Welfare, the way it should work.

Find the text here. This talk is about the poor. He is not addressing the poor but the care that needs taken of them. Welfare if a really serious subject in the LDS church. I seriously recommend watching or reading this one. It is only moderately doctrinal.

This REALLY surprised me. The commitment of Church leaders to relieve human suffering was as certain as it was irrevocable. President Grant wanted “a system that would … reach out and take care of the people no matter what the cost.” He said he would even go so far as to “close the seminaries, shut down missionary work for a period of time, or even close the temples, but they would not let the people go hungry.”

 Many programs have been set up by well-meaning individuals to aid those who are in need. However, many of these programs are designed with the shortsighted objective of ‘helping people,’ as opposed to ‘helping people help themselves.

The prophetic welfare plan is not merely an interesting footnote in the history of the Church. The principles upon which it is based define who we are as a people. It is the essence of who we are as individual disciples of our Savior and Exemplar, Jesus the Christ.


I don't know what to say about this talk. It is fantastic and it would be really beneficial to read or listen to it.

Make him stop

I realise this is simply playing into his hands. Commercials are to get your attention. Here I am passing it along to you.

There are lots of car dealerships in this area. Dealerships are known for terrible commercials. This just happens to be the one close by who insists on making MANY commercials and playing them on TV and radio ALL the time. Just close your eyes and listen to this mans voice. Why on Earth is he allowed to be the spokes person? (probably because he owns the place.)

I can't find the right one off hand, but during the Super Bowl they ran one that used super imposed heads floating around the screen.

For some reason he thinks it is great to yell Yee-Haw,often.

I do not understand this man.

Oh and the idea of "certified per-owned" cars. Really? I could certify to you that my car has been used. It isn't that hard. Surely there is a better term for a used car they have checked over.

The "P" word

I have a lovely young lady living in my home. She is my eldest daughter. Full of personality that one.

Yesterday was "take your kids to work day". So she and her brothers went to go wash cars, answer phones and check in and out cars with their dad.

My husband's boss is INCREDIBLY generous. I can give you example after example. Last year and this year also, the children (including the baby who stayed home) each received a gift bag of fun things to play with. Coloring stuff, silly bands, bubbles, puzzles (1,000 piece), etc. This year among the goodies was included a squirt gun. They were THRILLED and needed to use them immediately.

So into the bathroom they rushed. While in there Naomi had a realization.

"Dad, this gun looks like the end of a penis." Loud enough that the two young ladies and young man that my husband works with can hear her.



This is not our first incident with penis discussions, oh no. At one point it seemed like the only topic of discussion around here. After many talks about how we do not need to talk about penises all the time I wound up at this point-

Sitting there eating lunch calmly with my kids. Out of nowhere comes the comment-
N: Let's not talk about penises.
Me: Good plan.
End of conversation.

While she was still in serious discussion mode we had a few friends over. Each one of them at some point would be either declared to have a penis or not depending on their gender. She really knows how to make you feel right at home.

I am glad we went through that rough stage. I am glad that she knows what it is; no mystery. I am also glad that stage seems to be mostly over.

Why is life so hard?

Text here.

This talk can help give perspective and meaning to the hard things in life.

Elder Orson F. Whitney said: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. … All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable. … It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire.”

Did you ever think about trials in life like that?

We don’t seek out tests, trials, and tribulations. Our personal journey through life will provide just the right amount for our needs. Many trials are just a natural part of our mortal existence, but they play such an important role in our progress.

I like where he says "just the right amount". It is personalised to what you need, and no more. Oh, I know you may think it is more than you need. Luckily God is in charge of that stuff. If left on my own I am sure I wouldn't come near to achieve my potential, since I wouldn't chose many challenges.

Update on violets

So we made the violet jelly. As far as I can tell it tastes.... sweet. That is what happens when you make jam and it includes lots of sugar.

It started off as a beautiful shade of  Kool-Aid blue. Then we added the lemon juice, beautiful dark lavender.  Boiling it at that stage was just really neat to watch the colors.

So after processing it in the canner we got.... um.... honey?

Not sure of the flavor yet. It seriously looks like it turned the color of honey. I think I cooked it too long. I hope I didn't kill the flavor too. It almost looks like there is just pure amber inside those jars.

Now I get to sit back and listen to the jars pop. I love that sound so much.

Tiptoe through the violets...

Tomorrow is "Take your child to work day". My husband's boss is awesome and invites ALL my kids to go to work with Dad. So tomorrow Phebe and I will drop Dad and kids at work and go do what we want to do.  That being...

Making violet jelly.

That's right. Tomorrow I am going to have a friend over and together we will make violet jelly.

The violets are already steeping. We are only making one batch right now. That way, if it is awful we won't have wasted lots of effort. I am pretty excited.


Today's news is - mattress shopping!
My generous sister watched the younger 3 children while Ethan and I went to a Select Comfort store to try out Sleep Number beds.

What was my opinion you ask?
They are nice. They are expensive. They are more than we had budgeted for. However they claim to last for a very long time. So in theory that means you will just make this one investment and won't have to buy another mattress for 20 years.

I am going to do some more research. I would love to hear your stories about mattress shopping. Did it work out well for you? What kind do you have? How long has it lasted? Would you recommend it?

I like horror stories too. So you can throw some mattress drama in if you would like.


On an unrelated note- I think Mr Winky Rex- the one eyed toad- seems to be suffering. He was doing well for a while, even moving around the tank. He has relapsed and I think death is pretty imminent. He had me fooled for a while there. I thought he might pull through. I guess we will just have to capture some other poor pathetic animal and pretend we are capable of keeping it alive.

Oh, and my 3 year old decided to "get on the 'puter". He managed to switch things around so you could only see what the computer was doing by turning on the tv connected to it. I had to have my husband stand in the living room yelling directions to me as to where to move the mouse to fix it.
"Down, down. Left, just a little."

Luckily it was fixable.

Waiting

Ok, my loyal followers. I know you have all been following faithfully along through the conference talks. We can now move onto the Sunday morning session. All of the talks from now on are for everyone.
Here is the text.

I think sometimes I find myself "waiting on the road to Damascus." Sometimes I seem to want something more dramatic than the small impressions that I can hardly recognize at times.

President Spencer W. Kimball taught this concept when he said: “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other.” I know I have personally been helped out by other people. Later I realize that God had sent them to help me.

Love this-Saint Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.”

A public thanks

I would like to publicly thank all the companies that send unsolicited mail to my home.

Thank you.

I appreciate all the starter material for my fireplace. That is less wood I have to go outside and collect.

Just for fun.

I have a friend who is a Zumba instructor. (Latin dance turned exercise.) I love it. Very fun. A big part of why I enjoy it is because it is fun music that you are dancing to. What is not to love there?

One of the songs she frequently uses is "This time for Africa" by Shakira. Here is my disclaimer. I do not like Shakira. Her voice is kind of grating to me. Plus I can't stand to watch her dance. She is amazing at what she does. I just don't want to watch it.

However I really enjoy dancing around to this song. My daughter requests it all the time. I have watched most of the video. I didn't seen anything objectionable in it. This song was written for the World Cup Soccer tournament in South Africa. So most of the video is soccer footage. I do enjoy the soccer players trying to do her dance. It made me smile.

We call it Waka Waka. Here you go.

Feel free to just turn it on and dance around instead of watching.

Good advice

Here is the text.

This is President Monson, the current prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. I love him. He makes me smile and laugh. I feel like he really gets what I am going through, what is going on outside of Salt Lake.

This is a long talk. It is almost 25 minutes long. There is so much to get from it though. Please take the time to listen or read the text. It is so very good.

I love the parts where he is making fun of men of marrying age who simply are choosing otherwise. He talks about things to avoid. Addictions that you don't need to have in your life.

If you have ever felt like women are demeaned in a church setting. Maybe you think men are propped up in a church setting. Please start listening around the 14:30 minute mark. He speaks so lovingly and sweetly about women. Keep in mind this address was delivered to a group of men. He wasn't speaking to women. He was trying to make sure that husbands and potential husbands understand how to treat their wives.

I loved this quote. Choose your love; love your choice.

President Howard W. Hunter said this about marriage: “Being happily and successfully married is generally not so much a matter of marrying the right person as it is being the right person.” I like that. “The conscious effort to do one’s part fully is the greatest element contributing to success.”  Wow. Gonna have to work on that.

Moments from today

I thought I would take a moment to share a few happenings from today.

Today -

• I won $50,000. Really. All I have to do is cash that check from the UK and pay the taxes by wire and I can have the rest of the money. That doesn't scream scam or anything does it?
• Played outside with my kids. There were a lot of puddles involved.
• Watched a friends child while she did school work.
• Had the ladies that work at the Dr.'s office stop by and visit. We are just that popular there. That is what happens when you are there for check ups often.
• Tried to make "Rapunzel hair" from dandelions. It was beautiful. I even put in some violets. Then it broke and was turned into whips.
• Listened to my husband read to my kids. He does a very good "Joker" (from Batman) voice.
• Saw a baby bunny.
• Removed the sheets from my bed and ....... put new ones on! I never seem to get around to putting the new ones on until bed time.
• Found out that when Caleb grows up to be "this big" he will be larger than the car and will have lots of money to buy us all 'tarburst.
• Put my 6 year old back to bed 4 times as he was sleep walking around the house. He kept wandering down the stairs. When I escorted him back up, would randomly sit down anywhere.

Pilots and cruises

Get yer text here.

Wow, very cool story about the man on the cruise. We are still in the section of conference specified for priesthood holders. However, this story, I believe can be applied to a lot of situations. How many things are we missing out on because we simply don't participate?

This is totally me- Revelation and testimony do not always come with overwhelming force. For many, a testimony comes slowly—a piece at a time. Sometimes it comes so gradually that it is hard to recall the exact moment we actually knew the gospel was true. The Lord gives us “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.” I am grateful for the things that I sincerely know. Sometimes it is hard to share an experience where you just gradually understand and know without necessarily a pivotal moment.

I really enjoyed his account of training pilots. Some continue to be thrilled as if it was the first time. Others seem bored and have grown immune to the experience. I think we all do that in some areas of our lives. I know sometimes I do it as a mom. At times I forget just how amazing my kids really are. How much richer could my life be if I realised how priceless they really are.



He's the best

So in the last few weeks I have had plans. Great plans. Plans of visiting friends near and far. Each of these plans have been met with a puking child. It has been greatly disappointing. In the last few weeks I have made one trip to the library, 2 trips to church and each day two trips to the bus stop for Victor. 

This isn't a terrible thing. It isn't bad to be home. My home is great. The problem comes in when you made plans and had to cancel. It is like being promised a candy bar and then being told "too bad. You can't have it." It isn't a big deal not to have it. It is just upsetting when you already got your hopes up.

Today my husband was able to be home from work. I love him dearly. I think he is wonderful. He was so thoughtful this evening and watched the kids for me while I went out with my cousin for the evening. It was a lot of fun. It was really nice to talk and listen and enjoy.

Plus he washed the couch cushions. How awesome is that?

I am so grateful to have married such a wonderful man. He makes my life so much better.

He's back!

So my brother is back again with a new commercial. It is a different company. He also won more money. He is just that awesome. This commercial, like the last one, makes me laugh. I had no idea what the point was until the very end.

Roger is the one with the beard. Tyler is the one who talks. (I babysat that kid. Weird.)

Sadly I can not seem to put the video directly on my entry. You can find it here however.

Please take the time to watch it. It is funny.
And yes, Roger really does keep a straight face really well, even in real life.

Latest recommendation

So I found another show that I love. Not quite Avatar quality, but incredibly amusing.

Meet Phineas and Ferb. They spend all their time going on adventures. I love that they are so innocent. They are always on a mission to help someone or genuinely gain knowledge.



That is their sister Candice in the background. Her entire goal is to get her brothers in trouble for SOMETHING. Anything really.

This show just makes me laugh. Here is their pet platypus. His name is Perry. He is an undercover agent. Phineas and Ferb don't know.

 This is the bad guy. His name is Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz.



He and Perry are constantly battling it out. 

In summery-

• The show is entertaining.
• Phineas and Ferb are sweet.
• The dialogue is great.
• Story lines are convoluted, but funny.
• They have a secret agent platypus. How much more could you need?
• They put a song in nearly every episode. Some are better than others, but they are a higher quality than I would ever have expected.
• There are surprisingly good morals in some episodes.

You should put it on your NetFlix list. I approve.

Double Feature

Due to the fact that I am now taking talks from the Priesthood session, I am going to put two talks up today. They are both great, but mostly directed to priesthood holders. The second talk, in my opinion, is very much worth your while to listen or read.

Elder Anderson's talk is focused mainly on young men preparing to leave on a mission. Yes, there are good things in there. But a lot of it is only loosely applicable. You can find the Text here.

I will give you this bit to think about -Have you ever thought about why you were sent to earth at this specific time? You were not born during the time of Adam and Eve or while pharaohs ruled Egypt or during the Ming dynasty. You have come to earth at this time, 20 centuries after the first coming of Christ. The priesthood of God has been restored to the earth, and the Lord has set His hand to prepare the world for His glorious return. These are days of great opportunity and important responsibilities. These are your days.


There is also a cool story about a rugby player. I'm not into rugby, but it was still a neat story.


Next up, hope. Read it here.

I admit it, I was surprised at how much I learned from this talk.

Our hopes can lead to dreams which can inspire us and lead us to action.....Hope can inspire dreams and spur us to realize those dreams. Hope alone, however, does not cause us to succeed. Many honorable hopes have gone unfulfilled, shipwrecked on the reefs of good intentions and laziness.

I love the imagery here. Elder Russell M. Nelson has taught that “‍ is rooted in Jesus Christ. ‍ centers in the Atonement. ‍ is manifest in the ‘pure love of Christ.’ These three attributes are intertwined like strands in a cable and may not always be precisely distinguished. Together they become our tether to the celestial kingdom”

He then told a story of a woman who tried to travel from England to Salt Lake in hopes of being with her family in Zion. It was a lovely story. I like the quote he gave after talking about her struggles. The spiritual journeys of today require no less hope or faith than those of the early pioneers. Our challenges may be different, but the struggles are just as great.

Smiles

Things that I am grateful for/ enjoy/ just make me smile.

• The hysterical giggling of my infant when the wind blows on her face.
• The ring pop that is being used as a binky, a very satisfying binky.
• How quickly Caleb laughs. Doesn't matter how sad he thinks he is. The laughter will soon follow.
• No matter how much puking Naomi has done in the last 24 hrs, none has hit the carpet. Linoleum, tile, pillow case- no carpet.
• I can reason with Victor.
• An egg made from side walk chalk went through a cycle in the dishwasher.
• Mr. Winks, our one eyed toad seems to be happier and more mobile now.
• Naomi has "poisonous pee." That is what happens when your sick, you know.
• How instantly gratifying it is to vacuum saltines crumbs or cereal out of a dark blue carpet. So what if it immediately get dirty from some other mess?
• Running water, especially hot water.
• The beetle sticker I found on the bathroom mirror.
• The image of Phebe standing on a chair in front of a window, pulling the curtain in front of her face yelling something that resembled Peek-a-boo!
• Victor asking me to please stop talking ( my voice is hoarse, as I am recovering from congestion).However, when it came time to read a story, I was allowed to speak.
• That everything to my kids is "family.... ". Let's have family dancing night! Or family home evening! Or family movie night! Or family wrestling night!
• Naomi told me "yesterday your voice was so beautiful."
• The look on Phebe's face when she pulled a full basket of laundry off the chair and onto herself.

If you are looking for some joy

This talk really helped put certain things in perspective for me. If you don't have time to listen to the whole thing, you can read the text here.

I really liked the story of the young gold prospector from Boston. Some days I think I am looking for the nuggets instead of appreciating the flakes. I just look right on past the little things.

This line made me smile-Brothers and sisters, the gospel of Jesus Christ is simple, no matter how much we try to make it complicated.

But isn't it so much more glamorous to help people outside of our homes? First, charity begins at home. The single most important principle that should govern every home is to practice the Golden Rule—the Lord’s admonition that “all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12). Take a moment and imagine how you would feel if you were on the receiving end of thoughtless words or actions. By our example, let us teach our family members to have love one for another. I think we have all been at the receiving end of thoughtless words or actions. They hurt. Sadly, I know I have been the giver of thoughtlessness on occasion.

 President Thomas S. Monson has counseled:

“The needs of others are ever present, and each of us can do something to help someone.
… Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives." I think service also helps give us perspective.

Copy catting

Here is my brief rendition of the on going blog idea of Good idea/ bad idea.

Good Idea- Fried rice for dinner.
Bad idea- using the left over sticky rice. Everybody want another serving of vegetable fried glue?

Good idea- pots of herbs.
Bad idea- pots of herbs within reach of the ever climbing baby.

Good idea -going to the library.
Bad idea- letting my kids help pick out some of the books. Really? Batman and the Revenge of Clayface?

Naptime!

I have a confession. It isn't something that I am embarrassed about. It is just something that I think you should know about me.

I'm a napper.

Everyday.

At the same time.

A lot of my scheduling revolves around nap time. Making sure it is undisturbed.

I sound like a loser now don't I?

Here is the thing. I see reports saying "adults need 7-9 hours of sleep each night". I am FIRMLY in the need 9 hour category. I don't generally get a full 9 hours, at least not without the expense of losing a lot of time with my husband. And my husband is very important to me. He also happens to be a 7 hr kind of sleeper.

Now, I don't want you to get the wrong impression. Nap time can be sacrificed for a good cause. Play dates are generally not a good enough cause. You know why? Because I nap when my kids nap. If my kids go napless.... let's just say bedtime gets moved up earlier and there will be LOTS more crying involved.

My kids have been trained that each afternoon is nap time. It isn't an option. It is like eating lunch. It happens everyday. If my kids stay on that schedule they are so much happier.

I know lots of parents have kids that nap. I am not a genius for having nap time. The difference between the two is that for some reason other mom's think they have to clean and things like that while their kids sleep. Yes, that can be good. It can help in teaching your kids to sleep through noise. I use it as my read scriptures, write in journal and then pass out time.

Other moms may have cleaner houses. I happen to have my sleep need satisfied. I am no good to my kids physically or emotionally if I am lacking sleep. If I am tired, when the kids go to bed in the afternoon, I am too. It makes me a better mom.

When I listen to other moms talk about all the things they get done during nap time, sometimes I feel guilty. No, I don't spend all of my time working. Some of that time is for me. I use it for what I need. That way when they get up, I can be there for them, emotionally and physically.

Desire

Dallin H. Oaks is probably my most favorite apostle. I love his talks. His topic this conference surprised me. Desire. As always however, what he had to say rang true. I highly recommend taking the time to listen or read this talk.

So.... I really don't even know what to say.

I loved so much of this talk and have so much I need to work on, I just don't think I can pick out sections to share with you.

Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming.


I will share this little bit. ...The king did so and in mighty prayer declared, “I will give away all my sins to know thee … and be saved at the last day” I can admit it. I have what I call "pet sins". Sins that I really actually enjoy. Things that I some days just don't want to part with. I love how he says " I will give away all my sins to know thee." I need to strengthen my desire to achieve my potential.

Let us remember that desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions.

Seriously, take some time to take in this talk. It is so very good.

I have a 3 year old.

I have a 3 year old. I love him dearly. Right now I want him to go away.

Why is it necessary to dump the bag of cereal on the carpet?
Why is it necessary to dump the tortilla chips on the floor?
Why is it necessary to smash strawberries into the carpet?
Why is it necessary to insist upon having a bowl of cereal he has NO intentions of eating and then we have the same arguement every morning? And you are sitting there thinking "well if he doesn't eat it than just tell him he can't have any." Then every morning we have the arguement of " why can't I have cereal, I will eat all of it!"
Or leave his underwear on the floor at every opportunity?
Or spill any kind of special drink, hot chocolate, strawberry milk ect, EVERYTIME? He has NEVER successfully finished a glass of chocolate milk EVER. Sorry, I am mistaken, there was one time he did. That day Naomi managed to spill hers instead.

Yes, I know this is being blown out of preportion. I just find it incredibly frustrating. Cereal and chips yesterday, yogurt and strawberries today. I do not understand why getting it to his mouth is so difficult. Looks like the baby gate is going up in the kitchen doorway today. It went up yesterday too since instead of just eating strawberries it was deemed necessary to get out all 3 packages and dump them on the floor in order to consume them.

So why do I love this child? Because even when I get angry, or do something mean to him, he just waits for me to calm down and is ready to hug and love me. No matter what, he is quick to smile and ready to forgive. Someday I will follow that example.

Working on your testimony

Read it here.

I appreciate this stipulation. —“ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true”—meaning you will pray thoughtfully, specifically, and reverently with a firm commitment to follow the answer to your prayer—  with a firm commitment to follow the answer to your prayer. Sometimes when I get an answer, I don't like it. I don't necessarily want to go ahead with the new plan.

If you are wondering why life is so hard, here you go-  The fundamental purpose of life is to be tested and stretched, and thus we must learn to grow from our challenges and be grateful for the lessons learned that we cannot gain in an easier way.

I loved this suggestion. I find that I make this mistake myself -We should not have higher standards for others than we do for ourselves. Too often we may let the mistakes or failures of others, especially leaders or Church members, influence how we feel about ourselves or our testimonies. Other people’s difficulties are not an excuse for our own deficiencies.

Be it at church or at work or at the playground. Other people's difficulties are not an excuse for our own deficiencies. I know if I am having a bad day, it is easy to think "well at least I am doing better than ......" What a terrible way to measure myself. I need to measure myself against myself. Not let myself slide just cause I have less trouble with one particular area than someone else has.

Building a Christ centered home

As always, text can be found here.

When I was a kid we sang this song every week, or at least it sure seemed like it. I got so tired of it. As a kid, I didn't really catch the vision. I wasn't really listening to the words. This song means so much more to me now.

I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.


Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday.

Understanding the eternal nature of the family is a critical element in understanding Heavenly Father’s plan for His children. The adversary, on the other hand, wants to do everything in his power to destroy Heavenly Father’s plan. In his attempt to defeat God’s plan, he is leading an unprecedented attack on the institution of the family. Some of the more powerful weapons he uses in his attack are selfishness, greed, and pornography. I hear and see marriage after marriage completely destroyed by pornography. It is heartbreaking.


I really enjoyed this poem. It did remind me of sad stories of children who have had to suffer the consequences of decisions of their parents.
’Twas a sheep not a lamb
That strayed away in the parable Jesus told,
A grown-up sheep that strayed away
From the ninety and nine in the fold.
And why for the sheep should we seek
And earnestly hope and pray?
Because there is danger when sheep go wrong:
They lead the lambs astray.
Lambs will follow the sheep, you know,
Wherever the sheep may stray.
When sheep go wrong,
It won’t take long till the lambs are as wrong as they.
And so with the sheep we earnestly plead
For the sake of the lambs today,
For when the sheep are lost
What a terrible cost
The lambs will have to pay.



I also appreciated that he mentioned that parents and children are responsible for helping the home become Christ centered. There is an awful lot of weight that can rest on the shoulder of a parent. That weight can be greatly lessened when the child has a good attitude and a willing heart.

Creativity

So, I totally stole this from my cousin Marie's blog. (She is awesome, you should read her blog.) This video is about encouragin creativity in the school system, of ya know, lack thereof. It is rings true on so many levels and I found it to be hysterically funny at the same time. You don't have to have kids to appreciate this video. Please take the time to watch it. It helps me look at my kids quirks in a different light. Naomi is in deed a dancer.

Facing the Future

I am not slacking on General Conference, honest. LDS.org was under maintenance for a while. You can find the text here.

I love this counsel. I am working on this counsel.  You parents bear the primary responsibility to strengthen their faith. Let them feel your faith, even when sore trials come upon you. Let your faith be focused on our loving Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Teach that faith with deep conviction. Teach each precious boy or girl that he or she is a child of God, created in His image, with a sacred purpose and potential. Each is born with challenges to overcome and faith to be developed. 

It is kind of intense to think of my children as precious to God, having a sacred purpose and potential. Terrifying to think they have challenges that THEY have to over come. I can't do everything for them. They are amazing. If you have children this applies to them too.

This line just made me smile. Warn them that they will encounter people who pick which commandments they will keep and ignore others that they choose to break. I call this the cafeteria approach to obedience.

This also makes me happy to think about. Your rewards come not only hereafter. Many blessings will be yours in this life, among your children and grandchildren.

On to the colds!

Let me start this with a disclaimer. I am NOT a Doctor. I am NOT a knowledgeable herbalist. I am someone who is LEARNING how to use herbs. I have taken a few classes. I have done a bit of reading. I do grow some herbs.

I also want you to understand that for every ailment there is a literal LIST of herbs that can be beneficial. On the other hand, every  herb has a list of problems that it can help treat. I firmly believe that due to different chemical make up in different people, different herbs are more effective for different people.( I was just seeing how many times I could put different in a sentence. I think 4 is pretty impressive.)

According to my Book 'o Herbs, also known as "Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs" the following plants can be used to treat colds:

• Catnip
• Cayenne Pepper
• Chamomile
• Deadly nightshade ( ok so it is on this list, but I will tell you that there are incredible amounts of warnings regarding use of this plant. Though if you go to the eye doctor the drops he puts in your eyes to dilate is derived from the juice of the berries of the nightshade.)
• Eucalyptus
• Garlic
• Licorice
• Mint
• Rose
• Sage

OK, so  there are more than I have listed here, but those require someone with more knowledge and time than I have right now. I want you to also keep in mind that the medicinal part of the plant differs from plant to plant. Roses, the hips are used, mint the leaves,  garlic it is the cloves, licorice the root. You have to find out what part of the plant is worth anything.

One of the most effective ways to use a plant is to make an "infusion". Generally we call this tea. True tea comes from plants in the tea family, black tea, green tea etc. The rest of it are just herbal infusions.  (if you are familiar with the  word of wisdom, that is why we can drink herbal teas.)

To make an hot water infusion/tea you simply: Take the herb of your choice (generally the leaves or flowery tops) put it in a cup or mason jar. Then pour boiling water over the plant material. Cover, let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Most plants need that much time to truly get the medicinal qualities into the drink. Strain out the herbs, sweeten to your liking. Honey is the most recommended route,as it in and of itself is healthy for you also.

Note- Fresh mints do not handle boiling water well. You are better making more of a sun tea with fresh mint. Though dried will work just fine in hot water.

You can make more than you need at a time and refrigerate for up to 4 days, freezing up to 3 months.

If catnip was your choice of remedy for the moment, it would surprise me.
Parts used- leaves and flowers.
To use- make a tea.
Word of caution- Increases menstrual flow. Do NOT use when pregnant.
It also happens to be a good sedative.

Cayenne pepper-
This stuff is FANTASTIC for sore throats. I speak from personal experience. If you have a killer sore throat. Put some cayenne powder in a bit of hot water. You don't want to make a lot. Drink it. I recommend having something like orange juice nearby to chase the flavor. It will BURN the whole way down your throat. It will kill what ever is giving you problems.
I would not recommend sipping a cup of tea made from cayenne.


Chamomile-
Part used -Flower
How to use- tea
This book does not say it is bad for those who are pregnant. However, during my class the other night, the teacher said to avoid any herb that is described as thinning the blood or helping with menstrual cramps. Chamomile is listed to ease menstrual cramping. So I would use with caution.
It is also noted here to commonly effect people who have pollen allergies, due to the fact that is uses the flower.

Deadly Nightshade-
Strangely enough is in the same family that contains tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes and peppers.
Atropa Belladonna is the scientific name. They believe it comes from the Italian meaning "beautiful woman". It is said that the Italian women would take a drop of the plants berries in their eyes to dilate them to look more beautiful at the parties.
I only included it on the list because of the cool pupil dilatation. Really, everything there is to read about it says "don't use this plant". Honestly I don't even know where you would find one.

Eucalyptus-
Part used- oil or leaves
Do NOT apply undiluted to skin. Mix with water or veg. oil then apply to skin to help with respiratory problems. You could also inhale steam laced with the oil to help with breathing problems.
Leaves can be used to make a tea also. You can drink the tea or put it in a vaporizer.

Garlic-
The particular component that makes garlic smell so strongly is the same thing that destroys of inhibits bacteria, fungi, and yeast. It is called allicin. Allicin is, in its antibacterial power, equal to 1% penicillin. To get the allicin you have to crush the clove, thus causing the chemical reaction. Cooking it reduces its potency.
For respiratory illnesses there are several different ways. One recommendation, I kid you not, is to put a clove in your shoe. They say you can absorb the benefits through your sole. They also say to take a tsp of garlic syrup. ( To make a syrup crush the garlic then mix with honey.) The oils help open your lungs.
I have had infections and sinus problems. I can tell you personally garlic has been a help. I recommend garlic.Plus it is so easy to get a hold of.

Licorice-
Most of the licorice that you get is actually anise. True licorice is MUCH stronger flavored than the anise substitute.
Part used- root
How to use- Due to the fact that it is the root you are using an infusion/ tea would not work very well. In this case you want to make a "decoction". Meaning you simmer the root uncovered in water for 45 mins to an hour. 10 oz water for every 1oz root. Strain, and discard root. You must use it within 4 days/or freeze it. If you don't it could ferment. (This goes for all decoctions, not just licorice.)
This also has a note to be used for menstrual cramping. If we follow my teachers rule that means stay away if you are pregnant. Do NOT drink licorice tea when expecting.

Mint-
This is literally one of the easiest plants to grow. Though you want to keep it contained. I am talking barriers FEET deep in the ground. They will spread everywhere.
Part used- leaves and stems.
Peppermint contains 50-78% menthol. Menthol is the oil that is beneficial. I love spearmint's flavor best, but it contains no menthol.
How to use- dried leaves in a tea. A sprig in warm milk can help relax muscles. Though milk is a poor choice when you already have mucus issues, as milk helps produce more mucus.
This also says it helps with menstraul cramps. Though I have never heard that anyone should stay away from peppermint when pregnant before.
My teacher brings in chocolate mint. It is the highest of the mints in anti-viral properties. It truly smells like chocolate and the stems are almost a brown color. It is really weird.

Rose-
Part used- rose hips, the "fruit" of the plant. They are SUPER rich in vitamin C.
How to use-make an infusion. You can just drink, or you can gargle to help a sore throat.

Sage-
Part used-Leaves
Sage contains antiseptic and astringent properties. It is really useful for treating sore throats and mouth irritaions.
How to use- Make a tea, drink or gargle.
It also says that it can lower a diabetics blood sugar levels. So if you are diabetic, don't drink this if you are concerned about lowering your sugar.

 Hope you got something out of it. I guess I just like writting research papers without getting a grade on them. I like herbs.

We need to heal him with a bunch of aloe

Random happenings from recent times.

Ethan took a business trip to Tulsa. Phebe took that as her cue to get pink eye and a stomach virus. Yay for sick baby! Today happened to be a well kid check up for she and Caleb. Turns out Caleb has two ear infections.

Then he examined Phebe. I am kind of weird about immunizations. I am all in favor of them, just not many all at one time, and not while they are newborns.  This post is not about shots however. I also don't want to give them to my kids when they are already sick. So I went in knowing full well that we were going to have to come back in a few weeks. So the Dr lays my pathetic little baby down and started to look her over. I knew she had a stomach problem going on. She hasn't really eaten anything for 2 days now.

He then announced she has two VERY swollen ear drums. Verging on rupturing due to the infection. Whoops. Didn't know about that one. So it was a great healthy kid check up, really.



Other moments lately include the acquisition of a new pet.

His name is Winky. He is a toad who apparently decided to have a battle with some other animal and lost one of his eyes.He also had a wound behind where his eye should have been.  He is full grown and less than thrilled to be in our tank.

This afternoon I found Naomi and Caleb taking care of him. They were breaking stalks of my aloe plants off and "healing our pet toad". They were poking the poor creature with aloe.

I am glad I have aloe (which if you are unaware, is very helpful in skin regeneration. I do not know if that works on amphibious skin however. ) I am also glad my kids know it is good for skin, know how to use it and were being "helpful." I doubt the toad was quite as grateful.

I also intend to write some blog posts about herbs for colds, herb oils and vinegars. Though, when that will happen, I don't know.

I also have had to deal with a bureaucrat lately. I try to be respectful, but to be honest, I don't understand the point of this man's job or why he has it. I had to get a building permit in order to reroof. Then the idea is after they finish roofing the city sends someone out to inspect it. Or at least that is the impression I was under. He always answers his phone within one ring, but never seems to get out to my house to check on it.  Then he says something like "By the end of the week'll be fine." What does that even mean? I need YOU to come do it. It isn't like some paperwork I am trying to get to you. Then he doesn't even see the need to tell me when he has finished it. I finally had to explain that we are waiting for the inspection before we hand over the final payment to the roofer. This poor man has been waiting, will you PLEASE come take a look at it already and if you don't want to call me, just knock on the door and tell me you are finished!?  I would like to be through already.

Those are my thoughts for the moment. Aren't you glad you could enjoy them too?

Today's events

Today while my husband was gone the following things happend

• Phebe threw up on the way home from dropping him off at work.
• I retrieved my debit card from the bank, where I had left it in the ATM.
• I finally let Naomi spend some of her money on the ever coveted convient store food.
• Tore the pukey car seat apart to wash the cover.
• Napped.
• Cleaned all the buckles from pukey carseat.
• Got Victor off the bus.
• Made dinner.
• Dropped kids off at Grandma's house
• Drove the 45 mins to attend a class about using herbs for medicinal purposes.
• Learned a lot.
• Was reminded there is a LOT I don't know.
• Picked kids up at Grandma's house.
• Watched Phebe puke on Grandma's floor. I guess it wasn't just car sickness this morning.
• Pulled in the driveway at my house. Removed key from the ingnition in time to hear more vomiting.
• I am currently ignoring the second car seat that needs torn apart to wash.

Tomorrows agenda-

• Take care of kids.
• Clean house.
• Watch Toy Story 3.
• Avoid any more puking incidents.

Guided by the Holy Ghost

If you would prefere to read this talk, you can find the text here.

This story was so sad, but I love the advice that is given.

 He married his sweetheart. They were deeply in love, and soon she was expecting their first child.

The night the baby was born, there were complications. The only doctor was somewhere in the countryside tending to the sick. After many hours of labor, the condition of the mother-to-be became desperate. Finally, the doctor was located. In the emergency, he acted quickly and soon the baby was born, and the crisis, it appeared, was over. But some days later, the young mother died from the very infection that the doctor had been treating at another home that night.
The young man’s world was shattered. As the weeks wore on, his grief festered. He thought of little else, and in his bitterness he became threatening. Today, no doubt, he would have been pressed to file a malpractice suit, as though money would solve anything.

 The counsel from that wise leader was simply “John, leave it alone. Nothing you do about it will bring her back. Anything you do will make it worse. John, leave it alone.”
I think that is such beautiful advice from an inspired leader.

I also found it interesting when he talked about taking offense.

Around us we see members of the Church who have become offended. Some take offense at incidents in the history of the Church or its leaders and suffer their whole lives, unable to get past the mistakes of others. They do not leave it alone. They fall into inactivity.



That attitude is somewhat like a man being hit by a club. Offended, he takes up a club and beats himself over the head with it all the days of his life. How foolish! How sad! That kind of revenge is self-inflicting. If you have been offended, forgive, forget it, and leave it alone.


Notice he doesn't say " If you have been offended AT CHURCH..." Could be with family, or friends, or coworkers, neighbors, the lady at the bank...         Forgive, forget and leave it alone.

I love these promises. If you are carrying some burden, forget it, let it alone. Do a lot of forgiving and a little repenting, and you will be visited by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost and confirmed by the testimony that you did not know existed. You will be watched over and blessed—you and yours. This is an invitation to come unto Him. This church—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth,” ²² by His own declaration—is where we find “the great plan of happiness.”

Opportunities to do good

While finding the video for this post, I suddenly realized how many times President Eyring spoke at conference. I couldn't imagine preparing that many talks. At least he had  months to do so. I love listening to him speak.


This particular talk is about service. About helping others in need. If you are having a selfish kind of day, please take the 20 minutes and sit and listen.I loved this talk. You can get the text here if you would prefer to read it. It is well worth your time.


 It is so inspiring.

My husband and I are constantly trying to make sure our efforts are in helping the PEOPLE that we come in contact with. Not obsessing over the programs are supposed to run. People are more important than programs. Thus this quote about the church welfare program struck me as profound. He was talking about the different names of the welfare program in times past then he said "The names and the details of operation are changed to fit the needs and conditions of people." Note they don't try to get people to work within the program. The program is what gives.

This song is one of my personal favorites. I enjoy that he quoted it.

Have I done any good in the world today?

Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?
Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love. 1

Ya know, some days I have failed indeed. I'm working on that. Though, now that I think about it. Sometimes I need to give myself more credit for what I do around my home. I always think these kind of things are for people I don't live with. Yes, I should be mindful of other people outside my home too. However, maybe I am doing good even just serving my children some days.

I can personally tell you this is true. "I have seen the blessings that come to the person in need who receives help and to the person who seizes the opportunity to give it." Isn't it great how God blesses both parties?

Quick personal note here. He mentions the Teton Dam breaking in 1976 in Rexburgh Idaho. That is where my mom lived at that time. She and her mother ( my grandma) had been on vacation when that happened. They came back 5 days after it was over. They found my grandma's house had been lifted from the foundation, twisted and set back down. My mom had served a mission in Japan for 18 months prior to this event. She was sad to find that the ceremonial kimono she had bought  had been bled all over by the deep red sash that went with it. My mother can also testify of all the miracles and service that she saw in the clean up.

Great temporal needs of the children of Heavenly Father have come again in our time as they have and as they will in all times. The principles at the foundation of the Church welfare program are not for only one time or one place. They are for all times and all places.


I have found this also to be true in my life-
President Marion G. Romney said of welfare work, “You cannot give yourself poor in this work.” And then he quoted his mission president, Melvin J. Ballard, this way: “A person cannot give a crust to the Lord without receiving a loaf in return.”



I have found that to be true in my life. When I am generous to Heavenly Father’s children in need, He is generous to me.
I even mentioned this on my own a while back. If you want to read it again here is a little example. You really can't out give God. I have given away clothes and food and help, you always end up with surprises in the end.



Thank you for your time.

LDS (Latterday Saint) Women are Incredible!

Yes, That is what Quentin L. Cook said in his address. Let me share.

Sisters have key roles in the Church, in family life, and as individuals that are essential in Heavenly Father’s plan. Many of these responsibilities do not provide economic compensation but do provide satisfaction and are eternally significant.   I can tell you for a fact it does in fact bring satisfaction. At least on most days.


LOVE this lady- Another woman, however, felt “the biggest enemy of a happy family life was not paid work—it was television.” She said that families are TV rich and family-time poor.



I appreciate the perspective this paragraph gives me.
No woman should ever feel the need to apologize or feel that her contribution is less significant because she is devoting her primary efforts to raising and nurturing children. Nothing could be more significant in our Father in Heaven’s plan. Second, we should all be careful not to be judgmental or assume that sisters are less valiant if the decision is made to work outside the home. We rarely understand or fully appreciate people’s circumstances. Husbands and wives should prayerfully counsel together, understanding they are accountable to God for their decisions.




The “errand of angels is given to women.” ²² This has been described as “nothing less than to do the direct and immediate bidding of our Father in Heaven, and ‘this is a gift that … sisters … claim.Kinda makes you feel like your efforts a bit more worthwhile, huh?

In the Jingle Jangle Jungle...

I was upstairs reading to my kids and was reminded of a book I would like to share with you. It is entitled "The Very Cranky Bear", written by Nick Bland.

                         

It is the story of 4 friends, a zebra, lion, moose and sheep who find a cave to play in. Sadly there is a cranky bear trying to sleep there. The solution they come up with for the problem is amusing,the picture however makes me laugh every time.

It rhymes, it flows, it is funny and just a delight to read. I highly recommend this book. It is also very short, meaning it isn't a giant commitment to read to a child. See if your library has it.

Next up... The atonement covers all pain.

If you are dealing with how hard life can be, this is a really great talk. It delves into the topic of pain. Why does God allow bad things to happen?

(They put the text up in the website so I can directly quote now.)


I thought this was an interesting point. Late one night lying in a hospital bed, this time as a patient and not as a physician, I read those verses over and over again. I pondered: “How is it done? For whom? What is required to qualify? Is it like forgiveness of sin? Do we have to earn His love and help?” As I pondered, I came to understand that during His mortal life Christ chose to experience pains and afflictions in order to understand us. Perhaps we also need to experience the depths of mortality in order to understand Him and our eternal purposes.

I never thought about it that way.

I love the comfort in this quote.

As Elder Dallin H. Oaks has taught: “Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best. Sometimes a ‘healing’ cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are ‘healed’ by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us.” 17 All that will come may be “clasped in the arms of Jesus.” 18 All souls can be healed by His power. All pain can be soothed. In Him, we can “find rest unto [our] souls.” 19 Our mortal circumstances may not immediately change, but our pain, worry, suffering, and fear can be swallowed up in His peace and healing balm.


You do not have to do it on your own.

The turtles are coming

As I walked up the stairs this afternoon Naomi informed me ,"Look out mom! An army of turtles is coming down the stairs."

So there was. A group of 8 turtles were neatly arranged side by side on a stair in 3 rows ( yes one row only had 2.) Some of the turtles were missing their shells. She had placed them on the innermost part of the group. I was told "these other turtles have to protect the ones without shells."

Those turtles later made an appearance in the window sill all lined up watching the roofers remove shingles from the porch roof. There is something about 16 little eyes watching you....

Followers of Christ

I found it interesting when he said "We follow Christ because we love him." I don't think I had ever thought about it that way before. If  you had asked me why we follow Christ it may have been something like- We follow Christ because He is the Savior and he told us to. We follow Christ because life is better when I do. I follow Christ because I am supposed to. Love is a much better reason.

I thought it was rather profound when he stated "Making covenants is an expression of love." Yet again, I don't think I had ever looked at it in that light before.

I like the promise he made when he said "The power of covenants is greater than ANY challenge." I know we all want to believe that our particular challenges are much harder than those of other people around us. However,your trials are not harder than that of Christ and he is the one who sets all this up. Nothing is too hard for him.


Speaker, Elder Walter Gonzales

Even reading of the scriptures.

Before Ethan and I were even married we started regularly reading scriptures together. I have my weird moments. So I realised  I liked to read the even numbers. That way if I lose my place it is easier to figure out where I need to pick up.

My son Victor reads really well. So this evening while reading Ezekiel he keeps just kind of jumping in when it isn't necessarily his turn. Finally at one point while it was Ethan's turn, Victor is just reading out loud along with him. Victor then explains what he is doing.

"What? I like to read the even numbers!"

Why are my nuances manifesting themselves in my children? I never told him I do that. Ethan just started smirking at me.

A birthday for the Bubs

My younger son turned 3 on Monday. I can't tell if he is popular or if he just has an easily remembered birthday. I do love his date 4/4/08. So easy to remember. Luckily his extended family stepped in to help celebrate because on Monday we wound up going and helping a long lost cousin of mine and his family move into town. Happy Birthday! We got you some new cousins!

So while I was outside talking to a neighbor ( a freak non-rainy moment) 2 cousins showed up to "say Happy birthday to Caleb!" So they watched Tangled with Naomi and Caleb, afterward there was much wrestling. Then while they were here my sister stopped by to treat him to lunch. Bringing along Caleb's favorite cousin, Mark. Lyssa came too.

I was astounded. I know I love him dearly.  He just melts my heart. I just didn't realise he had caught others up too. Here are some random facts about Caleb.

• He never believed he was a baby
• He never thought he was a toddler.
• He was crawling at 5 months. He figured it out during a Relief Society meeting.
• Walking at 9 months
• Teeth at 3 months.
• He is funny, so hysterically funny
• He makes some of the greatest faces.
• His father calls him "Bubs".
• He currently has this crazy trick he does with his mouth. Go ahead follow these instructions, tell me if you can do it- I can't.

1. Make fish lips.
2. Now blow out, making a "raspberry" or "zerbert" sound. 

I honestly haven't the faintest idea how he does it. It is really funny though.

• He is super ticklish.
• He sounds like a chicken when he laughs really hard.
• He has to be fed at LEAST every 2 hours. If you don't feed him with in two hours you will end up with Caleb's alter ego "the crying irrational puddle of sadness". Really, it is better to just have crackers and a cheese stick with you at all times.
• He also have to get enough sleep or you may meet the Puddle of Sadness. He is really charming when he is happy, but you must keep him well rested to keep him happy.
• He is rather bashful.
• He keeps a list of people he is comfortable with. If you are not on that list, you do not exsist. If a kid he doesn't know shows up in nursery he simply retreats to the corner and looks at books. Getting on that list requires effort, or possibly a snack.

That is my son. He is awesome.

Becoming childlike

I think it is so true when she says "children are the first to love, the first to forgive." I know sometimes I have said or done things to my own children that had someone else done that to me, I probably would have sulked for the rest of the day. But not children, as soon as I calm down, they come right back and want to hug me and be with me. Why do I make loving and forgiving such a big deal sometimes?

I also liked the line about " We should see and appreciate who they really are." Sometimes I think I want to stuff my kids in my little imaginary box. Why can't you just behave like this? Well, because that isn't that child is by nature.

"Becoming more childlike, helps us become more Christlike." They have qualities that are great examples. C.S. Lewis mentioned in The Great Divorce  one way children are so wonderful, "children ask questions to receive answers. Adults ask questions to make themselves feel intelligent."

And lest you think, "my child is a complete hellion. I don't know what you guys are talking about. My kid is terrible." Let me remind you at the end she said "Christ was the ONE perfect son." As in there are no other perfect children. It isn't just yours, mine are imperfect too. But they do teach me so much. I am grateful for them.

General Conference

I was recently asked "What is general conference?"  Let me tell you.

• Worldwide gathering of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of latterday Saints.
• Happens twice a year. Once in April, once in October.
• This is in addition to regular Sunday worship meetings.
• Comprises of 5, 2 hours sessions. 3 on Saturday, 2 on Sunday. The 3rd session is for men and boys ages 12 and up exclusively.( Don't worry, the woman get to have their own meetings too, they just don't fall on this weekend.)
• The speakers are the presidency of the church, the quorum of the 12 apostles, and other leaders.
• Church leaders speak on a variety of spiritual topics.
• None of those topics are assigned, each speakers chooses their subject matter.
• Talks usually cover basic gospel principles or address significant issues of the day, encouraging individuals and families in their efforts to follow Jesus Christ.
• After conference is over the material, even the men's (Priesthood) session and the women's (Relief Society) session are printed in a magazine called the "Ensign". It is also available online.

It is incredibly awesome. So very uplifting. I also LOVE that you can go study it again later since there is no way you are going to completely comprehend 8 hours worth of instructions.




I have decided to regularly watch talks from General Conference, put the video up for you ( so if you desire you can watch it too), and mention my favorite portions of the speech. I would enjoy if you let me know what you got from each talk.

I liked at the end when he says, the greatest joys in this world comes from following Christ. It is so true.

Nuclear scientist checking in...

This is the next update from Charlotta Sanders. Charlotta Sanders is the chairperson of the American Nuclear Society’s Radiation and Protection Shielding Division. ( And my visiting teacher. On Friday we get to hang out. ) Anyway... This is the most recent email she sent regarding radiation and Fukishima. Read on if this is something you care about. If not simply wait for my next fabulous installment of my own thoughts.



As a nuclear worker, if someone ran into my office and said “There’s a radiation problem out at the facility!” the first things I would want to know (pretty much in order) are: 1) what’s radioactive, 2) how much, and 3) what form.

Amusing things from General Conference

I will write a serious post about what I loved from General Conference when I have a bit more time. For the moment I wanted to share these more memorable moments of conference being watched in my living room.

It was a bit fuzzy at first Victor declared " I wish they presented this in HD."
Naomi announced it looked like they were made of Legos.

Because we were watching over the Internet it would occasionally skip a bit. It is mildly amusing to try to sing along and then suddenly have them a line ahead of you.

While having a snack, listening to a talk, Caleb lost track of reality and poured a glass of juice on his head. I am totally serious. It was really funny, though kind of distracting.

Phebe growled a lot. That is what she does.

Phebe also did the " Mexican underwear dance".

During the Sunday afternoon session Phebe was in bed. I finally got Naomi and Caleb to sit for a little while. ( They did EXCEPTIONALLY well during the morning session, but lets face it 8 HOURS worth of sit and listen is a LONG time. Especially if you are under 7 years old. ) A few minutes later I realized they had passed out. So  I got to sit and snuggle  sleepy kids while I listened to general authorities. Pretty awesome.

Then Caleb woke up and was completely irrational. There was a temper tantrum over the fact that Dad cut up the banana instead of mom.

Naomi is still passed out on the couch.

I love conference. I didn't as a kid,  but now I love it. So grateful for it.