BYUofU

A few times during the year the citizens of Utah become a little...how shall I put it...crazed? You will witness crowds of people segregated by color - red and blue - for a good week before the big event occurs.

I am talking, for those who are not familiar with our local competition, of football/basketball games between the University of Utah and Brigham Young University.

For the most part the rivalry between fans is lighthearted. I have often chuckled when listening to the various members of my husband's extended family spar on who's team is the best. One particular moment still makes me laugh to this day. One day last year my in-laws won a BYU pillow, which they had placed on the back of one of their couches. My niece Heather and her husband Brian were sitting on the couch. Both are die-hard Ute fans.

Her daddy, Stephen (also a Ute fan), suddenly yelled out, "Heather! Don't move! Whatever you do, don't put your head back!" Of course through her mind immediately raced thoughts of giant spiders or snakes or some other frightening or deadly creature right behind her. We all started laughing when Stephen pulled the BYU pillow out from behind her and tossed it across the room. "That was a close one," he joked.

In my own family we've never cared which team won. I've never been THAT into sports, and really neither has my husband. I figured we'd live in a fairly competition free home. That is...until cousin Bethany started BYU. My oldest daughter, Miss M, absolutely LOVES her grown up cousin. As Bethany's love of BYU became more and more vocal, my daughter became more and more a fan.

Suddenly, Miss M is ALL ABOUT BYU!!! Whilst I attended a boutique Saturday, she went over to Uncle Stephens with cousin Bethany so they could all watch the game together (I figure that must have been interesting).

So now my home, previously known as Switzerland (neutral), is housing my very first sports nut. I never thought this day would actually come.

Halloween 2010 Pics

Are you thinking to yourself, "Well it's about time!"? 'Cause I sure am. To be perfectly honest I was really not into Halloween this year. The kids did most of the decorating, and the only thing that helped the costumes happen was Savers. Poor kids. Oh, perhaps I shouldn't say that. After all, things did work out :)

Our first pic is of Mr. J, who is sporting a Snake Eyes costume from G.I. Joe. We darkened his face and hair for the night. Next comes Mr. B as Spiderman. I have to admit, as his makeup came together I started to get a bit more excited for the night.

Here's Miss A. as a ballerina in boots. At least, I think that's what it ended up being. She just loved it because it was sparkly.And this is my gorgeous Miss M. She started out dressing up as a dead witch, but decided when we were done with the makeup that she looked more like a vampire.

Here they are all together.

We did two closeups of M. Even dead I think she's pretty gorgeous.

This is daddy as a last minute pirate. We even gave him some rotting teeth.

I hadn't planned to dress up, but my friend Erin began threatening me. Something about eggs and my house. I really didn't know what I would be until I'd finished with everyone else. That's when I created "The Aftermath". Basically I took elements from everyone else's costumes and put them on me.

Do you like the shirt? Totally my favorite.

This next picture shows what happens to unsuspecting ward members when my kids are high on sugar...

Actually, he knew exactly what he was getting into, lol.

One last picture. Proof M came back to life. Whew!

CNN's Take on Elizabeth Smart as a Mormon Missionary

I tend to get nervous whenever I see there's been an article published in national media on "the Mormons." When I opened up my LDS Living e-mail this morning there was a link to CNN on Elizabeth Smart's "other" testimony, that of her being a missionary for the Mormons (preferably called by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or LDS Church).

Due to the emotional atmosphere surrounding the young woman in question, I could not comprehend there being anything blatantly against our shared religion, and opted to read the article.

To my surprise it was beautifully written. There were certain words or phrases I took small issue with, but these were actually asked about and corrected right away in the comments section. What struck me as most beautiful about this article was it's testimony to how well Ms. Smart is doing all these years later.

Here's a link to the article if you'd like to read it. I highly recommend it. If any of you who are not a member of this Church have any questions, feel free to ask. I'm happy to answer as best I can.

Elizabeth Smart's Other Journey

A Step in a New Direction

We're in debt. I realize this is nothing new, especially when one considers the life and times in which we live, but this is not a style of living with which my husband and I are comfortable.

Beyond the house and car payments we work our best to spend only the money my husband brings in through his job. For most of our married life he has had to work two different jobs (one full-time, one part-time) in order for us to scrape by. About two years ago the higher-ups of his full time job were able to square things away to enable my husband to at last quit his part-time job, which was especially needful as he had been asked to take on the role of a bishop (or leader of a congregation) in our church. This particular role requires much of his time.

Though he was finally able to quit his part-time job, it meant a pay decrease - something we did not mind as it meant he would get to be home a bit more. We tightened our belts even more when necessary and found other ways to keep ourselves living within our means. This year, however, life simply took it's toll.

We have just one credit card. It is pulled out primarily to make online purchases (like medications) or in case of an emergency when our savings cannot cover it. I don't know what it was about this particular year, but emergencies seemed to pop up from a lot more sources than usual. Our savings has been almost depleted, and the last time we needed to pay this much on a credit card was several years ago when our car had been stolen and required much in the way of money to be fixed.

I keep waiting for that "long lost great-uncle twenty times removed" I never knew to somehow discover I'm here and leave me a fantastic legacy! Either that or for Publisher's Clearing House to at least give me that million dollars they keep promising.

I'm not complaining...well, not much. But it's sent within me a drive I've never really experienced before to sit down and get serious about writing. A sweet friend hooked me up with a few sites to look into when it comes to freelance writing. I actually had to sit down and put together a rather pitiful looking resume. This morning I sent in said resume to a professional freelance writing site in the hopes they'll overlook my lack of experience and give me an honest chance at working for them.

It's scary, especially for someone who's never tried this online before. Yet I'm hopeful. There's this little bubble of excitement that's rolling around inside my head wondering if this could be what gets me started. I've long wanted to create a name for myself - a name that goes beyond my sweet, wonderful, and supportive circle of family and friends. I've been told by my Heavenly Father that this is what I'm meant to do (after the whole mom and wife thing, of course) with my life. It can be difficult, though, to let go of the hesitations, fears, and uncertainties. It can be difficult to believe in myself!!! Anyone out there know what I'm saying? I'm sure you do.

Perhaps today is the beginning of good things, both for myself and for our family. Perhaps today is the beginning of taking control and working towards something new and wonderful and exciting. Perhaps this is the unseen purpose behind all our little emergencies this year. Who knows but that this has been the Lord's way of getting me moving in a new direction.

Playing Hooky

My hubby and I are, for the most part, those individuals you can trust to be where they need to be. For example, church meetings. We try to make it to all of them when possible. If we don't, you can bet it's for a very good reason.

The month of October has been especially busy for the both of us. We've had more going on than usual, and it's taken a toll on our sweet children. When my youngest is begging me not to leave just for a few minutes on a Saturday morning, we know it's time to play hooky.

This weekend was our stake conference, a time when extra meetings occur. My husband did his duty to the priesthood meeting, but we made the decision to take the rest of the evening, and most of today, and spend it with our children. It wasn't an easy choice to make, I'll be very honest about that. Yet it was the right one.

I wanted to share with you some of the pictures of today's adventures enjoying some of God's most beautiful creations. We started up one of our favorite canyons, intending to drive along Guardsman Pass through to our home. Here are a few pics from a few stops we made along the way.






































Picking leaves and throwing rocks in a stream.


















Isn't this a beauty? I love the intense colors of Autumn in the changing leaves.
















I tried to capture the incredible colors of our surroundings in this and the next, but the pictures were mere echoes to what we saw in real life.

We finally found the turn off for Guardsman Pass, traveled up a ways only to find...

SNOW!!!

The kids had some fun throwing snowballs at eachother and Mom and Dad.

View of a nearby mountain top.

A few minutes later in our drive and we realized there was no way we'd be making it through this weather, so we carefully turned the car around and headed back.

Before going home we figured it would be nice to stop in at our favorite area, Silver Lake up by Brighton Ski Resort. There was a good bit of snow up here too.

Mr. B began to freeze. Of course, he's the one who threw the most snowballs, fell and slipped in the slush, and didn't bring a jacket along. Silly boy.

Daddy finally took pity on this poor, shivering boy and draped his coat over him.

Isn't this pretty? The color of the stems were almost as pretty as the leaves themselves.

Here's our last look in black and white. We headed home after this, all the kids wrapped up in blankets in the car, Dad and I wishing we could open the windows just a smidge due to the heater being turned up high. The moment we got home I took out our hot cocoa maker (thank you Errin!!!) and soon we were warming up inside and out.

My husband and I were grateful we took the morning off, especially as we ended up doing hospital visits to a few ward members that had us gone most of the evening. Each and every one of our kids told us how much fun they had today, how nice it was to have daddy with us, and how they hoped we could do it again soon.

As I lay with my youngest, listening to her ramblings just before she fell asleep, I knew we'd done the right thing for our family. We might get in trouble with certain people for not being where we were supposed to be, but that's okay. There was no doubt in our minds our choice placed us where we needed to be.

The baby is named Cullen. He's our little buddy who comes to play twice a week. When all the kids were off of school last Friday each of them had a chance to feed their new favorite baby

which was, apparently, awesome in ways they cannot begin to explain.

I normally don't accept ongoing babysitting jobs, but this time around I couldn't resist the little man being proffered nor my darling friend (one of the young women I used to teach) who asked the favor of me. And I have not regretted it.

Little Miss A gets jealous a little more than I'd prefer, but when baby Cullen is sleeping I make sure to give her extra love. I've found in this job a little bit of me filled - a little bit I didn't know required filling. It's wonderful to hold a tiny baby again, to make him laugh, to comfort him when he's crying. Changing stinky diapers is definitely something I don't love, nor the smell of formula all over my clothes, but being able to cuddle his tiny form in my arms and have his minuscule fingers clutch my own as he eats from the bottle centers me in a way I haven't been able to do in some time.

I really do think babies remind us to slow down, to experience life in the moment. They teach us to look for the simple joys in life, like the wonderment of having someone truly happy to see us, or the ability to make another of God's special children feel safe in a sometimes scary world.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to babysit little baby Cullen, for he has brought an awful lot of joy into this home of ours. I am also grateful for the change in my own attitude, my thoughts, and my ways of approaching life that allow me the chance to enjoy this little boy, to see my own children respond to having another "little brother" in the family. Even if it is only twice a week.

I am a Mormon, a Wife, a Mother, and a Daughter of God

When I first began this blog - how many years ago? - I did so due to many different spiritual nudgings that now was the time. I didn't really know what this would evolve in to. Well, to be frank I still don't know what this is supposed to be all about, and perhaps that's okay. I don't gear this toward any one thing: cooking, crafts, art, politics, religion, etc. Somewhere deep inside me there was this burgeoning hope of it including a little bit of everything to help those who are not familiar with the Mormons and their beliefs/ways of life might get an insight through my own eyes.

I never thought it would include so many different aspects of my life, from silly little daily happenings to my struggles with depression. I also never thought anyone outside of my little circle of friends and family would be interested in reading the inconsequential (to me, that is) things I would have to say.

There are not too many out there who know this, but I feel as though the Spirit is indicating to me it's time to impart something special with those who share this blog with me. It was either right before or right after I started it that I received a message, peculiar in it's origin yet geared directly to my heart. I was told, in essence: people will read what you have to write.

I took this to be both a promise and a warning. The thought that my words might go out there and touch the life of someone I may never meet in this lifetime seems almost impossible...and exciting. At the same time I knew it was necessary to choose my words carefully. It's one thing to write about silly or even sad or interesting or opinionated subjects. It's entirely different to delve into religion.

The Monday after our semi-yearly General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I looked at my visitor's map and found myself stunned to see so many visits from states and countries who had never appeared before. It didn't take long for me to realize many of these visitors were probably looking in to just about anything they could find on the Mormons after Boyd K. Packer's talk - both truths and lies having been circulated. At that moment I knew, more than I had ever known before, why my Savior directed me to title this blog as I did.

Because people would come to find out precisely how a Mormon mother would respond to almost everything in this life.

We are all too prone to lump people into stereotypes, whether they be correct or mistaken. You bring up certain words and images flow into our minds: rodeo, the Bible Belt, beaches, skiing, housewife, alcoholic, Harry Potter, etc. We each bring with us the experiences we have gleaned throughout this life, as well as the impressions placed before our eyes and in our ears by those things we choose to watch and listen to. All of these combined give us images in our heads and feelings in our hearts, whether or not they be accurate.

Let me say this. The things we learn of in this world will not always be accurate. The more we, as human beings, learn and grow to understand how life works - the intricacies of bugs and flowers to atoms and cancer cells - the better our grasp on the big picture becomes. It is my belief the more we learn about this amazing experience called life, the more we can grasp God's handiwork in it. We can know for ourselves the vitally important fact that He is in charge, He knows and understands our hesitations and questions, and He believes in us, even during those times we choose not to believe in Him.

We are all extraordinary children of God, the Father. Whether we be African, English, Indian, Polynesian, Canadian, Mexican or American. Whether we be Jewish, Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, Hindu, Buddhist, or even Athiest. Whether we be rich, poor, selfish, selfless, or somewhere in between, He loves us all. This I can promise you Mormons believe.

So think to yourself, when I say the word Mormon, what comes to mind? Ask yourself if the things you feel, remember, imagine are things you've experienced for yourself or have come to you through others. Have you paused long enough to go to our Father to ask Him if what you think and feel are accurate? It's okay to question the beliefs of the Mormon faith, just as it's okay to question the belief of any faith. Yet we need to kneel down and ask the one being who will be honest with us, no matter how we may like - or not like - the answers. Just remember to come to Him with a humble heart and a contrite spirit, with the desire to know His truth. Not our truth. Not my truth. Not the world's truth. Just His.

I am a Mormon. I am the wife of a bishop in this church. I am a mother to five beautiful children. I love the youth with all my heart. I enjoy serving others, and being at home with my kiddies. I am a writer. I am a dabbler in hobbies. I am an avid reader. I am an avid learner. I am a listener. I am a song leader. I am a computer game player. I am a Facebook junkie. I am a daughter. I am a sister.

But first and foremost, I am a daughter of God. And that is the role I cherish most.

I would invite you all to remember you, too, are children of a most loving Father in Heaven. Spend some time thinking and pondering what this truly means. Read the Savior's words as given in the Holy Bible. Read another testament of Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon. Spend some honest to goodness time in this hectic, crazy world to rediscover your spiritual roots.

I would invite you to feel free to learn more about the Mormons, otherwise known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.