General Conference and mothers....

Conference was awesome, but also very challenging to watch with the kids running around. We stayed at home and watched it. And honestly, there were times that I thought about just watching it when the kids went to sleep so I could get something out of the talks. But I felt that it was more important to set an example to the kids that this is what we do every 6 months and that is important for all of us to listen and sustain our new prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. But despite the playing and screaming and running around that went on, we did get some stuff out of conference. And I personally (as i'm sure most of us mom's did) enjoyed the last 2 talks given by Elder M. Russell Ballard, and by President Monson. They were talks that I really needed....well....ok....ones that I need on a daily bases. The talk given by Elder Ballard was about mothers, and although the WHOLE talk was amazing and was everything that I needed to hear, one of my favorite parts of the talk was when he talked about "moments" in motherhood.

"First, recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction.

Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11)."

I couldn't agree with that more! My main goal as a mother from the very beginning was to create and capture those moments. I know first hand what it is like to have a young child/baby pass away. As most of you may know, my baby brother passed away in 2003 right before his first birthday. And it literally changed my whole families outlook on life in different ways. When I started having children of my own, I made a commitment to make time for and hang onto those moments. I don't want to have any regrets if something horrible happened to one or more of our children. And yet, I still find myself going to bed feeling horrible for yelling at them about this, or for getting angry over that, or for not giving them one more hug and kiss during the day. Being a mother is soooo challenging. I definitally have my faults. I yell, I have a short fuse sometimes (especially when i'm pregnant. Which has pretty much been most of the time since i've been married! lol) So I still have soooo much to work on. But I also know that children are very forgiving and they don't dwell and hang onto those moments of anger or mistakes too much. Very rarely do I remember the times that I or we made my parents angry. The moments I remember are the ones where we spent time together, family vacations, holidays, special outings, etc.

So for all of the mom's out there.....your not alone if you struggle with times that you lose your patience, or feel that your alone or being buried in the hustle and bustle of being a mommy and wife. Don't even feel bad if sometimes you may feel bored when your playing with your children! Sometimes it is way fun, and other times its boring. For example....we have had somewhere between 6-8 easter egg hunts TODAY alone! No joke! And Easter is long gone. Or I have probably played candy land who know's how many times. No one ever said that playing with them was always going to be exciting and whatnot. But to them it is EVERYTHING! And that is what matters! We all struggle.....its not easy AT ALL! But just know that your not alone! I have to remind myself that on a daily bases.

I'm going to close this post with a few pictures, and a few quotes from President Monson's talk.

"Brethren, let's treat our wives with dignity and with respect. They're our eternal companions. Sisters, honor your husbands. They need to hear a good word. They need a friendly smile. They need a warm expression of true love."

"To you who are parents, I say, show love to your children. You know you love them, but make certain they know it as well. They are so precious. Let them know. Call upon our Heavenly Father for help as you care for their needs each day and as you deal with the challenges which inevitably come with parenthood. You need more than your own wisdom in rearing them."

I am so grateful and excited that President Monson is our new prophet! It felt weird at first. President Hinckley has been the prophet since I was 12 years old. Since the time that I truly started gaining a testimony of who and what a prophet is. But when you hear President Monson speak, there is no doubt that he was called as our prophet today. And that he leads and guides this church! I sustain him 100%, and I am looking forward to hopefully many years to come with him as our beloved Prophet!

Someone really enjoys her pudding!!

But i'm not sure if she enjoyed eating it more, or just getting it all over her face and hands?!

Candi, i'm not kidding! Emmy LOVES that costume that we bought from your garage sell!! She probably would have worn it longer if it wasn't so hot in the house. She was sweating in it by the time she took it off. lol.

Ethan is obsessed with anything that is on someone else's head. Ranging from this costume, to my towel after I take a shower, to Eran's hat. The moment Eran comes home from work, Ethan wants him to pick him up so he can play with his hat.

Here are Ethan's instructions for eating a cracker (since he STILL doesn't have a single tooth yet!): Put one end of it in your mouth until it gets soggy enough that the other end falls off. Repeat until you have a nice, small bite size piece left.
hehe!!