What Kind of Women Are We?

Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity. ~ Margaret D. Nadald

I came across this quote and found that I have a few things that I need to work on. It is hard to live this life sometimes with the things that surround us daily, but I think it is possible:)

What Were You Doing...

I saw this on my sisters blog and thought it was a cute idea.

TWENTY years ago I...
1. Was going to Mont Harmon Junior High
2. Had really big hair, tapered my pants, and rolled up my shirt sleeves
3. Went on tour with a singing group to California

TEN years ago I...
1. Was celebrating my fifth anniversary
2. Building our first house
3. Was wishing my mom didn't have to have chemo treatments

FIVE years ago I...
1. Had our fourth baby
2. Sat by myself in church every Sunday
3. Had more time to scrapbook

THREE years ago I...
1. Was surprised to find out that there would be a baby #5
2. Had the best neighbors ever
3. Was excited to finally have family move close

ONE year ago I...
1. Was trying to find a house for our family because our other house sold quickly (very stressful)
2. Moved to Kaysville
3. Didn't have to sit by myself at church anymore (yeah)

So far THIS YEAR I have...
1. Been bogged down by the Mean Mommy Syndrome
2. Almost gotten our basement finished
3. Gone to the cabin once, it was snowy and peaceful

YESTERDAY I...
1. Went church and actually bore my testimony in Relief Society
2. Started working on some gift bags for our Relief Society Birthday Party
3. Looked at the Sunday ads, this is my Sunday ritual.

TODAY I
1. Finished the gift bags with a friend
2. Went to Walmart
3. Took Kimball's gym clothes to him at school.

TOMORROW I will...
1. Finish preparations for our Relief Society Party
2. Do the laundry
3. Get the carpets cleaned

In the NEXT YEAR I hope to...
1. Lose 15 lbs.
2. Scrapbook again
3. Get my house organized

EVERYDAY I...
1. Am thankful I don't have to go to a job
2. Am thankful my kids are healthy
3. Think of my mom at least once (sorry to copy Heather) but its true

Bad Words

Hope has gotten quite a temper lately. She screams all the time and it is really getting old. She has learned many not so nice words from her siblings, but we are trying to figure out where she got her latest naughty word. When she is really mad she calls people a "polka dot". It is pretty cute and the kids try to get her mad just so she will say it.

Women's Conference

This past weekend I attended our Stake Women's Conference. I left feeling like a new woman. It was so inspiring and made me feel like I can keep going. One of the opening speakers was our Stake Patriarchs wife, Sister MacFarlene. Her talk was "Standing Knee Deep in Water and Drowning of Thirst". Oh how I feel this way to much of the time. I am overwhelmed with being a mother, wife, and all the other things we must do. It is interesting that we have everything we need at our fingertips, but we just need to take the time to partake of it.

Sister MacFarlene recommended a couple of things to help us out. She said first of all SLOW DOWN.....sounds easy, but its not. Second, she said get rid of the unnecessary things in your life. What do you get rid of? She recommended that we make this a matter of prayer and Heavenly Father will help us know what we need to get rid of in our lives. (Truth of the matter is there are probably lots of things I could get rid of.) Sister MacFarlene said, third we need learn how to receive revelation. Revelation comes in those quite times (like when is that I wondered). But we need to make quite times, take off the earphones, turn off the TV, turn off the radio when you drive. She said we can choose a life of commotion or serenity, of course who wants commotion. Having serenity takes a little more effort, but I think it is worth it.

So my dear friends I urge you all to slow down, give up the good and better things for the best and allow your Heavenly Father to direct your life. He knows best!

Honest Scrap

So I have been awarded the Honest Scrap Award and have been challenged to list 10 honest things about myself, and then award it to 4 other people.

1. I am terrified of water. I remember when my boys started to take swimming lessons when they were little. I walked into the pool and that terrible nauseous feeling came over me just like when I was a child. I almost didn't want to make them take swim lessons because it was so awful when I was a kid. But they are great swimmers now and I love to watch them swim. I am so glad that they were able to do it. Someday I WILL learn to swim. I know I would be so happy if I didn't have this fear.

2. I hate to speak in public. But I must mention I taught Relief Society for the first time and I am alive to tell about it. I honestly didn't know if I could do it. Before I left for church I kept thinking either I am going to throw up or faint. I don't know why this is so hard. I don't think next time it will be as hard.

3. I love treats. I love chocolate, candy, pie, cake, brownies, donuts, ice cream.... I really can't think of a treat I have tasted that I didn't like. Sometimes I curse my Nick for being the candy man because he is always begging to make a treat or go buy one, but he truly is a man after my own heart.

4. I recently realized that I still need a mom. I realize that there are many women in my life who I look up to who kind of in a way mother me. They give me that motherly encouragement that a girl needs. If you have a mom tell her thanks for all she does because you really don't know what you have got until its gone.

5. I have the best husband ever. He always tells me he loves me and the great thing is that I know he really does. We work together well and I feel very blessed to have him as an eternal companion.

6. Sundays stress me out. I know that it is supposed to be a day of rest, but it sure doesn't feel like it sometimes. I think that I just need to be a little more prepared on Saturdays so that I enjoy Sundays more. If you have any tips please pass them along.

7. The last month or so I have felt this incredible need to create...what I know not, but something. I have looked on lots of crafty blogs and there are lots of cute things, but I feel so intimidated. So Nick needed an indian costume for a school program and I made it. It doesn't look professional but I was pretty darn proud of myself. I feel like I can venture out now because if I can make an indian outfit I can certainly make something a little more girly.

8. Mad libs crack me up! One of the kids got a mad libs book from Wendy's (I know one of those stupid kids meal toys!) and the last couple of nights Mark and I have been filling in the blanks. It is just funny and it makes me laugh. I need to lighten up and not be so serious all the time. I guess I should thank Wendy's for giving me a laugh.

9. I love my friends. I have the best friends in the whole world and I miss them very much. I have discovered that friends for a stay at home mom make life so much more bearable. Thanks to all my great friends!

10. I wish I was more spiritual. There are some ladies in my ward that just inspire me. They seem so wise and just understand the gospel inside and out. I am sure that they have paid their dues and are way more diligent than I am.


Now I would like to award the Honest Scrap to:

Heather Hales
Melissa Page
Tia Chapman
Liz Rushton

Let Me Introduce You....

In preparation for a Relief Society lesson I came across this quote from Elder H. Burke Peterson.

“I have often wondered what would happen if the method of introducing a father to his newborn child were different. Instead of a doctor coming out and saying, ‘It’s another girl,’ or ‘It’s another boy,’ how would we react if each time a child was born our Father in Heaven made this kind of introduction to the parents:
“ ‘Thank you for preparing this little body for the spirit I have created. Now, I present her to you for a season to care for. Please teach her of me and of my Son. I so much want her back with me some day. … Remember this: She is loving. She will respond to teaching. She wants to learn. Please treat her with respect. The road will not be easy. Some of the time it will be most difficult. I want to help you raise her. Please call on me often for advice and counsel. Together we can help her fulfill her purpose in the earth.’ ” (Ensign, Jan. 1973, p. 115.)

This brought tears to my eyes and made me grateful that I have been given the opportunity to assist in giving some of Heavenly Father's children a mortal experience. What a great responsibility and blessing it is to be a parent!

Visions of Cousin Camp Danced in my Head

So, two years ago, (along with my sister, dad, and step-mom) I hosted cousin camp for 17 of the cousins which included 3 of my own kids. I felt bad not doing it last year, but we had moved in the spring and I just didn't have the time to plan it. But the last couple of nights I have been waking up with visions of cousin camp dancing in my head. I have been so excited that I haven't been able to go back to sleep. I just love that the cousins get to spend time with each other and when you take the parents out of the equation anything goes (well almost anything)! My vibe after cousin camp a couple of years ago was that the kids loved it and what a nice break for the parents. So the gears are turning and I am getting excited, guess I better tell the parents!

Some of my ideas this year are a carnival day with lots of games, booths, face painting and maybe even a store they can earn tickets and buy fun treasures. Maybe we can fit in a dollar movie, bowling, or classic skate day. I was contemplating getting a fire pit so we can roast hot dogs and make smores. Last time breakfast at the park was a hit and so was the milk jug baseball, so maybe we will do that again. Our service project this year might be a service scavenger hunt. I would like to do some type of ropes course for children - anyone heard of one- something to build self-esteem. I tell you the possibilities are endless.

If you have any great ideas please let me know. Three days is a long time and you have to keep them busy or it gets a little crazy.