Meet THESE Mormons...

Today I'm pretty honored to be among this impressive group here...

All of us belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or "The Mormons". And we're all proud of this part of who we are! This group of more than 65 of us strong are coming together today to share our testimonies and extend to you an invitation to see a movie... A feature film coming into theaters today called "Meet The Mormons".

This film isn't something you'll find to be pushy. It's simply designed and produced to uplift and inspire, sharing six stories of those of our faith who have listened to promptings to follow Christ more fully in their lives. All proceeds from the film will be donated to The American Red Cross!

All of the bloggers seen above have decided today to share personal testimonies, conversion stories, and just various experiences of the hope and peace that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I often say "to each their own," and I do truly feel that way. I also feel the joy of having the awesome gift of the source of true happiness, so I really want to share it! I'm especially motivated by this movie and these fellow bloggers to share more of my testimony here today... :)

That handsome crew I'm with above... THEY are the biggest reason I'm so grateful to be a Mormon. I know that the family is of God, that He has sent us to earth in these sacred units, making it possible for this life to be wonderful and full, rather than lonely and lacking.

I know that this Gospel is the same church that our Savior, Jesus Christ, brought to the Earth during His mortal ministry, restored again in this day. And one of the most significant blessings included in that restoration is the sealing power that allows families to be together through eternity.

I know that families can be together forever, that death is not the end. Though our Savior's Atonement, we have the promise of being Resurrected and returning to live with Him, and that this family unit will be in tact there through our faithfulness.

I know that our Heavenly Father knows and loves each of us, He truly is in the details of our lives! Recently I was having a really hectic morning and was keyed up even more than usual. In the process of completing a final errand, I ran across a man digging through a garbage can for food. My heart was torn away from the focus on myself and I was able to give to him as part of my errand. Silly and small, but I truly believe our Father coordinates small moments like these to help and lift us. I am better when I'm looking outward instead of inward... and He knew I needed a reminder of that that day.

I know that God is our Heavenly Father, that He knows us. He will never leave us comfortless- we can always repent and turn again to Him! He hears our prayers, His desires and plan for us is truly the path to real happiness :)

I hope you'll click around below and learn more about the strength of these other Mormons. We are normal people, accepting and giving and deeply aware. I know you'll be uplifted in some way as you Meet These Mormons!

Adrienne | Free Time Frolics , Camille | Chicken Scratch n' Sniff , Natalie & Rebekah | House of Sprinkles 
Kathleen| Fearlessly Creative Moms, Emily | The Benson Street , Staci | The Potter's Place
Alyssa | Alyssa.Marie , Kristen | Capturing Joy , Aly | Entirely Eventful Day

Katie | Clarks Condensed, Larissa | Just Another Day In Paradise , Camille | My Mommy Style ,
Candice | She's Crafty, Anita | Live Like You Are Rich, Landee | Landee Lu 
Tara & Devin | Salt & Pepper Moms , Mallory & Savannah | Classy Clutter , Kelli & Kristi| Lolly Jane
McKenzie | Girl Loves Glam , Pam & Lisa | Over The Big Moon , Melanie | Forty Eighteen , Adell | Baked in Arizona

Andie | Maybe I Will , Shatzi | Love and Laundry , Robyn | Create it Go , Rachel | R &R Workshop
Tiffany | Feel Great In 8 , Katelyn | What Up Fagens? , Brittany | BrittanyBullen , Ginger | Ginger Snap Crafts ,
Stephanie | Crafting In The Rain, Chelsey | Cee Me Be , Amber | Crazy Little Projects , Kallie | Smitten By,
Elyse, Kristen, Lauren, Steph, Kendra &Camille | Six Sisters Stuff , Annette | Tips From A Typical Mom
Amberly | Life With Amberly & Joe , Taralyn | Keep Moving Forward With Me ,
Jessica | What Does The Cox Say? , Lisa | Mabey She Made It , Kiki | Kiki & Company

Kierste | Simply Kierste , Tayler | The Morrell Tale, Jennifer | My Daylights , Cambria | Live To Be Inspired,
Danielle | Today's The Best Day

Amber | Dessert Now Dinner Later, Natalie | The Creative Mom, Bobbie | A Vision To Remember ,
Becky | Babes In Hairland, Lisa | Pebbles & Pigtails , Mandy | Sugar Bee Crafts , Krista | Reclaim, Renew, Remodel ,
Wendy | Musings, Miracles, and Mayhem, Nat & Holly | My Sister's Suitcase, Britni| Play.Party.Pin
 Montserrat | Cranial Hiccups , Heidi | A Lively Hope , Ashley & Meegan | Flats to Flip Flops
Alexis | We Like to Learn As We Go, Amy | The English Geek , Mariel | Or So She Says Carriann | Oh Sweet Basil
Kirtley | The Gist of It | Aubrey | Dreaming of Someday, Natalie| The Messanos, Angela | Handmade In The Heartland

Because of Him

Happy Easter, friends!

If you follow on Instagram, you know I've been playing along with this last week's #BecauseofHim photo challenge. Today I wanted to make sure and share this video- I know it will uplift your day! I know that ALL things are Because of Him! :) He Lives!

Regarding Boys: Dirt and White Shirts

Recently I had the chance to meet a blogging friend of mine in person, Kara from The Joys of Boys. You can imagine why we connected, eh? :) During that time, she mentioned that she started her blog because every time she told people she had all boys, there followed a negative connotation.

The point struck me- because it's so true! When I tell people I have four boys, it's pretty well always a defensive or cool comment in response.

Why is that? It must be the dirty, noisy and smelly labels that seem to be attached to the male species by nature? Maybe the masculinity of boys? Thank heaven for it, don't get me wrong... but it does mean more roughness, thoughtlessness, crassness...

At least, I guess it does....

See, today I had the chance to hear a really beautiful piano solo from a young man in our Stake. I just closed my eyes and tried to absorb it... Does music feed your soul the way it does mine? I daresay there is nothing that touches me more, motivates me better. I wondered briefly in that moment why I don't have more of it in my life... music, that is. The good kind that lifts me like that piano solo did.

source

Anyhow... it was a young man playing that piano. And he was in a white shirt and tie and suit. And I pointed out to Cooper that it was a guy making that music. He leaned into me a bit :)

Tonight I happened upon this video... don't worry, you don't have to watch it all, just a bit and you'll probably know what I'm about to say next...

... that there need be no negative assumption when I say I have all boys. Do you watch any part of this and think "Oh, wow, ALL boys," with any sort of hesitancy or negativity? Didn't think so.

Boys are wild and crazy, dirty and smelly, loud and obnoxious. They wrestle a lot. They don't sit still or stay quiet very well. They don't usually understand when enough is enough. Their excitement and joy are manifest in way that can be overbearing and frustrating. 

But they are strong and good, desirous and hopeful, energetic and willing. Their roughness doesn't mean that they mean to be mean. They mean to be happy and funny and someone you can approve of.

source 

The young men in this video, at that piano, and my own sitting around me, are worthy of my pride. My heart just wants to burst at how awesome our young men are. I want to be a good enough Mom that it's my own son I'm listening to or watching and soaking in (whatever it may be they choose to be doing). :) 

As a parting shot, this video includes the song in the piano solo I heard yesterday... and showcases even more awesome young men in white shirts ;) Enjoy!

Masculine 2014 YM/YW Theme Printables

I rather like themes. I'm always excited to see what new theme the organizations in our Church will have for the coming year. For Primary this year, it's Families are Forever. And for the youth, it's the beginning of Moroni 10:32- 'Come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness..."

I love this- I feel like it has power to motivate teenagers in a hurry, or anyone of us really. I've given Taron and Keaton small printed cards of the theme for the past couple of years... I wanna say in their Easter baskets. And every time I buy those cards, I have to seriously scour that small section of the Church bookstore to find anything without flowers or scrolls or loopy cursive and such. If I'm remembering right, I think I actually settled for a slightly girly one last year... still totally worked, just wanted quite as "guy-ish" as I'd have liked.

Wishing YOU a Very...

Just want to wish anyone who reads a very Merry Christmas!

Heard this song below for the first time earlier this year and found this video wonderfully powerful-

 enjoy! I know our Savior was born in a manger and that HE is the reason our lives are what they are.

So thankful for His birth and the exciting time of Christmas to acknowledge it! Merry Christmas!

Any Day is Good for a Gift: Printable Tags

It's really not so easy to move, ya know? Packing and hauling boxes and furniture is really no big deal compared to the work of getting comfortable with your neighbors and making acquaintances around you. In the two years we've lived in our current home, we've done okay at that I guess. We were just starting to feel like we knew people when we went places and such.

And then recently, our Stake was re-aligned. In other words, the people we went to Church with changed almost entirely. Our neighborhood was taken out of the Ward we went to. Our lives revolve around Church in a lot of ways, so it was kind of a big bite to digest. Suddenly that level of comfort was back to square one in a way. The more I thought about the change, the more I thought of specific people that I knew I would really miss interacting with each week.

Re-Connecting: Pinterest 14 Challenge

Truth be told... I struggle in my thinking about this little blog. In feeling like it is an acceptable use of my time, my focus. I seem to come around to the thinking that all is well with it, but none the less worry about it too.

Yesterday I heard and loved this talk from Sister Rosemary Wixom as part of General Conference. She spoke at one point about a study that was done in observation of a child trying to get his Dad's attention while he was on his phone. At one point the Dad did finally turn his phone off and play with the child, but then later picked up the phone again and engaged his kid in a video on the phone while they waited for Mom. When the technology was involved, scientists observed a lessening of the child's "light."

Found HERE

This really struck me! I do not want to be glued to my laptop (or, along the same line, even my craft table) anywhere even nearly as much as I'm glued to my boys. While I feel a desire to really press PLAY when it comes to this blog, I hope that it will also reflect more and more my time spent with them too.

Along that line, I read late last week at Mama's Got it Together about a fun Pinterest Challenge and really liked the concept: determine 14 pinned projects to complete before 2014.

Live HIGHER: Time Out for Women 2013

Every now and then my Mom and sisters just decide we need to get together.

We see each other separately fairly often- not as much as I'd like for sure, but enough I can't complain.

But we don't see each other all together as much, so we try to make girls dates on occasion.

A couple of years ago we went to a Time Out for Women weekend in Logan and it was great!

This year we were able to go again here in Idaho Falls.

My sister-in-law Jodie wasn't able to come from Utah, but otherwise it proved awesome again!

Everyday Momentousness

  Yes, that's a word ;)

I've missed getting the pics we've taken with Stephen's phone lately onto the blog,

so thought I'd share...

Stephen recently got to confer the priesthood onto his next eldest son- these are awesome moments that he worries greatly about making special. He did great and Keaton had some great support for his special day :)

Remember I mentioned that Fall means Stephen's loses his head for the birds? Well, this is just what I mean- that sage grouse up there (indeed, the one that's been decapitated) is what is swirling around in his brain a fair chunk of the time these days. This was a particularly successful morning, clearly... Coop thought so too :)

I recently buckled down and cleared the clutter out of all of the bedrooms in the house- I love how it feels!  Sadly, it's true, I was unpacking boxes from when we moved in here a year ago- jeez!  Now I'm hoping to do some fun decorating in the boys' rooms... Anyhow, the boys enjoyed playing in a huge pile of blankies and pillows between our bed and the wall while I worked. Piles and boys just go together :)

Last weekend we traveled with my Mom and Dad down to Bringham City for the Temple Open House. Cooper was so excited about getting to go in the Temple- he's still telling anyone who will listen about it :) We were told that the Open House expected to see 26,000 people that day and, indeed, it felt like about half of them were packed into the parking garage maze with us, but it was a good experience nonetheless. My parents treated us all to Maddox- yum!- and sent us home with some awesome Utah peaches too- double yum! :)

The next day after church, Cooper became the delighted new owner of this four-year old turtle :) His Dad is always keeping an eye out on craigslist for the next best thing for his animal-lovin' mini me. It pays off too... just today Coop was alone with me and he says, "Hey, Mom, ya know who's just my favorite?... (very brief pause)... Dad!" Yes, son, yes, I know... :) 

And for a parting shot, have you tried this recipe I shared last year yet?? You should... there are lots of reasons I'll forever be indebted to my cousin Laci... and these breadsticks are one of them:)

Stand Fast

Not too long ago, Stephen and I got moved from teaching Sunbeams in our ward to teaching Valiant 9. It has been a good move- I love teaching out of the Book of Mormon. This last Sunday I got to teach them one of my very favorite scripture stories, Heleman's Stripling Warriors. I love the bold scriptures that praise these awesome young men and feel so strong when I read them! It was a neat coincidence, actually...

The later part of last week, Taron got to join the 14-18 year old young men in our ward at what was called "Heleman's Camp." They went to the Palisades area and had a spiritually charged, super fun and well planned trip. He came home with this sweet momento...

... an engraved, wooden sword. I asked him about the stacked letters, "IC" that are on the very tip of the handle. "I'm Committed," he immediately replied.

He went on to tell us about the devotionals and testimony meetings. It was clear as clear that he had been touched. He raved about the boating and the water slide and the paintball and the food and so on. But he also raved about how he felt while he was there.

He said that the leaders prepared and cleaned up the meals, while the boys had scripture study time. In everything he explained, it was clear to me that A LOT of work went in to this event... and that it paid off in the lives of these awesome kids, who, while they were tucked into the mountains over the course of just a few days, committed to serve our Heavenly Father in their future. They were like the Army of Heleman, they ARE, I should say- standing fast and being strict to obey, to rise above their peers.

Stephen and I were so proud of Taron as his leaders spoke very highly of him the next day at church. I've said before and will many times more, that I know Taron is a special, saved spirit. I know there is nothing he can't do! And, yes, he's pretty much a super tough ninja... ;)

Anyhow, regarding, the lesson... Hearing Taron's report on the camp made me feel even stronger about trying to convey it to our little band of nine-year olds. They, too, can look up to those young men that came forward to protect the liberty of their land and make sure that a covenant wouldn't be broken. I thought I'd share the quick handout I made, for anyone that might could use it with this scripture story in the future... :)

The small line at the bottom was space for them to sign their own names to remember to choose the right like the Army of Heleman :) You can click HERE to download a PDF with two on a page for easier printing too! Enjoy :)

Easter Goodness

Even though our Easter Sunday was all too uneventful, the day before we had a great day together with my family at my sister's new house in Pocatello! With all four kids, spouses and kids together, it was a nice time to try and get a new family pic for my Mom and Dad's entryway... however, clearly these pics are proof that I should no longer be the family photographer! Nice try, but they just didn't turn out great. Photographers that can get kids to cooperate, while thinking about the light and the wind and the angle of every last body and, and and... I admire you!

After the photo attempt at a nearby park, we had a yummy lunch (is there such a thing as a bad potluck?!) and then chilled out for a bit before going roller skating! It was a nice addition to the day, though Cooper didn't enjoy it as much this time around for some reason. Taron did quite well, but Keaton didn't seem to be enjoying it too much- next time I daresay the extra $2 for in-line skates might be worth it! I gained a new most-embarrassing-moment out of the excursion by beautifully biffing it onto my tailbone! Yes, yes, I am one of those super coordinated types :P

My younger brothers and sisters, however... they make everything look easy! 

Then we went back and had a backyard egg hunt! The kids all got enough loot to last until Halloween :) My parents started a cool new tradition where they filled and hid eggs for their adult children! The eggs had little items like super glue, nail clippers, Lindt truffles, and dollar bills in them! Lundyn added a few trick ones that were full of funny things like cauliflower and pasta too! It was really a fun time :)

Grandpa and Grandma put a few dollar bills in the kids' eggs too and they were the highlight of the boys' treasures for sure! Cooper could have found that egg alone and been happy :)

Then later that night back at home, I got to have my fun filling the boys' Easter buckets! They got new sandals, a book, a fun little kite thing, silly putty, bubbles, a new shirt for Church, and I always add a Gospel picture. They were happy as happy with everything, simple and necessary as it was :) We have been loving the bubbles for sure! Cooper loved finding his hidden in the pantry...

One of my facebook friends' status on Sunday was that part of their family was sick also for Easter, so they would be doing faux Easter pics all gussied up next Sunday and I thought that sounded like a swell idea! So, next Sunday we'll pose instead! Our family pic from Easter last year is actually one of my favorites of us all :)

Thanks to my family for making our Easter memorable! We love you all!

Cyndel + Ben= Married!!

This last weekend was a hugely eventful one for my family- my grandparents, parents and all of my siblings were together in the temple for my sister's wedding! Aren't they Beautiful?!?

They had their reception the night before the wedding and I got to wait around the corner in the church with Cyndel to capture Ben seeing her in her dress for the first time! Her picture display and little pie tarts turned out so cute!

This is all of their nieces and nephews that were at the reception! Don't you love how Ry seems to have an action figure in his hand constantly? :P My favorite part of the reception was when Cyndel strapped on her guitar and sang a song to Ben, "I Was Made for You." :)

Don't they look like they are on Cloud 9 coming out of the temple?! I love how bright they are!

My Dad warming up my Mom as we waited during pictures- aren't they beautiful too? :) They are the reason for all of the other pictures above here. They have made all of us who we are and gave us all we needed to have testimonies that would make it so we could all be in this awesome place together at this stage in our lives. Days like this are what make it so Families Can Be Together Forever!

Anyhow... Congrats Yates'!! Marriage is Bliss :)