the footstool

when i was 18, i met my father for the first time.   one of the first stories he told me was of the footstool.   he made me a small footstool for a necklace and i wore it for a long time.    although the necklace has been lost to moving and time, the story has stuck with me.   i prefer the memory since it is the only one of the two i can take with me.

the story goes something like this - (it has been a few years since i heard the story so the details may be off but the gist is the same) -
every night my dad would need to get up in the middle of the night.   you know how that goes.   well, he tried to not wake the house full of kids and wife, so he didn't turn on the light.   this would normally be great and not a problem.   he knew where the furniture was.  certainly a man can navigate his own home in the dark, right?
yes, unless you have kids.   the kids were pretty good about the toys, but there was this little footstool that was just the perfect height.   it was great for climbing up, sitting down, hopping over, driving cars under.   everything!  that meant that it got used a lot.   that means it was never in the same place twice.   so, as my dad would carefully and quietly make his way through the house . . .thump!  found the footstool with his toe, banged into it with his ankle or just tripped over the darn thing. . . e v e r y night.  

you would think that at some point he would turn on a light, get a flashlight, light a candle, something.   no!   this was becoming a matter of pride!   this was war!   he was bound and determined to get through the house without the stool beating him!   it's just a footstool, right?   right!

night after night, my dad stubbornly stubbed his toe.   then, he finally decided that his toe was more important than his pride.   toes tend to hurt more than pride after a while.   he turned on a light.   the funny thing is, by turning on the light, he won.   his toes won!

it has always reminded me of how silly our pride, our competition, our stubbornness makes our lives harder, sometimes even painful.   we work so hard at doing something the way we want to do it, that we miss the simple answer that will allow us to move forward.

look around, turn on the light and really look at what is causing you pain, what is it that is making your life harder than it really needs to be?   what is it that just needs a little light?  

grateful for jersey knit

i have been a total slacker lately with my gratitude.      such is life.
a few weeks ago, i made a jump rope for my tomboy princess out of jersey knit, (t-shirt material).  
http://plaidipusmound.blogspot.de/2013/10/homemade-jump-rope.html
it worked great and came back to help me this week.

my shoelaces were wearing through . . . had worn through and been tied several times.   then my little blonde curls wore my shoes, broke the lace again and lost the end so i didn't have anything left to tie.   i was in the middle of something when it happened and didn't really think about it . . .until i had to go somewhere.   stink!   ironically, i had to go pick up the blonde curls when i remembered that the blonde curls broke my laces.  option: wear the hubby's shoes (too big) , wear sandals in the cold and wet (barefoot maybe if i didn't have to go into his school but not sandals.  barefoot is ok no matter the weather for a few minutes, but sandals in the cold, no. and i was going ride my bike), so, fix it is what we have left.    yah for the jump rope experiment.
i just cut a strip off of the same sheet i used for the jump rope, and laced 'em up.   i cut the end really slanted and used a crochet hook to pull it through faster.   you could use tape on the end for an aglet if you wanted though.   it totally didn't match, not really a problem for me.   i'm not fashion conscience.   my pant legs were long enough to hide it anyway.   i just have to put in, this is not a long term fix.   i had to fix my shoe twice before remembering to go buy laces.   i did want to see how long they lasted though.   not long.

the point is not the shoe laces.   the point is doing what you can with what you have, thinking outside the box, applying past experience to present situations that may seem totally unrelated.
the point is not fencing yourself in with the easy way, the normal way, the usual way, the everyday.
the point is it may or may not work, but you tried it, you learn from your failures.   and seriously, this failure was seriously cool!

kids find secret room behind the book case update

i know many of you have read the mysterious story of the room hidden behind the book case.
http://www.viralnova.com/creepy-door/

i have done quite a bit of research since i just can't let something like this go.
i thought you might want to know what happened after the story was written.

the family spent several days living with friends and family while the police searched.   one story says the police felt the person had moved on and one says that they felt it was a child since the space was so small.   both ways, there wasn't much response.   the family took things into their own hands and began to search out the space.   they searched the house trying to figure out how the perpetrator was getting in and out.   they eventually found a window that didn't lock properly every time.   the window was replaced and an alarm system was installed. after a few months with no apparent disturbance in the little room, they began to feel more comfortable.   they tried to decide what to do with the strange little space they had found.   logically, it was useful for nothing more than storage considering the size.    after throwing some sleeping bags and camping equipment into it, the space was not given much  more thought.

after more than a year of the original occurrence, the space was nothing more than a conversation piece.   one of the sons was assigned to map the house in their math class.   they figured this should be a fun project considering their little secret room.   the first measurements and drawing was done, but wasn't matching  up.   he measured again, drew again, but still came up with things not lining up correctly.   the family helped out next, even with everyone working together, the drawing was not matching the house they could see or the measurements they were taking.    beginning to worry, the father of the family talked a friend about it who was an engineer.   the engineer took precise measurements and drafted a blueprint for the family.   even the engineer was stumped and told the family that the blue print was not entirely accurate.   no matter how many times he worked it, the plan never came out exactly the same way twice.   none of the plans drawn from anyone came out the same way twice.   the problem seemed to stem from the secret room and some of the surrounding walls.

meanwhile, as the engineer worked on the blueprints, the boys had been exploring the secret room more thoroughly.   they had actually began decided to start using a hammer to bust through walls.   before the hammer came out, mom took one last stab at the room.   she did what moms do and found the unfindable.   the space was half way up the stairs, she discovered a piece of wood that moved to the side and revealed a key hole.   yeah, guess what that key they found went to.   obviously there had to be more than one since the person was gone and the spare key was still in the room.   she used it and found a tunnel!

the police were again called.   this time they took things a bit more seriously.   the search of the tunnel revealed not only a secret entrance to the house but also more little secret spaces.   in the other spaces were more evidence of someone or something living in and under their house.   evidentiality, the loss of the smallest and highest room in their secret den was no deterrent.     the search turned up more and more strange things.
as they searched, they turned up five more rooms.   each seemed to have a specific purpose.   it was determined that the first room they discovered had been for kids, hence the dolls and candy.    they found rooms resembling kitchen and toilet usage.   whomever had been living with them had been using their water, sewer and power but obviously in very small amounts.   it seemed almost as though it was a primitive family living inside a modern house.   bizarre food stores were found.   all seemed salvaged or hunted.   mostly rodents dried or smoked into jerky.   other gathered fruits, nuts, roots were hanging or stored in the "kitchen".   little was found for cooking as such.   all of the rooms and the entrance tunnel seemed small for our standards, shorter and child sized.

now, here's the part that will have you questioning your own safe and happy home.   as they began to explore the tunnel, or i should say tunnels, they found that there were more mini homes under several more houses in the neighborhood!      there was a neighborhood under the neighborhood!   every house that had a secret entrance, was built by the same builder.  a builder who had soon after gone out a of business and left the state.   each entrance lead to a mini house like the first.   each had similar small dimensions and similar family living evidence.   they followed the main tunnel to the end where it came out between a landfill and a nuclear power plant!   now we know where the store is.   the landfill provides plenty of discarded clothing rodents to hunt, wild plants, and obviously, toys for the kids.    the garbage was providing for not only one family but several.

with so many people being supported and living under foot, why had no one seen them.   that is still a mystery.   why did the builder actually build these mini houses into the neighborhood?   again a mystery.   he must be a friend of the colony or possibly one of them, not to mention every worker that helped on the projects.   here is the question that everyone should be asking though - how many more colonies are out there?   where are they?    who is living under your feet?

to be fair, they seem to be symbiotic, other than the stolen candy, nothing seems to be missing from the houses.   assumably, a child that snuck up to get candy without parents knowing.   no one was ever harmed, no one had anything stolen or missing that they had noticed.   but maybe that's what happens to the missing socks from the laundry.   imagine, how many other colonies might be out there.   how many neighborhoods, towns, states or even countries have these underground people living under them?  what else is going on under your nose and feet that you have no idea exists?   and here is possibly the most important - if they are not harming anything, why do we care?     while  most of the residence that had these mini houses found under ground were totally freaked out and had them closed, a few said to leave them alone.  no harm, no foul, no kidding!

i know i have learned a lot and had my eyes really opened from researching this story.   i have also had a lot of fun writing this totally bogus update.   yep, made it all up.  at least the update part, the original i have no idea although it seems a bit faux to me.   my friends on facebook were discussing the story and one of them said, "I just did some research on this and it says that this was posted over a year ago and the family was found dead right after these pics were taken . . . the man that was arrested for it admitted to living in the hidden space beneath the house. . . " which seriously made my heart jump for a second and then it made me laugh.   i decided i could up the ante a bit.   oh, yes, i have a seriously twisted sense of humor.

now, think about this though.   what is happening in the world that you know nothing about so it doesn't bother you?   things that are harmless to everyone, just disturbing to think about.   do we as a society force people into a form for no other reason than our own comfort?   maybe people are better off without so much interference and form fitting.   maybe you are better off without so much trying to fit the form.   and i think everyone is better off with some seriously twisted friends!   enjoy your day and sleep well!  

what you need to know about going natural

over the last several years, i have tried to add more and more nature to my life.   you know, not like taking walks.   using more herbs and less meds.   using vinegar instead of shampoo and cleaners.   adding raw foods more than processed.   fermented foods.   that kind of thing.   trust me, i am not nature girl.   some nights, it's late, and we throw a pizza in the oven.    i am adding things a little at a time.   i am learning a bit, implementing, learning some more, and implementing more.    as i do this, here is what i have learned and what i warn people about when they ask about going natural themselves.     that's probably my first piece of advice- take it a step at a time.   do some research about the things that interest you.   look on the internet, pinterest, join facebook groups, ask your friends.   i have been really surprised which of my friends were doing various natural things.   choose one that looks the most doable and try it.   give it time, keep with  it.   once you feel comfortable with the new routine, look into another practice and on and on.   you will keep some and not others.   that's ok.   just be sure to give things a fair chance.

that brings me to my next advice.   realize that designed products force a certain outcome in a short amount of time.   nature doesn't do that.   nature takes time and nature has cycles.   we have put so much science into keeping certain standards at even levels that we have thrown our concept of healthy and natural completely out the window.   windows are actually a good place to start.   look out the window!   see that tree?   it took years.   if you cut it open, it will have rings of different sizes that reflect the difference of  it's growing conditions over the years.   it will not be even rings of the same size and shape.   point is, nature moves slowly and not nice and even and controlled.     it has ups and downs.   if you want to live a more natural life, you have to accept the ups and downs and cycles of nature.   *there will be good and not so good hair days for instance.   you will notice that they will go in cycles though.   you'll have great hair for a few weeks then it will slowly become less cooperative.   you will simply have to adapt to the cycle.*   going natural takes time and experimentation.   it will take days or weeks to adjust to some and  months and even a year or so to adjust to some changes.  *just sticking with my own hair cycles for instance - i wash with just vinegar for quite a while.  it goes great.   then, i have this not wanting to be cooperative time where i use a bit of coconut oil to tame it.   still looks fine though.  then we hit straightening it with coconut oil and a ceramic flat iron.   once or twice a year, i get a day or two where i have sort of waxy hair.   i wash it with dish soap and move forward from there.   it may seem like a fuss but my hair is more healthy, it is cheaper than what i was using and, honestly, i have more good hair days and less hot iron days than before.   plus, since it goes in cycles, i can predict what my hair will be like for the most part.      my tomboy princess's straight hair has a much longer cycle.   she rarely needs a good soap wash.   her hair is mostly braided though, that helps.   my curls are a bit more wild anyway so this is actually an improvement for me and my crazy mop.   **update - after more than i year of the vinegar for my hair, i have not had a waxy time for quite a while.   things seem to have calmed down and the cycles aren't so extreme.   things are starting to even out a bit more than at first.   it has taken time.**

*personal example for both giving it time and taking it slow - fermented foods - i started milk kefir 8 months ago.  i didn't have any trouble when i started but some people have an increase in the health problems they were trying to get rid of for a while.   it's called die off.   sounds super healthy right?   well, it is actually.   imagine all of the little bad things in your body that cause problems.    they are hiding out and burrowed in all over.   when you add the probiotics, good yeasts, good microbes, etc that are in fermented foods, they go in and dislodge the bad stuff.   when you add a little at a time, it dislodges a little at a time and your body can flush it (if you are drinking enough water).   if you jump in with both feet and start cramming in all the ferment you can, you are going to dislodge all of it at a time and that is harder for your body to deal with.   still ok, just uncomfortable at first.   go slow, get used to one thing at a time.   give your body a chance to adjust.   on the upside for us, everyone is healthier than ever before.   when i have a whole winter without being down and out in bed sick, it's a miracle!   definitely worth the little bit of time it takes to do it.  


a few last thoughts -  do try natural things, every bit of natural living that you do, positively affects your life.      don't think you have to be totally off grid to be natural.   ask yourself why you are going with natural practices and just stick with that.   do what fits your life and your expectations.     don't compare your natural path to anyone else.   you might be more or less than someone else.   it doesn't matter.  sometimes i hear competitive or even accusative statements made about not doing enough or trying it at all.   i hear both sides of it.   don't worry about it.   do what works for you.   that is what nature is after all.   nature does what works.   and lastly just enjoy it!

bound up braids

this was just a silly experiment with braids and a high on the side pony.   my tomboy princess likes the high on the side do's.   

so, pony, separate out a section to wrap around the pony.   this wrapping makes the braid higher.   

braids first, then twist the section of hair and wrap it around.  use your topsy tail to tuck the end of the twisted hair into the band holding up your pony.   i had quite a bit of end on my braid and i didn't want it just hanging so i wrapped it up into the braid and into the band as well.   tucking the end into the braid gave it a thicker look and kept it up higher.

it was just fun.

laced up locks

this is a fun technique.   it's pretty basic and really simple but gets rave reviews.
 it's useful to have a little loop to pull the ribbon through the braids.   you could probably do it without but it would be harder.

so, two braids (or more).    parallel or not. see how easy i am to get along with?

my first try was with braids on the outsides.   i started lacing from the front but spaced them too far apart.  i think the bottom looks great but wasn't pleased with the top.   i pulled the side braids together at the bottom with the ribbon and then tied the ribbon around the hair to make it more of a pony at the bottom.   that turned out really cute!

this was my next experiment with the ribbon.   

i brought one braid down from the front right to the side left across the front.   the other braid came from the right front down the right d´side and then across the back a bit.   

i laced the ribbon through every stitch in the braid this time and only went part of the way down.  i also ended both ends in the same side which was really cute as well.   

you could lace from bottom up or do paralele braids.  this could be used for anything.  i am seeing team colors or bridal/bridesmaid hair.   imagine the possibilities, i know i am.   i will be back to this post with new trials of what works and possibly what didn't.   you might as well learn from my mistakes too.

super simple car costume!

my son decided that he wanted to be acaar for halloween this year.   car?   easy!   i love an easy costume!

you can be as fancy or simple as you want, time will allow and resources will grant.  i have next  to nothing in the last two so we went with simple.

first, you're gonna need a box!

consider kid/box ratio, length, width, height, length.   

i un glued the bottom and the seam so i could lay it out flat.  i didn't to try and deal with the glossy outside and the inside is nice and clean.   plus, i want to work with it flat.   much easier. 

 give your ride a paint job.   we laid down an old shower curtain and went to work.   i used kitchen sponges since i don't have any large paint brushes here.   my 4 year old used his hands.   it all worked.   after painting the ride, we painted some wheels.   just circles with white rings.   you have to have white walls after all.   black tires blend with the pavement.

 cut the tires off the bottom side flaps.   fold the bottom front flaps up and tape.   fold the top side flaps down and tape for a little stability.   then i just taped it back together inside out.

 i used some wire to hold the wheels on.   you could glue them as well.   just make sure to secure them well.

i used wire folded in half and then splayed at the ends.   i taped over the ends so the wouldn't snag.   you should also tape them on the back of the wheel or add some stabilization to the hole in the wheel so it doesn't tear and jump off your car. you could use washer of some sort to keep it on as well.

my son and i multi-tasked on this and got it done in no time.   i got the wheels on and he installed the windows.    we are so  much faster than any garage.

 

we used tin foil for the front and back windows.   just press the tin foil over the flap so you can see the outline, fold it gently in half so it won't crease and cut a window slightly smaller than the outline.

i cut a grill out of tin foil and added some detail with paint and the original paintbrush.  

 the lights are seriously awesome!   they make the costume super sweet and super safe at the same time.   we had some of these small push lights, you could cut holes and use flash lights or glow in the dark stuff as well.  

 for the back lights, i cut up a red plastic bag and taped it in place.   all of the lights were taped on with duct tape.   i just made little tape rolls and they held fine.

 the straps were made from duct tape as well.    i had my tomboy princess be the car lift and hold the box in place while i measured.   then i just ran tape across from one side to the other.   then ran another piece on top of it so it wasn't sticky.   i went wide at the front and met in the center of the back so they wouldn't slip off the shoulders.  

 i would reinforce the flaps.   my race car driver went of roading and racing around until the front window separated from the body.  i had to steal some tape from the straps to do some on the spot body work.   i usually carry duct tape, of course, not tonight.

hope you have fun making a car for your little driver . . .or for yourself.   it's a great thing for halloween or any day really.   when is a box car not fun?!

homemade jump rope

like most tomboy princesses, mine likes to jump rope.   her school has some but they are literally rope.  no handles, just rope.   they work, as well as just rope works.   the problem with just rope is that the rope is turning but held at the pivoting point, i.e. the hand so they twist until they tangle.   she wanted a jumprope that worked, so i made her one.  no problems.  

 i found some inspiration :

http://churchfun.com/2008/09/17/how-to-make-a-durable-jump-rope/

http://proverbs31living.blogspot.de/2010/11/have-handmade-christmas-week-3.html

and then i took off on my own.   

first, i did use the t-shirt material but i have some sheets made of jersey.   it's already the length i need.  much simpler.   i had my tomboy princess mark the material at the width of a wide ruler, around two fingers or so.   it's not important that it's exact but you don't want tit too thin or it will tear and too thick makes it harder to work with.   i wouldn't go thinner.   

after marking, i cut the strips and stretched them.   be gentle and slow stretching them.   cut extras.   we broke a few.   you want them to stretch to the point that they become a stiffer "string" but not until they break.   it worked best to stretch them a couple times instead of overstretching the first time.   

this is the difference between the fresh cut and the "string"

try to pull them so they are the same length, approximately.

leave some room at the end.   my regular sheet made one too long for me and long enough for two to turn and one to jump.  knot the first end and then just use a little rubber band on the second end for now.

next, you braid. . . and braid . . and braid . . it's easier if you have help . . .

depending on the help.   my cat was super helpful.   

while you're braiding, you want to pull one string out of the others to keep them from knotting up under you.   just pull one out every 4 or 5 wraps.   obviously, the material will wear out eventually.   you could cut some rubber/plastic tubing beads to put on the middle to protect the rope and give it some weight if you want.   i just didn't have any and couldn't buy any.   maybe next time.  i'll be keeping my eye out for some used fish tank tubing wide enough to go on the ropes.   maybe some small garden hose but you don't want it too heavy either.   i am thinking just a few to protect the center that hits the ground.

next, the handles.   here is where you make a difference between a rope and jump rope.

i used an old hula hoop because it was what i had.   you could use pvc pipe anything hard for the handles.   i don't know if garden hose would work.   it would depend n how stiff it was.   the rope has to be able to freely turn inside the handle.    that is what keeps it from twisting up  

i grabbed a picture of it in the tub when i washed it.  these pictures are totally on the go.   we had several things to do including make a jump rope.   chaos as always, but you are patient with my chaotic pictures.   you're such a great audience!

if you have a cut off wheel for your dremel, you can cut the handles easy . . .i used a serrated knife without cutting myself for once.     seriously, use caution and cut carefully.   be responsible with your cutting.

we measured a bit longer than my princesses hand is wide.   you want room for them to hang on and not interfere with the end of the rope turning.

after cutting, i used sandpaper to smooth the ends.   you don't want the raw edges to cut kid's hands or the rope.   i sanded it inside and out until it was smooth.

 next, string your rope together.    this is why you leave one end with just a rubber band.   it's easier to get through the tubing and washers.
you want your washers on the ends, between the handle and the knot.   that is what lets the rope turn inside the handle.   i happened to have some washers.    (hope my husband didn't need them for anything)   i figured if i couldn't find washers, i would cut a circle out of plastic or even cut the pipe in half and make a hole for the rope to go through.  you could use large beads too.   be creative with what you have.    it just has to be able to turn freely on the end of the handle and not slip into the handle.

 this is the order you string them on.   then just tie your other end and you're done.   if you need it smaller, just tie it up higher.   no problems.   leave it a loose knot so you can make it longer again later.

you could use any color sheet but make sure it's t-shirt material.   you could use a t-shirt too if you wanted.  just cut in a spiral around the shirt from bottom to armpits.   you could use permanent markers to put some color on it as well.

you should be able to make this jump rope from what you have around the house.  with a little creativity, you can probably find all you need without shopping.   be creative and think about what it has to do instead of just looking at my list and wondering if you have what i have.

hope it works well for you.   have fun!

sturdy ladder braid

 we tried out the ladder braid last sunday.   knowing how loose the braid is, it was only good for church.   i wasn't entirely happy with the results.   i would have liked it tighter.   maybe next time, life is an experiment and that's how we learn.
the curve over her head is lovely though.

 the ladder braid is just french braiding but taking hair into one side then out the other, a waterfall braid.   it is basically a twist with sections of hair coming through the twist.   then add a french braid on the other side to pick up the sections that you pulled through the first braid.

 my tomboy princess loves the ladder braid but it is way too loose to do for her school hair.   i decided to make it a bit more stable so she could have it for school.

in order to make the ladder a bit more stable, i didn't just take whole sections clear through the braid.   bring in hair from one side and only leave a piece of that on the other side.   you can see the difference.   it left a much tighter and more stable braid to work from .   again, not entirely happy with the way it looks but i am happy with the more sturdy form of it.   i just need some practice to make it look nicer.

basket pony

this was another experiment with my daughter's hair.  i have totally been a slacker and haven't posted her hair for a while.   trying to catch up.   

start with  separating the hair into 4.   center and front to back.  i separated high but you could go lower or even use 6 sections.   as long as all of the braids end up together, you'll be ok.   

 then i wove them across each other like a basket, brought them around the edge and through the top into a pony.   super simple.   we added some curls which, of course, didn't stay.  

the braids were still cute though.   this held up through sports so it holds well.   i couldn't leave a long pony because it would tangle too much, but you could weave less or use shorter hair.   

the truly creative thinker

this last month, i was able to join in a great webinar from amber kane.   the original broadcast ended up with several technical problems, but that happens.   she re-recorded the whole thing and posted it here-
creative class webinar
password: thecreativeclass

i finally got to watch it today and loved it!   i also watched a conversation she had with tara gentile about marketing.   the-customer-perspective-with-tara-gentile   also great.

you may ask what the first one, on creative and divergent thinking has to do with marketing . . . i made several connection but that's just the way i think.   so i wanted to share both with you and then give you my tweaked version and vision.

first, divergent thinking.   this was great because i came to understand why i do the things i do, the way that i do them.   there are 3 practices she covers in the video that research says divergent thinkers do.   seriously, watch the video.

the first thing she talked about was the paperclip test.   personally, i think a creativity or divergent thinking "test" is an oxymoron but whatever.   it was fun too.  you name as many things as you can that you can do with a paperclip.   little kids can come up with over a hundred things usually, but only 2% of adults can.   i had to make myself quit at 136 because the kids got home from school and i really needed to get things done.    that was a fun adventure though.   i had actually done about half or more of the things i wrote down.   divergent thinker, a.k.a crafter, a.k.a. cub scout leader, a.k.a. mom . . . .

ok, first divergent practice - get out of your comfort zone.   this is why you don't get patterns from me.  i don't use them.   i just dive into stuff.  i see something and think, "wow!    all of these images and great ideas are popping into my head, i'm going to try them all at once!"   i have always been willing to try new things but i still had a comfort zone.   then we moved to germany.   i was hurled out of my comfort zone at light speeds.  i kept thinking i can't do this anymore and yet, there i was.   still alive and kicking because i don't know how to lay down and die.  so, now, what comfort zone?   ok, somethings are easier than others, but i am learning to walk over comfort lines without much thought.   (please don't confuse comfort zones with moral codes or creeds.   two really different things and one should be challenged, the other not.)

another practice she mentioned - write things down.   everything!   ideas come to mind and i have to record them.   which is why i am up at 11pm writing a blog post instead of sleeping.   my brain just wouldn't shut off until i got it out of my head and onto print.

another one that was new to me but i am having tons of fun with is image streaming.   it's like a rollercoaster in your head!  wheeeee!  the theory is that you have images running through your head all the time but tend to zone them out so you can get things done.   thank you schooling and fitting in.   when you image stream, you close your eyes, and the first image you see, describe it in full detail.   use all five senses and speak out loud.   it doesn't need to be actual, "the chair is blue" stuff.  it can be things it reminds you of, things you feel or hear or smell when you see the image.   it's lots of fun.     i'm going to come back to this one so don't lose it.

the other video is about marketing.   i run businesses online so this was interesting to me.   as i watched it though, i saw the two combining.

the interesting thing that she said about marketing is that instead of target markets you should listen to target conversations.   so, you still need to know who you're trying to sell to but you need to know how they communicate so you can speak their language.   (again, watch the video, even if you're not selling anything.  i'll tell you why in a just a second).   it doesn't mean lose your own voice but know how to communicate, the language that the target uses so you can see their own language to get their attention and get across important info.

the second point of the video (at least what i got out of it) was that instead of trying to tell someone about your product, tell them about what matters to them.   the result!   "i don't want to know that it's a great product, i want to know what it does for me."

ok, now why marketing is useful to you no matter what you do.  i am thinking and talking as a wife/mom/teacher because that is my thought process but you can translate this to co-workers, teachers, etc. anyone you want something from.  isn't this a dirty marketing trick?   well, no, it's better communication.   you want your kids to clean their rooms, do their homework etc?  you want something from them.   you want your husband to listen, fix the whatever is broken, yada etc?   you want a good grade from your teacher?   well, there you go.   you want something.   this is better communication.

so, listen to your target's communications with others.   facebook, other people, observe them from this perspective.   i really want you to pay attention because each person communicates with each other person differently.   my son doesn't talk to me the way he talks to his sister.   my grandmother doesn't talk to me the same way she talks to my uncle.   this is a bonus of paying attention to how some people interact.   you will find that you automatically get irritated by one person but totally let stuff slide with another.   if you change the thought process, you can change the attitude.   for instance, i have told my kids to talk to each other the way they would talk to me.    now, back at that marketing stuff.   use this different communication in those moments that you want them to pay attention, use their language and what interests them to tell them what the results are you are looking for, the results that you can give them if they will do what you need them to.   this has been said about communication before, don't just say what should (or shouldn't) be done but also why.   for me this means talking to my kids on their level and interacting with them in their communication method.   it means that i explain why i want them to do or don't do something and give them positive alternatives for the don'ts.    amber gave an interesting example of how her students gave her an unexpected result to her assignment.   i had this light come on, "know your target audience's language and way to communicate.   present the results not just the product.   this marketing scheme, this different communication thinking would help there too."    obviously, you can't necessarily know that the kids are going to freak out about a lesson but this is how my new thought process was born.

ok, so how do i wrap these two things together?   use the image streaming as a group!   i thought about the communication skills this could bring to our family or any group.   one person briefly describes the first image that comes to mind with all five senses.   everyone listens and forms the image according to what was said.(you could use a picture or object instead of having someone come up with an image if you wanted.   this might be a better alternative for larger groups.)      the next person takes that image and describes it with their five senses and so on.   stick with the original description.   you can't change what's in the other person's mind.   (also a good lesson)   we did it as a family while fixing and eating dinner.   we each took a turn starting and then went around describing what we saw from the original description.   this was fascinating!   i learned a lot about my kids listening to their images and their descriptions.   this activity really gets the creativity flowing and helps everyone to think differently.   you get some interesting observations from this.   my tomboy princess had a problem describing how her pony tasted.   that part was priceless, but i think she improved in just the few rounds we did tonight.  

 it was so much fun!   the kids said we have to start doing it all the time.     it' our new game.   this is such a multi-tasker.   it encourages the us to be more divergent thinkers.   it helps us focus on one thing and describe it.   it helps us to sense things with all five senses and be more aware of our surroundings.    it helps us focus on what the other people are saying.   that helps communication skills.   it helps us understand each other's language better so we can communicate better.    it gives us a better understanding of how others sense the world.   it helps us verbalize our ideas.  . . . .this can go on and on.  

it was really interesting to hear the kids describe something from their heads.  i think it really gave me insight into what goes on inside of them.   they have such different ways of describing things and such different things they chose to describe.   it was seriously awesome!   my son said he was going to tell his teacher about it and see if she wants to do it at school.   i think this would be a great team or class building game.   it would be a great way to learn more about a group or class.   this could be done out loud or written if you used a picture or object.   i think out loud encourages spontaneity but written would be good for a class that might be judgemental of each other.   there are several directions you could go with it.

another way you can use image streaming with your kids is to have your child tell you about the story in a book, or pictures they love, etc.   ask them how things feel, smell, sound, etc as they tell you about them.   you can use this when they tell you about a picture the have drawn as well.   i used this to spend time with my little one while doing the chores.   i wash dishes and he tells me about a book.   it's fun!    

i hope you check out the videos, there is way more than i can tell you.   i hope you can use the practices to better your life and the lives around you.

i have a couple last thoughts about communication and teaching.
when you want something, when you assign something, be clear, then, stick to what you have said.   just because you thought you covered the bases, you may have that divergent thinker that goes off somewhere else you didn't think of.     that's not their fault.   you have to respect their creativity and your own rules.
follow these 4 perfect p words and then hold them and yourself to them.   these may be an exercise for your brain as well.

purpose - what are we trying to get out of this?  give them something they are aiming for or what they are trying to accomplish with the task.

process - what are we trying to learn?   what way of thinking, working, creating, are we trying to practice here?   what do you want them to get out of this?   what is the process you want them to learn?

parameters - set the boundaries so they know where they can go.

probe - understand why that divergent thinker, did what they did so you can change your run at getting the message through.    understand why it didn't work so you can make it better.

here is the story as to why i have these 4p's.

in first grade, my teacher gave us a picture to color every month for the front of our folder for the month.     at first, she said we could color them any way we wanted to.   i colored my sky green and trees blue and grass orange.   i liked it that way.   she did not.

next, she told us we had to color them realistic colors.  ok, i had a picture of a group of school children.   i colored one's hair brown, one blonde, one black and still had  few to go.   i wanted diversity!  so, i decided that no two should have the same color hair . . . .but, it had to be realistic.     one of the kids in our class had great orange hair.   in my box of crayons, there wasn't an exact match but i used a basic orange. . . then i started thinking.   i had heard the term, "red hair".   so, one kid got red hair.   i had no idea that the kid in my class with orange hair was a redhead.   i  mean, that's stupid.   now, i had also heard the term "blue hair".   so, one of my kids got blue hair.   now, i was just 6 but it seemed to me that if someone with red hair married someone with blue hair, their kid would have purple hair.   oh, yes, the last kid got purple hair! . . . .
guess how much my teacher liked this picture.
i am still stumped as to why, but i was sent to the principal's office over this picture.  i am so not kidding you!

the principal actually talked to me about the hair colors and explained to me what i had misunderstood.   i felt like it was dumb and like she should have been there instead of me.  even at just my shy 6 years old, i was stubborn.   i spent a lot of time in the principal's office that year.

that year was horrible for me.   i cried all the time, but i refused to let my mom change classes.   stubborn.   i was determined to win, and i didn't want to leave the little orange haired kid that was also getting the brunt of her difficult year.

in this woman's defense, there were things happening in her life that a 6 year old could not have known or understood.   i saw her many times as a teen and adult.   she always hugged me and called me her favorite student.   i wondered why, until much later, when we found out about the personal trials she had going on that year.   i just accepted that she loved me and truly i loved her because of it.   i really hope she remembered it that way and that she didn't know what she put me through.   i was glad that i had the opportunity to grow under her.      i am thankful for the lessons i learned from it as i reflected on it from adulthood.   i am grateful that i could feel her love later in life.

so, there i leave you with lots of fun stuff to think about and ponder.   hopefully, some of it will be of use to you.   i am going to image stream it that way at least.

i believe #1

i believe in God.   He is my eternal Father, the Father of my spirit.   He loves me as only a perfect parent can.   HE wants me to be the best i can.  He cares for me, watches over me and tries to teach me.   He does all the things for me that i try in my imperfect way to do for my children.   no matter what i do He loves me and wants me to live up to my potential.

i believe in Jesus Christ.  He is the spirit and flesh born Son of God, my spirit brother.   HE lived.   He suffered for my sins so that i can recover from the things i do wrong.   because He suffered for my sins, when i do something wrong, i can turn to Him, allow Him to take the worst of the wounds that sin causes to my soul, and be healed with new strength to continue and do better.   because He suffered for my personal sins, He knows all the pain and sorrow i have.    He knows all the things i suffer personally and will strengthen me in my time of weakness, sorrow, and pain.

i believe in the Holy Ghost.  He is God's messenger.   He is the helper that connects me, bears testimony to me, and helps me to know the truth in all things.

family history promts

a few months ago, the visiting teaching lesson was on family history.    i found this great list on the internet and used it to make these books.

i used this list, with a couple tweaks -
http://ldsthisismechallenge.blogspot.de/p/personal-history-in-depth.html
i don't think i used the sleeping part and i added a few things.

i started by printing the list with two columns so i had list on both side of the page.   i made sure that whole sections were together and not broken into two sides or pages.   then i printed and cut them out.  i cut colored paper into fourths and punched holes at the top for string.   i glued the sections of prompts onto the papers and bound it together.   i cut fun little curlicues for the pages to decorate them.   my daughter helped with the whole project.
here is what it looked like after i was done.

 this would be a great grandparent gift from the grandkids, or useful for interviews etc.

here is the list i used . . .i think . . .

Your birth and family:
*What is your full name and how did you get that name?
Do you have any nicknames?
*What is the date of your birth? Where were you born?
What are some of the circumstances (when your mom went in to labor, how long, her doctor, your dad fainting, etc.) of your birth?
*What are your sibling's full names and birth dates?
What are your parent's full names, birth dates and places? Grandparents? Great-grandparents?
Stories, sayings, lessons, or other things you remember about parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
Growing up, early years:
*How was your relationship with your siblings and parents?
*What are some lessons you learned from you parents?
*How did you help in your home?
*Where did you grow up? Describe it.
*What was your earliest memory?
*What games did you play as a child?
*Where did you go to school?
*Who were your friends?
*Who were your favorite teachers and why?
*What were your chores?
Did/ do you have a favorite story, song, bedtime story or lullaby or nursery rhyme?
Other bedtime traditions?

Growing up, teenage years:
*What activities did you participate in?(Sports, dancing, music, arts, etc.) Explain what you did with each activity.
*How did you learn how to drive?
What kind of car did you have?
*Who were your friends?
*What did you like/dislike about school?
*What was your first paid job?
*What were your chores at home?

College years:
*Did you attend college or a trade school of some sort?
*How did you choose what you wanted to be when you grew up?
*What did you think was the hardest thing about your chosen profession at that time? Did it turn out that way?
*What dumb things did you do during those years?
*What good things did you do?
*Did you live on your own? How well prepared were you for that?
*What life lessons did you learn?
*What choices did you make that affect where you are now?

Grand-children:
*Give your grand-children's full names, birth dates and places.
*What are the things you love the most about each grand child?
*Are there any traditions that you have with them?
*How often do you see them?
*What do you do to stay in contact?

Work:
*What jobs have you had? (Give details of the dates, places, responsibilities, etc.)
*What did you like/dislike about each job?
*What did you learn at each job?
*Have you used any of that knowledge in later years?
*Who were your bosses? Did you like them/get along?
*How did you get along with your co-workers?
*Which was your favorite job?
*How many years until you retire?
*Do you have any big plans for your retirement? (If retired: What have you done since retirement? What's next?)

Children:
*Give your children's full names, birth dates and places.
*How did you choose their names?
*What were the circumstances of each child's birth?
*What are some funny things that each child does/did or says/said?
*What do you love most about each child? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
*What are your children involved in?
*How do you spend your time with your children?
*What are your favorite family activities?

Marriage:
*How did you meet your spouse? Was it love at first sight or did it take some time?
*How long did you date before you got engaged? How long was your engagement?
*How did you get engaged? (The story.)
*Who did most of the wedding plans? Who helped?
*Who were your bridesmaids/best men?
*Describe the details of your wedding: the colors, the cake, the decorations, etc.
*Where did your wedding take place? Who performed the ceremony? Do you remember any words of advice given?
*Who attended your wedding?
*Where did you go on your honeymoon?
What adventures did you have?

Politics:
*Are you involved in politics? How so?
*Are you a specific political party?
*How do you choose who to vote for?
*Are you happy with the Government?
*What would you change if you could?

Celebrations:
*What are some of your personal and family traditions for each holiday? (New Years, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Easter, Christmas, etc.)
*What traditions have you carried over from your childhood? Which ones did you start in your own family?
*How do you celebrate adult's birthdays?
*How do you celebrate children's birthdays?
*How do you celebrate your anniversary?
Celebration memories from Christmas, birthdays, etc.?

Nature:
*Where is your favorite place to go to get away from it all?
*What outdoor activities do you like to participate in?
*What are some of your favorite outdoor memories?

Health:
*How is your overall health?
*Have you had any surgeries? (If yes, give details.)
*Have you had any broken bones? (If yes, give details.)
*Do you have allergies? (If yes, give details.)
*What are you doing to keep healthy now?

Religion:
*How did you gain your testimony of the Gospel?
*Write your testimony.
*How has the Gospel and knowledge of Heavenly Father's plan helped you in your life?
*What ordinances have you completed? (Baptism, Blessing, Endowment, Sealing, etc.) Describe the day, circumstances, who was there, any advice you were given, how you felt, etc.
*What callings have you had? Which were your favorite and least favorite? What did you learn from them?
*What is your favorite scripture/ hymn/ Conference talk? Why?
*Did you serve a mission? Talk about it.

Home life:
*Describe the places you've lived.
*What was your favorite house or apartment? Why?
*How do you like to decorate?
*What is it about home that you love?
*How has your standard of life changed through the years?

Traveling:
*Where in the world have you been?
*Where was your favorite vacation? (As a child, as a teenager, as an adult, etc.)
*Where would your dream vacation be?
*How do you like to travel?

Hobbies:
*What are your current hobbies?
*What hobbies have you had in the past?
*How often do you get to do your hobbies?
*What hobbies do you wish you could start?

Around the World:
*What major world events have happened in your lifetime?
*Has it affected who you are now?
*Who was the President when you were born? Who is it now?
*What natural disasters have you been in?

Miscellaneous:
*What is the most daring thing you've done?
*What is the stupidest thing you've done?
*What is your most embarrassing moment? (Or moments.)
*What choices in life would you like to have a redo on?
*What is your general attitude toward life?

Death:
*What would you like to do before you die? (Bucket list)
*What are your beliefs about death?
*Are you scared to die?
*How would you like to go?
*What are your final wishes?
*What are your wishes for your funeral and burial?
*What would you like people to say about you when you're gone?

Food:
*What are your favorite foods?
*What are your favorite desserts?
*Do you like to cook or bake? What are your favorites to make?
*Do you have any food allergies?
*What are some foods you have a hard time saying "no" to?
*What foods do you HAVE to have name brand? Which can you do generic?
*Do you try to eat healthy?
*Do you prefer eating out? Where?

Personality:
*What kind of personality do you have? (Shy, outgoing, calm, stressed, etc.)
*How has your personality changed over the years?
What made it change?
*How well do you associate with others?
*What makes you nervous/ happy/ angry/ surprised/ scared/ etc?

Sleep:
*How many hours do you like to sleep at night?
*Do you take naps?
*Do you like a lot, or few blankets and pillows?
*Can you sleep anywhere, or does it have to be in your own bed?
*What are your favorite conditions for a good-night's sleep? Does it have to be completely dark and quiet?

i hope you enjoy the list and i hope you get something written from it.   make your personal family history now while you are still living it.

perpetual positive propulsion packet

a few years ago, our family made a care package for the missionaries in our area at Christmas/thanksgiving time.   we did that every year for around 200 young people for (i think four) years.   it was such a great project!   we so enjoyed it.   we got help from others and were able to even get some donations from stores.    then, i moved. . . i no longer had the resources  the help or the sponsors i had worked so hard to get.   i do not give up so easy.   last year, living in a travel trailer, my daughter and i made a care package for the two missionaries in our ward.   this year, we have just continued as we could to make this book for as many as possible throughout the year.   i decided that i should share this book for anyone who wants to make one, twenty or two hundred for a college student, spouse, serviceperson, missionary, etc. . . or just for yourself.
i used a little 16 page book, literally, 8 pieces of paper folded in half with a cover.   

the first page was this poem and the paragraphs under it.   

GRATITUDE ATTITUDE

When an attitude of gratitude

is the thing that you've begun

you'll find that more than gratitude

is the thing that you have won

gratitude begets a thinking

that is higher than the trees

it points your thoughts to heaven

and tends to bend the knees

you'll find your spirits lifted

and your feet some off the ground

when you look for every blessing

the One who blessed you will be found

-KaRee Ogden

our family has used gratitude to carry us though the hardest of times. We name something everyday that we are grateful for. It has to be something new or a new reason to be grateful for something every day. We have written some of the things we are grateful for in the book but hope you will find lots of wonderful things and reasons to be grateful every day.

We've included some positive thoughts for you as well. We all have some days that are better than others. On those not so grand days, remember how much you are loved, find your gratitude, look for some positive thoughts. Add your own positive thoughts so you perpetually have positive propulsion.   

on every page, we wrote the things we are thankful for on the edges of the pages.   we used the list on thankful everyday for our list because, well, it is our list.

then, on every page, we wrote a positive quote from some of these sites.  i love the last one especially, last site and quote actually.

http://www.ldsfacts.net/mission6.htm

Think enthusiastically! Talk enthusiastically! Act enthusiastically! If you are not really enthused, act as if you are, think as if you are, and you will be! --Glen L. Rudd

That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed, but that our power to do has increased. -- a favorite saying of Heber J. Grant

Self-discipline is doing what you know you should do when you do not want to do it. -- President N. Eldon Tanner

Keep trying, be believing, be happy, don’t get discouraged, things will work out. -- Gordon B. Hinckley

Your attitude will determine your altitude. -- Anonymous

http://www.themissionofmoms.com/p/favorite-missionary-quotes.html

Don’t count your days—make your days count.
Elder Jay Jensen

God is very serious about joy in the lives of His children. - Neal A. Maxwell

All crosses are easier to carry when we keep moving. - Neal A. Maxwell

Meekness is knowing who you are and
not having to prove it. - Anonymous

The greater part of happiness depends on our disposition and not on our circumstances. -
Martha Washington

http://thinkpositive30.com/blog/tag/daily-positive-thought/

One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself. – -Leonardo da Vinci

You can never do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Every thought we think is creating our future.
– Louise L. Hay

Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible.~ St. Francis of Assisi

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/inspirational

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
― MahatmaGandhi

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
― ThomasA. Edison

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh,the Places You'll Go!

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”
― NeilGaiman, Coraline

It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
― GeorgeEliot

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
― Mother Teresa

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
― TheodoreRoosevelt

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
― WinstonChurchill

“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain.”
― MayaAngelou

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!”
― AudreyHepburn

“Peace begins with a smile..”
― MotherTeresa

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
― RalphWaldo Emerson

“First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
― MargaretMead

“Whatever you are, be a good one.”
― Abraham Lincoln

“I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alicein Wonderland

“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
― MartinLuther King Jr.

“Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
― RobertLouis Stevenson

“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”
― St. Francis of Assisi

“Try a little harder to be a little better.”
― Gordon B. Hinckley

“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”
― Dalai Lama XIV

If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person." 
— Fred Rogers

of course, we added stickers and decorated it.   in some of the packets, we added some kind of fun thing.  the packages have changed over the years. 

after my original posting of this, my friends asked where the pictures were.   so i added pics and thought i'd give a bit of background on how to organize a project like this.

the first year, was just my sister, mom, grandmother and i.   i contacted the president of the mission and asked permission and about any guidelines etc.
we gathered what we could on a limited budget and put them in brown paper sacks.   we had little toys, candy, cookies.   just small stuff.   we used a room in the church and spread out all the bags and went down each row of bags dropping one of whatever we had in the bag.   the next person went behind with another item dropping one of each in the bags and so on.

the next year, i asked my ward for help and was able to put some bigger snack items in the bag.   i had gathered things the whole year so i was able to get some bigger things, school supplies at walmart were great.  i used the lds.org website to ask for help at a stake level as well.   i had my sister ask for help in her ward.   we tried to spread the word a bit more.   with each year, we gained more experience and more support.   we had volunteers sewing Christmas socks for our project and the local food bank.  it was nice being able to work in conjunction with another group.   it really helped us gain support and volunteers.

then i put my pta years to work and asked the local lds businesses for help.   one of the deseret book stores let us put up collection jars.   the missionary store donated socks for 200 missionaries!   there was, of course, a tag that said where the socks came from and we sent a picture of the finished product to associated stores so they could use it for advertising.   we had people giving money and products to the project.   the stake primary pres wanted the kids of the stake to get involved in the service project so she had each primary assemble a small package that we put into it.   it had a toothbrush, a small toothpaste and a cute poem that said it was from the primary.   the young women put together positive thought book one year.   the elders quorum asked what they could do for the next year.   the relief society gathered packs of gum, so i didn't have to.   it was great, a lot of work, but great.   

here are a few more ideas for things that we put in our packages over the years.   some can be homemade, others require investment.   for instance, we purchased the fabric for scarves from the money raised by the deseret book jars.   they required work on our part to cut and fringe but they were a fun thing to do.

small toys like balls
gum
cookies
candy
jerky
snack packs of anything
tictacs
granola bars or mix
hot chocolate mix
travel sized toiletries-
toothbrush and paste
tissues
lotion
scarves
hats
bracelets
keychains
zipper pulls
magnets
small flashlights
sewing kits
first aid kits
positive thought books
bookmarks
homemade postcards or greeting cards
stamped envelopes
pen, pencils
notebooks
stickers
highlighters
post it notes
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a few last tips for any project.

start early if you can but it doesn't take much to do something small.

get help.  recruit as many people as you can.   understand that if you get help, they may not do things exactly the way you want.   so with help, you give up total control.   but when you give up total control and get other people helping, you get more ideas, more time, more hands.   give people choices of how to help.  some have money, some have time.   accept both if you can.   delegating what needs done frees you up to do more.   usually, people want you to tell them what to do.   have a list of things people can do and just say, here are your options -
   

assembly lines are definitely your friend.   even with the books, i write one part, my daughter writes something, my son writes part.   you can see in the pictures that we laid out the socks or bags and just went down the line adding one of what we were carrying to every place.   it makes it go so much faster.   we reserved the gym for an entire day in order to get them put together.   if you don't have that kind of space, like we didn't for some years, do the best you can with what you have.   

   

 don't worry about things being perfect.  something will go wrong.    don't tell anyone and they probably won't even notice.

i built this project like i built my husband's business.   a little at a time.   looking for new resources    asking for help again and again.   start with what you have and work from there.   just work your way up.   i once had a salesman ask me how i expected to build a business without putting something out first.  i explained that i had already built a business without investors.   i have never had that kind of backing.  i just started with what i had and put some of what came out of it into the next thing.  be patient.   work your way up and out.   be happy with what you do have, with what you can do, make the most of it.

go take on the world, change your corner of it, extend your reach a little at a time and make a difference there.    

little update here - i have decided to print some instead of handwriting them.   there is just too much to do this time.   i found instructions on how to print a book when you don't have a handy program to do it, (like i don't have)   thought i would share - https://help.gnome.org/users/evince/unstable/print-booklet.html.en