My Feet His Shoes.

Who's shoes?

Well, here are my feet in Daniel's shoes. I have small feet. 6 1/2 sized feet. Do you like my flag toes? This is from 2 summer's ago. But nothing has changed. Well, I don't have flag toes, but my feet still look the same in Daniel's shoes.

Last night I was in Isaac's room talking with him about all kinds of stuff. His shoe was right there. Right next to my foot. So I did what was expected. I tried it on. This is Isaac's shoe on my foot. It fits people! My 10 year old son's shoes fit me. So now I know where to go if I need a pair of shoes. By the way, Isaac doesn't think it's cool that he could actually borrow my shoes.
I'm gonna go buy me a new pair of boots now.

Family Scripture.

Many years ago, when my first baby was a baby, there was a mom in our ward who would share these incredible experiences she had with her kids whenever she bore her testimony or taught a class or just talked to people around her. I was in awe of these incredible moments she had with her kids. And then I'd do something silly. I'd compare myself with her. I know...Dumb. I would think to myself, "I must not be a good mom because I don't have those kinds of things happen." or "I will never be as good a mom as she is." Etc, etc.

I know, I am a good mom. Really, I know. I have the awesome kids to prove it. But as I explained my extreme shortcomings as a mom to Daniel, he reminded me that a baby is very different than a 5 year old. And a 5 year old is very different than a 10 year old. My family was just beginning and there would be many many moments that I would share with my own kids.

So here we are many years later. My kids are 10, 8 and almost 7. (Only 12 more days until my birthday!!!! I get daily updates!) And as I look back over many years of motherhood, I can recall many discussions, testimonies, experiences, etc, that I've had with my kids that are inspiring and uplifting. When we have family scripture study, many times we have such sweet discussions about the gospel and the prophets and how to keep Satan away. When we're in the car together or sitting to eat dinner together or getting ready for school in the morning or doing homework or outside playing or are doing any number of things we do together as a family or one on one, Daniel and I make it a point to share the gospel and our testimonies with our kids. And they in turn wow us with their own testimonies.

I was recently reading a book in which the author shares something his family does. They have what they call Family Scripture. He then shares one of those scriptures in the book. The story is about his grandmother and that when she asked heavenly Father to help her, He did. And it was incredible and visible help. That family scripture is now in a book of family scripture.

So I took that to heart. Daniel and I have a lifetime of experiences. We share those experiences with our kids when we teach a principle that corresponds with what we are talking about. But there are more experiences that are very close to our hearts that we don't just talk about but want to share with our kids one day.

So I started our own Family Scriptures. It is being filled with experiences we've had and will continue to be filled throughout our lives. We hope to add scripture from grandparents and other family members as well.

Think about it. What are the scriptures? They are a collection of experiences and testimonies of those who lived it. Those who learned and taught and prophesied and bore record of a living Christ to their children so they would know to whom they could look for power and for a remission of their sins. What do we do as parents? We learn, we teach and we bear record of a living Christ to our children so they will know to whom they can look for power and for a remission of their sins.
The purpose of having Family Scripture is to persuade our children to believe in Christ and to be reconciled to God. We hope that as we share our experiences as scripture with each other that our children will receive them with thankful hearts and have Joy.

This book will be filled with our profound and humbling and uplifting and inspiring experiences. Individually and as a family. Oh my heart. My Joy.

A Reward.

So this morning I began by washing windows. Then I went to the school and worked in 2 kids' classes. Then I came home to a message from my friend that she couldn't make it to lunch. So I washed more windows. Who knew the sky was so blue!

So to reward myself I went to Target and bought myself a dress. A black dress. It was on clearance and it would need some help. So I bought it for under $7 and went to Seagull book and got one of those shirt thingys you wear under so I now have sleeves. Must have sleeves. That was $10.

So to make the plain black boring yet cheap dress with the shirt underneath for sleeves more appealing, I got some fabric out and made these:They're scarves. I can wrap them around my neck in many ways to add color. See the orange one up at the top right? I'm so not an orange girl. I'm more a purple and blue girl. But I'll wear that one on Halloween. And here I am wearing one of them.

It's a blue T-shirt, not the dress with the shirt for sleeves.

But I now have a total of 10, count 'em, 10 "outfits" for Sunday under $17.

Tonight Daniel will be ordained and set apart. I think I might wear one.

But then again this might be the only time you'll actually see me in one.

I'm fickle like that.

A Quick Look At Our Week...

What a week. But it's not done. Actually it just moves into another busy week. We got together with Daniel's family on Sunday night. Fun stuff. As I sat looking at all the men in the family I couldn't help but think of many of their callings and what powerhouses they are. My Daniel is a Cubmaster. And he loves it. And now that I'm in Cub Scouts, I get to work with him. Some of the women at Relief Society Tuesday night where I made this soup commented on how great he is as Cubmaster. That just meant something was meant to change.

Yummy White Chili. I'll share the recipe later.

After RS, we got a call from the Stake to meet with one of the counselors on Wednesday night. Change. No doubt about it. I was hoping for Stake Cubmaster! I opened the freezer and then remembered the Diet Pepper I'd put in earlier in the day for a quick cold. Ha! Here's the busted can.
And that's what my freezer looks like. I still don't know who will clean it up. I'm too short to reach up there! We went to visit my sister Katie on Friday. We had fun playing with cousins and solving the world's problems. I also came home with a serger. If you know how to work one, please let me know. I need to get some quilt squares serged together so Daniel's dad can put the quilts together. Why do I volunteer for these things??

On Saturday we began early at Laps For Lyndsay. It was a huge success. 6 kids with Epilepsy will get to go to camp because of Lyndsay's mom and dad's efforts. At the raffle we quickly realized we couldn't keep up with the family that literally bought hundreds of tickets. They won a ton of stuff. Including 2 of my movie night baskets! Sam put 3 tickets in with one other ticket so he could win the Monopoly key chain and money clip. It worked. That began our winning streak.

We also won 2 large Ligori's pizzas and a basket of LDS books and a wall hanging. Love it!

I would say we walked at least 2 1/2 miles each. Some more than others. My boys ran around the track several times. We celebrated our family after by going to see a movie. Nanny McPhee Returns. I cried. Twice. Pizza for dinner. Early bedtime!

Today we attended our Stake Conference. Our stake was split and Daniel was sustained as a High Priest and then High Councilman We are waiting now to find out when they will ordain and set apart. Next week we will find out our new ward boundaries and who our new Bishop will be. At least I know it won't be Daniel! And as for Cubmaster, Daniel gets to lead our Pack Meeting this week for the last time. Too bad there isn't a Stake Cubmaster! But he'll be great in his new calling and Priesthood office!

It's been a great week and we're having what I call Fiesta Chicken for dinner.

I love my family and everything we do! Can't get better than this.

Hope your week was awesome!

Family Movie Night.

One of our most favorite things to do as a family is have Family Movie Night. We pick a movie, make some popcorn, choose some treats, get our blankets and pillows and watch.

About a month ago I was talking to Lyndsay's mom. I asked her what more I could do for them. She then started to tell me about Laps for Lyndsay. She explained what they would do and how it would work. The money earned from this fundraiser in Lyndsay's name will go to children with Epilepsy so they can go to camp. She said I could help by telling people about it and then donating a "basket" for the raffel. So I gave that some thought...

These are my baskets. Family Movie Night baskets. In each one is a movie, root beer, licorice, treats and popcorn.

The movies are...The Karate Kid, Inkheart and Marmaduke. All movies we've enjoyed.
You know you want one! So go to Active . com and search Laps for Lyndsay and register.
Fast!!
It's this Saturday, October 16 at 8 am-noon.
Don't miss it!

Make A Meal.

Hellooooo. Have we been eating?? Why yes, we have. I just don't put anything on my blog anymore. Sheesh! But here is a wonderful french bread recipe that I love. And I remember many moons ago, Kim k asked about the recipe. Kim k...This one's for you!!

Easy French Bread

1 Tbs yeast

2 1/2 c warm water

3 1/2 cups flour

1 Tbs sugar

1/2 Tbs salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt and 1 cup flour. Beat. Add rest of flour and knead on floured board or in standing mixer, 5 minutes.

Let rise 30-45 minutes.

Grease a cookie sheet and sprinkle lightly with corn meal.

Punch down bread dough and knead 1 minute.

Divide dough into 2 parts and let rest 10 minutes.

Roll each dough piece into ropes as long as your cookie sheet making sure there is room to rise between loaves.

Make several evenly spaced shallow cuts diagonally in the top of each loaf and brush with egg wash or water. preheat oven to 450.

Let rise until double, about 30 minutes.
Place a pan of hot water on lower shelf in oven.

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then lower temperature to 350 and bake another 20-25 minutes. You should hear a hollow sound when you knock on the top of the loaf.

Remove from pan and cool and wrap in plastic bags.

YUM!

Note: This is a halved recipe. You can double it to make the regular recipe which would give you 3-4 loaves!

Is It Hot In Here?

So for several days this little thang, called Cassie, has been causing a raucous! I even asked my neighbor 2 doors down if she heard her. She said, "Oh! It's your goat!" They'd apparently been trying to figure out where the noise was coming from! I apologized profusely!!

She likes to be perched up on top of her house.

Which makes it easier for her to see Billy. The boy goat over the fence.

She must have been in heat!

She would stand on her house and Naaaaa Naaaaaa Naaaaaa Naaaaa

incessantly!
You would think she was dying.

But we think she just wanted Billy.

This, well, I share this just because.
My children have taken to spear throwing. Isaac created a schedule and taught his brother and sister the art of throwing a spear. We have many spears thanks to the giant sunflower plants.

Look at that form!

The stalks from the giant sunflowers are like tree trunks.

Perfect for spears.

Sam is really into spear throwing.

He may be listing it on his resume.

Ruthie is in the last weeks of 6.

Then she'll be 7.

In one year we'll be planning another baptism.

My babies are growing up.

But at least Daniel and I will have the protection of the spear throwers.

It will soon be dark early enough so they can do night maneuvers.

I love this time of year!

Did You Feel It?

The Spirit.

Oh.

How I love General Conference.

And because I have children I got most of it.

But what I felt.

What I understood.

Was ...

Wonderful.

Insightful.

Inspiring.

Uplifting.

Fortifying.

Direct.

Unmincing.

Bold.

Did I mention Wonderful?

And now cookies are baking and rain is falling...

Rain is one of my most favorite things in the world.

And the cookies are pretty good, too.

What a wonderful start to my week!