General Conference with Kids

(This post was originally posted on my other website that I've discontinued. So I decided to transfer it over, so I still have it!)

Several years ago, I was (once again) trying to find a solution to keeping my kids engaged and quiet during General Conference. 

 This idea of apple pails came quite by accident. I went to the local school supply store to see if I could get some ideas of what to do. I just happened upon these pails. Then, when I spotted the apples, an idea came! 

Maybe my kids can keep busy AND LISTEN by adding apples to the pails! Each pail could be a different Conference topic! 

After a quick trip to the bookstore for these religious picture cards and a little laminating magic, we were set!

Before General Conference begins, I tape up the pails somewhere near the TV. If I’m really on top of things, I also get a bunch of rolled tape ready for the apples. I’m sure there are better ways of doing it (e.g. magnet tape, that blue sticky stuff…), but we like low-key and easy!

The first Conference after coming up with this idea, my kids didn’t put a ton of apples on. They were used to all the coloring pages and things I had previously tried. But now, I have one anxious 8-year-old, just waiting for the pails to go up!

You can be as creative as you want to be with your version of this. Maybe flowers in a flower pot or music notes on a violin? Whatever you come up with! The idea is simply for the kids to listen enough to catch any of the key words. If they hear a key word, they put up an apple. Simple! (A nice side effect is that they don’t get antsy because they’re always getting up and down to put the apples on!)

Your keywords don’t have to match ours! In fact, I’m thinking of revamping ours. But here’s what they are right now: 

Purple = Jesus Christ or Heavenly Father

Red = prophets

Pink = temples and family

Yellow = baptism and scripture stories

Green = missionary work

Blue = Joseph Smith; scriptures; Church history

(basically, whatever the kids say it is!)

If you’re lucky, by the end of Conference (or each session, if you have a kid like mine!), your pails will be covered in apples and your kids will have a stronger testimony!

Isn't Life Interesting?

Today, I came to Blogger to decide if I should start yet another blog, to document my studies. As a homeschool mom, learning is important to me. My girls all have their own blogs where we document their studies. But a couple of weeks ago, I realized that all my good intentions to keep learning new things don't really happen if I don't document them. When I write things down, it keeps me aware of them.

So I started writing down my own studies, in addition to that of my children. And now I need a place to document them permanently. (Instead of overflowing my notebook with loose papers!)

However, I got on Blogger and realized this blog was in my list. Wait, where did that come from? I literally don't ever remember creating this blog or writing any of the previous posts! At all! And yet, those posts were exactly what I needed to hear today. I'm so glad I wrote them two years ago.

That leaves me with the question of what I'm going to do with this blog in the future. I know myself well enough to not create any expectations or goals for myself. The second anyone, including myself, tells me to do something, I don't want to do it! I'm a rebel like that.

But I'm glad I rediscovered this blog - this little idea I had two years ago. I'll be glad for the reminder to keep working on who I am, not necessarily on what I'm doing. Even in my studies, I need to remember that I'm studying in order to become better. I don't want to just dump knowledge into my brain. I need to do something with it.

And where will I document my studies? Actually, I have another blog for education stuff. It'll go there! :)

Comparison is a Beast

I quit Facebook. And yet I didn't. I figured ten minutes to get rid of all my notifications wouldn't be a big deal.

Boy, was I wrong.

In ten minutes, I fought being offended and I fought being disgusted by what others think is okay for their kids.

I need to REALLY quit Facebook. It's not good for me.

New Beginnings

My second daughter attended New Beginnings tonight, as one of the new Beehives coming in this year. The YW president talked about all new beginnings, not just coming into Young Women. It made me think of what my new beginnings are.

Or what I want my new beginnings to be.

I want to get back to all my positive qualities that I've tried to attain through the years. It seems I get into good habits and then I forget and slide back down after a little while. I just want the habits to stick permanently. Wouldn't life be so much easier if that's how it worked?? :D

My new beginnings are actually old beginnings that I want to resurrect!

Ponder

(image courtesy)

I love this quote from Elder Hales:

Pondering takes our thoughts from the trivial things of this world and brings us closer to the gentle, guiding hand of our Maker as we heed the “still small voice” of the Holy Ghost (see 1 Kgs. 19:12; 1 Ne. 17:45; D&C 85:6). In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord spoke to David Whitmer: “Your mind has been on the things of the earth more than on the things of … your Maker … ; you have not given heed unto my Spirit” (D&C 30:2).

Pondering the things of the Lord—His word, His teachings, His commandments, His life, His love, the gifts He has given us, His Atonement for us—brings about a tremendous feeling of gratitude for our Savior and for the life and blessings He has given us.

(found in this talk)

Spring Cleaning

(image courtesy)

Spring is basically here, and I'm feeling it! It was a LONG winter this year, so I'm just excited to let the kids go out and play for hours a day!

I feel the urge to physically clean, but I'm also feeling a mental "spring cleaning" wanting to emerge. I want all areas of my life to be cleaned out and "rebooted."

Having a one year old makes it nearly impossible to have some quiet time, but I'm going to make it happen!! I want to be the one choosing how my life goes. I'm done letting life happen to me!

This Life is a Journey

(image courtesy)

Some days, I get to the end of the day and wonder, "What did I do all day??"

My friend says these are days where "victory lists" are essential. These are lists of the things I DID accomplish, rather than to-do lists of things still left undone.

I love this concept of Victory Lists. But even still, I don't want my entire victory list to be things like, "I threw in another load of laundry." Yes, laundry is important. But I want a victory list full of ESSENTIAL things.

What IS essential?

The answer to that question will be different for all of us. We're all in different seasons in life, with different things pulling at us and shaping us.

But for me, having a bit of silence is one of those ESSENTIAL things.

The world is so loud. So busy. So distracting.

Sometimes I feel like Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin, when Jafar sticks her in the hourglass. The sand just keeps falling on her. She tries to escape, but there is none. Finally, Aladdin breaks the glass, and she's free! Silence is that freedom for me. Silence helps me get centered again. It helps me realize the other ESSENTIAL things I need to be doing.

My new goal: Have a bit of silence in the morning! Maybe if I start my day off right, I can create one of those victory lists to be proud of!