Talk of the Week Celebrates 6th Month Anniversary

Almost 6 months ago I started a club called Talk of the Week. I started emailing out a talk each Thursday from the General Authorities, in written and/or audio formats. I then started a blog Talk of the Week Club to facilitate the talks and archive them so they would be easily accessible to anyone. I have truly felt so much strength and help from above. I think that this opportunity has helped me so much to deal with all the challenges of my life. This week is the sixth month and I would love to be able to send the talk out to 125 people. If you would like to be put on the email list then email me here: Feel free to pass this on to anyone you think would be interested.
For those of you who have been so supportive of this I thank you with all of my heart!

Gratitude Journal-June

27th

• Today as I drove through the canyon I felt the warmth of the sun on my arm. I reflected on how it must feel to be held in the arms of the Savior. At that moment I imagined myself in His grasp and felt the warmth spread into my heart and through out my entire body. I felt the love of God today and I knew everything would be okay.


• I am grateful for quiet moments spent holding my children. Maya was having a hard time this afternoon. I had to bite my tongue and suppress my non-motherly instinct to yell and send her away. Instead I scooped her up into my arms and held her. She sweetly snuggled into my chest. I couldn't help be grateful for how that felt and how she looked, so small and so needy. She just wanted to know she was loved. I am grateful for the few award winning mother moments I have. I hope that Maya felt the love of God today wrapped so gently and securely in my arms and my heart.

28

• I am grateful for a husband that is so helpful with the kids. He wants me to do things that make me happy and encourages me to do so even when it means that I am working on the blog until 3 AM.


• I have felt the love of the Lord today all day long. Not in something particular but just in my heart. The peace and happiness I feel tell me that He cares and answers my prayers.

29

• Today I felt the love of the Lord from three little girls and their sweet hugs. I was in the nursery and at three different times I was hugged by three different girls, one even played with my hair. I had no idea how badly I waa craving a hug until these three little angels wrapped their tiny, warm arms around me one by one, my heart felt peace.
• I am grateful for comments on my blogs. They make my day. So thank you everyone who has commented.

30

• I am grateful for my kids. They helped clean the house today and did such a good job. At times they were even heard asking, "What can I do to help now?".
• I felt the love of the Lord today when my prayers were answered. I was given strength, kindess and patience to deal with the kids. Because I felt loved I was able to love more.

Gratitude Journal 2008

So due to some recent events I decided that in order for me to survive the next few months spiritually and mental that I need to look for two things: First-things to be grateful for and Second-demonstrations of God's love in my life. I've done this before but forgot or didn't make time. I thought doing it on the blog would help me be accountable to someone other than myself.

You will find the journal entries by month on the side bar or in the monthly posts.

Summer Trip

This weekend we went on our only pre-planned summer trip, to Payette, Idaho for a wedding reception. Russell's parents hosted the trip. They were very generous and well prepared. We set off Saturday morning in two cars. Grandma and Grandpa had wrapped various trinkets, toys and treats for the kids to open on the way. There was enough to keep them busy and open a new one every hour while in the car. They had fun with that. I finished Eclipse, the third book in the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer. I can't wait until the fourth book comes out in August.

One of the highlights of the trip was the stop in Twin Falls where we watched some base jumpers jump off the bridge. Even Maya keeps talking about it. We went to a fun restaurant called Gertie's. They have a salad bar with a pasta choice that varies daily and all you can eat pizza served right to your table. The waiters come by with different kinds of pizza's and you take the flavors you want! It was very fun some of my favorites where: The Idaho-ranch sauce, hash browns, bacon and cheese, Taco-Refried beans, olives, cheese, lettuce, corn chips, Sauerkraut-pizza sauce, Canadian bacon, sauerkraut~this was good really!, Ranch Pepperoni, Ranch Chicken Cashew, California Veggie-ranch sauce, mushrooms, broccoli, sunflower seeds. That was just the beginning they also have desert pizzas, Oreo-Bavarian cream crushed Oreo cookies, Reese's Pieces- Bavarian cream Reese's pieces, Heath Bar- Bavarian cream, crushed heath bar, Mud Pie-Bavarian cream, chocolate chips, Carmel, Smore, Fruit-raspberry or lemon or blueberry or strawberry or apple cinnamon. Yummy huh? So if you are ever in Twin Falls, Idaho go visit Gertie's here is a map!

Father's Day

Father's Day weekend has a different meaning to us now. We truly are blessed to have Russ around. And every Father's Day that passes by we reflect on our blessings and the miracle of his presence. Today is the 2nd anniversary of his nearly fatal accident. When I thought about him as the father of our children I couldn't help but think of all the wonderful things he brings into our lives. Here are just a few that I thought of:

• His sense of humor keeps us smiling
• His laid back personality keeps us stable when things around us may not be-"It will all work out."
• His desire to have fun keeps me young and the kids happy
• His kindness to others helps us to be better everyday
• His service helps us see that you can make a difference in the world just by helping one person at a time
• His unconditional love lifts our hearts and heads
• His eyes are beautiful and kind and see the best in everyone around him
• His dedication to his family keeps him going even if he doesn't feel like it
• His creativity never ends whether working on cars, cakes, tile, bricks, carpentry or whatever else he gets his hands on
• His support as a father helps me be the wonderful mother he says I am. I couldn't do it without him!

I am sure there are many more things that he brings into our lives and as I think of them I will be sure to update the list. Feel free to add your observations to the comment of the post.

Summerfest

Finally a warm enough day to do something summer like!

Our adventure started with a bus ride into Logan. We went to the Tabernacle grounds and enjoyed the activities, food and shops. One of the best parts of the Summerfest is the Kids art tent. It was $2 per kid to go inside this tent that had tons of artsy things for them to do, painting, coloring, bubbles, and beading. I thought it was well worth the money considering we probably spent a total of 3 hours in there! For 1 full hour Maya painted a masterpiece. I think I know what she is getting for her B-day! (watch for her on the Valley Channel they were taping and they spent some time on her!)

Some of our favorite booths where:

Dreamweavers Hammocks

MK Originals

Dragonfly Girl

Freedom Art

AJ 2008 Soccer Season

Here is a slide show of AJ's soccer season.



Thanks to one of the dad's on the team we have these great pictures. And of course to http://www.scrapblog.com/ for the beauty of the slide show!

Zach 2008 Soccer Season

The soccer season is officially over for Zach. He has been waiting for 4 years to play. It was fun for all of us to watch him. He would smile and giggle the whole time he was running and bunching up with the rest of the kids each trying to get their shot at the ball. Some of our most memorable moments are:



-Zach getting his first goal and earning $2- 1 from us, and 1 from Grandpa O



-Zach learning that winning does not consist of pushing the other team down on the field. Really this was quite embarrassing! The other team had a kid that was strong arming our kids. Zach, having not played before had no idea this was wrong, instead thought it was part of the game. When Russ and I both saw him knock down a girl, then another player, then another we where mad! Russ went to one end of the field to pull him out. Luckily for Zach he ended up closer to me so I yelled at him from the sidelines, not knowing Russell's intentions, and told him that if he did that one more time I would pull him out and how he would not finish the game. Crisis was adverted. Never again did he raise his fore arm to another player.



-Zach getting a trophy for being the "Quietest Player on the Team".



I am glad the season is over and that there was not one game played in the snow or other extreme weather. Thanks coach Acebal for all of your hard work and especially the fun that your team had this year.