Worth Waiting For

In case you were wondering...

Brayden's surprise

Brayden had a hard time coming up with a birthday wish list this year,

and finally decided he'd like to be surprised.  

Todd and I tossed around several ideas for our resident "bookworm" before 

deciding to get him a kindle.  Now he can check out library books from home!

There was no way I was spending an extra $40 for a kindle case, so I came up with this one myself.

Since Grandma S. has a kindle too, they can send each other messages through their kindles.  She sent him a Happy Birthday message and it was waiting for him when he opened it.

I debated long and hard before giving my eleven year old a gift that can get online anywhere at any time.  It's just not my favorite idea....at all.  I finally decided, though, that a few of his friends already have their own ipod touches, and even if he didn't have access to the internet, his friends do.  I decided it was better to teach him how to use technology appropriately rather than try to hide from it.  I hope I don't regret it.

The rule for now is that he isn't allowed to get online with his kindle without a parent nearby. (There are no parental controls).  I have the ability to check the history, so hopefully this will end up being good "technology practice" before he ends up with a cell phone in a few years.

Does anyone have any advice or ideas for teaching kids about the dangers of some of the technology out there?  My biggest worry with having four boys is pornography addiction.  I believe that a lot of boys get addicted before they even realize what they're getting into.  I want to plan a RS activity where we learn about and discuss ways to protect our family and use technology appropriately, but I have no clue where to start.

Brayden's Harry Potter Party

 We celebrated Brayden's birthday a few days early this year, so that Todd could be with us.  I cannot believe that on Wednesday I'll have an ELEVEN year old.  It just doesn't seem possible.

I had fun planning this party, even though I've never read the books and I've only seen part of one movie.  There were tons of easy idea's online, and my mom and sister helped as well.

I set up the candy store on my hutch.  From left to right we had:  Exploding candy, chocolate licorice wands, lemon drops, acid pops (fizzy pops from the dollar store), Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Blood Pops (pomegranate raspberry suckers), cockroach clusters (candy coated peanuts), salt water taffy, and crystallized pineapple (freeze dried).

I actually spent nearly $5 on a teeny tiny box of "Beanboozled" jelly bellys so we could have barf flavored beans.  I thought it was a bit ridiculous until Brayden got a rotten egg bean.  It was hilarious and I definitely got my money's worth!

The day before the party, I put a few drops of food coloring in the bottom of these paper cups, and let it dry overnight.  When it was time for dinner, I added ice to the cups so you couldn't see the food coloring.  The kids watched me pour my magic potion (sprite) into the cups and each one came out a different color!

I made a Quidditch cake using barbecue skewers, paper flags, and a Ferrero Rocher candy with gold ribbon "wings" for the snitch.

 I used my two least favorite cakes to get the Gryffindor colors: Yellow and Red Velvet.  Can I just take a minute to give you my opinion of Red Velvet cake?  Every single bite is just a reminder that you're not eating chocolate and you're wasting perfectly good calories on cake with no taste.
I did, however, make homemade frosting.  I'm not a frosting lover (more like a frosting hater) but it actually turned out pretty good....for frosting.

 My mom gave Brayden three Harry Potter robes (for his brothers) and some Harry Potter glasses.  Dillon wanted to try the glasses on, but instead of Harry Potter, he looked more like...

...Chicken Little!

 Here are my little wizards.  Harry Potter and two red-headed Weasley (sp?) boys...Fred and George, I think.  Now if I can talk my mom into making a snitch costume for Justin...

My morning...or should I say mourning?

This is what happens when you build a roaring
fire while your favorite mug is sitting on the stove.

I got up early this morning so I could pray, light the first fire of the season in our wood-burning stove, and enjoy a few peaceful minutes to myself before the kids got up.

Dillon had a bad dream in the night, so he was sleeping with me, but I tip-toed around my room, ever so carefully, so as not to wake him up.

Just as I set foot out of my bedroom, Justin started to cry.  I hurried to get him a sippy cup of milk, but I was too late.  Dillon was up, and because I left the baby monitor on in the basement, Caleb woke up too.

Within minutes I had three loud and boisterous boys bouncing around the livingroom.

Sigh.

I'll never understand the need that boys have to make random, obnoxious, and senseless noise.  My college roommates knew better than to talk to me before I had my make-up on and hair done.  I'm a "crock-pot" in the morning...slow to warm up to the day.

We had a 3-ring circus going on while I was trying to light the fire to warm up the house.  The boys were playing with the toy cell phone that Justin was supposed to get for Christmas...until he discovered it in my closet yesterday and brought it out to the kitchen for everyone to see.

I decided to let him have the phone early, since he was so delighted while pushing the buttons.  When I bought it, I didn't realize there was a record button so you could record yourself talking, and then play it back.  I recorded myself saying, "Hello" (which is Justin's only word) and he loved playing it over and over and saying "Hello" back.

So anyway back to the story.  I'm not very good at building fires in the stove.  Todd has always gotten up early and started a fire so the house was warm when everyone got up for school.  Oh how I miss him!  After burning through several issues of our local paper, I had all the logs burning and crackling, but there wasn't much heat and I'm pretty sure I was just smoking out the neighbors with my pathetic fire.

Caleb came over and said, "Mom, do you know about the triangle of fire?"

Me:  "Of course I do."  (what the hell is the triangle of fire?)

Caleb: "I just barely learned about it at Science Camp. I'm pretty good with a match, you know."

Me:   "I don't need my nine-year old playing with matches. Please just give me a minute..."

The kids went back to their random obnoxious noises and when I had successfully used up all our scripture  time working on the fire, I finally gave up and sent the kids to get a bowl of cereal.

They continued their loud and obnoxious noise through breakfast, and I held my tongue.  I knew that in just twenty minutes they'd be off to school and I could finally say my prayers and enjoy some quiet time.

Before I knew it, hair was combed, teeth were brushed, the freezing rain was scraped off the windshield (if Todd were here, he'd have done that for me...) and the fire was roaring.  Caleb had simply blown on it through the screen and it magically came to life.  Apparently there's something to that triangle of fire...

I cheerfully dropped my kids off at school (two minutes late) and looked forward to coming home, sitting by the fire, and finally saying my morning prayers.

Can you think of anything better on a cold, snowy morning than to sit by the fire and meditate without distraction?  My morning had finally turned around. And then I heard it...

Loud, obnoxious, and senseless noise...coming from Justin's cell phone.

Cancel the funeral for my mug...It's a GOOD day!!!

We sold our house.

We SOLD our house.

Did you hear me, I said WE SOLD OUR HOUSE!

The power company (two doors down) is buying our house.  Since they already tried to close on the empty lot next to us, and it was tied up in our mortgage, all the paperwork is done and the title company suggested we close on Sunday afternoon.

I'm going to try to move it to Saturday, if possible, but either way it's going to be a done deal.  We will continue to rent our house from the power company until we find a place.  I'd go live in the RV with Todd if we knew which school to put the kids in...

Thanks for all your prayers and support.  It's been quite a year for us and it's not over yet, but we have felt the hand of the Lord directing us and are so grateful for His tender mercies.

General Conference Favorites

I vowed in April to take notes during the next General Conference and I'm SO glad I did!  If I hadn't, I don't think I'd even be able to answer these questions.  My brain functioning seems to be at an all-time low lately!

This is the packet I used for my kids.
I also added a few pages from other sites. 

I printed out these pages for my  own note taking.

Favorite talk(s):  Pres. Packer's talk about listening to the spirit, Elder Hales's talk about tribulations, and Pres. Monson's talk about the morals of society, prayer, and personal revelation.

Talk that spoke to me the most: Ian S. Ardern of the Seventy talked about the value of time.  I needed this message and plan to be better at prioritzing, rather than procrastinating. "Time cannot be bought...it's value is immeasurable".


Favorite Hymn: The choir opened the Saturday morning session by singing "With Songs of Praise".  It is a lesser known hymn, but one of my favorites ever since I first heard it in ward choir practice several years ago.  I also loved "Praise to the Man".  Thanks to an amazing primary chorister, my kids know this song well (especially Dillon), and I had to hold back tears when they sang along at the top of their lungs.  Thanks, Cowboy Mom!

Best tie: I couldn't believe how many black and gray/silver ties there were!  I honestly started to wonder if they planned it!  I liked the choir's orange ties on Saturday morning because they were so fall-ish.

Theme I noticed:  The things that stuck out to me were prayer and scriptures, service, and being in the world but not of the world.


Favorite quotes:  "Youth are being raised in enemy territory" -Boyd K. Packer
"All the money in the world can't buy a loaf of bread in heaven" -Dieter F. Uchtdorf
"Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps.  It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for."  -Neal L. Anderson, quoting the blog of someone not of our faith
"The Lord expects our thinking. He expects our action.  He expects our labors.  He expects our testimonies.  He expects our devotion."  -Jose L. Alonso
"It's better to look up" -Carl B. Cook quoting Pres. Monson
"Too often we pray to have patience, but we want it right now." -Robert D. Hales
"To be in the world, but not of the world, it is necessary to pray." -Pres. Thomas S. Monson
"Prayer only works when we use it as directed."  -J. Devn Cornish
"The effect of the Book of Mormon...on your character is certain." -Pres. Henry B. Eyring

Something that made me smile:  Pres. Monson's story about losing his $5 bill as a child, and Pres. Eyring referencing what happened to Abinadi (Brayden got a kick out of that one!).

Evidence that my children paid attention: 


My kids kept asking me questions and talking until I got very frustrated because I wanted so badly to hear.  I started to get upset with them, when the spirit gave me a swift kick in the bum and let me know that it was more important for them to be in the room and asking questions, than it was for me to hear.  I can always go back and watch the talks online later.  I have thought about it several times since.

Great idea(s):  Pres. Bednar's suggestion to get the youth involved in Family History Work!  They can put their "texting and tweeting" skills to good use (we adults can do the same!).  I loved his promise of protection from the adversary if we involve ourselves in Family History.

Posting Conference packets online so that we can all benefit from those who prepare in advance!  The senior primary packet (click here to be taken to the site) is one of the best I've seen.  I had my older boys take notes during the apostle's talks, and they were allowed to play Bingo and other activities during the other talks.  It was the perfect way to break it up for them. 

Two temples in Provo!!!

Post-conference goals: 


1. Significantly improve my scripture study 
2. Identify time wasting distractions and balance family, work, etc.  
3. Wait on Him, and press forward in faith.


What were some of your favorites?