Every day I pack lunches for my boys.  Well, except tomorrow because it’s pizza day at school and who can resist pizza??  So, most days I pack lunches.  I try to include a sandwich of some sort, a fruit, veggie and a “secret snack” that is usually on the sugary side.  I also slip a note in each day.  For Jacob’s I am not allowed to sign it “Mommy and Daddy” anymore.  And I can’t call them love notes (even though they truly are).  Who said he could grow up?

Anyway, packing lunches is just a part of our morning routine.  So is Andrew always asking for a lunch “just like his brothers”.  Today I did just that.  I sat down and created a lunch just like theirs.  He got in on the fun by decorating his paper bag.  We also made them for Autumn, Katey and Daddy.  They all enjoyed a sack lunch at the table for lunchtime today.  It was a hit.

Which leaves me with only one question – Does anyone have any ideas for “cool” lunch notes?

*p.s.  Day 10 is still in draft mode.  It’s a post that won’t work without photos and it’s taking a little time – sorry!*

Tonight I created a lesson for FHE.  A little of this and a lot of this.

Here are my two favorite quotes:

“Even children can help strengthen a family—do you know how? Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained, “The key to strengthening our families is having the Spirit of the Lord come into our homes” (Ensign, May 1999, 33). When you pray, study the scriptures, speak kindly, and remember to give thanks, you are strengthening your family! Doing these things invites the Holy Ghost.”

“Disobedience and arguing drive the Spirit away. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, ‘It is the duty of children to obey their parents, to learn, and to help with household chores. They carry the scriptural charge not to contend and quarrel with one another’ (Ensign, Nov. 1980, 70).”

It is much needed.  And I love this promise from the same article:

“As you follow Church leaders’ counsel to be obedient and kind, the Spirit will be with you, helping you strengthen your family.”

Here’s where we were today:

In the Manti temple with family.

Today I am thankful for a creation.  Thankful for temples – “… a place where earth and heaven meet”.  A place to be “taught, guided and blessed”.   I have felt the loving, guiding hand of the Lord in the temple and echo President Monson’s statement, “I think there is no place in the world where I feel closer to the Lord than in one of His holy temples.”

We were able to be there as our sister-in-law’s sister Melanie received her endowment.  I love that the word endowment means “gift” or “bestowal”.

I am also ever-so-thankful for the sealing power in the temple that allows us to be with our families forever.  The creation of my large eternal family is one of my favorite things to witness.  Line upon line.  Ordinance upon ordinance.

{Manti Temple photos captured by me, 25 October 2010}

The highly anticipated (at least by me 😉 ) clean laundry room.

before:

after:

slightly different angle:

Enjoying this creation now – it won’t last.  🙂

And it appears I have something for the color brown.

That and finding a good deal on one style of shoe and buying the same for all the boys.  :o)  Look at the realizations that come while cleaning the laundry room.  😉

I love you, I really do.  But you make it hard for a girl to be productive.  Especially when she has plans to clean her laundry room up right good.  It’s a little embarrassing to have taken a before shot of the messy laundry room and not be able to post a shiny clean after photo.  Not yet at least.  But it’s understandable with your sparkly gowns, catchy tunes and stories that include turtles on fenceposts.  Not to mention real-life love stories, fabulous duets and snowing indoors.  What’s not to love?  It doesn’t hurt when your hunny is a DJ for the local country radio station and he insists that watching is “research” for his show the next day.  Okay, CMA Awards, you win.  What do you say – same time, same place next year??  Much love,  Becky

Needless to say, my planned creation of a clean, beautiful laundry room was postponed.  I’ll have to settle for creating some fun-lovin’ dance moves and some rockin’ lip syncin’.  Hmmm, that ain’t settlin’.  😉

{Congratulations to Sugarland for winning Vocal Duo of the Year.  One of my favorite groups ever!}

Today I helped create a magical evening.  It was the annual Daddy Daughter activity for the girls in our church, ages 8-11 and their daddies.   This year we had a luau-inspired evening.

Loaded up the van with some of the goods.  A palm tree, candy leis, candy bracelets, bright colored paper/balloon flowers, a grass skirt and some toppings for Hawaiian Haystacks:

The palm tree was created by my girls (I teach the 10-year-olds) last Thursday.  They had soooooo much fun making it.  Cardboard boxes taped together, brown paper trunk and lots of volcano-esque leaves protruding from the top.  Oh, and streamers – a nice touch.

Here’s a close-up of the candy leis and bracelets, along with the flowers:

Okay – much better on – I’ll have to have JB model one for the camera soon.

Each dad received a lei as they walked in the door.  The girls got a candy bracelet and a flower clip made by another group of girls.  They then had Daddy/Daughter photos taken by a beautiful beach-inspired backdrop.

The Polynesian Club from Snow College was not able to come to our activity last minute (sadly no hula and haka dances 🙁 ).  However, some of the leaders thought up some activities quick.  There was a special hand/foot identification game (to fit with our Recognition Night theme of “Daddy’s Hands” next month), a hula hoop contest and the ever-popular limbo!  A whole Hawaiian Haystacks buffet and yummy ice cream/snow cone treats finished off the night.

{Who thought to put a scoop of ice cream in the bottom of a snow cone?  I don’t know, but it’s yummy!}

Aloha!

Today I created fresh homemade bread, which created the most pleasant aroma wafting through our house.

I also created a few smiles on the faces of our neighbors.  😉

Today I am thankful for helping create a beautiful little 10-month-old boy that is just growing and progressing.  Today I noticed his first tooth had popped through his bottom gums.  Thankful to see each step along the way and to be involved in his development.  (Also, a big thank you for the creation of Tylenol for babies.)

Another creation was a conversation with my 7 year-old Joshua.  I am so thankful for a wonderful friend that gave me a short call with a little info.  Earlier this week Joshua and a group of his friends found an inappropriate magazine during recess on the school playground.  Some of the boys wanted to hide it under a pile of leaves and look at it later.  Some of them knew that was wrong.  They decided to find an adult to give the magazine to.  They did and I am so grateful.  Jim Bob and I both repeatedly praised him for making a good choice.  Tonight Jacob, Joshua, Andrew and I listened to this story from the Friend magazine.  (I had already read it a few weeks ago to the younger ones during preschool.)  It helped continue the conversation a little further.  Later while we were washing dishes I asked Joshua if the Holy Ghost helped him to know the magazine would not be something good to look at.  He said no, he already knew that all by himself.  He said the Holy Ghost did help know what to do next though.  So thankful for loving guidance, answers to prayers, and pure boys.  Thankful for good friends, a caring community, and open conversations.  Part of my mommy heart just aches that a 7-year-old would have to deal with a temptation (to many!) like that.  And a very large part of my mommy heart is overflowing with gratitude for a strong, conscientious boy.

Today I created homemade guacamole.  Avocados (Cados!! if you ask Katey), lime juice, green onion, garlic, salt and a food processor.  Yum!

I’m also working on creating a restful, peaceful Sabbath.  I’ve learned that how I spend my Saturday directly effects the feel of the Sabbath.  I love to fit in lots of fun family time on Saturday.  However, if we do too much and stay up too late on Saturday then Sunday is a rush.  A rush of getting Jim Bob off to meetings, getting the children ready, inevitably being 5-10 minutes late for church, feeling stressed and it is so not conducive to a feeling of peace and worship.  So here’s my Saturday list:

pick up yummy produce from Bountiful Baskets…     check

plan my nursery lesson about the Sacrament…     check  (the older brother of one of our little ones will be coming to talk about preparing and blessing the Sacrament.  He will do such a wonderful job!)

much needed hair cuts for my boys…     check

baths and showers for all…     check

homemade guac devoured…     check

dance with Andrew in the living room when he asks “May I have this doonce?” (the music video for Crush was on)…     check

kids to bed on time…     um, no check.  The girls were in bed an hour and a half late.  But then later I remembered it was the ending of Daylight Savings Time – yay!  So it’s kinda like they were only a half hour late.  😉  The boys were 2 hours late (technically only one after DST ends at 2 something a.m.).  Ah – always room to improve.

Now it’s time for me to lay out the Sunday clothes and hop into bed myself before that magical hour disappears.

Love to all.

eta:  Sunday morning did go very smooth.  The clothes laid out…

and I even had a moment to take a snapshot before we left for church.  We made it on time too.  😉 Hurray!