Families get together to make hygiene kits in Provo

James Roh – Daily Herald | Posted: Sunday, January 24, 2010 12:00 am | No Comments Posted

Christian Small, 9, loads a box full of hygiene kits during a “Clean Bodies, Clean Minds” event in Provo on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010. The event was organized by American Mothers, inc. of Utah Valley and brought together over 15 families to package 500 hygienic kits for donation to the humanitarian efforts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Included in the kits were wash rags, combs, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and soap. “It makes for good little citizens to do somthing positive with their hands,” said Karmel Larson, an organizer of the event. “Not just saturday cartoons.” JAMES ROH/Daily Herald

• 
• 
• 

Family Service Project-Clean Minds & Clean Bodies

We had an excellant turnout with 14 families joining together to assemble 500 hygiene kits for humanitarian aid.  The morning started with a potluck breakfast.  Then we got to work and did our service.  Karmel Larson, Mrs. Utah 2009 shared ideas on keeping our minds clean and gave the parents homework to keep the discussion going at home.  Then, Janille Stearmer, Springville City’s Preparedness Coordinator, gave ideas on how to better prepare for Earthquakes in our own homes.  The highlight of the event was Howard Workman, the great Magician, who donated his time and presentation in support of our effort.  Everyone helped clean up!  Another great opportunity for simultaneous service-serving others and teaching our children simultaneously.

The E’s and Ease of Teaching Your Child to Love Reading

Here are Shauna Dunn’s notes from her presentation at the Thomas Jefferson Leadership seminar in March.

In an earlier time in my life, I was an attorney, so I’m going to start with a disclaimer, It has been said that TV is the opposite of reading . . . but my children surely enjoyed an atypical amount of movies while I was preparing this presentation on reading!!

Walt Disney said, “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island and, best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.”

B.F. Skinner, noted behavioral psychologist, taught:

We shouldn’t teach great books;
we should teach a love of reading.

Teaching a love of reading is full of E’s [ease]. These E’s include: Example, Exposure and Excitement.

When I first started my adventure in motherhood, I subscribed to several parenting magazines. One of those magazines had a regular column where people would share the best ideas for improving family life. Ideas about brushing teeth, eating vegetables, going to bed, play date problems . . . you could glean from the article things that would apply to your family, and leave the rest. I’m going to be sharing some of the things that have worked for me.

Keep in mind, I have an incurable disease, it is called OTTD . . . Over The Top Disorder, and when you combine this disorder with a personal passion such as reading, the results my sound quite a bit O-OTTD (Over- Over The Top). . . but I hope you discover some things today that will work for you.

Supporting the White Ribbon Campaign

Karmel and baby Joshua Luke with Governor Herbert

Chapter President, Karmel Larson and Daniel Kennington, Utah Young Mother of the Year 2009, attend a fundraiser to support www.fightthenewdrug.org.   Speakers included Governor Gary Herbert (above with Karmel) and Mark Shurtleff, Utah Attorney General (below) as well as Pamela Atkinson of the Utah Coalition Against Pornography.  Danielle Kennington, Utah Young Mother of the Year 2009 attended with me.  They both become “Fighters”!  Visit the Fight The New Drug website and be inspired.  Become a fighter!

Cam Lee, co-founder of fightthenewdrug.org introducing the website.

Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff

Karmel Larson and Danielle Kennington, Utah Young Mother of the Year 2009

January Chapter Meeting

No Meeting in December

There will not be a meeting in December, because of the holidays. We hope that everyone has a happy and safe season. Here are three things to remember for the holidays.

Drive safe

Remember the true meaning of Christmas

Take time as a mother to relax as this is a very stressful time of the year.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We will hopefully see you in January. The meetings may be moving to Cedar Hills. We will inform you of the date and time of the meeting at a later date.

October and November meeting reviews

I appologize for these reviews taking a long time to get up on the blog.

October’s meeting was an unmeeting, where all could discuss various ideas or issues. The majority of the time was spent talking about recipes everyone had that were easy and used food storage items.

One of those ideas was from Ingrid Sorenson:

Rice and bean burritos

Mix cooked rice (white or brown) with 1 can of Ranch-style beans (they come in a can with a black wrapper, there are a couple different brands)

Add a handful of shredded cheese if desired, and heat thru.  Roll this mixture up in warm tortillas for a super-fast and healthy burritos.  You can leave out the cheese and use avocado for a non-dairy version.  Also, you can add salsa, olives, lettuce, etc. if you like.  I served this last night for an emergency Sunday dinner, with green beans and a salad.  

 

November Meeting was very helpful to all those present. We had Evelin Turner, a profesional organizer, come share her advice about how people who are busy can get there “stuff” organized. She hads a method she calls “Pie.”

These steps are as follows:

 

P= Plan: mapping out how you want your house or space to look like.

I= Implement: is the action part of organizing, putting things where they belong.

E= Evaluate: Organizing is a process and not an event. Set aside the time to keep putting things back where they belong, otherwise one will end up back at the starting point.

We thank Evelin Turner for coming to share with us much needed information. To visit her web page go to http://www.OrganizedByEvelin.com

November Meeting

Our November meeting will be featuring Evelin Turner a professional organizer. We will have a question and answer session after, so bring your questions about organizing.

Meeting will be held on November 12th, at 7:30 pm, with a pre-meeting social from 7:00-7:30 pm.

The meeting will be at the Provo Library in room 301, across from the ballroom on the third floor.

Hope to see you there.

October Chapter Meeting

AMI of Utah Valley Meeting

 

When:  Thursday October 8, 2009

Times:  7-7:30 pre-meeting social

7:30-8:30 PM Unmeeting (The hour is up to those who attend, to share, discuss, or comment what is on one’s mind.)

Where: Provo Library-3rd floor-Bullock Room 301 across from the ballroom

Hope you are able to attend.

Review of September Reunion

LaDawn Jacobs, former national Young Mother of the year,  spoke to us in Ingrid Sorensen’s backyard. She was wonderful. We all appreciated her expert advice with parenting and mothering.  Her examples and suggestions were helpful and encouraging to us mothers in the midst of parenting. Thank You LaDawn for your example and words of advice for all of us.