Dear Dad.....

Dear Dad,

I have some good news...and some bad news...

Good News:  This weekend on my fun trip with friends to Fredericksburg (a darling little town!) I found a store that sells one of your favorite treats for just $.10 each!  The moment I saw the candies I remembered that you love them and grabbed a few to bring home and surprise you with.  I'd either send them to you in a cute package, or maybe have them here for you when you come visit this fall.

Bad News:  You have managed to pass down another genetic quality to one of your awesome offspring - your oldest daughter might also have a love affair with Walnettos candies.

Good News:  I now know where to get some more, and hopfully I'll make another trip before I see you next.  Sorry about that...

Love, Your greedy daughter....

Law of Chastity FHE Lessons

I have been working on my Relief Society Lesson for this month - Lesson #39 - The Law of Chastity.  Here are some links that I'm sharing that go along with the theme that can help families teach these same principles in Family Home Evening:

•  LDS FHE Lesson Manual - Chastity:  http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=4049be335dc20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=198bf4b13819d110VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD
• Procreation and Chastity:  http://lds.org/hf/library/1,16866,4266-1,00.html?LibraryURL=/lds/hf/display
• Our Sacred bodies – Chastity, Modesty, and Morality:  http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/family-home-evening-lesson-our-sacred-bodies-chastity-modesty-and-morality/
• Our Bodies are Sacred:  http://ayearoffhe.blogspot.com/search/label/Modesty
• Young Women Value - Integrity - https://lds.org/young-women/personal-progress/virtue?lang=eng
• Talk:  Guardians of Virtue - http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/guardians-of-virtue?lang=eng
• A Parent's Guide (this is an excellent guide to teaching our children at all different ages):  http://lds.org/manual/a-parents-guide?lang=eng
   

This lesson was very hard for me to prepare.  I literally spent most of the week - any chance I had to prepare for it. As I read our prophet's teachings, the scriptures, personal experiences and commandments the spirit whispered to me that THIS was vital.  This lesson and message - to keep our bodies clean and pure is of the utmost importance.  I MUST teach my children and prepare them for what Satan is going to throw their way.  I felt almost a heaviness and a scariness in that....but I know that I have a responsibilty to them.  I loved this quote I found in A Parent's Guide that changed the way I viewed what I am teaching my children:

"You are not simply caring for your children until they can leave home - you are training infinitely precious children of God to someday be worthy to receive all that the Father has."

(source- "A Parent’s Guide")

I also found a renewed energy in myself to live a virtuous and chaste life.  I have seen the blessings that come from following these commandments as well as the sorrow that results from not obeying the strictness of the law.  I've watched families and individuals fall away from truth as they've allowed Satan a place in their lives and his temptations into their hearts.  I loved the scriptures in the lesson that talked about how the Lord will not let us be tempted above that which we are able to handle.  He will prepare a way for us to escape if we will cling to the truth of the gospel.

I have a testimony of chaste and virtuous living.  I know that in living a life within these bounds that our marriages and families can prepare to be together through eternity and for that I am so grateful!

One of my favorite scriptures

I was sending an email to a friend and felt impressed to share this scripture.  It is one of my very favorite scriptures in the world and has helped to teach me in many instances in my life.

Mosiah 24: 10-16

• 10 And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.
• 11 And Amulon commanded them that they should stop their cries; and he ^aput guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.
• 12 And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their ^ahearts to him; and he did know the ^bthoughts of their hearts.
  13 And it ^acame to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
• 14 And I will also ease the ^aburdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as ^bwitnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their ^cafflictions.
• 15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did ^astrengthen them that they could bear up their ^bburdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with ^cpatience to all the will of the Lord.
• 16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

 Specifically where they are told that the Lord will ease the burdens on their back - even so they cannot feel them. We often want the Lord to take away our burdens - make it all just go away and work out perfectly. Too often it doesn't work that way though, and the real lesson is submitting to His will and letting him carry us, as well as our burdens. I KNOW through times in my life that my burdens haven't gone away, but that I haven't carried them on my own. My own back has been strengthened and my ability to carry the burdens has been made possible by the help of my Heavenly Father.  I find such comfort in that message of peace and love.

Science Fun!

(oops - I don't have my pictures right here....I'll post those later).

The boys LOVE to do "science experiments" - or "kitchen science experiments" with me.  Gabe asks all the time.  Gabe's idea of a science experiment is anything that you mix together and it makes a mess.  I guess in some ways he's right.  So when I asked what some of the things they wanted to do before school started next week were - their loud reply was to do a "Science Day!"  Since we were having some friends over to play today I figured we'd mix up the play-time with some science fun too. 

I looked over the web and asked some friends for some ideas.  I didn't want to spend a bunch of money, make anything dangerous, or make messes I couldn't clean up with soap and water.  (What can I say - I'm kind of a mean mom in that department....)  I didn't have the aim of teaching the boys much - but wanted to have a little explaination of why the experiments turned out how they did - trying to teach them something acidentally.  So I looked for some ideas on Pintrest, other friends blogs and asked friends on Facebook for their suggestions.  Here's what we did:

GAK/FLUBBER
This was by far the most popular.  Putting it together I'll be honest - it looked like boogers/snot and kind of grossed us all out.  But after we kneaded it together more and more we had fun with it!  I'd love to try it again with clear glue - we used white.  I think I'll go stock up on some bottles of glue while school supplies are on sale still.

DANCING SPAGHETTI
This wasn't overly spectacular, but the kids all giggled and thought the dancing spaghetti were funny.

HOMEMADE LAVA LAMP
We did this over and over again - adding more salt each time.  It was cool to watch!

MAGIC INFLATING BALLOON
I want to remember this one to do for a science fair someday - it was fun.  I pulled the balloon off because it looked like it was about to explode and I was afraid of the mess it could have made....next time I'll use a larger balloon.

MAGIC MILK COLORS
We did it differently than this - and it didn't work out.  I think if we do it again we'll use this exact tutorial.


MORE FUN LOOKING IDEAS:
Dancing Oobleck
Ivory Soap Experiment
Diet Coke + Mentos
Websites with lots of ideas
Glow in the dark food!
Edible peanutbutter playdoh
Incredible bouncing egg (my own personal Kindergarten science project!)

Stay little just a while longer....

Tonight I was anxious to get my kids to bed.  We've had several busy weeks recently with a trip to Utah, YW camp, cousins visiting last week, and now some 2nd cousins visiting this weekend. It seems like our house might not ever be clean again, I doubt I'll ever "catch up" with laundry, and the idea of actual quiet for a few hours seems like a mirage - something I might not ever actually reach or realize...I was excited to get my kids to bed and hopefully have the cousins fall asleep fairly soon too so we could have a quiet hour or 2 before going to bed ourselves.

So when Gabe asked me to lay with him for a little while and rub his back my first response was to say no, he needed to go to sleep on his own and I needed some "quiet time".  But as I kissed his sweet cheek and started to tell him no I suddenly had a flash.  I had a small glimpse of him 10 years from now.  He'd be 16 years old and definitely not wanting me around to tuck him in - much less lay with him listening to night time music and scratching his back.  It was as if a little voice almost whispered, "Stop, stop for a moment and enjoy being with your sweet little boy.  These moments will come less often as the years go by."

My heart kind of broke for a moment as I realized it was true - my kids wouldn't be little forever.  It would be a very short time and they wouldn't want to snuggle with me, have their backs scratched or hear me sing them to sleep.  Before I know it I'll be begging them to let me read them stories before bed, or feeling sad that they don't want to go on "mommy dates". 

So I snuggled with my little guy for a few minutes.  Tonight he chose to listen to some soft Christmas music to help him fall asleep - (Peter Brienholt's "Noel") and as I snuck out of his room our favorite song from the album "Silent Night" came on.  I know it's August and for the most part I don't agree with listening to Christmas music - but that song made me stop in my tracks for the 2nd time in a matter of minutes.  In that moment I thought of our sweet Savior and His relationship with His mother Mary.  I thought about her swaddling that sweet little baby, holding Him close to her and knowing that in a matter of years He would be the Savior of the world.  I can't imagine as she knew parts of what He would undergo as He taught the world, as He atoned for our sins and as He was crucified for us so that we can live again.  Those tender moments between mother and son....a tender glimpse I would have loved to get a small peek of.  I imagine that her love for her son was similar to the love I have for my sweet boys - so amazing it's hard to put into words exactly.

As frustrating as it can be at times to be a mother to rambunctious children, I really wouldn't have it any other way - I love those boys!