A Day In My Life

Milestone Templates.... For Baby's Second Year!!

2013-06-11T14:35:00.000-06:00

Good news!

I've had several requests to make Milestone Templates for months 13-24, and I've FINALLY finished them up. If you're interested, here they are in the store:

The Rest of Easter

2013-04-02T15:34:00.000-06:00

My mom wanted to dye eggs with the kids, and Justin has been working on finishing her basement, so I packed everything up and took it to her house so both of them could be part of the festivities. This year I found a kit with markers that looked fun, except I didn't really think it through. Obviously if the markers weren't going to come off the eggs in the dye... they wouldn't come off skin/clothing/etc. Oops.

Avery had fun until I realized my mistake.

Harvey had fun manning the colors but lost interest fairly quickly. Avery on the other hand, had fun adding stickers to the eggs even after we were done.

These eggs were my favorite. The rest we just dyed solid colors with white crayon names. Although the markers were messy (and the kids went to church with traces of red and blue on their hands) it was pretty cool to see the results.

After church I forced the family to pose for a picture...

...then we let the kids "find" their baskets on the couch.

I tried to get more non-edible things this year. Harvey got a book about the Sacrament, a cute quizzing Gospel card game (that can also be played like memory), and some bubbles. Avery got a book about colors, some little Temple cards, bubbles, and a little chick that cheeps when you hold it in your hand. I also made a couple of books out of the mini Mormon Ads that you can purchase at the distribution center. But... despite all of that, the Pez dispensers were the immediate hit.

It has always been the tradition to search for our whole baskets (even when Justin and I were kids), but this year we decided it might be fun to have our own little egg hunt in the backyard instead. Even though we only have two kiddos, I color coded the eggs so Harvey searched for blue and Avery picked up the pink eggs. It actually worked really well so Avery could "find" eggs that were out in the open, but Harvey had to search a little harder to find his.

The other thing I liked about it was that I only had a couple jelly beans in each one (and made sure no chocolate eggs ended up in Avery's basket) so they were able to have a little candy but not too much.

After naptime, we headed over to my mom's house for a delicious dinner (I didn't get a picture!) and then over to Justin's parents' for dessert and another egg hunt.

Grandma Keetch hides plastic eggs with candy, as well as crochetted eggs. It was cracking me up to see the older kids bypass the crochetted eggs completely and zero in on the ones with the goodies inside. But it actually worked out good because Avery didn't care and enjoyed gathering all the eggs she could find... candy or not.

Well, at least until the hunt was over and she noticed all of the other kids munching on jelly beans. Then she was definitely interested in opening the plastic ones...

Overall, I really enjoyed celebrating Easter all week. It was so nice to concentrate on the real reason we celebrate - that Jesus Christ completed the atonement, died and rose again on the third day.

Easter Week

2013-03-31T22:28:00.000-06:00

When I read about Jen Lund's Easter traditions, I knew I had to follow suit. She uses the book, A Christ-Centered Easter by Janet and Joe Hales, so I purchased a copy.

I revamped my Resurrection Eggs, and added a few more symbols (and eggs - now we have 15).

Sunday - The Triumphal Entry

The symbols for today are a donkey and some palm branches.

We sang Hosanna and talked about the meaning of the word (love this explanation, and Harvey really understood the swimming pool/lifeguard analogy). Then we made our own palm branches; we traced the kid's hands on green paper, cut and taped them to a popsicle stick. Then we did a simple reenactment of the Triumphal Entry.

Monday - Cleansing the Temple

The symbols for today are a temple and a lamb - to represent the people that were selling animals there.

We talked about how special temples are while the kids each held a picture of a temple. Then I showed them some pictures of the inside of temples, and we talked about how clean they are kept. I told them the temple is Jesus' house, and asked how he would feel in our home. We talked about some things that we would do to make Jesus more comfortable here, and set goals for this week. (I found later, that one mom had her children write their goal on paper, then they crumpled them up and swept them out the door! I love the imagery and want to remember that for next year).

Tuesday - Teaching Parables (The Widow's Mite)

The symbols for today are 2 mites.

We talked about how it was (and is) a commandment to give back to the church. We talked about the wealthy men that gave lots of coins, and Harvey dropped a big handful of change into a metal bowl - making a "loud sound". Then we talked about the widow that only gave 2 mites (just like pennies in our day), and Harvey dropped them into the bowl noticing that they made a "small sound." I asked him which person gave more... and then we talked about Christ's answer to that question. I also showed him a tithing slip and discussed 10 percent with 10 pennies. Then I gave him 2 chocolate coins and told him that when we give, Heavenly Father gives us blessings.

Wednesday - The Last Supper (there is nothing documented on this day in the scriptures, so we talked about one of the events that happened on Thursday)

The symbols for today are a metal thimble (cup), and a cracker.

We read a little book called "A Touch of Passover". It was perfect to explain to my children some of the traditions of the Passover. The kids loved feeling the element on each page (matza, bitter herb, sticky wine, etc). We talked about how Jesus introduced the sacrament to his disciples and how some of the symbols are the same. I made a Jerusalem style dinner with foods that Jesus and his disciples might have eaten. We had Lentil Soup, grapes, saltine crackers (matza), and grape juice (wine).

Harvey loved eating out of the wooden bowls and kept asking if he could eat more matza. I wanted to do more, but I was feeling really tired. Next year I'll try to incorporate more authentic foods.

Thursday - The Garden of Gethsemane

The symbols for today are a red piece of fabric (representing Christ's blood) and an olive.

Thursdays are really busy for us, because I am taking an institute class and Justin has a basketball league... so I just did a simple little activity to demonstrate the atonement of Christ. Plus, our kids are so young it was better to keep it simple. We opened the egg, and read in D&C 19 where Christ describes his experience in the Garden. Then we filled a vase with water (symbolizing us), added some red food coloring (symbolizing our sins), and then added a white tulip (symbolizing Jesus Christ).

As we partake of His atonement, He will take upon our sins. I tried to find a carnation, but I was pleased that the tulip had already turned pinkish after only 45 minutes. I wonder if an Easter Lily would work for next year? Also, I had the thought that after we repent - our sins would be gone, thus the water wouldn't be red. Maybe I should replace the water at bedtime to remove the "sin".

Friday - Jesus' Trials and Crucifixion

We had lots of eggs to open today....
Betrayal/Arrest: sword, rope, 3 dimes
Peter's Denial: red feather
Trials/Mocking of Christ: purple cloth, crown of thorns, soap
Crucifixion: cross, 2 nails
Soldiers Actions: 2 dice, sponge soaked in vinegar
Darkness/Earthquakes: 3 black stones
Burial: strip of cheesecloth, flat & round stone

As we opened each egg, we talked about the story behind each symbol. Some of the stories were over Harvey's head, but it was good to give him exposure. Then we watched the Mormon Message: None Were With Him by Elder Holland.

Saturday - Jesus' Visit to the Spirit World

The symbols for today are: spices and a white glove (to explain the body/spirit)

We talked a little bit about the women that came to the tomb to treat Jesus' body with spices. Then we talked about what happens to your body and spirit when you die. (Body stays on earth while your spirit goes to the spirit world). When I told Harvey that Jesus' spirit went to the spirit world he asked me if Jesus went to visit my dad. I had to explain the time difference, but it made me smile that he is understanding this doctrine. We talked about the message that Jesus had for the spirits there.

Sunday - The Resurrection

As the week progressed I added the pictures to the wall, and Harvey loved to review what actions Jesus took during his last week.

The symbol for today is an empty egg!

Harvey was disappointed the egg was empty; I had to explain that it was a good thing! We made Resurrection Rolls for an afternoon snack because we have 9 am church.

Overall, I am pleased with how this week turned out. It was really good for me to familiarize myself with the details of Christ's last week, and I really enjoyed researching and discovering the symbolism of the Passover. Someday, when my children are old enough to appreciate all of it, I can't wait to share it with them.

Random. (That's the best I've got)

2013-02-05T09:30:00.002-07:00

..tap.. tap.. Is anyone still out there?

Just so you know, I'm not dead. It's just been a long couple of months.

- The freezing temperatures outside have all but locked us in the house... especially since we don't really have to be anywhere. My active little Harvey doesn't even want to go outside, yet he's climbing the walls.

- After the hoopla of Christmas, which I really did try to minimalize, January and February just seem so boring and lonely.

- In December, I felt sick... because I'm pregnant! (Due in August.)

- And then in January, I got sick. Actually, the whole family did. First, with colds and flu, and now we are finally trying to kick the stomach bug that has been going around our house for the last week. Poor Avery has had it the worst; and she's got a sensitive stomach anyway.

- During that whole episode... I had terrible heartburn one night, so in my groggy state I whipped up the only thing we had in our cabinet: Alka-Seltzer. After drinking half, I had a thought that it might be on the "no-no" list for pregnant women, and sure enough... it was. The worst part?? It's on that list because it contains aspirin which I'm extra sensitive to anyway. It severely thins my blood and I get weird reactions, like vertigo and 1.5 hour long bloody noses. But this time... I went peacefully to sleep, then woke up the next morning and puked my guts out. Well, to be perfectly correct... I strained so hard I ended up with peticchae (aka broken capillaries that look like tiny red freckles all over my face). Luckily, they are healing up quickly; only showing up on my eyelids, temples and cheeks now.

- Due to all of that, we haven't been to church in two weeks, I had to miss my Institute class last week, and I feel like we can't invite anyone over for fear of contaminating them... let alone go on a little field trip to just get out of the house!

- I'm tired. I'm ornery. I'm quick tempered. Especially at 7:00 in the morning, when Avery decided (after waking up at midnight to puke some more) she wanted to be up for the day in a loud enough manner that everyone was up. And that's sayin' a lot for this family. We don't function before 8:00 am.

Anyway... I just feel so disconnected. And the thought of blogging again, and trying to catch up on all the posts that I haven't done (want to read about Halloween anyone?) just depresses me. And winter is already depressing.

Just so I don't use and abuse you by making you read this downer of a post, I'll send you over to read another post about cherishing motherhood (which I read, and got a little uplifted and motivated to be less ornery and quick-tempered no matter what the time..). It's a good one.

Baby Jesus

2012-12-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Song: "Away In a Manger" (Hymns 206)

"She brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger." (Luke 2:7). We are drawn to Mary's efforts to care for her newborn child the best she could in the rude circumstances. Swaddling clothes were strips of cloth used to wrap around newborns. The baby was typically rubbed with oil before the strips of cloth were applied. Swaddling kept the baby warm, dry, and protected from skin infections. (Wikipedia)

I wonder if it looked something similar to these Pakistani twin babies:

(image via here)

Or if it were more like this depiction of swaddling with one long strip of cloth (or many tied together).

("Madonna and Child" by Ambrogio Lorenzetti)

Every baby during that time was wrapped in swaddling clothes, but only Christ was laid in a manger. When Jesus entered the world, he was born into humble circumstances. Mary and Joseph were far away from their home in Nazareth, and could only find refuge and privacy in a stable. Having no bed for Jesus, they made use of a manger. When I think of little Baby Jesus lying in a manger, I imagine him in a little crib. But, a manger isn't a bed - it's a box used to feed animals; not a bed - but a table!

Now, remembering what we learned about the Bread of Life (John 6:35), does that bring special imagery when you hear the words of the sacrament blessing: "Bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son" (D&C 20:77). Thus, the Bread of Life was born in the House of Bread and placed on a feeding trough as if being offered to you and I, and "he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever" (John 6:38). A symbolic gesture for all who wish to partake of Eternal Life.

In Bethlehem, this feeding box was probably made of stone, like this one.

(image via here)

What can we learn from the Baby Jesus?
The greatest Christmas gift ever given was wrapped in swaddling clothes. Consider what that gift means to you. How has your life been blessed because of the birth of Christ? What are some of the gifts he gives?

Activity: Your Gift to Jesus Christ
Pass out a card to everyone. We are going to each give a gift to Jesus. Think of a gift you can give: something you want to commit to work on; a goal that will bring you closer to Christ. Write or draw your gift (or Mommy/Daddy will help you) on the card.

Pass out an envelope to everyone. These envelopes contain your gift to Jesus from last year. Before placing your new card in the envelope, review last year's gift and reflect on how you did and consider if you were really able to journey closer to Christ. When you have inserted your new gift into the envelope, you can place it inside Jesus' white stocking.

Activity: Make Haystack Cookies

Ingredients:
- 1 package chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 4 cups chow mein noodles
- mini marshmallows

1. Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together for 1 min in microwave, stir and microwave for additional 1 ½ min until melted. Add chow mein noodles and toss together gently with 2 forks until well blended.

2. Drop onto waxed paper. Add a marshmallow to represent baby Jesus. Allow chocolate to cool and harden before eating.

Other Credits: I adapted some of the information from the Christmas devotional plan compiled by Jen Lund (scroll down to Christmas).

__________

For a list of the rest of my Christmas Devotionals, see this post.

Bethlehem

2012-12-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Song: "Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem" (Hymns 208)

We have already learned about what the trip to Bethlehem must have been like for Joseph and Mary. But it was important that they go to Bethlehem. It was well known at the time of the Savior’s birth that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. When the wise men traveled to Jerusalem and inquired of Herod about the new king, Herod assembled his wise men and leaders and “demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel” (Matthew 2:4-6).

(Image via here)

But it is not just prophecy that makes the place significant. The word Bethlehem means “house of bread.” How interesting that the "Bread of Life" (John 6:35) was physically born in the "House of Bread." And, we know that spiritually, the "Bread of Life" is born again in everyone who chooses to partake of Him. Not only by believing on Him, and obeying His commandments, but by taking His name upon us - all covenants we renew when taking the sacrament. This brings new meaning to the words in Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem:

"How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him still,

The dear Christ enters in."

Activity: Make and decorate little "houses of bread" - gingerbread houses.
__________

For a list of the rest of my Christmas Devotionals, see this post.

The Innkeeper

2012-12-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

"Each of us in an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus." - Neal A. Maxwell.

When I started pondering the Innkeeper and what his message would be my first thought was negative. I mean, he's the guy that shuts the door on Joseph and Mary, right? But as I kept pondering, I felt something different. It was when I stumbled upon this message that my feelings were put into words. Jeff Taylor says it perfectly, and he has graciously allowed me to post them here...

"I had never thought much about the innkeeper. He is depicted in Christmas stories and pageants generally in one of two ways. Either he closes his door in the faces of the couple, or he shows them around back to the stables with the animals. What is the truth about the innkeeper?

None of the biblical accounts of the birth of Jesus even mentions the innkeeper. In fact, the only reference to a manger or an inn is in the Book of Luke. “And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke.2:7). On the basis of that single sentence, we convict the innkeeper of shutting Jesus out. Perhaps we have been too hard on him.

I think the innkeeper is an improbable hero. He had no reason to know that the strangers at his door were about to bring the Messiah into the world. Had he known, perhaps he would have made room for them, but that would have meant that some other weary travelers would need to be displaced. Yet, rather than making excuses, the innkeeper was resourceful, and gave what he could give—not a room or even a corner in his already crowded inn, but the stable that demonstrates that the King of the world is at home with the humblest of the humble.

The arrival of the long-expected Messiah stood out in contrast to peoples’ expectations. He did not come in a manner befitting of a king. No pomp and circumstance, no great earthquake, no thunder and lightning, no burning bush, but humbly and anonymously in a barn to a young unmarried woman. The Jesus born in those surroundings would grow up to teach us to believe the unbelievable, to be prepared for the unexpected, and that the poor and meek will occupy a prominent place in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Less prominent than even the lowly shepherds and animals, the innkeeper is neither mentioned by the writers of the gospel nor placed in the crèches that adorn our mantels and tables during Christmastime. Rather, he was and is behind the scenes, humbly and anonymously playing a major part in God’s great plan. He serves as a reminder to us that God uses what we have. Perhaps we should be more like the innkeeper.

Dear God, Give me the compassion of the innkeeper. Even when circumstances indicate that I have used up everything I have to give, give me the courage to stand out in contrast to the status quo, and the awareness and the resourcefulness to make room for Christ. Amen."

Isn't that beautiful? I'd like to add that perhaps the Innkeeper was inspired, or prompted by the Spirit even, to allow this special couple to use his stable. There is so much symbolism of where exactly the Christ child was born, plus the fact that prophecies told of the baby Jesus lying in a manger - I think that this one Innkeeper was spiritually in tune enough to think of his stable because that is where Jesus Christ was meant to be born.

I also found a story with a similar point of view at our library: "The Innkeeper's Wife" by Lynda M. Wilson. It is obviously fiction, but I love that it tells the beautiful story of a good woman who decided to help Joseph and Mary deliver their baby into the world. And it's written in such a way that it really could have happened. I mean, it was her first baby after all... wouldn't she have needed a midwife?

How can we be like the Innkeeper? To allow the spirit to guide us, using our resources and what we have to offer, to help others Come Unto Christ.

__________

For a list of the rest of my Christmas Devotionals, see this post.

The Camel

2012-12-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Song: "Jesus is Our Loving Friend" (Children's Songbook 58) or "I Love to Pray" (Children's Songbook 25)

The Secret of the Camel
The camel is an interesting animal. It is not one of the most beautiful. It has thick matted hair that falls off in clumps. It has knobby knees and a big hump on its back. It is referred to as a ruminant because it regurgitates its swallowed food to chew again, and then swallows it again. However, the camel is a wonderful pack animal. It is used for transportation in many countries. Camels can carry up to six hundred pounds and average twenty miles a day over rugged terrain. They can travel in hot conditions and go for long periods of time without water. They truly are amazing animals. Regardless of its looks or mannerisms, a camel is loved by its master, for it is useful, obedient, and needed.

Here is the camel's secret... Each night, at the end of a long day, the camel kneels at the feet of his master. His master carefully lifts the burden from the camel's back so it can rest comfortably through the night. The next morning, the camel kneels again before his master, and the master gently places the burden on the camel's back for another day. He is careful to rearrange things here or there if he sees that the pack is wearing a sore spot. This enables the camel to carry his burden for another day.

How can we be like the camel?
At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Throughout His life, the Savior was referred to as Master. He loves us regardless of our looks or mannerisms. He desires for us to be useful and obedient. May we practice the secret of the camel. As we kneel each night at the feet of our Master, may He lift our burdens, that we may rest well and comfortably. As we kneel each morning, may we realize that He knows of our pain, our suffering, and our sorrows, for He has felt them all. May our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ be sufficient to help us carry our burdens... for just one more day.

Credit: Rebecca Pulliam, Averdeen, Idaho, The Twelve Days of Christmas Encore! by Betty Van Orden

Other Ideas: Read "The Last Straw" by Fredrick Thury. Or take turns wearing a heavy backpack, walk around to feel the burden, then kneel down to have the burden removed/adjusted.

__________

For a list of the rest of my Christmas Devotionals, see this post.

The Wise Men

2012-12-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Song: "With Wondering Awe" (Hymns 210)

Matthew 2:1–12: states that wise men (how many is not recorded), guided by a new star, came to Bethlehem to worship Jesus sometime after his birth. Who these men were we are not told, but it is certain they were not ordinary men. That they were privileged to search out the Son of God and give him gifts, and that they were spiritually sensitive and knowledgeable, suggests that they were actually prophets on a divine errand (Bible Dictionary, Wise Men of the East).

I love that it says they were privileged.

("Journey of the Magi" by James Tissot)

We know they eventually found Jesus, but they didn't come to see the baby Jesus in the manger. The scriptures say they found the family in a "house" and Jesus was described not as an infant but as a "young child" (Matt 2:11). We have no clue as to when they arrived, but it could have been as much as two years after he was born - because, based on their information, Herod ordered the destruction of all children two years old and under in Bethlehem. It could have been because he was seeking a child of that age, or he might have added a year onto his order to give him a margin of security (Matt 2:7, 16). Though they met with Herod’s deceit, they were “warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod” but should go home “another way” (verse 12). The Wise Men acted on this revelation from God and protected the holy family from Herod’s evil intentions.

("The Holy Men" by Liz Lemon Swindle)

When their search was finally over and they had found the Christ child, they “fell down, and worshiped him” and presented their gifts of tribute and worship (verse 11). But the gifts were more than that. They were symbolic as well.

Gold symbolizes kingship and royalty, and was appropriately given to the newborn King of the Earth. The gold most likely helped Mary and Joseph travel to Egypt when they needed to protect Jesus' life from Herod.

Frankincense is used as a perfume, but more significantly it was used as incense and burned on the altar of the Jewish temple as a symbol of prayers arising to God. Thus frankincense became a symbol of priesthood, but more specifically the white smoke rising is a symbol that there is a connecting link between heaven and earth. What a fitting gift frankincense was for the King of Kings, the great High Priest, who is our connection with heaven. Frankincense was mixed with oils to anoint newborn infants and those considered to be moving into a new phase in their spiritual lives, and was a symbol of Christ's divinity - the Anointed One, beginning His mission on earth.

Myrrh is harvested by cutting into the trunk of the long, spiky-thorned bush, and letting the wound bleed. The sap that oozes out and then hardens is picked from the tree and used for perfumes, incense, and embalming. The world myrrh comes from the Aramaic word murr which means "bitter." At the time of the Savior it was used in Palestine to anoint dead bodies in preparation for burial. As such, Myrrh symbolized Christ's healing powers, the "bitter cup" He would drink, and also His death (along with the crown of thorns he adorned) and burial.

What can we learn from the Wise Men?
"Like them, we should study the scriptures and know the signs to watch for as we all prepare the earth for the Savior’s Second Coming. Then, as we search and ponder the scriptures, we will more fully desire to seek the Lord every day of our lives and, as a gift to Him, give up our selfishness, pride, and rebelliousness. When personal revelation comes to alter the plans we have made, we can obey, having faith and trust that God knows what is best for us. And ultimately, through lives of true discipleship, we must fall down and worship the Savior in humility and love. This discipleship doesn’t necessarily require us to leave our sheep in the fields or to cross deserts. Our journey to Him isn’t physical; it is spiritual and behavioral. It involves accepting and embracing the fact that His Atonement is infinite and covers every aspect of our lives—our sin, weakness, pain, sickness, and infirmity (see Alma 7:11–13). It means that we can let go of those things that hold us down in the gloomy fog of our own inversion and live instead in the warmth and love of the Light of the World. As President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, has taught: 'The words ‘come unto Christ’ are an invitation. It is the most important invitation you could ever offer to another person. It is the most important invitation anyone could accept.' " ("Come Let Us Adore Him" by Elder Patrick Kearon, Ensign, December 2010.)

Other Credits:
Wikipedia: Myrrh, and Frankincense; and the Christmas devotional plan compiled by Jen Lund (scroll down to Christmas).
__________

For a list of the rest of my Christmas Devotionals, see this post.

The Star

2012-12-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

Song: "Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus" (Children's Songbook p.36)

One of the most exciting signs of Christ's birth was a new star in the heavens. "At the birth of Him who once identified Himself as the 'bright and morning star,' a new star appeared in the heavens. Shining brightly over Bethlehem, that star had been placed in orbit far in advance of the foretold event in order that its light could coincide in time and place with His blessed birth" (Russell M. Nelson, "Why This Holy Land?," Ensign, Dec 1989).

Most of us hear or tell the familiar story of the wise men that followed the new star in the east to find the Christ Child at Christmastime. But there was another story, happening on another continent at that time.
(Act out the story with your family as you tell it. Throw paper balls at Samuel?)

Around 6 years before the birth of Christ, Samuel the prophet was preaching to the Nephite people, "...and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born. And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you" (Helaman 14:2-5). You are 4 years old - try to imagine you heard that prophecy. Would you believe him?

("Samuel the Lamanite on the Wall" by Arnold Friberg)

Those who didn't believe Samuel threw stones and shot arrows at him as he stood on the wall, but they could not hit him because the Lord was protecting him. Some of the people believed him, but most did not. They tried to capture him, but he jumped down from the wall and was never heard from again. Samuel bore a strong testimony of Jesus Christ even though many people were trying to hurt him.

Five years passed, and the wicked Nephites said that the time for Jesus' birth had already passed.

Read 1 Nephi 1:6-8: "And they began to rejoice over their brethren, saying: Behold the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been vain. And it came to pass that they did make a great uproar throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had been spoken might not come to pass. But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been in vain."

Then the wicked people did a really terrible thing. They set apart a day to kill all the people who believed Samuel if the sign didn't come. (3 Nephi 1:9) The righteous people were probably very scared. Try to imagine you are 9 or 10 years old - what would you do? Would you deny your testimony and go with the wicked? Or would you stand up for what you believed and possibly die? Then the day came for the believers to be tested. And that night the sign came. (3 Nephi 1:15). There was a day, and a night, and a day with no darkness - letting everyone know that Jesus Christ was born.

(Painting by Damir Krivenko)

Then about 34 years later (imagine you are about 44 years old), another sign happened in the land. When Jesus died, there was a night, and a day, and a night with no light. The Nephites were probably very scared, but at the end of the darkness, Jesus appeared to them and said, "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world..." (3 Nephi 11:10-11). The very first thing he says is "I am the Light" - the light that saved your life when you were 10. Everyone fell to the earth.

Christ is the light. The light (or star) in the sky testified that he came into the world, and the light went away for three days when he died.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught us: "The same God that placed that star in a precise orbit millennia before it appeared over Bethlehem in celebration of the birth of the Baby, has given at least equal attention to placement of each of us in precise orbits so that we may, if we will, illuminate the landscape of our individual lives, so that our light may not only lead others but warm them as well." Heavenly Father knows each one of us and loves us. He wants us to share the light we have with others.

(A scene from "Star of Wonder: Mystery of the Christmas Star." )

How can we be like the star?
The wise men followed a new star in the sky because they knew it would lead them to the Christ child. Did you know that you can be like that star and lead others to Jesus Christ?

"I am like a star shining brightly, Smiling for the whole world to see. I can do and say Happy things each day, For I know Heav'nly Father loves me (Children's Songbook, page 163)."

Activity: Make star cookies and give some away.

Butterscotch Eggnog Stars (from Taste of Home)
Yield: about 3 dozen.

Ingredients

2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup eggnog
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup crushed hard butterscotch candies

Icing:

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon rum extract
2 to 3 tablespoons eggnog
Yellow colored sugar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and eggnog. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion at a time to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-1/2-in. star cutter. Cut out centers with a 1-1/2-in. star cutter. Line baking sheets with foil; grease foil.

3. Place large star cutouts on prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon candy in center of each. Repeat with remaining dough; reroll small cutouts if desired

4. Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Carefully slide foil and cookies form baking sheets onto wire racks to cool.

5. For icing if desired, beat confectioners' sugar, rum extract and enough eggnog to achieve drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cookies if desired. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired. Let stand until hardened.

Credits:

I adapted information from a Stake Conference talk by Elder Bednar in 2010, as well as the Christmas devotional plan compiled by Jen Lund (scroll down to Christmas).

__________

For a list of the rest of my Christmas Devotionals, see this post.

Winners!

2012-12-10T12:02:00.002-07:00

I meant to post this on Saturday, but this weekend turned out to be a bit crazy.

I'll just get right to it: here are the three readers that will be getting a Home Executive Planner in the mail shortly...

I'm so excited for you gals - you will love this planner. It's got a little bit of everything!

Get another peek inside of the planner by clicking on the image above..

Don't forget, if you need a last minute gift for the gal who has everything, or just want one for yourself, the Home Executive Planner is on sale for a limited time... for only $9.99. You can check out all the details and order from Jen's Blog.

Thanks to those of you who played along!

The Donkey

2012-12-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

Song: "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful" (Hymns 202)

The Donkey has been used as a working animal for at least 5000 years. They make the perfect work mates as they walk at about the same pace as people and tend to be able to do more work for their size than any other beast of burden except mules. Donkeys are thrifty and don't need the high protein a horse or pony requires. They are patient and long suffering to boot. Often donkeys will work without even a halter or bridle and will stay with their masters all day working willingly.

Although donkeys have a notorious reputation for stubbornness, it is likely based on a stronger prey instinct and a weaker connection with man. It is very difficult to force or frighten a donkey into doing something it perceives to be dangerous for whatever reason. But, once a person has earned their confidence they can be willing and companionable partners and very dependable in work.

("Journey to Bethlehem" by Joseph Brickey)

The scriptures leave us clueless as to whether Joseph and Mary had a donkey to help with their journey. The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about 92 miles long; a trip that would have taken them about 4-5 days. In addition, the last leg of the journey would have been the hardest of all. Jericho is the lowest city on the globe, and Jerusalem and Bethlehem are situated right in the top of the hills - about 3,500 feet uphill. Having gone through two pregnancies, I cannot imagine how exhausted Mary would have been after this journey whether or not she had to walk the entire way. I like to think that a little, loyal companion took upon some of her burden by letting her ride a part of that journey.

Christian tradition holds that donkeys originally had unmarked hides, and that it was only after Christ's entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey that they received the dark cross on their backs.

(image via here)

As the legend goes, the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday refused to leave the Master and continued to follow Him even as he was arrested and sentenced to the cross. The donkey was there as Jesus hung on the cross, but he couldn't bear to watch. So, he silently stood by with his face turned away. The shadow of the cross fell across the little donkey's back and left the mark that was passed on to all the donkey's children as a symbol of the donkey's love for Jesus and Jesus' love for us all.

Of course, this is a legend only, not Biblical truth. But the truth is just as wonderful as the story - that all of the donkeys were created with this mark of the cross, bearing testimony to the true story of Christ's love for man and His ultimate sacrifice for our redemption.

The hairs from the cross were widely believed to cure a number of ailments, and were often worn in a charm around the neck to guard against whooping-cough, toothache, fits, and to ease teething pains in babies.

How can we be like the donkey?

We can be loyal and helpful, easing one another's burdens, showing them love just as Christ has shown His love for us. Can you think of someone who needs your help? Someone who has a burden that you could lighten, just a little? It is through our hands that God works His miracles.

Credits: Wikipedia - Donkey, Ram Horn Studio
__________

For a list of the rest of my Christmas Devotionals, see this post.

Joseph

2012-12-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Song: "When Joseph Went to Bethlehem" Children's Songbook, p. 38

What kind of a person was Joseph? He is described as a "just or upright man" (Matt. 1:19). He must have also been kind-hearted and merciful, because he planned to "put [Mary] away privily" (Matt 1:18-19) with compassion instead of have her possibly stoned to death under the Law of Moses (Deut. 22:21) or at the very least have her reputation damaged if her condition was made public.

(Annunciation to Joseph, by Joseph Brickey)

Plus we know that he was close enough to the Spirit to receive revelation about what he should do in his predicament. He heard from the angel, "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary they wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21).

One significant thing to note about this experience, is that Mary didn't reveal the sacred truth of the origin of her unborn child, which could have easily been justified in her situation. She "kept all these sayings in her heart" (Luke 2:19), meaning, she kept sacred things sacred, even when (as far as she could tell) her reputation and future were in jeopardy.

("Grace of God" by Jay Bryant Ward)

A father is responsible to teach correct principles to his children by example, Joseph was an example to Jesus of being spiritually sensitive and kind. Joseph hearkened to divine guidance through the ministrations of angels and by dreams. He protected Mary and Jesus by obeying the instructions from the angel in taking them away from the danger of Herod's army, and fleeing to Egypt, and then back to Nazareth when the danger passed. Joseph was a carpenter, and we know that Jesus followed the same occupation.

Joseph was a valiant servant of the Lord and the one chosen to watch over, protect, and raise the Savior of the World. Let's try to be obedient like Joseph in doing all the Lord commands us to do.

When Joseph and Mary walked around Bethlehem and realized there was no room at the inn, how do you think Joseph felt? His wife was pregnant and almost due; where would she be able to lay comfortably? Where could he lay their new baby? He probably saw the manger, and wanted to prepare it with soft straw.

How can we be like Joseph?
(Show manger). Does this manger look soft? We should be like Joseph and make it soft for the baby Jesus. (Show "straw"). Each piece of straw we put in the manger will represent one kind thing we do for someone between now and Christmas. The more kind things we do, the more straw there will be for the Baby Jesus. Then on Christmas Eve we'll put Baby Jesus in His little bed, and He'll sleep that night on a mattress made of love. I think He'd like that, don't you?

Other options: Read "The Last Straw" by Paula McDonald, or written out on this website, to introduce our manger service activity.
__________

For a list of the rest of my Christmas Devotionals, see this post.

Mary

2012-12-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Song: Mary's Lullaby (Children's Songbook pg.44)

What kind of person was Mary? We learn in 1 Nephi 11:15 that Mary was "beautiful and fair above all other virgins" and we know she was a model daughter because the angel Gabriel told her she was "highly favored" by God (Luke 1:28).

"As there is only one Christ, so there is only one Mary. And as the Father chose the most noble and righteous of all his spirit sons to come unto mortality as his Only Begotten in the flesh, so we may confidently conclude that he selected the most worthy and spiritually talented of all his spirit daughters to be the mortal mother of his Eternal Son." (Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, pg. 85)

("Annunciation to Mary" by Joseph Brickey)

What did the angel tell Mary? "Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Luke 1:31-33).

The thing that I find interesting about her character, is that her question to the angel, "How shall this be?", didn't imply that she didn't have faith that she would/could actually carry and mother the Son of God. It was that she wanted to know the process: How could a virgin give birth? Unlike her cousins' husband, Zachariah, who basically wanted proof that his barren wife could conceive, Mary had complete faith in God's power, and answered, "Behold the handmaid (servant) of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word" without hesitation.

However, she was probably scared. In Jewish law, a woman could be stoned to death if she was pregnant, but not married (Deut. 22:21). People who knew Mary, but did not know of her angelic visit and her divine calling most likely judged her harshly and thought she had sinned. Mary undoubtedly endured persecution and false judgement, but was willing to do the will of the Lord. Before the angel Gabriel left, he gave her a sign that must have bolstered her faith and given her comfort after this life changing announcement. The angel told her about the miracle of her cousin, Elizabeth. This elderly woman who had never been able to have children, was now 6 months pregnant! This information accomplished two things: first, adding another testament to the amazing power of God, and second, giving her someone in whom she could confide her incredible news who would understand, love, accept, and help the young Mary come to get a glimpse of what was about to happen in her life.

("Mary's Visit to Elizabeth" by Carl Bloch)

Mary went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, and as soon as they saw each other, Elizabeth's baby "leaped in [her] womb for joy" (Luke 1:44). She knew Mary was pregnant with the Son of God, and she was excited for her. They rejoiced together and Mary said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God and my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name" (Luke 1:46-49).

After the baby, Jesus, was born, Mary "took all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19). Some believe this to mean that she didn't understand what was happening to her. But I think that she was surely raised and taught all about the coming of the Messiah, she was visited personally by an angel, and she just delivered a baby without ever knowing a man... she didn't believe. She knew. And she also knew that everything that was happening was so very sacred, so instead of sharing aloud, she kept her thoughts "in her heart" and pondered.

How can we be like Mary?
I think it is important that we take the time to recognize the hand of God in our lives - and often. But this doesn't mean shouting or sharing these experiences with the whole world. We should take all of those things and "ponder them in our hearts." It is when we stop, when we are still, and open our minds to these special experiences, or bouts of personal revelation that we learn the mysteries of God.

Activity: Go see the lights and nativity at Temple Square, or find another activity that lets you bask in the spirit of the season. Take the time to really be in the moment, feel of the Spirit, and "ponder in your heart."

Other helps:
Watch the bible video... An Angel Fortells Christ's Birth to Mary
___________

For a list of the rest of my Christmas Devotionals, see this post.

The Evergreen Tree

2012-12-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Since we are going to be hanging the mini story books from our advent on the tree, I decided to have my first devotional all about the symbolic meaning of the Christmas Tree.

Song: "Joy to the World" (Hymns 201)

Every autumn, the leaves on the trees in our front yard change colors. What colors? (Red, orange...) After they change colors, they die and fall off. But there is one kind of tree that keeps it's green needles all year... the evergreen tree.

Look at our tree. What shape is it? (Square? Circle? Triangle?). And where does the top point? (Up to heaven.) This reminds us of the person we celebrate each December: Jesus Christ. The fact that this tree seems to live forever also reminds us that Jesus also lives, forever because he was resurrected.

But it gets deeper.

This "undying" tree reminds us of the tree of life and luckily we have more than just a verse in the bible (Genesis 2:9) to give us insight. Nephi shares his vision of the tree of life and Elder Bednar (at our Stake Conference in 2010) said it was one of the crowning episodes in the Book of Mormon. We first read about the vision in 1 Nephi 8:10, about a "tree whose fruit was desirable to make one happy." Later, we learn that the tree symbolically represents Jesus Christ, and that the fruit brought forth by the tree represents His atonement. (1 Nephi 11:7)

Then we learn a different perspective from Alma. He compares the word of God to a seed, and tells us if we plant that seed in our hearts (not casting it out by our unbelief) and let that faith grow by nurturing it then it will grow up to become a tree (Alma 32: 28-36). If we nourish the tree.. it will bring forth fruit - symbolic of the blessings of the atonement (41), and it will become a grown tree, "springing up in you." (Alma 33: 23).

Now this is my favorite part. Elder Bednar rephrased this scripture... "Is that tree planted in you?" or "Have ye received His image in your countenance?"

What are the two colors of Christmas? (Red and green.) Green represents eternal life and red represents the blood that Christ spilt for us. When we see red, like the red ornaments on the tree, we can remember Christ's love for us. He loved us so much that He died for us. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

The Atonement will give us cleansing power from sin (when we are wicked), as well as strengthening power and capacity to do things we cannot do on our own (when we are righteous). The Atonement is for everyone. (For more on this, check out one of my very favorite talks given by Elder Bednar, "In The Strength of the Lord.")

What can we learn from the tree?

When we see red ornaments on our Christmas trees, we can remember the tree from Nephi's vision... the tree symbolizing Jesus Christ, and the red balls like the fruit, or the blessings of the atonement. Christ is the tree. We can strive to be more like Him. Work to have his image in our countenance, so that others will feel Jesus Christ's love when they come into contact with us.

_______________

For a list of the rest of my Christmas Devotionals, see this post.

Christmas Advents (and a free printable!)

2012-12-04T12:58:00.001-07:00

Before I start up with all of our mini devotionals.. I wanted to show you all of our Christmas Advents. (I love advents: Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween...)

Here are two of our advents.. the Santa one I downloaded from this site (you have to sign up, but it's free). I liked that I could save printer ink by letting Harvey color it, but as you can see.. coloring is not really his favorite thing. That took about 15 seconds and he was done. In case you can't read the poem...

Santa's beard is very bare,
On his chin, there is no hair.
So each day add a puff of white,
When they are all on, he'll come that night.

The tree advent is actually 2 different advents combined. First I found this adorable tree advent (again, you have to sign up, but it's free), but then when I saw this candle one (print pages 24-26), I decided I liked how it incorporated Jesus, so I printed off the candles to use instead.

Anyway, you look up the scripture written on each day, then figure out what name of Christ it mentions, then add that candle to the calendar. Harvey loves them both.

I made our last advent two years ago, and I love it because it's so versatile. You can put whatever you want inside the muffin cups. In the past, I've added a piece or two of candy, and a little slip of paper with a fun activity or craft written on it. This year I only put activities in a few. I also added a cotton ball for the Santa beard advent.

I know you only see 12 spots, and that is because I just replace the opened spots with higher numbers as we go. You could certainly fill 2 muffin tins from the beginning, or you could buy a tin that has 24 spots. I just like the size of ours. Oh, and I printed the circles, laminated them, and stuck them over the holes with putty. You could also print them on magnetic paper, or add magnets to the back once you've laminated them.

Do you want to make one? Wendy (the designer of these cute scrapbook elements) said that since the products I used are now discontinued, I could share my creation with you. Merry Christmas!

Just click the little arrow (in the bottom right hand corner) to download, or click the printer to print without saving.

I need some new ideas for activities to put inside mine... what are your favorite traditions to do at Christmastime?

My First Give Away!

2012-12-03T12:04:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to introduce you to an incredibly talented gal. I'll let her introduce herself...

"Hi! My name is Jen Boss. I am a wife, mom, and independent graphic designer. Two years ago I finally acted on an idea I had for quite some time. I could never find the planner that had everything I needed so I took matters into my own hands and designed the perfect planner for me and the other women I knew."

So here's the Home Executive Planner in all it's glory... click on the pic below to take a peek inside:

She sent me a planner to try out... and I really love it! I love the different columns: they would be perfect for moms with kids that have busy schedules. You could assign a different column to each member of your family and keep track of everyone. But my kids aren't there yet... so I use the columns for things like cleaning, to-do, and (it's a goal I'm starting right about now) blog scheduling. Plus I love that there is already a column for dinner plans, and the stickers are so fun!

She sent it to me at just the right time. I was starting to feel a little unorganized and I needed a cute organizer to jumpstart my new routine. Do you feel the same way? Are you looking for a good Christmas gift for the gal who already has everything? Well, you're in luck! Jen said she would let me give away a planner to THREE of my readers!

Here's how to enter the giveaway. You can enter up to 3 times (leave a separate comment for each entry):

1. Click on the image above, look through the sample online. Comment on this post about your favorite feature.

2. "Like" Picket Fence Publications on Facebook and leave a comment.

3. Talk about this giveaway on your Facebook page and leave a comment.

**Make sure you leave a way for me to get a hold of you if you win! :)**

The Home Executive Planner is on sale for a limited time... for only $9.99. You can check out all the details and order from Jen's Blog.

You have until Friday, December 7, 11:59 MST to enter. Good luck!!

Putting Christ Back in Christmas

2012-12-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

I have always loved advent calendars and doing fun activities with Harvey... but somehow I kind of missed incorporating the real meaning of the season into our month long adventures together. I mean, we always do the nativity at our annual Christmas Eve party with Justin's family, but we desperately needed something more. I have felt inspired and have been working on our Christmas Devotionals since September. I can't wait for Christmas this year! Not because of gifts or Santa or even homemade caramels, but to teach my little ones about the most important thing they could know: that their Savior was born, and that He gave them the most precious gifts of all.

First, I was inspired by Jen Lund, who does her own rendition of a Jesse Tree with a devotional and special ornament for each day of the month. I loved the idea of unwrapping a symbol or piece of the story each night, but I wanted to stick to the story and characters of the nativity instead of the traditional christian Jesse Tree subjects. She has shared her devotionals (scroll down to her Christmas section), and I've incorporated several of them into our devotional advent.

Then, I found A Christ-Centered Christmas by Emily Freeman. I loved how she came up with a special message and tradition for each of the figures in the nativity. She chose 7, and I added several more.

Last, I found this adorable advent story book set. This year we are going to use it as the foundation for our devotionals, talking about or expounding upon several characters or subjects in each mini book. I did switch a couple of the days around to better suit my family, but for the most part it flows perfectly. I bought a 2-foot Christmas tree, and we will hang all of the mini books (and a couple of other ornaments that go with devotionals) on it. For a little more than half of the days we will do something in addition to reading the mini book. Some of the days have a devotional, other days we will read a children's Christmas story that pertains to that day, or do a simple activity. For each of these days, I have a tiny figure to add to our Christmas scene.

My intention is to introduce each character in the nativity and share their story. Granted, the only sure information we have is from the scriptures, so I have taken liberties with some of the characters (like the innkeeper..). But every character has their own special message to encourage us to come unto Christ - just like they journeyed or searched to find that baby in a manger so long ago.

I'll be back each day (well, the days we do more than just the mini story book) to share what we have done. I can't wait to get started!!

Here are the links to my devotionals...
The Evergreen Tree
Mary
Joseph
The Donkey
The Star
The Wise Men
The Camel
Bethlehem
The Innkeeper
Baby Jesus
The Shepherds (coming soon)
The Angel (coming soon)
The Lamb (coming soon)

Spooky Graham Houses

2012-11-13T00:02:00.000-07:00

So.. I totally fell off the blogging bandwagon. I'm noticing a trend here... (haha. Story of my life.)

Anyway, here's one of the little activities we did as part of our Halloween Advent... so fun!

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

2012-10-15T10:00:00.000-06:00

This is one of my very favorite pumpkin recipes... so yummy!

Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (the original recipe called for 1/2 cup)
1 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom of 9 x 13″ pan. Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour mixture into greased pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture and top with pecans. Drizzle melted butter over pecans. Bake 50-55 minutes.

12 Days of Halloween (take 2)

2012-10-13T14:28:00.000-06:00

I'm getting excited for our annual Halloween Advent.

Here's what I've got planned for this year:

Make a spooky gingerbread house
Eat Pumpkin Quesadillas for lunch
Drink Halloween Hot Chocolate
Make a Pumpkin Mosaic
Play with slime
Make brain jello
Visit a pumpkin patch
Play with Halloween Ice Ghosts in the sink
Paint/carve pumpkins
Go to a Halloween party
Watch a scary movie
Make pumpkin luminaries

Do it with me!! It will start on October 20th and end on Halloween! :) If you need more ideas, check out my list from 2010, the Kids Page, or scroll down to Halloween in the Holiday Page.

Conference Recap & Treat Buckets

2012-10-12T18:22:00.000-06:00

Last weekend turned out much better than I had even hoped. It was General Conference, and I look forward to that weekend every 6 months. I love hearing the words of our prophet and apostles and filling my spiritual tank.

Plus, I was SO excited to pull out our General Conference Center board for Harvey. I was very hopeful that it would keep him busy enough to let me listen to the speakers. During the first session, I only had the board and some coloring pages for him. And it worked pretty well. He loved moving the speakers to the pulpit, and placing them in their seats afterward, but he was only half interested in listening and finding the topics cards to correspond with what they were saying.

Then I remembered this idea. I pulled out the tin buckets I had from Avery's birthday party and wrote down a topic on each that I wanted to listen for (who says I can't be rewarded for listening?), and told Harvey that if he listened and found a topic card to add to the speech bubble then he could pick one piece of candy out of any bucket. He decided he liked those cards a lot.

In fact, he listened so well, it was borderline distracting for me because he had to verify every word he heard.

"He said missionaries! Right, mom?!"
"Yes, son."
"So I get a piece of candy, right?"
Three seconds later, "I heard Jesus!! More candy! Yay!"
"Mom, she said snuggle. Where's that card?"

After the first couple of talks I thought we might run out of candy, but he calmed down a bit after that and we were able to listen to most of the talks. I even took notes in my conference journal!

Next time, I hope to have a packet printed out for him to fill in the gaps. But all in all, it was leaps and bounds better than in the past. My favorite part was probably that I could positively redirect him when a new speaker took the stand rather than constantly remind him to be quiet or leave.

Seriously, I am so lucky to live in Utah. We can sit in our sweats comfortably in our living room to hear our leaders words. Now, to get busy on some of the things they inspired me to do!!

September Instagram Update (finished)

2012-10-04T10:00:00.000-06:00

(Oops, I must have hit publish when I was working on it earlier... sorry if you got a peek before the pics were added!)

I finally stepped into the world of "data" on my phone. My favorite part?? Instagram! I did the September photo-a-day challenge by FatMumSlim, and tried to stick to pictures that would help describe and document the day-to-day stuff that happens around here but isn't really worth a whole blog post. I mean, this blog is for me to document/journal our little 'ol life, and that stuff is important for me to remember too! I didn't quite get all the days. But, I'm not going to stress about it, I'll just try to get them all next month... If you don't follow me on Instagram, here's my life through my phone last month:

When I think of Me, Now, I think about being a mother. Wiping runny noses, changing diapers, and snuggling with a sad baby.
Jud's mom and father came over to hang out on Sunday afternoon. We headed to the little park down the street to throw the Frisbee and watch Harvey ride his bike down the hill.
Avery's birthday gift from us (via Amazon.com) came in the mail today. I love that it has multi-uses that will last a while.
We are painting the aluminum siding on our house a nice bright color... hopefully it will give our ugly exterior a fresh new look.
Every day, without fail, Harvey says he wants fruit snacks for breakfast. And every day, I tell him to pick a healthier option.
All-Natural is how we roll! Seriously, Harvey is almost always wearing just underwear. I have to remind him to get dressed before he goes outside!
Returning our movies a day late, as usual. We never rent a redbox for only one night.
Something You Do Most Weekends: pack entertainment for church...
Made black and white Oreo cupcakes for a baby shower last night... heaven!
This month marks the 10 year anniversary of my experience at BYU-Nauvoo, where I learned about my hero (or one of them), Joseph Smith.
I found an almost-identical VW bug at the store! My daddy gave me the first one, and my nephew threw it off our balcony several years ago. I was so sad about it, I kept the pieces, but now I won't have to put it back together!
My Table is full of garden goodies... and I haven't even picked everything! Time to start canning...
My favorite guy in the whole world!
First Thing You See: every once in a while Harvey likes to reminisce in his old crib.
Check out this Strange tomato!!
Love these Reuse water bottles we got at Costco this summer.. just fill 'em up and store in my fridge and they are ready to go when we need them!
My copy of Lightroom came in the mail today! I got it for a great price using the teacher discount with my mom. (She teaches 2nd grade. And boy was it the ordeal... Adobe required a copy of her most recent pay stub and photo copy of her school id badge!)
Due to an unfortunate run in with the toilet bowl... my phone had to recover in a rice bowl to get rid of the water underneath the screen.
Man-made errr, home made pizza sauce! SO yummy.
Harvey is so excited a big truck is in our driveway... he keeps opening the front door to wach the roofers take the shingles up...
Note 3 Things in this picture: the smashed cowboy hat, the telescope (aka our vacuum attachment), and the flashlight in his underpants.
I thought I would just give her a taste... but she ate nearly a quarter of my smoothie!
I love that our roof is updated but I hate that we have to wait until WEDNESDAY for our dish to get reinstalled.
Harvey accidentally cut his fingers on metal when we went to Home Depot.. it was a good thing they had band-aids, but they were way too big for his little fingers, I had to fold them in half...

Avery: Year-at-a-Glance

2012-10-03T16:00:00.000-06:00

Wow. First of all, I can't even believe that I just hosted Avery's first birthday party. Where the heck did that year go?! We used the monthly pictures as decor during her party; and it was so fun to see them all next to each other to see how she had changed throughout the year.

Wow. My amazing little sweetheart grew up. And she's just going to keep growing because I can't do anything to stop it.

Anyway, if any of you want the details on doing pictures like these.. check out this post from Young House Love. I got the brilliant idea from them, although I used the same (6 month size) onesie for all of the pictures - plain white; it sort of stretched out as she wore it. I added the typography with Photoshop after taking the photo. Some of the months look more real than others. The hardest part though (besides making sure I purchased the fabric on time)... was keeping that wiggly girl in front of the fabric. Whew! I'm sort of glad the project is over!

Now, for the updates of what she is up to at 12 months:

can balance on her feet without holding on to anything.
can take a few steps but chooses not to most of the time.
loves her Daddy. As soon as she hears the back door open she crawls as fast as she can over to home and will cry if he doesn't pick her up right away.
her tummy hasn't responded well to whole milk, but she does great with cheese and yogurt.
loves Harvey, even sometimes when he's picking on her.
likes to "wrestle" with the boys.
doesn't want baby food or snacks when everyone else has "real food."
loves to take things out of any container - my purse, toy boxes, the dishwasher, bathroom drawers, etc.
tries to eat with her own spoon.
has figured out how to push buttons: on the remote, on her toys, and even Mom and Dad's!
is ticklish. She has the best belly laugh ever.
has 6 teeth, and another one is on it's way.
"dances" when she hears music or someone singing. Often, she will join in singing as well!
pays peek-a-boo by putting her hands over her eyes.
likes to turn the lights on and off.
can smack her lips to give a kiss.
loves toys that make noise - especially the Fridge Farm and her new remote control.
sips out of a sippy cup with her head tipped way back.
is starting to understand what doesn't go in her mouth. She will pick something up and ask me if it's okay to taste, "Eh?"
likes turning the pages to her bedtime stories.

An "Old School" Birthday Party

2012-10-01T15:47:00.000-06:00

We had so much fun at Avery's first birthday bash on Saturday... and I had way too much fun planning and prepping all of the details. As you might have guessed from the invitation, I decided to do a school theme. You know, like A B C and 1 2 3.

It helped that my mom is a school teacher and happened to have vintage Dick and Jane books, as well as access to a bunch of other school supplies. I knew I wanted to incorporate the milestone pictures I've been taking of Avery all year. I put a few in frames, and the rest I displayed like this:

It was really easy to use pliers to twist up a wire and stick it in the apples. Each of the other tables had a simple centerpiece...

I already had the Ikea frames from Harvey's 2nd birthday party, and I spray-painted a piece of cardboard with chalkboard paint for the insert, and wrote "A" or "1" with colored chalk. I tied the balloons to a mason jar filled with magnetic letters.

I added a "schedule" to our big chalkboard (although, we didn't really follow it).

So, first up: art. I covered one of the tables with white butcher paper, and added little buckets of crayons and markers. Guests could doodle to their hearts content while we finished grilling the teriyaki chicken.

To accompany lunch (aka dinner), I had my mom buy some boxes of chocolate milk from her elementary school. It was fun to hear all of the kids recognize the cartons from their daily lunches. :)

I made these simple cupcakes out of a strawberry box mix and the frosting from this recipe (because it's to DIE for). Oh, and I used Reynolds Staybrite Liners, because they are my favorite; they really do stay bright instead of all greasy looking like other cupcake liners.

Avery loved her cake...

She had a little help eating it. These three boys couldn't help themselves...

The aftermath:

For the dessert table I displayed flashcards with little eraser stands (just cut a little slice in the eraser for the cards to slide into). The gumballs were a big hit.

We had a paper airplane folding contest. Everyone folded their own airplane...

Then they all lined up at the top of the hill to see who's plane would fly the farthest...

I had a few other playground games planned, and if they got played - I didn't get any pics. But I had chalk and a hoppytaw for hopscotch, a big playground ball to play 4-square or kickball at the baseball field, and jump-ropes. I should have put someone else in charge of taking those pics. :(

After we finally gathered together again, it was time for show and tell... it was funny that Avery was so into it! She loved each and every gift - so much that she didn't want to put it down to open the next one. I would start to take it away, and she would grab it and shriek to let me know.

I also had a little favor bag for each of the kids. They concealed a few school supplies: a mini composition book, a box of crayons, a glue stick and a pencil.

So cliche, but I seriously can't believe that my baby girl is one!

ETA: Oh man... I completely forgot to add my inspiration yesterday!! (Sorry..)
Amy Atlas's use of the apples inspired my photo holders, I used the wording from this birthday invitation, I expanded on these brilliant flashcards (also used a similar "drawing" in my invite), I replicated these centerpieces, and copied this creative place card holder and this chalkboard schedule.