Easter Traditions

Easter is fast approaching. Every time a holiday nears, my thoughts turn to our family traditions and what I can do ahead of time to prepare for the day. Easter is a unique holiday. From my experience, there seems to be a lot of variety in the way families celebrate.

When I was a child, the Easter Bunnny would come and spread candy all over the basement. My brothers and I would stand at the top of the stairs, eyes wide, looking at the candy strewn all over. We'd have to wait for Dad to get downstairs with the camera before we could scramble and fill our baskets with candy. After a mad dash through the house, collecting everything our baskets, hands, and often even our shirts could hold, we sat down and sorted our candy. Even though everyone selfishly gathered the candy, we always divided it equally in the end. I guess it was just the fun of trying to get the most that made us act like crazy people.

Somehow, that tradition has led to our own family tradition of hiding the Easter baskets already full of candy. They've ended up som very interesting places: in the dryer, in closets, under chairs, outside, and even in the shower. Believe me, wet chocolate eggs just don't quite taste the same and the jelly beans stick together.

Easter always mean a new dress for me and a shirt and tie for my brothers. Now we have a large family and it's not economically possible to do that for my other children, but we still take a little bit longer getting ready for church on Easter morning, wanting to look our best.

Some years, we've participated in as Passover feast, which is always around Easter. Brigham Young University does one every year and I strongly recommend going if you ever have the chance. It makes you look at the Passover in a whole new light.

Then, of course, there's the favorite tradition . . . coloring Easter eggs. I've found some fun ideas for coloring eggs that I'll share with you next week, so be sure to check back. I'd love to hear some of your Easter traditions, so please leave comments.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Low-Cost Digital Photo Printing

Let's face it, scrapbooking can get expensive. I think most of us still enjoy doing some traditional scrapbooking which requires printing your digital pictures to use them on your layout. I've been printing lots of pictures recently, so I've researched some ways to print digital photos inexpensively.

SNAPFISH
Get 30 free 4" x 6" prints when you create a free Snapfish account! Plus, this month you can save up to $15 off your purchase of any photo gift, including books, cards, mugs, and more. Just use one of the coupon codes below at checkout:
To save $5 off purchases of $15 or more, use coupon MARCH1
To save $10 off purchases of $30 or more, use coupon MARCH2
To save $15 off purchases of $40 or more, use coupon MARCH3

Snapfish also gives you professional quality nine-cent prints everday and free online sharing and storage.

SHUTTERFLY
There are many benefits of a free Shutterfly membership. You can securely store your images at full resolution for a lifetime. They are never deleted. You can also turn your favorite memories into professionally bound photo books, create cards and stationary, and even create a free website to share your photos and memory books. You can get 25 free prints when you join.

WALMART
A definite benefit to using Walmart's photo processing is that you can order prints and pick them up in an hour. You can also order the prints and have them delivered to your house or shipped for free to your local Walmart store.

They offer traditional prints starting and nine cents. They also have many items you can add your favorite photos to such as posters, collages, calendars, playing cards, mugs, mousepads, clothing, and more.

These are just three of the many ideas and services available for online digital photo printing. Try them out and let me know if you have a different favorite you like to use so that I can share it on my blog.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Journal Keeping

Growing up in the Church, I’ve long been taught of the importance of keeping a journal. I know that it’s important to record the details of my life. I’ve found this helps me as I look back and see difficult situations I’ve been able to overcome. I’m hopeful that some day it will benefit future generations as well. I’m far from perfect and I hope others can learn from my mistakes.

I’m in the middle of a new relationship in my life. Last week, I found myself wishing that I had taken time from the beginning to record all the special memories we are making. They are still fresh in my mind and I could probably go back now and record them, but that’s not as good as if I had written them down as they happened.

Then I discovered an amazing thing—my email inbox. I read through all the emails I’ve received from this special person in my life, and realized I do have a record of most of the things we’ve experienced together. I’m grateful for that written evidence of the way our relationship has developed over time and the many amazing things we’ve been through and done together. I’m going to print them out and put them in a scrapbook. Some of them can be embellished by pictures, but even just the written record is priceless.

Don’t overlook your email as a source of precious memories. Especially if you have a loved one far away who you communicate with electronically, it can be a great source of ideas for scrapbooking. I know many families who send family newsletters out monthly which keep them involved in the happenings of their loved ones. These make fun, easy pages with memories that cannot be recreated.

Because of the advent of digital scrapbooking, it is not uncommon to use your computer for scrapbooking, While you are there, remember to check you inbox If you are struggling for new scrapbooking ideas.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

A gift for new Mothers

I was excited to receive my contributor copy of A Cup of Comfort for New Mothers, which includes my short story, Equal to the Task.

There’s a new baby in the house—and it’s not the only one crying. New moms cry happy tears, tired tears, and overwhelmed tears—and that’s when the wisdom, sensitivity, and empathy of women who’ve been there prove invaluable. In this book, you meet fifty mommies who’ve lived and loved through those terribly wonderful first months home with baby. From a first time mom faced with keeping her little miracle safe and happy once daddy goes back to work, to a mother who wonders how she will find time for the newest member of her already sizable family, these moving stories provide the support and reassurance mothers need to enjoy their new role—and their baby—to the fullest!

Here is a short excerpt from my story, Equal to the Task:

"What's wrong? Why isn't she crying?"

A swarm of doctors and nurses were in the delivery room, but no one would tell me anything. As soon as Emily had been delivered just moments before, they'd whisked her to the corner of the room. I lifted my head trying to see what was happening, holding onto a shred of hope. Although I hadn't heard her cry, I thought I'd seen her move. She wouldn't move if she were dead, would she?

To read more of my story, as well as the other amazing stories about new life and love, you can purchase a copy of A Cup of Comfort for New Mothers on Amazon. It is a great gift for any new mom.

7 Steps to Scrapbooking Safety

Protecting your photos and historical items is important to ensure that your finished scrapbooks will last for decades. If, however, you neglect the proper storage and preservation methods, the results can be disastrous. Here are seven essential safety measures that will help you keep your heirlooms in pristine condition for years to come:

1: Liquids destroy memorabilia, photographs, and negatives. To avoid disasters, store your scrapbook supplies, albums, photographs, and negatives in a dry, cool place where water from broken pipes or overflowing toilets cannot reach them. Keep all drinks off your work area.

2: Sunlight will eventually diminish photo, negative, layout, and album quality. Keep all heirlooms out of direct sunlight.

3: Extreme temperatures damage photographs, negatives, layouts, page protectors, and albums. Store all historical items in moderate–temperatures and in locations where humidity is low.

4: Although not immediately apparent, fingerprints on photographs, negatives, and layouts become visible over time. Oil from skin is the culprit. To prevent this type of deterioration, you can first, handle photos carefully, touching only the outer edges. Second, wash hands frequently or use acid neutralizing wipes. Third, follow the example of certain purists who wear lightweight cotton gloves insuring their photos remain pristine.

5: Handle and store your photos, negatives, and layouts carefully. Improper storage increases the risk of scratches, tears, and bends. Store and seal your photos and negatives in a sturdy container, in plastic sleeves that fit into a three-ring binder, or in acid-free envelopes that have been labeled and filed. Layout storage should be doubly protected: first in sheet or page protectors, then in appropriate albums.

6: Not all plastics are alike. In fact, some sheet protectors, binders, photo enclosures, and photo corners will eventually damage your memorabilia more than if you had not used plastic protection or enhancement at all. The destructive material is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), more commonly known as “vinyl.” Because PVC is an unstable plastic, it releases a hydrogen-chloride gas that spreads to your memorabilia, corroding your photos and historical items over time. To avoid this harmful process, do not buy materials containing PVC. Instead, look for acrylic or polyester (polyethylene and polypropylene) materials. They are chemically stable and will ensure encapsulation safety for your memorabilia.

7: Paper and cardstock found in your local scrapbook store are not necessarily acid-free unless so stated on packaging or company display-signs that reference your particular item. In addition, be forewarned though a manufacturer’s white and pastel papers are free of acid that does not guarantee that their dark colors will be also. (Paper dies can affect the paper’s acidity level.) Your safest approach is to test any paper that is not specifically marked “acid-free.”

These are just a few of the safety measures you need to be aware of and follow to protect your family heirlooms for generations to come.

YourLDSneighborhood has added exciting new things to its website. Please drop by and take a look, browse around, check out our vendors, our radio station, our authors, our musicians and more. Check out the Neighborhood.

And while you're there, subscribe to the yourLDSneighborhood Newsletter. In addition to being able to shop in the new virtual neighborhood, the newsletter brings you articles, products, services, resources and interviews from around the world-all with an LDS focus. Look for issues delivered to your email inbox every week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Blog Tour: The Forgotten Warrior by Kathi Oram Peterson

I was excited to read Kathi Oram Peterson's new book, The Forgotten Warrior. It starts out in modern times and then the main character, Syd, travels through time back to Book of Mormon times.

From the back cover:

Sydney Morgan is no wimp. A black belt in karate, her defensive moves help keep her tough even when her mom is diagnosed with cancer and her long-lost dad shows up to play nice guy. But when an unexpected gift transports her through space and time to the land of Zarahemla, Syd just might be in over her head.

The Forgotten Warrior was a very entertaining read. It was light and fun, and I enjoyed it immensely. I loved the fact that Syd is a strong female character. Kathi is a very talented writer and keeps the reader enthralled with her creative plot lines and dramatic characterization. From the very beginning, I felt that I knew Syd and sympathized with her character.

At the beginning of each chapter there are snippets from a male character's point of view. I enjoyed them and thought they were a positive addition to the story, however, the font they were printed in was a little distracting.

Also, knowing nothing about karate, it was hard for me to picture the karate moves described throughout the book. In addition, I felt the author explained a bit too much to the reader. Some of the explanations detracted from the story. But overall, it was a very intriguing and fun story to read. I'm excited to read the next installment.

You can purchase The Forgotten Warrior here.

Kathi Oram Peterson is holding a Latter-Day Stripling Warrior Contest. You can nominate a youth girl or boy between the ages of 8-18 to be Latter-Day Stripling Warriors simply by writing down a kind deed or deeds that the youth has done. The entry forms can be found at http://www.kathiorampeterson.com/ under "Events", fill it out and mail it in. Each entry will receive a certificate that says, "_____ is a Latter-day Stripling Warrior." It will be signed by Kathi and the three of the heroes in the book. The grand prize winner will receive a $50 gift certificate from Amazon.com.