Family of Eleven

Okey dokey, so I decided to start another blog that includes (drum roll, please) - - -

Every. member. of. our. family. 

It's a long stretch, I know.  And it will probably fizzle right out before it even gains any speed, but hey, anything is worth a try, a cry and a good hardy har har.

The blog is still under heavy-duty construction, but you can certainly check us out HERE and let us know what you think. . .

Or maybe not.

Blog Cliques

I suppose that if there are cliques at school, in the neighborhood, even in some wards,  why would I think cliques would not exist in the blog-world?

But they do!  And I find it fascinating!

Fascinating because, during my freshman year in high school, I became very acutely aware of all the clickety-click-click cliques around me.  So much so that it could have "crushed me into silent weakness." Instead, it was the turning point of my social life.

At age 14, I made a commitment that I would never belong to any exclusive group.  Instead, I would do everything I could to have as many different groups "belong" to me.

What resulted has been:
1. a wonderful adventure of not worrying about a BFF (besides my husband)
2. a stronger resilience of not being offended when not included (either intentional or unintentional)
3. an ability to give attention to those who do feel left out or uncomfortable in a group setting
4. a better understanding of what the Savior expects of me

Let me be clear, my decision not to be be part of clique has not always yielded happy circumstances. It has not always been bliss.  I have had my share (and will continue to, I am sure) of being left out, being ignored, being ill-received, and feeling lonely, isolated and forgotten.

But I will say, from conviction, that not being exclusive to any one group has allowed an inclusiveness to so many more.

So when I recently discovered that cliques also exist cyberspace and in taking a looksey over the blogs I visit on a regular basis, I was amazed that the commitment I made at 14 continues with me today - even in the blogosphere!!

So just for fun, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE is just a sample of some of the incredible blog links I visit on a regular basis.

Family Fun Alliteration

Alliteration: A sentence that's all littered with the same sound. (Another fun challenge from Cocoa . . .)

See how my seven, silly sons sit in succession on the see-saw?  They are psyched that school has stopped and summer has started!

 And their sibling sisters smiling so sweetly while supper is being served (sans spoon).

The Toothless Twosome takes time out from troublesome teasing and taunting to tout: Touché

Finally, don't let these faces, fraught with frolicking fun, fool you.  For their future is as bright as their faith!

Talents Shared

This scrumptiously delicious cupcake arrangement, along with the homemade cupcake stand, was hand-delivered to me this afternoon by my dear friend Blue.  (You just have to click RIGHT HERE to see a gallery of pictures showing off the pure talent this woman possesses.)

I have a pretty short list of things I can do.  Just FYI: Decorating Cakes and Crafts is on the very top of my five-mile long list of things I cannot do.  Nope.  I wasn't given the talent nor the patience for doing either.

So before we happily consumed DEVOURED those Oreo-cream filled chocolate cupcakes topped with mint frosting and bits of mint Oreo cookies, I took this photo to remind me of a few important things:

1. How grateful I am for dear friends and lasting friendships!
2. Enjoying the talents I do not posses comes when others share their incredible talents with me.
3. And boy, am I happy that chocolate was not one of the avoidable items in the Word of Wisdom!

Thank you Blue and Bunch and Gator!

Limerick on Motherhood

Cocoa from Chocolate on my Cranium gave an assignment to write a limerick on Motherhood.  Here is my feeble attempt.

Please don't accuse me of being a sinner.

When my children feel certain they're thinner.

"We're STARVING!" they claim.

I say, "What a shame!

"But we just barely cleaned up from dinner!"

Keeping Christ in Christmas . . .

and other thoughts!

I have pondered A LOT about how to keep the Savior front and center in a society that is filled with extreme materialism. For my husband and I – conscious of a budget with eight children – it is easier for us to keep in perspective the Savior’s role in this exciting time of year.

However, it is not so easy for our teenager to accept. After all, all his friends have the latest and greatest.  And they all have what he doesn’t have at all.

So this year I have found, with other children also maturing into the world of teenagerdom, that I am praying (yes, you read correctly), p-r-a-y-i-n-g for what presents we should give our children. I never would have thought that prayer would be a key factor in determining what to give, but it really has helped me keep the Savior foremost in my mind in what would be best for my children at Christmas – both their needs and their wants!

* * *
One of my pet peeves at Christmas - no, it would be much more than a pet peeve because it brings instant volcanic heat to my surface - is when people ask “What did you GET for Christmas?”

Get?

What did you GET?

Isn't this supposed to be a the season of GIVING?

So here is my counter question whenever I hear the ONE that sends me straight into the fiery furnace, “What was the best gift you GAVE this Christmas?”

Usually, it is followed by a blank stare for a few seconds. But after careful thought following my surprise quiz, it is amazing how the answer is given with such tender fondness and selflessness.

That's what Christmas is all about!

So - What is the best gift you’re GIVING this Christmas?

* * *
What do cars and jewelry have in common?

Other than they are both expensive, I think the car and jewelry TV commercials during the holidays depict the most selfish, most self-centered way of giving and receiving.

Okay, so maybe it’s because I’ve never given a car to someone or ever received a set of diamond jewelry for Christmas, but for me, those commercials resonant, so deeply and enticingly, “Entitlement.”

* * *
As you can see, I added a Christmas button on my blog! It’s from Stephanie @ Diapers and Divinity!  It's a 12 Days of Christmas Challenge. I think that will not only be fun, but it will be a GREAT way to keep the Savior in view as I go about the next 12 days before Christmas!

October 2010 General Conference Insights

Diapers and Divinity had a fun challege for General Conference, so I decided to participate.  You can do the same!!  Just CLICK HERE and join in!

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After eight hours of General Conference intertwined with eight children, I am so glad to have Closed Captioned for this mother who was hearing impaired giving approximately 80 shushes per hour!!

Nevertheless, the spirit of Conference, undoubtedly, filled our home with such incredible feelings of hope, joy, repentance and faith that we are so looking forward to incorporating each talk in very near-future Family Home Evenings!


Here are some of my insights from October General Conference 2010:

1. I cannot make a list of my favorite speakers because that list may go on and on and on. I will say this, I LOVE the energy of President Uchtdorf, the sincerity of Elder Holland, the profundity of Elder Scott, the boldness of President Packer, the love for youth from Sister Cook and Elder Lawrence, the humor of Elder Gong and of course, the sweet tenderness of President Monson. For me, each speaker presented a fruit of the spirit that invoked such feelings and desires in my heart such as love, peace, joy, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.

2. As for my favorite talks,  I will say this: Last week I wrote down four specific questions/concerns that I wanted answered/addressed during Conference. Each was answered directly by the Spirit through talks given by President Eyring, President Uchtdorf and Elder Bednar!! I am always amazed and humbly grateful that the Lord can and will answer our questions as we ask, seek and listen (with a sincere desire) to General Conference.


3. My favorite hymn sung during Conference was the Choir and Congregation singing “I Am A Child of God.” All of my children sang every, single word at the top. of. their. lungs.

4. Who wore the best tie? I admit I didn’t take notice of ties at all. Hopefully that doesn’t mean I wasn’t paying attention . . .

5. As I thought about what the theme of Conference was, I felt it was “Have Faith not Fear!” Coupled with that, was the call to repentance: thus using my agency wisely in turning to the Lord and cleansing myself from those things that keep me from feeling the Lord’s Spirit.

6. Some of my favorite things said in Conference, or things that I directly applied to me (all paraphrased, of course):

When it comes to the Plan of Salvation, it is all about me! (Elder Holland)

What I want my children to know five years from now, I need to teach them today! (Sister Wixom)


All honest work - no matter what type of work - is the work of God! (Elder Christofferson)


There is more to life than increasing the speed. (President Uchtdorf)


Will I be among the 2/3 who has faith to follow the Savior? (Elder Hales)


Pornography is a weapon of mass moral destruction. (Elder Cook)


Blackberries read in Church make green Bishops turn blue! (Elder Gong)


Life is no spiritual picnic! (Elder Anderson)


“Receive the Holy Ghost” is a priesthood injunction to act, not to be acted upon. (Elder Bednar)


Parenting is not a popularity contest. (Elder Lawrence)


Elder Arnold grew up with a family of nine children in a two bedroom/one bath home!!!!!


Addiction relinquishes agency. (Elder Ballard)


It is my sons’ priesthood responsibility (obligation, even) to be clean and be ready to serve a two year mission! (And my responsibility to get them there!) (President Monson)

7. Let me tell you what made me smile during conference – watching the sweet emotions of President Thomas S. Monson, our prophet, seer and revelator. I smile as he smiles; I smile as he recounts memories that touch his heart and make way to mine; I smile as I listen to the lyrical cadence of his voice as he testifies of gospel truths and the reality of a living Christ.

What also makes me smile is that my boys call the Congregational Hymn in the middle of the hours: "Half Time!!" (Like it's a football game.)

8. Here is evidence that my children paid (some, slight) attention to Conference. I decided that I wasn’t going to make copies and copies and copies of cutesy Conference bundles because that would take up ALL the ink in our copier and use about two reams of paper! So I simply made copies of the pictures of the General Authorities/Auxiliaries of the Church (found in last May’s Ensign) and gave my children scissors, pencils, glue sticks, and several sheets of paper. They has so much fun searching for the members of the Seventy and Auxiliary Leader (they knew where to find the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve), cutting, pasting and gluing! Of course, I had to endure the eight hours of itsy, bitsy, teeny-tiny paper mess all over the family room floor, but it kept their attention just enough!! My 1st grader, who is still learning how to read, chose to draw a picture of what each speaker spoke about. And now, each child has his/her own personal journals of what they learned from General Conference.

9. If I had to give a talk in General Conference (so hypothetical here), I would speak about the importance of virtue. Specifically: modesty for women/Young Women and appropriate language and use of time for the men/Young Men. I would also speak on the importance virtue has in building up the kingdom of God.

10. One of my MANY post-conference goals - GO TO BED EARLY!

Never Let An Earthly Circumstance Disable You Spiritually

Last night, my husband and I read together Elder Hallstrom’s April 2010 General Conference talk.

It took all I had to control the tender feelings that were stirring in my heart as he told the story of motherhood and death and the blessings that come as we rely upon the Atonement.

Which brought myself to ponder: What makes some of us turn bitter in the face of adversity? And what makes others of us humble and teachable and soft?

Mormon illustrates his observations by saying,

“Because of the exceedingly great length of [adversity] . . . MANY had become hardened . . . ; [however, on the other hand], MANY were softened because of their afflictions, insomuch that they did humble themselves before God, even in the depth of humility” (Alma 62:41).

None of us are exempt from life.

All of us have trials and hard times.

But those that I know who use their trials as a stepping stone to get closer to the Savior, teach me and influence my in ways and words I cannot rightfully express!

Click here to read about a woman who has been joyful because of her trial.  Her attitude has such a positive influence on my life. Click here for another sweet story about their family as they consider their trial - their MIRACLE!

After I read these posts I had to ask myself, what is really to gain when bitterness, anger, or contention is added to an already hard tribulation?

Elder Hallstrom offers this direct invitation:

"If you feel you have been wronged—by anyone (a family member, a friend, another member of the Church, a Church leader, a business associate) or by anything (the death of a loved one, health problems, a financial reversal, abuse, addictions)—deal with the matter directly and with all the strength you have. “Hold on thy way” (D&C 122:9); giving up is not an option. And, without delay, turn to the Lord. Exercise all of the faith you have in Him. Let Him share your burden. Allow His grace to lighten your load. We are promised that we will “suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ” (Alma 31:38). Never let an earthly circumstance disable you spiritually."