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.

You Know We Can Say A Prayer

The other day Sophia was at her little friends house when her mom overheard this conversation. They were looking for a specific doll and couldn't find it.

Sophia: "You know Avery we can say a prayer. Heavenly Father will help us out."

Avery: "I know but I think we will be able to find it without saying a prayer."

Sophia: "But maybe if we say a prayer we will find it faster."

About this time Avery discovers the doll.

Avery: "See we didn't need to pray to find the doll."

Sophia: "But we still could have prayed Avery. We can pray anytime, anywhere!"

Out of the mouth of babes we are reminded of the simple gospel truths. I am grateful that Sophia knows she can pray anytime, anywhere.

Sisters that make me smile☺

Through the years I have come to realize that I really like to be around older people. For a few years I visit taught Sister Golightly, she has become one of my best friends and cheerleaders. She has given me advice with the utmost love. She always lifts me up and tells me she loves me. I just love this woman, she makes me smile. We hardly make a trip to Kearns without at least stopping to see if she has just a few minutes to visit. The kids are always asking if we can stop and see Grandma and Grandpa Golightly.

Then I moved closer to my grandma, whom I have already blogged about a little bit. I have found myself finding excuses to be with her and have her teach me something new. This week she came and taught me how to crochet, which I had learned when I was little but hadn't done since then. I realized that older people have so much life experience and wisdom to offer. They have been around the block and have dealt with life. They are so willing to help and I hope that as I grow old that I will be this way.

Just the other day I went to visit a sister in our ward. I just stopped by to deliver her a birthday gift because she would be in surgery and not home yet before her birthday. I was planning on just giving it to her and leaving, but she wanted to visit. We talked about family, raising kids, church, health problems, schools, just lots of fun things. She said you sisters who are raising kids right now are just amazing. She just went on and on. I must say I felt pretty good about life when I left.

I am truly grateful for all these fabulous friends that I have made that lift me up and make me smile.

Just Try to Remain Calm

Just a little over a month ago we began finishing our basement, yeah! Oh we are so excited. Despite the excitement, I think I might go crazy very soon. Our boys who were sleeping in the basement in a partially finished room, now sleep in the living room in sleeping bags. Boys will be boys, whether they have a bedroom or the living room floor. They are driving me crazy with all the wrestling (I know they wrestle more now just to make me crazy). I get to witness every fight. Their clothes are everywhere, but only because they have no where to really be (the laundry room is the designated area). The laundry room has no floor. There is always boy stuff all over the living room. My motto: Just try to remain calm. If I can't see the laundry room floor in a month then my freaking out will be justified.