tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373551092024-03-19T05:39:53.044-07:00All Wrapped Up for YouExtraordinary things happen to me every day!MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-70882134207064775382015-02-05T21:10:00.001-08:002015-02-05T21:10:56.864-08:00Creating the Calm Cowl<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Creating the Calm Cowl and really warm hats!</div>
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I took a little fall on Sunday and messed up my leg. I just kept ignoring the pain, until I couldn’t walk. It was such a bummer for me, I have been trying to hit at least 8ooo steps a day on my fitbit now I am only getting 2000 and that’s on crutches. My husband is now way ahead of me in milage so once my leg is healed I am really going to have catch up.</div>
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All this down time has lead to some serious knitting and crocheting. </div>
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The hat is from Elizabeth Zimmerman's "Knitting Without Tears" book, it's a really easy hat to knit, you cast on 91 stitches and knit until it's the desired length, then you mark off 7 decreases and decrease every other row. It knits up quickly and my husband really appreciates having a nice warm hat. I knit it with Knitpicks wool of the Andes in a blue and am working a another in Patons Classic Wool Worsted in Grey Mix. Elizabeth's book recommends knitting two and then putting one inside the other so that's what I am working on now. The book is really no nonsense and straight forward. I have a thing for hats, my son, Michael loves to wear hats so I am always looking for a new hat to make. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9khaewpDMKZbk7PLg2drDhW8ZeeVGJ0W6KVtmSPXAiyu3_kOUU37yNPORytSVrbz8sMJgSCy8dDtMTLZn6QazJWUFIpkACpY4PcvKrXoJdQDcJ1JgkVOWhKB3cHxmXHntDETZRg/s1600/IMG_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9khaewpDMKZbk7PLg2drDhW8ZeeVGJ0W6KVtmSPXAiyu3_kOUU37yNPORytSVrbz8sMJgSCy8dDtMTLZn6QazJWUFIpkACpY4PcvKrXoJdQDcJ1JgkVOWhKB3cHxmXHntDETZRg/s1600/IMG_0066.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">A good view of the crown of the hat </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brim rolls up on the hat</td></tr>
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It's a quick and easy knit and using wool makes it nice and warm. I plan on making more of these in the near future.</div>
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This is my year to have all the children together for Christmas. We are looking to rent a vacation home in Michigan for the festivities. It will be nice to have all the children together, they haven't been all together since Tricia's wedding. Since that time we have added 3 new members to the family, 2 grand daughters and a a daughter-in-law or as my mother-in-law likes to say a daughter-in-love. Tim will be home from his mission so we will really all be together! I can't wait. I have managed to acquire a bit of yarn here in China so I will be making quite a bit of the presents this year. I am working on photo books and knitted items. Should make for a fun Christmas, I love giving presents to my children that I have made, I spend the entire time making the gift thinking about the person I am making it for.</div>
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The first gift I have completed is the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/mgr7fun/calm-cowl?new=true"><span style="color: #042eee;">Calm Cowl </span></a> by indigoDot....., it is a free crochet pattern that I found on Ravelry, my favorite knitting site. It turned out beautifully. Although it is not as full as it is in the pictures with the pattern. I used a wonderful light green yarn that I acquired here in China, it has a nice drape and the single crochet, chain one stitch really shows off to an advantage with this yarn. I also plan to make a hat to go with the cowl for the Christmas present. I just downloaded the<span style="color: #042eee;"><a href="https://lovehestia.wordpress.com/2012/07/19/hurricane-hat-pattern/"> Hurricane Hat Pattern</a>,</span> also found on Ravelry. I will be using #7 needles on a 16" circular to knit the hat. I love these needles for knitting hats. I first started using them for hats I knit for this past christmas. The <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/mgr7fun/seedling-hat"><span style="color: #551a8b;">Seedling Hat </span></a>by Jen Lucas (cost of $5.50) looked difficult but was so easy to make. I ended up knitted 2 of them will probably make more.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michael wearing his new hat!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRxd83dBg0c6UuVO9ShhBcwz2gItF-d0SKkSOWiRg-CZumKbwk5h2ivhZ7C1et86hAE3cTzY5wV4AqXCxDiWvuDCsI4KBRgJwtpMMkynYBNC4d-I17CiWNFdu5MziJ72dcL2xyw/s1600/IMG_1457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRxd83dBg0c6UuVO9ShhBcwz2gItF-d0SKkSOWiRg-CZumKbwk5h2ivhZ7C1et86hAE3cTzY5wV4AqXCxDiWvuDCsI4KBRgJwtpMMkynYBNC4d-I17CiWNFdu5MziJ72dcL2xyw/s1600/IMG_1457.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">as the hat is being blocked.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one is made from left over yarn from a christmas stocking.</td></tr>
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China30.274085 120.1550700000000228.511933499999998 117.57328300000002 32.0362365 122.73685700000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-57054737933816075892014-09-28T19:17:00.000-07:002014-09-28T19:17:00.133-07:00What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We have had a trying time here in China recently. But hopefully, that is all behind us and we can now move forward with our life here as we settle into our new apartment.<br />
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About a month ago, we were informed by my husband's company that we needed to move to Fuyang. We didn't want to move, we had been in our apartment for 2 years and were very comfortable. I find that it takes a year to settle in to a comfortable routine whenever we move, so was very disappointed to have to begin again. The company insisted that we move, and then informed Dave that there wasn't really any apartments available in Fuyang and we would be much happier in the Villa. The Villa is used to house high ranking expats who are here in China without there partners, while they work in China. David informed his company that he wasn't interested in living in a boarding house and he received assurances that it would be our home and they wouldn't have anyone stay there without our permission. Dave figured that would work because he wasn't going to give anyone permission. The other problem with the Villa was the housekeeper, she had a known record of treating any woman living there badly. David received the promise that if this occurred she wouldn't be there it was our call.<br />
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Well, we moved in, the Villa is a large concrete building. 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, large living room, large foyer, large kitchen, moderate dining room, three seasons room off the living room and a laundry room off the foyer. Because it hadn't been used as a home in the past, David purchased 9000 rmb worth of furniture so that it wouldn't seem like such a mausoleum. W moved in, and David went happily back to work, traveling and leaving me there.<br />
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Then the difficulties began, the villa is isolated, so there aren't any stores for purchasing food or water. When we ran low on the water that Dave had purchased before he left, I asked the housekeeper for more and she said mayo (which means not available). Further, the only food she would make available was a fried squash dish, she used my chicken and then served it only partially cooked. I ended up very sick from her cooking and had to refuse to eat any other offerings. I watched her one day and discovered she didn't wash her vegetables before cooking and washed the dishes in cold water with no soap. There was a sterilizer there, but she never used it for the dishes, that explained why I was so sick. When I refused to eat her food, she became very angry. She would do all kinds of things to make me miserable. Like remove all the cookware and dishes so I couldn't cook for myself or eat. I did my best to ignore her but it became very difficult to do, she would scream at me in Chinese and slam doors, (I have the bruises to prove it) unfortunately my 10 month old grand daughter was visiting at the time. Ceci was so scared of this woman, I have to admit that I was as well, no one should have to live in fear. She had keys to all the rooms and wouldn't hesitate to to use them even knowing we were in there and didn't want to be disturbed. When David returned he requested that we be allowed to move. The company agreed but now we are responsible for the expenses of living in China. <br />
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I put out a call to the Relief Society to help me find an apartment quickly and we were able to move the following weekend.<br />
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We had to pay the movers ourselves. We were required to pay our rent 1 year in advance, and we now need to purchase a car so that David can get back and forth to work. But it was worth it, we live in a beautiful apartment overlooking the river, one of my good friends lives just a few floors below so once again all is well. Of course, now begins all the work of making the apartment work for us. We had a washer delivered but it won't drain etc... I am exhausted but at least I don't have to head off for work like David does every day. He is traveling today and he started out so tired. Moral of the story is, if you have a good employee and you want him to be able to concentrate on he work, don't make him move twice in one month. Also, for me, never have a live in housekeeper.<br />
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I came a across a beautiful song that I had to share It's called <a href="http://youtu.be/xyX-I-um5Kk" target="_blank">B<i>eautiful He</i><i>artbreak</i></a> by Hilary Weeks. The video is beautiful. It captures exactly how I feel about the trials I have had in my life.</div>
MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China30.274085 120.1550700000000228.511933499999998 117.57328300000002 32.0362365 122.73685700000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-81354408706167976262014-09-27T20:21:00.000-07:002014-09-27T20:21:00.463-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Homemade Granola Bars</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We have a granola group here in China, we get together and make various recipes. This past week we made <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Playgroup-Granola-Bars/"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">“Playgroup Granola”</span></a> from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">allrecipes.com</span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">But of course we had to make some changes to the original recipe.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">One just because of China and second because of what we like to eat!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">2 cups of Quick Oats (recipe called for rolled which I didn't have)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/2 cup brown sugar (called for 3/4 cups of packed, seemed like a lot of sugar)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Apple Chancery'; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (3/4 </span><span style="font-family: Apple Chancery;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">teaspoon didn't seem like enough)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 cup all purpose flour</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">3/4 teaspoon of salt</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Generous helping of sunflower kernels (handful)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Almonds (roughly chopped) (2 handfuls)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 cup Dried Cranberries </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 handful of chocolate chips</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/2 cup honey</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/4 cup of coconut oil (called for 1 cup of vegetable oil)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/4 cup of olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract. (called for 2 teaspoons)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Preheat the oven to 350 degrees or 175 degrees C. Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. I used the trusty Crisco which always works wonderfully when greasing a pan.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts! Make a well in the center and put in the wet ingredients, then mix well until everything is wet. Press into your greased pan and bake. It took about 20 minutes for mine bars to brown on the edges. Cut them as soon as you take them out of the oven, they will harden and then you won’t be able to cut them. Let them completely cool in the pan. Seal in an air tight container, especially if you live in a place with high humidity like I do!. Enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Apple Chancery'; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">We haven't found a source for wheat germ here yet, but it is ever on my mind when I am shopping. the dried cranberries </span><span style="font-family: Apple Chancery;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">give it a nice tart taste that contrasts with the chocolate beautifully. The recipe really doesn't need eggs. They turned out so good, I have already made a second batch. There work great for breakfast and my husband loves them.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Apple Chancery;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">The most freeing thing about living in China is realizing a recipe may call for something that I don't have and that's ok, what do I have and how will that work in the recipe. So far, everything has been amazing. </span></span><br />
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China30.274085 120.1550700000000228.511933499999998 117.57328300000002 32.0362365 122.73685700000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-25855683227902436192014-09-25T19:40:00.000-07:002014-09-25T19:40:45.316-07:00Socks, Socks, and more Socks!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSbo69O3UAGipl0pyCpCr2OhIf_MAOHZPKlcv5_aiMdnIAeI2Hk1Q_AAwsQjTaJA9dSoseCLT7rkehNPUccplvFsemVPXUOq7MNdVBaJpjL5Q-oUet1mcLQHEryDkl1u0W4zPAA/s1600/IMG_1137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSbo69O3UAGipl0pyCpCr2OhIf_MAOHZPKlcv5_aiMdnIAeI2Hk1Q_AAwsQjTaJA9dSoseCLT7rkehNPUccplvFsemVPXUOq7MNdVBaJpjL5Q-oUet1mcLQHEryDkl1u0W4zPAA/s1600/IMG_1137.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2Czpez_0_KdcEql8SZ15-dEZr2nLbGfZ0Db4n9V82iOLStl-1a4WXhVH9bZ66v-w5Y3eQZy42Zv7cjmOlGGLJXfRo_nyXvworaluCukbnWbj2IbEtrl-pPYdJfr0HYT5IE8hTw/s1600/IMG_1130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2Czpez_0_KdcEql8SZ15-dEZr2nLbGfZ0Db4n9V82iOLStl-1a4WXhVH9bZ66v-w5Y3eQZy42Zv7cjmOlGGLJXfRo_nyXvworaluCukbnWbj2IbEtrl-pPYdJfr0HYT5IE8hTw/s1600/IMG_1130.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>We were on summer vacation, I stopped into a yarn shop in Kalamazoo, Michigan. <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easy-cable-socks" target="_blank">Easy Cable Socks</a> by Diane Hall. They were very easy, mindless knitting. I just needed something to keep me busy, while we traveled across America visiting family. If you are new to knitting socks or cables, this is a good one to begin with.<br />
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I made the socks for my friends, Sarah and Dawn. They each had a birthday in August and deserved a wonderful present! The teal ones were for Sarah (who loves this color!) The purple ones are for Dawn! It's always important to have good friends they make life so sweet!<br />
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-14133288691474094562014-09-04T19:53:00.000-07:002014-09-04T19:53:00.543-07:00Basic Bread Recipe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The bread that you can purchase near our home is very sweet, almost like a sweet bread rather than the traditional bread I am use to.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Chalkboard; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Basic Bread Recipe - My friend, Kelly Dumas, taught me how to make an amazing wheat bread. But it isn't very practical for me, here in China. I don't have a wheat grinder and don't know where to purchase wheat to grind. Coming across this recipe has been wonderful! I make it every week now. It has been very helpful to have a good easy to mix by hand recipe. It cooks up nicely every time I make it. I find that the dough rises better with the honey rather than the sugar. I feel it is important to proof the yeast.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 Teaspoons active-dry yeast</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 cup (8oz) warm water</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 Tablespoons (1 oz) butter (melted)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 cup ( 8 oz ) milk - whole, 2% or skim</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 tablespoons white sugar or 1 tablespoon honey</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 tablespoon salt</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">5 1/2 - 6 1/2 cup (1 lb 9oz - 2 lbs 3 oz) flour</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1-2 tablespoons vital wheat glutton</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1-2 tablespoons dough enhancer</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Place the yeast in the warm water with the sugar or honey dissolved. Let it stand for 5 minutes for prove the yeast.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Combine 1 cup of the flour, salt, vital wheat glutton, dough enhancer and add melted butter. Add the yeast mixture and the milk, (this works best when the milk is at room temperature. And use honey instead sugar). Mix in the remaining flour until the dough sticks together. Then turn it out onto a floured board and add more flour until it becomes smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a greased bowl and let rise until double</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Punch the dough down and shape into loaves, place into greased loaf pans and let rise until it tops the edge of the pans, bake at 350 degrees or 170 c until golden brown and they sound hollow when you tap on the top. Remove the loaves from the pans to wire racks to cool. Enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I recently watched an amazing video. It is such a great time to be alive! The video is called <a href="http://www.mormonchannel.org/" target="_blank">"Your Potential, Your Privileges"</a>. I realized I haven't been living up to my privileges as I have gotten casual in my scripture reading. Instead of studying my scriptures, I had fallen into the trap of merely reading them. So I set a goal to study them instead! To help me study regularly, I have begun sending my daily journal to my children. Below is an example of what I send.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">29 Aug 2014</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Today I read 1 Nephi chapters 6 & 7, I finally had the answers to a couple of questions that I have had for a long time. When you children read <i>“The Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites”</i> series, remember when they talked about Nephi’s sisters and I wondered where the references were to the fact that Nephi had sisters? In fact the Book of Mormon states: “he did travel in the wilderness with his family, which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.” (1 Nephi 2:5), so I always wondered where the author came up with the fact that Nephi had sisters. You guys all tried to convince me he did but I was unbelieving ( I apologize.) Here is a quote from Eratus Snow concerning this matter which I found in <i>“The Book of Mormon Made Easier, Part 1</i>, by David Ridges.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“The Prophet Joseph informed us that the record of Lehi, was contained on the 116 pages that were first translated and subsequently stolen, and of which an abridgement is given us in the first Book of Nephi, which is the record of Nephi individually, he himself being of the lineage Manasseh; but that Ishmael was of the lineage of Ephraim, and that his sons married into Lehis’ family, and Lehi’s sons married Ishmael’s daughters, thus fulfilling the words of Jacob upon Ephraim and Manasseh in the 48th chapter of Genesis, which says: ‘And let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the land’ Thus these descendants of Manasseh and ephraim grew together upon t his American continent...” </span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Elder Erastus Snow (<i>Journal of Discourses, </i>26 vols. London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot. 1854-86: 184)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I can’t explain how cool it is to me to have something concrete to base that on!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I had another questions that I have wondered about for a long time, the issue of the priesthood. What priesthood did they hold? Again, David Ridge provided a quote that cleared that up for me.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Nephites were descendants of Joseph. Lehi discovered this when reading the brass plates. He was a descendant of Manasseh, and Ishmael, who accompanied him with his family, was of the tribe of ephraim (Alma 10:3). Therefore there were no Levites who accompanied Lehi to the Western Hemisphere. Under these conditions the Nephites officiated by virtue of the Melchizedek Priesthood from the days of Lehi to the days of the appearance of our Savior among them.:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is true that Nephi ‘consecrated Jacob and Joseph’ that they should be priests and teachers over the land of the Nephites, but the fact that plural terms priests and teachers were used indicates that this was not a reference to the definite office in the priesthood in either case, but it was a general assignment to teach, direct, and admonish the people. Otherwise the terms priest and teacher would have been given, in the singular…</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">From these and numerous other passages we learn that it was by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood that the Nephites administered from the time they left Jerusalem until the time of the coming of Jesus Christ” </span><span style="font-size: 8px; letter-spacing: 0px;">(Joseph Fielding Smith, <i>Answers to Gospel Questions, </i>1:25-26)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Now knowing these two facts didn’t make or break my testimony but it did strengthen it, the Lord was aware of the questions I had concerning these matters and made it possible for me to find the answers. I was also struck by how the Lord prepared wives for the Lehi’s family. He has a plan we just need to follow it. </span></div>
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China30.274085 120.1550700000000228.511933499999998 117.57328300000002 32.0362365 122.73685700000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-78597068133374492582014-08-29T19:18:00.000-07:002014-08-29T19:18:00.512-07:00My New Passion!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95o68VCuc7odC32AuO_LMw_KbNa__44a-D_JomdWSeOAhEMJFZyT0B8K84vIaPanSPrJkC1vhAR1cvhnC7LXmWT5J-GUmzb3Erb9g5QgfrEsdaWoVQmnIeJNOmeSv0cy9ZilP7A/s1600/TquietbookA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95o68VCuc7odC32AuO_LMw_KbNa__44a-D_JomdWSeOAhEMJFZyT0B8K84vIaPanSPrJkC1vhAR1cvhnC7LXmWT5J-GUmzb3Erb9g5QgfrEsdaWoVQmnIeJNOmeSv0cy9ZilP7A/s1600/TquietbookA.jpg" height="320" title="" width="213" /></a>My friend, Dawn, came and spent the day last week and showed me how to use Photoshop! And although I still have so very much to learn it is consuming my time. I found the templates for these pages on Pinterest. I never just pin, I always go to the page where the pin is from, because so often I just find that it was a page full of advertising and no valuable content. But these are amazing and so very easy for me to do. (Even as a beginner!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMetCnf8OhBvqMnL1tNdaUs2MXvx5giADLstvBwJEBD7QJfnUe9yISSn4l_wwiEFlaneSRgElmglSftr59rlfTWDSYavVKjKlvdMSCjxgrQn6GBv1pmcTm9IVVFQstObqLNzWmgg/s1600/TquietbookC1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMetCnf8OhBvqMnL1tNdaUs2MXvx5giADLstvBwJEBD7QJfnUe9yISSn4l_wwiEFlaneSRgElmglSftr59rlfTWDSYavVKjKlvdMSCjxgrQn6GBv1pmcTm9IVVFQstObqLNzWmgg/s1600/TquietbookC1.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a>It took me an entire day to do the three pages, and I didn't do anything for "B" yet due to the fact that my granddaughters don't have any brothers, and I am not quite up to changing the template yet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNrRbkkt1gnahlyf0U5sPrxiNugCE0PfsXJx25REHczZjqh2sAArg9hjzTXe-Ux1SojNrfI5T5F9gXQVh-jnTb8xKriUaWRmRoDZaWYTAXiAiCBjaycyDci-_R6Hqvasm_F8TSg/s1600/TquietbookD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYNrRbkkt1gnahlyf0U5sPrxiNugCE0PfsXJx25REHczZjqh2sAArg9hjzTXe-Ux1SojNrfI5T5F9gXQVh-jnTb8xKriUaWRmRoDZaWYTAXiAiCBjaycyDci-_R6Hqvasm_F8TSg/s1600/TquietbookD.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a>The template was designed and shared by <a href="http://blog.bitsofeverything.com/2011/03/free-digital-download-digital-quiet-book.html" target="_blank">Holly</a>, by clicking on her name it will take you to her blog so that you can download your own quiet book and begin working on it yourself! I am so grateful for talented people you are so willing to share their amazing talents with the rest of us. It made creating these pages so easy for me. I will try and add more as I get them done. The template makes a 4x6 book perfect for my granddaughters to take to church with them. Hopefully, it will help them to remember their family, as we are scattered all around the world!. when Holly created the book she used <a href="http://theshabbyshoppe.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=149" target="_blank">Smarshmallows</a>, available from <a href="https://www.theshabbyshoppe.com/homepage.asp" target="_blank">The Shabby Shoppe</a>, which is a wonderful kit. the cost is $6.50 but well worth the money! I can see myself using it for other things! Living in China, I am so grateful for the internet, it allows me to still do some really great stuff for my family. I hope that these will bless them for many years to come. <a href="http://www.shabbyprincess.com/" target="_blank">The Shabby Princess</a> has some wonderful designs that are free as well and I recommend checking them out. The one that is featured right now is a great back to school questionnaire. What a great way to record the changes as your child grows. My friend also recommended <a href="http://summertimedesigns.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Summer Driggs</a> for scrapbooking papers. She has some wonderful things as well. I think digital scrapbooking is a great way to bring the family history to life for my grandchildren.<br />
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By the way, I don't get any kickback from the owners of these website, I just found them useful in my foray into digital scrapbooking.<br />
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China30.274085 120.1550700000000228.511933499999998 117.57328300000002 32.0362365 122.73685700000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-41403822185572368302014-08-28T19:42:00.000-07:002014-08-28T19:42:17.680-07:00Pie Crusts, Cowls, Sock Mania 8<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I was a young girl, my mom let me cook as much as I wanted. She and my dad would encourage all my efforts. There was only one dish that was so inedible that even our dogs wouldn't eat. It was a seafood pasta. Aside from that dismal at seafood pasta, I was able to successfully navigate the world of home cooking. <br />
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One of the specialities that I developed was in making pies. My dad loved pies and so he enthusiastically encouraged my practice. Years later I was astonished when during a cooking class at church the teacher kept commenting on how difficult it was to make a pie crust...I had never found it so. Some key tools are essential though. I use a pastry blender, a canvas pastry mat, a rolling pin and a good all vegetable shortening. I must admit here that I am very partial to Crisco shortening and will only use another it there is no way to get my hands on Crisco. The recipe is simple<br />
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<i><b>2 cups flour</b></i></div>
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<i><b>2/3 cups shortening</b></i></div>
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<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>I measure the flour and salt into the bowl, cut in the shortening until its like little peas, using a folk I add the water one tablespoon at a time until the dough sticks together to form a ball. I find the amount of water added depends on the weather and the climate (dry or humid). I gather it up and roll it out on the canvas pastry mat. I try to only roll the dough once. The more I handle the dough the tougher the dough gets. I then line the pie pan (I prefer a glass pie pan versus metal or aluminum). It's pretty much never fail. The recipe yields enough dough for a double crust of a 9" pie. Although I like using this for a single crust pie as well, that way it provides a good base and the leftovers when sprinkled with sugar were a delightful snack for my children.</div>
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-87809916729214253582014-05-01T19:39:00.000-07:002014-08-28T19:41:28.955-07:00Dreams Really Do Come True.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;">This past April, (April 4-8, 2014) I had the opportunity of a life time. I was able to fly to Alaska. I have always wanted to see Alaska. I kept suggesting it as a vacation destination but my husband wasn't interested. It took the marriage of my son David Michael Saylor Jr. to Kimberly Dianne Martin for us to be able to vacation there! Thanks Kimber! And a special thanks to Kimber's family, Alaska is a truly amazing place and I am so grateful to have been able to see it! We went on a whale watching tour, and saw so much wildlife I lost count. The Whales and otters swam right up to boat. It was incredible. My son was like a little boy, he ran from one end of the boat to the other there was so much to see. It was a time I will always cherish!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The night before I was leaving for Dallas, Texas, we went out to dinner with Mike, Bonny, Dave, Kimber and my husband, to our favorite </span>restaurant Splash. While at dinner, David was telling the kids about his grandfather's opinion of engagement rings. Grandpa Saylor always said, "If a girl loves you she will take a beer can tab as an engagement ring." As soon as David finished the story, Dave said, "speaking of engagements, Kimber and I are getting married in two weeks in Alaska!" We were thrilled! Kimber is an amazing woman and we feel privileged to have her as part of our family.</div>
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Kimber's family is equally amazing! Her father is a true Renaissance man, he built his own with lumber he milled in his own saw mill, I can't even begin to tell all this man has accomplished, but I am not often impressed, and I was very impressed. Her mother, is one of the kindest and sweetest people, grateful to have them as a part of my life. </div>
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It all came about because I attended a Relief Society Luncheon, here in Hangzhou. It was the first time I met Kimber. We went for manicures and became fast friends. Kimber would come and stay with use on Sunday nights until Tuesday. We went on many wonderful shopping trips together and share a love of all things yarn. </div>
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They met when Dave came to visit us. We spent many happy hours playing board games, League of Legends and exploring Hangzhou. </div>
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Below are some of the pictures from our dream trip to Alaska. sorry it took so long to publish but some people wanted to keep it a secret, nothing is harder for me than to keep a secret about something I am so happy about. </div>
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-47160488745952953662014-03-06T19:23:00.000-08:002014-03-06T19:23:00.155-08:00There's chocolate, thens there's chocolate!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So I found a recipe on line for <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/jumbo-brownie-cookies" target="_blank">Brownie Cookies</a>…umm, what a wonderful idea. But once again the ingredients I needed weren’t available. So, lets see what I can do to make some wonderful cookies for an upcoming activity at church.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I had a bag of chocolate chips that I had brought from America but the recipe called for a lot more than one bag of chips (that’s how I knew it would be a good recipe!) So I took 2 Dove dark chocolate bars and chopped them up! Worked great.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bwYEz9poEULhmJz0Z2F9KJx2d8luAF6IgysZe3K5YXc9Wt0aoiBGbdF_UHvrza75ZkQGnEfQnlP97x739XwE_02PB6Q_sDMclqmpV1JGoo8zha3li10aCfz_8fS0EwSLPTvKGA/s1600/IMG_0816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bwYEz9poEULhmJz0Z2F9KJx2d8luAF6IgysZe3K5YXc9Wt0aoiBGbdF_UHvrza75ZkQGnEfQnlP97x739XwE_02PB6Q_sDMclqmpV1JGoo8zha3li10aCfz_8fS0EwSLPTvKGA/s1600/IMG_0816.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Brownie Cookies</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 c of chocolate chips (or in my case chopped up Dove bars)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/2 c of butter</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">4 eggs</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 1/2 c of sugar</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 T of vanilla extract</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2/3 c of flour (all purpose)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/2 t baking powder</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/4 t salt</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 c of chocolate chips ( 1 bag)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Melt chocolate chunks (chopped up Dove bar) with the butter and melt, stirring until smooth. Remove of heat, cool until mixture is warm.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In small bowl, combine eggs and sugar until blended, stir in flour, baking powder and salt, add to chocolate mixture stirring well, fold in the chocolate chips. Let stand for 10 minutes to firm up the dough.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I baked these on parchment paper at 170 degree C, or 350 degree F until set. Cool for a few minutes on the pan to allow the cookies to set then remove to a wire rack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px;">I also stirred in one cup of chopped nuts. If you look at the </span><span style="font-size: 11px;">original</span><span style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> recipe, I changed the recipe a bit. As you can see, just because you you don't have everything you need for a recipe, you still can make it with just a few changes!</span></span><br />
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-14060955734306293572014-02-26T19:19:00.001-08:002014-02-26T19:19:43.598-08:00Sunshine in every bite!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Herculanum; font-size: 30px; letter-spacing: 0px;">27, No, it can’t be!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUz-Qwa6roZVr1tqe3jql4mi9TD3s3ju9LLm9SXLhzumXxW5bkK9UjprUPiYUr7OkXMx7yqEOjbphpHIwodCaBKaywN6ci0EEQEjrSxn68CAaEymfMMdKm-M8abQvd5Hm_Go2nQ/s1600/back+up+pictures+621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUz-Qwa6roZVr1tqe3jql4mi9TD3s3ju9LLm9SXLhzumXxW5bkK9UjprUPiYUr7OkXMx7yqEOjbphpHIwodCaBKaywN6ci0EEQEjrSxn68CAaEymfMMdKm-M8abQvd5Hm_Go2nQ/s1600/back+up+pictures+621.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My son, pictured at left, recently turned 27. When did I get to be so old? Wait, I am only …. and that’s not all that old. He is visiting us in China so we were able to spend his birthday with him. We have tradition in our family of requesting your birthday dinner. For his dinner, he requested Lasagna and for his “cake” he requested Lemon Meringue Pie.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lasagna and Lemon Meringue Pie, are they even possible to make here in China? Well, it’s more difficult but they are possible. We were able to purchase some hamburger, 500 g for 96 rmb. Metro, a local store here (think small Walmart Superstore) carries Lasagna noodles, tomato paste, cottage cheese and canned tomatoes. The noodles and tomatoes could have been made if absolutely necessary but fortunately it wasn’t. My recipe for Lasagna, has been a part of my life as far back as I can remember. My mom made wonderful Lasagna, so it’s not surprising that her grandson would request it for his birthday. The recipe is simple:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGfqT9Bvyw1hVYzl66-h-CVbKo5lO0UnGPKj4F7mhPrJzd7Ip_E-b63lH8dkaWCO8NcXEkFN6qJwuYAZsCOYq0l-ol8fAmiPHwIe35a8WRihXEp1IQ1jgoLPUD8DqOvaLRyHL7w/s1600/IMG_0805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGfqT9Bvyw1hVYzl66-h-CVbKo5lO0UnGPKj4F7mhPrJzd7Ip_E-b63lH8dkaWCO8NcXEkFN6qJwuYAZsCOYq0l-ol8fAmiPHwIe35a8WRihXEp1IQ1jgoLPUD8DqOvaLRyHL7w/s1600/IMG_0805.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">12 Lasagna noodles cooked</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/4 # sharp cheddar</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1# Mozzarella</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">Meat Sauce:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 1/2 to 2 # ground beef</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 T basil</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 1/2 c cooked or canned tomatoes</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 clove or garlic, minced</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 T parsley</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 1/2 t salt</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">12 ounces of tomato paste.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">Cottage Cheese Mixture:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">6 c cottage cheese</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 large eggs beaten</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/2 t pepper</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/2 c parmesan cheese</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 t salt</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2 T Parsley Flakes</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was all set to begin making dinner. Not only do you have to gather all the ingredients but then you have to make it. Turns out I don’t have a pan large enough to boil pasta in. The noodles glued together and became one with each other, there was no separating them. I ended up having to boil each of the 12 noodles individually. It worked, just took a long time. While waiting for the noodles to cook, I made the meat sauce, and combined the cheese mixture. One mistake I think many people make in creating lasagna is not enough cheese. I love lots of cheese in my lasagna. The bite of the sharp cheddar combined with mozzarella is a wonderful combination. So, I hand grated the mozzarella, the parmesan and sharp cheddar. All was ready to assemble into a yummy dish for the coming birthday party. Now for the lemon pie!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyGNIaPvVAmWSGdihA637JtYN3Rk1aevs-mb0PJooCubXEf23aXUrjDjNHmd6qU4Odf7WAasB0jBVhlQvVcwilWNK1MFNOiTC7PxBkjug8UUuSnTtOMZXsbr2zNZ8JgkvErf7mw/s1600/IMG_0804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyGNIaPvVAmWSGdihA637JtYN3Rk1aevs-mb0PJooCubXEf23aXUrjDjNHmd6qU4Odf7WAasB0jBVhlQvVcwilWNK1MFNOiTC7PxBkjug8UUuSnTtOMZXsbr2zNZ8JgkvErf7mw/s1600/IMG_0804.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Palatino;"><span style="font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0px;">We don't have a lot of prepared foods here in China, so I sent my son to purchase 4 lemons for me. There is something about fresh squeezed lemon juice and grated lemon rind that remind me of sunshine. My kitchen smelled delightful. The pie was amazing. Usually, </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">when</span><span style="font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> I make the pie I use Real Lemon, lemon juice and let me just say, there is a big difference, </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">convenience</span><span style="font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> just isn't worth it. From now on I will always use fresh squeezed juice, unless lemons just aren't available.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Palatino;"><span style="font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Palatino;"><span style="font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Another difference cooking here are the eggs. The yolks are so yellow, a deep yellow orange. They provided a wonderful color to the lemon pudding. Nothing </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">artificial added. And the little oven did a great job of browning the meringue for me.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Palatino;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">The best part was everyone's reactions as they ate the pie. It was tart and sweet, a wonderful combination. Sunshine in every bite!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XZHUbbxDSLTk_VPxJ9c_QQ4Rt2Tkf6-rSn1ztV3AltETOhlpNaWsKnxhMrmu9di9CCbiu_O6qbyVsS8b0yYMDngT1ytf1BUk0op3M5MsKvPtwK9ek_N37ofpG6Ay-PXo_u3d0Q/s1600/IMG_0809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XZHUbbxDSLTk_VPxJ9c_QQ4Rt2Tkf6-rSn1ztV3AltETOhlpNaWsKnxhMrmu9di9CCbiu_O6qbyVsS8b0yYMDngT1ytf1BUk0op3M5MsKvPtwK9ek_N37ofpG6Ay-PXo_u3d0Q/s1600/IMG_0809.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">Lemon Meringue Pie:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 1/2 c of sugar</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/3 c of cornstarch</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1 1/2 c water</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Place the sugar and the cornstarch in a saucepan and slowly add the water so that the mixture is smooth. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil one minute. Remove from heat. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Separate 3 eggs and save the egg whites for making the meringue. ( I prepare this before I even begin cooking) Using a folk, mix up the yolks. I begin to add some of the hot sugar mixture a quarter cup at a time, meanwhile beating with a folk constantly, (so the egg doesn’t cook solid), when I have a good sized cereal bowl full, I stir it into the rest of the hot mixture. I boil for an additional minute then blend in 3 T butter. 4 T lemon juice and 1 1/2 T grated lemon rind.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I pour it into a baked pie shell cover with the meringue, make sure to seal the meringue to the crust so it doesn’t shrink away from the sides of the pie. bake at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes until the meringue is a nice golden color.</span></div>
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<div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">Meringue:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">3 egg whites (saved from the 3 eggs you separated earlier)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/4 t cream of tartar</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">6 T of sugar</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1/2 t vanilla</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Beat the eggs and the cream of tartar until frothy (foamy), gradually add sugar about a tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until stiff and glossy. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">( I always beat until the tracks of the beaters stay in the meringue)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As you can see even in China, it's possible to make a lovely pie.</span></div>
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-24882070577016335422014-02-19T00:14:00.000-08:002014-02-19T00:14:00.080-08:00Zion's People<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim, Liz, Daniel, Tricia and Cecilia after Tim was set apart </td></tr>
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Recently, during a sunday school class, the teacher was discussing how he didn't know how to be of one heart or one mind, (<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/moses/7.18?lang=eng" target="_blank">Moses 7:18</a>) he had been married 30 years and didn't even approach that with his wife. In the mean time, I was sitting there thinking about Christmas 2013.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9P_FcsE7XjoJyCR7I8sh19Lq8xeuZ8l0NqNw2ASIeNS_fge0hTAzKwJr2MILU_XNMLNhX3I5SRE5tm2PntCtPkTzZXvgXtYVHSUThaFcrQo1j27qPgaZF4ijIYUrOb_ki1Dv0Q/s1600/DSC_1643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW9P_FcsE7XjoJyCR7I8sh19Lq8xeuZ8l0NqNw2ASIeNS_fge0hTAzKwJr2MILU_XNMLNhX3I5SRE5tm2PntCtPkTzZXvgXtYVHSUThaFcrQo1j27qPgaZF4ijIYUrOb_ki1Dv0Q/s1600/DSC_1643.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first day at the beach</td></tr>
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Our family had gathered together in Destin, Florida of a holiday celebration. We had rented a condo in Destin so that we could spend time with Dave's folks, Allan and Judy Koespell. It was a 4 bedroom condo about a block from the beach. All of our children except Tim (who was on a mission) and David (who was in China watching my silly dog) were with us, as well as our two wonderful sons-in-law, 2 beautiful grand daughters and Dave's folks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZS_3oopgsLGEAUrc3PhKJX7kEuzw-vuxNAcAl8Urmao5aekng6Hc2Fx2a9sJOpmL9p0gyoAoiqZMhQI-5pAIvi9beEndS0K9UdfvwkhCph3Cqw1lZjqGPLakOBhczLNDYIkVZg/s1600/DSC_1767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZS_3oopgsLGEAUrc3PhKJX7kEuzw-vuxNAcAl8Urmao5aekng6Hc2Fx2a9sJOpmL9p0gyoAoiqZMhQI-5pAIvi9beEndS0K9UdfvwkhCph3Cqw1lZjqGPLakOBhczLNDYIkVZg/s1600/DSC_1767.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lizzy and I, at the Harbor, in Destin</td></tr>
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It was an amazing time for me. We had just gone though all the stressful events of Cecilia's birth, nearly losing Tricia to drug induced Lupus (caused by Macobid) and were desperately in need of a vacation. We cooked<br />
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together, did the dishes together, if a baby needed anything, someone was there to change, cuddle, sing to it. We explored the Destin area, with Grandma and Grandpa taking us to some of their favorite spots. This experience give me a glimpse of Zion and also a glimpse of just what the Celestial Kingdom will be like. Everyone working together, striving together to bring joy and happiness to those around them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandpa with Liz , KC and Audrey</td></tr>
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We spent many happy hours shopping at an amazing outlet mall, playing on the beach, listening to Mike and Liz sing. And eating great food, that's the thing about going home, you just miss the food you grew up eating. China has some great food but it's not the stuff I grew up eating so when I get a chance to eat "real" food it makes me very happy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGWADqX6SYzX2i7eYdlsjnC6vKXd7OyuoJ8n2wxrhNV4uaonZUjDZHHPFZSaQFpE-y0LIvVyUWv7g-iL1C2fsqkE04XNLPYh0K-U-xUjbzpQBIyTXsOpNy7I0bfK-WJiPPhEI4w/s1600/DSC_1735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGWADqX6SYzX2i7eYdlsjnC6vKXd7OyuoJ8n2wxrhNV4uaonZUjDZHHPFZSaQFpE-y0LIvVyUWv7g-iL1C2fsqkE04XNLPYh0K-U-xUjbzpQBIyTXsOpNy7I0bfK-WJiPPhEI4w/s1600/DSC_1735.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike singing his Super hero's song.</td></tr>
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I even found a yarn shop. My kids thought it was funny that even on vacation I could find a yarn shop! It's called "<a href="http://destinyarn.com/" target="_blank">Destin Yarn Shop</a>" and was on the way to the outlet mall, how could an avid knitter miss something like that? They had an awesome selection of yarn. I was able to pick up some to knit my mother-in-law some knee warmers. I also picked up some yarn and patterns for knitting my grand daughters some sweaters. I recommend stopping in when you are in Destin.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSH4yLE7HGi_q579xggxbNe7mXDAJIkQrBmuCbjANcsVo1Sqc1jEE_7EAprIp1ymavxwJ6MCInJHU2t3960hpT4teFvyG3XBizL_C1xrWwWefekz5CaoWNkbNOYTKM2cs7Uj9n-w/s1600/DSC_1676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSH4yLE7HGi_q579xggxbNe7mXDAJIkQrBmuCbjANcsVo1Sqc1jEE_7EAprIp1ymavxwJ6MCInJHU2t3960hpT4teFvyG3XBizL_C1xrWwWefekz5CaoWNkbNOYTKM2cs7Uj9n-w/s1600/DSC_1676.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 generations together!</td></tr>
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But the best was seeing Grandma and Grandpa with their great grand children. It was a priceless time for me. They are such caring and wonderful people. I am so blessed in both sets of my in-laws, but then I guess when you marry a man like Dave that is only to be expected, he had to learn it from someone. We attended Christmas Eve services with Grandma and Grandpa, it was a magical night. There was a BELL CHOIR! So beautiful. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6bIIZQ62H5OFh7WDMFziI9ZKqwLymUwQxVdY2Ctn8jDQGR9rMp33eeR3C2dJOo86LdeFOFgqkzCOSc4MzJ9dkIWUgDbPaX86PW1z-i3NlLxt9bhf9iNgkLeMFKQDWWiMl4ujkQ/s1600/DSC_1701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6bIIZQ62H5OFh7WDMFziI9ZKqwLymUwQxVdY2Ctn8jDQGR9rMp33eeR3C2dJOo86LdeFOFgqkzCOSc4MzJ9dkIWUgDbPaX86PW1z-i3NlLxt9bhf9iNgkLeMFKQDWWiMl4ujkQ/s1600/DSC_1701.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas Morning, Presents!<br />
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Christmas morning was a special treat for me. I was able to hold Audrey and snuggle her. I don't get to spend much time with her since I live in China so the time I am able to spend with either of my grand daughters is extra special to me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3kI4_Q8RBcWv3P9eEnUfb3VYtGq2iJwt5mGahT_EzKslrTlW548JqJlUw9wpaX5nLkVneWmcLJ2nViM0W2Fu5agSLxP-h-5x0Q6aMt4G7pCbWhlnZlMi7ZjqrdjtzcP0AS2-jg/s1600/DSC_1719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3kI4_Q8RBcWv3P9eEnUfb3VYtGq2iJwt5mGahT_EzKslrTlW548JqJlUw9wpaX5nLkVneWmcLJ2nViM0W2Fu5agSLxP-h-5x0Q6aMt4G7pCbWhlnZlMi7ZjqrdjtzcP0AS2-jg/s1600/DSC_1719.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike and Grandpa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bxMEhxQ_F8qWueuf_dKTXVg1eHkiiV7LKr-Q0VRWdmv6gbnpqcEkjL4QaMA0fp3IWORyoZBWOggGXCBUo45XzhrcNz7IG_7cUu27nv2MrfbML6Ldtagot3HAJ1OH-8tgM18_lw/s1600/DSC_1732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bxMEhxQ_F8qWueuf_dKTXVg1eHkiiV7LKr-Q0VRWdmv6gbnpqcEkjL4QaMA0fp3IWORyoZBWOggGXCBUo45XzhrcNz7IG_7cUu27nv2MrfbML6Ldtagot3HAJ1OH-8tgM18_lw/s1600/DSC_1732.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandpa and Cecelia </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78k7jrH2nvTSm9owkKwN8GITmCwdS3LUe02XpByMn3yo0u-wfcm-sE4U1uljeMUPlvdYVD3Gi5UT_OBvlDCfWBf8IbfaB7Qw75YPSlg0dIQMGHAivXmPDd9aQ9rBPGI4WWi1Pvw/s1600/DSC_1718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78k7jrH2nvTSm9owkKwN8GITmCwdS3LUe02XpByMn3yo0u-wfcm-sE4U1uljeMUPlvdYVD3Gi5UT_OBvlDCfWBf8IbfaB7Qw75YPSlg0dIQMGHAivXmPDd9aQ9rBPGI4WWi1Pvw/s1600/DSC_1718.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma and Stephanie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTpwujU3-G58NiIutffmAVcdML9OL2kjXu0_9l_Q3m_Jy24RO-bDyWVCymoFWb92QCTWGwC9Qlwsf_0Xq3pQc4uhcwSzmPVewSNjrN5ieYI-Vzh6k2N6AyObHWDGDHlP74dwW7w/s1600/IMG_0662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTpwujU3-G58NiIutffmAVcdML9OL2kjXu0_9l_Q3m_Jy24RO-bDyWVCymoFWb92QCTWGwC9Qlwsf_0Xq3pQc4uhcwSzmPVewSNjrN5ieYI-Vzh6k2N6AyObHWDGDHlP74dwW7w/s1600/IMG_0662.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cecilia </td></tr>
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I read something this past Sunday, "The family is the most important organization in time or in eternity."(<a href="http://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-joseph-fielding-smith/chapter-4-strengthening-and-preserving-the-family?lang=eng" target="_blank">Joseph Fielding Smith</a>) Moments like the week of Christmas 2013 help me to realize that the true joy in life comes from spending time with our families. Nothing else I have experience in my life has brought me the same level of joy.<br />
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<a href="http://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-joseph-fielding-smith/chapter-4-strengthening-and-preserving-the-family?lang=eng" target="_blank">Joseph Fielding Smith</a> also said, "Far more important than the question of occupation or wealth of people is the question of how their family life is conducted. All other things are of minor consequence..."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGmxvZOHOodpAXZ4RNkV79vxriogEV7piCwWRQ7tZ3jpyCWcQYX3u1K7K73yey_QyO_vqngJ-s9NX1MLV_vvLtg5tqMZDGTMyPcgPRH5_oDuiAuaiMTBNnQIWSmefe3Oe1KH0Rg/s1600/DSC_1700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGmxvZOHOodpAXZ4RNkV79vxriogEV7piCwWRQ7tZ3jpyCWcQYX3u1K7K73yey_QyO_vqngJ-s9NX1MLV_vvLtg5tqMZDGTMyPcgPRH5_oDuiAuaiMTBNnQIWSmefe3Oe1KH0Rg/s1600/DSC_1700.JPG" height="214" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Audrey in her Christmas jammies. </td></tr>
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-43304643689682074782014-02-16T23:58:00.002-08:002014-02-16T23:58:57.348-08:00Sabbath Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>"if thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then salt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." </i></div>
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Isaiah 58:13-14</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNKkLxnJ_ELKzo3A8cbvA9j4YmQgvejaSBMuvNslp3iup12n0FtTXDVYZNdaEXNV64U6uE0FQ91VHW39cPgwewhGc1yClkInthVIMNVVc0kZnFthXXv-C1yG6_DPk-IGhOUMwSQ/s1600/IMG_0787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNKkLxnJ_ELKzo3A8cbvA9j4YmQgvejaSBMuvNslp3iup12n0FtTXDVYZNdaEXNV64U6uE0FQ91VHW39cPgwewhGc1yClkInthVIMNVVc0kZnFthXXv-C1yG6_DPk-IGhOUMwSQ/s1600/IMG_0787.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot Chocolate from the Ryma Cafe in Hangzhou, China</td></tr>
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An important day for me to rest from the cares of the world, study the word of the Lord and renew my covenants by attending church. By keeping the sabbath day holy, my life is refreshed and it gives me the strength to endure. Endure what you might ask? The daily events in my life that causes me to reach to the very depths of my soul to see the events though to their completion. It can be as simple as finding the courage to move to a new land and learning how to function in a foreign society to watching your beautiful, brave daughter struggle to breathe and to live.</div>
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I enjoy the beautiful hymns sung in church. They lift my soul to Heaven and instill in me a belief that this struggle is worth the effort. They also bring me peace and joy. I find a life without peace and joy a very depressing thought.</div>
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I love watching the children at church. I wish I had,been more appreciative of my children's joy and innocence at church when my own children were young. I was so overburdened with callings, responsibilities, trying to learn the gospel and "fit" the mold of a good LDS woman. If I had it to do over again I wouldn't have allowed myself to be burdened down with the expectations of others. I would have cherished the moments in my life with my children at church. I write this so my beautiful daughters may learn from me, cherish and rejoice with your children as you enjoy the great blessing of the sabbath. I love the gospel, I love the things of the Spirit and so often I wasn't able to convey that to my children</div>
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How I miss sitting with my beautiful babies! I loved our family nights when we would sing song after song. We would each choose a song for singing time, that meant we would sing at least 9 songs during singing time for family home evening. "Nephi's Courage", "Follow the Prophet", "Book of Mormon Stories"were some of my very favorite songs. The children would sing these so enthusiastically, using hand gestures, they would pump their arm into the air with "I will go, I will do, the things the Lord commands" (in fact, one time during sacrament meeting, for some reason we sang "Nephi's Courage" and there was Dave, up on the stand with the bishopric, singing along, pumping his arm in the air!). </div>
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One particular family home evening, when Tricia was twelve years old, she taught the lesson. I still remember sitting on our king size bed, all the children gathered around, KC had just had surgery, so she was snuggled up against her mom and the Spirit filled the room surrounding us with all the warmth and joy associated with it. These are such excellent memories and ones I hope will be recreated for my grandchildren. </div>
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-50848621484985511552014-02-14T01:28:00.000-08:002014-02-14T01:30:18.982-08:00Frustrating Day in China<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNS3-GuuHd5OBKqSFomS1nvRZCQNqhyM3_MNV5s-Qg9AN2eg1rNw7GIRL9ZHcwfJki_TgfiD8gBLMfBFmBjKL54G2ThGwGkERy7WsatCxQOrW8tHtBKehEu_HfrJxwVSwE470B/s1600/IMG_0801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNS3-GuuHd5OBKqSFomS1nvRZCQNqhyM3_MNV5s-Qg9AN2eg1rNw7GIRL9ZHcwfJki_TgfiD8gBLMfBFmBjKL54G2ThGwGkERy7WsatCxQOrW8tHtBKehEu_HfrJxwVSwE470B/s1600/IMG_0801.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">my Tomato over</td></tr>
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Today, as I watched <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/" target="_blank">The Pioneer Woman</a>, Ree Drummond, on<a href="https://rootstech.org/about/videos/" target="_blank"> rootstech.org</a>, I was frustrated. I love her blog, I love watching her with her family but when I try to recreate anything I find on the internet, I find it is meiyo (not available). I have a large toaster oven that sits on my dryer for baking. I use, said oven, to make my family's bread, cookies, casseroles. It is a great blessing in my life but by it's very nature is limiting in what it allows me to do. I have a Phillips hand mixer which I use for mixing up frosting. I only it use it for frosting because it won't handle cookie dough or quick bread doughs etc. I have the great joy of having the beaters pop off in the middle of whatever I am making, no matter how well I seat them before I begin. I brought my measuring cups, measuring spoons and spatulas from America when I moved here. Every trip I take home I bring back a suitcase full of things to make my life just a little easier in the kitchen. You know the little things, like real vanilla, the imitation stuff just isn't the same. Not that I have found it for sale here in Hangzhou either but I have found a surprising amount of things available and it does grow more each month. A fact for which I am very grateful. It's almost as if the buyers for the stores here, get to peek into the suitcases of the incoming expat's and then stock it on the shelves at usually double or triple what I would have to pay at home. A very small box of Post Cereal sells for $10 USD, So, it's always a game to me, how much can I cram into a suitcase, and have it only weight 50 pounds! This time I brought my Lodge cast iron, dutch oven. It didn't leave a lot of weight for other things but is such a blessing to me. I have two gas burners in the kitchen, there is a high flame setting and higher flame setting. Simmer really isn't a good option. It's great for stir fry and wok cooking but not for much else. The pans here are usually thin as well, so having a cast iron pot is a large step up for me.<br />
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My best tool for cooking here is my electric pressure cooker, it's my crock pot that tenderizes meat! I love it for making beans and soups, in 30 minutes my meat is tender and we could eat or it will "simmer" for hours like a crock pot. It isn't a good option though for cooking chicken and dumplings! You really can't boil without building pressure and the pressure ruins the dumplings. So for those I start in the pressure cooker and finish up carefully on the gas burner with my dutch oven.<br />
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As you can see from the picture, my oven sits atop my wonderful Bosch dryer. The dryer is in my kitchen and washing machine sits on my balcony. The dryer collects the water in a tank that must be emptied with every load. It is surprising to me how much water each load of laundry has. I am very grateful to Bosch for developing a dryer that doesn't have to have a vent to the outside. There is no way that I could do that here in China conveniently. The dryer was 6500 rmb or about $1100 USD. Expensive but so helpful, when it rains here there is no drying the clothes.<br />
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Today, we have a high of 45 degrees, with a low of 32. Over the past week and a half we have averaged a high of 39 degrees, during this time our heater has only worked sporadically. When it first began to fail, we found out about it from our downstairs neighbors. I guess it was making quite a bit of noise and they wanted us to turn it off because the noise bothered them. (This China where it is never quiet, horns are always beeping, people talk very loudly, fireworks go off day and night, and did I mention this was the week of Chinese New Year where fireworks go off more than normal?) They came to demand that we turn our heat off at 10 pm. We told them sorry, we weren't going to go without heat overnight but that we would do our best to have it fixed first thing in the morning. First thing in the morning, David goes down with our friend Kimber to see about getting the heater fixed. Our neighbor is there ahead of him, demanding that management cut the heat to our apartment (good thing Kimber speaks Chinese or of course we wouldn't know any of this). Dave requests management send up their maintenance man to repair our heater. Turns out the maintenance man has been given 3 weeks off for Chinese New Year and won't be returning until the 15 of February. Oh Joy! Manager promises Dave that he will find someone else to repair it and not to leave our apartment so they can get in to fix it. We miss church to stay home a wait for the repair man to show. During one of trips to walk my dog (my 26 and 24 year old sons were waiting in the apartment for repair man). We come back to find said manager and downstairs neighbor turning off the power to our apartment! That did not go well, we spent the next three hours arguing with our neighbors and the apartment manager about "living the Chinese way" in other words, having no heat in a concrete box with high winds and thin panes of glass. Because after all, better that we freeze than they have to listen to noise.<br />
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Suddenly, the neighbor remembers that he knows a man who can repair our furnace. 100 rmb later, the noise stops, oh joy, neighbor leaves, they are happy, the noise has stop, we are freezing and do so for the next four days, while my husband's company tries to track down a repair man for our heater. Yesterday, a repairman does show up, 350 rmb later one of the heaters is working, the house actually begins to warm up, but I am realizing I may be cold for the rest of my life... Once you get that chilled it's very difficult to get rid of, only to wake up this morning to find that our heater has once again stopped working. What I have learned from this experience.<br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Don't trust your Chinese neighbor to find a repair man for you, he only cares about getting his needs met. It doesn't bother him at all that you are freezing.</li>
<li>Repair men here will only do the bare minimum to repair said problem, they won't bring proper tools and their response to everything is meiyo. (I am so hating that word)</li>
<li>Live on the ground floor, that way you won't panic when sons and husband try to fix the problem.</li>
</ol>
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My life is definitely an adventure. I am so grateful for heating blankets, the only source of heat I have had for the last week.</div>
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-91538069307835860532013-08-06T15:17:00.001-07:002013-08-07T13:10:40.451-07:00Awaiting Baby Arrival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQi-qUpkeAVJnZXAXvS3rQKuM9taFR8sqpobWVDnHIFcY-nd3D6YkYbfyucoWxeA6o3Gk2CIaHV8yIthf7AxrqtJITumx-BVHlVU03-Yx3B3FJlWvpwK0QVwurlKJDgRfJ-cUWwQ/s640/blogger-image-1077900736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQi-qUpkeAVJnZXAXvS3rQKuM9taFR8sqpobWVDnHIFcY-nd3D6YkYbfyucoWxeA6o3Gk2CIaHV8yIthf7AxrqtJITumx-BVHlVU03-Yx3B3FJlWvpwK0QVwurlKJDgRfJ-cUWwQ/s320/blogger-image-1077900736.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I found this wonderful, easy pattern on <a href="http://www.anniescatalog.com/detail.html?prod_id=22253" target="_blank">Annie's Attic</a>, I also order the yarn Dream Baby Pink and White but then I ended up using Dream Baby Shine in pink and white and I love how it turned out. I can't wait to see it on my grand daughter. She is due on August 17th so not many more days to go.</div>
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-55776235963171027192013-07-03T21:20:00.001-07:002013-07-03T21:20:25.651-07:00Hot Weather<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbXzaGgeuVGe0VDX441efyzamQXnlbpc_3ldzuWCpjOU8Nu9tN4ogZ67bdSBKUnsCM7luw-3w-7ZezMEgiTGvRaGKpAd0Pw9hwzpeIF7lyas5NqoxgWEvK_oSPt6hYxyafGiktA/s1600/2013-06-12+09.35.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbXzaGgeuVGe0VDX441efyzamQXnlbpc_3ldzuWCpjOU8Nu9tN4ogZ67bdSBKUnsCM7luw-3w-7ZezMEgiTGvRaGKpAd0Pw9hwzpeIF7lyas5NqoxgWEvK_oSPt6hYxyafGiktA/s1600/2013-06-12+09.35.18.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Not really envying two of my daughters right now. They are pregnant. The heat has to be hard on them and on the babies. It's been so hot. And it's staying that way. It's hard for me to imagine that the temperatures in Idaho are hoovering around 100 degrees. I expect that type of weather here in Asia but must admit I was usually cold when I lived in Idaho. I did purchase an air conditioning unit for the month of August but it didn't get this hot. It's been 100 degrees+ here in Hangzhou. Fortunately we live on the river and have a nice breeze most of the time. Today, we were blessed with clear skies. I could see to the mountains in both directions. Hangzhou is a beautiful place. I am told that Macro Polo stated that "Hangzhou was heaven on earth."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgXwxKYpzUXIta4OlD6l2SqGQxZ3GBjcwOxXjmbZpPCWULAMJBgBtVS735Yue4x4OSF0cHob7AkJwcVAANlfRFN1nQjPrjDpHVQeGqyfzeOLOun1h7TsQ-_-dgxzNECEqHrVZGA/s1600/DSC_1140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXgXwxKYpzUXIta4OlD6l2SqGQxZ3GBjcwOxXjmbZpPCWULAMJBgBtVS735Yue4x4OSF0cHob7AkJwcVAANlfRFN1nQjPrjDpHVQeGqyfzeOLOun1h7TsQ-_-dgxzNECEqHrVZGA/s400/DSC_1140.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the great paths in our garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Vg3f__FRavKsKTiJBVNm2e5r7LXV_yh9EJXtbeA4-K0EjT8zbwwkb_u43kP2YoRvJjxCbrqMKgBWzri49oB5QM3TPhyphenhyphengAiTZeOWQVgDDsB-p5bcGuAqQoK2h9AXFM6rVrT7igw/s1600/DSC_1129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Vg3f__FRavKsKTiJBVNm2e5r7LXV_yh9EJXtbeA4-K0EjT8zbwwkb_u43kP2YoRvJjxCbrqMKgBWzri49oB5QM3TPhyphenhyphengAiTZeOWQVgDDsB-p5bcGuAqQoK2h9AXFM6rVrT7igw/s400/DSC_1129.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gates to our apartment</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJik8zXEJXFMQCa8rWuMHbkTLuPExvreKor5pYBk9wv8zQE2l1SN8rtfI8O7ed2nBPHvSt26gjvtEofHH1b4E6owrvXkAh_MAmJyrtw95jIq3xVxmThk8fhFeWo5NGHyIqWsyow/s1600/DSC_1125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJik8zXEJXFMQCa8rWuMHbkTLuPExvreKor5pYBk9wv8zQE2l1SN8rtfI8O7ed2nBPHvSt26gjvtEofHH1b4E6owrvXkAh_MAmJyrtw95jIq3xVxmThk8fhFeWo5NGHyIqWsyow/s400/DSC_1125.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playground </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhac4fO7D6hIJCqnD7SRvZP4LCRWBkdD14kBPbXwJVkSRFtD1sznKSOYaBO53VX9fx_LKrvwUhgV7cezHGkYavjaBSs5u_3l-jdLnp5EhD2UU5PfFEIS2FMlQxTq0YsWsiCEF1vWA/s1600/DSC_1119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhac4fO7D6hIJCqnD7SRvZP4LCRWBkdD14kBPbXwJVkSRFtD1sznKSOYaBO53VX9fx_LKrvwUhgV7cezHGkYavjaBSs5u_3l-jdLnp5EhD2UU5PfFEIS2FMlQxTq0YsWsiCEF1vWA/s400/DSC_1119.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">exercise area</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfdr-gmc6SjIFg5FDvF8TVDutUnMYgmNaA-dho4tjito7c9K1yI9Uynkh1az6xc87OHXQIZBb30U0iH-WZTP27vt31fzAkYKMDxCAdIxhuw0yXJl7Al6HmhX8yIVzASZbE-bqPg/s1600/DSC_1171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfdr-gmc6SjIFg5FDvF8TVDutUnMYgmNaA-dho4tjito7c9K1yI9Uynkh1az6xc87OHXQIZBb30U0iH-WZTP27vt31fzAkYKMDxCAdIxhuw0yXJl7Al6HmhX8yIVzASZbE-bqPg/s320/DSC_1171.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I love the flowers, the streets here are lined with rose bushes. Every day, Chloe and I, walk in the gardens here at our complex. It has lovely brick lined paths. They don't mow here, they use a weed whip to keep the grass short. There are all types of flowers that line the walk ways. It's a beautiful place to walk. The flowers on the left remind me of KC's wedding. Almost the same color. I have been chatting with a nice woman from India, she has two wonderful children, a girl and a boy. The little girl seems quite taken with Chloe.<br />
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We were also greeted today by two golden retrievers. They were beautiful dogs, very clean and well groomed. Typical golden retrievers, very curious and full of energy. I thought one of them was going to pull it's owner right off the ground. Fortunately, they were on leashes not a usual occurrence here. I am constantly afraid that Chloe will get free and run off. With the traffic here I doubt <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplOGoG3UDh23iQKfhfNdss-QpBID0pMg0Zkl_ZirJeaXvjkOLUvWPYYm79OyrxH94qSrknhyYHMUdM9zqZ3TLvfrByO-vDM7jtLYgSPtXrOt06xm894zOnLZFIF_BwV7p0WM7Bg/s1600/DSC_1161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplOGoG3UDh23iQKfhfNdss-QpBID0pMg0Zkl_ZirJeaXvjkOLUvWPYYm79OyrxH94qSrknhyYHMUdM9zqZ3TLvfrByO-vDM7jtLYgSPtXrOt06xm894zOnLZFIF_BwV7p0WM7Bg/s320/DSC_1161.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
she could avoid being hit by a car. There are a lot of dogs here that roam free so I also worry about her being attacked by them, something that happens when she is with me, when it does occur, I reach down and pick her up! She loves to smell all the different areas of our daily walk, I like to imagine her thinking "Hmm, Harry must have been by here earlier today" I am not sure why I wonder what my dog is thinking but she sure is amusing. She makes life so fun! And she waits patiently every day for her two walks with me. I am very grateful to have such a good dog!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCMGreRaqyckVCmTej5BvVLfvmKqG8m1q0hF3Gw7u8PsQYa8TKMfpaOefl-vUfE6AbWUlA-gyqY-qNL7tTQOp8SvM6xoRQheR4oecwQoOepo-tD-X6vb5oMMDxocAgKt-tuYo1A/s1600/DSC_1116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCMGreRaqyckVCmTej5BvVLfvmKqG8m1q0hF3Gw7u8PsQYa8TKMfpaOefl-vUfE6AbWUlA-gyqY-qNL7tTQOp8SvM6xoRQheR4oecwQoOepo-tD-X6vb5oMMDxocAgKt-tuYo1A/s320/DSC_1116.JPG" width="320" /></a>The skies here are sunny and bright. I can even see blue in the sky today. The smog here is usually so great that I usually can't see that far out of my windows. Although it is still hazy you can see the bridge not far from our apartment building.<br />
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And this wonderful picture of our apartment building shows the beautiful blue sky. Our building flows across the sky. We have 3 balconies and since we are on the 26th floor we have quite the view on beautiful days like today.<br />
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We found a Papa John's pizza recently. finally pizza that tastes like home! We have already eaten there twice this week. There is a Pizza Hut here in Hangzhou but it tastes like China. Papa John's really tastes like American pizza. McDonald's is just like home expect for their shakes, very thin, watery and artificial tasting. The ice cream is go though. Kentucky Fried Chicken is better here in China then it was in Rexburg and they recently have begun to serve mashed potatoes! Such a treat. Buying groceries is expensive here. We spend about $500 U.S. on meat, flour, sugar. Vegetables can be cheap depends on what it is. We have fruit and vegetable markets right outside the gates of our apartment so it makes it very convenient to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables every day. (A little bit of a pain, to have to do it so often but very fresh) If you go in the morning right after they get their deliveries you have a great selection.<br />
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I knit another pair of booties, this time green with peach flower centers and white daises. I have downloaded <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saartjes-bootees" target="_blank">Saartje's bootees</a> as well as <a href="http://www.fuzzygalore.biz/patterns/cbbooties.shtml" target="_blank">Christine's baby booties</a> to try next. I am currently working on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-divine-ms-m" target="_blank">the Divine Ms M</a> for Elizabeth. I plan to watch some more <i>Call the Midwife</i> and knit for the rest of the day.</div>
MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-82403227312624221172013-06-26T06:55:00.001-07:002013-06-26T06:55:18.047-07:00Audrey's Fan Hat and Booties<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's an exciting time for our family. We found out this week that our second grandchild will also be a little girl! So, we are expecting Audrey in August and Cecila in November. It's so wonderful that the cousins will be close in age. I hope that they will be the best of friends.<br />
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I have been working on several projects in anticipation of the newest members of our family. The first is the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-janes-3" target="_blank">Baby Jane's</a> a free pattern on Ravelry by Valerie Johnson. It's an excellent pattern and took me 1 hour to make a bootie and probably a half hour to add the buttons and the flowers. I love the way they turned out.<br />
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I purchased the buttons at the Textile Mart here in Hangzhou. I purchased 14 pearlized buttons buttons for about $1.03 USD. I was able to use the wonderful peach coloured ones for one pair of booties and the centre of the flower on the hat. While at the textile market I was also able to purchase 3 meters of suit fabric so that I can have a suit made for my son Tim. It cost $20 USD and will make a great suit for his upcoming mission. I also purchased a canopy to go over a crib. It's so cute with embroidered flowers and cost me $10 USD. Lots of fun finds at the Textile Mart this trip. It was worth enduring the horrible heat and humidity to find them. I also felt great physically, living here in China has really helped my endurance.<br />
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The <a href="http://blogs.thetucker.com/knit/2011/10/11/two-lace-baby-hats/" target="_blank">fan lace baby hat</a> is a newborn size and also was an easy knit. I love the pattern of the lace on the hat. The <a href="http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/2013/02/simple-spring-crocheted-flowers.html" target="_blank">flower</a> also came from Ravelry. The blog for the flowers has a tutorial as well as the pattern. <br />
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I love the free patterns on Ravelry. I purchase a lot of patterns so I always appreciate the ones that are free. Especially ones that are as well written as these three were. I would like to thank the designers for making them available to me! I wanted to add flowers to the booties and was searching for some small flowers to add. The ones that I found were in a book called <i>60 Quick Baby Knits, </i>I was so excited to see that I already had the book on my shelf. I am always disappointed when I can't download the pattern. It's one of the difficulties of living over seas. If I find a book I want I have to wait until I return to the USA to purchase it. So much easier if I can just add it to my computer and begin reading right away.<br />
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The yarn for this project came from Knitpicks.com, CotLin, in Island Coral and also Swam. For the french knots at the centres of the flowers I used some left over sock yarn, in a variegated green. One skein of the Island Coral made the 2 sets of booties, one in size 0-3 months and one in size 3-6 months, as well as the newborn size Fan hat. I had about 9 yards of yarn left when I was finished and I think it will make a great flower on some future hat.</div>
MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com2Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China30.274085 120.1550700000000228.511933499999998 117.57328300000002 32.0362365 122.73685700000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-75602502371329805052013-04-21T20:37:00.000-07:002014-08-28T20:14:15.226-07:00Spring Time in China<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-61547055448415553782013-03-11T03:11:00.001-07:002013-03-11T03:11:31.584-07:00Mandy Cowl<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mandy Cowl up close</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modeled by my friend Sarah</td></tr>
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This weekend I cast on "The Mandy Cowl" found <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mandy-cowl" target="_blank">here:</a>, it is a free download on Ravelry. I love the stitch and the yarn. The yarn is from <a href="http://knitpicks.com/">Knitpicks.com</a>, the colour is lollipop. They are so vibrant and bold. It's 70 percent wool and 30 percent nylon. The pattern was easy and fun to knit and I love the results!<br />
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I will definitely be making more of these and want more of this yarn. If only knitpicks would ship to China. I did bring a suitcase full of yarn when I returned and am now enjoying using it here in Hangzhou.<br />
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I also made <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/absolutely-excellent-oatmeal-cookies/detail.aspx" target="_blank">oatmeal cookies</a> today. The recipe turned out amazing. I was looking for a recipe that didn't need butter. Try them I think you will like them! Baking here is expensive. I pay the equivalent of $5 US for 1 pound of sugar. I have to bring my shortening from the USA so I am very particular about what I bake. These cookies were worth it and I think Dave will think so too.<br />
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We also had a beauty parlour in the apartment today. Sarah came and spent the day, what a wonderful way to spend the day, talking to a great friend while she gets pampered by Elizabeth. Her hair came out amazing but then, Sarah is so beautiful it's to be expected. I flew Lizzy in from the states to do my hair in November and decided to keep her here. She now teaches English during the week and on her days off she does hair, with many compromises.<br />
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-54174293811916122742013-02-24T04:36:00.000-08:002013-02-24T04:36:23.791-08:00Sunday Drive HangZhou<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Went for a Sunday drive today around the city and stumbled upon some beautiful sights. It appears to be a tourist part of Hangzhou of course it's hard to tell for sure as it is currently spring festival. Fireworks are once again going off outside our balcony. It was a beautiful clear day today, something that hasn't occurred much since moving here. <br />
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I made some amazing peanut bars this week that we enjoyed. They remind me of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. More peanut butter though. I found the recipe <a href="http://www.southernplate.com/2011/04/no-bake-cafeteria-peanut-butter-bars.html" target="_blank">here:</a> We fortunately had all of the ingredients available. The first recipe I found required graham crackers. I haven't found those in China. I am sure they are available I just haven't found them. Also, as chocolate chips are very expensive, you can just melt a chocolate bar on top of the peanut butter filling.<br />
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It was branch conference today at church Dave was called as first counselor in the Elders Quorum. Hopefully he will help to strengthen the Hangzhou Branch. The Lord still has no need of me. Sure does feel strange not to have a calling and yet it is probably a good thing. I am not comfortable traveling about by myself so it's better this way.</div>
MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-58504971595385267092013-02-10T17:19:00.000-08:002013-02-10T17:19:46.858-08:00Very Versatile Striped Beanie by Deja Jetmir<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTpTvLJy9fkc62BbqU3U-D77OZhBQq7Xhqr9B1i652fH8tQF6ABTePQTgUIHblndwBLWF-ifFLEuEW2mzGxAxLBzyOv0km9uhY3d2xnGhgkkVuNGAO95-rN-gcsZ9CTHjQpQYbQ/s1600/hat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTpTvLJy9fkc62BbqU3U-D77OZhBQq7Xhqr9B1i652fH8tQF6ABTePQTgUIHblndwBLWF-ifFLEuEW2mzGxAxLBzyOv0km9uhY3d2xnGhgkkVuNGAO95-rN-gcsZ9CTHjQpQYbQ/s200/hat1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I finished another hat for my son Mike. Tim is modeling it for the pictures as Mike was still in the USA when I took the pictures. The pattern, <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/Very_Versatile_Striped_Crochet_Beanie__D12192220.html">Very Versatile Striped Beanie</a>, was very easy to follow. It was my first time trying the magic adjustable loop. She has nice graphics with the pattern that were easy to follow and helped me to have nice even rows when changing colors (something that isn't easy crochet).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJK2FWawJl8VL6MWtIA-lotnsbvu6HTMM-831XiwaDPELiomZfFSfbLWFZ18qdXWvdwBRqil2fDqc3ueUHrKvKiTCRwtHMY6uoxFg1qiX2ZotT7_15mQgIcEXXJaJL8-Y3a0qQjg/s1600/hat3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJK2FWawJl8VL6MWtIA-lotnsbvu6HTMM-831XiwaDPELiomZfFSfbLWFZ18qdXWvdwBRqil2fDqc3ueUHrKvKiTCRwtHMY6uoxFg1qiX2ZotT7_15mQgIcEXXJaJL8-Y3a0qQjg/s200/hat3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbWUQ3yoxi5K5sALfdtCnJd_dNW0_tleX_D5ojdBnT7hYAPjS0huQfHZy_dieDDXex3zj8ux7uPEeBczBsjO8-dN-L6EsTFh5nf-dWN_jm5okgZmZ5kOmZEEzhr8Cb0zqXnbWgA/s1600/hat2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbWUQ3yoxi5K5sALfdtCnJd_dNW0_tleX_D5ojdBnT7hYAPjS0huQfHZy_dieDDXex3zj8ux7uPEeBczBsjO8-dN-L6EsTFh5nf-dWN_jm5okgZmZ5kOmZEEzhr8Cb0zqXnbWgA/s200/hat2.jpg" width="200" /></a>I used Knitpicks <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/Chroma_Fingering_Sock_Yarn__D5420203.html">chroma</a> fingering weight in Rainbow and gray. The yarn is a wool and nylon combination. It is so soft and has a silky feel to it. There was enough yarn left that I could make another hat with it. I did attempt to make a pair of <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/cfpatterns/pattern_display.cfm?ID=11562220">crocodile bootie</a>s with it, but this pattern wasn't as easy for me to follow. I could do the v stitches that turned into the cool scales just fine the problem was the row that begins the scales has you chain 7 for a strap and then it doesn't fit into the pattern any more. I emailed the designer asking for help, hopefully I will hear back from her because I think it's a cute pattern and would love to make them. Meantime I am once again working on my sock blanket. I knit 6 more blocks yesterday. It's nice to have a mindless pattern waiting in the wings. <br />
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I am not sure what project to take on next. I have a lot of yarn that I brought from the United States as well as some beautiful fingering weight silk that I purchased here in China. I'll have to spend some time hunting up a new project. Or maybe I will try my hand at the crocodile booties again. (4 attempts seems like a reasonable try). I am blessed to have such wonderful hobbies. They make me feel at home no matter where I am.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnXbF2LzExCHeweG43hRsJbdZDHA52Wafk3Nr-syKj4IHXSUj3kog8SqrZAFERUneyc4ZSVITWyNgLItH1yuaqMtS1Sl-HxkT4O1fiDOq3_I-WYR1ICdJdkpDMtDUEKpcEsqgCw/s1600/jack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmnXbF2LzExCHeweG43hRsJbdZDHA52Wafk3Nr-syKj4IHXSUj3kog8SqrZAFERUneyc4ZSVITWyNgLItH1yuaqMtS1Sl-HxkT4O1fiDOq3_I-WYR1ICdJdkpDMtDUEKpcEsqgCw/s200/jack.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I also have my sewing machine with me and I purchased some wonderful scottie dog material to make a baby quilt for my new grand child that is expected Aug 2013. The baby's watch dog is a Scotty/Dachshund mix named Jack. Jack was rescued from the pound when our dog Pokey died. We took Pokey there to be cremated and KC wondered back to look at what dogs they had and fell in love with Jack. I must admit he is a wonderful addition to our family.</div>
MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-85133862965889843762013-02-10T16:42:00.000-08:002013-02-10T16:43:03.314-08:00Return to Hangzhou<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIQfrb5IvZdrjq3ukhGci_Y35lFKA0z-Y5vwf0qt4PTWmj6Pd8vsGrzbp-mPZT3sSnmMTPU5yn5P9CAVaV5H6e2dE7G0qD6I_LBYzZUtS7kZI3NjHVgDdmzxh20oPqypGdC7vMA/s1600/DSC00653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIQfrb5IvZdrjq3ukhGci_Y35lFKA0z-Y5vwf0qt4PTWmj6Pd8vsGrzbp-mPZT3sSnmMTPU5yn5P9CAVaV5H6e2dE7G0qD6I_LBYzZUtS7kZI3NjHVgDdmzxh20oPqypGdC7vMA/s200/DSC00653.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sons hiding the bride.</td></tr>
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I returned to Hangzhou this month after spending time in the United States for my daughter Tricia's wedding to Daniel Gaillard, on Dec 28, 2012. It was a wonderful week spent with family and friends. My brother and sister, 2 of my nephews and one of my nieces came. We were also blessed to have my Aunt Maxine as well as my cousin Phetney and her husband, Joe join us.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwoJZSMyEQGbC7TEoSyMeS2h7MlUZnL6fF-jhiTtX3FiXI4zyVMMz9FZvhazIEHZEZzjd-nOgtQNPwG1Ble94nOQUWqB76RFoFEC2-8AJBcAL3g0YfX1GoYP881MppywLQYH0CQ/s1600/DSC00651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwoJZSMyEQGbC7TEoSyMeS2h7MlUZnL6fF-jhiTtX3FiXI4zyVMMz9FZvhazIEHZEZzjd-nOgtQNPwG1Ble94nOQUWqB76RFoFEC2-8AJBcAL3g0YfX1GoYP881MppywLQYH0CQ/s200/DSC00651.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beautiful daughers.</td></tr>
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My favorite pictures is of Tricia dancing with her father to a Frank Sinatra song. They had the fedoras handed to them as they danced. They looked wonderful dancing together. The song was "Fly Me to The Moon."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJ86HEz4JjRbi1OvUypFPyu4yNdWzU9nu1ZJzCbWE1LtGjFMxTX0u4_Dt7JlsHmNnHlr2IGlm0bjNZDyII5buicy4qJsG6h9gnd0EO-S3owqA8vlSLlwJPv_y3aORSU15Dphxuw/s1600/DSC00638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJ86HEz4JjRbi1OvUypFPyu4yNdWzU9nu1ZJzCbWE1LtGjFMxTX0u4_Dt7JlsHmNnHlr2IGlm0bjNZDyII5buicy4qJsG6h9gnd0EO-S3owqA8vlSLlwJPv_y3aORSU15Dphxuw/s320/DSC00638.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and Dad with the happy couple.</td></tr>
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-15556524037660610862012-12-04T03:23:00.000-08:002012-12-04T05:07:17.481-08:00On Regret<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Rockwell Extra Bold';"><span style="font-family: "Rockwell Extra Bold"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“The
more we devote ourselves to the pursuit of holiness and happiness, the less
likely we will be on a path to regrets.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Rockwell Extra Bold';">
</span><br />
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Hebrew";">Resolve
to spend more time with those we love<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Hebrew";">Resolve
to strive more earnestly to become the person God wants us to be<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Hebrew";">Resolve
to find happiness, regardless of our circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Adobe Hebrew";"><br /></span></i></b>
<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today in my scripture study I read a conference talk by
President Dieter F Uchtdorf. What an inspirational talk. The entire talk can be found <a href="http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/of-regrets-and-resolutions?lan=eng">here</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How simple it is!
Want to avoid regret? Yes! Pursue holiness. So simple. In fact why didn't I think of that before?? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Resolve to strive more earnestly to become the person God wants us to be! </b>I can do that! And it doesn't have to be overwhelming, just one day at a time try harder to be who the Lord wants me to be.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you have amazing friends that encourage you to be the best you can be it makes it so much easier and I have always been blessed with the very best of friends. They help me to remember that I am a daughter of God and he loves me. One of my friends, mentioned today that we have to remember the incredible blessings we have received, <b><i>"exceptional things happen to me!"</i></b>. Isn't that the truth, when we remember that incredible things that happen to us, we realize more wonderful blessings that have been in our lives but we missed because we were to busy to recognize them in our life! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been so blessed these past couple of weeks by a visit from my daughter Elizabeth. She arrived in China on November 19th and has been spreading joy ever since! She did a service day for our branch here in Hangzhou where she gave scalp treatments to the ladies of the Relief Society. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> She has really been excited about everything Chinese which spreads the excitement to those around her, helping me to realize how blessed I am to be in China. Yesterday we traveled to West Lake and just enjoyed the beautiful scenery. By the lake there was a clothes line with 10 ducks skinned, drying in the sun in preparation for the Chinese New Year! Amazing. Not something you would typically see in the USA!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We went with this incredible family to help them take their family picture for their Christmas card. As we were taking the pictures, groups were taking pictures of their adorable children. So fun! The Chinese people love to see American children.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Liz made some great cookies today, she modified the Crisco
Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe found <a href="http://www.crisco.com/Recipes/Details.aspx?recipeID=2102&loc=7">here:</a>
instead of ¾ cups butter flavored Crisco, she used ½ cup regular Crisco and ¼
cup butter, dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar, 1 ½ cups of all
purpose unbleached flour, ¼ cup of coco powder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They taste amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was necessary to substitute with butter, as we didn’t have butter
flavored Crisco.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The results are a
chewy chocolate cookie. I wish I had some Crasins to put in them, maybe next
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s even more amazing how
wonderful this taste when you consider we don’t have a mixer so they were mixed
by hand.</span></div>
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-23807476796167841192012-10-30T00:32:00.000-07:002012-10-30T00:32:01.961-07:00My new address! Hangzhou, China<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmo36CaN7fdWVt8Bw7CE_70-lYl9VhKE_2H7m9p3WBdFa2A4j_pDX-Z1KeY25HUs6KvLghcPuGf3ovTROlnbAcxtFEAVQvN-E5924F4FTknsL8ilKqmtPLqpTcaR0ik_lbPbjDg/s1600/2012-10-07+05.46.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmo36CaN7fdWVt8Bw7CE_70-lYl9VhKE_2H7m9p3WBdFa2A4j_pDX-Z1KeY25HUs6KvLghcPuGf3ovTROlnbAcxtFEAVQvN-E5924F4FTknsL8ilKqmtPLqpTcaR0ik_lbPbjDg/s200/2012-10-07+05.46.35.jpg" width="200" /></a> The view from my office window is the this track from the middle school across the street. All this past week it has been a hive of activity as the students prepared for a big presentation that began on Wednesday and ended on Friday. I have so enjoyed the quiet since they completed their activities, it was daily blaring of a loud speaker, drums and music. Every day, they play different music depending on the time of day. It's a nice way to keep track of the time and they play wonderful selections of classical music, just wish they would change the tunes occasionally.<br />
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We live on the 26th floor and have a wonderful view of the river, the apartment is about 1400 sq feet. We have 3 bedrooms and two baths. The living room is a nice size although we hardly ever use it. When Dave is home he tends to be in the office working on the computer, he has enjoyed reading the news about the upcoming election in the USA. I, on the other hand, am often taken aback at how rude and cruel his cousin and sister are. It's ok to have different views (that's one of the great things about America, is we can agree to disagree) but to post lies, to belittle someone for their beliefs is just wrong. My daughter tells me to just let it go, but I think the words were never truer, you can't unring a bell, I will always look at them differently for how cruel they were to their brother and cousin. I will be very glad to have this election behind us!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ-3hNFls7YPEQEeEWRC61UNvImglq2adBpFeNXzGJDvCatwNt79mPcfrfKq7Iv_hzZM4vc_x0szpi4HriyhVzJ536tqR-d2Sf0Z-YBdRir73krDwwlFA6SHb94aSDASSRyE-VQ/s1600/2012-10-07+05.47.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ-3hNFls7YPEQEeEWRC61UNvImglq2adBpFeNXzGJDvCatwNt79mPcfrfKq7Iv_hzZM4vc_x0szpi4HriyhVzJ536tqR-d2Sf0Z-YBdRir73krDwwlFA6SHb94aSDASSRyE-VQ/s320/2012-10-07+05.47.38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This the view from one of our balconies, to the park at the complex, it's a wonderful park with walking paths, a place for the nightly dancing that the women here participate in, and a great play ground for the children. Even if it is an apartment it's a very nice nice environment to live in. At the entrance to our complex are various stores and a brand new Subway!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcB8JCHVWqh0-2rr9lgmp4g_0DzOII0Q_PsVoY-99H1xzDzuLpzqQ6M-N18LvUkjtR6oIOWRkMs-J5Y6-Txg5J-1NukQhTOuLGjso2MtWBNth_vS05JP1r5jz2wMR0arlhLIKJQ/s1600/subway+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcB8JCHVWqh0-2rr9lgmp4g_0DzOII0Q_PsVoY-99H1xzDzuLpzqQ6M-N18LvUkjtR6oIOWRkMs-J5Y6-Txg5J-1NukQhTOuLGjso2MtWBNth_vS05JP1r5jz2wMR0arlhLIKJQ/s320/subway+.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Yes, sad but true, it was a great day for our family when the subway opened! It's definitely a taste of home and very convenient when you just don't feel like cooking! We are now eagerly anticipating the opening of an Italian restaurant next door to the subway! We also like LA Cafe when we are hungry for a nice salad and Splash when we want Mexican! (Can you tell that Hangzhou has a little bit of everything?)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWRiEmgeVy_kOtYA9xcD7wcb92Aw7aaB_88OCuqv5H8XuIxNlEKyKw7v6qjAx_Qde6CUWo6JXXk2bkVkzumk73PMT8POinulgqy057XidTZwq-syaH7tdArctDJejze0ysceqdA/s1600/wahing+machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWRiEmgeVy_kOtYA9xcD7wcb92Aw7aaB_88OCuqv5H8XuIxNlEKyKw7v6qjAx_Qde6CUWo6JXXk2bkVkzumk73PMT8POinulgqy057XidTZwq-syaH7tdArctDJejze0ysceqdA/s320/wahing+machine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Not to be negative, but I don't like the hot water heater, each morning you get about 1 min of hot water, so you get to soap up quickly and then freeze while you rinse off. Really makes you consider whether you really want to take a shower or not! The benefit of the hot water heater here though is, I can wash my dishes in hot water unlike India where I had to boil my water to wash the dishes.<br />
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On the washing front, our washing machine is on one of our balconies. Every morning begins with a load of laundry. As you can see from the picture the clothesline is also there. Very convenient to be able to hang up the clothes right out of the washer. The weather is getting colder though and the clothes aren't drying so I fear we will have to break down and purchase a dryer. But, good news! They have dryers here! So very many things to be grateful here! Of Course the most important of which is David really enjoys his job. He likes making a difference and sharing his knowledge with those who work for him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBOx9Fv_wBwIaHkfmYCi7UzxoN9TDWScglwJfUfSXUC4MLimWooiij9yGIZZ89Lc8eAgBHYjmb3eBDWsPy0bq2m7uo-U3cDhb79loz4v2BXVYL3x1F3c-uQ7EWHEloW8pBR1oqA/s1600/Photo+on+2012-10-30+at+15.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBOx9Fv_wBwIaHkfmYCi7UzxoN9TDWScglwJfUfSXUC4MLimWooiij9yGIZZ89Lc8eAgBHYjmb3eBDWsPy0bq2m7uo-U3cDhb79loz4v2BXVYL3x1F3c-uQ7EWHEloW8pBR1oqA/s320/Photo+on+2012-10-30+at+15.11.jpg" width="318" /></a>We attend a wonderful branch of our church here in Hangzhou, the people are so warm and welcoming. We are so blessed to be able to have the opportunity to meet such fine people. To attend our branch you must have a visa to visit China. So our members are from all over the world. Such a blessing from Tim to be able to interact with so many wonderful people.<br />
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Tim attends the Hangzhou International School. He has really enjoyed the transition. Tomorrow he will travel to Shanghi where he will have the opportunity to hear Jane Goodall speak. How amazing is that? When I told my children my children in the states they had a serious case of envy!<br />
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I finished a baby blanket that I started before the move. The pattern was cast on 121 stitches, knit the first 5 rows, knit first and last 6 stitches of every row. Then the pattern stitch for the blanket was:<br />
row 1: Knit<br />
row 2: P<br />
row 3: K1, yo, p1, p3 tog, p1, yo, k1; repeat across<br />
row 4: P<br />
Rep 1-4 until desired length.<br />
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I used Lion Brand Babysoft Solid, it's soft and lays nicely. I am considering taking apart and making it bigger. It is rather small but it would be great for covering a baby or maybe adding a crocheted edging to the blanket to make it wider.<br />
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I am casting on today, http://digitalnabi.com/blog/2010/10/the-prettiest-hot-pad-ever/<br />
I will be using prima cotton by knitpicks, sure wished they shipped overseas. I purchased a great pattern for a jacket that I will have to wait until I return to the states to purchase yarn for...<br />
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-3685519172104957452012-08-27T09:46:00.000-07:002012-08-27T09:46:26.281-07:00Pumpkin Muffins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Fall is in the air here in Idaho. I made these muffins for the family on a whim Saturday and then needed to make another batch on Sunday. So yummy!<br />
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2 c Pumpkin<br />
1 c packed brown sugar<br />
1/2 c oil<br />
1/2 c water<br />
4 eggs<br />
2 c flour<br />
1 c oatmeal<br />
4 t baking powder<br />
2 t pumpkin spice<br />
1 c mini chocolate chips.<br />
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MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37355109.post-86447497673632021132012-06-02T08:00:00.001-07:002012-06-02T08:14:37.190-07:00Finished Tim's Sock's<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Well, I purchased another camera hopefully this one will work better than the Cannon I had. I purchased a Nikon CoolPix in a great red color.<br />
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We have had some major changes in our family this year. My husband works in China now and is always gone. Not the best way to keep a marriage strong. My daughter Kristine married this year on the 6th of April. And we moved into a wonderful home outside of town, the dogs and the kids are much happier.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRo2FTUNUQOpJ_jMB-mtXDm0nBQPucjfqEhSY0TYZohyakwcRqYAU-8Yb3r5qPUK5TPHTPEocWC10ovkGvRLkZiVserPrVQyZRcQaRFgG2k_n1f147zE1L17G6PGnePh7xRN6FQ/s1600/DSCN0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRo2FTUNUQOpJ_jMB-mtXDm0nBQPucjfqEhSY0TYZohyakwcRqYAU-8Yb3r5qPUK5TPHTPEocWC10ovkGvRLkZiVserPrVQyZRcQaRFgG2k_n1f147zE1L17G6PGnePh7xRN6FQ/s320/DSCN0007.JPG" width="320" /></a>I have started a quilt for my daughter Kristine from the Nickel Quilts book but the move interrupted the sewing it always takes me awhile to set up my sewing area after a move. <br />
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Mostly I have been knitting in my spare time to keep me sane! I finished Shur'tugal Dragon by Alice Yu. I really liked the doubled-tail cast on it made for a very sturdy cast on that I will be using again in the further. The directions for the doubled-tail cast on can be found here.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">http://www.socktopus.co.uk/2009/04/doubled-long-tail-cast-on/</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The socks very easy to knit after awhile I had a rhythm going that made them quite fun to knit with very little concentration needed. Always a good thing as I tend to knit while doing other things like watching movies, or listening to books on tape. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>MJSaylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06512490750242344545noreply@blogger.com0