Tender Mercies: Simple Quotes From a Beautiful Woman

Don't we all love when our prayers are answered through the words of another?  There are times in life where my prayers have been answered through a scripture I'm lead to, through a call from a friend or reminder from another.  I've found answers in pages of books, through lessons at church, on the radio, and even whispered in my ear from the still small voice.  Today's answers came in the form of a reminder - a reminder of a quote I have always loved by one of my heroes - Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley.  A good friend shared this quote in our Relief Society lesson today and it was the answer I needed:

 “I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived." --Sister Marjorie Hinckley

As I went looking for the quote once I got home from church I was lead to a myriad of wonderful quotes she has shared over the years she was on earth.  As I re-read these gems I was reminded that right now I need to slow down and love my family.  I need to enjoy the time I have with my boys at this age, I need to cherish and treasure every moment.  In the particular challenge I had been longing to "fix" I was reminded that I need to "save the relationship" and not be filled with despair.  As I read her thoughts I felt a huge weight lifted and a reminder that I am good enough (you're good enough too!) and that I need to not be so hard on myself as a wife, mother and woman.  I need to try, and I need to move forwars with love in my heart.  I hope that some of these quotes can be a beautiful reminder to you as well. 

(These quotes were all found at this website.)
• "We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives. We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us. We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something. We have to learn to be content with what we are."

• "Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

• "Home is where you are loved the most and act the worst."

• "The trick is to enjoy life. Don't wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead. The grand and the simple. They are equally wonderful."

• "I know it is hard for you young mothers to believe that almost before you can turn around the children will be gone and you will be alone with your husband. You had better be sure you are developing the kind of love and friendship that will be delightful and enduring. Let the children learn from your attitude that he is important. Encourage him. Be kind. It is a rough world, and he, like everyone else, is fighting to survive. Be cheerful. Don't be a whiner."

• "Be a Mother who is committed to loving her children into standing on higher ground than the enviroment surrounding them. Mother's are endowed with a love that is unlike any other love on the face of the earth."

• "Think about your particular assignment at this time in your life. It may be to get an education, it may be to rear children, it may be to be a grandparent, it may be to care for an relieve the suffering of someone you love, it may be to do a job in the most excellent way possible, it may be to support someone who has a difficult assignment of their own. Our assignments are varied and they change from time to time. Don't take them lightly. Give them your full heart and energy. Do them with enthusiasm. Do whatever you have to do this week with your whole heart and soul. To do less than this will leave you with an empty feeling."

• "We are all in this together. We need each other. Oh, how we need each other. Those of us who are old need you who are young, and hopefully, you who are young need some of us who are old...We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other. These friendships are a necessary source of sustenance. We need to renew our faith every day. We need to lock arms and help build the kingdom so that it will roll forth and fill the whole earth."

• "There are some years in our lives that we would not want to live again. But even these years will pass away, and the lessons learned will be a future blessing."

• "The grand and the simple. They are equally wonderful."

• "Elder Neal A. Maxwell once said, "We are here in mortality, and the only way to go is through; there isn't any around!" I would add, the only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache."

• "The trouble with the world and the trouble with you and me is that we don't love each other enough. And if we do, we don't bother to show it, or we don't bother to say it. If the world is to know love, it has to be in your heart and in mine."

• "Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

• "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, “Wow what a ride!"

• "Just Save the Relationship" - from the book Glimpses, Sis's Hinckley's advice to her grandaughter when she needed to know what to do about the fits her daughter was throwing. Just save the relationship."

• "True spirituality makes you loving and grateful, and forgiving, and patient, and gentle, and long-suffering. True spirituality breathes reverence into every act and deed."

• "As we got closer to marriage, I felt completely confident that Gordon loved me. But I also knew somehow that I would never come first with him. I knew I was going to be second in his life and that the Lord was going to be first. And that was okay. It seemed to me that if you understood the gospel and the purpose of our being here, you would want a husband who put the Lord first."

• "...the beautiful thing--perhaps the thing I love most about the gospel-- is that everything we learn we can use and take with us and use it again. No bit of knowledge goes wasted. Everything you are learning now is preparing you for something else. Did you know that? What a concept!"

• "As you create a home, don't get distracted with a lot of things that have no meaning for you or your family. Don't dwell on your failures, but think of your successes. Have joy in your home. Have joy in your children. Have joy in your husband. Be grateful for the journey."

• "Develop some intellectual curiosity. If you have it, you will never be bored. If you haven't, cultivate it, hold fast to it. Never let it go. To the intellectually curious, the world will always be full of magic, full of wonder. You will be interesting to your friends, to your spouse, and a joy to your children. You will be alive to all the wonderful possibilities of this world."

• "Everything you are learning is preparing you for something else.”

Thank you Sister Hinckley for sharing your words of wisdom and advice.  I felt as if I had spent an afternoon being taught at the loving side of a grandmother or friend.  Thank you.

My thoughts exactly....

I don't know what it is - when I don't have time I have all kinds of ideas.  When I have time no creativity or ideas come...what's up with that?  It's kind of like having money to go shopping for new clothes and not being able to find a single thing I like. But if I have no clothes money budgeted it's as if the clothes JUMP off the hangers at the store - begging to be purchased.  The whole concept makes me a little crazy.  So here are a few things I would **like** to do...but can't find the time or motivation to do them:

1. Come up with a cute/effective summer incentive program for my kids - for chores, reading, getting along.
2. Paint a picture.  I have an idea for a canvas painting I'd like to do someday....that's been on the list for a while.
3. Spend the afternoon @ an airconditioned art museum wandering around (alone....is that bad?).
4. Read "The Work and the Glory" series again - all of it from the beginning.  For some reason I get hung up around the 6th or 7th book and don't go any further.  I kind of want to just go through and read it all again.
5. Organize my eating plans for the summer.  I would love to have a several week eating plan in place - each meal planned out, some even prepared and shopping lists organized.
6. Number or alphabetize our dvd's.  When we moved we took all of the dvd's and cd's out of cases and into those big dvd binders.  It was going to be so much easier to lug around a couple of those big binders than it would be to have all the cases.  But when we did it we didn't do it in an organized way - we just literally threw them in the binder.  I know it might sound nuts (at least it does to my husband) but I'd like to give each dvd a number, and each spot in the binder a number.  Then I'd type up a list and have the dvd's and their numbers listed.  That way when a kid took one out of the binder they could just match them up when they returned it....like I said - Cory thought I was being too anal.
7. Open an Esty shop and sell handmade cards.  I've been playing around with this idea for a few weeks now and I really want to do it. But I want to do it in a big way....and have a bunch of cards made up to sell right off the bat.  I'd like to design a great logo, some cute graphics to put in my shop.....need more time....
8. Organize my digital scrapbooking files.  Lots and lots of great products I've gotten over the years from the designers I've worked with, freebies on the web, etc - but I'd like to have them more organized and remind myself what I have.
9. Sort and organize my kids toys - I need to do a dollar store/happy meal toy clean out.  I also need to re-do our play bins/drawers and sort them.  I want to label those too:  tool toys, cars, potato heads, super heros, etc.
10. Have fun with my kids and hubby.  I don't do that enough.  I don't just enjoy them enough....I hope that at some point in life I'll find a balance where I feel like I've been spiritual enough, done enough housework, created enough, worked out enough....and played enough!

Friday Photos: Gabe's year of Kindergarten

It's hard for me to believe that my "baby" finishes his last day of Kindergarten today.  I can think back to my first year in elementary school and I have memories of fun things we did.  To think of my little Gabe being old enough for that....makes me feel old myself!  But I'm happy that he's had a great year.  A flashback of his year in Kindergarten:

• Kindergarten in Utah is just 1/2 day.  So Gabe only had school for 2 hours and 45 minutes each day.  He went to school in the afternoon, but on Wednesdays "Squishy Days" they had an early out schedule, so he attended in the morning.  It was always a little bit confusing to try to remember what day it was and what time to pick him up or drop him off at school.

• He started the school year in Southern Utah.  His teacher Miss Cooley was amazing.  She has been teaching for a long time and is a favorite of many.  We could certainly add our family to the list!  As a mom I loved getting to go into the classroom to help with reading, or to go on the fieldtrip with the kids.

• Gabe's class was all sad to hear that he'd be moving after Christmas.  As I left the classroom that last day I volunteered I have to admit I shed a few tears thinking of leaving his great class.

• After January we moved to Texas and with that came the excitement of "All-Day Kindergarten".  It was a bit of a struggle to get adjusted to, but Gabe really enjoyed the activities he'd get to do by having an all-day schedule.  They have different "Specials" (like Theater Arts, Music, Art) every-other-day and then on the other days they have P.E.  A high-light for Gabe was creating a "Pinch Pot" in Art class where they got to fire it, glaze it, and bring it home.  He was so proud of his creation!

• Gabe has become quite the reader this year!  I love nothing more than to hear him read a book to me, or even better - hear him reading to Hunter.  It still takes quite a bit of encouragement, but when he buckles down and does it he's an awesome reader.  We're planning to work on our reading through the summer, the boys are excited to participate in the summer reading programs through the local libraries!

 

• 100 day of Kindergarten - a celebration no matter where you live - Utah or Texas.  Gabe's school had a parade and fun 100 days events going on to celebrate.  Gabe decided for his 100 days poster he'd glue 100 cutout Mickey Mouse heads.  It was fun to count them out and watch him glue them on.

• Valentine's Day - Gabe wanted homemade Valentine's.  That made this crafty mama proud.  He helped me design them and was pretty happy with how they turned out.

• The school had several fun family-friendly events - a fun Valentine's Day lunch, Muffins with Mom, Donuts with Dad, a Sock Hop Dance, we attended the school musical, and the highlight for sure was the school's carnival - complete with a "Fun Run" that we ran together.  I have loved the extra activities they've offered at the school!

• May has been filled with fun activities too - the class field trip to Sweet Berry Farms, Field Day and all coming together with Kindergarten Graduation.  I will have to admit that I cried like a baby at graduation.  To see Gabe all grown up, wearing his little graduation hat - it was just a bit much for me.  I could almost instantly picture him 12 years from now graduating from high school - it just hit a bit too close to home for me. 

• So farewell to Kindergarten....hello 1st grade!

(In a seperate note - I have had all kinds of issues with posting all these pictures...sorry for the formatting mess.)

Thursday Treats - Coconut Lemon Pixies

Last month a member of our ward made these delicious cookies that she passed around during her Relief Society lesson.  They were AMAZING.  They were light, sweet, but not overbearing.  They had just the right amount of lemon flavor but also were....perfect!  So the other night I was having some friends over and decided I'd try the recipe they'd shared with us for those cookies.  But when I went to make them I realized that I couldn't find the recipe.  Darn!  But I remembered that the internet is a wonderful thing and I think I found almost the exact same recipe. 

So head to this website and check out this AWESOME recipe for Coconut Lemon Pixies.  I promise you will not be disappointed!

Does Your Blog Suck?

My cute friend Jessica Kopp has issued a challenge on her blog. Post on your blog every single day for the month of June.  This challenge came after her daughter told her that their family blog sucked and they needed to do something about it.  So Jessica spent the month of May updating her blog on a daily basis.  She had guest posts from her daughter who instigated the project, posted photos, lists, things that made her happy - just simple, every-day stuff. 

Now Jess is issuing the same challenge to the readers of her blog, so I'm going to take her up on it.  Not to get the prize she's offering (since I'm pretty sure she hadn't planned to travel for her offer) - but to get myself thinking, liven up my blog, and remember how much I love to record aspects of our every-day life, as well as the miracles that happen on a pretty regular basis.  So I hope you're ready - because ready or not, here comes June and my post-every-day attempt. 

Scrapbook Layouts

I've recently cut back on the design teams I'm on for digital scrapbooking.  I love it so much, so that was hard for me - but I felt torn between several different things and felt it was time to lighten my load a little bit.  But here are some of the creations I've done lately. 

May 2011 Pictures

I have wanted to get some pictures of our last few weeks of activities posted on here but haven't had a chance. Here is a link to my facebook page to see the pictures.  Been having lots of fun!  Wish I was better at taking pictures because I have missed quite a few moments too - times at the pool, the splash park, bbq's with friends, fun girls nights with awesome friends, ET family movie night....but overall we've had some good family times.  Here's hoping we survive the heat of the next several months and get to enjoy the summer!

Click here to view pictures on Facebook! 

Perfect Thoughts!

You know when you read something that just fits exactly what you've been searching for? When you find a PERFECT answer in someone else's words? That's the case with this article I just read:

LDS.org - New Era Article - Five Scriptures That Will Help You Get through Almost Anything

• Scripture One: We Know That God Loves His Children! (1 Nephi 11:17)
• Scripture Two: We Know That God Allows Evil to Exist in the World (Moses 7:26–33)
• Scripture Three: Our Work Is Not Finished! (Alma 14:13)
• Scripture Four: The Atonement Is Not Just for Sinners (Alma 7:11–12)
• Scripture Five: One Day, the Lord Will Reveal All Things (D&C 101:32–36)
• The Ultimate Answer - The Lord Is Over All

John Byetheway has always been one of my very favorite speakers. I loved hearing him at EFY when I was a kid. I've loved watching his Deseret Book video specials and I have always had fun listening to his books on tape - he's just awesome. But tonight as I read this article I wasn't impressed because of his witty-banter, or the silly way he performs - I was touched by the spirit. That happens frequently when listening to Brother Byetheway, but this time I was just so touched that some of the words I was searching for (both for myself and for some other people I'd been thinking about, praying for) were perfect for the situations. Guess that is another one of those tender mercies that we're so often blessed with.

So read the article - I promise you won't be disappointed!

20 Questions With Gabe (2009 edition)

I was cleaning out some files and I found a little Q&A I did with Gabe a little over 2 years ago - so he was the same age as Hunter is now - 3 years old.  It was fun to read his answers to some of these things.  Sometimes it just hits me that time is going by SO fast with my kids.  I need to take a few extra minutes to cherish them, treasure our times together and give them extra squeezes and kisses.  Sure do love them!

1.  What is something mom always says to you?

Don't slap Hunter - even if he throws food on the floor!

2. What makes mom happy?

Hunter playing with me, and laughing, and when we sing songs to her.

3. What makes mom sad?
When Hunter fights me up.


4. How does your mom make you laugh?
When you watch Playhouse Disney movies with me


5. What was your mom like as a child?
You'd read books


6. How old is your mom?
14

7. How tall is your mom?

14 long - like a giraffe neck

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

Play "Playhouse Disney" computer games with me.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

Play with Hunter

10. What is your mom really good at?

Fighting - like with swords

11. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?

Hawaii - with ME!

12. What is your mom not very good at?

You can't play toys - because you don't do it.


13. What does your mom do for her job?
You play toys with me - that's your job. That guy we watched on the computer - his job was to catch allitgators - but yours is to play with me.

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Pasghetti!

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
That I'm good at playing toys

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Woody (from Toy Story) - because you're funny

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Play toys.

18. How are you and your mom the same?

When we match and we talk the same.

19. How are you and your mom different?

You're wearing green, and I'm wearing this (camo)

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

To infinity and beyond!

Good Luck Mom!

I'm pretty sure I've bragged about how cool my Mom is on here before....but if not I wanted to take a short second to do so this morning.  See - this morning my mom is taking a test for a class she's taking through BYU-Independent Study and she could use all of the good luck, prayers and extra positive thoughts anyone could send her way.....so go for it - send up a little extra prayer, I know she'll feel it and appreciate it!

I know that when I'm down, or when I'm having a particularly hard "mommy-day" (often followed by my ever-famous "mommy meltdown") that I can feel my mom's prayers surrounding me.  Sometimes I feel it in the moment as I need it and other times I look back thinking, "How on earth did I get through that day!?!? It is then that I realize it must have been during those particular difficult moments that my Mom paused to say a little prayer for me. 

My mom is one of my very best friends in the world.  I'm grateful that I've developed a friendship with her that I can say that.  I had a few rough teen-age years where I wouldn't have said we were even good friends - but we're over that now and she's simply put - the best!  So grateful to have her in my court, to have her support, her love, her prayers and her friendship. 

So GOOD LUCK Mom - you rock and I hope your test goes fantastically!!!  We love you!!!

Giving to Others

I saw this picture in a friend's Facebook album (she found it on Pintrest....a phenomenon I have yet to get involved with....) and it made me smile.  Not only because it made me think about how true the sentiment is and how blessed we become by serving others, but even more because it reminded me of my Dad.  My Dad has an ability to give to others in a no-strings-attached kind of way and he does it so often, and so well. What a blessing it has been in my life to have my cute Dad as an example of serving and giving to others.  I could write a long novel of all of the things he does on a regular basis, as well as some pretty big one-time kind of deals - but knowing him it would almost defeat the purpose.  He gives in secret, he doesn't do it with banners and balloons announcing his gifts, he does it quietly, secretly, and with no expectations of thanks or fanfare.  That's one of the things I love about him.  Thanks Dad.

Why Do I Read....?

I will read forever to feed my need for exploration and adventure.  I will continue to read to experience places, lifestyles and far-away-lands that I won't be able to travel to in person.  Reading opens doors, puts wind in my sails and helps me take flight.  I will read to escape, to relax and to be invigorated and inspired.  I will read because I can and because by reading I am not stagnant. I read to give my self the chance to walk a mile in someone else's shoes, see points of view beyond my own and expand my small piece of humanity into a world-wide stage.  I read for myself, to feed my imagination and stretch the creativity that stirs within myself.  I read to teach my children and to give them stories and lessons that I cannot offer from my own limited experience.  I read to learn from others so that I do not have to walk some of the paths of saddness and sorrow that they have struggled through, but I can learn the lessons from the things that they teach me.  I read because it reminds me there are such things as lands of make believe and "happily ever afters".

(***This is just a little paragraph I wrote to enter a contest to win a Nook from Barnes and Noble....not that I'll win, but sometimes it's a good reminder to ask ourselves why we do something.  Why do YOU read? Jot down your reason and even take a second to enter the contest!)

Freebie Quick Page

In celebration of (inter)National Digital Scrapbooking Day I'm giving away a freebie digital scrapbook quick page.  The page is put together using a new kit by The Ettes called Time 4 Me.  This is a totally DARLING kit (as usual from The Ettes!)

Here is my example of the Quick Page in use with some of my favorite pictures with me and my boys.

So CLICK HERE to download your copy of the quick page.  And after you download the freebie be sure to head over to The Ettes store at Pickleberry Pop and see all the gorgeous products they have.

I hope you all get a chance to do some scrapbooking this weekend as we celebrate digital scrapbooking.  I am so grateful that I've been able to enjoy the hobby for the last several years.  I love being able to preserve my family's memories while I'm also enjoying the creativity process.  So grateful for hobbies!

Fantastic Video - Dayton's Legs

I came across this video last week, just a day before Cory was going to participate in a sprint triathlon himself.  As I watched this sweet boy and his immense love and friendship for Dayton I couldn't hold back the tears. I called my boys into my computer room and had the watch it with me several times.  I cried and told them that I hoped they could be that kind of friend to someone someday.  We had a moment to talk about how Jesus is friends to everyone, and He wants us to love others too.

What a beautiful and touching story!

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