Updated Welcome Sign

Signs of Spring: projects!

St. Patrick's Day 2012

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2012!

Clint was on an 11-yr old campout, so he missed the fun.

The boys loved their green baskets, tootsie rolls and posters.

Derek's Field Trip

Derek, Caleb, Grant and Clint all attended the preschool open house together.

I'm so grateful Clint is able to take time off work to attend these activities with the boys.

Caleb has his glasses on here....

but not here! Clint said they had to search for the missing glasses and Derek was the one who found them. Great job Derek!!

Derek is holding his favorites: grapes, apples, cucumbers

Game Disaster

Wednesday, March 14
I was planning a fun lunch outing with the boys. I was in the bathroom getting ready and I came out to this.

They had emptied all these games from the game closet... Cranium, Settlers of Catan (2 versions), Skip, and Connect Four. I took one look and said, "Let's go to lunch. We'll clean this mess up later!" I just had to walk away....

New Shoe Shelf

As part of my new mantra, function over form, Clint is building a shoe shelf for our mud room.

When it was just Brennan, the baskets for shoes and small hooks worked great. Now, with three boys, we just need a different system. It makes me so excited just thinking about new hooks for coats and specific places for each pair of shoes to sleep.

Once I had a paper template created for Clint, he was on board. It's such an odd shape, that the template was the only way Clint could cut the shelves.

Clint even made the shelves adjustable so when the boys get older and their shoes get bigger, we can adjust the size of the cubies –I didn't even ask for adjustable shelves, he just did it!  {bonus!}

The room is tiny and the shelf feels a little big, but at this point I don't care. I just need the shoes off the floor!

The boys loved painting the shelf black.

Notice they are painting the tops of the shelves... the parts no one will see :)

I love their help, but I still like to make the overall piece look good.

The boys can help with the hidden parts.

The finished bench! It's beautiful!

Snow in February

It snowed a few weeks ago. We have had a really mild winter, so Caleb was SO excited to play outside after it snowed. 

The Work of Creation

I have been thinking a lot about the concept of creation lately. It is one of my strengths to create. I love to create beautiful gardens, art projects, organized spaces and printed marketing pieces. 

I also have weaknesses that counter the creation. 

I have a hard time with the mundane, repetitive parts of life, 

especially the parts of taking care of small children... so tedious... 

the never ending messes, baths, meals, clothes, school papers (oh the paper!!), sicknesses, etc....

I read a book called "Weakness is Not Sin" by Wendy Ulrich and it has really helped me to see how I can live more joyfully. I will never absolutely LOVE the unimaginative tasks of being a mom and that's ok. I can work on certain daily tasks and move my weaknesses more to neutral. It's ok that I will never be super-good at any of those tasks, but I can get better.

As I use my gift of creation, I know I can bring more joy into my heart, my home and my boy's lives.

I LOVE this talk given by Elder Uchtdorf in General Conference, October of 2008.

Happiness, Your Heritage

The Work of Creation

DIETER F. UCHTDORF

Second Counselor in the First Presidency 
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. 

You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty. Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment.

Remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative Being in the universe. Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God? Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.

Our birthright—and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth—is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things.

If you are a mother, you participate with God in His work of creation—not only by providing physical bodies for your children but also by teaching and nurturing them.

The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter.

What you create doesn’t have to be perfect. Don’t let fear of failure discourage you. Don’t let the voice of critics paralyze you—whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside.

The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you.”

Brennan's Junior Jazz Team

Brennan loves to be on a basketball team. He listens pretty good, and he tells me that he's good at defense. In the 4 yrs. he's played, he's never made a basket. This year his coach did something remarkable. They would do these plays where the entire goal was to give Brennan the ball so he could shoot a basket. It really touched my heart. I really wanted this for him, I don't know why...

He was able to try many times, but the ball never went in. I'm just so grateful he had the chance. Thank you Coach Michael Palmer for building Brennan's confidence!

Help? in the Kitchen

I've been working on my domestic skills lately and one thing I do now is cook pancakes or waffles for breakfast once a week. I have to start slow... it's not my favorite thing to do... but the boys LOVE it when I cook. Caleb decided he was going to help me with the flour. What a sensory kid! He loves to feel and explore every texture there is.

Derek was unloading the dishwasher and the dishes still had a little bit of water on them. So he took out some towels, laid them on the floor and put all the clean dishes on them. I thought he did a great job figuring out a solution to the wet dishes. I was so glad he aired them out instead of putting them in the cupboards wet :)

How you become a Grandma

Derek and I were talking in the kitchen today and he said the funniest thing.
He's been trying to figure out who my mom is and who Clint's mom is. The whole Grandma and Grandpa concept... he's had many questions on how that all works...

Today he tells me, "When you get tired of being a mom, then you get to be a Grandma."

I looked at him and said, "You're absolutely right!"

Love how that boy thinks.

 

Some of Derek's preschool projects.

Daughters in My Kingdom Seminar

The seminar I helped to plan was a huge success. We had over 300 sisters and everything went really smoothly. We had a lot of help from the sisters in the different wards. Each brought their own gifts and abilities in the planning and execution of the event. Set-up was on Friday night, Feb. 24th.

Some of the decor committee.

The young women choir doing their recording.

Dress rehearsal.

Katie Thurgood, our lighting technician.

The day of the Seminar, February 25, 2012

We were blessed to have a professional cake decorator on our committee, Maureen Steel. She did these beautiful cupcakes! She also had the most amazing cake stands and display dishes. Her company is  My Sweet Wedding Cakes.

Pam Tarkalson is from our ward and taught a class about scripture study. 

Our door escorts.

Check-in tables.

Our friendly door greeters.

The young womens choir.

Mary, Eve and our modern day sister.

Esther

Our producer, Carla Judd

All our scripture daughters: Eve, Esther, Ashira (mother of a stripling warrior), Mary, Emma and a modern day sister.

Clint and Brother Kinmont. They were our AV technical team. We couldn't have done it without them!

My good friend Linda.

Sisters from my ward.

Roxanna Vaughn, Sherida Marshall, Max Ewing, President Thurgood, President Hawks, Anna Jeffs and Jeanette Sharp.

I just met this darling sister, Nedra Florence, the week before the seminar on a ward visit. She is such an angel. She was a cheerleader in high school and taught dance for years. She co-founded Universal Genealogy. Her son now operates the genealogy business.

It was such a wonderful event.

The programs.

Here is the script for our closing presentation.

DAUGHTERS IN HIS KINGDOM

As sisters come in the slide presentation by Anna will be seen on screen, stage left. The stage is dark, and no one is on stage.

Introduction by member of Stake R.S. Pres.:  We are pleased to conclude our Stake Relief Society Meeting today with a presentation that we hope will help each of us to remember the women we were in our Heavenly Fathers Kingdom, that we were, and are still daughters of a king.

Song: “The Woman I was Before”

(Tricia sings first verse alone, second verse, choir “oo’s” softly behind her as lights come up full, and joins her on the bridge in harmony.  6 dancers come on stage at end of bridge and dance to just the instrumental part of first verse.  They continue to dance during a repeat of the bridge and leave stage at end of bridge, as Tricia sings the last verse.  Choir joins in again on coda and dancers rejoin on stage and are in a pose at end of coda.)

Narrator:  Each of us waited, with excitement, wonder, and maybe some apprehension, for our  turn to say our temporary good-bye’s to our Heavenly parents, and to journey into mortality.  We left behind a glorious home, where we were princesses in that pre- mortal world. What we obtained in knowledge and understanding there, we brought with us into mortality, but so we could walk by faith and be proven, a veil was placed  over our minds. Many of God’s daughters have remembered their birthright, and have, like the  princesses of Fairy Tales, passed through hardship and trial, but were loyal to the royal within them.  

(The dancer representing Eve leaves the group and walks through the archway.  Eve appears from the other side.  A picture of Eve will appear on the screen, with her name below it.)

Eve:  I was the first of Heavenly Fathers daughters to leave our home. My name is Eve, and  my choice enabled me and all of my sisters after me, to become mother’s, the greatest  calling for a daughter of God.   As I walked the road of mortality, it was my greatest blessing to teach the “precious jewels of truth” to my daughters and sons, that I had  learned myself through the spirit, and from the priviledged hours I walked and talked with our elder brother, Jehovah, in the garden.  I am a princess of the realm, and a  daughter in my Fathers Kingdom.

(As Eve leaves, a second dancer seperates from the group on stage and passes through the archway.  Esther appears from the other side.  A picture of Esther will appear on the screen, with her name below it.)

 Esther: My sojourn on Earth was as a young Jewish girl, who through extraodinary circumstances, became the Queen of the nation of Persia. God’s hand was in my life, and I became his instrument, to save the lives of all the Jewish nation. Through obedience, fasting and prayer, my Father in Heaven allowed me to become an  “influence around my world”.   I am a princess of the realm, and a daughter in my Father’s kingdom.

(As Esther leaves, a third dancer seperates from the group on stage and passes through the archway.  Ashira appears from the other side.   A picture of Ashira will appear on the screen, with her name and “Lamanite mother of Stripling Warrior” below it.)    

       

Ashira:  My name is Ashira and I am an anit-nephi-lehite   My people are a covenant people, and we have chosen to never take up arms of war against any of Gods children. I have  two sons, one in his 16^th year and one in his 14^th year, whom I have taught to live by the words that Ammon spake to us.  They know of the Savior who is to come, and have great faith in him.  They have joined with the many other sons of our people to follow Helaman into battle, and my faith and my prayers to my Father in Heaven for them, will  sustain me.  I have let go of the world of my forefathers and have prepared to embrace a new one where I am a princess of the realm, and a daughter in my Father’s Kingdom.

(As Ashira leaves, a fourth dancer seperates from the group on stage and passes through the archway. Mary appears from the other side. A picture of Mary will appear on the screen, with her name below it.)

Mary: I was very young when my path was given me by the Angel Gabriel. I was to be the mother of the Son of God, and the Savior of the world.  I was betrothed to Joseph of  Nazareth, and could not understand why God had chosen one so unaccustomed to the ways of the world.  I replied to the angel, “Behold the handmaiden of the Lord, be it  unto me according to they will.” From that moment on, I have lived to be worthy of this honor and have sought to “provide a safe place” for my son and family, as I have come to know that I am a princess of the realm, and a daughter in my Father’s Kingdom.

(As Mary leaves, a fifth dancer seperates from the group on stage and passes through the archway. Emma appears from the other side. A picture of Emma will appear on the screen, with her name below it.)

Emma: My love for Joseph never waivered, nor did my faith in my Heavenly Father, for I knew that Joseph was God’s prophet, and that Jesus Christ himself was directing the affairs of his restored kingdom on earth.  Yes, my trials were sore, and my devotion tested, but  my testimony was constantly strengthened and my joy was full.   From day to day, and year to year, I encouraged my fellow sisters to know who they are, and to rise to the royal within them, and to prepare the next generation of saints to take their place in the Kingdom.  I know that I am a princess of the realm, and a daughter in my Father’s Kingdom.

(As Emma leaves, the last dancer crosses the stage and passes through the archway. Elizabeth appears from the other side. A collage of pictures of latter-day sisters will appear on the screen)

Elizabeth: I am each of you, born in the great winding-up period of the world.  I am young, I am old.  I am single, I am married.  I don’t have children, I do have children.  I laugh and I  cry and I struggle to find my true purpose in life, and I feel that I don’t have enough hands, or time, or ideas, or strength to fulfill all of the demands on me each day.  But I  know that my Heavenly Father is only a prayer away, and that he loves me.  I am beginning to know that I am of a royal generation, saved to help prepare for the coming  of my Savior a second time.  I find “precious jewels of truth” in reading my scriptures daily.  I will turn away from worldly, frivolous and immodest behavior and clothing and try to set a standard for good in my world.   I am responsible to be loyal to the royal within me, and to help raise the next generation of “Righteous Royalty” as I provide a safe place from worldly influences for all.   I will stand as a witness of God in all places and all things, and I know that I am a princess of the realm, and a daughter in my Father’s Kingdom.

(Intro to “Daughters of a King” begins as narrator speaks.)

Narrator:  Our journey back to our heavenly home, is one of re-discovering who we really are, and  the royalty that we come from. The scriptures are our letters from home, prayer our communication. Our happily ever after is achieved through living the principles of the restored Gospel. And the destiny of every princess is to one day become a queen, but  right now, know that you are a princess of the realm, and a Daughter in our Heavenly Fathers Kingdom.

(Young Women choir sings “Daughters of a King”. As they sing the last chorus, all cast members come back onto the stage and join in the singing.)

Song:  “Daughters of a King”

Closing Prayer