easter

It was a lovely Easter, a balmy 60 degrees, and a good balance of traditions, fun, family and attention to the Atonement and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We hosted dinner this year and had a true Easter feast of crab and BBQ salmon, orange rolls, grilled asparagus, spinach salad with goat cheese, cheesy potatoes deviled eggs and Tony's delicious hummingbird cake for dessert. It was a treat to Skype Mom in China and see that she is alive and kicking. Dad was at work, despite it being a Chinese holiday.

cooper's post

My experience at the temple was, let's put it this way........amazing! It was a little awkward because I didn't know what to do. The feeling was like I didn't want to talk, just watch. It was nice to have Dad with me.

power of moms

100 intense and deliberate mothers are blogging this week about a conference we attended in Park City at the home of the rather prolific and famous Jim and Linda Eyer. Andrea, Betsy and I joined these women for two days of professional development entitled "Power of Moms," a cheesy title for a powerful concept. I was a skeptic when I arrived, but exited a changed person. I cannot write as cleverly or creatively as most of the bloggers out there, and my dismal photography skills mean no cute pictures to accompany this post. Nevertheless, I was inspired. Here's what moved me.

I want to engage in deliberate parenting not routine parenting.
I want to participate in present parenting not distracted parenting.
I want to have thriving parenting not surviving parenting.

A deliberate mother strives for peace, order, joy and purpose. She keeps the end goal in mind: raising helpful, functional members of society.

A mother is content with material things because it enables her to be discontent with divine things.

It is imperative that a mother live with margins. Margins in life allow for receiving inspiration, and recognizing the most important parts. Margins can be achieved by: inaccessibility, routines, deadlines, simplification and deletion. Margins are not laziness.

Big Feelings are OK.

When I feel insecure or inferior to another mother, I can close the perceived gap by offering a sincere compliment.

These 5 ideas organize and bind families: Family Economy, Family Legal System, Family Trips, Family Traditions and Family Motto.

I can feel guiltless when home decorating projects are process driven versus project driven.

A woman named April Perry taught an organizational technique specific to mothers. Just 24 hours after implementation, it has significantly settled the buzzing of millions of thoughts and ideas in my head. Here are the pearls I gathered from her presentation.

A current project is something requiring time and thoughts. My limit for current projects is 8. Each project gets a binder and no new projects can be added until another is complete. I review these current projects at least once a week and develop my "immediate action list" from them.

All thoughts, ideas, papers, assignments and "stuff" goes straight to the "In Box." It is sorted weekly into the following places: current projects, immediate action folder, need-later folder or tickler file.

If something can be done in less than 2 minutes it must be done immediately. If it is something barely worth doing, barely do it.

There were 100 woman in that room as intense about parenting as the lemon sisters. I am sure those woman also represented every sadness, trial and difficulty on the earth known to women, but the feelings of hope and faith and desire to make a difference were the overwhelming emotion. There was no denying the Power of Moms.

chicks

Can you blame us? Little puff balls of yellow and brown fuzziness for $2.75. According to the children they "eat so cute," "chirp so cute," "poop so cute." We will enjoy them as long as we can stand it, or Easter, whichever comes first, and then send them up to Cam and Jill's to live as free range chickens with the expert chicken boy Kimball as their caretaker. It is the perfect plan.

spring break of service

highlights:

Meals on Wheels
Habitat for Humanity yard project
Ding Dong Donuts
Hwy Trash Pick Up
Missionary Food Basket
Visit Grandma in the Nursing Home


I learned an interesting lesson this week. On Wednesday morning we were packed and ready for an overnight trip to Seattle. Just as Tony was pulling the car around, Wilson announced that he did not want to go. He said it was not worth all the time in the car. We called a family council and although the rest of us were disappointed, we listened to Wilson. It turned out to be the best day. We painted the living room together, and invented ding dong donuting--a keeper as far as Spring Break traditions go.
For whatever reason I don't think we were meant to go to Seattle and I'm grateful that we didn't allow resentment or disappointment to ruin a really great day.

eliza is 9!

cooper goes to conference