I can't remember where i found this, but i thought it was pretty cool.  It reminds me of the often quoted quote "If you think you can or think you can't, you're right!"

"As we emulate His perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart." -Elder Uchtdorf

Elder Uchtdorf shared the story of this statue that was damaged in a bombing during World War II.  Experts were able to piece it back together but the hands were too damaged to use.  The townspeople thought about having new hands sculpted and added to the statue but ultimately it was decided to leave the statue without hands.  On the bottom is inscribed the words, "You are my hands."  In Elder Uchtdorf's talk he talked about how Christ was always using his hands during his mortal ministry to heal, help, rescue, comfort, and bless those around Him.  It's a great reminder to use our hands to do good and help others. 

I'm SO thankful that through Christ we can start anew each time we repent and commit to live righteously.  How grateful i am that we know the "Reason for Our Hope" which is Christ's Atonement!

I was reminded today during sacrament meeting just how imperfect we are and how much we need the Lord's mercy.  Just as the deacon passed us the water and we partook, Louise began to throw up and i had to rush her out of the chapel.  At the time i felt so bad and so sorry that those around us and that poor deacon had to witness that, but now that i read this quote, I know that if the Savior were standing there he would look on us with compassion, love and mercy.

"Remember the feeling as a child when you woke up and morning smiled, it's time you felt like that again." _Taj Mahal

"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of the earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more." -D&C 78:19

"Mothers, cherish that role that is so uniquely yours and for which heaven itself sends angels to watch over you and your little ones. 

Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be

 magnified, compensated, made more than you are, better than you are, 

and better than you have ever been. You are doing terrifically well. 

The very fact that you have been given such a responsibility is 

everlasting evidence of the trust your Father in Heaven has in you. 

He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days

 and your nights may be the most challenging. Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.”

Jeffery R. Holland

"Think to thank.  In these three words is the finest capsule course for a happy marriage, a formula for enduring friendship, and a pattern for personal happiness." -President Thomas S Monson

Happy November!!! The season that reminds us to give thanks in all things. I'm so grateful for my family: the one i grew up in and the one i married into that is constantly growing, for my friends new and old, for my home that is warm and surrounded by kind neighbors and filled with happy children, for my husband that is my best friend, for each of my children and the chance to be their mom, for good health, for the ability to learn and to grow each day, for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope, peace and constancy it provides.  I hope to "think to thank" more often this month! We are in happy anticipation of the special time of year!

She is as in a field a silken tent  At midday when the sunny summer breeze  Has dried the dew and all its ropes relent,  So that in guys it gently sways at ease,  And its supporting central cedar pole,  That is its pinnacle to heavenward  And signifies the sureness of the soul,  Seems to owe naught to any single cord,  But strictly held by none, is loosely bound  By countless silken ties of love and thought  To every thing on earth the compass round,  And only by one's going slightly taut  In the capriciousness of summer air  Is of the slightest bondage made aware. -Robert Frost

“Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others…By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves.” President Gordon B. Hinckley

Oh i just love that! It makes total sense because as a parent i love my children so so much even when they are throwing tantrums(like right now....lizzy is screaming because i took the pen away that she was using to draw on our desk...but wow i love her even in her tantrums).

"When you empower yourself by doing the Thing You Want To Do Least first, you’ve just cleared the rest of your day (or week) from a significant source of stress." -Steffan Wissenbach

Several years ago my sister gave me this advice.  I never remembered the specific wording so i just looked it up,  but the idea of doing first thing what i least want to do has stuck with me.  It really works!  

"The first duty of love is to listen."

-Paul Tillich

I've been serving in the cub scouts for the past two years, but i remember when i was first called and was at a training, one of the leaders shared this quote. She said these young boys are eager to talk and to share and what a privilege it is as leaders to listen to them. I've always remembered this counsel and hope i can put it into practice with those around me. 

"Sometimes we want to have growth without challenges and to develop strength without any struggle.

I have learned that growth cannot come by taking the easy way. 

 We must be careful that we don’t resent the very things that help will help us

stretch and grow and help us come to know our potential, and our divine nature.

Not one of the trials and tribulations we face is beyond our limits,

 because we have access to help from the Lord.We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us and willcontinue to strengthen us when, and especially when, times are hard.

I have felt this, I know this and utilize this knowledge everyday.

I hope when life is hard for you, or when you question the very beliefs thathave supported you all your life, or when someone you know (or don't know)offends you and those precious beliefs, you remember to hold on towhat you know to be true and stand firm." -stephanie nielson(author of nieniedialogues.blogspot.com)

The Nielson Family

i read this on stephanie's blog the other day. It gave me the boost to be a better mother, more patient with our toddler who has been sick and up in the night a lot. She's been sleeping through the night so well until this past week, it's hard to go back to sleepless nights.  When i read stephanie's words i realized hard is good and last night when i was woken from sleep every time i dozed off i reminded myself that hard is good and it will make me a better mother. 

"An aware parent loves all children he or she interacts with - for you are a caretaker for those moments in time."

 -Doc Childre

The temple is a point of intersection between heaven and earth. - Elder Bednar

"We sit silently and watch the world around us.  This has taken us a lifetime to learn.  It seems only the old are able to sit next to one another and not say anything and still feel content.  The young, brash and impatient, must always break the silence. It is a waste, for silence is pure.  Silence is holy. It draws people together because only those who are comfortable with each other can sit without speaking. This is the great paradox." -Nicholas Sparks

"Prayer is the passport to peace."

-President Thomas S. Monson

It is so comforting to know that His love is constant! The Lord's invitation to "Come Follow Me" is always there. His covenants and promises don't change. I'm so so grateful for this knowledge! 

"As we go about living from day to day, it is almost inevitable that our faith will be challenged. We may at times find ourselves surrounded by others and yet standing in the minority or even standing alone concerning what is acceptable and what is not. Do we have the moral courage to stand firm in our beliefs, even if by so doing we must stand alone?" -President Thomas S. Monson

"You be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone. Have the moral courage to be a light for others to follow. There is no friendship more valuable than your own clear conscience, your own moral cleanliness-and what a glorious feeling it is to know that you stand in your appointed place clean and with confidence that you are worthy to do so." -President Thomas S. Monson

I saw an article floating around facebook that i finally took the time to read tonight. It was about Noelle Pikus Pace, the olympian.  She was in a prestigious photo shoot for athletes and was given an immodest dress to wear to show off her tone and lean body...even though all of the other athletes gladly complied, she said she only wore modest clothing and would be unable to wear the dress.  A year later she was in the same photo shoot and the people remembered her as being the "good christian girl" so they only had modest clothes for her to wear. In the article Noelle said this quote of President Monson's had an impact on her. It is a good reminder to stand for what we know is right even if we have to stand alone.

"Prince Charming lives in a different world.  He doesn't live in this world." Lizzy, age 3

When it comes to parenting, "Whenever possible say yes, they are only kids once!" -Marjorie Hinckley

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This quote reminds me of when i was visiting teaching a lady when henry was just a baby. Now i can't even remember her name but she had 3 little kids at the time and her oldest son came running in to where we were visiting and he said, "mom, can you make me a crown?" and she said "yes"  without any hesitation and she made him a crown while we were chatting. He was so happy and he used a blanket as a cape and put the crown on and pretended he was a king the rest of the visit. That made an impression on me. 

"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet, and the wind longs to play with your hair." 
-Kahlil Gibran

The other day we went on a walk to one of our favorite spots..."The field of rocks." It is just a dried up river bed near the snake river that has the coolest, most unique rocks. Lanning found one that was smooth and so white it almost glowed. My first thought was, oh that looks like a worry stone that you could rub when you get worried and it will help you calm down(my dad gave one to my mom when we were all young because she would worry so much!)  On the other hand, Lanning said it reminded him of the story of the brother of Jared in the Book of Mormon that the Lord touched and it lit up to give light for their boat to journey across the seas. It is a story of FAITH! When i saw this quote it reminded me of the "worry stone" and the stones the brother of Jared found.  It is all about choice, attitude. I'd heard about choosing faith over fear, but this is so good for me to remind me to choose faith over worry!

(louise, "field of rocks")

i came across this quote somewhere and it reminded me of one of my favorite college roommates because she used to say the same thing. I guess i wanted to post it today because for an afternoon snack i've had a spoonful of peanut butter with chocolate chips on it. So, i guess in other words i had my veggies and protein for the day! YAY!

"During my boyhood, we interacted with members of our extended family daily and shared moments of working, playing, and visiting together. We could not get in a great deal of mischief without a report reaching our mothers very rapidly. Our world is different now—the members of most families spread out. Even if they live relatively close to each other, they do not often live next door. Still, I have to believe that my boyhood and my current situation are a little like heaven, with beloved family members living close to each other. It serves as a constant reminder to me of the eternal nature of the family unit."

—L. Tom Perry, "Obedience through Our Faithfulness"

i loved Elder Perry's talk, and how he so often talks about his family. I too feel like living close to family is a taste of heaven.  It reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures..."And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy." D&C 130:2

Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there's a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see.

Helen Keller

We had to say goodbye to Lanning's Grandma last week. She is one of the most kind, good-hearted, pleasant woman i've ever been around. Her love and light will be missed. We are so glad we could live near  her for the short time that we did. We feel blessed to have felt her love and been inspired by her goodness. There is surely a happy reunion in heaven this week.

“The temple is an ever-present reminder that God intends the family to be eternal.”

-President Ezra Taft Benson

sometimes we let the kids watch a show after dinner, but last night while the kiddos were glued to "dragontales" we decided we better unglue them and "make" them play outside instead. It was so so fun to all play together in the cool summer evening breeze.

We were able to teach our son's Sunbeam class in church today and the sharing time lesson was on the Holy Ghost and following the still small voice. They did an object lesson where they blindfolded an 8 year old and then put obstacles in the room. He needed to get from one side of the room to the other.  One of the leaders was "the still small voice" that whispered directions to him so he could safely make it across the room. It was neat to see because it was so obvious that he wouldn't be led astray if he just listened to the voice that was prompting him. I'm so grateful for the Holy Ghost in my life!

"It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it."
 -John Steinbeck

“...Because people who love to eat are always the best people.” 

-julia child

 "...in social life, you will never make a good impression on other people until you stop thinking about what sort of impression you are making."  -CS Lewis

"The only thing of value we can give our children is what we are - not what we have." 

i really like this quote even though i don't know who said it. My parents have given me much in life, many gifts, many opportunities, much help, etc...but i think what i value most of what they've given me is WHO THEY ARE...their examples, their love, and their friendship.