Happiest Places on Earth

We made our final trip to Orlando this week!  It was strange thinking we won't be making that 4 hour journey every month.  Not that the temple isn't enough to keep us going down there, but we've been adding Disney after the temple to make it an extra fun/ extra long trip!  I guess I won't miss having to drive 4 hours to get there, but it's always sad to realize your opportunity is coming to an end.  We love the Orlando temple!  The boys even know their way around and have favorite spots to go.  The fountains are their favorite :)  Plus, our Disney passes have several months left on them.  But it was fun while it lasted!!! 

I couldn't help but take lots of pictures knowing it was my last chance.  So, here they are (probably more for my memories than your enjoyment, but please enjoy!).

Brayden gave Bun Bun a tour of the temple.

Zander got hold of Bun Bun and ran away.  Good thing Brayden's a good sport!

Trying to see in the temple's back "door"

Ahhhh. . . got Bun Bun back.

The nice white rocks around the back fountains

And the palm trees we won't be seeing in Utah

A little lunch

Playing and talking together. Too cute!

SO BIG!!!

Zander snapped this shot.  Haha.

 DISNEY WORLD - Magic Kingdom

 Hidden Mickeys in Small World

FHE- Followers of Christ

This week we talked about Elder Oaks' talk from Conference.  Another record-time planning session (is it really "record" if it happens every week?) that led to a successful FHE.  The Lord is really looking out for me!  It seems like all I have to do is make an effort and he takes care of the rest by filling my mind with great ideas.  I love it!  Anyway, the talk is titled "Followers of Christ" and Elder Oaks talks about different things we do that make us Followers of Christ. 

For this FHE you will need:
-footprints (traced or printed then cut out)
-the talk "Followers of Christ" by Elder Oaks from April 2013 General Conference
-tiny pictures for the characteristics you choose.
-something your kids use while they sleep/rest (like a blanky)

Prep:

Make your footprints however you choose. I traced my own feet and cut out a stack of construction paper footprints.  I ended up with 8 (4 of each foot). I think it was just the right amount. Then choose the same number of characteristics that you want to use. Elder Oaks discussed charitable contributions (tithing), baptism, the sacrament, service, missionary work, keeping commandments, repentance and forgiveness.  I added my own applicable habits of sharing, reverence, and playing nicely.  Then search for pictures of each thing.  I used a google search for the topic plus the word "coloring" because then it brought up lots of black and white pictures that are much nicer for my ink supply. They're meant for coloring on, so if you have kids that want to help prep, you could let them color them in!  Or if you're in a super big hurry, you can even just write words on the feet.

The last thing to prep is deciding where you're going to lead them.  I chose my bedroom because the talk basically says that if we follow Christ we'll find rest to our souls.  So, I figured a bedroom is a good resting place.  Wherever you choose, leave your child's "resting item" there where they won't accidentally find it before you start.

Song I used:
Do as I'm doing (with marching in a line to follow the leader. . . since we're talking about following Christ).  "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" would work nicely too.

Lesson:
After we had an opening prayer, I explained that just like in our song when we followed each other (each of us got a turn leading) we were talking about following Christ.  I told them that we say "follow in his footsteps" because we want to live the way He did when He walked on the Earth.  I told them that Elder Oaks shared some ways that we can follow in his footsteps.  Then I shared his testimony from the end of his talk that says "He invites all of us who are heavy laden to come unto Him, to learn of Him, to follow Him, and thus to find rest to our souls."(I added emphasis).  I emphasized that we work hard to follow all his footsteps and then we can rest because it can be hard and tiring!

Now the fun part- the footprints!  I just held the stack and showed them the one on top and asked them what the picture showed.  Then when either they would guess it or I would tell them, I would toss it on the ground ahead of us and we all had to run and hop on it.  They started taking turns standing on each one :) I kept tossing the footprints ahead to lead to my room where my resting place is.  Once we were there, they found their blankies waiting on my bed and then we went to their resting places after a quick treat and brushing the teeth.  They both did really well with it and actually went back to race to the footprints after we were done.  So, I asked what steps Brayden remembered.  He started just pointing and saying "that one and that one" so I started naming some for him and he seemed to actually be paying attention and trying to remember them.  Ahhhh.  Another success.  Parenting is SO fulfilling when you're doing it right.  Basically when you partner with the Lord.  Love love love it.

Conference 2013 FHE - Christofferson

Yesterday was not my favorite day.  I went grocery shopping during my time with Preston during the day, then shortly after he left, I started feeling sick to my stomach and must have had a stomach bug.  It lasted nearly all night.  Yuck.  A tender mercy was having Preston come home early without me even asking.  He must have been inspired! But, one reason he came home is he heard some news we had been waiting for.  It was bad news.  No dream job yet.  But, despite all the negative things that I could focus on, I was still able to feel pretty positive in life and put together another good FHE.

Elder Christofferson talked about being redeemed.  It was a really great talk that I need to go back and read more in depth.  But, I had the idea pop into my head (from a higher source I'm sure) that we could have a little shopping experience for FHE in a mini store where the boys could each spend homemade $2.  However, the prices were $1 for 1 mini marshmallow, $2 for 5 mini marshmallows (obviously a better choice), or $3 for 10 marshmallows and a large gummy bunny.   The idea was that they would want to spend $3 for the best treat bag, but they could only provide $2 on their own.  I explained that there was a way to afford the $3 bag.  They could go ask Daddy for a coupon that would make up the difference.  Brayden was wise and got the coupon. Zander tried to take the bag without a coupon and ended up having a fit until we just gave him the $2 bag that he could afford without the coupon.  That little one can't resist sugar!! It was a good object lesson though.

During the activity we used the words "redeem" the coupon.  Which is important since the whole talk is about being redeemed.  The other key was that the coupon was on the back of a picture of Christ- our Redeemer.  So, while the boys ate their treats we showed them the picture and explained how we can go to our Heavenly father and ask him to help us with what we can't do for ourselves.  We explained that Christ is our Redeemer because he provided a way for us to "say sorry" and repent.

I also used a small quote from the talk. There's lots of good things you can share from the talk.

Anyway, it was fun.  And hopefully took the principle to their level.

General Conference

Another successful General Conference this past weekend.  You just can't beat hearing living scripture from a living prophet and apostles all weekend long! Of course, I can't pretend that I really listened to all of it because Motherhood doesn't stop even for other important things.  However, I lived up to my goal after last conference and re-read all the talks over again at least once, so I am determined to do it again.  The things that stand out in my mind are:
- Perry's talk on Agency and Obedience
- what I do is important because I am important (from Elaine S. Dalton)
- and that we should go out of our way to be a true friend (can't remember who said that).  Due to an experience today I translated into we should go out of our way to do what's right.
- and due to my calling as primary chorister, I also quite enjoyed the phrase "children who sing are happy children" which was from one of the Seventy on Sunday afternoon - Falabella or something like that. 
 I really should just go get my notebook and look up who said everything, but it's good memory practice to see what stands out :)

Anyway, conference has messages for everyone in every circumstance, so if you weren't fortunate enough to watch it during the weekend, go look it up now!  In fact, you can just click here for a shortcut.  You will receive peace, comfort, direction and answers.  Kind of important stuff.

I went a little overboard in my planning this session, but I actually liked it.  I learned a few things to make it even better last time, but I loved having so many snacked planned and ready and changing them up every session to keep our tummy and mouths happy too. I tried having mostly healthy snacks available all the time and all the sweets were "listening treats" for if they heard specific things (like Jesus, family, prayer and temple and music).  I did learn that I had too many listening treats the first session and we tried just one at a time for the other sessions. I also tried to have several activities, but I learned that we need to review the activities before conference next time because I didn't want to sit and explain things to the boys once it started.

Here's some of our setup and snacks.  And here's a special thanks to my special boys for enabling us to watch as much as we did!  They are great boys.  It elated me to hear Brayden shout with joy when he would see the prophet!

Saturday snacks

Treat snacks.  The pictures reminded us what to listen for.  The hugs were if the speaker got emotional.  The snickers were for when a speaker made people laugh :)

We borrowed the seminary cords so we could watch on our big screen.

Our apostle activity found from lds.org (I enlarged it a bit)

A little bike practice in between sessions Saturday while Zander napped.

Our completed conference activity

 We had fun with the Bells again too.  It was nice for our kids to be able to have some extra interaction on long days in front of the TV :)  And it was nice for us to share a special time with some good friends too!

Our General Conference Weekend

I was really excited for Conference this time. The most excited I've been since having children I'm sure. I knew I still wouldn't be able to sit and listen to the whole thing undistracted, but this time I was determined to teach Brayden about it and share my love for the prophet and apostles. As I got excited to teach him I got really excited to hear the prophet myself!! After the first session (maybe two) I was kinda bummed because Brayden didn't seem as into it as I had pictured and we didn't get to watch any part of conference without at least one child. Nap times just didn't work out like they should've. But, Preston reminded me that my effort was good and not to be discouraged. So come day 2 of conference I was ready for another shot!

Previously in our home, we had an FHE about when King Benjamin spoke to the Nephites and they gathered their families together in tents to hear him. So, we built our own little fort/tent in our Study to watch conference in. Brayden's reaction to the fort: "Woooow." Starting Monday I had been showing him pictures of all the apostles and first Presidency to help him learn their names and he could sing their names to the same tune as the Books in the Book of Mormon are sung to. I didn't do a good job in preparing him for my treat idea, but we did have jelly beans that were out of reach, but available if Brayden listened and heard the speakers talk about Jesus Christ. So, back to conference....

Come Sunday sessions, Brayden was pretty ready for a nap when it was going to start at noon but we let him stay up for a little because he was so excited that we were all going to go watch more "prophet show" as he called it. Presiden Eyring conducted the first session and when Brayden saw him he pointed and yelled "EYRING! There he is!" You can only imagine how happy my heart was to hear that! Precious. We put Brayden to bed after the first speaker I think, but he was up for the next session.  When the session started, Brayden asked "more Eyring?" Then the songs started and we saw Preston's dad in the choir and told Brayden "there's Grandpa!" He must not have actually seen his grandpa, because every time the camera would show a male shot of the choir and there was a grey haired, glasses wearing man Brayden would shout - "Bapa! There he is!" haha. In fact, one of the speakers from the 70 who spoke Brayden called grandpa too. Haha. What I really loved was how enthusiastic he was about finding the apostles all throughout the session and even when I didn't think he was listening at all, he'd suddenly say "Jesus Christ. Jellybean!" And the speakers really had said Jesus every time! So, even when he was playing on my phone or fishing through Zander's toys, he could be listening too.  Both days of conference he really enjoyed putting a sticker on the picture of the speaker when it was one of the apostles or first Presidency (because those are the pictures we had for him). And he got very excited when he could recognize someone.

I'm just so filled with joy at how enthusiastic Brayden was with Conference in the end! And I'm also filled with urgency to alter a few habits of mine and create some new ones. Conference leaves me with a mix of determination, joy, peace and also a nice to do list. But, I love it!

Hope you got to watch and if not, go check it out!!