Gratitude

So many emotions are going through me right now in preparation for our move to the new home.  I will still go back and document with pictures later.  There are also many emotions as I am trying to be a better person, to see the good in people rather than the bad or frustrating, not to let other peoples judging of me sour the way I feel about them.  It seems that while trying to accomplish this the adversary works even harder to impede the process.  Today I am very grateful for the scriptures and the sweet blessing they are in my life.  Just as I sat to study it fell open to just the scripture that I needed for the day, and the following chapters only reinforced that verse for me.  I love when this happens! 

She's two? Olivia 2013

I can't believe how quickly these little ones are growing up!  Today this little angel is really two years old.  Happy Birthday Olivia, our little "Livi Lou!"

Colors

Back in the day this was our family home evening "chart."  I had attended a class at BYU for a genealogical conference.  One thing that was discussed was that in early American History the tulip was considered a sign of virtue or strength...I had already been using a color code system for the girls to do laundry and belongings with so I combined the two.  It's kind of funny that those colors have kind of stuck with these guys as one of their favorite colors.  As the sorting process continues getting ready to move into the new home I have started taking pictures of things that are sentimental but....

Family Reading

I had the opportunity to attend the Women's Conference at BYU with my cousin Carolyn over the last two days.  A great deal was mentioned about reading to and with kids during the conference and I found myself being reflective as I listened.
   We started reading the scriptures with our little ones before they could even read, we would whisper in their ears the words and have them repeat it.  Later as they began reading we could see their skills increase just by the daily reading, or almost daily, that we did as a family.  Kerry's mom gave us the set in the lower right picture when we were well into our family, when Cydney was a baby, and they were a great tool as well. They are now roving from daughter to daughter.  We will always laugh when we hear a particular name in the Book Of Mormon because he pronounced it wrong to see if anyone was really listening.  I guess we were because we all giggle when using that name still.
  After we moved into this house in addition to reading the scriptures, Kerry read to us every night for a long time.  We all loved it and we quickly went through various books and sets of books in the process.  It was great to visualize as he read to us.  When the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe was made into a movie I really didn't know if I wanted to see it because of the vivid images he (we) had created in my mind.  One of my fondest memories is of him reading "The Forgotten Carols" at Christmas Time and then listening to the accompanying music as we went along.  We love to go and see the play during the Holiday season as a result.
   He often has difficulty reading at times, because of content, and we have all learned to respect his sincerity and tenderness.  Often I am glad he is reading it aloud and not me!  He even read a series just to me, loved every minute of it.  These are very sweet moments for me.  And in relation to the conference it gives me a little bit of peace knowing we did do a few things right anyway!

A Good Team

 

Toady I had a filling done and then Kerry had them check a place that he had worked on a couple of days ago.  I couldn't resist taking this of the three of them. I couldn't help but notice how well these two worked together, it's fun to see them in a professional setting.



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!

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!