home from the grocery store
Write a letter/ email to your grandparents
Clean out your closet and donate clothes you don’t wear to Deseret Industries/ Goodwill
Bring your bishop a snack for his late after-church meetings
Learn how to do family history
Pay your fast offering
Donate supplies to the Family Crisis Center
Pray for someone who needs a little extra help
Help someone who’s moving
Help clean the chapel after services
Let someone go in front of you while you’re waiting in a checkout line or in traffic
Take a treat to the fire station

Remember, it’s the little things that count. Elder M. Russell Ballard said “It is my humble prayer, brothers and sisters, that we will ask in our daily prayers for the inspiration to find someone for whom we can provide some meaningful service, including the service of sharing the gospel truths and our testimonies. At the end of each day, may we be able to say yes to the questions: “Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?””

Here are some great talks and devotionals regarding serving others:

Scatter Sunshine- M. Winston Egan

Unselfish Service- Dallin H. Oaks

Be Anxiously Engaged- M. Russell Ballard

Service- Stephen E. Snow

Pictures from the LDS Media Library

50 Rexburg Service Ideas

Vegetarians come in all shapes and sizes. The most strict vegetarian diet is a vegan diet which restricts you from eating any animal product. There are those lacto-vegetarians who will also eat dairy products and lacto-ovo-vegetarians who will eat dairy and eggs. And then there are the people who are mostly vegetarian but will eat chicken or a burger every once in a while. Because there are so many varieties of vegetarians, it is hard to classify how many there are in the United States but polls place the number somewhere between 5-13%.

What are the benefits of having a vegetarian diet? Many include being more lean, having lower levels of serum cholesterol, having lower blood pressure and decreasing risk of colon cancer. Other benefits include having a diet lower in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. You also reduce your risk of obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

What concerns are there with being a vegetarian? Because vegetarians are cutting out meat and other animal products, they may be at risk for iron deficiency, insufficient calcium, Vitamin D deficiency, and Vitamin B-12 deficiency.

To get iron eat: Dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark green leafy vegetables and dried fruit.

To get calcium eat: dark green vegetables like broccoli, kale and collard greens. Also eat foods fortified with calcium such as juice, cereal and soy milk.

To get Vitamin D eat: Vitamin D fortified foods such as milk, orange juice and cereal, and get a sufficient amount of sun exposure. You may need a supplement if you cannot get enough in your diet.

To get Vitamin B-12 eat: a Vitamin B-12 supplement. This vitamin is found exclusively in animal products.

Getting Started For some, going cold turkey when it comes to making a switch in their diet can be hard. One way to make it easier is to each week increase the number of meatless meals you eat. Search on the internet for simple substitutions for ingredients or look up vegetarian cookbooks. There are many sources out there!

If vegetarianism is something you’ve been interested in trying out, make sure to do your research first so you can be sure to get all the nutrients your body needs.

Sources:

Digging a vegetarian diet. (2012, July). Retrieved from http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/Jul2012/Feature1

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2012, July 11). Vegetarian diet: How to get the best nutrition. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/vegetarian-diet/HQ01596/METHOD=print

Vorvick, L. (2013, October 31). Vegetarian diet. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002465.htm

Wikipedia Authors. (2013, November 4). Vegetarianism by country. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism_by_country

Picture: http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/vegetarian-diet/HQ01596/METHOD=print

http://letsbraw.blogspot.com/2012/08/how-to-tell-vegan-from-vegetarian.html

So You Want to be a Vegetarian?

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Today was the Kappa Alpha Theta Flaming Festival, always a delightful time to reconnect with friends whom you don't see regularly the rest of the year. Yesterday was spent setting up tables for the enjoyment of those attending. The festival was a marvelous time, as always, and tonight I am worn slick. I'll share pics of the wonderful tablescapes over the next few weeks.

This evening I'm sharing a table that I created for out of town guests who were here last weekend. We didn't end up using the table because Sweet Mister decided that he wanted to take us all out to dinner.

Games table in the living room...flip-top tabletop to create a 60" round table for six....you know the drill.

The door bell rang the morning that I was brainstorming ideas for the table...

...and these lovely blossoms were sitting on the front porch, a thank you gift from friends whom we entertained with an evening out the previous week. I set them in the Coalport Bittersweet centerpiece bowl, and I was off to the races.

I paired the bowl and flowers with a quartet of cobalt depression glass candlesticks and a grouping of faux pumpkins. Centerpiece...done.

The orange Bormioli glass charger seemed an obvious choice for my Autumn table highlighting clear, high colors.

Returning to lessons from the color chart, I chose the Coalport Spearpoint dinner plate for the strong pop of cobalt on the rim of the plate.

The leading lady of the stack was the Colcough Bittersweet luncheon plate. Tidbit: Did you notice that although the centerpiece bowl matches the luncheon plate perfectly, they were made by two different manufacturers? This is not uncommon, especially it seems, with the English potters. It is interesting to note that a variety of companies produced versions of the same pattern. One good example is the Indian Tree pattern. Check it out...I think that just about every company made their own Indian Tree design at one time or another. Additionally, sometimes when one company would go out of business, another pottery company would step in to purchase certain molds and transferware patterns, and the design would continue, with minor differences.

Picking up on the soft browns in the luncheon plate, I added the Horchow brown handled flatware and one of Nana's madeira and lace napkins with Cuisine Kathleen's gift, the Waverly beaded napkin ring.

Continuing with more accent colors from the Bittersweet pieces, I paired the Vietri green optic goblet with the AJKA Arabella cobalt wine goblet. The silver and cobalt salt cellars were our dear Nana's.

I really liked the way that this design worked with the living room colorscape...

I look forward to using this grouping again...another time. Maybe I'll lay my table with it once more when you happen to pass my way. I'd really like that!

This week I'm joining the following parties...with thanks to the hostesses!

Let's Dish with Cuisine Kathleen
Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch