HOME

The most common feeling I’ve had in regards to my kids going back to school have been of relief, excitement, and hopefully a time for me to finally get my act together.  This summer has been frazzled and so loud. I haven’t had any time to sit, think, and ponder – much less been able to go to the grocery store without fighting kids.  I’ve felt like a referee instead of a mom most of the summer.  And forget feeling like a wife, or even just good old Joanna.  So I’ve been looking forward to August 27^th @ 7:45 am for a significant amount of time.

My kids have been (mostly) excited about it, and Hunter has acted only a little bit nervous.  He’s asked a few times if I’ll come with him to lunch today, and stay for recess (to which I’ve told him no, because I want his first day to be something HE does, instead of relying on me), but other than that he’s mostly been excited.

So I honestly didn’t anticipate a lot of tears from me.  I was focusing on the excitement of being able to spend a few hours by myself today, and thought the excitement would override my anxiety for the boys.  What I didn’t anticipate was what came next.

As I walked up the walkway of the school this morning and heard the tune of this song playing over the loudspeaker:

HOME – Phillip Phillips

Hold on, to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along
Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it’ll all be clear
Don’t pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it’ll all be clear
Don’t pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Sweet – right?  The idea that these teachers and administrators have the goal to make our elementary school our children’s home, a place of comfort, love, a home!  They were reassuring both the parents and the kids I think. You’re not alone CC Mason is your HOME!

Something that was meant to be reassuring suddenly took on a very sad, very real meaning to me.  I’m incredibly grateful for the teachers and leaders at our elementary school, but as I walked my “baby” into Kindergarten today we started something new, we opened a new chapter where this new “home” was going to be such a LARGE influence on his life.  He now has teachers, peers, others who are going to help shape who he is.  No longer will he ever rely solely on Mom and Dad as his examples – he has a whole new world that will be teaching him along the way. He has new voices that will influence him and shape him.

Now I know that doesn’t mean that my job as a mom is over.  And I know that my role as a parent is just as important now (if not more so!), but this shift is significant and as I made that connection walking up the school walkway my eyes started filling with tears. Bittersweet tears.

I am so grateful if I do need to send my babies off into the big world that I have a place like we do for them to go.  I have felt so much love from the teachers at our school, and they genuinely want the kids to have the best experience possible.  They love our kids, and it’s not just a job for them - I know that. I am also grateful to know that with the gospel on our side, and the knowledge of so many gospel principles that we are teaching them in OUR home, that they will be fortified and strengthened for anything their school “home” might throw their way.

I bet in so many ways our Heavenly Father feels the same way as he sent us down to our earthly home.  How he must ache for the time when we return to our Heavenly Home someday. He surely has similar conflicting feelings as He wants us to have a body, to learn from our earthly experiences – but longs for us to make the right decisions and remember our heavenly influences.

Things Always Work Out! (Gordon B. Hinckley)

I sure love this man - Gordon B. Hinckley....His council was always so accurate for what I would be going through. I miss getting to hear from him on a regular basis. So grateful to have had his influence in my life. He helped me to want to stand a little taller.

"You just have to do your very best with all the capability you have. You have to do your very best. And somehow, if you do that, God will open the way before you and the sun will shine, and your lives will be fruitful and you will accomplish great good in the world in which you take a part. I couldn't wish for you anything better as I look into your faces this day."  (Gordon B. Hinckley - Dedication of the Gordon B. Hinckley Building @ BYU-Idaho)

YW Camp is coming!!!

Here I am sitting down for one of the first times today.  Super tired, but feeling excited about YW camp coming up. 

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about - our church holds a week-long camp for the Young Women in our church every summer.  It is a time for the girls to bond with each other, learn camping and survival skills, be spiritually uplifted and edified and have a lot of fun.  It's a highlight for the summer and a life changing experience.

This year I get to attend not only as the Young Woman president in my ward, but also as a member of the "Crafty Queens".  Myself and a few other leaders will be in charge of providing crafts for the approximately 200 young women.  There is so much preparation involved but these girls are worth it!

Our camp theme this year stems from President Deiter Uchtdorf's talk "Your Happily Ever After" that I mentioned in my last post.  I saw a couple of these quotes online tonight on this website and thought they were pretty, and applied to what we're teaching these awesome girls this next week.

President Ucthdorf - an amazing example!

The theme for YW camp this year is based off of the talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf entitled "Your Happily Ever After".  I got online to purchase the book and I was so happy to find that the Kindle Edition is actually FREE!!!  I was so excited to find a message that I love and want to share to be available to everyone who has access to a Kindle (or Kindle app).  So click HERE and you can get it for free at the Amazon store.

Then I looked and another one of his wonderful talks that has been turned into a beautiful book is also available for FREE on the Kindle - "Forget Me Not": 

I am so grateful for inspired and strong men like President Uchtdorf that we have leading and guiding our church and helping to remind us of the truthfulness of the gospel.  His messages always leave me with a feeling of hope, unconditional love, and a desire to reach out and do better.  I hope you'll enjoy these books and messages as much as I do!

Young Women - "Be an Example of the Believers"

Today I got to teach the Young Women lesson at church.  It was about being good examples. I feel like the YW in my ward are fantastic examples to people around them, and I am in awe of their strength and examples to me and the other youth they encounter.  I love that!

I feel so blessed to get to work with the Young Women through my new calling.  I am overwhelmed by all there is to do with the program, personal progress, temple trips, girls camp, activities, lessons and the list goes on and on.  But under all of those feelings of being overwhelmed I feel so much love for the girls.  I feel sad when I don't see them at activities or at church, and I feel so happy to see them make good choices!  In fact when I left our class activity this past Tuesday night I left the church FILLED with gratitude for the girls and just loving each of them more than ever.  It wasn't anything amazing that we did, but I felt like I was able to connect in little ways with all of the girls.  It takes slow steps to get to know them and become friends.  I am looking forward to what we accomplish as a presidency and what we see the girls learn. 

I'm also grateful for a Heavenly Father who has a faith and a trust in me that I don't always see in myself.  I am grateful for His plan and the callings within our church that help me to become more of the person He wants me to be.  I'm grateful for a YW program that allows the girls to set goals, make plans for a temple marriage, and hopefully teaches them that they are women of great worth.  I know that my leaders quite literally changed my life, and their examples are ones I still look to for examples of extrordianry women who follow the gospel and inspire me.  That is why I think the YW program is so important!  Often that I think back to YW lessons that taught me that I am a worthwhile daughter of God to remember that I'm still a "Daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me, and I love Him." It is because they helped me to develop that foundation of beliefs that I've been able to turn back to those things I know are true time and time again.

So I am going to work on posting every once in a while on my blog here about our YW activities, and a little more about what we're doing in our family.  I get pulled in a lot of different directions, but I feel like this is a place I can share a piece of my testimony with others and I hope to be able to do that a little more than I have been.

Have a great Sunday!

FayETTE Designs - she's done it again!!!

Well, I say this over and over again - but Fayette (of FayETTE Designs) has pulled it off once again.  She's blown us all away with a new addition to her "Time 4" kits.  This one is perect for the new year and is called "Time 4 Reflection".  The elements are BEAUTIFUL for this kit and she has added these really awesome full page word files too - they are awesome!  Check it out in her store at Pickleberry Pop.

Here are layouts from a couple of other kits too - "Time 4 Traditions" and "Christmas with Mr. Claus".

Now Booking: Nutcracker Ballet 2012 - get your tickets early to avoid a sold out show!!!

Yes, you heard it correctly - the fabulous, talented and professional dance troupe from our ward Relief Society (a.k.a. Lail Covington, Lisa Morley, Allison Benefield, Tannie Smith and myself - Joanna Ellis) have just returned from our debut performance at our ward Christmas party.  After hours of practicing, through injuries, butterflies and last-minute costume revisions we have conquered our first performance and have come home to rave reviews and gushing fans.

Because this performance has received such amazing reviews it has become necessary for our dance group to start discussing our preformance schedule for the 2012 ballet season.  Work will be done to ensure that no one will miss these talented women's danc magic.  I'm just warning you - when the tickets become available you will want to snatch them up, because as you can see - these ladies can DANCE, and you don't want to miss out!

(I also have a few pictures I'll post soon.  Due to the overwhelming response though, we will not be sending out autographed copies...too many fans, not nearly enough time....)

Invictus

You know the feeling when you see a movie that just clicks - it's just what you need to see, when you need to see it?  A movie that inspires you and makes you want to be better all around?  I've felt that way all 3 times I've watched the movie "Invictus".  I highly reccommend it to anyone!  Some of my favorite quotes are:

Nelson Mandela: How do you inspire your team to do their best?
Francois Pienaar: By example. I've always thought to lead by example, sir.
Nelson Mandela: Well, that is right. That is exactly right. But how do we get them to be better then they think they CAN be? That is very difficult, I find. Inspiration, perhaps. How do we inspire ourselves to greatness when nothing less will do? How do we inspire everyone around us? I sometimes think it is by using the work of others.


Nelson Mandela: Forgiveness liberates the soul. It removes fear. That is why it is such a powerful weapon.


Brenda Mazibuko: You're risking your political capital, you're risking your future as our leader.
Nelson Mandela: The day I am afraid to do that is the day I am no longer fit to lead.

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

I am the master of my fate

I am the captain of my soul.

(Nelson Mandela)

Gratitude - turns what we have into enough...

A few months ago we had a small, tender mercy that I have thought about over and over again.  As I sat in Sacrament Meeting today and listened to a friend's sweet talk on gratitude I remembered my little experience and wanted to document it and share it with people I love.

We were driving down the road one morning.  I think we were headed to church....normally this involves me frantically putting my makeup on in the car, the kids fighting about whether or not we had brought crayons to draw with at church, and general feelings of mayhem.  But in the midst of that it was quiet and calm for a moment and Gabe said, "Mom, Dad?  I just wanted to say thanks for taking us to a movie this weekend."

That was it - he just wanted to say THANKS.

He didn't want to express gratitude in hopes for something more.  He wasn't saying thanks so that I'd remember how fun it was and take him to another movie right away - he simply wanted to express gratitude - nothing more.  It made my heart fill with love for my children.  I'm sure it wasn't something he remembers doing and my husband says he doesn't remember it even happening, but it was a big moment for me.  My child was recognizing the value of expressing thanks for something.  It made me want to express gratitude more, and it made his simple expression of gratitude mean even more to me.

It made me think of my own expression of gratitude to my Heavenly Father.  How often do I pause to just say thank you?  How often do I not think about other things I could ask for, but simply tell Him I'm grateful for all He has richly blessed me with?  My prayers do involve gratitude - but all together too often that expression of gratitude is then followed with a list of things I also "need" or "want".  Most of the time I'm asking for good things, and frequently I'm even asking for things for other people - but inevitably my prayers are asking for things.

It made me think about how my Heavenly Father would feel if my prayers occasionally were only prayers of gratitude?  It made me want to spend more time in communication with my Heavenly Father and telling Him thank-you for the people He's placed in my life, the work we've had, the callings He has blessed me with, the physical blessings I've been given.  It made me want to acknowledge His hand in every aspect of my life.

So I encourage you to go and read this talk on gratitude by my sweet friend. During this spirit of Thanksgiving please have an "attitude of gratitude" and let the peace that can come from expressing that gratitude fill your lives, your homes and your heart.  I know I am so richly blessed and I hope I can adequately express my appreciation for that to my Heavenly Father.

Beautiful Quote...

I came across this quote tonight in some reading I was doing.  My heart stopped for a moment, my spirit told me it was true and the peace our Heavenly Father promises poured out.  So sweet, so very, very sweet!

"Never look ahead to the changes and challenges of this life in fear. Instead, as they arise look at them with full assurance that God, whose you are, will deliver you out of them… So hold tightly to His loving hands and He will lead you safely through all things. And when you cannot stand He will carry you in His arms…. Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you unwavering strength that you may bear it. Be at peace, then, and set aside all anxious thoughts and worries".  (--Francis De Sales)

Regret....

Saw this on FB this morning...couldn't have said it better myself. I had a little "incident" with my alarm clock this morning and I apparently changed it to go off an hour later.  It all happened somewhere between being asleep and kind of awake in the middle of the night.  I have a very vague memory of it....Bummer too - I was looking forward to running with my buds.  :( 

Color Fix - Digital Scrapbooking HEAVEN!

So what are YOU doing to celebrate this weekend?  Celebrate what you ask? Digital Scrapbooking Day???  I highly reccomend that you head over to FayEtte Designs and stock up on her newest AWESOME kits.  This set is possibly my favorite kit of Fayette's EVER.  I know I've said this before....but I think this might be one of my favorites!  The kits coordinate with each other, work great on their own and are FULL of beautiful embellishments!

Check them all out in the Pickleberry Pop shop.  ColorFIX Mega Bundle   

Time 4 Gratitude

Well, she's done it again!  Fayette of Fayette Designs has blown another one out of the park.  Check out this DARLING new kit that's just been released:

Time4Gratitude Thanksgiving Add-On Kit http://www.pickleberrypop.com/shop/p...roductid=20694 

Time4Gratitude – WordArt http://www.pickleberrypop.com/shop/p...roductid=20692 

Time4Gratitude Dig-ETTE-al Kit http://www.pickleberrypop.com/shop/p...roductid=20695

Time4Gratitude – The Bundle! http://www.pickleberrypop.com/shop/p...roductid=20696

Here's a couple of layouts I did with the kit.  I wish I had a weekend to just play and scrap - I have some fun ideas floating around my head, just not enough time.  :)

"I Know The Scriptures Are True"

This year in church the Primary theme was "I Know The Scriptures Are True".  I have LOVED listening to the things the boys have learned in Primary as they've listened to their teacher and leaders.  This has been Hunter's first year in Primary (he's a Sunbeam - the youngest group in Primary) and it has been amazing to hear him sing the songs, or repeat the things he learns in Primary.  He might look like he's not listening in class or sharing time, but he is!  I love hearing him repeat simple (and sometimes not-so-simple) gospel truths.

So today the kids presented their yearly program in Sacrament Meeting.  It's a meeting once a year where the kids in Primary share the songs and lessons they've learned through the year.  Every child generally will have a speaking part, interspersed throughout the music they've also learned.  It's a beautiful, touching meeting - one of my favorite of the year!  This year both boys had parts.  Gabe said, "I felt good when I went to visit the temple with my family."  Hunter's part was, "I am thankful to Heavenly Father for my 2 dogs."  My heart melted to hear them at the microphone and I loved the music!

But what was even more beautiful and special was what happened later - at home with our family.  The boys were given scripture marking pencils with a treat to tell them "good job" on the program.  They wanted to mark a couple scriptures in their own Book of Mormons.  I tried to explain that we didn't just mark up our scriptures, but we purposefully chose scriptures to underline - scriptures that were important to us.  Gabe said, "But Mom, I have a scripture that's special to me - we read about it when Nephi needed to get the plates from Laban and he said, 'I will go and do what you asked me to do.'"  So he brought me his Book of Mormon and we opened it to the scripture in 1st Nephi 3:7:

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

I had pointed to the verse and Gabe started reading it.  He got about 2/3 the way through the verse (reading 95% of the words on his own) and said, "MOM!  I'M READING THE SCRIPTURES!!!"  His eyes lit up and he was excited that his reading was coming in handy and HE was doing the reading this time around.  He was thrilled and wanted to call Nana and Papa on the webcam to read his new favorite scripture to them too.  It gave me goosebumps and my eyes filled with tears - my little guy was reading, he was reading the scriptures, and he was excited about it! It was one of the moments that made it all worth it.

So I said to he and Hunter, "It's great to be able to read the scriptures, and then after you've read the Book of Mormon for yourself you can pray about it and find out for yourself if it's true." Gabe said, "But Mom, why would we need to do that?  We already KNOW that the sciprtures are true."  I explained that it's important for us to each know for ourselves if something is true and we can pray to find out for ourselves.  Gabe said, "Yeah, but I already KNOW myself!"  Then Hunter chimed in and said, "Yeah Mom, just like in the song we sing in Primary - 'I KNOW The Scriptures Are True'!"  They were both so adamant that they already knew for themselves that the gospel and scriptures are true. 

What a proud and humbling parenting moment.  Looking at those boys and their undeniable faith and knowledge that the scriptures are true humbled me.  If they had no doubt in their sweet minds, then I as their mother need to be sure that my faith is unshakable and firm as ever.  Now I know that my job is not done, and that there will be opprotunities all along my parenting journey to instill gospel truths and testimony building opprotunities - but it felt so good to know that their foundation we're helping them build was founded on a belief that the scriptures are true.  I know that foundations like that will bless their lives, and many more in the years to come.  I sure do love those boys and their sweet testimonies!

Relief Society Lesson #42 - The Gathering of the House of Israel

As I've mentioned before I teach in the Relief Society at church.  This month's lesson is from the Gospel Principles manual - #42 about the Gathering of Israel. Here are some good resources I used to learn more:

• Come: Let Israel Build Zion by Bruce R. McConkie
• Gathering Scattered Israel: Then and Now by Paul K. Browning
• The Gathering of Scattered Israel by Elder Russell M. Nelson

Here are some ideas to use for Family Home Evening with your families.  All of these ideas were listed on another blog I found from another ward's Relief Society.

• Sharing Time: I Can Share the Gospel Now
• Sharing Time: Missionaries Publish Peace
• Sharing Time: Temples in all Times
• LDS Living: Missionary Work

New Quick Pages! Bippity Boppity!

I have a new QUICK PAGE ALBUM in the store at Sweet Shoppe Designs today.  Check out this fun kit by Libby Pritchett's store ("Bippity Boppity") that is perfect to create projects or layouts with Halloween pictures.  Not your typical halloween kit, but a super fun and girly twist. 

So head over to the Sweet Shoppe and get this new quick page album while it's on sale!

THANKS!

Totally Autumn kit by Fay-Ette Designs

I feel kind of silly saying, "This is the cutest kit I've ever seen by Fay-ETTE's Designs" - because Fayette seems to out-do herself with EVERY kit she puts out.  She's amazing!  But this kit is absolutely amazing.  Beautiful flowers, cute pumpkins, great frames, borders, adoreable apples - it's amazing!!  And if you head over to Fayette's blog you can get a freebie too!

Totally Autumn Bundle: http://www.pickleberrypop.com/shop/product.php?productid=20575
Totally Autumn Dig-Ette-al Kit  http://www.pickleberrypop.com/shop/product.php?productid=20574
Totally Autumn Alpha  http://www.pickleberrypop.com/shop/product.php?productid=20572

FREEBIE can be found here:  http://fayettedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/10/save-on-totally-autumn-in-my-pbp.html

General Conference

This weekend is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint's semi-annual General Conference.  Already I'm feeling uplifted, inspired and blessed.  LOVE the church leaders and their timely messages for everyone!  You can watch here - check it out!!!

Lego Show-and-Tell

So Gabe has Show-and-Tell tomorrow at school. He originally wanted to take some of his completed Lego creations. I wasn't looking forward to the tears that were certain to happen when the pieces fell apart and things were missing when he got home. So I came up with a better idea - I'm making Gabe a mini-book using some pictures of a few of his competed projects. (Sadly this is just scratching the surface - that kid has entirely too many Legos!)  My friend Libby has a DARLING brag-book using her "Some Assembly Required" kit. You can find it in her store at Sweet Shoppe.

I'm printing the pictures right now in 1-hour photo.  They are just the simple 4x6 size. I think printing them in the 1-hour service costs around .19$ per picture - a total of $2.05 with tax. Then I'll stick 2 pictures together (back to back) and run them through my laminator. I'll put a hole in the corner of the pictures and put them all on a ring. It will be a little flip book for him to take with him for show and tell. That way he can show some of his creations and not have to worry about losing things.

I'll try to take some pictures of the finished project, but for now here are the photos that will be in our little project.

You Are Not Forgotten!

This talk is by far one of my favorite talks EVER! I love President Uctdorf anyway, but this talk just seemed too perfect - like he really understood the women of the church. Like he really understood ME. I felt the love of my Heavenly Father as I've listened and re-listened to the message. What a beautiful talk, what a beautiful reminder for us as women!

http://lds.org/general-conference/watch/2011/10?lang=eng&vid=1180453706001&cid=7

Please take a few minutes to listen to it if you haven't....and if you have - listen again - it's still awesome!

I also really enjoyed Stacy Julian's recap on the talk. Check out what she had to say about it too.