What's odd is how comforting I find that picture (of the burned picture, but the unburned picture as well ;) ). I grew up visiting the Provo area often, and lived there for the better part of a year back in 2001, and the Provo Tabernacle held a special place in my heart. My ancestors helped build it a century ago, and it was an amazing, gorgeous structure. But as tragic a loss as it is, it is only a building, and the spirit and the faith and the purpose that built it cannot be burned. :)

In regards to Ma sending the girls to school when she herself was a teacher: I think she must have wanted the girls to go to school because of the workload she herself already had. Making their clothes, making their food, tending the garden, doing chores around the farm, etc. etc. Perhaps she felt she didn't have the time to do an adequate job? (of course she did it when she HAD to, but when given the choice, I imagine she was very glad to have one less thing on her "To Do" list)

As an adult, I greatly admire Ma now, far more so than Pa. (when I read the series as a kid it was the reverse.) She was hanging onto "civilized life" by a thread sometimes. It didn't matter that there was no one there to notice or care if they had glass windows, or if they bathed on Saturday, or if they used proper language. She made sure her girls learned manners and grace. She made sure they had an education. She wanted her girls to have advantages, and she worked towards that goal from the time they were little children. Pa never seemed satisfied with where he was and always looking to move on, but Ma always seemed to be making where she was as satisfying as possible, even if it wasn't exactly what she wanted. The one thing I *didn't* like about Ma was when she tried to have Laura "teach" the kids who lived across the street from them in town in DeSmet when they came over to play with Carrie, and then "wondered about their mother" when she stopped sending the kids over. Uh, maybe because you were a bit presumptuous there Ma?? They came over to PLAY! :p

DD6: Mom, when we die we go to heaven, right? Me: Yup. DD6: So it'll be our new home? Me: Yup. DD6: Will I have my own room? (she currently shares with her 4yo brother)

What do you mean, exactly? This was their second winter in the Dakotas (the first winter described in The Shores of Silver Lake) and it wasn't *anything* like The Hard Winter. It was actually very mild. I don't know that Pa could have done more than he did to prepare. NOBODY (well, except for the Indian Chief who appeared in the general store) knew that such a harsh winter was coming. They were all new to the area.

I've known of two families with 6 kids who were all boys, and one family of 5 girls. BUT, I also know my aunt, who had 5 boys... and then a girl. ;)

My 4 year old would love this one! I made some oatmeal raisin cookies the other day and when I gave him one he took a bite, looked at me, asked if I'd put raisins in it, then put it down like something tainted when I told him that yes, I had put raisins in it. :tongue_smilie: For my kids: Thou shalt honor the closet of thy father and thy mother, and not sticketh thy nose into it, that thy days may be long upon the earth.

"What Child is This?"

I'm just giggling over "place settings". :lol:

Check out www.shabbyapple.com CUUUUUUTE dresses, and very modest. :)

I actually bought mine last week, and the tag says "Use, or Freeze by January 11, 2011." You should be fine, but check the tag on the ham just in case. :) (and mine is a pre-cooked spiral sliced ham from Fred Meyer)

I still wish I could've talked my hubby into using "Gilbert" for one of our boys. He nixed it immediately when I suggested it.

Okay, maybe this thread is more "inspired" by it rather than a spin-off, since the other thread isn't that long yet. But it's based off something from the Anne of Green Gables series, so heregoes... What is the deal with Miss Cornelia and Methodists vs. Presbyterians?? I don't know much of anything about either denomination, other than that they're both Christian. Is there any particular glaring difference in their doctrines or practices somewhere that makes them incompatible in the dear lady's eyes? Or is it just one of those random character flaws that the LMM gives to some of her characters, like being allergic to new bread?

I use the word "tryst" a lot because of reading too many LMM books. :tongue_smilie:

DH and I have been members of our ward for 8 years now (both of us grew up in this denomination -LDS- but me in California and he in Canada, so we came to this ward with absolutely no connections to the community). Our first Sunday was so amazing. People introducing themselves, showing us around, letting us know who was incharge of the Primary (children's program), the Relief Society (women's program), and helped us feel like part of the old crowd right away. We've had all 3 of our children while living in this ward, and it is going to absolutely break my heart when we have to move (which we plan to do in the next year or two). There is such a strong community-feel to this ward. The missionary out-reach has been amazing, and we've always been invited to be involved. All of the assignments I've had in the ward have stretched me in some much needed way (and typically in a way that I didn't know I needed to be stretched :giggle: ) and I've never felt judged for being a little bit different from the rest (the only cloth-diapering, baby-wearing mama, and only one of two homeschooling mamas. I'm also much more liberal politically, and am the youngest mom of kids my age. Most everyone else waited until they were closer to 30 to have kids). The teachers are all amazing, love what they're doing, and really bring the gospel alive in their lessons. My kids have learned SO much in this Primary. It always amazes me the answers I get when I ask them "so what did you learn in Primary today?" They do a much better job at getting my kids to pay attention than I do, aparently. :tongue_smilie: I really dread the day we have to move. :( (although I've yet to be in a bad ward, I've just come to love this one SO much)

How funny, I only learned about these ornaments on Sunday! Made some on Tuesday. :tongue_smilie:I made them using applesauce, cinnamon, and glue. I baked them at 200*F for about 2 hours. It made my whole house smell like cinnamon gum!

I have Bill Nye the Science Guy to thank for most of my science education. :tongue_smilie:

This. I wasn't sent to a summer camp, but I *was* put on a diet by my mom when I was 13, and "unloved and humiliated" is exactly how it made me feel. I can only imagine how much more magnified those feelings would have been if they had sent me to a camp. It made me feel as if my parents didn't love me for who I was, and would only completely love me if I got skinny. It back-fired, and I purposely stayed overweight well into my 20's (until I had kids of my own) and used it as a litmus test of sorts, to find out who loved me and who didn't (i.e. who would still accept me treat me right as a fat person. sadly, it wasn't a whole lot of people, but I was blessed to find a few gems, including my husband). It also put a permanent dent in my relationship with my parents. I think the FAMILY fitness camp sounds like a much better idea! I would have thought something like that would be a complete blast when I was a kid.

Oh that is so me! I am a clean freak, which is torture most of the time for me, with a 1st grader, pre-schooler, and toddler underfoot all day, and a pack-rat for a husband. I think what frustrated me the most this afternoon was that I *wanted* to clean to try and help settle my mood, but knew it would be an effort in futility until the kids are in bed. I cannot go to sleep with a messy house. :P Thank you for all of the ideas ladies. :) I ended up going the "comfort food" route and canceled our "healthy dinner" plan in leiu of nachoes. :D My DH also put on a Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert to watch while we ate (beautiful music -especially Christmas music- is deffinitely a mood-booster for me) and I'm feeling much better. :001_smile:

My town has a brand-spankin'-new Super WalMart. Not a Nativity set in sight. :huh:

I'm having one of those "blah" days. You know, where you feel crummy and tired and short tempered and just generally out-of-sorts for absolutely no apparent reason what so ever (and even PMS isn't to blame). What do you do?

I'm sorry to hear that that's been your experience. :( I notice your in SW Washington. (I am too :) ) What Stake are your friends in? (if you know). I'm up in Longview, and our Stake is very easy going and I've hardly felt (or witnessed) the kind of judging you're talking about in anything other than isolated incidences (typically within cliques. we aren't free of cliques, unfortunately :glare: ). But I *have* felt it in some of the congregations I've been a member of in Utah, and one congregation in California had some particularly vocally judgmental members (but they were a minority -abeit a vocal one). I sometimes wonder if these kinds of situations start small in a congregation or Stake (which is a geographical cluster of congregations), and then just feeds on itself as children grow up emulating their parents and becoming another judgmental voice in the congregation, and people also follow their example so that they can be friends with these judgemental people. It's so terribly sad. :(

I would be shocked if they were reprimanded. :001_huh: I've even heard it announced over the pulpit that so-and-so in the Bishopric (head of the congregation) wouldn't be available for appointments after the Sunday meetings because he'd recieved a page calling him into work (he was an anasthesiologist). The LDS faith isn't nearly as legalistic as some people seem to think. (now some of it's members... but most people ignore them and do their thing)

Bwhahahaha!!!

Missesd, I'm so sorry that you're struggling right now. :( I'm so sorry that the people around you are judging you for doing things differently than they are. I'm sorry to hear that the church culture where you are is that way. It is not the way it is supposed to be. It's not what Christ wants in his church. I'll keep you and your family (and the gossipers in your ward) in my prayers. I hope it all gets straightened out for the best for you.