The 2009 NBA Playoffs have arrived. This time of year is very exciting if you are an NBA fan. The games get more exciting, the fans get more rowdy, and the teams seem to play at the highest levels of the season. All of this makes for some great game watching and will keep us fans entertained for hours each night over the next 2 months.
The team I will be cheering for and watching closely is the Utah Jazz. I have watched the Utah Jazz from the time I was a small boy. I remember the good old days when Stockton to Malone was the most common phrase in the games the Jazz played. Then there was Thurl Bailey, Mark Eaton, and many other players that would help the Jazz reach the playoffs most years, but would then fail to win the NBA Championship. There were two years where the Jazz made it to the NBA Finals and would play against the formidable Chicago Bulls. This was during the mid-nineties when Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen graced the court and were an unstoppable force. The Jazz lost to the Bulls in both of the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals and would not make it to the Finals again. Not too many years later both John Stockton and Karl Malone would retire with various NBA records, but never getting that coveted Championship ring.
Now, the team has the likes of Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, and Ronnie Brewer. The Jazz still make the playoffs like always, but seem to fail each year to make it back to the NBA Finals for a shot at the crown. This year they square off against the almighty Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers boast arguably the most talented, most athletic, best team in the NBA. The Jazz will face the Lakers in a best of 7 series starting Sunday night April 19th. They will need the best games of their lives to make this a competitive series. One thing is for sure, the games will be fierce, fast, and full of energy. Whichever team comes out on top will advance to play against some team in the next series and the loser will be going home. The Jazz don’t have a very good chance, but I will be cheering for them and hoping that they can at least make it a close series.
Go Jazz!
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Service- A Gift to Others
Spring is upon us with the beauty of the green grass starting to show, the colorful flowers are starting to bloom, and the cool rain showers are leaving the familiar scent in the air that reminds us why we love springtime so much. It is a time of renewal, a time of new life, and it also a time to serve others. Easter has been a time for us to think of our Savior and the gifts that he freely gave us of resurrection and of the atonement. These gifts Jesus gave us are eternal and will last forever. We too must give and freely serve those around us especially during this time of year.
In the Book of Mormon in Mosiah 2:17 we read: And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the bservice of your cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.
And in Matthew 25:40 in the Bible we read: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have adone it unto one of the bleast of these my cbrethren, ye have done it unto me.
As we serve others, we are not only serving them, but we are also serving God. If we are to truly be happy and want to show our gratitude for the gifts he has given us, we need to serve others.
Here are some ideas of service that we could do for our neighbors, our family, and anyone around us:
Clean the House: A lot of service can be done in our own homes. Too often we think of a service project as being a large project or one done away from our homes. We need to take time to help those in our own homes and serve them and show them that we truly care about them. A great way to serve is to pick a few extra things to do each week cleaning the house that you normally do not do. Try vacuuming the floors, sweeping the floors, wiping the counters, doing the dishes, dusting the furniture. Get in the habit of doing these extra things each week and enjoy the feelings of the spirit of love and giving while helping your mother or wife. This will make a huge difference in your own life and in the ones you are helping.
Help your neighbor with yard work: We all have neighbors and many of us have neighbors that may have various reasons why they may not be able to keep their yard up during the spring and summer. Take the opportunity to help them right now to prepare their yard for the summer. Help them pull weeds, till their soil, rake debris from their flowerbeds and lawn, prune trees, and anything that they might need. Let them know that you love them and that you want to lend a hand once a month or however often you are able. Your relationship with this neighbor will increase and the joy you gain from serving will motivate you to serve others.
Clean a local park or empty lot area: In each city we live in, we may notice areas that are overgrown with weeds and bushes. Old houses or empty lots, or even parks may suffer due to lack of city funds to support grounds keeping or many places or just abandoned. Call your local city office and ask them regarding a particular place if you have something in mind, or ask them if there is a place that they are aware of that could use some yard cleaning. Get your local church group together or your scout group or even just your family and spend a Saturday afternoon pulling weeds, trimming bushes, painting, digging, moving and making a place that once was an “eye sore” become a place of beauty. You will enjoy the time working with each other knowing that you are making a difference and are serving your community. You will find that your love of where you live will increase in knowing that you are an important part of your town.
Conduct a service auction: Hold an activity in your church group or club and invite members of your church, neighbors, and relatives, and have a service auction. Each person in your group or club will have an idea or 2 in mind for service to give to others. Everyone writes down on a slip of paper the service they would like to donate such as babysitting, a hair cute, pulling weeds, making dinner, etc. Then everyone plays a game to earn points—the games can vary from getting to know you to trivia etc. Each person uses their points to “purchase” a service item from the auction. The service auction is lots of fun because everyone is able to give and get something.
Service is important for our individual growth. Even calling someone on the phone or sending a card could brighten someone’s day. Look for acts of service you can do each day to bring Springtime to your soul.
In the Book of Mormon in Mosiah 2:17 we read: And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the bservice of your cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.
And in Matthew 25:40 in the Bible we read: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have adone it unto one of the bleast of these my cbrethren, ye have done it unto me.
As we serve others, we are not only serving them, but we are also serving God. If we are to truly be happy and want to show our gratitude for the gifts he has given us, we need to serve others.
Here are some ideas of service that we could do for our neighbors, our family, and anyone around us:
Clean the House: A lot of service can be done in our own homes. Too often we think of a service project as being a large project or one done away from our homes. We need to take time to help those in our own homes and serve them and show them that we truly care about them. A great way to serve is to pick a few extra things to do each week cleaning the house that you normally do not do. Try vacuuming the floors, sweeping the floors, wiping the counters, doing the dishes, dusting the furniture. Get in the habit of doing these extra things each week and enjoy the feelings of the spirit of love and giving while helping your mother or wife. This will make a huge difference in your own life and in the ones you are helping.
Help your neighbor with yard work: We all have neighbors and many of us have neighbors that may have various reasons why they may not be able to keep their yard up during the spring and summer. Take the opportunity to help them right now to prepare their yard for the summer. Help them pull weeds, till their soil, rake debris from their flowerbeds and lawn, prune trees, and anything that they might need. Let them know that you love them and that you want to lend a hand once a month or however often you are able. Your relationship with this neighbor will increase and the joy you gain from serving will motivate you to serve others.
Clean a local park or empty lot area: In each city we live in, we may notice areas that are overgrown with weeds and bushes. Old houses or empty lots, or even parks may suffer due to lack of city funds to support grounds keeping or many places or just abandoned. Call your local city office and ask them regarding a particular place if you have something in mind, or ask them if there is a place that they are aware of that could use some yard cleaning. Get your local church group together or your scout group or even just your family and spend a Saturday afternoon pulling weeds, trimming bushes, painting, digging, moving and making a place that once was an “eye sore” become a place of beauty. You will enjoy the time working with each other knowing that you are making a difference and are serving your community. You will find that your love of where you live will increase in knowing that you are an important part of your town.
Conduct a service auction: Hold an activity in your church group or club and invite members of your church, neighbors, and relatives, and have a service auction. Each person in your group or club will have an idea or 2 in mind for service to give to others. Everyone writes down on a slip of paper the service they would like to donate such as babysitting, a hair cute, pulling weeds, making dinner, etc. Then everyone plays a game to earn points—the games can vary from getting to know you to trivia etc. Each person uses their points to “purchase” a service item from the auction. The service auction is lots of fun because everyone is able to give and get something.
Service is important for our individual growth. Even calling someone on the phone or sending a card could brighten someone’s day. Look for acts of service you can do each day to bring Springtime to your soul.
Friday, April 3, 2009
March Madness Comes to an End
March of 2009 has come and gone as quickly as the weather changes in Utah. The Madness of the NCAA tournament is coming to an end tonight April 6th on the basketball court in Detroit, Michigan. The Michigan State Spartans will take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in what should be an incredible matchup with several NBA prospects taking the floor in what is sure to be an epic battle. North Carolina is heavily favored, but Michigan State will have a favorable crowd and will look to feed off their enthusiasm. The Tar Heels speed and sharp-shooting will square off against the Spartans toughness and relentless rebounding ability in a showdown that will be one for the ages. The road has been long and difficult for these 2 teams, but they survived the madness to earn the right to play in the NCAA Basketball Championship Game to see who is crowned this year’s champion.
This year’s tournament had many maddening moments. One of the most notable being the last second shot by Villanova’s Scottie Reynolds to beat #1 seeded Pittsburgh and send Villanova to the Final Four. Michigan State also surprised many by upsetting the heavily favored Louisville Cardinals to reach the Final Four. As expected Connecticut and North Carolina made their way into the Final Four with wins over Missouri and Oklahoma. Along the way there were many upsets including 12th seeded Western Kentucky over the 5th seeded Fighting Illini of Illinois, 11th seeded Dayton over 6th seeded West Virginia, and my own alma matter Utah State seeded 11th almost pulled off the huge upset over 6th seeded Marquette losing by only 1 point.
My brackets didn’t fare too well in this year’s tournament. I had Pittsburgh winning the Championship this year and they lost in that nail biter to Villanova. My other picks didn’t do as well either. I only picked 1 team right out the Final Four teams remaining in the tournament. I will need to do a better job of scouting and research next year. Or I could try my wife’s method of guessing, which helped her bracket to beat mine in our own little competition. So much for all those nights of studying teams, matchups, and reading all the so-called experts picks. I think next year I might actually try the method a past co-worker of mine once used- heads or tails- with the team called as heads moving on to the next round. I think he probably did better than me that year, too.
Tune in next year in the month of March to start another round of Madness. There are sure to be upsets, nail biters, last second wins, and lots of entertainment. Remember to try your hand at filling out a bracket in next year’s tournament. Just don’t follow my lead by wasting your time studying too much. Many of you might do very well with the heads and tails or the guessing strategies. For me, I will continue to research and study the teams and spend all my extra time listening to the experts only to find myself losing to my wife again.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
This year’s tournament had many maddening moments. One of the most notable being the last second shot by Villanova’s Scottie Reynolds to beat #1 seeded Pittsburgh and send Villanova to the Final Four. Michigan State also surprised many by upsetting the heavily favored Louisville Cardinals to reach the Final Four. As expected Connecticut and North Carolina made their way into the Final Four with wins over Missouri and Oklahoma. Along the way there were many upsets including 12th seeded Western Kentucky over the 5th seeded Fighting Illini of Illinois, 11th seeded Dayton over 6th seeded West Virginia, and my own alma matter Utah State seeded 11th almost pulled off the huge upset over 6th seeded Marquette losing by only 1 point.
My brackets didn’t fare too well in this year’s tournament. I had Pittsburgh winning the Championship this year and they lost in that nail biter to Villanova. My other picks didn’t do as well either. I only picked 1 team right out the Final Four teams remaining in the tournament. I will need to do a better job of scouting and research next year. Or I could try my wife’s method of guessing, which helped her bracket to beat mine in our own little competition. So much for all those nights of studying teams, matchups, and reading all the so-called experts picks. I think next year I might actually try the method a past co-worker of mine once used- heads or tails- with the team called as heads moving on to the next round. I think he probably did better than me that year, too.
Tune in next year in the month of March to start another round of Madness. There are sure to be upsets, nail biters, last second wins, and lots of entertainment. Remember to try your hand at filling out a bracket in next year’s tournament. Just don’t follow my lead by wasting your time studying too much. Many of you might do very well with the heads and tails or the guessing strategies. For me, I will continue to research and study the teams and spend all my extra time listening to the experts only to find myself losing to my wife again.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Gardening- More than just a Hobby
I remember as a young man working alongside my father each and every spring in the garden behind my house. My dad had a large garden that extended across the whole backyard behind the lawn area. I could see the excitement in his eyes and in his face as soon as springtime arrived. He would pull out his rusty old tiller, covered in cobwebs, and pull the cord to fire it up. Inevitably, it would take multiple pulls on the cord until it would finally sputter and smoke, and start up.
I still remember watching my dad push that roto-tiller back and forth through the garden while the soil turned from a dusty light, brown color, to a deep rich, dark, moist soil. I remember my dad letting me stand in front of him to help push the tiller while he stood behind me doing most of the work. I am glad my dad let me be part of the gardening experience every year. For me it wasn’t getting the garden prepared as much as it was being with my dad, working hard together and accomplishing something worthwhile. My dad instilled this love of gardening and hard work into me at an early age and it is still there.
I now have a wonderful wife and three kids of my own and often wonder how Dad had the patience and energy to work on that garden year in and year out. My wife grew up with parents who enjoyed gardening as well so we share our love of this hobby together. Over the years, I have felt that gardening has been more of a hobby than a way of necessity, but with the struggling economy, and the problems with produce being tainted with numerous pesticides, gardening has taken on a new importance in my life as well as for my family. Gardening is more than just a hobby, it is an enjoyable way to live healthy and enjoy the independence of growing your own food.
Not everyone grew up having the space or the time to grow a garden. Many people live in the city which can make it difficult to grow a large garden. As a child I couldn’t imagine not having a garden. For me it was a way of life and imbedded into the lifestyle of my family and where we lived. I grew up in Southern Utah County out in the country and enjoyed the vast openness of alfalfa fields and large cattle farms. Although I was in an area where we had the space for a large garden, those that do not, can still have smaller gardens of their own. Many people set up little garden boxes in their backyard and plant tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, and other items. They can still enjoy the fresh vegetables and fruits that they have grown themselves. Be creative and find ways to grow your garden in big or small spaces.
There is great satisfaction in growing a garden. It takes time and energy to prepare the soil, as I did with my father every spring, plant the seeds, water on a regular basis, remove the weeds, harvest the crop, and clean out the leftover dead vines and plants when the garden is done growing for the year. There is great joy in the knowledge that you have helped in growing this garden. You will enjoy the wonderful taste of homegrown vegetables and fruits year after year as you plant and care for your garden.
Nothing compares to the juicy taste of a sun-ripe tomato picked seconds ago off the vine or the crunch as you sink your teeth into a freshly shucked yellow sweet cob of corn slathered in butter. One of my daughters loves to eat fresh peas out of the garden. As I look down and watch her eating those peas and see the delight in her face, I remember why I love to plant a garden and why I love to have my children right beside me while I do it. Each year as I prepare my own garden, I reflect back on those sunny spring afternoons with my own dad and know that a garden is more than just a hobby, it’s a way of life.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
I still remember watching my dad push that roto-tiller back and forth through the garden while the soil turned from a dusty light, brown color, to a deep rich, dark, moist soil. I remember my dad letting me stand in front of him to help push the tiller while he stood behind me doing most of the work. I am glad my dad let me be part of the gardening experience every year. For me it wasn’t getting the garden prepared as much as it was being with my dad, working hard together and accomplishing something worthwhile. My dad instilled this love of gardening and hard work into me at an early age and it is still there.
I now have a wonderful wife and three kids of my own and often wonder how Dad had the patience and energy to work on that garden year in and year out. My wife grew up with parents who enjoyed gardening as well so we share our love of this hobby together. Over the years, I have felt that gardening has been more of a hobby than a way of necessity, but with the struggling economy, and the problems with produce being tainted with numerous pesticides, gardening has taken on a new importance in my life as well as for my family. Gardening is more than just a hobby, it is an enjoyable way to live healthy and enjoy the independence of growing your own food.
Not everyone grew up having the space or the time to grow a garden. Many people live in the city which can make it difficult to grow a large garden. As a child I couldn’t imagine not having a garden. For me it was a way of life and imbedded into the lifestyle of my family and where we lived. I grew up in Southern Utah County out in the country and enjoyed the vast openness of alfalfa fields and large cattle farms. Although I was in an area where we had the space for a large garden, those that do not, can still have smaller gardens of their own. Many people set up little garden boxes in their backyard and plant tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, and other items. They can still enjoy the fresh vegetables and fruits that they have grown themselves. Be creative and find ways to grow your garden in big or small spaces.
There is great satisfaction in growing a garden. It takes time and energy to prepare the soil, as I did with my father every spring, plant the seeds, water on a regular basis, remove the weeds, harvest the crop, and clean out the leftover dead vines and plants when the garden is done growing for the year. There is great joy in the knowledge that you have helped in growing this garden. You will enjoy the wonderful taste of homegrown vegetables and fruits year after year as you plant and care for your garden.
Nothing compares to the juicy taste of a sun-ripe tomato picked seconds ago off the vine or the crunch as you sink your teeth into a freshly shucked yellow sweet cob of corn slathered in butter. One of my daughters loves to eat fresh peas out of the garden. As I look down and watch her eating those peas and see the delight in her face, I remember why I love to plant a garden and why I love to have my children right beside me while I do it. Each year as I prepare my own garden, I reflect back on those sunny spring afternoons with my own dad and know that a garden is more than just a hobby, it’s a way of life.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Friday, March 20, 2009
The 2009 NCAA Tournament 1st Round
The long-awaited NCAA tournament has begun this past weekend. The 1st round of the tournament took place on Thursday and Friday. Games began at 10am and ended at about 11pm each night. There have been a few big upsets and close games and small college heroes. I stayed up each night enjoying the games and sitting on the edge if my seat for most of them.
The Utah teams didn’t fare so well in this tournament. BYU played Texas A&M, Utah played Arizona, and Utah State played Marquette and each of them lost.
BYU played first on Thursday morning facing the Aggies of Texas A&M. The Cougars were cold at the start not being able to hit very many of their shots. Texas A&M on the other hand was hot and got off to a good start. The combination of these two factors put BYU in a hole early and they were never able to recover. Texas A&M was bigger, more athletic, and just a better all around team than BYU. The Cougars tried to recover in the 2nd half and as close as 8 points at one time, but the Aggies hit a couple of 3 point shots to stop BYU’s run. The final score was Texas A&M 79 BYU 66.
Utah State played their game against Marquette on Friday morning. The first half was not good for Utah State, just like BYU’s game. The Aggies were unable to hit many shots and Marquette took an early lead in the first half. Utah State came out in the second half and played like a different team. They were making their shots, played a strong zone defense, and made this game a great finish. The Aggies held in there with Marquette until the very end where they trailed by 1 point and barely missed a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left for the win. Utah State played tough, but lost to Marquette by a score of 58-57.
The University of Utah played against the Arizona Wildcats on Friday night. The Utes were unable to hold in there with the Wildcats. Arizona was just too physical, too big, and too fast for the Utah Utes. Utah’s big man, Luke Nevill, got in foul trouble early and was taken out of the game early. Utah lost to Arizona by a score of 84-71.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The Utah teams didn’t fare so well in this tournament. BYU played Texas A&M, Utah played Arizona, and Utah State played Marquette and each of them lost.
BYU played first on Thursday morning facing the Aggies of Texas A&M. The Cougars were cold at the start not being able to hit very many of their shots. Texas A&M on the other hand was hot and got off to a good start. The combination of these two factors put BYU in a hole early and they were never able to recover. Texas A&M was bigger, more athletic, and just a better all around team than BYU. The Cougars tried to recover in the 2nd half and as close as 8 points at one time, but the Aggies hit a couple of 3 point shots to stop BYU’s run. The final score was Texas A&M 79 BYU 66.
Utah State played their game against Marquette on Friday morning. The first half was not good for Utah State, just like BYU’s game. The Aggies were unable to hit many shots and Marquette took an early lead in the first half. Utah State came out in the second half and played like a different team. They were making their shots, played a strong zone defense, and made this game a great finish. The Aggies held in there with Marquette until the very end where they trailed by 1 point and barely missed a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left for the win. Utah State played tough, but lost to Marquette by a score of 58-57.
The University of Utah played against the Arizona Wildcats on Friday night. The Utes were unable to hold in there with the Wildcats. Arizona was just too physical, too big, and too fast for the Utah Utes. Utah’s big man, Luke Nevill, got in foul trouble early and was taken out of the game early. Utah lost to Arizona by a score of 84-71.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Brackets and Basketball
It’s official, March Madness has finally arrived and will be here to stay for the next 3 weeks. These 3 weeks will be filled full of awesome basketball games, intriguing story lines, incredible upsets, fantastic finishes, buzzer beaters, great announcers (Gus Johnson), and “Cinderella” stories. I look forward for these 3 weeks all year long and love to see the day when the brackets are released.
On Sunday March 15th the field of 65 teams for the NCAA tournament will be announced and where they will be seeded along with whom, where, and when they will be playing. 32 games are planned to be played at various locations throughout the US on Thursday March 19th and Friday March 20th for what constitutes the 1st round of the tournament. The second round will feature the winners playing each other on Saturday March 21st and Sunday March 22nd to take the field of 64 teams down to the “Sweet Sixteen” teams. These teams play each other until they get to the “Elite Eight”, the “Final Four”, and then the Championship game to see who is crowned the champions of NCAA Division I basketball.
Each year I fill out a bracket for the tournament, which for those who don’t know is basically the format of all the games to be played in the first round. You start with all the games in the first round and then you guess the winners of that round and write in those teams and then keep guessing the games until all t first round projected winners are determined. You then take all of these teams and project the winners for the second round and so on until you reach the final round which is the 6th round. You gain points by picking games correctly and the higher the rounds the bigger the points earned. You then join with a group of other players and compete against one another.
If you have never filled out a bracket and watched the tournament then you need to try it this year. It is easy to do, lots of fun, and puts much more excitement into the games that are on.
If you do try filling out a bracket this year, here a few of my own personal tips to help you do well (and if you’re lucky, maybe even win in your group):
Decide if you want to be serious or a casual “bracketeer”. I am very serious and my wife doesn’t even know half of the teams. This will help you decide how much time or effort you want to put into filling out the bracket.
Most of the time the Final Four teams will be the 1 or 2 seeded teams. I usually pick these teams to be in the Final Four and to be the Champion. Your odds are better by doing this.
Look at who the experts and analysts are picking to win and then formulate your own ideas and opinions. This really makes it fun and interesting when you have put time and energy into picking winners and you get a bunch right.
Pick upsets. The most exciting thing to do in the brackets is to pick pretty big upsets like 12 over 5 seed and 13 over 4 and then watch it really happen.
Sharpen your pencils, print out a bracket, sit in your easy chair, turn on your big screen TV, and prepare to see why they refer to it as “March Madness”.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
On Sunday March 15th the field of 65 teams for the NCAA tournament will be announced and where they will be seeded along with whom, where, and when they will be playing. 32 games are planned to be played at various locations throughout the US on Thursday March 19th and Friday March 20th for what constitutes the 1st round of the tournament. The second round will feature the winners playing each other on Saturday March 21st and Sunday March 22nd to take the field of 64 teams down to the “Sweet Sixteen” teams. These teams play each other until they get to the “Elite Eight”, the “Final Four”, and then the Championship game to see who is crowned the champions of NCAA Division I basketball.
Each year I fill out a bracket for the tournament, which for those who don’t know is basically the format of all the games to be played in the first round. You start with all the games in the first round and then you guess the winners of that round and write in those teams and then keep guessing the games until all t first round projected winners are determined. You then take all of these teams and project the winners for the second round and so on until you reach the final round which is the 6th round. You gain points by picking games correctly and the higher the rounds the bigger the points earned. You then join with a group of other players and compete against one another.
If you have never filled out a bracket and watched the tournament then you need to try it this year. It is easy to do, lots of fun, and puts much more excitement into the games that are on.
If you do try filling out a bracket this year, here a few of my own personal tips to help you do well (and if you’re lucky, maybe even win in your group):
Decide if you want to be serious or a casual “bracketeer”. I am very serious and my wife doesn’t even know half of the teams. This will help you decide how much time or effort you want to put into filling out the bracket.
Most of the time the Final Four teams will be the 1 or 2 seeded teams. I usually pick these teams to be in the Final Four and to be the Champion. Your odds are better by doing this.
Look at who the experts and analysts are picking to win and then formulate your own ideas and opinions. This really makes it fun and interesting when you have put time and energy into picking winners and you get a bunch right.
Pick upsets. The most exciting thing to do in the brackets is to pick pretty big upsets like 12 over 5 seed and 13 over 4 and then watch it really happen.
Sharpen your pencils, print out a bracket, sit in your easy chair, turn on your big screen TV, and prepare to see why they refer to it as “March Madness”.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Spring Time Activities
Spring is right around the corner and day light savings is already here. After spending the last 4 winter months inside watching the TV and lounging around, it’s time to get outside and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. If you live in Utah you might laugh at the idea of spring weather because many years it snows until May and I remember one time it snowed in June. Spring has a lot of variety in the weather patterns so you need to take advantage of the 60 and 70 degree days. They will come and go all through the next 3 months. We need to plan ahead what kind of work to do and also what kind of activities and fun we can have for this time of year.
As much I despise working, I know it is essential and spring is a great time to put on those work gloves and get outside and enjoy the weather while working.
Here are some jobs that you can work on during the spring:
Prune the fruit trees. I learned that this can be a big job, but it isn’t so bad when the weather is nice. Be sure to brush up on some pruning tips on the internet and sharpen your pruners. This will help your trees yield a bigger and better crop.
Prepare your garden soil. To help your garden grow better this year, try putting some turkey manure or new soil in and mix it into the existing soil. It is good to use a roto-tiller to churn up and soften the soil and get it all ready to plant your seeds. A good portion of how well your garden grows depends on the time and preparation you put into the soil.
Plant flowers. Late March and early April are the perfect time to start planting your flower beds. Check various websites on the internet for the best varieties to plant. You can also buy flowers at your local nurseries where they can also offer advice on flower planting. Flowers will brighten up your yard and house.
Life can’t be all work and no play. Here are a couple of ideas for activities that you can try this spring:
Fly a kite. Flying kits is a lot of fun for kids and adults. Go outside with your kids on a windy day and help them get the kite up in the air (It seems harder to do as you get older). Try buying some of the more fancy kites and have fun flying them. They have some pretty cool ones now days.
Go for a walk. This seems like a simple activity, but the fresh air and exercise will be very fun and give you more energy. Your children will like being outside and being together as a family. Walk around the block or to a local park to play. The main point is being outside together.
Play Sports. I put up a basketball hoop this past fall and my 5 year old daughter loves to play already. It is fun for the kids and adults. You can also try football, Frisbee, and baseball.
Spring time is a great time of year. Go outside and enjoy the warm days. Get some yard work done. Play some games with the kids. When it rains and snows stay inside and hunker down in the basement watching basketball or movies.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Friday, February 27, 2009
March Madness is Finally Here
March is one of my favorite months of the year. Winter is finally winding down and the weather is heating up; I’m able to work and play outside more; the days are getting longer; and my favorite part is the NCAA College Basketball Tournament that takes place in mid-late March. If you have never followed or experienced a NCAA basketball tournament or filled out brackets, you are missing out on one of the most exciting sports events of the year. It is now March 2nd and in 2 weeks the teams that will make the tournament will be revealed. This is when the madness really starts up.
College Basketball is fun to watch all year long, but in March is when the games truly matter. Each college belongs to a conference with several other colleges where their sports teams compete with each other. In college basketball at the end of the season (which is in late Feb), the conference tournaments begin. The teams compete within their respective conferences to see who the conference champion will be. In many of the smaller conferences this winner is the only team that will go to the “Big Dance” (nickname for the NCAA tournament). In the larger, more popular conferences, they usually send 3 or 4 teams depending on their records and strength of schedule. All of these teams comprise the field of 65 teams that will make up the tournament. It was 64 teams, but was changed a few years ago to 65, which means there is one game that takes place before the rest of the games that determines which of 2 teams will be part of the field of 64. The 65 teams going to the tournament will be unveiled on Sunday March 15th this year. It is usually the 2nd or 3rd Sunday in March. Like I mentioned above, once these teams are announced on Sunday March 15th at 4pm MST, the madness has officially started.
If you know what brackets are, then you probably have filled them out for an NCAA tournament before. Once the teams are announced a bracket is created. This bracket is posted on all the major sports websites like CBSsports.com, SportsIllusrtated.com, etc… Each year I go in on that Sunday night and print out a few brackets and fill them out with which team I think will win. There are 6 total rounds which take the field of 64 down to a final team which is the NCAA champion. I study and read articles and spend many hours making sure my bracket has all the right picks. I usually join a couple of groups or pools to have a competition to see who gets the most picks right. It makes the games exciting and fun to watch.
The best part about the Madness is that every year there are huge upsets, last second winning shots, “Cinderella” teams that are winning game after game that they aren’t supposed to, overtime games, and all other kinds of things that will drive you mad if you are a sports fan and are watching your bracket slowly go to waste. So roll up your sleeves, sharpen that pencil, and be prepared because the Madness begins in less than 2 weeks.
Here are a couple of clips from game winning baskets over the years in the tournaments to get you excited:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_8z4uEGGls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAYiG3v60tA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpFOQXIvoLY
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
College Basketball is fun to watch all year long, but in March is when the games truly matter. Each college belongs to a conference with several other colleges where their sports teams compete with each other. In college basketball at the end of the season (which is in late Feb), the conference tournaments begin. The teams compete within their respective conferences to see who the conference champion will be. In many of the smaller conferences this winner is the only team that will go to the “Big Dance” (nickname for the NCAA tournament). In the larger, more popular conferences, they usually send 3 or 4 teams depending on their records and strength of schedule. All of these teams comprise the field of 65 teams that will make up the tournament. It was 64 teams, but was changed a few years ago to 65, which means there is one game that takes place before the rest of the games that determines which of 2 teams will be part of the field of 64. The 65 teams going to the tournament will be unveiled on Sunday March 15th this year. It is usually the 2nd or 3rd Sunday in March. Like I mentioned above, once these teams are announced on Sunday March 15th at 4pm MST, the madness has officially started.
If you know what brackets are, then you probably have filled them out for an NCAA tournament before. Once the teams are announced a bracket is created. This bracket is posted on all the major sports websites like CBSsports.com, SportsIllusrtated.com, etc… Each year I go in on that Sunday night and print out a few brackets and fill them out with which team I think will win. There are 6 total rounds which take the field of 64 down to a final team which is the NCAA champion. I study and read articles and spend many hours making sure my bracket has all the right picks. I usually join a couple of groups or pools to have a competition to see who gets the most picks right. It makes the games exciting and fun to watch.
The best part about the Madness is that every year there are huge upsets, last second winning shots, “Cinderella” teams that are winning game after game that they aren’t supposed to, overtime games, and all other kinds of things that will drive you mad if you are a sports fan and are watching your bracket slowly go to waste. So roll up your sleeves, sharpen that pencil, and be prepared because the Madness begins in less than 2 weeks.
Here are a couple of clips from game winning baskets over the years in the tournaments to get you excited:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_8z4uEGGls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAYiG3v60tA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpFOQXIvoLY
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Making the Most out of Family Home Evening
Families are what matters most in our lives, but we seem to be so busy each day that we don’t spend the amount of time needed to teach and play with our children. There are probably many men (and women) that work jobs from 8-5 where they only see their children for a few hours in the evening. We need to make sure these few hours aren’t wasted on mindless and non-interactive activities. A perfect way to share some quality time is to set aside our Monday nights for a family night or as a Family Home Evening as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints refers to this night.
Family Home Evening can be an opportunity to share our time with our spouses, children, and possibly other relatives. This is a chance for us to focus our time and energy one night a week on teaching and playing with our children. Many of us grew up with the basic format of family home evening: having a prayer, song, lesson, and treat. I have a lot of fond memories of family home evening at my house. My Mom and Dad taught us not only gospel and righteous principles, but also many other ideas and lessons that would help us succeed as we grew older. My Dad taught us about money, how to be self sufficient, how to plant a garden, and how to work hard. My Mom taught us how to cook, clean the house, and how to always treat everyone with love and kindness. I am thankful my parents taught me the teachings of Christ and also the lessons of living happy and being successful.
Just as my parents made this family night special for me as a child, I want to do the same for my children and small family. I have 2 young daughters and 1 baby boy. It can be difficult to hold a formal family evening. The girls love to say prayers and sing church songs while Mom plays the piano. My wife usually teaches the girls with a felt story about one of the many scripture stories from the Bible or Book of Mormon. This is often a struggle for my 3 year old, but my 5-year old listens very intently and has great memory retention. We often read out of the Friend church magazine, too.
At times this process is very frustrating and many times have been tempted to skip family home evening, but as we realize that the most important part of family home evening is being with the family, we start to realize that it is alright if it becomes chaotic and we can’t get through the lesson. Our girls and baby boy know that we love them, value them, and want to see them be happy and succeed in life by spending one night completely devoted to them.
The way we can get the most out of our Family Home Evenings is to first of all hold them every week-no exceptions. Make this night the top priority of the week and let the children know that this night is special.
Second, we need to be sure we have the Spirit with us as we start the Family Home Evening. We need to get in a spiritual mode long before we meet to start family night. How we feel and our spiritual feelings during Family Home Evening will rub off on our children and will help them know this is a special night where they can feel loved and feel safe. This creates a better learning environment and will invite the Spirit of Christ into your home.
Third, don’t get too caught up in the lesson aspect of the family night, especially if you have small children. It is difficult for them to sit still very long and they like more interactive teaching where possible.
Fourth, always prepare some activity or game that can help reinforce your lesson and also prepare them a small treat or snack at the end.
Last, reinforce to each of your children that you love them and are thankful for them. Spend a few minutes while you eat your snacks pointing out things you like about each child. Make them feel valued with lots of praise. Too often during the week we get after our children and discipline them. This is a great time to show love, praise, and point out detailed talents or things you love about your child. This very well may be the most important part of the whole night.
Make your family nights special. Follow the tips above and watch children thrive in school, their personal lives, and everything they do. It is amazing what families can do together when they share one night a week teaching and sharing love with each other.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Family Home Evening can be an opportunity to share our time with our spouses, children, and possibly other relatives. This is a chance for us to focus our time and energy one night a week on teaching and playing with our children. Many of us grew up with the basic format of family home evening: having a prayer, song, lesson, and treat. I have a lot of fond memories of family home evening at my house. My Mom and Dad taught us not only gospel and righteous principles, but also many other ideas and lessons that would help us succeed as we grew older. My Dad taught us about money, how to be self sufficient, how to plant a garden, and how to work hard. My Mom taught us how to cook, clean the house, and how to always treat everyone with love and kindness. I am thankful my parents taught me the teachings of Christ and also the lessons of living happy and being successful.
Just as my parents made this family night special for me as a child, I want to do the same for my children and small family. I have 2 young daughters and 1 baby boy. It can be difficult to hold a formal family evening. The girls love to say prayers and sing church songs while Mom plays the piano. My wife usually teaches the girls with a felt story about one of the many scripture stories from the Bible or Book of Mormon. This is often a struggle for my 3 year old, but my 5-year old listens very intently and has great memory retention. We often read out of the Friend church magazine, too.
At times this process is very frustrating and many times have been tempted to skip family home evening, but as we realize that the most important part of family home evening is being with the family, we start to realize that it is alright if it becomes chaotic and we can’t get through the lesson. Our girls and baby boy know that we love them, value them, and want to see them be happy and succeed in life by spending one night completely devoted to them.
The way we can get the most out of our Family Home Evenings is to first of all hold them every week-no exceptions. Make this night the top priority of the week and let the children know that this night is special.
Second, we need to be sure we have the Spirit with us as we start the Family Home Evening. We need to get in a spiritual mode long before we meet to start family night. How we feel and our spiritual feelings during Family Home Evening will rub off on our children and will help them know this is a special night where they can feel loved and feel safe. This creates a better learning environment and will invite the Spirit of Christ into your home.
Third, don’t get too caught up in the lesson aspect of the family night, especially if you have small children. It is difficult for them to sit still very long and they like more interactive teaching where possible.
Fourth, always prepare some activity or game that can help reinforce your lesson and also prepare them a small treat or snack at the end.
Last, reinforce to each of your children that you love them and are thankful for them. Spend a few minutes while you eat your snacks pointing out things you like about each child. Make them feel valued with lots of praise. Too often during the week we get after our children and discipline them. This is a great time to show love, praise, and point out detailed talents or things you love about your child. This very well may be the most important part of the whole night.
Make your family nights special. Follow the tips above and watch children thrive in school, their personal lives, and everything they do. It is amazing what families can do together when they share one night a week teaching and sharing love with each other.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Dreams Really Do Come True
On August 28th, 1963 a certain man named Martin Luther King Jr. stood at a pulpit in Washington D.C. and started his speech with the famous words “I have a dream”. His speech was considered one of the most famous and most notable in all of history. We all know the rest of this story—how the blacks were given more rights and were finally really treated as equals to the whites. His speeches along with the help of countless other great leaders, including Rosa Parks, went on to spark a movement that would help bring equality to all mankind. Martin Luther saw his dream fulfilled.
There are countless other stories where dreams have come true. I would like to share a few others. A couple of these stories you can read about in my past blogs. One is the story of a young man named Jason McElway. You can ready my blog about him by clicking on this link . Jason suffers from autism and is the basketball manager for a high school team. I am sure Jason dreamed many times of being the basketball star for his team and in my blog you will read the story of how he was able to fulfill his dreams. The story is incredible-be sure to read it again, if you have already heard or read about it.
Another story of a person fulfilling their dreams is the awesome story of Rick Hoyt and his father Dick. You can read this past blog of mine by clicking on this link . This is one of my favorite videos of all time. It is a tear-jerker and an inspirational video that will give you the inspiration to fulfill your own dreams. Rick was born disabled and is unable to talk or walk or do much of anything other than sit in his wheelchair all day every day. I am certain that he had countless dreams of being able to walk, talk, and just move around on his own. His father Dick made his dreams come true by taking him on his Ironman triathlons. He had Rick sit in a canoe while he swam pulling it, set up a place for him to sit in a cart that was connected to his bike, and ran while pushing the wheelchair in front of him. It is truly an awe inspiring story and video that will leave you in tears.
The 3 people I have described above all had their dreams come true. They had a dream and a vision of what they wanted to do and it eventually happened. We all have dreams, some big and some small. My wife is a big dreamer. She dreamed that she would have a book published and she is having her first book published this June. She dreamed that she would go to college and get a degree and she did. She dreamed that she would find a handsome young and intelligent man to marry and she most certainly did. She has many other dreams as do I. One of mine is to buy and run my own bed and breakfast in a beautiful place somewhere in the western U.S. I want to cook for the guests and do the yard work and make it a wonderful place for people to come and get away from life. This is my dream and just like the ones I mentioned above, who have fulfilled their dreams, I really want to fulfill mine.
Here is one last video to watch about dreams. So get to work and make your dreams come true because they really do. Click here
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
There are countless other stories where dreams have come true. I would like to share a few others. A couple of these stories you can read about in my past blogs. One is the story of a young man named Jason McElway. You can ready my blog about him by clicking on this link . Jason suffers from autism and is the basketball manager for a high school team. I am sure Jason dreamed many times of being the basketball star for his team and in my blog you will read the story of how he was able to fulfill his dreams. The story is incredible-be sure to read it again, if you have already heard or read about it.
Another story of a person fulfilling their dreams is the awesome story of Rick Hoyt and his father Dick. You can read this past blog of mine by clicking on this link . This is one of my favorite videos of all time. It is a tear-jerker and an inspirational video that will give you the inspiration to fulfill your own dreams. Rick was born disabled and is unable to talk or walk or do much of anything other than sit in his wheelchair all day every day. I am certain that he had countless dreams of being able to walk, talk, and just move around on his own. His father Dick made his dreams come true by taking him on his Ironman triathlons. He had Rick sit in a canoe while he swam pulling it, set up a place for him to sit in a cart that was connected to his bike, and ran while pushing the wheelchair in front of him. It is truly an awe inspiring story and video that will leave you in tears.
The 3 people I have described above all had their dreams come true. They had a dream and a vision of what they wanted to do and it eventually happened. We all have dreams, some big and some small. My wife is a big dreamer. She dreamed that she would have a book published and she is having her first book published this June. She dreamed that she would go to college and get a degree and she did. She dreamed that she would find a handsome young and intelligent man to marry and she most certainly did. She has many other dreams as do I. One of mine is to buy and run my own bed and breakfast in a beautiful place somewhere in the western U.S. I want to cook for the guests and do the yard work and make it a wonderful place for people to come and get away from life. This is my dream and just like the ones I mentioned above, who have fulfilled their dreams, I really want to fulfill mine.
Here is one last video to watch about dreams. So get to work and make your dreams come true because they really do. Click here
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood. And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Valentine’s Day Fun for Kids
Valentine’s Day is this week and I am sure many of us adults have plans to go out that night to celebrate our love for one another. I hope you gathered some great ideas from my last blog. Most of us will be taking our children to a babysitter or will invite one over to take care of our kids. Valentine’s Day is not only a time to show our love for our spouses but should also be a time to show our love for our children. I’m not suggesting you take your children on your date, but to spend some time doing various activities with them during the week of Valentine’s.
Here are several fun ideas to make your children’s Valentine’s week special and show your love for them:
Make Valentine’s Cookies
Spend a night during the week before the 14th and make a batch of sugar cookie dough and have your kids help you cut out shapes of hearts, lips, cupid, and other valentine’s shapes. I found various cookie cutters at the local grocery store for only a few dollars. Make pink, red, and white frosting to decorate the cookies and top with sprinkles, candy hearts, and other valentine candies. The kids will have a lot of fun and you can take some to their friends and some to their class at school.
Valentine’s Treasure Hunt
I did this idea 2 years ago and the kids loved it. I placed Valentine notes throughout the house and had different gifts with each note until they found the main treasure where I had red and pink balloons and new Valentine pajamas. They loved going from one place to the next and finding candy, little toys, and various prizes throughout the house. The kids still remember that Valentine’s Day. They knew they were special and that Mom and Dad loved them.
Make Homemade Valentine’s Card
Spend a night before Valentine’s and have your kids make homemade cards for their Mom and/or Dad and even have them make cards for their grandparents or other close relatives. Kids love to make things for other people. My five year old,Gracie, is living proof of this. She loves to draw pictures and make different things for us and also for her grandmas and grandpas. Get some construction paper in red, pink, and white colors. Let the kids draw pictures on them, write Happy Valentine’s Day, and have them cut out hearts and place them on the card. Place glue stick on the card in different Valentines shapes and then shake sprinkles on this area and shake off the excess. Your kids will love making these different crafts and will also cherish the time they are spending with you.
Have a Valentine’s Party
Every year my mom invites all of the grandkids over to her house to decorate Valentine boxes, make cookies, and make cards. The kids look forward to this party each year and have fun playing with their cousins and making neat boxes to put their Valentines in. My mom always makes a big batch of cookies beforehand and has the kids help cut the shapes, bake the cookies, and then frost and decorate them. My mom loves this time with the grandkids and the kids like being together and with their grandma. You can invite your own children’s cousins over or friends and neighbors to have a similar party at your own house.
Valentine’s is a fun holiday for kids and adults. Take the time to make your children’s Valentine’s Day a little more special this year and let them know how much you love them and want to spend time with them doing fun things. Create fun memories that your children will remember their whole lives. Most important is to make sure they know you love them more than anything.
Here is a little music video that I found about children. Enjoy. Billy Dean--Let Them Be Little
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ17tutZtd8
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please
drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio
station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Romantic Ideas for your Valentine
February is the month for romance. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and most of us men need some ideas to bring some excitement into our spouse’s lives. When most people think of Valentine’s Day and romance they think of flowers, candy, eating out, jewelry, etc… These things are fun (I am sure most women wouldn’t turn them away) but I think most women also crave something more creative and thoughtful.
Here are some Valentine’s Day ideas that will help you men out there catch your wives’ attention and make her wonder where her husband has gone:
1. Do housework for her the entire week before Valentine’s
Starting on Feb 7th every night you get home (or during the day) do a household cleaning chore that you usually don’t do. Try washing the dishes, vacuuming, mopping the floors, clean the microwave, clean out the fridge, vacuum in the couch, do that little job you have been putting off for weeks (or months in my case), or any other little job that would help your wife out. Be sure to do a little job every night for 7 days. Your wife will be amazed and will find your gift of service much better and more satisfying than roses or candy. After each night you complete a special job leave a little children’s Valentine’s card by that area and let her know how much you appreciate that she does this job all year long and that you really love her for all she does.
2. Plan a mini vacation the weekend right around Valentine’s Day
Take the time to book a hotel, plan the meals, and plan something fun to do for a night away from home and the kids (if you have any). The mini vacation doesn’t have to be far or expensive. The point is to have some alone time together to be able to talk and to show your spouse that you really care for her. You can make it a surprise for her by not giving away any details other than; you are going somewhere for the night and to get packed. In most of our mundane lives a little excitement and suspense even for one night can mean a lot.
3. Plan a Special Night at Home on Valentine’s Night
Send the kids to Grandma’s or a baby sitter on the night of Feb 14th and make your wife her favorite dinner. You can pull out the candles, special dishes, and create your own little candle lit dinner. You can turn on some soft music and after eating show her that you can still dance (well, maybe some of us still can). Make her feel special by planning all the little details and be sure to watch her favorite movie when you are done eating and dancing. She will be impressed with the work you have put into this special occasion and after eating your cooking will be happy to be the one who cooks for the family in the future.
4. Take your wife to the Temple
One of our favorite dates has been going to the temple together. On Valentine’s Night is a great time to take your wife to show that you value your eternal marriage and she will love you for taking her. Just be sure to go out for ice cream or a treat afterwards to complete the special night together.
5. Plan a “Blast from the Past” Date
Take your wife on a date similar to one you went on when you began dating. Play the same music in the car as you drive to a restaurant that you have been to before. Be sure to open the door for her and give her lots of attention the entire night. Think of how you acted when you were dating and try to re-live that moment. Take her to a movie or bowling or something similar that maybe you haven’t done since you were dating or first married. Ask her out with an invitation that you make yourself. Bring flowers to her when you get ready to take her out. Ask if you can hold her hand and later on if you can give her a kiss. See if she can figure out what you are doing. It will make your Valentine’s night a lot of fun and re-living the memories will make it very special for her.
6. “Happiness in Sixty Seconds” Idea
This is an idea I read about a long time ago and have used it on my wife a few times in the past. Write/type at the top of a paper “Happiness in Sixty Seconds” and write “when you need a lift and something to brighten your day, read this paper and it will bring happiness to you in sixty seconds.” Then proceed to list numbers 1 thru 60 on your paper. Start at number 1 and list something that you like about your spouse like “I love your beautiful smile- it makes my day”. Then go to number 2 and write something else like “I love the way you cry during old movies”. List 60 different things. Here a few more ideas- “I love to kiss you in the morning before I go to work”; “I love how you are so stubborn and determined”; “I love to hear your beautiful laughter after my jokes”. This can be hard at first to think of ideas, but then once you get going the ideas really start to come fast. My wife and I have made each other lists like these and have looked at them many times and it always brings a smile to our faces.
Make this year’s Valentine’s Day special. Treat your wife special. Do fun things with her. Listen to her. Let her know you care.
If you women need an idea for your men you might just want to stick to the candy idea.
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Friday, January 23, 2009
Throwing a Super Party for the Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is days away and the only thing more important than the game itself is planning and throwing an awesome Super Bowl party. This year the game will be between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburg Steelers. It will feature one of the top offenses in the league and the top defense in the league. The game will surely be a good one to watch. With the most popular event in the TV watching world on tap, all you need is a plan for a party to match it.
The most important part of any party is the food. Make sure and have plenty of it and have it all ready for when the game starts so you don’t get stuck in preparations during the kickoff or first few plays of the game. My favorite menu for the Super Bowl has always been home made subway sandwiches. I go to the store the day before the game and purchase some large Kaiser rolls or other large soft sandwich buns found fresh in the local grocery store’s bakery department.
Once you have picked your bread, make your way over to the deli to pick out either ham, turkey, or roast beef and have them slice it to your liking. I like mine sliced slightly thicker than regular sandwich slices. I like honey ham, smoked turkey, and Italian roast beef. If you don’t have any cheese at home, get some in the deli, too. Try Pepper Jack cheese, provolone, or Swiss cheese for a change of pace from regular cheddar (avoid the pre-sliced/packaged Kraft cheese slices). Purchase lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, banana peppers, and jalapenos (for extra kick) to top off your subway sandwich. When you are in the process of making your sandwich on Super Bowl Sunday, add oregano, salt, pepper, and vinegar and oil to add that extra bit of flavor. Then add mayo, miracle whip, and/or spicy mustard.
Now that your sandwich is taken care of, you need to buy the snacks and drinks to compliment your meal. Choose your favorite chips- mine is Salt and Vinegar potato chips and Lime flavored Tostitos. Purchase some dip for your chips or purchase the ingredients to make your dip. I always buy avocados and guacamole dry mix to make guacamole dip for the Tostitos. I also buy a variety of nuts including honey roasted peanuts, cashews, and almonds to snack on. For drinks, I usually just drink water, but popular drinks are soda and juices. Make sure the drinks are cold and there is plenty of ice. Salty snacks and cold drinks are a great combination. Make sure you have plenty of treats, too. M&M’s, cookies, ice cream, and candy are great to break out during halftime after you have had a chance to devour your subways and snacks.
Ask your friends, relatives, and even co-workers to come to your party. Let them know the time, your address, and anything you would like them to bring. When setting up your TV room for the big party set up lots of chairs, sofas, bean bags, tables (for the snacks and food), and TV trays. I have been to a few parties many years ago where there was hardly anywhere to sit. Plan your invite list according to how big your TV room is and also how big your TV is so that all those who come can get a good view of the game.
The party should be lots of fun if you invite the right people. You need the die hard football fans (like myself) so you can really get into the game, but you also need those cute girls who don’t know what a first down is (like my wife) to provide comic relief for the die hard fans. If the food is good, if you have a nice TV, and the game is close, then it will be an awesome party. Don’t forget the commercials either because those cute girls need something they can understand.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please
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The most important part of any party is the food. Make sure and have plenty of it and have it all ready for when the game starts so you don’t get stuck in preparations during the kickoff or first few plays of the game. My favorite menu for the Super Bowl has always been home made subway sandwiches. I go to the store the day before the game and purchase some large Kaiser rolls or other large soft sandwich buns found fresh in the local grocery store’s bakery department.
Once you have picked your bread, make your way over to the deli to pick out either ham, turkey, or roast beef and have them slice it to your liking. I like mine sliced slightly thicker than regular sandwich slices. I like honey ham, smoked turkey, and Italian roast beef. If you don’t have any cheese at home, get some in the deli, too. Try Pepper Jack cheese, provolone, or Swiss cheese for a change of pace from regular cheddar (avoid the pre-sliced/packaged Kraft cheese slices). Purchase lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, banana peppers, and jalapenos (for extra kick) to top off your subway sandwich. When you are in the process of making your sandwich on Super Bowl Sunday, add oregano, salt, pepper, and vinegar and oil to add that extra bit of flavor. Then add mayo, miracle whip, and/or spicy mustard.
Now that your sandwich is taken care of, you need to buy the snacks and drinks to compliment your meal. Choose your favorite chips- mine is Salt and Vinegar potato chips and Lime flavored Tostitos. Purchase some dip for your chips or purchase the ingredients to make your dip. I always buy avocados and guacamole dry mix to make guacamole dip for the Tostitos. I also buy a variety of nuts including honey roasted peanuts, cashews, and almonds to snack on. For drinks, I usually just drink water, but popular drinks are soda and juices. Make sure the drinks are cold and there is plenty of ice. Salty snacks and cold drinks are a great combination. Make sure you have plenty of treats, too. M&M’s, cookies, ice cream, and candy are great to break out during halftime after you have had a chance to devour your subways and snacks.
Ask your friends, relatives, and even co-workers to come to your party. Let them know the time, your address, and anything you would like them to bring. When setting up your TV room for the big party set up lots of chairs, sofas, bean bags, tables (for the snacks and food), and TV trays. I have been to a few parties many years ago where there was hardly anywhere to sit. Plan your invite list according to how big your TV room is and also how big your TV is so that all those who come can get a good view of the game.
The party should be lots of fun if you invite the right people. You need the die hard football fans (like myself) so you can really get into the game, but you also need those cute girls who don’t know what a first down is (like my wife) to provide comic relief for the die hard fans. If the food is good, if you have a nice TV, and the game is close, then it will be an awesome party. Don’t forget the commercials either because those cute girls need something they can understand.
yourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please
drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio
station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood
Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Monday, January 19, 2009
The grand-daddy of sports: The Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the largest single annual event in the sporting world. Last year’s match up between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants had 130-140 million people tune into the game at one time or another. The Super Bowl is more than a football game; it’s a chance to get together with friends, watch the Super (expensive) commercials, eat good food, and watch the best teams in the NFL face off in the biggest sports battle in the World. The storylines will be plenty, the commercials will be talked about all night, and 2 great football teams will square off for 60 minutes in the biggest and best game of the year.
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This year’s Super Bowl features the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers. There are many interesting story lines this year that will make this game intriguing to watch starting with the fact that the Cardinals have not been to a championship in about 60 years. If you are looking for an underdog then the Arizona Cardinals would be the team you want to cheer for this year. Another storyline is the re-emergence of the Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner. Warner played for 5 years for the St. Louis Rams and was highly successful being voted as the league MVP for 2 out of the 5 years. He also took the Rams to, and won, Super Bowl XXXIV. Warner was released by the Rams and signed by the Giants where he struggled before going to the Cardinals where he had played average until this year where he broke out of his slump and had an excellent year leading his team to this year’s Super Bowl,
The final storyline, and probably the most interesting, has to do with the coaches. When Bill Cowher (head coach) retired from the Steelers 2 years ago, it was speculated that the offensive coordinator, Ken Whisenhunt, would take his place as the next head coach. The Steelers had other plans and decided to hire Mike Tomlin instead. Tomlin at the time was the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. Once Tomlin was hired he chose not to retain Whisenhunt or the defensive coordinator Russ Grimm, who was also a strong candidate for the Steelers head coaching job. Whisenhunt was subsequently offered the head coaching job for Arizona and he hired Grimm as his defensive coordinator. The Arizona coaching staff now meets up against their former team and the coach who came in to Pittsburgh and stole what they thought should have been theirs in the biggest game of all. This scenario will provide for very interesting interviews and discussions among players, coaches, media, and fans during the 2 weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. It may also provide that extra motivation for the Arizona Cardinals team.
The Cardinals boast a high-powered offense with a strong veteran quarterback in Kurt Warner with one of the best up and coming receivers in the league in Larry Fitzgerald. The Steelers bring to the table one of the all-time best defenses with James Harrison and James Farrior leading a fierce attack at the linebacker positions, and Troy Polamalu providing hard hits from the strong safety position. The Steelers will look to shut down the Cardinals aerial attack and the Cardinals will look to take it straight into the teeth of the Steelers defense and show the Steelers who’s boss.
Will the Cardinals win with Kurt Warner slinging the ball down the field or will the Steelers smash the Cardinals into submission- Tune in Feb 1st at 4pm to find out.
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Friday, January 16, 2009
The Jazz Look Inconsistent and the Cougars Continue to Win
The Utah Jazz split this past week with one win and one loss. The Jazz beat the Indiana Pacers on January 12th by a score of 120-113. Mehmet Okur scored a career high of 43-points in this game. It is a good sign to see him coming alive as of this past week with the recent injury to Paul Milsap and Carlos Boozer with his injury. Deron Williams continues to impress with his shooting and passing ability. The Jazz are finding themselves relying more on Williams and the supporting roles of Okur, Brewer, and Korver over the last few weeks due to injuries.
The Jazz lost to Oklahoma City 114-93 on January 14th. Oklahoma City was one of the bottom feeders of the league and the Jazz blew this game that they should have won. Deron Williams scored 25 points to lead the team. The Jazz were outrebounded by 48-26 rebounds. The Jazz continue to struggle in this area due to Boozer and Milsap missing games from injuries.
I have tickets to the Jazz game on January 24th against Cleveland Cavaliers. The game should be exciting to watch considering “King” Lebron James is one of the premiere basketball talents in the country. The Jazz have been very inconsistent this year and may or may not beat the Cavaliers. The Cavs have only lost 7 games this year and the Jazz have lost 16. I am sure the Delta Center will be rocking and ready for this big game, but I think if the Jazz want to pull off this win they will need either Carlos Boozer or Paul Milsap, or it would be best to have both on the court.
The Cougars look very good this year and have only lost 2 games against ranked opponents- Arizona St (20th at the time) and Wake Forest (6th at the time). They started their conference play this past week with games against Colorado St and TCU. The Cougars beat up Colorado St by a score of 86-60 on January 10th. Lee Cummard led all scorers with 18 points and Jimmer Fredette had 15 points. The Cougars won this game by a good offensive effort and a great defensive game against Colorado State.
BYU then played against TCU on January 13th and again put in an impressive performance beating the Horned Frogs by a score of 73-61 with Cummard again leading the way with 22 points. Jonathan Tavarnari put in 15 and Jimmer Fredette added 11 points and 6 assists. BYU held TCU to a low 61 points showing their defensive prowes in their first 2 conference games.
BYU looks good this year and should be able to continue rolling through the Mountain West Conference. Their biggest rival is coming up in the University of Utah on January 27th. If BYU can beat the U of U this year then they should easily coast through the conference and should be able to make noise in the March NCAA tournament.
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The Jazz lost to Oklahoma City 114-93 on January 14th. Oklahoma City was one of the bottom feeders of the league and the Jazz blew this game that they should have won. Deron Williams scored 25 points to lead the team. The Jazz were outrebounded by 48-26 rebounds. The Jazz continue to struggle in this area due to Boozer and Milsap missing games from injuries.
I have tickets to the Jazz game on January 24th against Cleveland Cavaliers. The game should be exciting to watch considering “King” Lebron James is one of the premiere basketball talents in the country. The Jazz have been very inconsistent this year and may or may not beat the Cavaliers. The Cavs have only lost 7 games this year and the Jazz have lost 16. I am sure the Delta Center will be rocking and ready for this big game, but I think if the Jazz want to pull off this win they will need either Carlos Boozer or Paul Milsap, or it would be best to have both on the court.
The Cougars look very good this year and have only lost 2 games against ranked opponents- Arizona St (20th at the time) and Wake Forest (6th at the time). They started their conference play this past week with games against Colorado St and TCU. The Cougars beat up Colorado St by a score of 86-60 on January 10th. Lee Cummard led all scorers with 18 points and Jimmer Fredette had 15 points. The Cougars won this game by a good offensive effort and a great defensive game against Colorado State.
BYU then played against TCU on January 13th and again put in an impressive performance beating the Horned Frogs by a score of 73-61 with Cummard again leading the way with 22 points. Jonathan Tavarnari put in 15 and Jimmer Fredette added 11 points and 6 assists. BYU held TCU to a low 61 points showing their defensive prowes in their first 2 conference games.
BYU looks good this year and should be able to continue rolling through the Mountain West Conference. Their biggest rival is coming up in the University of Utah on January 27th. If BYU can beat the U of U this year then they should easily coast through the conference and should be able to make noise in the March NCAA tournament.
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Monday, January 12, 2009
Bad Things Happen to Good People
My car broke down on the way to work this morning and then while we were towing it to a mechanic the battery went dead. The whole time I caught myself thinking; why is this happening to me? I have gone through this scenario far too many times, as I’m sure nearly all of us have at one time or another and in one situation or another. I have learned that bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people, but that also good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. The one constant in all of this is that “things happen”.
We always hear the saying “why do bad things happen to good people?” I dare say that there have been many more good things which have happened to those good people than their memory can recall at the time something bad happens. For example, my car has been very reliable for many years and has had nearly no issues at all, but as soon as it breaks down on the way to work I quickly ask the Lord “why is this happening?” and become angry at the situation. I would be better served to thank my Father in Heaven that this was a minor breakdown and that he has allowed the car to run so well for so long.
We all face different situations daily that could be classified as bad or good. We can learn different things from every situation regardless of it being good or bad. My wife and I purchased a house a few years ago and after living there for a year there was a major accident where our hose broke while we were out of town and leaked through our basement, flooding our carpet, and ruining a lot of things in the basement. While replacing the carpet and fixing part of a wall that got soaked at the bottom, we noticed that our house had termites in it. We were able to get it treated and taken care of, but without this major “bad” incident of the flooded basement, we would have never known the problems our house may have had in the future. We were thanking our Heavenly Father when we found the termites that something bad happened to us allowing us to find out something that would save our house. The next time something bad happens, think of the possibilities that might have happened had your bad luck not stopped you or slowed you down.
Having something bad happen can also be good because it presents an opportunity for someone else to serve, give charity, or even say their prayers. How often have we been in a situation where we need someone’s help and a neighbor, a friend, or a relative is able to help? Have we thought about the impact this might have on their life? The one giving the service and helping will be blessed while helping you out and blessing your life. Therefore 2 blessings have developed because of a bad situation.
I helped someone recently with a flat tire on the side of the freeway. It was an older man and his wife and I could see that they were having trouble. I pulled over and found out the wrench they had did not fit the lug nuts on the tire they were changing. I retrieved mine and it fit their size and I was able to help them get on their way. The couple was from out of town and was going to Arizona to get cancer treatment for the wife. They were extremely grateful for my help and this left me feeling very good about myself that I stopped. I went home happier that day and probably helped my wife a little more that night making her able to complete something she wanted and helping her to feel better. I might have played with the kids a little bit longer, helping them to feel happier. The couple going to Arizona was thankful to have the stress of changing the tire removed and probably felt a little better about life because I stopped to help out. All of this came about because something like a flat tire happened to a very nice couple. Today my dad helped me out with my car. He gave me a tow to the local garage shop. It took a couple hours of his day to help me out. I know he felt good for helping me. I felt better that I could have someone to help me out and that I could get the car in the shop. All of this because, again, something bad happened to good people.
So the next time someone says “Why do bad things happen to good people?” be sure and tell them that something far better and far-reaching will come because of it. Don’t stress too much the next time something happens. Try to think of all the good that will come out of the situation and also think of the opportunities that will be presented to others. God loves us. He wants us to learn. He sometimes has to allow things to happen to us to help us to learn patience, love, long-suffering, and most of all to trust the Lord in all things whether they be good or bad.
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We always hear the saying “why do bad things happen to good people?” I dare say that there have been many more good things which have happened to those good people than their memory can recall at the time something bad happens. For example, my car has been very reliable for many years and has had nearly no issues at all, but as soon as it breaks down on the way to work I quickly ask the Lord “why is this happening?” and become angry at the situation. I would be better served to thank my Father in Heaven that this was a minor breakdown and that he has allowed the car to run so well for so long.
We all face different situations daily that could be classified as bad or good. We can learn different things from every situation regardless of it being good or bad. My wife and I purchased a house a few years ago and after living there for a year there was a major accident where our hose broke while we were out of town and leaked through our basement, flooding our carpet, and ruining a lot of things in the basement. While replacing the carpet and fixing part of a wall that got soaked at the bottom, we noticed that our house had termites in it. We were able to get it treated and taken care of, but without this major “bad” incident of the flooded basement, we would have never known the problems our house may have had in the future. We were thanking our Heavenly Father when we found the termites that something bad happened to us allowing us to find out something that would save our house. The next time something bad happens, think of the possibilities that might have happened had your bad luck not stopped you or slowed you down.
Having something bad happen can also be good because it presents an opportunity for someone else to serve, give charity, or even say their prayers. How often have we been in a situation where we need someone’s help and a neighbor, a friend, or a relative is able to help? Have we thought about the impact this might have on their life? The one giving the service and helping will be blessed while helping you out and blessing your life. Therefore 2 blessings have developed because of a bad situation.
I helped someone recently with a flat tire on the side of the freeway. It was an older man and his wife and I could see that they were having trouble. I pulled over and found out the wrench they had did not fit the lug nuts on the tire they were changing. I retrieved mine and it fit their size and I was able to help them get on their way. The couple was from out of town and was going to Arizona to get cancer treatment for the wife. They were extremely grateful for my help and this left me feeling very good about myself that I stopped. I went home happier that day and probably helped my wife a little more that night making her able to complete something she wanted and helping her to feel better. I might have played with the kids a little bit longer, helping them to feel happier. The couple going to Arizona was thankful to have the stress of changing the tire removed and probably felt a little better about life because I stopped to help out. All of this came about because something like a flat tire happened to a very nice couple. Today my dad helped me out with my car. He gave me a tow to the local garage shop. It took a couple hours of his day to help me out. I know he felt good for helping me. I felt better that I could have someone to help me out and that I could get the car in the shop. All of this because, again, something bad happened to good people.
So the next time someone says “Why do bad things happen to good people?” be sure and tell them that something far better and far-reaching will come because of it. Don’t stress too much the next time something happens. Try to think of all the good that will come out of the situation and also think of the opportunities that will be presented to others. God loves us. He wants us to learn. He sometimes has to allow things to happen to us to help us to learn patience, love, long-suffering, and most of all to trust the Lord in all things whether they be good or bad.
Return to the Neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, our newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
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Friday, January 9, 2009
Budgeting Money; an Essential Tool in Today’s Economy
Creating and following a well thought-out budget is essential with the slow economy that we are facing today. With a recession going on right now, and talk of a depression on the horizon, the only sure way to handle the financial pressures is to create a budget for the money that you work hard to earn every day.
Money is a limited resource. Most of us will claim that we don’t have enough of it, although the reality is that we have plenty of it and don’t know how to use self control and thriftiness to save it. Go and visit with anyone who lived during the Great Depression and they will let you know that all of us have plenty of money. We just need to gain knowledge to know how to control our money and the wisdom to use what we have learned.
The basic tool of controlling your money is to create a budget. This has been talked about for many, many years, and can be found in countless books, but many of us fail to take the time to sit down and create a thorough, well thought-out budget.
I have a 5-step guide to help you create a budget that will help you to track expenses better, spend less money, and take control of your finances. Remember that it doesn’t matter as much how much money you make, what matters more is how it is spent.
1. List all of your income resources at the top of a spreadsheet by month.
Listing your income and where it comes from will show what amount of money is flowing into your pool of money. Your stream of income may be little or may be small or you may have multiple streams going into your pool. It helps to actually draw a picture of a pool with a big stream going into it for the main income and smaller for other income sources. You can then get the idea that your pool is filling up with water/money.
2. List all of your regular monthly expenses a couple of lines below the income lines.
Listing your expenses will not only show how much expense you have going out it will also show you areas that are fixed or are variable. Fixed expenses may be mortgage payments, phone bill (unless you have teenagers), utilities bill, insurance, etc. Variable expenses might be food items, grocery bill, electric bill, etc…
Now go back to your picture of the pool with your nice streams filling it up and add some drains all around the pool. You could put a big one in middle for the mortgage as this is usually the biggest expense or drainer of your pool of money. You can then add other drains all around the pool depending on their size of money.
3. Add your monthly income and subtract from your monthly expenses to get your monthly profit.
The amount of money when you figure the difference between the income and expenses can be large, small, or in several cases a negative number. The point of the first 3 steps is to know what that number is so we can know what needs to be done with it. We can’t change until we know for sure what needs to be changed. We can’t keep our pool full and overflowing if we don’t know how big our drains are and how quickly the water/money is running out. The idea is basic but sometimes it helps to visualize something with a similar concept to help us gain that knowledge I spoke of earlier.
4. Make and follow a plan of action to either reduce the size or amount of drains in your pool or increase the amount or size of streams going into your pool or both.
Now is the time to act upon the knowledge you have just received by following steps 1-3. You now know what amount of money you are losing or gaining each month. You need to put plans in place to reduce your expenses or increase your income. Some examples of reducing your expenses would be to go shopping for groceries less often. For my wife and I, we have a large drain for the shopping trips for groceries. We know that this drain is large and we have made a plan to make it smaller. Maybe you have a subscription to satellite or expensive internet service or a myriad of other things that could be reduced or eliminated. As you make your plans, envision your pool with the drains disappearing or getting smaller, thus allowing your streams of income to stay in the pool longer making it fuller and grow bigger. Try making more income by taking on small local jobs, writing articles, starting a home business. Just like with the drains getting smaller, envision the streams getting bigger. A combination of reducing expenses and increasing income will make your pool of money grow very quickly.
5. The final step is to hold accountability meetings each month.
This step is one that many faithful budgeters miss and should be the most important. This is a time to review your expenses and to make sure those drains really are getting smaller and see if any have grown bigger in the process. It is a time to re-assess the budget and see if any drains need to be made bigger to make the budget more in line with reality so you don’t have any unplanned draining. A budget only works if you are accountable for what is in the budget and can adjust and revise areas that need to be on a regular basis. At the end of each month is the best time to asses the budget. You need to pull out a bank statement or other data to show what was actually spent so that accurate data is reviewed. This step will greatly improve your budgeting effectiveness.
Times are difficult right now and many of us may, if not already, fall on hard times where our streams may dry up temporarily. If that happens we need to plug as many drains as possible to slow down the draining of our pool of money. If we have been budgeting correctly and filling our pools to capacity and more, then when these hard times come, we will have enough pool left to cover us until our streams start running again. Take the time and effort to budget. You will experience a comforting and safe feeling knowing that you are in control of your money.
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Money is a limited resource. Most of us will claim that we don’t have enough of it, although the reality is that we have plenty of it and don’t know how to use self control and thriftiness to save it. Go and visit with anyone who lived during the Great Depression and they will let you know that all of us have plenty of money. We just need to gain knowledge to know how to control our money and the wisdom to use what we have learned.
The basic tool of controlling your money is to create a budget. This has been talked about for many, many years, and can be found in countless books, but many of us fail to take the time to sit down and create a thorough, well thought-out budget.
I have a 5-step guide to help you create a budget that will help you to track expenses better, spend less money, and take control of your finances. Remember that it doesn’t matter as much how much money you make, what matters more is how it is spent.
1. List all of your income resources at the top of a spreadsheet by month.
Listing your income and where it comes from will show what amount of money is flowing into your pool of money. Your stream of income may be little or may be small or you may have multiple streams going into your pool. It helps to actually draw a picture of a pool with a big stream going into it for the main income and smaller for other income sources. You can then get the idea that your pool is filling up with water/money.
2. List all of your regular monthly expenses a couple of lines below the income lines.
Listing your expenses will not only show how much expense you have going out it will also show you areas that are fixed or are variable. Fixed expenses may be mortgage payments, phone bill (unless you have teenagers), utilities bill, insurance, etc. Variable expenses might be food items, grocery bill, electric bill, etc…
Now go back to your picture of the pool with your nice streams filling it up and add some drains all around the pool. You could put a big one in middle for the mortgage as this is usually the biggest expense or drainer of your pool of money. You can then add other drains all around the pool depending on their size of money.
3. Add your monthly income and subtract from your monthly expenses to get your monthly profit.
The amount of money when you figure the difference between the income and expenses can be large, small, or in several cases a negative number. The point of the first 3 steps is to know what that number is so we can know what needs to be done with it. We can’t change until we know for sure what needs to be changed. We can’t keep our pool full and overflowing if we don’t know how big our drains are and how quickly the water/money is running out. The idea is basic but sometimes it helps to visualize something with a similar concept to help us gain that knowledge I spoke of earlier.
4. Make and follow a plan of action to either reduce the size or amount of drains in your pool or increase the amount or size of streams going into your pool or both.
Now is the time to act upon the knowledge you have just received by following steps 1-3. You now know what amount of money you are losing or gaining each month. You need to put plans in place to reduce your expenses or increase your income. Some examples of reducing your expenses would be to go shopping for groceries less often. For my wife and I, we have a large drain for the shopping trips for groceries. We know that this drain is large and we have made a plan to make it smaller. Maybe you have a subscription to satellite or expensive internet service or a myriad of other things that could be reduced or eliminated. As you make your plans, envision your pool with the drains disappearing or getting smaller, thus allowing your streams of income to stay in the pool longer making it fuller and grow bigger. Try making more income by taking on small local jobs, writing articles, starting a home business. Just like with the drains getting smaller, envision the streams getting bigger. A combination of reducing expenses and increasing income will make your pool of money grow very quickly.
5. The final step is to hold accountability meetings each month.
This step is one that many faithful budgeters miss and should be the most important. This is a time to review your expenses and to make sure those drains really are getting smaller and see if any have grown bigger in the process. It is a time to re-assess the budget and see if any drains need to be made bigger to make the budget more in line with reality so you don’t have any unplanned draining. A budget only works if you are accountable for what is in the budget and can adjust and revise areas that need to be on a regular basis. At the end of each month is the best time to asses the budget. You need to pull out a bank statement or other data to show what was actually spent so that accurate data is reviewed. This step will greatly improve your budgeting effectiveness.
Times are difficult right now and many of us may, if not already, fall on hard times where our streams may dry up temporarily. If that happens we need to plug as many drains as possible to slow down the draining of our pool of money. If we have been budgeting correctly and filling our pools to capacity and more, then when these hard times come, we will have enough pool left to cover us until our streams start running again. Take the time and effort to budget. You will experience a comforting and safe feeling knowing that you are in control of your money.
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Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Utah Jazz and BYU Cougars Basketball
It’s that time of year when football is in the playoffs and starting to wind down and I start to turn my attention to the hardwood floor of basketball. This year my beloved Packers missed the playoffs so I am going to be paying more attention to the Utah Jazz and BYU Cougars basketball teams.
I have been a fan of the Utah Jazz for many years. I remember watching many games as a little boy on an old TV that didn’t get very good reception for the Jazz TV station- KJZZ. I can still remember watching John Stockton pass the ball in to Karl Malone for the fade-away jumper or big Mark Eaton blocking someone’s shot. I remember the “Golden Grif” and Thurl Bailey. The Jazz had an incredible team back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I got real excited to turn on the TV a couple nights a week to hear “Hot Rod” Hundley announce the Jazz games. I can still hear his funny sayings in my mind “he puts up a frozen rope”; “Stockton yo-yos at the top of the key”; “The Mailman delivers”; “You gotta love it baby”; and many more.
I am still a big fan of the Jazz and always will be. The faces have changed, now there is Derron Williams, Carlos Boozer, and others to watch. My TV now gets great reception and I now get excited to hear Craig BolerJack call the games. (For those of you that still like “Hot Rod” he now announces for the radio station that broadcasts the Jazz games, although I can never keep up with him). The Jazz are doing okay this year. They are currently 20-15 but should do better as they get some of their injured players healthy again. I am actually going to attend the game on Jan 24th when they play the Cleveland Cavaliers with “King” Lebron James coming to town. It should be an awesome game. The faces are different, the shorts are longer, and the announcer has changed, but it is still the same old exciting basketball game that I watched as a child.
BYU basketball is underway as well. The Cougars jumped off to a great start- they are currently 14-2 with the only 2 losses coming to nationally ranked teams- Arizona St and Wake Forest. BYU played both of these teams very close, though, and almost beat Arizona St at the buzzer. BYU fell to Wake Forest at home ending their nation’s best 53 home game winning streak. Wake Forest was ranked 6th and knew coming in that BYU would be very tough, especially on their home court.
BYU has some great players this year in Lee Cummard, Jonathan Tavernari, and Jimmer Fredette. They can score a lot of points, especially on three pointers, and have shown they can hang with the top teams in the league. BYU should go far this year and will play one of the biggest games of the year against Utah on Jan 29th. It will be payback time after the Cougars football team got hammered in SLC to the Utes football team.
Go Cougars!
Return to the Neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, our newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Neighborhood Newsletter
Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
I have been a fan of the Utah Jazz for many years. I remember watching many games as a little boy on an old TV that didn’t get very good reception for the Jazz TV station- KJZZ. I can still remember watching John Stockton pass the ball in to Karl Malone for the fade-away jumper or big Mark Eaton blocking someone’s shot. I remember the “Golden Grif” and Thurl Bailey. The Jazz had an incredible team back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I got real excited to turn on the TV a couple nights a week to hear “Hot Rod” Hundley announce the Jazz games. I can still hear his funny sayings in my mind “he puts up a frozen rope”; “Stockton yo-yos at the top of the key”; “The Mailman delivers”; “You gotta love it baby”; and many more.
I am still a big fan of the Jazz and always will be. The faces have changed, now there is Derron Williams, Carlos Boozer, and others to watch. My TV now gets great reception and I now get excited to hear Craig BolerJack call the games. (For those of you that still like “Hot Rod” he now announces for the radio station that broadcasts the Jazz games, although I can never keep up with him). The Jazz are doing okay this year. They are currently 20-15 but should do better as they get some of their injured players healthy again. I am actually going to attend the game on Jan 24th when they play the Cleveland Cavaliers with “King” Lebron James coming to town. It should be an awesome game. The faces are different, the shorts are longer, and the announcer has changed, but it is still the same old exciting basketball game that I watched as a child.
BYU basketball is underway as well. The Cougars jumped off to a great start- they are currently 14-2 with the only 2 losses coming to nationally ranked teams- Arizona St and Wake Forest. BYU played both of these teams very close, though, and almost beat Arizona St at the buzzer. BYU fell to Wake Forest at home ending their nation’s best 53 home game winning streak. Wake Forest was ranked 6th and knew coming in that BYU would be very tough, especially on their home court.
BYU has some great players this year in Lee Cummard, Jonathan Tavernari, and Jimmer Fredette. They can score a lot of points, especially on three pointers, and have shown they can hang with the top teams in the league. BYU should go far this year and will play one of the biggest games of the year against Utah on Jan 29th. It will be payback time after the Cougars football team got hammered in SLC to the Utes football team.
Go Cougars!
Return to the Neighborhood.
And while you're there, subscribe to our fantastic newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, our newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Neighborhood Newsletter
Subscriptions are FREE, and joining is easy.
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