A Brigham Young University Student Journal
by Amanda Ricks Attending the BYU Jazz Ensemble’s Variety Show began as a mere way to get extra credit in my Music Fundamentals class. While I was expecting to enjoy the music of the concert, I certainly wasn’t prepared for one of the most entertaining …
by Alissa Holm We all have our own “What if’s” and “I wish’s” about past phases of life. In an attempt to learn from the past, I’ve come up with a series of blog posts based on this idea: Learning from other’s past experiences to …
In preparation for Halloween, the Stance for the Family blog staffers decided to have a holiday review night! Each staffer selected one or two crafts or recipes that had caught their eye on Pinterest and brought their creations along to share at our review night! Here are our thoughts below—complete with recipes, pictures, and our evaluations on how well they actually stack up against what’s advertised on Pinterest! (Be prepared—we had at least one massive fail!) If you’re looking for some fun Halloween recipes to try, you are bound to find something that interests you!
All the recipes and crafts we reviewed can be found on Stance for the Family‘s Pinterest account: http://pinterest.com/stanceforthefam/
Pumpkin Dump Cake (by Danielle Cronquist) 
If you are like me and are a firm believer that all recipes made in October should include pumpkin, then this is perfect. A delicious fall blend of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nuts, the different textures and yummy flavors make this dessert stand out as a divine treat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first six ingredients until well blended and pour batter into a 9×13 greased pan. Sprinkle cake mix on top and then cover with pecans. Pour melted margarine over top. Bake 50 minutes. If desired, top with cool whip or real whipping cream.
I’m not a whipped cream fan (call me crazy), so I opted out of that part and still think that it tastes delicious, but it is a great addition for whipped cream lovers. Pull together this easy recipe for a fall party, a hang out with friends, or for an FHE treat. It is sure to be a hit.
Cake Mix Cookies (by Jaden Anderson)
Cake Mix Cookies are a quick and easy treat great for any time of the year. Did we mention they’re also super delicious? In a large bowl, mix together one package of cake mix (any flavor will do, but chocolate and Funfetti are our favorites), 2 eggs, and 1/3 cup of oil. Feel free to experiment with M&Ms, ROLOs, chocolate chips, or raisins. Preheat the oven to 350°F while spooning out teaspoon size balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Once the oven is ready, pop the sheet in for about 7–10 minutes, depending on how soft and doughy you want your cookies. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes, and then spread on cream cheese frosting if desired. Have fun with it and add on sprinkles, candy, or anything else you like!
Here’s what we had to say about these little gems:
Fall Pumpkin Dip (by Alissa Strong)
I wanted to try this recipe from the moment I saw it, simply because it was served in a pumpkin. What a great way to present food at a fall- or Halloween-themed party! This recipe is definitely a great addition to any fall table.
Mix the pumpkin, pudding mix, cool whip, and pumpkin pie spice together (by hand) in a very large bowl. Chill for several hours before serving. Meanwhile, carve your pumpkin! Spoon the dip into the pumpkin, sprinkle with cinnamon, and serve with fresh apple slices, vanilla wafers, or ginger snaps.
This recipe was easy and quick to make—definitely an activity you could get the kids to help with. My biggest downfall was choosing a medium-sized pumpkin instead of a small one. The dip didn’t even fill the pumpkin halfway! So I ended up serving the dip in a bowl inside the pumpkin, which was nowhere near as pretty a presentation as I’d intended. But as for the taste… well, here’s what the reviewers had to say:
Candy Corn Pizza (by Alissa Strong)
I knew a lot of people would be making desserts, so I wanted to try a main course recipe. One recipe I’ve been eyeing for awhile is this recipe for candy corn pizza! Don’t be deceived—it’s not sweet at all, although it still looks delicious!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pizza pan with cooking spray and press pizza dough into the pan evenly. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese into a four-inch circle in the center of the pizza dough (the “white tip” of your candy corn!). Take 1 cup of shredded cheese and sprinkle it into a three-inch ring around the circle of mozzarella. Carefully spoon the pizza sauce over the ring of cheddar cheese (this will be your “red” layer). Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese in a ring around the outside of the pizza sauce ring (the “orange” layer). Bake for 12–15 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into slices to resemble candy corn.
This is another easy recipe—our reviewers all agreed that it would be great to make with the whole family. Kids can help sprinkle the cheese and sauce, and they will love eating pizza that looks like candy corn! One variation parents might like to try is doing mini-pizza versions of this recipe, so that it makes more “slices of corn” and more people can enjoy it!
Strawberry Ghosts (by Alissa Strong)
Wash and dry strawberries. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Stir in almond extract. Dip each strawberry in chocolate mixture; place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, allowing excess chocolate to form the ghosts’ tails. Immediately press chocolate chips into coating for eyes. Freeze for five minutes. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt remaining chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Dip a toothpick into melted chocolate and draw a mouth on each face.
I am a college student on a budget, so I modified this recipe slightly by eliminating the almond extract. The recipe worked just fine without it. (Seriously, Pinterest? You want me to buy a whole bottle of almond extract just to use 1/8 of a teaspoon? Not going to happen!) I had a lot of fun dipping the strawberries in the chocolate and making the “ghosts’ tails”—this recipe allows you to use the hull of the strawberry (the green leaves) for dipping, which is a lot easier than dipping cake balls or Oreo truffles.
It was after the chocolate dipping that my troubles started. The chocolate chips I had were way too big to use as eyes, especially for some of the smaller strawberries. So I just decided to draw the eyes on along with the mouths. The toothpick drawing took FOREVER! I’m definitely not an artist, so my ghosts’ faces looked far inferior to the ones in the Pinterest photos. But en masse, they actually looked presentable… and chocolate-covered strawberries always taste yummy! I’d probably put up with the longer preparation time for the festive end result.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars (by Amanda Ricks; recipe from http://tjstestkitchen.blogspot.com)
Ever needed to make a quick dessert, but didn’t have many ingredients or much time? These Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars may be perfect for you.
I let the cream cheese soften on the counter for a while then I added it to my stand mixer & beat it with a couple of tablespoons of water until smooth. I just wanted it to thin out a little bit.
In a separate bowl, mix the cake mix, pumpkin, water, & cinnamon together until it is smooth & well mixed.
In a 9×13 pyrex dish—sprayed with PAM—add HALF of the cake-pumpkin mix. Then smooth it out with a rubber spatula. Drizzle half of the cream cheese over the top of it and take a small spatula to smooth it over the top. Add remaining cake-pumpkin mix & also the remaining cream cheese just making layers.
Finally take a butter knife, stick it into the mix, and go back & forth over the top of the cake making figure “8’s” – to blend it a bit.
Preparation of these was not too difficult. I didn’t have a stand mixer, so I used a whisk instead. I also didn’t have a Pyrex dish, so I used a different kind of 9×13 and it turned out just fine. This recipe requires only a few ingredients, which was good for my pocketbook. In addition, the ingredients of this dish aren’t those that you would naturally sneak before you had the time to make the dessert (like chocolate chips or toffee chips.) Relatively healthy as far as desserts go, they were easy and delicious. As one of our Stance reviewers said, “I liked that these were pumpkin-y without being too sweet. And let’s be real—cream cheese makes everything better!”
Marbled Nails (by Amanda Ricks)
Pinterest has long fascinated me with the concept of “Marbled Nails.” According to Pinterest, if you put some water in a bowl and add in your nail polish, swirl the polish, dip your finger in, and remove, you will have a perfectly marbled nail.
Perhaps I’m reading the instructions wrong.
I got the room temperature tap water that was required. I put in some fun colors and swirled it around. I dipped someone’s finger in. The moment I’d been anticipating had arrived, and the results? Well, let’s just say they were a little different than I’d imagined. See for yourself in the accompanying pictures.
by Jaden Anderson In the new animated film Hotel Transylvania, Adam Sandler plays the role of Count Dracula, an overprotective dad who builds a lavish five-star hotel/castle where monsters can get away from the world of “dangerous” humans. Dracula hopes to protect his daughter, Mavis …
by Amanda Ricks As a follow-up to my last blog post on eating healthy in college, the following are a few recipes that are both healthy and cheap! Carrot Cake and Zucchini Bread Oatmeal ½ cup steel-cut oats 1 ½ cups vanilla-flavored nondairy milk …
by Alissa Strong
Stance for the Family eagerly supports other organizations that strengthen and develop the family. This week Stance had the opportunity to interview Dr. Justin Coulson, owner and founder of Happy Families. Dr. Coulson, a PhD in psychology from Wollongong, Australia, presents workshops and individual coaching to thousands of parents a year, sharing with them “the science, the skills, and the heart that connect and strengthen families.” His blog presents parents with information and advice based on the latest empirical research. Here’s what Dr. Coulson had to say about his work and passion during our interview.
Stance for the Family (SftF): What can parents learn from following your blog, Happy Families? What outcomes will the information they find have in the lives of their children?
Dr. Justin Coulson (JC): The blog is really an informal way for me to share parenting tips, fun parenting ideas, and the latest interesting research about parenting with mums and dads. (Plus I share some of the cool stuff my kids get up to—and drive me crazy with—from time to time too.)
Some of the information is just for fun, but most of the info will make an impact on promoting happiness at home. Parents will find better ways to manage themselves, work with their children, and understand why things are happening the way that they are within their home and family.
SftF: What is the one biggest thing you would say to encourage parents and help them in their parenting?
JC: Most parents are, I believe, doing the very best job they can with their kids. Keep it up! But keep on looking for ways to improve. Parenting is one of those things that we’re unlikely to perfect.
And if you really want to be a great parent, remember to keep it simple. Be there for your kids. Understand their emotional world by looking into their heart. And set firm limits by working with them (not on them). More than anything, make sure they know that (1) they were wanted, (2) you were so, so happy to have them in your life when they were born, and (3) you are deeply grateful that they are your kids. If they grow up knowing those things, and you do those three simple things I mentioned, I think you can look forward to a bright, happy future with them.
SftF: Are there any parenting myths you have discovered that generally don’t work, according to research?
JC: Sure. About a year ago a study uncovered a relationship between kids being given alcohol to drink in the “safe, home environment” and their later unsafe drinking behavior. So the logic that “if I teach them how to do it safely at home they’ll do it responsibly out of the home” is actually interpreted by the kids as, “Mum and dad don’t mind if I drink, so let’s PARTY!”
Another one that I’m fascinated by (and researching more in preparation for my next book) relates to the finding that when we try to force our kids to do something, they’ll often rebel and do precisely what we don’t want them to do. For example, one study reported that the more a teenager’s friends were “forbidden,” the more likely it was that the teen would seek out opportunities to be with that friend—and engage in the same troubling behaviors the parents were worried about.
And the myth that if kids do the wrong thing then some time out or a kick-up-the-bum will fix them has been refuted so many times in so many ways I’m still amazed at how pervasive these strategies are.
SftF: Where would you recommend parents look if they want more information about parenting?
JC: Can I mention my book? I’ve recently had a book published, and I’m really excited about it. It’s called What Your Child Needs From You: Creating a Connected Family.
The book focuses on the idea that there are loads of things parents might do for their children, but only a few things that they really must do. If you can get those ‘must-do’s’ right, family life will be happier, and children will be far more likely to be secure, resilient, and balanced.
What Your Child Needs from You distils the very best parenting research from the past forty years into a simple, readable book for EVERY parent.
The book is full of personal experiences from my own family (I have five children of my own—all girls!), and it is written in very short sections so even the most tired parent can read for a minute or two and get some great ideas to implement immediately. And the book has been kept short, so it’s not intimidating. The examples and stories in the book are ‘real’, and they relate to all families—none of this ‘perfection parenting’ stuff that doesn’t exist in normal families.
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Justin Coulson’s book, What Your Child Needs from You, can be purchased from Amazon here. You can keep up to date on his parenting tips by following him on Facebook or his blog, Happy Families.
Praise for What Your Child Needs from You:
“One of the most thoughtful, intelligent discussions of parenting. I found myself nodding my head in agreement, talking to friends and family about passages, and immediately applying techniques. A fantastic resource for the most difficult and meaningful part of our lives.” – Professor Todd B. Kashdan (George Mason University psychology professor and author of Curious).
“This wise, insightful, engaging book is one of the best parenting books I have ever read! I recommend it to you wholeheartedly.” – Professor H. Wallace Goddard (parenting author and professor of family life, University of Arkansas).
“This is an important book on arguably the most important topic of all. Justin does a fantastic job of distilling the latest parenting research into readable and practical words of advice moms and dads so desperately want and need.” – Professor Tim Sharp (“Dr. Happy,” clinical psychologist, director of The Happiness Institute, and author of several books).
“I love the way this book is written—very practical, very focused on parent issues, and at the same time, very humble. Justin is not saying, “Do as I say because I’m the expert,” but rather, “Here are some ideas that seem to work. What do you think?” It’s practical, easy to read, well referenced, and covers so many of the day-to-day topics that parents agonise about. It’s also well presented in case studies, summary points, quotes… and everything to make this book an eminently readable and sensible addition to any parent’s library.” – Dr. John Irvine (clinical psychologist, author, and parenting expert).
by Alissa Holm The experience of marrying another person is likely the biggest transition a person will ever make in their life. Each person goes into a marriage with their own set of values, beliefs, traditions, experiences, and testimony, and is expected to join with …
by Mandy Teerlink Psychologists are now categorizing addictions to internet gaming and gambling as a psychological disorder. They are focusing most of their research on the rising generation, as they are more prone to this kind of disorder which can be detrimental to health. However, …
by Alissa Strong
Today by chance, I came across a blog. The author is a girl totally unknown to me, although we attend the same university. Her story piqued my interest specifically because it involves a topic that is almost the elephant-in-the-room in not just our university but in society.
This girl is twentysomething years old and suffers from infertility.
This topic has been on my mind lately, as over the past five months I have encountered a number of people who have experienced infertility in one form or another. It has been eye-opening to meet these people and hear their stories, because so often in the dating-, marriage-, and family-centric bubble of Utah Valley, surrounded by singles and couples in their late teens and early twenties, one rarely stops to consider these questions:
What would happen if I could not have children?
Would this impact my dating relationships?
What would my identity be if I couldn’t be a mother or a father?
Even if I can have children, what do I do or say around those who can’t?
Stance for the Family is a journal, magazine, and blog for all families—regardless of their makeup. Because of this, I want to hear from and write to this group of families and singles who may previously have felt a family-themed journal has no relevance to them.
If you or someone close to you has dealt with or is currently dealing with infertility, we want to hear from you. Single, married, religious, agnostic—we want to hear your stories. If you have a story to tell, please email Alissa at stanceblogeditor@gmail.com. We will not publish anything without first requesting your consent. But this is an issue that so many unknown faces of our community need to hear about—whether it affects them personally, or whether they simply need help knowing how to support someone else going through this trial. Your story, no matter how small, may be just what someone else needs to give them hope.
by Jaden Anderson Looking for a new and unique way to serve right here on the BYU campus? How does splashing around in the pool and singing Disney music with goggle-eyed kids sound? Well, that’s what you’ll find every Thursday and Friday morning from 11am …