The Dude is famous!

That might be exaggerating.  A bit.  But it was fun when we went by his school's office the other day and saw this advertisement for an upcoming event:

Which is so cool!  This was our Chalk it Up square from last year!  We did this the weekend after we moved to this school.  I hope we didn't cheat.  I drew the outlines and then he chose the colors and colored in.  I liked it then.  I'm glad someone else liked it too.
~

Thank you, Elder Uchtdorf

Confession: I don't like to do things unless I do them amazingly well. Which means that sometimes I don't do things that I'm "good" at because I'm not amazing. But tonight, while I read Elder Uchtdorf's talk on being creative, these lines jumped out at me:

"What you create doesn't have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burned? Don't let fear of failure discourage you. Don't let the voice of critics paralyze you - whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside."

So, in honor of that passage (and because the Spozo was off firesiding with Elder Jensen tonight) I did this:

And I feel good.

~

180th General Conference Sunday Afternoon Live Blogging

-finishing up lunch-

Russel M Nelson

families temple work
steps of Family Search
now helping everyone instead of own immediate families
catch duplicate and errors

Robert D Hales

rising generation
leading by example
must plan teaching moments:
Sit and talk about what is most important
No earphones when driving around
greatest influence warm caring interaction with parents
Family dinner
Pay Attention! ask questions and LISTEN
"Grandpa, are you in there?"
Connecting with them (doing PP with daughters)
You will grow together in gospel
must DO, not just know
bear testimony
legacy from love in homes

Bradley D Foster

picture book paddy "because mother told me"
influence of mothers!

-putting clothes on Boo-

rescue the lost ones
love of true mother closest to Godly love
Jesus looked at mother make sure she is cared for

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

?

Mighty ballplayer?
-reading Edwina to Boo-
-putting Boo down for nap, changing wet sheets-

Francisco Vinas

all things in commotion
replace fear with faith
rescue spiritually dead

?

No assigned topics
building upon themes
rising generation
a time of permissiveness and distractions everywhere

cannot be casual in teaching children

Stories of Jesus
embedded in minds
pray for own miracles
anticipate His return

speak more frequently of Jesus
your testimony will never leave your children

father died suddenly- remember what he taught them


Thomas S Monson

trust in the Lord and he shall direct thy path
song of righteous
study messages in Ensign

thanks for prayers in our behalf

Abide With Me

(all conference posts "typed" on my iPod)

180th General Conference Sunday Morning

Pres Eyring conducting

Pres Uchdorf
-setting up treat stations: Easter, love, song, Jesus, resurrection-
LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Richard G Scott

The Atonement

Enormous responsibility to succeed
endure Satan's attacks by himself
Father did not abandon

-getting water for the Boo-

teaching children in home paramount
every decision think of him

Donald Hallstrom

fear leads to anger which leads to hate which leads to the Dark Side
Prince of Peace
turn to lord in adversity
affect generations of posterity
joy and pain part of the plan - complementary
how we respond to things
deep water is what I am wont to swim in
been wronged?
Turn to the Lord he will deliver you out of bondage

Rejoice the Lord is King

Cheryl C Lant

Sigh! The Primary Voice!!!!!!
Seek the face of the Savior an invitation to know what he has done
3 Nephi people seeing him in person - changed lives
parents job to bring children to Savior

-getting juice for Boo-

help them keep connection to heaven

Quentin L Cook

Thursday Last supper
the sacrament
teaching love as preeminent
holy ghost promised

resurrection

apendages - focus on resurrected Lord
He Lives!

Sacrament

love
how we react to one another shows commitment to doctrine
civil in discourse
love even our enemies - how we disagree shows true Christianity

holy ghost
we must find time to ponder
signs of 2nd coming
living higher life spiritually

I Wonder When He Comes Again

Pres Thomas S Monson

Thank You - two most important words
a hopeless dawn
death universal heritage
snows of age fallen upon head

designer of universe
understand meaning of death must understand purpose of life
every chance to survive gave us a savior

boyhood of Jesus
he went about doing good

summary of life and death

"why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here"

fall of Adam reclaimed
joy of resurrection!

Jason
don't lose faith
NEVER
called to serve missions together

He Is Risen!!!!!!

In the Purple east

180th General Conference Saturday Afternoon

Goodbye GeneralPrimary Presidency!
Rosemary Wicks Whitman new president
voting unanimous as usual
come on up, newbies!

Robert Cantwell

auditing done fine

Brook P Hales

statistical report
(putting pants on Boo)
Truman G Madsen gone

L Tom Perry

mothers and teaching opportunity
his mother a great teacher - reference material all over table
best teaching in home ( more time) prepared to be example
lessons learned from mother:
parents entrusted with education of children
desk in kitchen while did dinner!
Memorizing scriptures memory become weak no idle thoughts
values morals taught in home
parents central cast members in lives of child
bring up child in light and truth
teaching in church to improve teaching at home and vice versa
no such thing as over preparing for teaching the gospel
Satans work more subtle andmore brazen than it has ever been


D Todd Christopherson

William Tyndale published Bible in English fluent in 8 languages
threatened power of the church

importance of scripture?
Enlarged memory of his people
-reading Smile to Boo-

Korihor- no moral absolutes (prevalent in today's society)
imagined a Jesus of social justice instead of personal rectitude
Central purpose to help grow faith help feel Holy Ghost
can have own personal copy is a huge blessing - must mean we need to be reading them now more than any other time

We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet!

Koichi Aoyagi

saving rescue by Elders admired them
parents opposed baptism
-Boo needs consoling-
postcard saves him

?

Ground effect engine stalled
commandments don't apply to us?
No! Keep commandments strictly
Jeroboam returned and introduced Satanic rituals
Naaman pride hurt, didn't want to obey
Nephi gets the plates- the lord will understand disobedience? No, but will help obey

David A Bednar

standing water ahead sign -early warning signals
Spiritual warning signs
Word of Wisdom- warn and forewarn
need to increase watching

reading and talking about Book of Mormon: only scripture Jesus testified of
youth respond to spirit- questions help to know what their challenges are

testimony
-Sita has various aches that need to be attended to -

FHE unscripted search together and feel spirit

act and seek learning

parents read seek and invite to act - will help see early warning signs

Jeffery R Holland

porn
it grieveth me
why so much moral decay?

-putting Boo to bed-

lust is unsavory most deadly Why?
Defiles highest and holiest relationships
lust is clandestine and celebrates self-indulgence
love shout from housetops (and GC)

guard against temptation
separate from circumstances and people
don't leave forwarding address
only real control in life is self-control
dull our spirituality
don't serve Tea!
Cultivate spirit in home

what was I thinking?
Think of jesus - oh Jesus thou Son of God have mercy on me
I will give place no more to the enemy of my soul!!!

Nearer my God to Thee

The End

teach them to fish


spontaneous testimony

180th General Conference Live Blogging Saturday Morning

Mmmm! Donuts!

President Uchdorft conducting (I just love his accent!)

prayer
haven't heard oracle for a while

Pres Monson
help with converts
humanitarian strive to be first at disaster helped countless people
temples
rhapsodizing about his dear Francis (hip surgery!) kisses from her parents on their first date
"ithink you'd look better in a navy uniform" so he joined the navy
( his ad-libbing voice doesn't have his distinctive cadence - oh It Is Back now!)

Sunshine in my soul (a little too saccharine for me)

Boyd K P
sitting down!
Battle not our own
keyword: priesthood
Gideon drinking water (One of my F-I-L's favorite stories)
Joseph Smith getting priesthood back
never been easy to live gospel
we to preach gospel
never dominate by numbers -we will influence all of humanity
priesthood loses power when sisters neglected
distribution of authority BUT power in the priesthood in families diminishing?
Father should do ordinances in his own home
Vietnam War
young man asked for blessing from Pres Lee - He said ask your father
YM said he doesn't know how
father ordains his own son
Awaken the Power of the Priesthood!
Living below their power
weak things of the earth
protect your home with that Power
Satan attacking family constantly - EVERYTHING for protection and happiness of family

Julie B Beck

sisters worried deep desire to do what is right
never been more need for strong faith, family, serve others
not enough time to serve every one
resist message that deserve more time for themselves rather than do responsibilities
Personal Revelation
temple, scriptures and prayer - paper to write impressions
conscious effort to diminish distractions
system of warchcare
assist each other in refining -Eliza R Snow
doing well when seek to improve seek out others when follow spirit
growth of church bc women drawn to goodness seen as distinct from the world

I love how empowering she is!

Keith McMullin

awake!
Providing shelter for Jews went to Ravensbrook
story in YW manual! Action THEN feeling of forgiveness

battery running low must go :(

Adorableness

~
The Boo is so much fun right now.  I can't believe she's less than a month away from being a year old!

She is understanding more of what we're saying and enjoying interacting with us (beyond smiling and crying).  If you say "Yea!" she'll start clapping her hands.  If you say "Bye!" or "Hi!" she'll start waving her hand.  If you say "Sit down," "Spit it out," or "Give that to me," she does it.  She laughs more than the Sita and the Dude did.  We think she's getting some words almost worked out, but we're still not quite sure if she's saying "Mama" to name me or because she just loves saying "Mama" all the time.

She is in love with her big brother and sister.  When either of them is away from her for more than an hour and then she sees them again, she gives them her biggest giggly smile with crinkly nose and squinty eyes and kicks her happy feet.  She loves interacting with people of all ages and especially loves babies smaller than her!

Walking around has still has not captured her interest.  Sometimes she will forget how much she doesn't like standing and will do it, but once she realizes she's standing she immediately sits down.  At least she doesn't scream bloody murder when I try to get her to stand on her feet anymore; she tolerates it for a while and then has had enough and plunks back down.

Whatever we are eating is what she wants to be eating.  We have successfully added cheese and yogurt to her diet (and have high hopes for getting her to take milk to start weaning soon!)  Right now she loves oranges and tangerines.  If she sees citrus fruit, she does her "I want" noise.  If she gets a hold of citrus fruit, she bites through the peel to get at the juicy fruit she knows is inside.

Emptying out is one of her favorite things to do - her toy basket, the diaper bag, my wallet, the bookshelf - whatever she can get her hands on!  She also already loves to hug and cuddle baby dolls.  Right now she's babynapping her elder sister's babies, but soon enough she'll have her own to drag around.

Probably my favorite thing about her is how much she enjoys music.  If someone is singing, she starts jumping, laughing and shrieking (the happy variety).  She loves to bang on the piano.  She would love to bang on the violin (she is quite frustrated that we don't let her).

She is a delight to have, and we're glad she's ours!

~

Sibling Similarities?

So, I've been thinking about how my babies all look so different - there will be no confusion about whose baby pictures are whose.  But do you think they look like siblings?  My brothers and I didn't look very much alike (which lead to some interesting situations when we got older), and I think it is likely my children will find themselves in similar awkward moments.

The Dude at 10 months

The Sita at 10 months

The Rita at 10 months

What do you think?

(Besides the fact that they're all adorable!)

And did you notice?

Sita and Rita are wearing the same sweater!