Lumberjack T

(Here is a picture of the tree line that I took back in October 2007)

So, some of you may know that our backyard has a nice line of hedge-apple trees running right through the middle.It gets so shady in the summer, that grass won't grow in one spot, as the sun doesn't get through. Since it rains quite a bit here, we tend to get a nice big mud puddle in that bare spot...especially since our sump pump drains right there as well. While we love the shade, and how it makes our home stay cooler in the summer, there are just too many trees! The kids rarely play in the backyard, since it is either too muddy, too many bugs( chiggers, spiders, ticks, all that yucky stuff), or hazardous from either hedge-apples falling from the trees, or the mysterious golf balls that end up in our yard from the home across the field behind us, that uses their yard as a driving range. Not to mention Tony and Logan saw a snake back there a few weeks ago. Ewww! My dream for the yard is to have a nice tree free patch of lawn, and a nice patio, so we can actually enjoy the backyard. After all, it is one of the things we loved when we bought the house...not so much now that we have to live with it!

This summer Tony decided he would tackle the tree issue himself. He borrowed a chainsaw from his brother Andy, and while I was in California, he went to town. So far he has chopped down 10 trees.That might sound like a lot, but there are still about 23 trees left! We aren't planning on removing all of them, but there are still several we want to do away with.


(Here is a view from our deck. You can tell that the trees have been thinned out from the above picture!)

The other day, Tony needed to climb up into one of the trees to try to get the top half of a tree that was stuck in the other trees and wouldn't come down.It made me very nervous that he was up so high with no harness. Can you find "Waldo?"



Here are some more pictures of the tree mess! I am bummed I didn't get a picture of the HUGE pile of trees that we had to put out by the road when he was done!It took up about half the cul-de-sac!




(The tree on the far left is the one Tony was up in...seriously almost at the top! He is in it in this picture, but I cannot find him.)

Food Storage

So, I got this cook book this summer that has started a whole new phase in my life. I have become totally interested and excited about food storage. I know to a lot of people like I once was, this may sound really strange. It is funny, because I hear myself talking to people about using powdered milk, and when I sit back and think about it, I even think it sounds weird!

The book I bought is called "I Can't Believe It's Food Storage" by Crystal Godfrey. I bought it at Deseret Book. You can also order it from Amazon. It has totally opened my eyes to using food storage. I don't know what about it drew me in, but something did. It must have been the right time, I guess. Anyway, turns out the author has a website too.Everyday Food Storage . And she is part of the Fun with Food Storage Network, that includes 2 other sites as well. I have found my latest time waster on the internet. Although, I don't consider it wasting time, since it is very valuable information that I am excited to implement.

One of the things I have gotten excited about finally trying to do is use coupons. I have never understood the whole coupon system, but I finally found a site that explained it well enough for me to understand.
The Obsessive Shopper. She has great videos that walk you through how to organize and use coupons. For anyone who lives in Utah or the general area, there is a lot of help that makes it a bit easier for you. I have to do some work on my own, but that's ok. I still need to decide on the best method for gathering up 4 copies of the Sunday paper, so I can get 4 copies of the coupon booklets. I have my file folder box and file folders to organize, and have a few weeks worth of coupons already. I have to totally change the way I think about grocery shopping. I used to plan my menus, then make my grocery list of the things I needed, and then shop that way.This way I have to look at store sales, then try to match up coupons, and shop that way. This will be interesting!

I decided today was the day I was going to go on my very first couponing trip.

I went to 3 different stores. Price Chopper, Hen House, and CVS. Price Chopper was the bulk of items. I know I am sure to figure things out and get better deals in the future, but this is how I fared on my first time out.

I spent $5.80 at Hen House. The receipt said I saved $12.20.

I bought:
3 bottles of A-1 Steak Sauce
2 4- packs of Dole fruit cups and fruit parfaits.

That's all. I know it seems silly to go to a store for only those things, but I really like the Dole fruit cups, and the steak sauce was a great deal! Originally $3.74. On sale for $2.97. Used coupons for $2 off. Making them $0.97 a bottle.Now I need to make some steak I guess!

At Price Chopper I spent $39.19. The receipt said I saved $40.63. Awesome.

I bought:
3 boxes of Cheerios
3 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios
4 bottles of Hershey's Syrup
3 cans of Manwich
4 cans of Spaghettio's
2 Colgate toothbrushes
2 boxes of Nabisco Cheddar Nips
4 Nabisco Snak-Saks (2 Chips Ahoy, 1 Honey Teddy Graham, and 1 Nutter Butter)
2 bags of Knorr Rice Sides
2 packages Kraft Singles
4.75 pounds of ground beef.

I didn't use coupons on the hamburger, spaghettio's or toothbrushes, but they were on sale.

At CVS I spent $17.19. The receipt said I saved $17.80.

I got 5 packages of fem.hygiene items. Sorry for the info, but it is a necessity in any household where women reside. I also got a Schick intuition Plus Razor. I had a $4 off coupon for the razor. Then I got $2 extra bucks to use later. If I was smart, I would have bought the razor first on one transaction to get the $2 extra bucks. Then I could have purchased the other items and used the $2 extra bucks towards that purchase. So I could have shaved $2 off the above total if I would have thought ahead like that. It's ok. I am just learning.

So, here is a fun picture of all the items I purchase today...minus the hamburger. It was in the fridge.



My Grand Total was $62.18. My Total Savings was $70.63.

We'll see how I do next time!

Does anyone else use coupons to shop like this? Let me know if you have any good tips!

Logan's First Day of Kindergarten!

Today marks the end of Logan's first week of school!I am so proud of my boy! He is growing up so big, and is so sweet and so smart. When I was in the hospital after he was born, I was all hormonal and emotional and overwhelmed, and wasn't sure I would know how to take care of him. I remember the sweet nurse that calmed my fears by saying " Don't worry. He'll make it to kindergarten." And here we are!

Logan's favorite color is yellow, so he got to wear a nice bright shirt for his first day of school. We had to have the "red" plate! It was definitely his special day!We had blueberry french toast and bacon for breakfast. Daddy stayed home later from work so we could have breakfast together, and take Logan to school together. It was nice being all together as a family for breakfast that morning. That rarely happens!




It was a rainy day, so Logan insisted on wearing his rain boots, although I am pretty sure they are about two sizes too small. He said they felt fine. Funny kid! We had originally planned on walking him to school, but due to the rain, we drove instead. We just parked down the street and then walked up to the school. He changed his shoes when we got to school. He didn't want to get his new school shoes wet!

It was so crazy! All the kids and their parents were all heading towards the school at the same time. There was a lot of energy and excitement in the air, so it was hard to be sad. I was excited for Logan! While walking up to the shool, we saw the school mascot, a bald eagle, ride up to the school on a motorcycle! It was so fun! We had to get a picture of Logan with the Eagle of course!



Logan got to his classroom, and put his backpack away in his cubby, then found his seat at his table, where he was told to start coloring a picture of a monkey. It said "My first day of Kindergarten was a swingin' time!" I took his picture at his desk, and then gave hugs and kisses good-bye! He didn't seem to care about us leaving!



When I picked him up from school, he was so excited and said" I did better than preschool!" I love that kid!

Every day, they go to a specials class. Monday he had Spanish. Tuesday was computers, Wednesday was music, Thursday was art and Friday is PE. He also got to go to the library yesterday and learned about what is good and bad to do to library books. I think next week he will actually get to check out a book to bring home. How fun!

One thing he has been so concerned with is eating lunch. He keeps wondering why he doesn't get to bring a lunch to school, and why he can't eat lunch at school. I keep telling him that he only goes to kindergarten in the morning, and gets to come home to eat lunch. After having to explain this lots of times, and telling him he could eat lunch at school next year when he is in first grade, I think I fgured out his confusion. I think he thought that only kindergartners went to this school, so he kept wondering why there were tables to eat lunch at if he didn't get to stay to eat.When I finally explained that lots of older kids went to his school, all the way through 5th grade, then I think he started to understand. I guess I will see if he asks about it again.

I always thought I would cry when sending him to school. Amazingly enough, I didn't! However, when he came home from school and I was going through the things he brought home, there was a cute little project he had made. It was a piece of paper mounted on some yellow cardstock that said "These little piggies went to kindergarten" and then there was a paint print of his toes! That's when I lost it and the tears came.My baby did make it to kindergarten!

Now I just need to get used to the getting up early schedule, and we will be all good!

My Sacrament Meeting Talk

As you know, I was asked to speak in church last Sunday. For some reason, I really stressed and thought a lot about this talk! I was not sure how to present my thoughts on the topic, or which direction I should go with it. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like I needed to get personal stories from my family and friends. I am extremely grateful for those of you who were willing to share your stories, and allow me to include them in my talk. I always enjoy hearing the personal experiences of others, and it allows me to understand and relate to things better,so I was hoping it would do the same for the congregation who was listening to my talk. I had many people thank me for sharing your personal stories, and received many compliments on my talk. It wouldn't have been as good without including your stories, so thank you, thank you, thank you!

My topic was on "How our Lives are Blessed by the Priesthood". For those of you who are unfamiliar with this aspect of the Latter Day Saint faith (Mormons),www.mormon.org defines the Priesthood as: The power and authority of God, given to men on earth to act in all things for the salvation of God’s children. A Priesthood Blessing is: a blessing given by a Melchizedek Priesthood holder, by the laying on of hands and by inspiration, to one who is sick or otherwise in need of special counsel, comfort, or healing. If the blessing is for the sick, consecrated oil is used (James 5:14-15). Feel free to visit Mormon.org for any other questions or information you want to know about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Or you can ask me too!

"How Our Lives Are Blessed By The Priesthood"
A Sacrament Meeting Talk Prepared and Given by: Kerry Black

10 months ago, in October of last year, my mom set out for her daily walk. It was a lovely San Diego evening, as most evenings are. As she began to cross a road that she has crossed almost daily for 30 years, she was hit by a car. Because of the nature of her injuries, the police report listed her DOA. She did not have any ID on her, so no one knew who she was. When the fire department arrived, the paramedic who responded was a member of our stake, and a long-time friend of my parents. This man did not recognize my mom due to her injuries, but he did notice that she was wearing garments, and whispered in her ear “I can’t give you a blessing, but I just want you to know that the priesthood is with you.”

I have been asked to talk today about how our lives are blessed by the priesthood. The story of my mom was the very first thing that popped into my head when Brother Drake told me the topic. I know that Heavenly Father is mindful of us. I don’t believe that it was a coincidence that a worthy priesthood member was at the scene of my mom’s accident. It gives me comfort knowing that she was not alone. Our Father in Heaven knew who she was. He knew the priesthood power was with her.

Do we know that the priesthood power is with us?

Julie B. Beck, in a talk titled An Outpouring of Blessings, in the May 2006 Ensign said:
“By the power of the priesthood, this world and everything in it, including each of us, was created. The priesthood is intricately woven into who we are and have ever been. As sons and daughters of God, we each have unique responsibilities and roles, and through the blessings of the priesthood, we are all given equal partnership, gifts, and blessings.

(LDS.ORG)--Although the authority of the priesthood is bestowed only on worthy male members of the Church, the blessings of the priesthood are available to all—men, women, and children. We all benefit from the influence of righteous priesthood leadership, and we all have the privilege of receiving the saving ordinances of the priesthood.

*Merrill J. Bateman in a talk titled, Priesthood, Keys, and the Power to Bless, Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2003, said:

“Priesthood and priesthood keys open the door to the blessings of the Atonement. Through the power of the priesthood, people are baptized for the remission of sins, made possible by the Savior’s great act of mercy. A holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood may confer the Holy Ghost. Through the bestowal of the Holy Ghost, members are cleansed with fire, guided into truth, comforted, sanctified, and blessed in many ways as partakers of the fruits of the Atonement. The sealing authority may bind a man, a woman, and their children together forever, making possible exaltations in the world to come—again, a blessing from the Savior.”

I decided to get some help for my talk by asking friends and family to share some stories with me of how the priesthood has blessed their lives.

A friend from my Stake growing up, had this story to share with me. He wrote:

A dramatic experience I had with the priesthood was after getting plowed by a car while riding my bike across a 45 mph street and getting life flighted to the hospital.

While in the emergency room, my father was unable to administer to me physically. So he knelt in the waiting room with my mom and our bishop. Using the power of the priesthood combined with their faith, they prayed for my recovery.

Seemingly, from that moment, my life that had been slipping away began to recover. The power of God is real.I love that the very nature of priesthood power is that it is unseen. Though its effects are sometimes visible, the actual power itself is manifested only by faith.

My sister-in-law has had some experiences happen in her life recently that has made her ponder and think a great deal about how the priesthood blesses her life. She shared the following stories with me:

“…my 12 year old sister started having a seizure (she has never had one before in her life!). She bit her tongue pretty bad, and quit breathing. My mom called 911, and my dad just tried to hold her. He said he felt the life go out of her body and he commanded her, in the name of Christ to come back, then he gave her a priesthood blessing. Immediately she started to breathe again. My dad whispered in her ear that he loved her and that her Heavenly Father loved her, and suddenly her eyes opened, "he is here with me," she said, and then her eyes closed again. She doesn't remember anything until she came to in the ambulance when they were trying to giver her oxygen. After several tests at the hospital, they determined the cause and put her on some medication, and she was released. I know that it is because of the power of the priesthood, and through God's will that she is still alive today.”

A week and a half after this incident, her family had another. Her father who is severely allergic to bees, was stung, and had to be flown from Blanding,UT to Grand Junction, CO for proper medical care. As he lay close to death, he was given a priesthood blessing, and told he still had work to do on the earth and that he would recover completely. Her family was given peace and hope during this time because of the priesthood.

In her email she also shared the following thoughts:

But the other thing that hit me just this last Sunday was that even if it had not been God’s will to save my dad and sister, and he had called them home instead, the priesthood makes it possible for our family to be together forever, so I would have the assurance that I would see them and be with them again. Any one of us could die at any time, so this assurance through the sealing power is a HUGE blessing!

Her words in this email reminded me of a special moment in my life that I will always remember. When Logan was 6 weeks old, we traveled from Indiana, where we were living at the time, to Blanding, Utah, where Tony is from, for his baby blessing. My family drove from California and Idaho to also be there for that wonderful event. Logan was so lucky to have all (8) of his uncles, and both of his grandpa’s in his blessing circle, with the exception of Tony’s youngest brother who was serving a mission at the time. I remember feeling full of emotion, and gratitude for all of the worthy priesthood holders in both our families. My heart was full that day, with an appreciation for the priesthood in my life, and for the blessings it would bring to my family and my son. This moment is even more special to me, because 6 days later, my youngest brother was called back to our heavenly home. One of my very last memories of him was of him honoring his priesthood. And because of that priesthood, I am comforted in my grief, knowing that I will see my brother again. While he is gone from this earth, he is still very much alive, going about our Father’s work, and waiting anxiously for our family to be reunited again.

I took my children to see the San Diego temple grounds while I was home recently. They were so excited to walk around the beautiful temple grounds, and had so many questions. I talked to them about the wonderful blessings we receive in the temple, and explained how mommy and daddy were married and sealed there so that we could be a happy family forever. I could see that my children felt the spirit there at that special place. We sang “I Love to see the temple” as we walked around. Little Avery got so upset when told that she couldn’t go inside. And both of them were very sad when it was time to go, and didn’t want to leave that beautiful place. I imagine it was probably very similar to how we all felt when it was our time to leave our Heavenly home to come to earth. For this reason, the Lord provided a way for us to feel a reminder of His love for us, by giving us the priesthood power on earth.

Robert D. Hales,in a talk titled "Blessings of the Priesthood" from the Ensign, Nov. 1995 said this:

“Brothers and sisters, can you imagine how dark and empty mortality would be if there were no priesthood? If the power of the priesthood were not upon the earth, the adversary would have freedom to roam and reign without restraint. There would be no gift of the Holy Ghost to direct and enlighten us; no prophets to speak in the name of the Lord; no temples where we could make sacred, eternal covenants; no authority to bless or baptize, to heal or comfort. Without the power of the priesthood, “the whole earth would be utterly wasted” (see D&C 2:1–3). There would be no light, no hope—only darkness.

I was fortunate enough to share the gospel with a good friend in High School. He was baptized and later married in the temple. He shared his thoughts with me on how the priesthood has blessed his life.

As you know growing up my family really didn’t go to church. My brother, sister, and I were allowed to do pretty much as we pleased. It doesn’t sound all that bad, but there really wasn’t a family unit. As kids we grew up where TV was not monitored, drinking was acceptable, and there were no real moral or values… expect to be a good honest person. This was all I really knew. It seemed normal to me…. But as I got to know you and your family I was drawn to something that I couldn’t explain until now.

Looking back, my brother has had two DUI’s and a serious drug problem. My sister has tried to stop smoking for 5 years now because she is having some health problems. As for my parents gambling and alcohol has been a big part of their life. Now they are in the middle of foreclosing on their home.
Now I ask myself how this all happened? My dad is a doctor so he should have plenty of money and he should have been on my sister to stop smoking a long time ago. The only thing that I can see is that we as members of the church have the word of wisdom and we have the priesthood.

I was blessed to learn from you and your family about holding family home evening. Your family was a great example to me as to how I wanted to live my life one day. I was there when one of your brothers or sister needed a blessing by your dad. I was also on the receiving end when your dad offered help. All of these examples were because your dad honored his priesthood. I pray every day that I can honor the priesthood like your dad.

It is truly a privilege to be able to hold the priesthood and act in the name of our Savior. There is no greater honor then to serve others and to teach our families. We are all given a gift and it is up to us in how we use it. I am grateful for my agency; however I am so blessed to have the knowledge about the power of forgiveness and the atonement. Knowing that my heavenly father loves and knows me, helps me every day to try and be a better person. I am not perfect and I have slipped, fallen, been picked back up and have learned from my mistakes.
I only wish that my parents and siblings knew how the gospel has helped me. I absolutely know that they see how my family is night and day from the way I grew up. They are happy for me and I still have hope that I will bring them into the fold… If not in this life, then in the next.

I am grateful that I have hope. I am grateful to have grown up in a home with a Father who is a faithful priesthood holder. I am even more grateful to have a wonderful husband who honors his priesthood, and uses it to bless and comfort our home and family as well as others in need.I am also grateful for other worthy priesthood holders who have been able to bless and comfort my family at different times in our life. My mom is recovering very well, and will soon be back to her normal activities. I have felt the love of the Lord in my times of need, through the power of the priesthood on many occasions. I have no doubt in my mind that this church is true. I have been blessed too much to ever doubt where those blessings are coming from. I hope you all take some time today to ponder the blessings in your own lives, and to notice the many ways in which the priesthood has played a role in your life.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.


*** I made sure to link to definitions of things that might not be familiar to those of you reading this that are not acquainted with "mormon lingo". I hope it helps!Mormon.org is a great resource about the church!


And now that my talk is finished, I am on to newer challenges. I was called last Sunday as the Primary Music Leader. I start almost first thing in the morning! Yikes! I am nervous about this one! Kids intimidate me! Wish me luck!

Help me please?

Before I continue writing about our vacation, I have a little favor to ask. I have been asked to speak in Sacrament meeting on Sunday. I would love to see if any of you might have some help for my talk. The topic is : How our lives are blessed by the Priesthood.

If you have any personal stories or know of any good talks to reference, etc. please let me know! You can email me at kerryjoyblack@hotmail.com, or feel free to leave a comment.

Thanks!!!!!