I am a book junkie. I have book buying "sources/contacts" all over the place. I have bought books in warehouses, stores, online, from paper book orders, airports, thrift stores...really, if there is a place that offers me a delicious, enticing book, I'll buy it. At one time I was a card carrying member to 3 different libraries. I know where all the libraries are within a 60 mile range of my house. I personally know my local librarians. I have been known to wander over to the library in the middle of the day (ALL BY MYSELF) and hang out with my favorite librarians for a little while...always in the children's section. I'm sure they have adult books but who needs that kind of baggage in their life? The children's librarians know my children. I love that. Shouldn't every child have a personal relationship with their local children's librarian? I think it should be a mandatory community relationship! (Although I did get rear ended by a gentleman the other day who got out of his car and admitted that he didn't see me because he was waving to his garbage man that was in the lane next to him! I seriously had no comment to that.) Anyway, I love books.
Maybe I should be more specific...I love children's books. I have read more than my share of adult literature and I've sworn it off. If I try to pick up a fiction book written for adults then I am guaranteed one or more of the following:
1. an affair
2. sex abuse
3. domestic or child abuse
4. mental illness
5. tragic death
6. People whose lives have been seriously messed up by a combination of #1-5.
7. Too much sex and drinking
8. A disease that I have never heard of but will spend the next month wondering if I have.
9. Cancer
10. Mean Parents
You get the point...
I'm not saying you don't get these themes to one degree or another in a children's book, but you don't get it thrown in your face the way you do in adult fiction. And in so much nitty, gritty detail. Adult fiction doesn't usually make me feel happy. It can be a real downer...
I have also discovered there is an unspoken hierarchy in my life for the books I'm reading and how I feel about them. I have a red basket on the floor next to my bed. This basket contains all the books I'm hoarding and waiting to read. It is a basket of anticipation and hope. When my red basket is getting low, I get bummed. When it is filled to overflowing, then I feel happy! I try and never let my basket of anticipation get low. Just for fun, I currently have the following books in my red book basket:
a) The Legend of Bass Reeves (by Gary Paulsen)
b) I, Coriander (by Sally Gardner)
c) Matched (by Ally Condie)
d) Get a Clue: Operation Golden Scepter (by Julian Press)
e) Hands-On Physical Science Projects (my daughter is obsessed with science projects right now)
f) Freeing Your Child From Anxiety (by Tamar E. Chansky)
Once a book is chosen from the basket, it rests on my blue desk next to my bed. If the book is wonderful, there it will stay until it's completion. (Right now it is a delightful book called "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia...Newbery Honoree book.) Unfortunately, if the book is not holding my interest, it gets moved to the car. On the front seat of my car sit the books that didn't reach out and grab me but I'm not ready to give up on yet. I read these in my down waiting periods...red lights, picking kids up from school/scouts/band/gymnastics/science club, sitting in the Chick-Fil-A drive thru, etc.
And in the bathroom lies the low of the low...the potty basket. These are books that only get read if someone has to go to the bathroom really bad and is desperate for reading material. I don't want to be mean to the book so this is its last stop before the "thrift" store. One more chance for someone else to wander in and "discover" the book. Right now I have a book called "The 100 Thing Challenge"...but today it will make its way out my door. I've had enough of it.
The thrift box is purgatory...book hell. Not many books make it to this outer darkness but occasionally...just occasionally...
And now I must go address the other issues in my life. What a random post.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Sunday, February 06, 2011
BOOK OF MORMON CHALLENGE: Parenting #1
PURPOSE: What can I learn about being a better parent to my children? What divine guidance does this book provide about parenting?
February 1-6, 2011
This has been such an interesting adventure so far.
Reading with such a specific purpose in mind opens up perspectives and brings ideas to mind that I have never considered before. And given the number of times I’ve “started” reading the Book of Mormon, I thought I had these first few pages pretty covered!
I was born of goodly parents. I have inherited a legacy of faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ that is inspiring and humbling. My ancestors each have a story. And while these stories share a common thread of faithfulness, sacrifice, and testimony, each story differs in how these individuals gained their testimonies, what refiner’s fire they faced to polish and refine their faith, and how the circumstances of their lives shaped and molded their characters. Each story is an inspiration to me. I see so much of myself in some of my family…both my strengths and weaknesses. And I see so much that I wish I possessed. Reading the first few verses of Nephi brought to my remembrance how precious our lives are and how our legacy of faithful living can bless generations to come.
My parents had/have testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because they had gained this precious knowledge, there was no doubt in their minds that they would raise children and guide their family using the principles and ordinances of the gospel. I was born and I was taught in all the learning of my parents. I have watched my parents live and be guided by these principles during all the phases of our family’s life together. My parents bore testimony to us children, they prayed for us, held Family Home Evenings, held family prayers, attended the temple, and placed the gospel and their children first and foremost in their lives. And I watched. I can’t say that “listening” carefully to what my parents always said was my forte but I’m hard pressed to find a child…especially a teenager…that is a talented listener. Children are observers. They will do what you do and say what you say and reflect back to you how they are treated and how they feel about themselves.
Nephi watched his parents very carefully.
He listened to what they taught and he observed with both physical and spiritual “eyes” what they did.
His parents took the time to share special experiences with him and bear testimony of what these things meant to them. (1 Nephi 1:5-15)
He watched his parents pray and knew without a doubt the depth and sincerity of their testimonies and feelings for the Savior. (1 Nephi 1: 15)
Nephi understood what the Spirit was and how it worked.
He saw his parents be completely obedient without questioning why or how. His family abandoned every worldly possession they owned to be faithful to the Lord. And despite the trials and afflictions, he observed his parents showing gratitude to the Lord for His blessings and tender mercies. (1 Nephi 2:3-4, 7).
I feel blessed to share so much in common with Nephi. Allow me to share an experience we had in my family that is so similar in some ways to what Nephi describes in these first few verses of the Book of Mormon and that I believe has had a significant impact on my life.
When I was 5 years old, my father was called to be a mission president of the Goteborg, Sweden mission. He was 29 years old at the time he received this call…my mother was 25 years old. They had 3 children, ages 5, 3, and 1, and my mother was expecting their fourth child at about the time they were expected to report for the mission president’s training seminar. (My mom feels pretty confident that she was the only mission president’s wife nursing a newborn at the training seminar!) My father was still establishing his career and they had just purchased their first home. When the call came, they accepted. Now as a wife and mother, I can only begin to understand what some of my concerns and questions would be. But those concerns and questions did not prevent them from preparing for this call that the Lord had extended. My mother had my sister on June 13th and our family departed for Sweden in July.
My father had served his mission in Sweden and could therefore speak the language. My mother had never left the United States. As we arrived, my dad had many new responsibilities to attend to and missionaries to be acquainted with. My mother had 4 small children that needed to be taken care of and a household to establish in a foreign country without the knowledge or benefit of being familiar with the language and culture. But step by step, the Lord provided all our family needed…both physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I know there were tears, discouragement, frustration, and moments of hopelessness. But from those moments were born some of the fondest, sweetest memories and friendships our family has ever known. Those 3 years in Sweden are the backbone of my childhood. They are my first memories. They are some of my most cherished memories. That legacy of faithfulness and trust in the Lord formed the foundation of my own testimony and determination to lead a life serving the Savior. My parents had a 5th child while living in Sweden. My mother learned the language and served in the church…including as a counselor in the Primary presidency. I grew up surrounded by full-time missionaries and was blessed by their faith and testimonies. Can you imagine a more perfect childhood? It was a wonder! And last spring I had the chance to visit my parents in Sweden with my own husband and children and to share all this wonder with them. We went back to Goteborg where my parents spoke at a Stake Conference and I had the chance to be reacquainted with some many wonderful friends who blessed our lives during that time. I saw my “childhood” home and we frolicked in the woods where I played. I took my children to see the school I went to and the naked statue in the middle of town and ate Swedish hot dogs and candy that tasted just the way I remembered them. And I felt deep gratitude for all of it. That my parents were in tune with the Spirit, that they possessed a united determination to be faithful in all things, that they were willing to drop everything and leave when a call from the Lord took them to the “wilderness”. For their faith and optimism. I have been blessed by their obedience and faith. And I sincerely hope in my life that I will follow their example and always respond as Nephi did…”I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:7)
And so I have my work cut out for me. My children need a mother who lives what she preaches. They need to see and feel me living what I believe. There will come a time in each of their lives when they will be required to stand on their own faith and testimony. Every person has to come to that crossroads and decide where they will stand. But until that day, I want them to have a firm foundation to stand on, a place in their lives where they are safe and loved and feel every day the workings of the Spirit in their lives. I want them to see and understand sacrifice and trials and afflictions and to know they are evidence of the Lord’s deep love for us. I want them to know what the Spirit feels like and the power of this gift in our lives. I want them to know how to find answers on their own and to have the courage to follow where the Lord leads them.
The entire book of 1 Nephi is testimony of a young man who learned precious gospel truths from his parents, gained a firm testimony of Jesus Christ for himself, and was able to accomplish great miracles because of this learning and testimony. What will your children be asked to do by the Lord? Will they be ready? What are we doing every day to prepare our children? Do we contemplate and ponder how what we do, how we react, and what we share with our children is preparing and blessing them for what lies ahead? All Nephi was able to do he was prepared for ahead of time…by loving parents and a loving Heavenly Father. When the time came, he was ready.
Definitely changes how I see my little people and the big people they are becoming.
February 1-6, 2011
This has been such an interesting adventure so far.
Reading with such a specific purpose in mind opens up perspectives and brings ideas to mind that I have never considered before. And given the number of times I’ve “started” reading the Book of Mormon, I thought I had these first few pages pretty covered!
I was born of goodly parents. I have inherited a legacy of faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ that is inspiring and humbling. My ancestors each have a story. And while these stories share a common thread of faithfulness, sacrifice, and testimony, each story differs in how these individuals gained their testimonies, what refiner’s fire they faced to polish and refine their faith, and how the circumstances of their lives shaped and molded their characters. Each story is an inspiration to me. I see so much of myself in some of my family…both my strengths and weaknesses. And I see so much that I wish I possessed. Reading the first few verses of Nephi brought to my remembrance how precious our lives are and how our legacy of faithful living can bless generations to come.
My parents had/have testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because they had gained this precious knowledge, there was no doubt in their minds that they would raise children and guide their family using the principles and ordinances of the gospel. I was born and I was taught in all the learning of my parents. I have watched my parents live and be guided by these principles during all the phases of our family’s life together. My parents bore testimony to us children, they prayed for us, held Family Home Evenings, held family prayers, attended the temple, and placed the gospel and their children first and foremost in their lives. And I watched. I can’t say that “listening” carefully to what my parents always said was my forte but I’m hard pressed to find a child…especially a teenager…that is a talented listener. Children are observers. They will do what you do and say what you say and reflect back to you how they are treated and how they feel about themselves.
Nephi watched his parents very carefully.
He listened to what they taught and he observed with both physical and spiritual “eyes” what they did.
His parents took the time to share special experiences with him and bear testimony of what these things meant to them. (1 Nephi 1:5-15)
He watched his parents pray and knew without a doubt the depth and sincerity of their testimonies and feelings for the Savior. (1 Nephi 1: 15)
Nephi understood what the Spirit was and how it worked.
He saw his parents be completely obedient without questioning why or how. His family abandoned every worldly possession they owned to be faithful to the Lord. And despite the trials and afflictions, he observed his parents showing gratitude to the Lord for His blessings and tender mercies. (1 Nephi 2:3-4, 7).
I feel blessed to share so much in common with Nephi. Allow me to share an experience we had in my family that is so similar in some ways to what Nephi describes in these first few verses of the Book of Mormon and that I believe has had a significant impact on my life.
When I was 5 years old, my father was called to be a mission president of the Goteborg, Sweden mission. He was 29 years old at the time he received this call…my mother was 25 years old. They had 3 children, ages 5, 3, and 1, and my mother was expecting their fourth child at about the time they were expected to report for the mission president’s training seminar. (My mom feels pretty confident that she was the only mission president’s wife nursing a newborn at the training seminar!) My father was still establishing his career and they had just purchased their first home. When the call came, they accepted. Now as a wife and mother, I can only begin to understand what some of my concerns and questions would be. But those concerns and questions did not prevent them from preparing for this call that the Lord had extended. My mother had my sister on June 13th and our family departed for Sweden in July.
My father had served his mission in Sweden and could therefore speak the language. My mother had never left the United States. As we arrived, my dad had many new responsibilities to attend to and missionaries to be acquainted with. My mother had 4 small children that needed to be taken care of and a household to establish in a foreign country without the knowledge or benefit of being familiar with the language and culture. But step by step, the Lord provided all our family needed…both physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I know there were tears, discouragement, frustration, and moments of hopelessness. But from those moments were born some of the fondest, sweetest memories and friendships our family has ever known. Those 3 years in Sweden are the backbone of my childhood. They are my first memories. They are some of my most cherished memories. That legacy of faithfulness and trust in the Lord formed the foundation of my own testimony and determination to lead a life serving the Savior. My parents had a 5th child while living in Sweden. My mother learned the language and served in the church…including as a counselor in the Primary presidency. I grew up surrounded by full-time missionaries and was blessed by their faith and testimonies. Can you imagine a more perfect childhood? It was a wonder! And last spring I had the chance to visit my parents in Sweden with my own husband and children and to share all this wonder with them. We went back to Goteborg where my parents spoke at a Stake Conference and I had the chance to be reacquainted with some many wonderful friends who blessed our lives during that time. I saw my “childhood” home and we frolicked in the woods where I played. I took my children to see the school I went to and the naked statue in the middle of town and ate Swedish hot dogs and candy that tasted just the way I remembered them. And I felt deep gratitude for all of it. That my parents were in tune with the Spirit, that they possessed a united determination to be faithful in all things, that they were willing to drop everything and leave when a call from the Lord took them to the “wilderness”. For their faith and optimism. I have been blessed by their obedience and faith. And I sincerely hope in my life that I will follow their example and always respond as Nephi did…”I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:7)
And so I have my work cut out for me. My children need a mother who lives what she preaches. They need to see and feel me living what I believe. There will come a time in each of their lives when they will be required to stand on their own faith and testimony. Every person has to come to that crossroads and decide where they will stand. But until that day, I want them to have a firm foundation to stand on, a place in their lives where they are safe and loved and feel every day the workings of the Spirit in their lives. I want them to see and understand sacrifice and trials and afflictions and to know they are evidence of the Lord’s deep love for us. I want them to know what the Spirit feels like and the power of this gift in our lives. I want them to know how to find answers on their own and to have the courage to follow where the Lord leads them.
The entire book of 1 Nephi is testimony of a young man who learned precious gospel truths from his parents, gained a firm testimony of Jesus Christ for himself, and was able to accomplish great miracles because of this learning and testimony. What will your children be asked to do by the Lord? Will they be ready? What are we doing every day to prepare our children? Do we contemplate and ponder how what we do, how we react, and what we share with our children is preparing and blessing them for what lies ahead? All Nephi was able to do he was prepared for ahead of time…by loving parents and a loving Heavenly Father. When the time came, he was ready.
Definitely changes how I see my little people and the big people they are becoming.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
A Challenge!
Who wants to join me for a fabulous new challenge??? C'mon...raise those hands high! (If you are like my husband, starting a conversation with a line like that doesn't sit well. He refuses to raise his hand to anything until he gets ALL the details. Smart man.)
I have been thinking a great deal lately about 2 things.
First...I've been thinking about my blog. There have been several times that I have debated going private but every time I do, I feel like there is purpose in being able to share some of me with the world. My life is very ordinary but at the same time extraordinary. I am a woman who lives and loves the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am an imperfect wife in love with an imperfect husband. We have our ups and downs but our marriage is real and full of passion and love (those of you visiting over Christmas break got to see some of that passion...it can run in 2 very different directions). I am a mother to 3 amazing children. Really amazing. I love being a mother but I also struggle with all the realities of being a stay-at-home mom who sometimes feels like she is going to bite the heads off the My Little Ponies if she has to play with them one more time. Blogging has provided an outlet for me to write, share, and feel validated in a million different ways. I faithfully read my family's blogs and love the connection it gives us to each other despite distance. I love my siblings and reading about the challenges and joys my sisters/sister-in-laws/nieces/cousins/etc. are dealing with. Blogging has made me feel less alone and less crazy. It has connected me with family, friends, and "cyber" friends that I may not have met in person but have nonetheless shared common experiences, emotions, and circumstances. Blogging has been a blessing in my life.
Second...I've been thinking about the goal I set at the beginning of the year to read my scriptures more faithfully with real purpose. I've been contemplating personal revelation and how I can better use the scriptures to address real questions, problems, or concerns in my life. My children and young women often come to mind...how can I help them better understand personal revelation and the subtle yet powerful workings of the Spirit? How can I share my testimony of the Book of Mormon and how it works miracles in my life? And then I had an idea....an idea that I think could be powerful...not only for us an individuals but for those that read and follow our blogs. So here is the challenge...
I bought myself a brand new Book of Mormon and a red scripture marking pencil.
I have spent several days thinking about and contemplating what it is that I really needed the Lord's help and inspiration with. And then I wrote it in the front of my new Book of Mormon.
"What can I learn [from the Book of Mormon] about being a better parent to my children? What divine guidance does this book provide about parenting?"
My goal is to try and finish the Book of Mormon by June 2011. I realize that may seem like a long time but I'm trying to be realistic and allow myself to read slowly and thoughtfully. Everything I mark in this copy of the Book of Mormon or write in the margins will relate to these specific questions at the beginning. And I would like to share my thoughts, feelings, and impressions about what I'm learning here on my blog.
I would like to invite those of you that are interested in joining me to take the challenge and post your journey on your individual blog.
I realize this may seem like too personal a thing to share in a public blog world and if you wish to take the challenge, then you may absolutely choose what the perameters look like for you personally. But here is my sincere hope and desire...I want to share my testimony of the Book of Mormon. I want to share how it affects me personally and give others the chance to see how this book changes my life daily...in real time. I want those that are interested in reading my blog to see what I'm learning and perhaps feel a desire to take a similar journey. I want to share how the Holy Ghost testifies and prompts and encourages through the pages of the scriptures and how individuals can change and learn and grow by following the Lord's commandments and counsel. I want to share how this book can indeed solve very personal concerns and problems and answer the deepest most sacred questions of our souls. And so we are going to get personal.
I would love to have you join me in this journey on your blog. Each time I post something from my reading and studying of the Book of Mormon, I will call that post "BOOK OF MORMON CHALLENGE: PARENTING" in my title. Those of you that would like to join me can let me know and I will create a special blog roll on my sidebar so we can all follow each other and benefit from each other's reading, studying, and pondering. As I stated before...feel free to set the bounaries you are comfortable with but I am hopeful some will choose to take the challenge. It definitely helps me stay on track and is so inspiring to read about and share in others journeys. It gives me ideas and insight I would never consider on my own. But please understand I am asking you to choose your own topic/question for reading and studying...I chose mine because it is what I feel that I need the greatest help with. But please choose your own topic. I love diversity!
Just to get you thinking, here is some food for thought. A wonderful talk given by Elder M. Russell Ballard about using the internet to share the gospel!
Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet
I have been thinking a great deal lately about 2 things.
First...I've been thinking about my blog. There have been several times that I have debated going private but every time I do, I feel like there is purpose in being able to share some of me with the world. My life is very ordinary but at the same time extraordinary. I am a woman who lives and loves the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am an imperfect wife in love with an imperfect husband. We have our ups and downs but our marriage is real and full of passion and love (those of you visiting over Christmas break got to see some of that passion...it can run in 2 very different directions). I am a mother to 3 amazing children. Really amazing. I love being a mother but I also struggle with all the realities of being a stay-at-home mom who sometimes feels like she is going to bite the heads off the My Little Ponies if she has to play with them one more time. Blogging has provided an outlet for me to write, share, and feel validated in a million different ways. I faithfully read my family's blogs and love the connection it gives us to each other despite distance. I love my siblings and reading about the challenges and joys my sisters/sister-in-laws/nieces/cousins/etc. are dealing with. Blogging has made me feel less alone and less crazy. It has connected me with family, friends, and "cyber" friends that I may not have met in person but have nonetheless shared common experiences, emotions, and circumstances. Blogging has been a blessing in my life.
Second...I've been thinking about the goal I set at the beginning of the year to read my scriptures more faithfully with real purpose. I've been contemplating personal revelation and how I can better use the scriptures to address real questions, problems, or concerns in my life. My children and young women often come to mind...how can I help them better understand personal revelation and the subtle yet powerful workings of the Spirit? How can I share my testimony of the Book of Mormon and how it works miracles in my life? And then I had an idea....an idea that I think could be powerful...not only for us an individuals but for those that read and follow our blogs. So here is the challenge...
I bought myself a brand new Book of Mormon and a red scripture marking pencil.
"What can I learn [from the Book of Mormon] about being a better parent to my children? What divine guidance does this book provide about parenting?"
My goal is to try and finish the Book of Mormon by June 2011. I realize that may seem like a long time but I'm trying to be realistic and allow myself to read slowly and thoughtfully. Everything I mark in this copy of the Book of Mormon or write in the margins will relate to these specific questions at the beginning. And I would like to share my thoughts, feelings, and impressions about what I'm learning here on my blog.
I would like to invite those of you that are interested in joining me to take the challenge and post your journey on your individual blog.
I realize this may seem like too personal a thing to share in a public blog world and if you wish to take the challenge, then you may absolutely choose what the perameters look like for you personally. But here is my sincere hope and desire...I want to share my testimony of the Book of Mormon. I want to share how it affects me personally and give others the chance to see how this book changes my life daily...in real time. I want those that are interested in reading my blog to see what I'm learning and perhaps feel a desire to take a similar journey. I want to share how the Holy Ghost testifies and prompts and encourages through the pages of the scriptures and how individuals can change and learn and grow by following the Lord's commandments and counsel. I want to share how this book can indeed solve very personal concerns and problems and answer the deepest most sacred questions of our souls. And so we are going to get personal.
I would love to have you join me in this journey on your blog. Each time I post something from my reading and studying of the Book of Mormon, I will call that post "BOOK OF MORMON CHALLENGE: PARENTING" in my title. Those of you that would like to join me can let me know and I will create a special blog roll on my sidebar so we can all follow each other and benefit from each other's reading, studying, and pondering. As I stated before...feel free to set the bounaries you are comfortable with but I am hopeful some will choose to take the challenge. It definitely helps me stay on track and is so inspiring to read about and share in others journeys. It gives me ideas and insight I would never consider on my own. But please understand I am asking you to choose your own topic/question for reading and studying...I chose mine because it is what I feel that I need the greatest help with. But please choose your own topic. I love diversity!
Just to get you thinking, here is some food for thought. A wonderful talk given by Elder M. Russell Ballard about using the internet to share the gospel!
Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet
Monday, January 17, 2011
What Mormons and Disneyland Have In Common
Remember how our family visited the new Mormon Battalion Visitor's Center in San Diego at Thanksgiving time and I told you how I was absolutely astounded that the church now had their very own "Disneyland"-esque ride that rivaled Pirates of the Caribbean? Remember that? (If you need a refresher with some visual images go visit here.)
Well the fun just goes on and on and on.
Today we had Stake Conference. It was wonderful and uplifting but really did not have much to do with Disneyland. Before we left for church this morning, the power went out. And when we arrived home, the power was still out. We had been trying to sit still for a very long time and the idea of trying to entertain ourselves in a home with no electricity seemed too daunting for my feeble mind so I proposed a field trip to the Church History Museum in SLC. It had been a long, long time since we had been there and I had seen on the news this week that they had opened a new children's exhibit. So with a bag of pretzels and chocolate covered pomegranates, we were off.
We arrived at the museum and received an absolutely delightful, interesting, very kid friendly tour from "Cindy", a docent at the museum who used to be an elementary school teacher. She gave our family a private tour through the church history portion of the museum that really was wonderful! She hit the highlights, kept the pace brisk, told great stories, pointed out fascinating objects, and kept the children engaged and entertained. It was wonderful! I want her to be our "nanny/tour guide" every time we go to a museum.
After our tour of the main floor, she took us upstairs and turned us loose in the new children's exhibit. And it was just like Disneyland all over again. Really. We have SUCH a cool church with extremely clever, creative, inspired people all over the place. After playing/dancing/throwing/listening/eating plastic food/collecting plastic eggs from stuffed chickens/playing computer games/fishing from Nephi's boat/helping Moroni with the golden plates/building the temple in Bountiful/etc., I've decided I'm going to increase my tithing donations. There definitely is no bigger bang for your buck! (Was that too irreverent?)
On a less irreverent note...stake conference this week focused on families and the blessings of the temple. We heard some excellent talks and I truly am leaving this weekend even more determined to be a better wife and mother. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for His love, guidance, example, and the joy He shares that is truly deep and life changing. I love my wonderful husband. He is a gentle, patient, strong, faithful man who blesses my life every day in so many different ways. He is also an incredible father...right now he is outside the bedroom door doing an impromptu shadow show on the wall with our daughter. I am grateful for my children. They are amazing! They are sweet, strong, smart wonderful people and I love being their mother.
The church history museum was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon together. I love having experiences together as a family...adventures and exploring and being together create deep memories that bind you together in a way nothing else can.
Hooray for the gospel of Jesus Christ...hooray for families...and hooray for wonderful memories!!!
Well the fun just goes on and on and on.
Today we had Stake Conference. It was wonderful and uplifting but really did not have much to do with Disneyland. Before we left for church this morning, the power went out. And when we arrived home, the power was still out. We had been trying to sit still for a very long time and the idea of trying to entertain ourselves in a home with no electricity seemed too daunting for my feeble mind so I proposed a field trip to the Church History Museum in SLC. It had been a long, long time since we had been there and I had seen on the news this week that they had opened a new children's exhibit. So with a bag of pretzels and chocolate covered pomegranates, we were off.
We arrived at the museum and received an absolutely delightful, interesting, very kid friendly tour from "Cindy", a docent at the museum who used to be an elementary school teacher. She gave our family a private tour through the church history portion of the museum that really was wonderful! She hit the highlights, kept the pace brisk, told great stories, pointed out fascinating objects, and kept the children engaged and entertained. It was wonderful! I want her to be our "nanny/tour guide" every time we go to a museum.
 |
| The boys trying out the "family bunk" aboard the 1800's immigration ship. And I thought it was bad when they all climbed in bed with me now... |
 |
| Looking at the big ship...the docent told us that when the museum opened the boxes containing all the little model figurines they had ordered to put on this model ship, they discovered they were all bar floozies and drunken sailors. The art department immediately went to work painting the dancing girls into pioneers. |
 |
| Our little pioneer children measuring themselves against the wheel of a covered wagon. MC was starting to feel as sulky as he looks...it was toward the end of the tour and he was losing his patience. |
 |
| HB pulling vegetables in the garden to serve the missionaries that came to dinner. |
 |
| MC with his Bountiful temple that he constructed. |
 |
| Chris and JC trying to lift the golden plates. They were really heavy...and poor Joseph Smith was carrying these while being chased by very angry people. |
 |
| More fervent preparations in the kitchen for dinner with the missionaries. |
 |
| Oh, the dancing. It was my FAVORITE! I could've stayed at this station all day if there weren't other patrons patiently waiting their turn. You better believe I'm going to get myself one of those fabulous skirts... |
 |
| MC playing some of the fun computer games... |
 |
| HB helping Mormon adbridge the golden plates... |
 |
| and JC and I mixing a little Andean primary music. |
 |
| We also stopped to see the amazing...no, breath taking...nativity set that my parents just purchased in Sweden. They were able to contact the artist and have their very own set made. It is beautiful!!!! |
 |
| And before we left, Chris and the kids delivered deep sermons from the conference center pulpit. |
 |
| Finally the dinner for the missionaries was ready. It was quite a feast! |
The church history museum was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon together. I love having experiences together as a family...adventures and exploring and being together create deep memories that bind you together in a way nothing else can.
Hooray for the gospel of Jesus Christ...hooray for families...and hooray for wonderful memories!!!
Monday, January 10, 2011
December Joy
And so the deed is done…
Christmas came…and it was lovely.
New Year’s came and it was also exquisitely lovely.
(Insert photo of the AMAZING feast and celebration we had at Chip and ML's home...the company, the food, the house, the decor...and our camera spent a lonely little evening all by itself on top of our refrigerator at home.)
I took a mental break from life for 2 weeks and it was really lovely. The kids didn’t have school or scouts or dancing or band or piano…some days we couldn’t think of a good reason to get dressed and so we didn’t. We went to bed late, slept in late, ate delicious treats and meals with wild abandon and played with some of our most favorite people in the world. There was much to fa, la, la about!
One of my favorite “December” events is our advent calendar. Inside each pocket for every day of the month are 2 small cards. On the first card is listed a scripture and corresponding picture. Starting on December 1st and continuing up until Christmas morning, we spend family scripture time reading about different events from the Savior’s life and we hang the different pictures on a prominent wall on our kitchen. The scriptures start with the prophet Isaiah foretelling of the Savior’s birth and end on with the Lord’s Second Coming. I love this tradition. It is difficult to describe the simple peace it brings to our home and the visual reminders every day of who the Savior is and the potential we have to be like him.
(Squint your eyes and look in the "background" of this picture for a pathetic peek at what I'm trying to describe...next year I'll get a better picture.)
The second card has the daily "activity" on it. These activities range from special field trips to making special gifts or trying new holiday recipes or memorizing a scripture or song...we cover the range from very simple to slightly more elaborate. But it is my effort to make sure that every day we are creating memories as a family that help us to focus on the true spirit of the season. I love December. I love Christmas.
And now we are in the middle of January...so it may be time for a very quick recap and some pictures. May I present...December 2010!
The month started with a fabulous sledding trip up American Fork Canyon with some of our absolutely favorite friends to take adventures with...we know how to do mountains here in Utah...
MC made his debut as a "present" in the 2nd grade school assembly...
Carrie Ann hosted an exquisite "birthdayS" dinner for HB, Grandpa Green and I...the perfect evening ended with a giant chocolate Costco cake which I ate until I thought I would explode. You only turn 40 years old one time...and it isn't often someone buys you a chocolate Costco cake.
One of HB's aunts gave her this coat and beret for her birthday. I already think she is one of the most darling things walking this planet...but then you add a beret and pink and brown polka dots? It is almost to much.
We grabbed some of our favorite people and headed up to Gardner Village for cookies and hot chocolate at the bakery and an afternoon of trying to find all the elves. This is one of my FAVORITE holiday traditions!
JC's 4th grade class held quite a Christmas extravaganza in their class this year. It involved plays, skits, singing, instruments, and lots of goodies. JC had the leading role as Santa Claus in one of the plays...he was hilarious. We also attended our first "band" concert where JC did a fabulous job in the trumpet section.
I think I also mentioned previously that JC taught himself to play the piano this month. And I'm not kidding. Chris claims we are the most secretly brilliant parents on the planet because we deny our children things they want so badly (like piano lessons) and then they eventually get old enough that they can just sit down and figure it out themselves. Think of the money and headaches we have saved!
Abby & James came into town with their darlings. It was so, so fun! We took an afternoon and roamed our classy little selves around the Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake. It was amazing! The window displays were beautiful and the kids did a scavenger hunt that ended up in the bakery where they each received bags of melt in your mouth shortbread. It will definitely be on our annual Christmas "to-do" list. The hotel has fancy-schmancy doormen, free cookies and orange water in the lobby, amazing decorations, and even apostles...we had a President Uchtdorf sighting in the toy store. Abby was classy and gave him his space and I giggled and had to say, "Hi President Uchtdorf" to get his attention. He looks EXACTLY like he does in his pictures...
Did you notice the window display where the dinosaur was eating the gingerbread people? I think it was my favorite. And the picture above was taken in the bakery of wonders and delights. The day ended with a very awkward tour of the Beehive House and then watching the lights on temple square turn on from the 10th story window of the Joseph Smith building. We used the last of Mo & Papa's magic "parking" tokens...downtown will never be same without those golden coins.
There were lots more snow days...
ML hosted a cousin party at her house one afternoon where we made gingerbread houses and had a delicious lunch. Teo jumped right up to the table when he heard the candy being poured into the bowls and went right to work with both fists. He bypassed making the houses and just went right for the sugar overload. That boy loves candy. Please appreciate Ethan's catholic church and the mounds of frosting on the other homes.
After a wonderful afternoon of gingerbread house making, the kids and I headed to the skating rink to try and perfect some of our ice-skating moves. JC clung to the wall for dear life, MC picked up the whole skating thing in about 15 minutes, and HB found herself a "skating walker" and was literally twirling on one foot in the middle of the rink by the end. The funny thing was watching her spin, crash onto the ice to stop spinning and then crawl on all fours to get back to her walker to help her stand up and start the whole thing over again! Ah, to be young and invincible!
Carrie and Todd hosted a beautiful evening on Christmas Eve. The food was amazing, the company delightful, and the entertainment top notch. JC spent the whole afternoon "writing" the Christmas Eve program and it was something else. MC spent the afternoon printing jokes off the internet and then cutting and pasting them to index cards so he and Ethan could do their comedy routine. HB spent the afternoon making reindeer antlers out of pipe cleaners for her "Rudolph" skit...and somewhere in the middle of all this we did read the Christmas story and act out the nativity with the pieces to Carrie's nativity set...the angel ended up wounded at the end (somehow we broke off the tip of her wing). The evening was made even more special with Grandma Green's spontaneous kazoo concert and with Chip and ML giving each family a copy of the book "The Tomten" and Chip sitting in the middle of everyone reading it out loud. It was a moment I will cherish forever!
We left the Rhodes' home with very full bellies and hearts bursting with gratitude and happy. It was a wonderful evening! We headed home to open our Christmas jammies and then dive into bed with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads!
Christmas Day was relaxed and wonderful! We opened gifts, ate sausage rolls, and I rode my brand new bike over to my in-laws. I think I rode with a big, goofy smile on my face the whole way over. I love, love, love my new bike!
New Year's Eve we enjoyed a true "soiree" as we ate amazing food and enjoyed the fabulous hospitality of Chip and ML. We celebrated Ethan's birthday and then rang in the new year...although I almost missed it because I had fallen asleep with HB in a soft bed. Luckily when lots of people count down it is very loud and I was able to make it into the family room in time for lots of hugging and kissing. Being 40 years old can be very taxing...don't judge me.
And so a new year has begun. I love new years because I don't have any regrets yet. I can look back over the last 10 days and feel pretty good about things. I don't set new year's goals or resolutions because they just bring guilt and regret. Instead, I try to steady the course, promise to learn new things, always remind myself to be grateful, and try to not eat so much Chick-Fil-A.
Hope your season was very berry and bright!
Welcome 2011!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)