The trouble with Relief Society

Want to bring something to the table to discuss? Please suggest topics via e-mail to askninewomenATgmailDOTcom. Submissions are chosen at random. Today’s question comes from Tonya, who is, I know, not the only one with mixed feelings about Relief Society–the meeting, not the program. Thanks Tonya! Yesterday at a family dinner my sister asked me [...]

“…And Please Bless”

My preschooler’s foot kicked my leg in protest and I stifled a yelp. I tried to maintain the pretense of my eyes being closed by squinting from the bottom of my lids while wrestling El Guille to be quiet. From the pulpit Brother Soandso droned on and on while the clock in my head continued [...]

A Crabby Adventure

We were standing around a small, glass-rimmed kiosk at Alvin’s Island, a trinket-filled tourist shop a few blocks from our hotel. The kiosk contained dozens of shells with hermit crabs in them. Heaven help them, they were the ugliest creatures I have ever laid eyes on. Tammie casually began picking up shells and showing me [...]

What is wrong with food?

It was so hot. The dashboard felt like I could fry an egg on it. So I stopped at 7-Eleven for a drink. When I saw the Slurpee machine…I. fell. in. love. Slurpees always remind me of home. My mom owned a bookstore in the small Utah town where I grew up and across the [...]

Back to School, Back to Busy

Last week I was at Target minding my own business. I came around a corner and beheld a sight which hit me like a bucket of cold water: back-to-school-supplies. We’re just barely hitting our summer stride and it’s already time to think about it ending? We’re thick in the middle of popsicle-eating and complaining about [...]

Funny Pioneer Stories

From the life of Phineas Wolcott Cook, one of my husband’s ancestors (spelling and punctuation modernized): In the month of August Br. Brigham visited San Pete and found the people in want of a mill for grnding their grain. He came home and told me that he had made choice of me to go and [...]

Yeah. About that.

I’ve been having so much fun on Goodreads, gathering the books that I want to read, rating the books that I have read, that I’ve actually neglected to READ. And I don’t claim to be too intelligent but isn’t that kind of the point? It’s kind of like when I’m making lunch and realize that [...]

In Praise of Youth Leaders

My next-door neighbor has been sewing pioneer clothes madly to get ready for our stake’s Martin’s Cove trek. She and the other leaders in our stake have spent hours upon hours in planning meetings and firesides and, of course, sewing. All this, on top of hours for Girls Camp and presidency meetings and weekly activities [...]

Stories of Adoption

This is a guest post from Erin, who blogs at http://fullhousehandshearts.typepad.com. She is a mom to Mercy (13, USA), Nathan (11, bio), Ryan (10, bio), Des (10, USA), Shane (8, bio), Benjamin (7, Ethiopia), Amanda (7, Korea), Maggie (6, Vietnam), Belane (4, from AHOPE in Ethiopia), Marcus (4, USA) and finally, Solomon Tsega, 2 years [...]

Roots

“If a non-member family moves into your neighborhood, don’t just automatically assume that they are different and that you can’t associate with them. Listen to the spirit and maybe it will tell you to be friendly. You may be able to give them something so precious that will completely change their life.” Quote from a [...]

Bloggersnacker Baby Hat

I ended up with a navy baby hat after the Segullah bloggersnacker. And I went out of town the next day, and, slacker that I am, I’m only just now posting about the hat. I am sorry if you have missed it, but if it’s yours, please comment so I can contact you and send [...]

The Power in You

We had some friends once who wouldn’t take the sacrament if the bread wasn’t home-made, whole wheat, preservative-free bread. They believed that anything else, “wasn’t really food” (their words, not mine).

Putting the Love Back in Love Handles

I remember the first time I put on a bathing suit after Chloe was born. It was not pretty.

The Internet is Killing Me

Six months ago, I decided it was about time to start my new novel. I had some ideas, some characters, some themes to explore. I was excited about it, even. Ready to dive in! And after six months I am thrilled to report I have written a grand total of twelve pages. Yes, thank you. [...]

BlogHer

I’m going to BlogHer in San Francisco this weekend. Will I meet any of my bloggernacle sisters there?

‘Addiction’ from Anonymous

Alcohol, smoking, gambling, speed, adrenaline, food, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, video/computer games, online games, internet, pornography, sex, plastic surgery, risk, sugar, shopping, inhalants, stealing, power, money, . . . the list of things one could become addicted to seems endless. It reminds me of what King Benjamin told his people during his great discourse at [...]

an unguest post

One of the things I love most about reading other people’s stories is getting a little inside their heads. It’s kind of easy to do this with someone who thinks just like you. But to me it’s even more interesting to get into someone’s head who has a completely different experience than mine. It kind [...]

All Grown Up

My kids and I recently got back from a long driving trip. A very long driving trip. We visited eleven states, five zoos, and put more than 3,000 miles on our minivan. Even though I’d be lying if I said the whole thing was fun (the 20-hour death-march from Minnesota to Texas on the last [...]

Hmmmm

Six weeks ago, in a conversation with my husband, we sat discussing the general gist of life here on earth. The conversation sounded something like, “Since we’re really just down here to figure stuff out, wouldn’t it make sense to just get it all over with, go through it all now? I mean, if there [...]

Confessions from the Edge of Dog Days

I have a hankering for Red Mango with a granola mix in. All the time. The kids go back and forth from filthy to clean but only because they’re wet from the garden hose, which I’m not socially, morally or eco-ly conscious enough to say no to. Boxes of popsicles are dusted off as soon [...]

Call for Submissions to Segullah: Gifts of the Spirit

SEPTEMBER 1 is the submissions deadline for our Spring 2009 issue, Gifts of the Spirit. I love reading your essays and poetry–it is an honor to be entrusted with writing that is vulnerable and real. I hate having to choose between one story and another. I hope that, even though we cannot publish everything we [...]

The Modesty War

Sometimes I can be what my mom likes to call ‘beligerent’ about certain topics.

Using Anonymous

This morning was really interesting.

Detailed Bloggersnacker Directions

The nice lady at Murray Park gave me detailed directions and I thought I’d pass them along. If you enter the park from 330 East Vine, pass the pool, and park in the next parking lot, there is a nice shady area near the playground for us to meet. See you there tomorrow from 5-7 [...]

The birthday present

Today’s guest post is the continuation of last week’s Cover to Cover, by Lynne. Thanks again, Lynne! As I mentioned before, the Lord knows us and where we are in our lives. No sooner had I finished reading The Book of Mormon, than an amazing experience happened to me that could not have happened earlier: [...]

Segullah Bloggersnacker THIS Wednesday from 5-7 pm at Murray Park

Please come if you can? Why? 1. Because I’m going to be there. Isn’t that reason enough? 2. Because those who choose not to come that don’t have a pre-existing condition (living out of state, pregnancy related madness, fear of playground equipment, etc…) will be charged bigger membership fees next year. You haven’t heard about [...]

Newly Born Lightness

I always forget how to hold newborn babies until I’m presented with one: the small face, old, wise, young, perfect. It’s not just that I forget how to hold them, though. It’s the feelings a newborn baby calls up inside me. I held my newborn nephew Saturday and it made me remember the joy, and [...]

Lovely Lady Liberty

Does the poem “The New Colossus” ring a bell? It’s more commonly known as the poem on the Statue of Liberty. Here is a snippet: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.” It’s a lovely poem. But I’m not really crazy about [...]

from the mouths of babes

I love teenagers. You never know what to expect. And that certainly keeps life interesting. The following conversation took place a few weeks ago between my oldest son Luke (yes his real name–because he’s over 18), my second son, Z~ (17) and my daughter L~(13): Z~: Girls are like an oven. Boys are like a [...]

Change

This is a guest post from Sali-Kai, she guest posted with us about a year ago. She is also an adopted member of the Segullah family (through Sharlee). Welcome back! Change, it is a’comin’” Didn’t someone sing that once? Maybe not, but that’s the refrain banging away inside my skull these days. Change. Morning. School [...]

Cover to cover

Today’s guest post is from Lynne. Lynne is the mother of three vivacious and beautiful girls. She is a talented artist. And you really must see her house sometime. This girl eats lives and breathes color! Thanks, Lynne! –Dalene March 12, 2008 Journal entry: I finished the Book of Mormon! First time ever read through [...]