The kids and I are trying an experiment of speaking only kind words to and about each other....My 5 year old said just an hour into the "experiment" with a big smile on her face "Mom, remember when i was being mean to Oliver? And now i'm like being nice to him!!" That was a huge step forward for us!!! We've already had quite a few steps backward in the kindness department but at least we are making steps forward too! Kindness is so good for our souls!

My Mother

I love this quote! My mother did this so well. Her joy was(and is) found in being a wife and a mother and creating a home. I always felt so loved and valued growing up. I didn't even know that there were other things my mom could be doing with her time than raising a family. She made mothering her life and her joy. I am so grateful to her for her example of motherhood, gratitude, joy, creating beauty and seeing the beauty all around and sharing family love! 

Teachings from President Russell M Nelson

A Plea to My Sisters, October 2015

"We need women with the gift of discernment who can view 

the trends in the world and detect those that, 

however popular, are shallow or dangerous.

We need women who know how to make

 important things happen by their faith and who are courageous

 defenders of morality and families in a sin-sick world. 

We need women who are devoted to shepherding

 God’s children along the covenant path toward exaltation; 

women who know how to receive personal revelation, 

who understand the power and peace of the temple endowment; 

women who know how to call upon the powers of heaven to 

protect and strengthen children and families; women who teach fearlessly."

My mother-in-law and her sister...such examples of strength of character, sincere desire to love and serve God and to "shepherd God's children along the covenant path" 

The Sabbath Is a Delight, April 2015-President Russell M Nelson

"Not pursuing your “own pleasure” on the Sabbath requires self-discipline. 

You may have to deny yourself of something you might like. 

If you choose to delight yourself in the Lord, 

you will not permit yourself to treat it as any other day. 

Routine and recreational activities can be done some other time."

“Nothing will surprise us more than when we get to heaven and see the Father and realize how well we know Him and how familiar His face is to us.”

― Ezra Taft Benson

Today we had the special opportunity to hear Elder Christofferson speak at our stake conference.  He shared this quote in his talk.  He also talked about how God is not a stranger from afar but we are known to Him and are his children.  After the meeting he invited all the children and youth to come shake his hand.  We were listening at another church building on a broadcast, so Lanning rushed Henry and Lizzy over so they could meet an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.  

"Hobbies can aid in spiritual development. 

Worthy music, dance, art, and writing are among

the creative activities that can enrich the soul.

 A good hobby can dispel heartache and give zest to life."

-President Russell M. Nelson

i love love love it when my kids find joy in dancing, creating art, using their imagination while playing, listening to uplifting music and i enjoy doing those things too!

"To build a house straight and strong, you do not choose crooked boards. 

So to build your eternal destiny, you cannot—you must not—limit lessons 

only to those warped to exclude revelation from God." 

-President Russell M Nelson

this quote by President Nelson stuck out to me probably because we are in the process of preparing to build a home. Right now we are working on house plans and all the details and measurements that go into it.  Makes sense that this earth life we are building our eternity by the small and simple things we do and choose each day. Building our lives with revelations from God will provide the eternal destiny we desire.

“The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. … That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel”. 

-Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

for some reason this quote keeps coming to my mind this week. i finally looked it up and wanted to document it here. maybe i've been thinking about how i've been struggling with implementing new parenting tips and self-help suggestions from books, blogs, instagram etc...and so maybe i should focus on learning and living the doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ first and foremost. There is power and purpose that comes through studying doctrine. 

"We learn to pray by praying. One can devote countless hours to examining the experiences of others, but nothing penetrates the human heart as does a personal, fervent prayer and its heaven-sent response." -Thomas S. Monson

For nearly 3 weeks my 6 year old had been looking for her lost library book she needed to return to school. She wasn't able to check out a new book until she returned this one but we couldn't find it anywhere! So one afternoon i gathered the kids (all 5, including baby) and knelt in prayer and asked for help in finding the book.  We began our search looking under cushions and lizzy excitedly found an unopened candybar! So we took a little break and cut it up so everyone got a piece...a fun little surprise! We then continued our search and soon after our 7 year old son found the lost book! It was in a place we had checked several times over the past few weeks but must have overlooked it somehow. We all cheered. I then gathered the kids again to say a kneeling prayer of thanks. I felt the sweet love of our Heavenly Father and i hope the children did too. 

"To effectively serve others, we must see them through a parent’s eyes, through Heavenly Father’s eyes." -Dale G. Renlund

Yesterday during our ward conference sacrament meeting, our stake president asked those who had not been ministered to by home or visiting teachers this month to stand up. Maybe half of our congregation stood. It broke my heart a little. It also got me thinking, why!? Just yesterday alone so many members helped me and my kids, ministering even in small ways by helping us get from the car through the snowy parking lot to the church, drew pictures for my kids in Sacrament, stayed with my sleeping baby while i ran upstairs to the primary with the other kids, shared donuts with our kids in celebration of our sons upcoming birthday, helped us get back through the snowy parking lot, etc... It made me wonder if i didn't have my five kids with me, would others minister to me as much?? Probably not. The majority of our ward is made up of married students without children.  Many feel alone.  It seems we are naturally drawn to help little children, but if we could just see each person, no matter how old or young, as a child of our Heavenly Father we would eagerly reach out to minister, to encourage and to love just as we do these little ones.  Surely that is one of the greatest compliments and joys for our Father in Heaven is to us blessing the lives of his children, all of his children.

The Book of Mormon

"My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives. I so testify with all my heart"
-President Thomas S Monson

When my sweet Lizzy was a baby she went through a long period of time where she would wake up about every hour or less wanting to nurse to go back to sleep.  This went on for many months. I was so so exhausted and would get so frustrated.  One fast and testimony meeting at church, one sister shared that the Book of Mormon literally saved her from going crazy.  That stuck out to me because i felt so sleep deprived i might go crazy so i began reading the book of mormon when i got up in the night with lizzy.  It saved me. I have sweet remembrances now of reading the Book of Mormon by the soft glow of the lamplight while cuddling my baby in the middle of the night. 

"The Atonement, which can reclaim each one of us, bears no scars. That means that no matter what we have done or where we have been or how something happened, if we truly repent, He has promised that He would atone. And when He atoned, that settled that. There are so many of us who are thrashing around, as it were, with feelings of guilt, not knowing quite how to escape. You escape by accepting the Atonement of Christ, and all that was heartache can turn to beauty and love and eternity." -Boyd K. Packer (talk "The Plan of Happiness")

The end of all activity in the Church is to see that a man and a woman with their children are happy at home, sealed for eternity. -Boyd K. Packer

My darling niece is on a mission in Taiwan.  In one of her weekly emails she wrote this...

"My Dad used to tell me that there are two prayers that will ALWAYS be answered. The first is “Help me to notice a blessing that I haven’t noticed before” and the second is “Help me to find an opportunity to serve today. Let me know who needs my help!” From my own experience, I know that this is true! These prayers will always be answered." -Becca