Pretty Cake

So last night was the last class for Wilton Class number two. I think I should stop now for a bit,
but I think I will continue on because August is still 40% off, and I get a $5 break for taking the class right after another class.
When I brought this cake into work, everyone thought it was beautiful, and no one wanted to cut into it. I didn't get into the lunch room until about 12:30, and there was everyone circled around the cake waiting until I cut the first slice. They had pretty much finished their lunches, and wanted a piece. Within 15 minutes of me cutting the cake, it was
gone. The funny thing about this cake was it was accidentally a purple cake. I was actually trying to make it a red, white, and blue confetti cake, but I didn't use the correct sprinkles in the cake batter. I had used the small hard balls instead of the soft cylinder sprinkles. So just as the sprinkles hit the cake batter, they started to dissolve. I tried to quickly mix them in so they wouldn't completely dissolve, but it seemed they just more dissolved. I eventually ended up with a pink/purple cake. It was cut, and no one seemed to mind.

Stupid DMV!

So yesterday I needed to go to the DMV for work. We had sold three ATV's to a company in Shafter and they were attempting to get them titled. We had never titled them because they were farm equipment and we did not need to have them titled in the state of CA. However, we had the original paperwork and when we sold the ATV we turned the paperwork over to them, but it seems like one Certificate of Origin had been misplaced before they were able to title them. So an appointment was made at the DMV and the two of us went there to square things up. I got there and she was already there getting instructions on what I needed to do. Apparently the DMV didn't like our bill of sale that we created, so we had to create new bills of sale on the forms that the DMV had. I had to do this on all three of the ATV's. We have sold ATV's in the past, and not one has been returned because the DMV wouldn't accept our bill of sale. I think they just didn't like us yesterday. :-(

Then I had another section of paperwork I had to fill out for the one that the cert of origin had been misplaced on. So I filled that out and we had to wait in line again. Once we got to the front, I found out that there was another section that I was to fill out, but no one had told me. Apparently they had explained to the other girl, but she didn't tell or show me or I would have filled it out. So we sat back down and I filled out the section and then we stood in line again and waited. Finally we got to the front and it took anther 10-15 mins before they completed the one ATV that didn't have the Certificate of Origin. At that point, I had been in the DMV for an hour and 10 mins and didn't want to be there anymore. The lady still had two other ATV's she was working on, so I asked if that was all that was needed from the seller and they said yes, so I left.

Today, the girl showed up at my office saying the DMV needed my signature on two more documents and they forgot to mention that to me yesterday. While I was there, I did point to the paper I had filled out on the one ATV and asked if I needed to fill out something similar to that for the other two and was told no. However, I guess I was supposed to. So, now I hope that it is all resolved. I have also decided that I am going to look into whether or not we should be getting titles for our ATV's or not. That was sure a hassle. I am sure there are other people that had to title the ATV's they have purchased from us, but it wasn't this much of a problem.

RS Lesson

So the lesson went well. I didn't end up making cookies, but come to think of it, I didn't have the right chocolate chips. Plus I didn't really want to make and clean up cookies on Sunday morning.

The lesson went very well, I had a bit of participation, and afterwards there were comments on how much they enjoyed the lesson.

Pretty much I talked about how a few degrees in "attitude" adjustments could change the course of our lives. I gave a couple of examples of people that didn't make attitude adjustments. One of them was Korihor, he was given several chances to correct himself and not deny there was a Christ. However, he refused and then he was struck dumb. Then he admitted he always knew there was a Christ. At that point, it was a bit too late, and Alma didn't believe he was sincere and that if the sign had been taken away, Korihor would go back to telling people there would be no Christ. Another example was Laman and Lemuel and how they even had angels visit them a couple of times. Their attitudes would correct for a small while before they would revert to their old ways. Then President Uchtdorf mentioned Saul and that he had not done what the Lord had commanded and then had caved to the pressures of men.

Then I gave examples of people that did correct their courses. One of them was Lehi and his wife. When Nephi broke his bow, Lehi and Sariah murmured. However, they did repent of their murmurings and were forgiven. Then someone brought up that Nephi had a small course correction when he was lamenting about how wicked he was because he was upset with his brothers and his trials even though his brothers were trying to kill him at that moment. Then we talked about Joseph Smith, and how he had to repent after asking the Lord on three separate occasions to let Martin Harris take the manuscript, which was eventually lost.

It was a good lesson. At the end of the talk, there was a part that stated..."Remember: the heavens will not be filled with those who never made mistakes but with those who recognized that they were off course and who corrected their ways to get back in the light of gospel truth."

Good words to live by. :-)

So, tomorrow I get to teach on President Uctdorf's conference talk A Matter of a Few Degrees. I am still trying to figure out how to put this lesson together. I read the talk, and figured it would take me all of 10 mins to relate it in Relief Society. I am hoping to come up with a small activity/demonstration on how a "few degrees" can really effect things. However, I am not really sure. I thought I could get some Jenga blocks and show a few degrees on the lower levels, however, I don't have Jenga.

Maybe, I can make some cookies...and cook them at different degrees in the oven....I will have to think about this. I really don't have ingredients to make cookies, and it is a bit late to go and buy them. I would have to go to Bakersfield since the grocery stores here are about to close.

I will have to give it a bit more thought and see what comes of it.

To Beach, or not to Beach??

I am trying to decide if I want to escape to the coast next weekend or not. I don't go swimming in it because I am a bit scared of what might be down there with me, plus at Morro Bay, the current is a bit cold and swift. However, it is a nice place to see and up the beach a little we can see sea lions.

I only made it over to the coast once last year, and I haven't made it this year. It is nice to just walk on the beach and have the really chilly water crash onto your feet and legs. Last year when I went, it was the Kite Festival, and it was neat to see all the different types of kites people had. We even got to watch a portion of the kite flying contest. It was where contestants made their kites dance to music. It was interesting....maybe for a couple of shows, but after the third "dance," I was done.

Pansies, Daffodils, and Roses, OH MY!

So, on Tuesday, we made five different types of flowers out of royal icing. We started first with the roses, then we went on to the daffodils, pansies, primroses, then daisies.

By the time I made it to the daisies, I could hardly push out the icing. The icing we were using was the royal icing...aka...cement. My hand was so tired. I didn't even take any pictures of my crazy daisies. They are very sad and wobbly looking. The more tired my hand got, the more it shook. I think I will try to make some more daisies on Saturday. By then my hand should have recovered enough that I should be able to squeeze out more "cement."

My favorite of the flowers were the pansies. I thought they were the prettiest and the most real looking. I can't say the daffodils are that realistic, but really, how realistic are purple daffodils? The middle primrose in the picture, you can tell I was starting to have problems with my hands. The leaves weren't quite getting out as far as they should. Then on the one that is closest to the roses, the leaves aren't as defined. The teacher did say that I had really stiff icing. I didn't put all the water in it since my buttercream icing is always way to soft. I figured I wouldn't be accused of having soft royal icing. :-)

Sunday School

So last week I was able to teach another Sunday School lesson. We are meeting in the chapel, and I hate trying to get every one's attention so we can start. I hate trying to talk loud so people can hear me because I don't think shouting in the chapel is appropriate.

A couple of weeks ago when I tried to start, someone "shushed" everyone, and within seconds it quieted down. So I first said quite loudly that it was time to start. Only the people on the first three rows heard me and turned around towards me. However, no one else did, so I remembered the "shushing" and tried it. Within a second or two, the noise level dropped so I could speak, and then about 20 people scurried out of the room because they weren't going to stay.

Other than that, I had a great lesson. I was able to teach about the anti-Christ-Korihor, and what happened to him. I have to say that I like teaching out of Alma. It is a good book. There are plenty of good stories in there.

So when we went into RS, I said to the person next to me that I think I got out of teaching RS for July as well. We have one too many teachers in RS, and I hadn't been asked to teach yet. Later at Linger Longer, the RS President came up and asked if I would teach this next Sunday. She didn't have the lesson, and would get it to me later. Of course I will teach. However, that same lady was sitting next to me and said that I didn't get out of it this month.

I thought I had a good chance. I taught the Enrichment, and two Sunday School lessons and so I thought they would have pity on me. Oh well, it is a lesson that I probably need.