Scripture Journal

Have you seen all these amazing scripture journals?  They are so amazing!  I love them all.  I want to use all these amazing ideas in my own scripture journal.  

There is just one problem:  I am a busy mother of  7 (5 still at home, the youngest 2 in Kindergarten) who also has other things I am doing.  I exercise 3 days a week for an hour or more.  I work at the school twice a week.  I am a Visiting Teacher, a friend, a neighbor, a housewife, the family historian.  So how do I do all that needs done, and still get my scripture studying in, and keep a scripture journal so I can more internalize the words I read?  

SIMPLIFY!  

It is okay to just write words and thoughts, and jot something down that will refresh my memory.  It doesn't have to be anything major.  It doesn't have to be decorated or PERFECT!  

 I buy composition  notebooks at the start of the school year.  Then I will sometimes cover them with scrapbook paper.

I sometimes will print out journal prompts to fill out.  But I also will just write what I want.  If something touches my heart, or makes me think of something, I will jot it down. If a memory comes to mind, I will mention it.

I also print out Conference talks or other articles that I find which add to the topic or scripture I am reading.  Then I may mark up the talk, or I may just write a little of what I learned or thought about it.   

Currently my reading consists of the Book of Mormon.  

My studying  consists of topics.  I have done hope and faith.  I just study whatever topic I feel I need at the moment.  I think I will study love next.

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I know that this has helped  me be less overwhelmed.  I also know that I retain more when I write something down.  Even if it doesn't seem to be exactly what I thought I would learn at the start.

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Christmas 2013

    This Christmas has been quite different.

    We have completely simplified things 

(you can tell by the fact part of our lights are out!).

    For starters, we only put up 1/10th of our decorations.

    We have even simplified the gift giving.  We have always given just 4 gifts (clothes, books, something fun, PJs), and Santa brings only 1.  But we have even simplified that.

    The fruit of less craziness is, I am all ready for Christmas.  I finished the last thing on Saturday.  

    Today was quite nice.  We cleaned the house, played in the snow, took around friend gifts, watched movies, played wii, went caroling, ate goodies, drank cocoa, had friends over.  It was very relaxing. It is just fine not to have everything perfect.   No more going overboard!

    I can't wait until tomorrow.  I usually am up until 2:00 am wrapping.  Then Christmas morning is so exhausting! What a difference it will make with a full night of sleep!

    I am hoping that this break we will be able to feel more of the spirit.  It will be nice to have a home full of love and kindness, instead of a home filled with stress and freaking out (yes, I freak out!).

Merry Christmas!

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November Means Family

The thing I am most thankful for is family.

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Halloween 2013

This year was quite different.  I usually take the preschoolers to the Pumpkin Walk during preschool.  So this year it was strange to only go once, and only at night.

Riding the bus to the Pumpkin Walk

Misses A and K hiding from the camera!!

Posing with cousins

Miss K had to have a photo-op in the Pumpkin's mouth

Little House on the Prairie

Super Mario

Princess Bride

Pixar!!

Star Wars

How many Minions tall are you?

 Daddy helped the kids finish their Jack-O-Lanterns.  I did the guts, he can do the precision work.

Dad helping Miss E carve her pumpkin

Miss K spent so much time on Hello Kitty

Miss D

Master A

Master J

Master A's 30 Seconds to Mars

Miss E

Thank you so much, Sir Spoil-Her-Highness

Miss K

Also, the girls all dressed up as the same thing.  Master J was a "Grim Reaper", Master A a Plague Doctor, and the Misses were Vampires.

Doctor A

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Home Teaching

As some of you heard in conference,  home teaching numbers are down quite a bit. When I first heard this about our ward, I was reminded of a story my grandmother told. I'm not sure if it was something she or a friend did, but it is quite a brilliant idea.
At the beginning of the month they would make a cake.  When the Home Teachers came, they would serve the cake. It didn't matter if it was the beginning of the month or the end. If they didn't come,  the cake was delivered to them. Not sure if it was a piece or what.
We tried this in August,  with the support of his wife. It worked. After not having Home Teachers but a handful of times since moving in 11 years ago, they came.  Hoping this will continue to be a good motivation in the coming months.

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