Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Caleb 2013


I am still not sure how this guy has grown up so fast.  He is the greatest kid and certainly brightens up my day whenever I am around him, which isn't often enough.  Happy Birthday sweet Caleb, I sure do love you, never forget that!

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Conference Traditions

(not a great picture!)
As a little girl in Colorado I remember my Mom being so excited about actually being able to watch a session of General Conference in our home.  It was just the Saturday morning session but I remember what a special experience it was for her. I was a little older when I began to have that appreciation myself.  It was while I was a freshman at BYU that I really felt the spirit and promised that I would always try and schedule my time to watch General Conference every time.  After Kerry and I got married and started raising children we decided that it was important that they participate as well even if they were very young.  When we moved to Sequim Washington that became a little more of a challenge but we dressed our kids in Sunday clothes and headed to the local LDS Church where we could watch via satellite.  The first time we were the only family and then before we left there were other families that joined us.  To interest our kids I made up games for them to play and questions that the older girls could read and answer like, What color are the dresses on The Tabernacle Choir,  What bald men spoke or which speaker wore glasses?  Who spoke about Jesus or did they speak about missionaries?  All to familiarize them with names and faces.  Later we found a bingo game and other things, compared to now with all of the cute things you can print up on line they seem very old school but it worked for what we had at the time.

Over the years we developed other conference traditions as we watched from our homes in Orem.  One tradition has become Conference Cafe with Kerry making Huavos Racheros for breakfast and Chile Verde for dinner.  He cooks all day and is very tired in the end but it is so yummy. When he has been away from the home the girls have been disappointed that he wasn't there for the tradition. 

As I watched as President Monson gave his closing remarks I thought back over all of the years and what a wonderful memory I have with my family as we have watched Conference together.  Even through the teen years when it really wasn't the place the girls wanted to be. Things have changed and now I watch as our girls are beginning similar traditions in their own families.  Filled with love and memories there is also a sadness that comes with change, I miss my own family and wonder why they had to grow up so fast.  I also love watching in the quiet time when it is just Kerry and those feelings seem to contradict each other!  Then I was over whelmed by the fact that this is the Last Conference Cafe in this house.  I am very excited about the new home and not until recently have I felt any sadness about leaving this house. Despite some rough times here there are so many wonderful memories and blessings we have received while living here.

No matter where I am General Conference will always be special to me and the Conference Cafe will still greet our family.  While I often feel weak, unworthy, or less than I should be I always come away feeling spiritually fed an with a hope and desire to be a better person.  I am so grateful for a living Prophet and Apostles who guide the Church and give such wonderful talks and guidance.  I JUST LOVE GENERAL CONFERENCE!

Our Family