Looking Out My Backdoor

Family Dinner Time

susandayley — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:54:48 +0000

From Building Stronger Family Relationships In the Increasing Your Child’s Emotional IQ Series In a previous post I wrote about …

Blog Hop Winner

susandayley — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:01:24 +0000

The Random Acts of Kindness Blog Hop ended last night. Each entry was assigned one number; some people had two …

The Wave of Kindness

susandayley — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:11:52 +0000

One summer, in anticipation of a vacation toSeattle, my DH ran into a store to pick up some last minute …

Turning Pumpkins into Carriages

susandayley — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:14:15 +0000

My sister-in-law shared a story with me this last weekend. She is a counselor at a high school. One day …

The Power of Kindness

susandayley — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:25:01 +0000

In conjunction with the Random Acts of Kindness blog hop, this is part two of yesterday’s story. While he was …

When Cars Catch Fire, Don’t They Explode?

susandayley — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:03:21 +0000

The Dodge Colt RS was our first and only car to be purchased new off the lot. It was a …

Random Acts of Kindness Blog Hop

susandayley — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:59:16 +0000

Today, February 17, is Random Acts of Kindness Day. How wonderful is that? I have become selective about the blog …

While Athens Burns

susandayley — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:26:38 +0000

The people of Greece have found themselves between a rock and a hard place, having to make impossible decisions. Because …

First Love

susandayley — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:22:23 +0000

Whittier Elementary School in Pocatello was a rectangular, two-story, red-brick, building. I attended first through sixth grade there. It was a …

The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face

susandayley — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:50:26 +0000

I grew up with the (mis-?) conception that older people were wiser. It’s probably because my granddad was. But then, …

In Celebration of Trees

susandayley — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:45:18 +0000

I am not Jewish, but sometimes I wish I were a little bit. They have some of the best holidays. …

The Other Red Meat

susandayley — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:22:04 +0000

An easy way to add vegetarian meals to your family menus is to purchase alternative protein options. A few familiar …

Opening Our Eyes

susandayley — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:29:47 +0000

Hazel, who I was told to never called “Hazel,” though most of the girls did, was the adult leader of …

Talking with My Sultry Voice

susandayley — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:33:18 +0000

In a life that could be easily consumed by appointments, taking care of TO-DO lists and children, and neighbors and …

Adding Vegetarian Meals: Lentils

susandayley — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:37:52 +0000

Lentils are as ancient as recorded history. In Genesis 25 is the story of when Esau sold Jacob his birthright …

Books to Read Before I Die

susandayley — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:45:42 +0000

I came across a list the other day titled, “50 Books to Read Before I Die.” From the list I …

2012: the Countdown has Begun

susandayley — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:06:15 +0000

What will you do with your last year on Earth? I have my answer below, but in the meantime, what …

I Am the Biggest Loser

susandayley — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:39:25 +0000

Tristi Pinkerston’s inspiring guest post: I have the tendency to get sucked into TV shows. Not “The Bachelor” – I …

What’s Up?

susandayley — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:51:47 +0000

Just a bit of calendaring: Next Monday, the fabulous Tristi Pinkerston, author of a zillion books, will be my guest …

Family by Design

susandayley — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:24:21 +0000

Family by Design by Heather Justensen takes the “what if” question: “What if your best friend of ten years, who you’ve never dated, …

Because Life Happens

susandayley — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:47:17 +0000

I was sick on Monday and Tuesday (first time in 25 years that I lost my stomach), so after two …

Okay, so they were Not Perfect Family Prayers

susandayley — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:27:38 +0000

“Call everyone home for prayers,” my mom would tell whoever was finishing up supper dishes (think eleven people and no …

Don’t Be Fooled by Guest Actors

susandayley — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:38:19 +0000

It was noon and I sat down to eat my lunch, fold some laundry and watch part of The Chew. …

Once You’ve Driven a Hemi, it’s Hard to Drive Slow

susandayley — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:29:16 +0000

Yesterday morning (5:40 a.m.) I was driving to arrive someplace 25 minutes away, hoping to be there by 6:00. And …

Winter Adventures

susandayley — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:44:13 +0000

When I was a girl my family travelled to Victor, Idaho where our grandpa lived (the one with high walls …

Staring Back at Sardines

susandayley — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:32:18 +0000

I ate my first whole oyster last Saturday. It was not raw,and I didn’t feel any aphrodisiac induced changes. It …

Dragonflies in Winter—Preparing for the New Year

susandayley — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:20:29 +0000

I had a meeting for Cub Scouts in my home prior to Christmas. Of course the women politely admired my …

The Wonder-filled Days of Christmas

susandayley — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:10:09 +0000

My daughter and her family came to go “see the lights” Wednesday night. We had dinner first, an easy Southwestern …

The Joy of Living

susandayley — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:11:11 +0000

I’ve been pondering a great deal lately how some people seem to get through tough times with a cheerful calmness, …

Don’t Tell Me It’s Friday Already!

susandayley — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:39:15 +0000

It’s one of those mornings. What I need is a splash of cold water. Friday morning and a week’s worth …

Next Time, Just Tell Him I’m Not Home

susandayley — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:37:52 +0000

Years ago, at this time of year, I was in the bedroom that I shared with two sisters when one …

Glass Harp Duet

susandayley — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:39:04 +0000

Merry Christmas Everyone! Filed under: Holidays Tagged: Christmas, glass harp, Sugar Plum Fairy, Tchaikovsky

Cold River

susandayley — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:28:21 +0000

“If brains was lard, he couldn’t grease up a good-size skillet, bless his heart.” Reading Cold River by Liz Adair …

Most People Don’t Get It

susandayley — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:17:30 +0000

My Grandpa lived in Victor, Idaho. It’s over a mountain pass from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. His grandfather homesteaded in “The …

Don’t Tell Anyone When I Fall!

susandayley — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:50:19 +0000

My father had set up his Christmas tree this last week, but to his dismay, found that this year he …

Green Friday: Hugs

susandayley — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:00:45 +0000

One mother’s day my son brought home a water-colored page from pre-school with the following poem by Shel Silverstein: Hug …

Just Shoot Me and Get this Over With

susandayley — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:36:01 +0000

“I’m determined!” Russ said. “I’m insistent.“ The men in the room scrambled to think what word he was trying to …

Golden Books, Green Stamps, and Church Bells

susandayley — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:31:30 +0000

The snow had piled higher during the night and the parking lot behind J.C. Penny’s was six inches deep with grooved …

Rebellion or Submission?

susandayley — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:01:49 +0000

I’m wandering through my morning, feeling like the theme song from the original Poseidon Adventure is playing somewhere in a …

The Incredible Tale of Squanto part II

susandayley — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:34:53 +0000

After serving Capt. Thomas Dermer as an interpreter, and since his own people were gone, Squanto decided to remain with …

The Incredible Tale of Squanto part I

susandayley — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 12:28:50 +0000

In 1605 Captain Weymouth sailed to the new world to explore the coasts of Penobscot (Maine and Massachussets). While in …

Bitter Blessings

susandayley — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:35:38 +0000

Morning was a harsh slap of reality. Mom wasn’t there to wake us up, and she wasn’t going to be …

A Fuse in a Room Full of Gunpowder

susandayley — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:37:27 +0000

The Mayflower bobbed on the waves, anchored near a shore where a small brook emerged and flowed to the sea. …

Don’t Forget the Umbrellas

susandayley — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:40:53 +0000

This time of year is wonderful for remembering all the things we are thankful for. And I am thankful for …

What does it matter if I know this?

susandayley — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:11:23 +0000

A Technocracy “is a form of government where technical experts are in control of decision making in their respective fields. …

Into the Woods, It’s Time to Go

susandayley — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:19:43 +0000

I don’t ever remember getting to sit at the “children’s table” at Thanksgiving. At Grandma Miller’s it was a small …

And Left, Left. . . No, Your Other Left

susandayley — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:04:58 +0000

Saturday morning, my DH surprised me with the option to attend the dress-rehearsal of some young-adult road-shows. “We have been strongly …

Baking Green—from Scratch

susandayley — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:47:24 +0000

I can still vividly recall standing in our family kitchen—yellow cupboards, yellow ruffled curtains at the windows, and a blue …

Watermelon on a Blustery Day

susandayley — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:08:56 +0000

Sisyphus, was a king (from Greek mythology) who was compelled to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch …

But I Don’t Look Good in Yellow

susandayley — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:54:18 +0000

Last Saturday I flew down a mountain on a chain of zip-lines. We were instructed on how to brake and …