Robin Good and His Not so Merry Men: A Review

I was offered to participate in a review of the latest Veggie Tales film, "Robin Hood and His Not so Merry Men." We were lucky enough to have a copy sent to us so Ryan and I could watch it together. The goal of the film is to help children understand and handle hurt. Besides the intermission of "Silly Songs with Larry" (more to follow on that in itself), there are two stories portrayed in the film. One is about Jr, the little asparagus kid, who goes through a long, awful day thinking everyone forgot his birthday. The second features Larry the Cucumber as Robin the Good, who along with his Merry Men try to fund-raise money from the rich to give food to the poor. Both scenarios are designed to help young children understand that not everything will always go their way, but with the help of a loving God they can feel happy and peaceful. I'm kind of a thorough reviewer, so I'm going to break down my thoughts into three sections. 1. Jr.'s very bad day. 2. Silly Songs with Larry, "Bubble Rap."  3. The story of Robin Good.

1. Jr's Very Bad Day
In this story, Jr. wakes up thinking it's March 1st, his birthday. However, it's a leap year so the day is actually February 29th. He goes through the entire day with none of the typical birthday celebrations he was expecting. No breakfast in bed, no presents or party. The story ends with Jr.'s mother explaining to him that his birthday is not until tomorrow, and how everything will be ok because God loves him even when he's hurting.

My only criticism is it has an instant happy ending. I think it's a valuable lesson to teach children that there are some things in life that we can't fix. There are hurts too big for us to handle on our own. Family members die, children get diagnosed with serious illness, pet dogs get hit or put to sleep. These are real struggles and hurtful events in children's lives, and they're not solved as easily as realizing your birthday is in fact, tomorrow. I wish the creators had chosen a more serious subject, because when those sad and hurtful events occur the only place to find real solace and help is from God. Yes, He is there on bad days like Jr.'s, but He's also there when nothing else can make you feel better. A bad day is a bad day. If you want to teach your children about bad days, read them "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." But if you're looking for a tool to help your child understand why Grandpa passed away, or how to cope with a sibling being diagnosed with Leukemia, I don't think this dvd's going to cut it.

2. Silly Songs with Larry "Bubble Rap"
I usually love Silly Songs with Larry. The songs are cute, simple, and sweet for little children to sing and dance to. This one wasn't. I don't think it's cute for little kids to want to emulate medallion-wearing rap stars and dance around to pop music that isn't appropriate for their age, even if the subject matter is. Maybe they put an intern in charge of this Silly Song, because it wasn't anything like the sweet ones they usually produce. I understand the play on words with "bubble wrap" and "bubble rap," but come on. What's cute about watching your little 4-year-old rapping gangsta-style because Larry the Cucumber does it? I would like a better role model for my little boy than a sideways hat and gold chains. Let him be a kid while he's still a kid. Usually, Veggies Tales is really good about that, but they dropped the ball this time for sure. Ok, enough of that soap box.

3. The Story of Robin Good
As stated earlier, the premise is about Robin losing all his friends, the Merry Men, because they want to steal from the rich instead of fund raise to help the poor. It's a parody on the classic tale of Robin Hood. I do appreciate the concept that Larry did what was right even though it cost him his friends. That is an excellent lesson for children. Sometimes doing the right thing means you do it by yourself, and that can really hurt. I remember what that felt like growing up, and it's hard. When Larry feels completely alone and sad he talks to an elderly lady who explains with God we don't ever have to feel alone. He can take away the hurt, and will always be our friend. That's a great message, and one I'm happy to teach my son. Later Larry's friends realize he was right, and they repent and apologize.

Overall, the movie was sweet. It's important to help children understand not everything is always going to go their way. I just assumed when the movie said it was a "lesson on handling hurt" I thought it would be more about real struggles and intense challenges in life, not just having a bad day or losing a few friends. Not that those things don't cause real sadness for children, but there are larger things in life. I think the earlier you teach children about serious struggles and trials, the more prepared they will be for those types of events in their own lives. Real challenges aren't something to shy away from . They are things that truly teach us to look to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for love and support. They are the only source through which true comfort and peace can be found.

So in conclusion, it's a cute a movie with some good points. However, I'd completely skip over Larry's Silly Song this time. What a disappointment. And after it's over, sit down with your child and have a chat about where the best comfort in our lives comes from, our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

3 Cheers for Craft Month!

I have a love/hate relationship with March. On the one hand, it's National Craft Month, and I always stretch myself to create something new. This year I've invented a new hairstyle, made my own plarn and crocheted a bag out of it, and converted an old dress into a skirt. On the other hand, it's March Madness, so I kind of lose my husband for four weeks unless I find ways to slip basketball terms into daily conversation. "Honey, I'm feeling upset. Like, Missouri vs. Norfolk St. upset." "Would you mind doing a slam dunk in my book by taking out the trash?" "Wow, Duke really stinks today. Kind of like your son's diaper. Would you change it?" I think if I didn't have Craft Month to distract me it would be a lot worse, but I have to say each year we learn to compromise a little better. I watch a couple more games and he watches a couple fewer. Not to mention he's learned to "ooh" and "ahh" over each of my new crafts, which I so appreciate.

Here's your turn to "ohh" and "ahh" over my awesome crafts. And even cooler, I'm going to share with you how to do each of them. Now there's a real slam dunk to cheer about!

Hairstyle: The Basket-weave Bun

Step 1. Put hair into a ponytail. You can put the ponytail as high or as low as you wish, depending on where you want the bun on your head to be. I've tried low and mid-high. Both work just fine.

Step 2. Do a five-strand braid. I learned how to do it with this video. It only took me a couple tries til I had it down, and surprisingly it's easier for me to do if I'm NOT looking in the mirror. Just a tip.

Step 3. Fold hair into a bun shape, leaving a small lip over the top to hide the elastic from the original ponytail.     

Step 4. Secure with bobby pins, and add flowers/accessories as desired. Voila!










Crocheting with Plarn (plastic-yarn)

Step 1. Make plarn. You need a lot more grocery bags than you think. I separated my bags by color and brand so I could keep a somewhat uniform look with the plarn. Here's the link I used to learn how to make my own. It's pretty easy. And don't get upset if the strands break when you loop them together. Just tie up the broken strands and move on. This stuff doesn't need to be perfect to still work and look awesome.

Step 2. There are lots of free patterns online for making plarn bags, but I really wanted to make my own. I wanted it to feel 100% made by me, yarn included. So if you feel comfortable enough in your crocheting skills  to freestyle, go for it. It's really rewarding. If you want to stick to a pattern, here's a site that has all their patterns for free.

Step 3. Revel in your awesomeness that you just made a great beach/pool tote out of recycled bags. And not only did you make the bag, but the yarn, too! It's a totally different experience to feel like you started from scratch. A bit like making your own cake without using a mix, especially if you came up with the pattern yourself!



Dress Convert to Skirt
Step 1: Take an old dress that you're either bored with, or in my case your chest area doesn't fit back into post-baby, such as this.

Yes, this is me nearly 4 years ago. I was so tiny and never fully appreciated it. Alas...

Step 2: Cut off bust of dress with sewing scissors. If you're lucky, the dress you chose has an empire waist, which means the hem is practically done already.

Step 3. Hem the top of the "skirt" and add elastic if necessary, or fold down and sew leftover fabric to the empire hem.

Step 4. Add adorable belt and top of choice, and you have a darling skirt for Spring!
















So despite the Madness, or just being plain mad when your only time together is spent watching a team you've neither heard nor care about, get over it by starting up a new project, while every so often looking at the screen and saying, "Get the rebound!!!" Works for me, anyway.

Last-Minute Valentine's Day Gift: Solved

So it's February 13th, you don't have a gift for your sweetheart, and you don't have any cash to get them one anyway. No problem. For my solution you only need a cheap deck of cards (I got one for $.50 at the dollar store), and a sharpie. And don't worry, I already made this gift for Brenton for Christmas, so I'm not giving away anything should he read this post before tomorrow.

If your husband is like mine, he likes to take you out on a date every week. It's important for him to ask you, make a plan, and treat you well. But with his very busy schedule, it's hard for him to come up with original ideas all the time, especially ones that may need to be at home because you can't find a babysitter.

If you're like me, you love spending time on a date with your spouse each week, and you appreciate how much he wants to be the one to plan it and ask you. But sometimes there are really fun date ideas you want to try, but if you told him what they were it would spoil the surprise. Ok, maybe you're not as melodramatic and difficult as I am, but the surprise factor is super important to me.

THE SOLUTION: 52 DATE IDEAS, ONE FOR EVERY WEEK OF THE YEAR!

You can do this may different ways, but here's how I made mine. There are 52 cards in a deck, 52 weeks in the year. It works perfectly. I wanted to have a bit of variety, so I broke mine down this way:

Black suits (spades and clubs)= dates that are 100% free
Red suits (hearts and diamonds)= dates that cost at least some money (anywhere from $-$$)
Face cards= group dates (but still keeping the black suits 100% free group dates)

Now you can make your deck all pretty with scrapbook paper etc. if you want to, but let's face it, your hubby will most likely not care about the aesthetics. I simply wrote each idea on the card with a sharpie so he could read it. And as an added plus, that means you're still giving him a functional deck of cards. Maybe you could make one of your free date nights a card game night! Win-win!!

Don't think too hard. Write down some of the date ideas you've always wanted to do, and then write down some ones you know he'd appreciate, too. After all, your marriage is a team effort, and it's ok to do some super romantic dates as well as some super fun masculine ones, too. You're a partnership, so compromise.

I'm not going to give away all my awesome ideas in this post, but if you're struggling to come up with some here's a few to get you started.

- Card game night (you've already got one deck!)
- Make Italian food and watch "The Italian Job"
- Make a picnic and go to the park (this is great if you can't find a sitter for the kiddos). If the weather's bad, set it up inside.
- Invite some friends over for a game night. Have everyone bring their favorite board game.
- Make gourmet nachos and watch "Nacho Libre." (your husband will thank you)
- Poetry Night: share your favorite poems with your spouse. Choose one sonnet, limerick, love poem, rhyming poem, and sad poem. Then write one together, maybe even while watching "Dead Poets Society."
- Have dinner with some friends. Each couple is in charge of one course.
- Set up the camera and do a couples cooking show. Once you're finished cooking, watch your video while eating the yummy food.
- Make a photo booth by pinning a sheet on the wall. Set your camera on a timer and take some silly pictures. Print off the ones you like and slip them into your spouse's lunch, back pack, shoes, etc. throughout the week to remember how much you love each other.
- Go for a walk and reminisce about all the things you're grateful for in your relationship this past year. Maybe walk by an ice cream parlor on your way home and get ice cream cones. (another one that's great if you can't find a sitter and you can still push your kids in a stoller).
- Each of you pick out your favorite chocolate dessert and enjoy it while watching "Chocolat."
- Go through your music together and make a playlist for the car that has songs you both like listening to, so you never have to argue in the car over what to play on a long drive.

Ok, there's a dozen to get you started. Remember, don't think too hard. It doesn't have to be something spectacular to be fun, and it doesn't have to be important to anyone else but the two of you. And then you'll know that your husband has lots of ideas for fun dates, but you can still be surprised each week with the one he chooses.

You're welcome.

Happy Valentines Day!

Through a Glass, Darkly

This past week has been one of tremendous emotional growth for me. In my church congregation, the women are assigned to look after each other and make sure needs are met. One of the women I was assigned to look after had been struggling with depression. Last Friday, I received a call informing me she had committed suicide. I was shocked. After it sunk in a little more, I was plagued with feelings of immense guilt. "Why didn't I try harder? What more could I have done to help? Why didn't I call and check on her that day? If I had been a better friend, would this still have happened?"

I knew the only way I would feel better and receive comfort was by turning to the Lord for answers. Since my teenage years I have always remembered a saying that goes, "we speak to the Lord through prayer. The Lord speaks to us through scripture." So I knelt and prayed for comfort and understanding of her choice, then turned to the scriptures for answers. At first, the Lord comforted me by letting me know that her choices were her own. I did not need to feel responsible. I received this answer from the Book of Mormon in Helaman 14: 30 which reads, "For behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free." This was the answer I needed immediately, and it gave me great comfort, wiping away my guilt.

As the next few days went by and funeral plans were made, I struggled with many other emotions. I saw how devastated her family was and how alone her husband looked. It made me angry that she chose to leave so many people that loved her. Then I felt angry at myself for being angry at her when I didn't know her personal situation or pain. More than anything else I simply felt overwhelming sadness. In fact, I still do. When someone chooses to take her own life there are so many unanswered questions. What was going through her mind? How accountable is she for that choice? What consequences will this bring her in the eternities?

As I struggled with these feelings and questions I again turned to the Lord for guidance. I prayed for understanding, then turned to my scriptures. I was drawn to 1 Corinthians 13: 12 which reads, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." As I read I felt the comfort and peace of my Heavenly Father. I knew He loved her, she is His daughter and He knows everything that was going through her mind before she made her choice. She is in His hands and He sees everything with perfect clarity. By trusting in the Lord, I can see part of His plan, but it is through a dark glass. When all is said and done I will see everything with a perfect clarity the way He sees it. Until then, I cling to my faith, and that is enough.

My friend's funeral was yesterday. I played piano for the service. It was immensely difficult. I have performed and participated in funerals before, but none felt as personal as this did for me. As I played the final postlude I finally broke down so that I couldn't read the notes on the page for all the tears. However, since hearing the news last Friday, the stress of all the planning and shock had been so great I hadn't permitted myself to fully let go and have a good cry. It was remarkably cathartic, and gave me a sense of release I had been needing.

I don't know all the answers. I don't know her thoughts, her mental state, her chemical/hormonal balance, or her physical pain. But I do know that Jesus Christ does, and it is ultimately His sacrifice and Atonement that heals all wounds. I know that if I continue to put my trust and faith in Him, one day I will not see this life through a darkened glass, but face to face, with perfect clarity. And for now, that is good enough.

A Message of Hope

Maybe it's because of the Christmas season. Maybe it's because my life is so full of joy. Either way, I have been thinking a great deal about where our true happiness comes from, how I found it, and how every person in the world has the exact same opportunity to find it, too.

The gospel it true. I know it. I was raised in a home that has taught me this my whole life. I has helped me know where to go more than anything else. It has given me balance, structure, and an incredible sense of purpose. As I look back on the journey my life has taken me, I have pondered how I gained this sure knowledge for myself. While my experience are very personal and special to me, the principles behind them are universally the same. 

It begins with Hope. Hope is a precursor to Faith. In order to have a true understanding of the gospel so that it envelopes our lives, we have to hope that it will work. Hope is the spring in our legs that allows us to leap. We hope that the gospel is true. We hope that by following commandments they really will make our lives happy. We hope it will sustain us through times of immense temptation. We hope that others will be there for us so we don't have to go through this life alone. And most of all, we hope that when Christ suffered in the garden of Gethsemane it was for each of us, personally. I think that's where seed of hope is planted: when we understand the Atonement was meant for "me." 

Following hope comes Faith. The hope that gave us the courage to leap now evolves into the long journey of living the gospel. Our hope is still there, but it becomes stronger as it is surrounded and fortified by faith. It's like a sphere. As our testimony grows, nothing ever goes away, it only expands. Whenever any part of us grows in the gospel, every aspect of our life grows as a result. That growth comes from faith. We are now doing what's right, and walking in the light of the gospel. However, we may not see the blessings right away. In fact, we may still feel the Siren call of our former lives. This is where faith is put to the test. Faith is doing what's right and trusting in the Lord's timing. But as we continue to follow His commandments, we no longer have to just hope that God will help us, we simply know He will. This is faith. We exercise faith when we show enough patience and diligence to trust the Lord will help us in the way that is most conducive to our lives and personal needs. Faith also happens to be the most difficult step, because it is where we prove to the Lord  we want His will for us, not our own. 

What occurs after faith is the greatest of all: Charity. We know from the scriptures that "charity is the pure love of Christ." By exercising faith to do His will, we become more like Him. We make his choices our choices, and are blessed with charity. It is the fruit from the tree of life, tasting sweeter than words can express. We become so full of love and gratitude that joy seems to appear in everything around us. It engulfs our whole soul. It isn't that our lives are easier, but everything is suddenly much clearer. That is why charity is "the greatest of these," because it is Christ's love. We are now living like Him, and become privileged to feel the way He does about ourselves, as well as our fellow men. 

I know this is true because I have experienced it for myself. I also know that in order for it to be successful, we have to be willing to give our whole heart to the Lord. If we only go through the motions without the desire or the trust that it will work we will always wonder why the Lord is not listening to us. We won't see any purpose in keeping His commandments because they hold absolutely no value to us. We will see the gospel based on the people we know follow it rather than the principles it was founded on. But if we sincerely strive to know if the Atonement is real for us, the Lord will fill our lives with so many blessings there won't be "room enough to receive it." Our cup will runneth over. 

Christ lives. He knows you and loves you. He knows me personally and answers my prayers. I know His Atonement was for me, just as it is for you. To those that are searching, the answers are here. For more information, fee free to ask me questions, or visit mormon.org.   

Rockin' Date Night

 With Brenton's busy schedule, our rambunctious toddler and a tight student budget, coming up with a fun weekly date idea is hard. Often we just end up putting Ryan to bed and watching movies on the couch. It's fun, but gets old quickly. A few weeks ago I decided we needed a change. I invited two couples over who were kind enough to drop their schedules for the evening, and we pulled out all of our instruments for Beatles RockBand. It was awesome!

Everyone took turns on the instruments and really got into the music, which made it even more fun! 

Once we were done with RockBand, we decided to break out "Just Dance 2." It's one of my favorite games for the Wii. Basically, you hold the remote in your hand and copy the dancer on the screen. The result? Some pretty fantastic pictures! 

It was a good time. In between dancing and singing we ate some tasty brownies and laughed at how silly we looked. Thank you to our awesome friends who came over to rock it out at our house, and for letting me put up pictures of it. You guys are champs. Who says you can't have fun on a budget? 

Food Blog Entry

I love when I find a good recipe on a food blog. It's great to see that someone has already tried it, taken pictures of each step, and provided helpful hints. So, a week or so ago I made a beautiful dinner and decided to take pictures along the way, because I know how helpful it is. The recipe? Rachael Ray's "Chicken Not-pot Pie." It's kind of a one-pot meal. Somehow every time I cook it ends up being a one-pot meal. In fact, if I had the time to write a food blog, that's what I'd call it: One-pot Meals, Throw it all in! Anyway, on to the recipe!

Step 1: Buy a large loaf of crusty artisan bread. I got a delicious honey loaf from Great Harvest Bread Co.

Step 2: Cut a lid out of the top and hollow out the loaf. I left about an 1/2 inch of bread around the sides because it was so tasty, and I wanted some of that flavor in the dish.

 Step 3. Cook 3-4 chicken breasts in a pan with Olive oil, garlic salt, and whichever herbs you choose. I used a pesto cube I'd made the week before. It was just the herbs from our garden grated up with olive oil, then frozen in an ice cube tray. One cube did the trick. Then I sprinkled on the garlic salt as I cooked. Don't fret about the measurements. You can judge it as you go. Start small, because you can always add more. The aroma was heavenly as the chicken cooked!


As you cook, you should see a yummy herb crust on the chicken like this.

Step 4. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. This isn't what Rachel said, but I thought that way the whole bottom of the loaf could be covered in chicken, and you never get a piece of plain bread. Once the chicken is cut, line the bottom of the bread bowl with it. 

Step 5. On top of the chicken, pour in a small jar of artichokes (drained), a handful of banana peppers or pepper salad (you can get a jar of them next to the pickles in the grocery store), 2 small tomatoes (diced), and 1/2 a bell pepper (diced). Sprinkle the whole thing with a dash of olive oil. 

Step 6. Add slices of provolone cheese on top to cover. It took three slices for my loaf of bread, but use however many you need. For those I know and love who can't have milk, this is definitely not a crucial step. You can easily leave it out and it will still be delicious! Next, cover the layer of cheese with fresh spinach leaves, and add one more quick drizzle of olive oil. Then place the lid back on top. 

Step 7. At this point, Rachael Ray says you're done, but I wanted a bit a of a toasty crunch on my bread, so I put in the oven at 400 degrees for about 5-10 minutes. Check on it every few minutes and pull out when the top looks golden brown and crispy, like this! 

Cut the loaf into large wedges, and enjoy! Since it's a one-pot meal, you're done with dinner. I think that's why I make one-pot meals so much. Everything's shoved inside one thing, and then the whole meal's ready to go. How simple is that? Here's a picture of a single slice. 

The whole meal was delicious, and very easy to make. I already had all the ingredients except the loaf of bread, so it was simple on my pantry, too. And the crunchy, toasty, outside layer combined with the soft, fluffy inside layer of the bread was divine. Not to mention it was a pretty healthy meal, too. Lots of veggies, and healthy olive oil. And you can always hollow out more bread if you're counting carbs carefully. Hope it turns out as tasty for you as it did for me!