Happy Birthday Grandma

Happy Birthday Grandma!!!Today is my grandma’s birthday, and in honor of her memory I made Caramel Corn Pops. My grandma would make this for picnics and lazy summer evening.  I really miss her.  Grandma loved to cook, we went to her house every Sunday and she would have dessert for us.  She also always had homemade cookies waiting for us whenever we would pop in for a visit during the week.  My grandma was amazing.  I have so many great memories of her.

Grandma passed away back in January of 2001.

Grandma Delores was the perfect grandma.  The most important thing to her was our grandpa, and the next important thing to her was her family.  Grandma was a woman of service.  She was always cooking for someone, always crocheting something for someone, or doing something for someone. Grandma always made everyone feel that they were special to her.

Grandma took really good care of me when I was in elementary school.  My parents struggled finacially while I was growing up.  Grandma made sure I had a new dress for special occasions, new clothes for school and every summer she would let me come stay at her house for a week.

Grandma left us with many family traditions that we still celebrate with our families today.  Pizza for Christmas Eve, Christmas parties with hors d' oeuvres, homemade spudnuts for Halloween, and sugar cookies for every holiday.

Because of Grandma Delores’s example I am the person I am today. At grandmas funeral one of her children spoke about how she loved others and that she emulated the Savior.  That’s what I want others to be able to say about me.  I often find myself wondering  “what would grandma do?”

The last ten year of grandma’s life she was bedridden , I know that it was very frustrating for her, but she bore her trail with grace, patients and never wondering why me.

In proverbs 31 talks about the kind of woman Grandma Delores was.

10 ¶Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

When grandma Delores passed away in 2001 she left a hole in everyone’s heart that knew her. But because I knew her I am better person today, and even in death she makes a difference in my life.  I look forward to seeing her again.  Love you Grandma, Happy Birthday.

For the recipe for corn pops you can find it on my other blog Little Delights Cafe

Happy Mother's Day

This is my mom, she has taught me so much. Love you mom.

I love being a mom.  I remember growing up and all my friends saying when I grow up I want to be…a teacher, a nurse, a doctor, a vet…etc.  But all I ever wanted to be was a mom; I never wanted to be anything else.  I am grateful every day to be able to stay at home and be a mom.

It not always easy to be a mom, I remember the days when my kids were young and the days just seemed to blend together.  It was the same tasks day after day and the same phrases day after day.  Wipe noses, change diapers, feed kids, plan an activity, and fix meals, clean house, and grocery shop.   And somewhere in between teach: be nice, say thank you, say please, help mommy clean up, be mommies super helper, use your words not your hands.

Now my kids are older and my oldest son is about to leave on a mission for two years for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I am so grateful for those days that I got to share with him and the rest of my kids.  They are growing up so quickly. I love being a mom!

You can recognize women who are grateful to be a daughter of God by their reverence for motherhood, even when that blessing has been withheld from them for a time. In those circumstances, their righteous influence can be a blessing in the lives of children they love. Their exemplary teachings can echo the voice of a faithful home and resonate truth in the hearts of children who need another witness.

Grateful daughters of God love Him and teach their children to love Him without reservation and without resentment. They are like the mothers of Helaman’s youthful army, who had such great faith and “had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them” (Alma 56:47).

When you observe kind and gentle mothers in action, you see women of great strength. Their families can feel a spirit of love and respect and safety when they are near her as she seeks the companionship of the Holy Ghost and the guidance of His Spirit. They are blessed by her wisdom and good judgment. The husbands and children, whose lives they bless, will contribute to the stability of societies all over this world. Grateful daughters of God learn truths from their mothers and grandmothers and aunts. They teach their daughters the joyful art of creating a home. They seek fine educations for their children and have a thirst for knowledge themselves. They help their children develop skills that they can use in serving others. They know that the way they have chosen is not the easy way, but they know it is absolutely worth their finest efforts.

They understand what Elder Neal A. Maxwell meant when he said: “When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies? The great armistices made by military men or the peacemaking of women in homes and in neighborhoods? Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in congresses?”

Daughters of God know that it is the nurturing nature of women that can bring everlasting blessings, and they live to cultivate this divine attribute. Surely when a woman reverences motherhood, her children will arise up and call her blessed (see Prov. 31:28) Margaret D. Nadauld, Oct. 2000 General Conference

Happy Mother’s Day!

Families are Forever

I have always had a love for family history, but I have never produced a family file name. However, I have participated in family history in other ways.

When I was young I lived close to both sets of my grandparents and to 3 sets of my great grandparents, and got many opportunities to visit with them on regular basis. I loved to hear them tell stories of when they were younger.

Growing up every summer my family would go to one of two family reunions, there I also loved to listen to my great aunts and uncles and older cousins tell family stories.  You can learn a lot when you sit and listen to others tell their stories.  Also through these family reunions I got to know my second and third cousins and we became good friends.  

Elder Nielson said “We have a natural yearning to connect with our ancestors. When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us.  We feel a part of something greater than ourselves.  Our inborn yearnings for family connections are fulfilled when we are linked to our ancestors…” end quote

When I turned twelve I had a great aunt who was very involved in researching family names and getting them ready for the temple.  I would go to the St. George temple with my dad, siblings, and cousins every other Saturday for four years to do baptisms for our ancestors.  We did thousands of names.  I gained several things from this experience.

First – I learned that my dad had a testimony of temple work and that he believed that families are forever.

Second- As I would stand in the font and be baptized for hundreds of ancestors over the years I could feel the excitement of those I was being baptized for.   I gained my own testimony of temple work and that families are forever. 

Third- It got me in the habit of regularly attending the temple and that has carried with me into my adult life.

Another way that I have been able to participate in family history is by reading stories of my ancestors. I’m lucky enough that when I google the name of one of my ancestors I can usually find a brief history and a picture of them. By reading their stories of conversion and the sacrifices that they made so that I can have the gospel it causes me to have the desire to keep my covenants and to continue to press forward with faith.  I do not want to be the weak link in my family chain.

 Elder Haight said “I would hope and pray that in our own families, all of us, that we would have a desire to be a strong link in our own family chain, in our posterity, so that the eternal blessings that are part of the gospel, the blessings of the temple and the eternities, will be taught to our families in such a way that they will go on and on forever to affect many, many people. Be sure that those links are strong in your chain and that you pass the testimony that you have, the devotion that you have to future generations.” End quote.

Then, last October with the push to do temple work, my son Christopher was able to find close to 200 names for our family to do.  I am grateful for the opportunity to once again to do family names.  I love performing the scared temple work for my ancestors. I am grateful for the peace I feel to that comes with the knowledge that I am linking my family together through the eternities. Elder Christofferson said “The vicarious ordinances we perform in temples, beginning with baptism, make possible an eternal welding link between generations that fulfills the purpose of the earth’s creation. Without this, “the whole earth would be utterly wasted at [Christ’s] coming.” Close quote.

On lds.org it list nine ways that we can participate in Family history and I added a few extra.

Interview family members, write and share their stories

Take and share photos                 

Prepare names to take to the temple

Indexing

Start a family blog

Create a digital scrap book of your ancestors

Create a scrap book for yourself and for your family

Plan and attend Family reunions

Learn the stories of your ancestors

Print your family fan chart

Help others with their family history whether it’s by teaching them to search names or helping them with temple work

Journaling.

Elder Cook in this last conference said “The doctrine of the family in relation to family history and temple work is clear. The Lord in initial revelatory instructions referred to “baptism for your dead.” Our doctrinal obligation is to our own ancestors. This is because the celestial organization of heaven is based on families. The First Presidency has encouraged members, especially youth and young single adults, to emphasize family history work and ordinances for their own family… We need to be connected to both our roots and branches… Don’t underestimate the influence of the deceased in assisting your efforts and the joy of ultimately meeting those you serve. The eternally significant blessing of uniting our own families is almost beyond comprehension.

Elder Bednar and Elder Scott have promised the following blessings you can receive if you will participate in Family History.

Your conversion to the Savior will become deeper

You will receive light and knowledge through the Holy Ghost

Your testimonies will be strengthened

Your patriarchal blessing will become more meaningful

Your Love and gratitude for your ancestors will grow

You will receive greater opportunities to serve

And your Service in the temple will become more sacred.

I can testify that these promises are true, for I have received or have felt each of these blessing in my life as I have participated in family history throughout my life. I would like to bare my testimony that I know that our Savior lives, and I am grateful for my knowledge that families are forever.   In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Finging Joy in the Journey

Last week my husband planned a hike for our whole family to go on including our three small dogs.  The hike had high reviews and said it was great for dogs.

 My husband told us that we would be hiking next to a small river, doing some boulder hoping and seeing a beautiful water fall. We were all excited for this hike.  

 So we loaded up the kids and the dogs and water and a snack for the trail and drove the 45 minutes to our destination.   When we got to our destination we loaded up the back pack with our gear, which I wore, not that my husband didn’t offer to carry the back pack a dozen times, but I wanted to carry the back pack and so I did. We headed off onto our great adventure with enthusiasm and a vision of a great hike. 

We hiked along this dirt road for about a ½ mile, with my kids and me questioning my husband judgment of a great hike.  “Are you sure we are going in the right direction?”  And “are you sure this is going to be a great hike.”, “I don’t see any water”; we teased our dad.  Finally after a ½ mile we came to a small stream, was this river that was supposed to be so great?  Patience was my husband replied   

So we kept on hiking.  During the hike we came to different obstacles along the trail like over a thin pipe near and edge of the river, over logs, and many stepping stones back and forth through the river, climbing steep in embankments, climbing over and through narly tree root.   To maneuver through these obstacles one of use would find the best path and help the others to cross, or we would discuss as a family which was the best path to take.  And at times one would want to take a different path than all of us, sometimes it was better and sometimes it was worse.   As I was hiking with my family and enjoying the banter that goes on in our family it got me thinking about our life’s journey here on earth.  

We are placed into families to help each other through hard things in life.  Sometimes we need to let other lead out and guide us through difficult times.  Even as parents, sometimes we need to let our children lead and rely upon their wisdom. Sometimes we are too close to the problem that we can’t see the best path to take. But if we seek council from our family members and if we can be patient with each other and work as a team our families can do hard things. 

As I mentioned earlier, I chose to carry the back pack, at times it was awkward or even difficult to maneuver through these difficult obstacles that nature placed in our way.  My husband and children offered to carry the back pack for a bit, and they were even willing to just to hold it while I was in the midst of an obstacle, but I was stubborn and wouldn’t let them help.  Like the back pack, sometimes we carry heavy burdens, for example:  poor choices we made, guilt, illnesses, pressures of life and sometimes it’s just life experiences that way us down.   When we are carrying heavy burdens we need to allow others to serve us and help us out, we don’t need to carry burdens alone. The most important thing that we can do is place our burden at our Saviors feet and trust in the atonement.  For our Savior taught: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light, (New Testament Mathew 11: 28-30)

This hike was not what I had envisioned and at times it was difficult and hard to maneuver, but I had fun.  I found joy just being there with my family and enjoying the beauty around me. Just like in life

Sometimes in life we can get caught up with the woe is me … I can’t wait until…., or when…,

President Monson gave a talk in October 2008 General Conference that changed my life, entitled "Finding Joy in the Journey"

I still had young kids at home and was not content with home life as it was then I heard this talk and realized I had to change.

I would like to share a few quotes from his Talk.

“This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.

Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future.

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.

Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of we hat is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, “They do not love that do not show their love.”  We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us.

Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrows.

Our realization of what is most important in life goes hand in hand with gratitude for our blessings.

Despite the changes which come into our lives and with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days—as much as we can—with those things which matter most. May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and in deed."

I hope that you will take the chance to Find Joy in your Journey Today.

A Woman of a Different Kind

My oldest daughter is at that stage of life where she has discovered that there are boys on this planet and she is wanting to be their friend and wants to impress them.  I find it interesting that she has decided that to impress them she needs to be like them.  So she dresses more in jeans and t-shirts, boys shoes, and boys hats. She has started to be a little more rough around the edges.  What I mean by that is she's trying to be tougher; we know how boys are, they throw a few punches, do a little wrestling and call it friendship. That's how she thinks she needs to act to be accepted by the boys that all of the sudden have appeared in her world.  I'm sure in a few years that she will probably think that it's her sexuality that will allow her to be accepted by the boys  I know that I went through simualar phases in my life.  What about you, did you go through any of these phases?

Margaret D. Nadauld, former young womens general president taught: "The world has enough women that are tough; we need women that are tender.  There are enough women that are coarse; we need women who are kind.  There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined.  We have enough women of fortune and fame; we need more women of faith.  We have enough greed; we need more goodness.  We have enough vanity; we need more virtue.  We have enough popularity; we need more purity." (The Moral Force of Women)

How do we teach our girls that's okay to be tender, kind, refined, to be good, to have virtue, faith and purity?

As I have been pondering this I have decided that through my own personal experinces there were three key things that allowed me to choose to try to be the things that Maragert D. Nadauld encourages us to become.

I think one of the keys is guidance and direction.  My parents did not pick very many battles with us as kids, but the battles they did choose they did not waver on.  My parents believed in wholesome and modest dress and language.  They believed the way we dressesd and the way we spoke would help determine how we would act.  Of course we as teenagers tried to challenge them,  but they were clear that they would not wavier.

I think the second key is that our girls need the women that are around them to exemplify these attributes.  Growing up I had many great women that were examples to me, aunts, young women leaders, grandmas, and of course my mom.

I have seen all of these women go though hard things: death of a husband, failed marriages, unfaithful husbands, death of childern, children with disablities, teenagers, bad health, husbands with health issues, loss of jobs, and the list could go on and on.  And through it all,  these women have not allowed their circumstances to make them become tough, coarse, or rude.  But I believe that through their individual challenges they have chosen be stronger and have more compassion and they have become women of faith.

I think the third key is that when the opportunity arises we need to let our daughters know that it's okay to be feminine and to encourage them to develop these attributes:  kindness, tenderness, refinement, goodness, virtue and purity.

I am grateful for the examples in my life and the guideance that my parents gave me that has helped shape the woman I am today. I love the scriptures found in Proverbs 31: 10,20,25,26,27, and 30. These scriptures also give us direction on the kind of women we should strive to be.

I hope that we will take the chance to stand out in the world and be a different kind of women then the world would want us to be.  And I hope that we will take the chance to encourage our daughters to do the same.

Take the Chance to make your family feel special

I love Valentine's Day it is one of my favorite holiday's.  Not because my husband gets me a great gift, which he usually doesn't. But I love it because I get the chance to show my family I love them.

I started a tradition a couple of years ago when I was trying to build our family relationships with each other. What we do is have a fancy dinner; nice table setting, cloth napkins, table cloth, and goblets. Sometimes I will get them a little Valentine to put next to their plate.

For another idea : My neighbor has a "Your Hearts Desire Dinner".  What they do is write down each part of the meal like appetizers, main dish, salad, side dishes, drink, and dessert.  They write down enough that everyone can draw an item out of a bowl.  Then they get to choose their hearts desire for their part of the meal they drew.  Its ok if its cold cereal for the main dish or graham crackers and milk. And if you want you can have them help make, or cook, grab, what ever fits your families lifestyle.  Remember its suppose to be fun and bring you closer together.  Please have a great

 Valentin's Day, and take a chance to build your family relationships.