Thursday, November 22, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Month of Gratitude, Episode 4
Day 16: I am grateful for my mother.
I ran across a few good quotes about mothers that reminded me how thankful I am for my mother as well as my mother-in-law. I hope and pray that I can be as good of a mother as they both have been to me and Dave.
"Adversity is a part of my life and your life and your children's lives. But we are not left alone to contend with, pass through, or overcome these trials. We are not alone...we have help. Powerful help. Consistent help. Constant help. One of the primary answers to adversity is that God blesses us with mothers to teach, love, and nurture us through the difficult experiences of our lives on earth. God enlists mothers to help His children learn about Him and to rely on Him in mortality. In this, they are ministering angels to us....
"Mothers help us understand why we must pass through such painful and traumatic experiences. They remind us in whom we can trust. They tell us in whom we can place our confidence. They ask us to draw upon previous experiences. Mothers ready us for adversity. Mothers also ready us for the answers to adversity. They often direct our attention heavenward. They ask us to have faith. They join us in mighty prayer to overcome the enemies and opponents that try to defeat us and cause us to doubt that God is watching us....
"Mothers remember single battles and lifelong battles. They give us their undivided attention when we need it most. Mothers notice our scars, both visible and invisible.
"Mothers prepare us to answer adversity's call and face the trials of life. They prepare our souls to receive answers and to open our hearts to gain a broader perspective when we lose our way and forget who we are. Mothers are there to cheer us on and to pray for our safe return" (excerpts from I Sit All Amazed, by Steve Mikita).
I ran across a few good quotes about mothers that reminded me how thankful I am for my mother as well as my mother-in-law. I hope and pray that I can be as good of a mother as they both have been to me and Dave.
"Adversity is a part of my life and your life and your children's lives. But we are not left alone to contend with, pass through, or overcome these trials. We are not alone...we have help. Powerful help. Consistent help. Constant help. One of the primary answers to adversity is that God blesses us with mothers to teach, love, and nurture us through the difficult experiences of our lives on earth. God enlists mothers to help His children learn about Him and to rely on Him in mortality. In this, they are ministering angels to us....
"Mothers help us understand why we must pass through such painful and traumatic experiences. They remind us in whom we can trust. They tell us in whom we can place our confidence. They ask us to draw upon previous experiences. Mothers ready us for adversity. Mothers also ready us for the answers to adversity. They often direct our attention heavenward. They ask us to have faith. They join us in mighty prayer to overcome the enemies and opponents that try to defeat us and cause us to doubt that God is watching us....
"Mothers remember single battles and lifelong battles. They give us their undivided attention when we need it most. Mothers notice our scars, both visible and invisible.
"Mothers prepare us to answer adversity's call and face the trials of life. They prepare our souls to receive answers and to open our hearts to gain a broader perspective when we lose our way and forget who we are. Mothers are there to cheer us on and to pray for our safe return" (excerpts from I Sit All Amazed, by Steve Mikita).
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Month of Gratitude, Episode 3
DAY 10: I am grateful for babysitters!
I love living close to so many of our family members and I am so very thankful to them for all the babysitting they provide. I truly appreciate their willingness to watch our little man while Dave and I take time out for a date or while I run to help him at the office. THANK YOU! to all our wonderful babysitters!
DAY 11: I am thankful for a warm house.
As the days get shorter and colder I am so grateful to have a roof over my head and a furnace to keep us warm.
DAY 12: I am thankful for food on our table and our food storage.
I love to eat so I am very grateful for food! And though we don't have as much food storage as my father-in-law would like us to have, we do have a nice little reserve that will get us through a few months.
DAY 13: I am grateful for opportunities to be creative.
I have been working on a cute little monster doll that I'll be giving away as a gift. No pictures yet but when I finish I'll post. It's been fun to create it from a few sheets of felt, a needle and thread. Amazing what you can do with an imagination!
DAY 14: I am thankful for healthcare providers.
Benjamin made it through his six-month checkup with flying colors. I am grateful to have a pediatrician who can calm my neurotic, first-time-mom fears.
DAY 15: I am grateful for the ability to read.
Even with a crazy little baby I have found time to read some pretty fantastic things over the last few months. I recently finished The Hourglass Door trilogy by Lisa Mangum, which I highly recommend. Sometimes you just need to escape with a good piece of fiction--and now that I don't escape to work I love to escape to other wonderful destinations, like Austenland. :)
I love living close to so many of our family members and I am so very thankful to them for all the babysitting they provide. I truly appreciate their willingness to watch our little man while Dave and I take time out for a date or while I run to help him at the office. THANK YOU! to all our wonderful babysitters!
DAY 11: I am thankful for a warm house.
As the days get shorter and colder I am so grateful to have a roof over my head and a furnace to keep us warm.
DAY 12: I am thankful for food on our table and our food storage.
I love to eat so I am very grateful for food! And though we don't have as much food storage as my father-in-law would like us to have, we do have a nice little reserve that will get us through a few months.
DAY 13: I am grateful for opportunities to be creative.
I have been working on a cute little monster doll that I'll be giving away as a gift. No pictures yet but when I finish I'll post. It's been fun to create it from a few sheets of felt, a needle and thread. Amazing what you can do with an imagination!
DAY 14: I am thankful for healthcare providers.
Benjamin made it through his six-month checkup with flying colors. I am grateful to have a pediatrician who can calm my neurotic, first-time-mom fears.
DAY 15: I am grateful for the ability to read.
Even with a crazy little baby I have found time to read some pretty fantastic things over the last few months. I recently finished The Hourglass Door trilogy by Lisa Mangum, which I highly recommend. Sometimes you just need to escape with a good piece of fiction--and now that I don't escape to work I love to escape to other wonderful destinations, like Austenland. :)
Friday, November 9, 2012
Month of Gratitude, Episode 2
I warned you I wouldn't get here every day. Here's the next installment of things I'm thankful for.
DAY 3: I am thankful for our small business.
Maybe it's strange to be grateful for the headaches of owning a business but still I am grateful for for Dave's practice. I'm grateful that he finds such joy in his work, that it provides a place for me to have a bit of a challenge outside the home, and I anticipate that in the future we will find opportunities within the practice to teach our children how to work.
DAY 4: I am grateful for our families.
We spent most of the day with my family and then with Dave's, just visiting. I LOVE that our parents are both so close and that about half of our siblings live right in town as well. It is wonderful to have so much love and support surrounding us.
DAY 5: I am grateful for the gospel and the peace of the Spirit.
It is such a blessing to have the gospel in my life and the gift of the Holy Ghost. I am grateful for my testimony of the truth that influences all I do and helps me be a better person. And when I need comforting or answers to questions, I am grateful for the Spirit that whispers peace to my heart.
DAY 6: I am thankful to live in this free country.
On Election Day the results didn't go exactly as I had hoped but I am still so grateful for the opportunity we have to exercise our rights and vote. It is such a blessing to live in this country - the nation where the gospel was restored. I love to think about the beginnings of our country and how the Lord had His hand in its formation and in the creation of the Constitution. Despite the gloomy outlook that many people have regarding the future, I firmly believe that as long as we remain good and faithful the Lord will bless us and the land we have inherited.
DAY 7: I am thankful for all my dear missionary friends.
I was at lunch with my mother and seated next to us was a group of older women. I kept searching their faces hoping to find one of my missionaries from work -- sadly I didn't know any of them. But it made me think on what a privilege it was to work with so many wonderful missionaries while I was at the Conference Center. I learned so much from them, and despite the generation gap I consider them some of my best friends.
DAY 8: I am thankful for my calling.
I absolutely love working with the girls in the Church! I am so grateful for the time I spent in Young Womens and now I get to work with the Activity Day girls. I love sharing with them some of the things my mother taught me on how to be a strong, loving, confident, faithful woman. I hope they all know - the Activity Day girls and the Young Women - how much I love them, that I pray for them, that I seek inspiration to know how to best serve them. I hope I always get to work with the wonderful women of the Church!
DAY 9: I am thankful for the seasons.
After living in Louisiana during my mission I came to better appreciate the four seasons. I love that here in Utah we get all four seasons. So, while the snow may hamper some of the plans I had to run errands and make me want to hunker down at home with hot chocolate and a good book, I am grateful to experience winter, spring, summer, and autumn each and every year.
DAY 3: I am thankful for our small business.
Maybe it's strange to be grateful for the headaches of owning a business but still I am grateful for for Dave's practice. I'm grateful that he finds such joy in his work, that it provides a place for me to have a bit of a challenge outside the home, and I anticipate that in the future we will find opportunities within the practice to teach our children how to work.
DAY 4: I am grateful for our families.
We spent most of the day with my family and then with Dave's, just visiting. I LOVE that our parents are both so close and that about half of our siblings live right in town as well. It is wonderful to have so much love and support surrounding us.
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| The Hinckley Family (missing Jill and Keith who were off getting their pictures taken elsewhere) |
DAY 5: I am grateful for the gospel and the peace of the Spirit.
It is such a blessing to have the gospel in my life and the gift of the Holy Ghost. I am grateful for my testimony of the truth that influences all I do and helps me be a better person. And when I need comforting or answers to questions, I am grateful for the Spirit that whispers peace to my heart.
DAY 6: I am thankful to live in this free country.
On Election Day the results didn't go exactly as I had hoped but I am still so grateful for the opportunity we have to exercise our rights and vote. It is such a blessing to live in this country - the nation where the gospel was restored. I love to think about the beginnings of our country and how the Lord had His hand in its formation and in the creation of the Constitution. Despite the gloomy outlook that many people have regarding the future, I firmly believe that as long as we remain good and faithful the Lord will bless us and the land we have inherited.
DAY 7: I am thankful for all my dear missionary friends.
I was at lunch with my mother and seated next to us was a group of older women. I kept searching their faces hoping to find one of my missionaries from work -- sadly I didn't know any of them. But it made me think on what a privilege it was to work with so many wonderful missionaries while I was at the Conference Center. I learned so much from them, and despite the generation gap I consider them some of my best friends.
DAY 8: I am thankful for my calling.
I absolutely love working with the girls in the Church! I am so grateful for the time I spent in Young Womens and now I get to work with the Activity Day girls. I love sharing with them some of the things my mother taught me on how to be a strong, loving, confident, faithful woman. I hope they all know - the Activity Day girls and the Young Women - how much I love them, that I pray for them, that I seek inspiration to know how to best serve them. I hope I always get to work with the wonderful women of the Church!
DAY 9: I am thankful for the seasons.
After living in Louisiana during my mission I came to better appreciate the four seasons. I love that here in Utah we get all four seasons. So, while the snow may hamper some of the plans I had to run errands and make me want to hunker down at home with hot chocolate and a good book, I am grateful to experience winter, spring, summer, and autumn each and every year.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Month of Gratitude, Episode 1
An old friend of mine tagged me on Facebook this morning. It looks like she is doing a daily tidbit of gratitude this month with Thanksgiving approaching, and she mentioned me in her post. Then on Studio 5 today they reported on the "month of gratitude" again and the different FB and bloggers who are participating. I want to join the movement! Too often the sun rises and sets and I don't express enough gratitude for the countless blessings in my life.
I am going to make a sincere effort to post something every day this month. But remember that I have a 5-1/2 month old baby and he doesn't like to nap, which means I don't get much of a break during the day. So, please forgive me in advance if I have to lump several days together. Like today, for instance.
DAY 1: I am thankful for Dave.
He is so patient with me and loves me unconditionally. I am so grateful for how hard he works to provide for our family. Sometimes I get a little jealous that his office sees more of him than I do but I know he does it all for me and Benjamin. He is the best thing in my life and I love him!
DAY 2: I am thankful for Benjamin.
We tried for so long to get him to our family but his infectious smile makes me forget all the tears shed, all the needle pokes, and all the disappointments that preceded his arrival. He is such a good baby (despite the naps) and has brought us tremendous joy in his short life. It is a privilege to be his mother.
I am going to make a sincere effort to post something every day this month. But remember that I have a 5-1/2 month old baby and he doesn't like to nap, which means I don't get much of a break during the day. So, please forgive me in advance if I have to lump several days together. Like today, for instance.
DAY 1: I am thankful for Dave.
He is so patient with me and loves me unconditionally. I am so grateful for how hard he works to provide for our family. Sometimes I get a little jealous that his office sees more of him than I do but I know he does it all for me and Benjamin. He is the best thing in my life and I love him!
DAY 2: I am thankful for Benjamin.
We tried for so long to get him to our family but his infectious smile makes me forget all the tears shed, all the needle pokes, and all the disappointments that preceded his arrival. He is such a good baby (despite the naps) and has brought us tremendous joy in his short life. It is a privilege to be his mother.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Rice Krispies Treats Caramel Apples
Looking for another sickening sweet treat this Halloween season? Try this:
Rice Krispies Treats Caramel Apples
Instead of the healthy apple, substitute a ball of Rice Krispies Treats. Then cover with caramel, chocolate, sprinkles, crushed oreos, and anything else that satisfies that sweet tooth.
Let the kiddos eat them but be prepared for the consequences of a sugar overdose.
Rice Krispies Treats Caramel Apples
Instead of the healthy apple, substitute a ball of Rice Krispies Treats. Then cover with caramel, chocolate, sprinkles, crushed oreos, and anything else that satisfies that sweet tooth.
Let the kiddos eat them but be prepared for the consequences of a sugar overdose.
Monday, October 29, 2012
I'm In Love...
...with this house.
On a whim, Dave made the mistake of taking us on a drive to look at some houses for sale. We weren't too thrilled with what we saw in existing homes and in the end we talked about building a new house in our neighborhood -- sometime in the future, like 2 or 3 years from now.
But I mentioned it to my mom and she was more than happy to accompany me on a walk through of the models.
This Woodside Home, "Pemberly," is AMAZING!!! But I want all the upgrades -- hobby room on the main floor, bonus room above the garage, fireplace, extended island, upgraded cabinets and floors, larger lot, covered back patio, etc, etc, etc -- which makes it financially out of reach right now.
Maybe someday we'll be able to make it ours but for now I'll have to just dream about it.
On a whim, Dave made the mistake of taking us on a drive to look at some houses for sale. We weren't too thrilled with what we saw in existing homes and in the end we talked about building a new house in our neighborhood -- sometime in the future, like 2 or 3 years from now.
But I mentioned it to my mom and she was more than happy to accompany me on a walk through of the models.
This Woodside Home, "Pemberly," is AMAZING!!! But I want all the upgrades -- hobby room on the main floor, bonus room above the garage, fireplace, extended island, upgraded cabinets and floors, larger lot, covered back patio, etc, etc, etc -- which makes it financially out of reach right now.
Maybe someday we'll be able to make it ours but for now I'll have to just dream about it.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
A day 12 years in the making
It is Saturday morning of General Conference and guess where I am not?
I'm not at the Conference Center, weighed down by a cell phone, radio, schedules, and all the pressures to do my part to make conference happen.
Today, I'm at my own house watching conference on TV like all the normal Latter-day Saints out there. For the first time in twelve years -- yes that is 12 years -- I can enjoy conference from the comfort of my sofa, in my pajamas, cuddled up next to my sweetheart with a bouncing baby on my knee. I never thought it would take so long to get to this point in life but I am here and I'm loving it! Finally, the beginning of a new tradition.
You too can watch conference right here:
Enjoy!
I'm not at the Conference Center, weighed down by a cell phone, radio, schedules, and all the pressures to do my part to make conference happen.
Today, I'm at my own house watching conference on TV like all the normal Latter-day Saints out there. For the first time in twelve years -- yes that is 12 years -- I can enjoy conference from the comfort of my sofa, in my pajamas, cuddled up next to my sweetheart with a bouncing baby on my knee. I never thought it would take so long to get to this point in life but I am here and I'm loving it! Finally, the beginning of a new tradition.
You too can watch conference right here:
Enjoy!
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