Tuesday, June 29, 2010

FHE: Consequences and "wickedness never was happiness"

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Scripture of the Week
"Wickedness never was happiness".
Alma 42:10

Lesson Plan
Have a discussion about consequences. I followed the script from A Family Home Evening on Consequences.
"A consequence is something that happens because of a choice you make. It could be good or bad, it could be natural or one that your parents make, but they are designed to teach you either way."
We talked about consequences for misbehavior in our home, and emphasized that the reason they have to go in timeout or lose a toy is because we are helping them to learn a lesson. We hope that they will make good choices, because that makes all of us happy. Like Alma teaches "wickedness never was happiness".

Then we talked about our new job chart for the girls. Really it's more of "Things to do today" chart. So far it's working out well for us, but we've only been using it for a few days. If it's successful, I'll write up a post about it in the near future.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Assignments and accountability

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"The late Elder John A. Widtsoe wrote:

"'The place of woman in the Church is to walk beside the man, not in front of him nor behind him. In the Church there is full equality between man and woman. The gospel, which is the only concern of the Church, was devised by the Lord for men and women alike' (Improvement Era, Mar. 1942, p. 161).

"Within those great assurances, however, our roles and assignments differ. These are eternal differences—with women being given many tremendous responsibilities of motherhood and sisterhood and men being given the tremendous responsibilities of fatherhood and the priesthood—but the man is not without the woman nor the woman without the man in the Lord (see 1 Cor. 11:11). Both a righteous man and a righteous woman are a blessing to all those their lives touch.

"Remember, in the world before we came here, faithful women were given certain assignments while faithful men were foreordained to certain priesthood tasks. While we do not now remember the particulars, this does not alter the glorious reality of what we once agreed to. You are accountable for those things which long ago were expected of you just as are those we sustain as prophets and apostles"

Spencer W. Kimball, “The Role of Righteous Women,” Ensign, Nov 1979, 102

Friday, June 25, 2010

What should I clean today?

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In case you ever run out of things to clean in your house, you might take a look at this list:


This is a good reminder of the sometimes easily forgotten places that need cleaning. Maybe I'll get to them someday. :) I know it's been awhile since my computer has been cleaned. I think I'll give the Ant Bug the job of sanitizing our telephones--great fun on a summer afternoon for a 5-year old!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

My notes: Tips for Traveling with Children

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We're getting ready for a big vacation out west in just a few short weeks. Can I tell you how excited I am? Really, super-duper, terrifically excited. My husband and I will get to visit with our parents and siblings (many we haven't seen in over 4 years), our children will be able to get to know their awesome cousins (and get in some serious playtime), we'll do some camping and we'll visit our favorite sites in Utah (namely Temple Square and BYU).

But I do have a little apprehension when it comes to the actual travelling time. Driving 2 hours to the airport, hauling all our gear through the airport, and on the airplane for 6 hours (including a stop) with 3 children in tow. It makes me tired to think about it.

So of course...I've been doing my research on traveling with kids and staying sane. Here are the best tips I've found that I think will work for us:

Snacks are essential: hungry kids are grumpy kids.

Bring the magnadoodle: I bought one for my first flight with the Ant Bug when she was 17 months old. It comes to church with us every week and is still going strong.

Load up the iPod with music and books and movies. (What I would really like is one of these. It would entertain us all).

Play I Spy and favorite finger/nursery rhymes (I think I'll look for a few new one's to share).

Crayons and coloring books are a must have.

Encourage creativity. Pipe cleaners can be twisted into shapes or threaded with cheerios. Colored painters tape is fun to stick on bodies and to make shapes with, and it's easy to clean-up.

Bring out the toys and activities slowly, one at a time. Maybe even wrap them up to prolong the excitement.

Don't forget the specials: blankies, beloved stuffed animal or doll, etc.

Go on a scavenger hunt through the airplane magazine. On each page, pick one item that your child has to locate. For older children, hand them the magazine and say "can you find a picture of an airplane?" (Idea found here).

Refer to this list on Delicious Baby to help me pack.

Remember: Keep it simple and have a good attitude. Don't stress out--this is our family vacation! Yahoo!!!

If you're doing any traveling this summer, be sure to check out the links below for a lot of great ideas.

Delicious Baby: Family Travel Tips: everything from packing lists to travel toys to preparing your children for travel. There is a ton of helpful information on this site, I spent almost an hour just browsing there.

Tiffany at Simply Modern Mom wrote a series of posts on Traveling with Children. Her Traveling Tips for Children: Flying Domestically post had a lot of good reminders, as well as her General Children Traveling Tips post.

Simple Mom:7 Ideas for Screen-Free Travel with Kids: Play games (don't forget I Spy or 20 Questions), sing songs, read books, tell stores, write notes, take pictures, be quiet.

Organizing Your Way: Minimizing the Stress when Traveling with Children
: Pack ahead, simplify, and plan activities.

Organizing Your Way: Share Your Best Tip for Traveling with Children
: Many great reader suggestions.

What are your best strategies for traveling with children?

Monday, June 21, 2010

Love, teach, pray, and care

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"We too must have the faith to teach our children and bid them to keep the commandments. We should not let their choices weaken our faith. Our worthiness will not be measured according to their righteousness. Lehi did not lose the blessing of feasting at the tree of life because Laman and Lemuel refused to partake of its fruit. Sometimes as parents we feel we have failed when our children make mistakes or stray. Parents are never failures when they do their best to love, teach, pray, and care for their children. Their faith, prayers, and efforts will be consecrated to the good of their children.

"The Lord’s desire for us as parents is that we keep His commandments. He has said: “[Teach] your children light and truth, according to the commandments. … Set in order your own house. … See that [you] are more diligent and concerned at home.”

"I want to remind all of us today that no family has reached perfection. All families are subject to the conditions of mortality. All of us are given the gift of agency—to choose for ourselves and to learn from the consequences of our choices.

"Any of us may experience a spouse, a child, a parent, or a member of our extended family suffering in one way or another—mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually—and we may experience these tribulations ourselves at times. In short, mortality is not easy.

"Each family has its own special circumstances. But the gospel of Jesus Christ addresses every challenge—which is why we must teach it to our children."

Robert D. Hales, “With All the Feeling of a Tender Parent: A Message of Hope to Families,” Liahona, May 2004, 88–91

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Encouragement for Fathers (and others)

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In honor of Father's Day, I wanted to share this wonderful Mormon Message. The story told by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland is well-loved in our home, and it is beautifully portrayed in this video.



"There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the "light that is endless, that can never be darkened." It is the very Son of God Himself. In loving praise far beyond Romeo's reach, we say, "What light through yonder window breaks?" It is the return of hope, and Jesus is the Sun. To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: Hold on. Keep trying. God loves you. Things will improve. Christ comes to you in His "more excellent ministry" with a future of "better promises." He is your "high priest of good things to come."

"Even if you cannot always see that silver lining on your clouds, God can, for He is the very source of the light you seek. He does love you, and He knows your fears. He hears your prayers. He is your Heavenly Father, and surely He matches with His own the tears His children shed.

"In that imaginary instant, I couldn't help calling out to him: "Don't give up, boy. Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead--a lot of it--30 years of it now, and still counting. You keep your chin up. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come."

Thursday, June 17, 2010

A quick trick for lunchtime

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Today I'm excited to share a guest post from my awesome sister Rachel.

As a busy mom of 3 boys, I try to simplify things where ever I can. One quick trick that works for us is having a consistent lunchtime schedule/menu. We are also fans of alliteration, so here is our lunch time meal plan:

Monday: Macaroni (Kraft Dinner)
Tuesday: Tomato soup & grilled cheese sandwich
Wednesday: Wieners (hot dogs)
Thursday: Any TH ideas ( or leftovers)
Friday: Fish (toasted tuna sandwich)
Saturday: some kind of sandwich

Lunch time is busy so it’s nice to just know what to make and not have to think it through every day. By the way we do add in fruit and veggies!

Rachel lives in Canada and is a mother of three fantastic boys. She likes to keep things simple so she has more enjoyable time to spend with them.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

FHE: Hands are for hugging--not hurting

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Scripture of the Week
"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart;"
Psalms 24:3-4

Lesson Plan
Sing "I Have Two Little Hands" (CS, 272).
I have two little hands, folded snugly and tight.
They are tiny and weak, yet they know what is right.

During all the long hours till daylight is through,

There is plenty indeed for my two hands to do.


Ask "What can your two hands do?" Answers will vary (eat, draw, clap, play, etc).

Show the picture on p. 74 in Behold Your Little Ones: Nursery Manual (children playing nicely together). Discuss how they are using their hands to share and play nicely together.

Ask "What did Jesus use his two hands to do?". Show pictures like the following to illustrate.

Jesus used his hands to teach.
Jesus used his hands to heal.
Jesus used his hands to comfort.
Jesus used his hands to pray.
Teach that Jesus wants us to use our hands to do good things and follow him.

Read scripture: Psalms 24:3-4.

Discuss our new family habit (rule): Hands are for hugging--not hurting!

Activity: Trace each family member's hands on one paper to illustrate our new family habit.

Monday, June 14, 2010

"Be more accepting of yourselves" and seek "beauty of body, mind and spirit".

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These comments, even though they are directed to young women, apply to women of all ages:

"I plead with you young women to please be more accepting of yourselves, including your body shape and style, with a little less longing to look like someone else. We are all different. Some are tall, and some are short. Some are round, and some are thin. And almost everyone at some time or other wants to be something they are not! But as one adviser to teenage girls said: "You can't live your life worrying that the world is staring at you. When you let people’s opinions make you self-conscious you give away your power. . . . The key to feeling [confident] is to always listen to your inner self— [the real you.]" And in the kingdom of God, the real you is "more precious than rubies." Every young woman is a child of destiny and every adult woman a powerful force for good. I mention adult women because, sisters, you are our greatest examples and resource for these young women. And if you are obsessing over being a size 2, you won't be very surprised when your daughter or the Mia Maid in your class does the same and makes herself physically ill trying to accomplish it. We should all be as fit as we can be—that's good Word of Wisdom doctrine. That means eating right and exercising and helping our bodies function at their optimum strength. We could probably all do better in that regard. But I speak here of optimum health; there is no universal optimum size."

Jeffrey R. Holland, “To Young Women,” Ensign, Nov 2005, 28


"The pleasures of the body can become an obsession for some; so too can the attention we give to our outward appearance. Sometimes there is a selfish excess of exercising, dieting, makeovers, and spending money on the latest fashions (see Alma 1:27).

"I am troubled by the practice of extreme makeovers. Happiness comes from accepting the bodies we have been given as divine gifts and enhancing our natural attributes, not from remaking our bodies after the image of the world. The Lord wants us to be made over—but in His image, not in the image of the world, by receiving His image in our countenances (see Alma 5:14, 19).

"I remember well the insecurities I felt as a teenager with a bad case of acne. I tried to care for my skin properly. My parents helped me get medical attention. For years I even went without eating chocolate and all the greasy fast foods around which teens often socialize, but with no obvious healing consequences. It was difficult for me at that time to fully appreciate this body which was giving me so much grief. But my good mother taught me a higher law. Over and over she said to me, "You must do everything you can to make your appearance pleasing, but the minute you walk out the door, forget yourself and start concentrating on others."

"There it was. She was teaching me the Christlike principle of selflessness. Charity, or the pure love of Christ, "envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own" (Moroni 7:45). When we become other-oriented, or selfless, we develop an inner beauty of spirit that glows in our outward appearance. This is how we make ourselves in the Lord's image rather than the world's and receive His image in our countenances. President Hinckley spoke of this very kind of beauty that comes as we learn to respect body, mind, and spirit. He said:

"Of all the creations of the Almighty, there is none more beautiful, none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue with an understanding of why she should do so, who honors and respects her body as a thing sacred and divine, who cultivates her mind and constantly enlarges the horizon of her understanding, who nurtures her spirit with everlasting truth" ("Understanding Our Divine Nature," Liahona, Feb. 2002, 24; "Our Responsibility to Our Young Women," Ensign, Sept. 1988, 11).

"Oh, how I pray that all men and women will seek the beauty praised by the prophet—beauty of body, mind, and spirit!"

Susan W. Tanner, “The Sanctity of the Body,” Ensign, Nov 2005, 13

Thanks to Eliza for submitting these quotes!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Book Links

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I've just added the following two new pages to my blog: Children's Books We've Read and Liked and Book Links. You can access them anytime underneath the top header. If you are ever looking for book recommendations, check back here to see what I'm reading for myself and with my children.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A Very Ducky Post

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What is it about ducks that make them such compelling characters for children's picture books? Have you ever truly noticed how many books about ducks there are?

Here are some of our favorites.
Have You Seen My Duckling? by Nancy Tafuri

Duck on a Bike by David Shannon

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Duck and Goose by Tad Hills

Duck Soup by Jackie Urbanovic

10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle

Come Along, Daisy by Jane Simmons

Just Ducky by Kathy Mallat

A ducky post wouldn't be complete without a mention of our favorite ducky songs:

There's a little white duck, swimming in the water...
Three little ducks went out to play, over the hill and far away...
Rubber ducky, you're the one, you make bathtime so much fun...

Have you stopped to feed the ducks lately?

Monday, June 7, 2010

Immerse your children in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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"With respect to our stewardship for our families, some have taught that when we report to the Savior and He asks us to give an account of our earthly responsibilities, two important inquiries will relate to our families. The first will be our relationship with our spouse, and the second will be about each of our children.

"It is easy to confuse our priorities. We have a duty to secure the physical safety and well-being of our children. However, some parents place undue priority on temporal and material possessions. Some are far less diligent in their efforts to immerse their children in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Remember that having religious observance in the home is as important as providing food, clothing, and shelter. Parents can also help children discover and develop their talents. We are responsible for the talents we have received. Children who are not taught that they are accountable for their time and talents are increasingly subject to the foolishness and unrighteousness that are so pervasive in the world. The family proclamation warns that individuals 'who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God.'"

Quentin L. Cook, “Stewardship—a Sacred Trust,” Ensign, Nov 2009, 91–94

Friday, June 4, 2010

Gospel Study in May 2010

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Among other things my gospel study in May included the following:
The Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi 8 through Jacob 2

Ch. 9: Prophets of God
Ch. 10: Scriptures

General Conference Addresses, April 2010

Julie B. Beck, “‘And upon the Handmaids in Those Days Will I Pour Out My Spirit’,” Ensign, May 2010, 10–12

"A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. Life is not calm for most women, and each day seems to require the accomplishment of a million things, most of which are important. A good woman must constantly resist alluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence. But with personal revelation, she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently.

"The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. Qualifying for the Lord’s Spirit begins with a desire for that Spirit and implies a certain degree of worthiness. Keeping the commandments, repenting, and renewing covenants made at baptism lead to the blessing of always having the Lord’s Spirit with us. Making and keeping temple covenants also adds spiritual strength and power to a woman’s life. Many answers to difficult questions are found by reading the scriptures because the scriptures are an aid to revelation. Insight found in scripture accumulates over time, so it is important to spend some time in the scriptures every day. Daily prayer is also essential to having the Lord’s Spirit with us. Those who earnestly seek help through prayer and scripture study often have a paper and pencil nearby to write questions and record impressions and ideas.

"Revelation can come hour by hour and moment by moment as we do the right things. When women nurture as Christ nurtured, a power and peace can descend to guide when help is needed. For instance, mothers can feel help from the Spirit even when tired, noisy children are clamoring for attention, but they can be distanced from the Spirit if they lose their temper with children. Being in the right places allows us to receive guidance. It requires a conscious effort to diminish distractions, but having the Spirit of revelation makes it possible to prevail over opposition and persist in faith through difficult days and essential routine tasks. Personal revelation gives us the understanding of what to do every day to increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek those who need our help. Because personal revelation is a constantly renewable source of strength, it is possible to feel bathed in help even during turbulent times.

"We are told to put our trust in that Spirit which leads us “to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously.” We are also told that this Spirit will enlighten our minds, fill our souls with joy, and help us know all things we should do. Promised personal revelation comes when we ask for it, prepare for it, and go forward in faith, trusting that it will be poured out upon us."

Wilford W. Andersen, “The Rock of Our Redeemer,” Ensign, May 2010, 16–18
"But for most of us, sadness and fear begin to melt away and are replaced by happiness and peace when we put our trust in the Author of the plan of happiness and when we develop faith in the Prince of Peace."

Henry B. Eyring, “Help Them on Their Way Home,” Ensign, May 2010, 22–25
"So we help God’s children best by providing ways to build faith in Jesus Christ and His restored gospel when they are young. And then we must help rekindle that faith quickly before it dims as they wander off the path."

"Heavenly Father has assigned us to a great variety of stations to strengthen and, when needed, to lead travelers to safety. Our most important and powerful assignments are in the family. They are important because the family has the opportunity at the start of a child’s life to put feet firmly on the path home. Parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts and uncles are made more powerful guides and rescuers by the bonds of love that are the very nature of a family."

"Many bishops in the Church are inspired to call the strongest people in the ward to serve individual children in the Primary. They realize that if the children are strengthened with faith and testimony, they will be less likely to need rescue as teenagers. They realize that a strong spiritual foundation can make the difference for a lifetime."

"Of all the help we can give these young people, the greatest will be to let them feel our confidence that they are on the path home to God and that they can make it. And we do that best by going with them. Because the path is steep and sometimes rocky, they will at times feel discouraged and even stumble. They may at times become confused about their destination and wander after less eternally important goals. These inspired programs make that less likely because they will lead the young person to invite and receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

"The best counsel for us to give young people is that they can arrive back to Heavenly Father only as they are guided and corrected by the Spirit of God. So if we are wise, we will encourage, praise, and exemplify everything which invites the companionship of the Holy Ghost. When they share with us what they are doing and feeling, we must ourselves have qualified for the Spirit. Then they will feel in our praise and our smiles the approval of God. And should we feel the need to give corrective counsel, they will feel our love and the love of God in it, not rebuke and rejection, which can permit Satan to lead them further away.

"The example they most need from us is to do what they must do. We need to pray for the gifts of the Spirit. We need to ponder in the scriptures and in the words of living prophets. We need to make plans which are not only wishes but covenants. And then we need to keep our promises to the Lord. And we need to lift others by sharing with them the blessings of the Atonement which have come in our lives."

L. Tom Perry, “Mothers Teaching Children in the Home,” Ensign, May 2010, 29–31

"Teaching in the home is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, where the influence of the adversary is so widespread and he is attacking, attempting to erode and destroy the very foundation of our society, even the family. Parents must resolve that teaching in the home is a most sacred and important responsibility. While other institutions, such as church and school, can assist parents to “train up a child in the way he [or she] should go” (Proverbs 22:6), ultimately this responsibility rests with parents. According to the great plan of happiness, it is parents who are entrusted with the care and development of our Heavenly Father’s children. Our families are an integral part of His work and glory—“to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). On God’s eternal stage, it is usually intended that parents act as the central cast members in their children’s lives. Fortunately, there are understudies involved in the production who may step in when parents can’t. It, however, is parents who have been commanded by the Lord to bring up their children in light and truth (see D&C 93:40).

"Parents must bring light and truth into their homes by one family prayer, one scripture study session, one family home evening, one book read aloud, one song, and one family meal at a time. They know that the influence of righteous, conscientious, persistent, daily parenting is among the most powerful and sustaining forces for good in the world. The health of any society, the happiness of its people, their prosperity, and their peace all find common roots in the teaching of children in the home.

"Elder Joseph Fielding Smith taught: “It is the duty of parents to teach their children these saving principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that they will know why they are to be baptized and that they may be impressed in their hearts with a desire to continue to keep the commandments of God after they are baptized, that they may come back into his presence. Do you, my good brethren and sisters, want your families, your children; do you want to be sealed to your fathers and your mothers before you … ? If so, then you must begin by teaching at the cradle-side. You are to teach by example as well as precept” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1948, 153).

"According to “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the principles I have taught about teaching in the home apply to both parents, but they are especially crucial to the role of a mother. Fathers most often spend much of their day away from home in their employment. That is one of the many reasons so much of the responsibility for teaching the child in the home falls on mothers. While circumstances do vary and the ideal isn’t always possible, I believe it is by divine design that the role of motherhood emphasizes the nurturing and teaching of the next generation. We see so many challenges today from distracting and destructive influences intended to mislead God’s children. We are seeing many young people who lack the deep spiritual roots necessary to remain standing in faith as storms of unbelief and despair swirl around them. Too many of our Father in Heaven’s children are being overcome by worldly desires. The onslaught of wickedness against our children is at once more subtle and more brazen than it has ever been. Teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in the home adds another layer of insulation to protect our children from worldly influences."

D.Todd Christofferson, “The Blessing of Scripture,” Ensign, May 2010, 32–35

"Through the scriptures, God does indeed “show forth his power” to save and exalt His children. By His word, as Alma said, He enlarges our memory, sheds light on falsehood and error, and brings us to repentance and to rejoice in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.

"Scripture tutors us in principles and moral values essential to maintaining civil society, including integrity, responsibility, selflessness, fidelity, and charity. In scripture, we find vivid portrayals of the blessings that come from honoring true principles, as well as the tragedies that befall when individuals and civilizations discard them. Where scriptural truths are ignored or abandoned, the essential moral core of society disintegrates and decay is close behind. In time, nothing is left to sustain the institutions that sustain society.

"Surely with this blessing the Lord is telling us that our need for constant recourse to the scriptures is greater than in any previous time. May we feast continuously on the words of Christ that will tell us all things we should do (see 2 Nephi 32:3)."

The Friend, May 2010

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Favorite Crafty Sites

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I'm taking a partial maternity leave from this blog as we recently welcomed a sweet baby boy into our home. So today I am happy to be sharing a guest post from my dear friend Janene.

I will be the first to admit that I am not a natural crafter. Creativity does not come to me quickly. If I do manage to come up with something on my own, it takes me days of stewing over it and mulling it over in my mind. I don't come up with my own craft ideas, but I will say, I am pretty darn good at copying. I can see something and look it over for a while, and then I can probably figure it out (if you give me enough time, that is!)

Creating things for my children, my home, and for my friends brings me a lot of joy! The problem is, I get stuck somewhere between having a great project to work on, and the motivation to actually get the sewing machine or hot glue gun out. Once I do start a project, I can't usually put it down until it is done! I love that "project well done" feeling!

Well, lucky for me there are a TON of crazy good craft blogs out that inspire me, almost daily, and make me want to get my craft on. These blogs include amazingly detailed tutorials to follow and lots of pictures to help.

So I thought I'd share all of my favorites with you, and maybe you'll be inspired too.


1. Made by Rae
2. Make it and Love it
3. Homemade by Jill
4. How Does She?
5. Little Birdie Secrets
6. MADE
7. So You Think You're Crafty?
8. Heather Bailey
9. Ucreate
10. V and Co.
11. The Idea Room
12. Nanny Goat
13. Create

Janene is the mother of three children. She loves to take pictures and read good books and she is a fabulous friend! You can view her work at jkphotography and reserve your next photo session with her.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

FHE: A Name and a Blessing

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Scripture of the Week:
And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
Mark 10:16

…and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.
3 Nephi 17:21

This lesson was adapted from Lesson 28 in the Family Home Evening Resource Book. We will be blessing our new baby boy soon, so this lesson was designed to teach our children about the sacred ordinance.

Lesson Plan
Discuss with your family the meaning of their names, and why they were given that name.

Explain that the ordinance of giving a name and a blessing is a sacred and happy experience for the family.Explain that Jesus Christ blessed the children one by one (see Mark 10:16 and 3 Nephi 1721). Show a picture of Jesus blessing the children. When Jesus blessed the children, he did it with authority from our Heavenly Father. We have the same authority in the Church today, the Melchizedek Priesthood.
The Ant Bug
Talk about each child's blessing. Show pictures and share the notes from the blessing.
The Sweet Bee
Show the children the certificates of blessing for themselves and the parents. The certificate is an official church record that shows that the baby is now on the official membership records of the Church.

Discuss plans for the baby blessing. Show what the baby will be wearing.
The white dress was worn by both of my daughters for their blessing. The blue outfit will be worn by our son. It was worn by their father for his blessing.

Conclude by discussing our gratitude for each baby that has been born to our family.
 

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