The Tongue of Angels

I have been pleading with the Lord a long time to bless me with the tongue of angels. I know He is answering my prayers. I'm am given love, gentleness, patience, perspective, and sweetness at times throughout the day that do not come from me. When I hug a child instead of scolding, when my voice is very soft instead of yelling, when I sing when I feel overwhelmed, when these little ones melt my heart I know Heavenly Father is blessing me with a bit of charity and with moments of speaking with the tongue of angels. In these moments I praise the Lord! He is good and kind! He answers our pleadings! I love the Lord! He is my joy and my song! I'm so grateful for my dear family who is so patient with me as I learn to become fluent in the tongue of angels. Right now I slip up, but I feel steady, real progress which I would be ungrateful to deny.
Good night!

Grandpa Michael's Green Shake

Apple
Banana
Orange
2 cups water
Ginger
Prunes (6)
1 T. Honey
1 T. Maple Syrup
Pickled Beets
Celery
Collard Greens
Kale
Spinach
Cucumber

Businesses

Our family's financial needs are increasing. Our kids need braces, driver's insurance, scout camp & merit badges, education, music lessons, tons of food, activities, friends tagging along, missions, marriages, etc.  Our parents are quickly approaching dependence on us as well. They will need costly housing and healthcare. We also want to help of the world's poor, uneducated, and suffering. We want to travel the world sharing the Gospel, doing temple & family history work, and serving the less-fortunate. Ask this requires a lot of money and resources. But the Lord said,

"Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.

18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.

19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted."

I feel like we are truly trying to do this. So we are going to be blessed with riches to serve others. I don't want a fancy or large lifestyle. I want to help others. Wouldn't it be fun?! I get excited just thinking about building schools, paying for surgeries, educations, and wheelchairs. I get excited thinking about adopting dear children. I have wanted to serve in this way since I was a little girl. There are millions of ways to scatter sunshine along the way! Many ways that require no money! But so many people who do desperately need the things money can buy.  And so many throughout the world who need us to come and testify of Christ.

So I have been reading & thinking a lot about businesses that have low start-up costs, require minimum time to run, are web-based (thus mobile), and extremely profitable.  These businesses have been labeled muses.  I feel Heavenly Father has been helping me think big. I pray that these ventures will be profitable and useful to their customers.  And that the money these muses produce will bless the lives of many, many of His children.

Breakfast Cake

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 cups milk

6 cups flour (wheat, of course)
1 teaspoon stevia
2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons nutmeg

Mix batter. Place on greased cookie sheet or cake pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes if on a cookie sheet, about 30 minutes ifin a cake pan.

After you take it out of the oven, smear the top with melted butter. Then shake cinnamon sugar all over the top.  We love to serve this for breakfast on birthdays, sometimes with candles. Fun family traditions are a blessing from Heavenly Father! Happy Birthday!

Fish

Fish is so easy!  You can just throw it in a steamer for about 10-15 minutes until flaky.  Or bake at 350 until flaky.
Add salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.  You could also sprinkle garlic & cayenne on top.

Tonight we are sitting around the table eating fish.  We are after the kids for fighting, spilling, yelling, and complaining.  Mealtime is usually fun and great, but it is sometimes it is ridiculous. I'm grateful for Elder Bernard's talk about how consistency it's important even if these family times aren't always ideal. They eventually blend together to form a beautiful family culture.

Spinach Pecan Salad

6-8 cups spinach

2 cups red cabbage, sliced very thin

1 cup candied pecans, recipe below

3 T. blue cheese crumbles

2 cups apples, chopped

2 cups raisins

Balsamic vinegar

Again, this recipe is a guideline. Enjoy!

Candied Pecans

1/4 c. brown sugar

2 T. butter

1 cup pecans

Melt together until turns to soft goo. Cool. When it is cool it will harden. Yum!

Jaremy and I enjoyed this salad at the restaurant "Elements." We were on an overnight date on my birthday. I was seven months pregnant with Adelynn. We had spent the day hiking 14 miles to a mountain ridge. It was an amazing day together!!! I'm so grateful I could spend the day doing what I love with my best friend and eternal companion. Heavenly Father has blessed our marriage so much!!!

P.S. Tank doesn't like blue cheese! Leave it off his salad!

Spinach Yogurt Salad

6-8 cups spinach

2 cups strawberry yogurt

2 cups grapes

2 cups strawberries, sliced

2 T. poppy seeds

These amounts are general guidelines. Mix and enjoy! To decrease sugar use plain yogurt flavored with pureed strawberries, stevia, and vanilla.