Opinionated Kids

I've had a nice needed blog break, but tonight's dinner conversation with my kids made me giggle, so I thought I'd share it with my blog readers... all four of them! As I was making dinner tonight, I was obnoxiously belting out Katy Perry's song, "Firework" (a frequently played radio tune right now.)

McKenna interrupts me and says, "Mom! You shouldn't sing that song! Katy Perry is bad! She has blue hair!"

I say, "Katy Perry does have some bad songs... but I don't think that "Firework" is a bad song..."

Kenna and I continued to argue over the "badness" of this song until we were suddenly interrupted by another child--Carson. Apparently, he was involved in this too.

In all of his four year old wisdom, he too chastised me, saying: "Mom! That is a bad song! A baby could get a firework, and it could go off in their hand!"

Thank goodness my kids are keeping me on the 'Straight and Narrow!' No more singing bad songs for me!

30 Days of Thanks #30

Whew! I made it to gratitude post #30... and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't grateful about that! However, this process has been an interesting experience. Here are a few things that I've learned about gratitude:

#1) Gratitude is like prayer. Sometimes you don't feel like praying, but you do it anyway--and by the time you're done, you feel prayerful. Making my gratitude list worked the same way. There were many, many nights when I wasn't feeling very grateful... or just not in the mood to be creative... but by the time I was done writing about my blessings, my Spirit was lifted--every time.

#2) Heavenly Father has commanded us to be grateful because He loves us. I have a fervent testimony that each of the commandments are for our safety, our protection, and happiness. At first, the commandments may seem restrictive, but when lived, you realize that they are evidence of God's love for you. Gratitude is the same. Gratitude blesses our lives with contentment and joy...

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." ~ Melody Beattie

#3) Gratitude makes us more aware of God's love. When I started this project, I began to feel that I was being blessed for it... but then I realized that the blessings had always been there. I was just more aware of them.

#4) "Pondering" allows the Spirit to communicate. Every day of this past month, I was mindful all day long about gratitude. Because of this, I feel like the Spirit helped ideas to come and the writing to flow.

#5) Expressing gratitude is important. I think most of us FEEL love and gratitude for others all the time, but don't always express it. President Monson describes this as wrapping and present, but not giving it. I'm thankful that this project encouraged me to publicly write my gratitude for my parents, in-laws, siblings, children, spouse, friends, and teachers. It was often hard to put such big feelings into words... but it felt good to do it.

Tonight, for my very last post...

I am grateful for this lesson in Gratitude!

30 Days of Thanks #29

I have a picture of Justin and I standing in front of the temple on our wedding day in my room. It's been there since we moved in this house, but Carson noticed it for the first time the other day. He gasped and said, "Mom! That's the temple! I love the temple. I want to go there someday!" That made me giggle... but also filled my heart with all the happiness it could hold. There's nothing I want more in my life than for each of my children to be sealed in the temple. Eternity will only be wonderful if I can be with the ones I love most.

I am thankful for the sealing power of temple covenants.

At the last General Relief Society Meeting, Silvia Allred, first counselor in the presidency, told a story that I couldn't stop thinking about throughout the entire meeting. She told of a family from Mistolar Paraguay who wanted to be sealed in the temple, but the closest temple was 27 hours away in Buenos Aires. In the middle of very cold winter, they made the trip with their two small children. With much sacrifice, they made it there and were sealed for time and all eternity. On the way home, however, both children got sick and died. They buried them along the way and returned home with nothing. Though they were heartbroken, they said of their experience, "Our children were sealed to us in the house of the Lord. We know we will have them back with us for all eternity. This knowledge has given us peace and comfort. We have to remain worthy and faithful to the covenants we made in the temple, and then we will be reunited with them." Amazing faith. It's these experiences that remind us what life is truly about: living to return to our Heavenly Father. Nothing else matters.

This story also reminded me of how blessed I am to have always lived close to a temple. The peace that the temple brings is just minutes away... and yet I'm guilty of not taking advantage of these blessing as much as I should. I'm committing today to do better.

"Let us truly be a temple-attending and temple-loving people... Let us make the temple, with temple worship and temple covenants and temple marriage, our ultimate earthly goal and the supreme mortal experience." - Howard W. Hunter

30 Days of Thanks #28

I'm thankful for Justin (Part 2)

Yes, I know that I already did a gratitude post for this awesome guy--but one write-up just does not do him justice! To truly appreciate today's events, you need to understand a few things about Justin:

#1) Justin's favorite creation on Earth is snow.

#2) Justin's favorite activity on Earth is snowmobiling.

#3) Justin has not been snowmobiling yet this season, and all of this snow is making him Crazy-Anxious!

Today, Justin's buddies called and invited him to do his favorite activity in his favorite creation. Without any heckling from me, he said "No." He told me that he hadn't spent enough time with the kids this week... So, he played in the snow all day... with our kids! I've always appreciated this quality in Justin. Like most men, he loves his hobbies, but he never allows them to come before his family. He's always sensitive to my needs and our children's needs, and he puts them before his own. I'm a pretty lucky girl.

After a few hours of sledding, we took the kids ice skating... which is such a labor of love! It's a tough activity on the body when you have to skate bent forward holding a child for two hours straight... and poor Justin did it all on his own tonight as I chased Ashton around the rink. Here's a few photos of one amazing, fun, and TIRED Dad:

30 Days of Thanks #27

I am thankful for my parents' sacrifices.

The older I get, the more I recognize all that my parents have sacrificed for me. Kyler broke his arm earlier this year and his few x-rays and casts were quite a financial burden. Few people know this about me, but my childhood was filled with x-rays and casts. At five years old, my spine was shaped like the letter 'S', and I was diagnosed with severe scoliosis. In Kindergarten, I began wearing a body brace 24 hours a day. My mom had to have clothes altered to fit over my brace. She also came to my school everyday at lunchtime to loosen my brace after I ate. My treatment continued for ten years. Doctor appointments in Salt Lake, new x-rays, and different shaped casts... continually for ten years. I can't imagine the expense that was for my parents, yet they never made me feel that my treatment was a burden in any way. In fact, my SLC doctor appointments became an exciting event because we got to go to Hires for the "world's best hamburgers and shakes" after each appointment! I am very sad to admit that I never really thought about the financial aspect of my brace years until I experienced my own child's broken arm. I'm sure as my kids become teenagers, leave for college, marry, and have kids of their own, I will come to understand even more of parents' patience, love, and sacrifice.

My health needs were one of many, many sacrifices my parents have made for me throughout my life, and for each and every one, I thank them.

30 Days of Thanks #26

I am thankful for answered prayers.

Before we left for Inkom yesterday morning, we parked in the driveway to pray. Sweet McKenna prayed for a "really, really, really safe drive" and a "really, really, really great day!"

About five miles out of Idaho Falls, a Jeep Cherokee sped up behind us--practically on our bumper. He was obviously annoyed at our slow pace. The Jeep darted to the right to pass us and immediately started fishtailing. It was one of the incidents that happens so fast--yet in slow motion at the same time. It's a miracle the Jeep didn't hit us as the driver frantically turned his steering wheel right and left--trying to get control. At 70 miles per hour, the Jeep slid sideways off the road into a ditch where it bounced up out into a field and continued to roll five or six times. All we could see was snow and metal flying everywhere. With semi's in front and in back of us on solid ice roads, we were unable to safely stop and turn around. We called 911 and hoped and prayed that the family in that Jeep survived.

It was so upsetting. I thought of that family during Thanksgiving dinner, as I laid down to bed last night, and as I woke up this morning--wondering what happened.

Justin left at 5 am this morning to try to get a few Christmas deals. Again, I prayed for his safety after he said "Goodbye." When he returned (without the deals), he told me that he came within inches of hitting a deer going down the hill and then AGAIN on the way up!

This morning I'm busy. One child wet the bed. Another managed to unscrew his bottle and sleep drenched in milk. Another child is screaming because they have something in their eye. Another child is refusing to help with chores today... but I'm perfectly happy. I have that content feeling that everything is as it should be. My heart is overflowing with gratitude for a loving Heavenly Father who watches over us and hears our prayers.

30 Days of Thanks #25

As I prepare to make the treacherous drive in dangerously cold temperatures to celebrate Thanksgiving with loved ones, I am thankful for many things:

Snow plows, heated car seats, prayer... lots of prayer, Pillsbury pre-made pie crusts, traditional family recipes, and most of all--the wonderful blessing of living close enough to family to celebrate special days!

I'll close this Thanksgiving post with a famous Luke family quote. It's just not Thanksgiving to me without it...

"This bird will never fly again." - Arlo Luke

Happy Thanksgiving!