Becky

Seeking Virtue

July 1, 2012 Leave a Comment

Birthday time for me is a time of reflection (well, and a little celebration) :). It’s perfect that my birthday falls half-way through the year. I like to take a few moments to see how my beginning of the year goals are going. While visiting the Church Art Museum last year this quilt spoke to my heart:

My current scripture study is about treasure. I decided this quilt is the perfect treasure map for me here and now.

The title is “Angel’s Portion: Seeking Virtue”. Angel’s Portion meaning big – this quilt is beautiful and pulls me right in. The story quilt shows seven ladies – “each shown in an active pursuit of virtue”. I love the “active pursuit” part. It takes effort to become more virtuous and to seek after virtuous things – ideas, talents, and gifts. True treasures.

A tender mercy is the fact that this quilt is in the Ensign for June – my birthday month and a perfect reminder to check in. {front view of the quilt | full article in the Ensign}

In the article it says “Each of these women possesses a trait that can be shared with others to bless humanity: sentinel, scholar, gardener, nurturer, caregiver, musician, and home builder. The artist explains that these women “honor those who pursue and use talents to bless humanity.'” Is there any better way to live?

Here is a list of the goals I’m working on in these areas:

Sentinel – Work on leadership qualities: magnify calling, love those I serve, pray for those I teach and visit.
Scholar – Learn more about Teaching Self Government – and apply in my home. Study photography.
Gardener – Help with the Heritage Gardens. Grow a garden – especially herbs.
Nurturer – Tell stories! Especially family history ones and stories from my childhood. Consistant interviews with my children. Pizza dough tossing and doodling/sketching skills.
Caregiver – Monthly FHE service. Look for opportunities.
Musician – Teach children piano, guitar, drums – what each is interested in and keep up and learn musical talents in those areas. Also accept opportunities as presented to play flute and sing.
Home Builder – Hang family photos and temple pictures throughout our home. Paint living room and dining room. Proverbs 14:1 ” Every wise woman buildeth her house.” (A lot of the previous goals fit into building our home.)

Some are coming together better than others – all with room to improve.

I want my goals to focus on seeking virtue and using skills to love and bless my family. I’m thankful for a quote that jumped out to me while reading President Monson’s talk from General Conference. It wraps my thoughts into a nice package. A birthday package even. “There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save.”

Filed Under: {holidays and celebrations}, {one little word}, {reflections and deep thoughts}, {tickles and smiles}, {worthwhile}

Party Time!

June 20, 2012 1 Comment

Hippo Birdy to JessicaSprague.com!!

So many ways to celebrate this week:

So much goodness – it’s a beautiful thing. Click here or on the above image for additional details on what’s happening.

My two favorite celebrations? The free class taught by Jessica all week long and the speed scrap hosted by Mandi at 7 am on Thursday. We’ll be up late the night before for Pageant dress rehearsal, but I’m still gonna try to get in on that one – how fun!

{To register for Jessica’s class, simply copy this code: PSTOP52012 – And click here to enter it: http://www.jessicasprague.com/index.php?option=com_juga&view=juga&Itemid=111 . Come learn and play with me! :)}

Filed Under: {digital happiness}, {holidays and celebrations}, {Jessica Sprague}

Summertime Food, part 1

June 19, 2012 2 Comments

Piccadilly chips (or lovingly called piccadillies around these parts) are a local delicacy. Kinda like a mix between tator tots and fries – these beauties are bite-sized fried mashed potatoes.

They are sold at the small fast food restaurants in the area and are made at a manufacturing plant about 20 miles from where we live. Condiments vary by location. Most common are tarter sauce and fry sauce.

Unique and delicious. We just had to share these with Brendan while he was here. Three big servings for our family.

Filed Under: {happy times}, {tickles and smiles}

Pageant Stuff

June 19, 2012 Leave a Comment

This morning the older ones got up early (6 am) with Jim Bob and set up approximately 14,000 chairs on the temple lawn (with lots of help from others 😉 ). A huge undertaking – and always well attended. The task was done in about 1 hour 15 minutes.

{last year’s audience one night; photo by Nick Marsing}

A week ago last Saturday the sets and lighting towers were put up. That process takes longer. Brendan wanted to help when they started – also 6 am. Jim Bob had plans that Saturday and got up to see if Brendan needed anything before leaving. He found this note:

Such a responsible young man. He rode a bike up to Temple Hill and got helping.

Sets going up:

Brendan is in the upper left of this photo.

The sets stay looking like rocks during most of the Book of Mormon scenes and then unfold to show Joseph Smith’s home, Carthage jail and a pioneer home. Here it is in progress – so you can see a bit of it all. Another fun part of the set is the volcano that rotates to reveal a temple – very neat. That one is moved on and off the hill each night.

Who takes care of all the sets and props during the show? Well, there is a crew for that too.

Here’s the group from last year:

{photo by Nick Marsing}

Fifth from the left is my Mom Pipes – she is amazing running all over the hill – moving sets and carrying props here and there. She’s at it again this year. Third from the right is Jim Bob’s (and therefore mine too!) brother John. Last year he was stage crew for half the nights and Angel on the Temple for the other half. We sure miss him this year, but he’s living a good life freshly married.

So many ways to help out with the Mormon Miracle Pageant.

Have a good day! 🙂

Filed Under: {Mormon Miracle Pageant}, {worthwhile}

Grateful

June 15, 2012 2 Comments

Sunbeam lesson on Sunday was “I Have Feelings“. Funny thing about those little ones – they wanted to know which face they each were. They also helped me rename some of the feelings from the suggestions in the lesson. Angry? nope, that’s mad. Surprised is close to frightened. And I thought it was so cute that Katey thought my tired face was grateful. I guess my drawn girl looks a little too happy and thoughtful to be tired.

I also included the finger play from the lesson on the bottom of the paper. I thought they might enjoy that one – I was right. Hopefully they were able to do it at home a few times this week. One part in the manual that I loved – “it is good to show all of the different feelings we have, but we must show them in the right ways, especially when we are angry.”

When I asked what to do when feeling mad, sad or scared, Katey said you can talk to “Oh… mom or dad… or grandma or grandpa if they are sleeping over at your house.” I love her sweet little answers.

Sharing Time conversation-
Jacob (out of the blue): My dad is the greatest!
Katey: My dad is the greatest dad in the universe!
Jacob: My dad is Wonder World!!!
*end of conversation*

p.s. I’m not sure about Wonder World, but this is what Super Dad looks like:

Filed Under: {happy times}, {tickles and smiles}, {worthwhile}

June 12, 2012 1 Comment

This week will be filled with new posts about Pageant- I promise. I have a whole list. Brendan helping with the scenery set-up, a tour of the costume building, words from the opening fireside and a few food posts mixed in as well.

One unexpected story this year is a small feature in the Pageant supplement to the local newspaper. Meri’s part (baby held by Christ in the Christ in America scene) is being featured. Although Meri is not the only baby, our family was chosen for the feature partly because Katey and Caleb have played the part in the past. I did a phone interview and Jim Bob was asked to take the photos. The editor of the paper said, “Now Jim Bob is a pretty good photographer, right?” to which I could confidently say, “oh, yes!” They also asked for a family photo. Brendan took that one. We gave all the info and are hoping they each get their own by line next to the photos. 🙂

Want a sneek peak? (Jim Bob said I could have first run… blessed me.)

{It had been a long evening of practices and Meri had had it for the day – the wind had been blowing pretty strong throughout the last part of the practice. She had just snuggled in and slept. She woke up just in time for photos and was not. happy. You just do what you gotta do when you only have one evening to take photos though… and I kinda sorta love the lighting.}

http://becky.pipesfamily.org/2012/06/12/my-favorite-part/

Filed Under: {Mormon Miracle Pageant}, {worthwhile}

Spotlight: Andrew

June 11, 2012 Leave a Comment

Brendan: I think you are very thoughtful. You had some pretty good ideas for the Spy movie we are going to make.

Andrew: There are some gadgets we don’t know how to make yet though.

Jacob: I think Andrew is funny and humorous.

Joshua: Creative. Imaginative and creative.

Daddy: He’s a drawer too. On this fine drawing day – he is an artist.

Autumn: Andrew is a good cook. He helps with stuff.

Andrew: I helped make a cake today for part of summer chores. (For our neighbor across the way – she turned 80 today! 🙂 )

Katey: He helps me build things. Like towers and houses. With Legos and blocks.

Daddy: You do all that?

Andrew: Yes (said in a high voice)

Daddy: How aout you Caleb?

Caleb: He makes cake.

Daddy: And Caleb likes cake. We know that.

Caleb: We put it in a bowl. Then cook it. Then put frosting on it.

Daddy: Then what?

Caleb: Then put frosting on it. Then put it in the oven. Then put it in the oven. (feeling repetitive?) Then cook it. Then we take it out. Then we eat it. And it’s yummy.

Mommy: Andrew is my buddy. He has the cutest smile and is full of fun ideas. I like spending time with him.

Joshua: You should have said he has an epic-ly cute smile. (it’s true!)

Daddy: Did you see the little video on lolly-cup? It’s about shave snow. It’s got a milk base and looks delicious. (focus, focus – can you guess what Family Home Evening treats are tonight?)

Daddy: Andrew is truly one of the most helpful people I know. And mommy stole my other one. I love your smile. I love the way your eyes twinkle when you are truly excited.

Andrew: Can I have insurance? Of three quarters a week? (Thinking he meant allowance ;))

Meri: (all sorts of full-on smiles)

We love our mister Drewby-Doo. He makes us smile – by talking and helping and sharing with and loving us all. His chore right now is washing dishes – which is great for spending time. Sometimes we even do it two times a day. He is a great reader and remembers stories so well. Drewby is also a big eater and would eat fruit all day long if I let him. Today he ate cantaloupe, pineapple, mango, apples and apricots. Today. He just now went to the “anytime” shelf and brought back a handful of sliced cucumbers. He’s versatile like that.

Filed Under: {*spotlights*}

Enliven the Soul

June 10, 2012 2 Comments

Favorite teaching moment from the sunbeams last week: I finished talking about noses and smelling and went on to tasting. I asked “what are our mouths for?” And sweet little Jacob F. said “Smiling!” 🙂

Here are the things we tasted as part of the lesson. They loved them all. Yes, all. Mixed in the little cups was their very favorite. 😉

Second favorite moment? Madi drawing a mushroom with a big ol’ smile… and hair, when the prompt was to draw something they like to taste with their tastebuds.

Third? All of them crowded around the magnifying mirror to see said tastebuds. How I love those little sunbeams!

This scripture from the lesson makes my heart happy:

D&C 59:18 Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;

19 Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.

My sister Anna and I were talking earlier about how much we love food and think it’s our love language (only partly in jest). I think the above scripture proves that one of Heavenly Father’s love languages must be food too.

Filed Under: {bonne buche}, {happy times}, {tickles and smiles}, {worthwhile}

Warrior in Training

June 8, 2012 1 Comment

Practices are going strong. Brendan has practice twice a night… once with the assistant directors and once for the main director. Jacob has one practice per night – in the parking lot of the church. They both started Tuesday and our family part started tonight, by the pavilion behind the church.

Jacob came home from practice last night with this happy news:

“We got to use weapons!”

This is the first year that Jacob gets to be a warrior in the pageant. He is a Nephite Standard Bearer from the Book of Mormon. He’s pretty excited about being a righteous warrior… and getting to wield a spear.

Me thinks his brother is looking forward to two years from now.

In other happy news:

Filed Under: {1940 census}, {happy times}, {Mormon Miracle Pageant}, {worthwhile}

Spotlight: Autumn

June 4, 2012 1 Comment

For fun (and perhaps to save time 😉 ) we decided to say one word to describe something we love about Autumn.

Jacob: Enthusiastic.

Josh: Humorous.

Autumn: I was just about to say, “Can I say one? and I would say funny!”

Andrew: Love.

Autumn: You mean loving.

Katey: Because she reads me bedtime stories. (someone didn’t get the memo… 😉 )

Caleb: Super-Reader!

Caleb: I love you… and all of us. (said as his hand sweeps the room)

Daddy: What’s your word Caleb?

Caleb: Um, picking my nose.

{laughter all around}

Katey: Boogie-oogey-oogey.

Brendan: Silly.

Mommy: Effervescent.

Josh: Supercalifragalisticexpeladocious.

Daddy: Full-throttle. Full-bore. I’m going to have to look up synonyms or something.

We love our Autumn. She does live life fully. She loves playing with friends and is a sweetheart to her little sister. They make cards and watch movies (latest right now is Bo on the Go) and just have so much fun together. So thankful Autumn is part of our family.