The Most Important Work...

 Sunday was stake conference and we all went and enjoyed the messages together as a family. Sunday really is my favorite day of the week! I LOVE that we are all home, ALL TOGETHER!

~And this temple building thing with the dominoes is so fun!!! Kesslyn literally sits down multiple times a day and says "build a temple" as she plays with her dominoes!!!

 Lucky for her, on Sundays, daddy is home longer to join in on the fun! :) Her daddy sat down and not only helped her build a temple, but he added windows and doors, and using the princess dominoes too, there was actually people on the inside of the temple! :)

 You should have heard Kesslyn squealing with delight as the temple got higher and higher!!!

 ...and being the best daddy that he is...Clint saved the very last and highest piece for Kesslyn to put on the very top! She did it and was so proud of herself! She clapped and danced around and then ultimately ended up tipping it over as she was trying to peek inside the windows at the princesses inside! :) It was so funny and so FUN for me to see such a simple little pleasure bring so much joy to my family. In case I haven't said it enough...I LOVE my family!!! :)

 Later on Sunday as the boys were getting showers and ready for the upcoming week, and Clint had taken Kambriella to the church for a baptism thing that she had to sing at, I was in the kitchen with Kesslyn doing the dinner dishes and she sat there on the floor next to me "building a temple" with her dominoes.

I was kind of lost in my thoughts as I was washing the dishes and I had my peaceful Sabbath music playing in the background...when out of the blue, once again Kesslyn blurted out, "Building a temple!" :) But with the tone in her voice it was more like she was asking me a question ..."Mom, building a temple??"

Slowly but surely my whole body was overcome by a warm enveloping hug from the spirit...as I stood there washing those dishes I was instantly reminded of the sacred duty and holiness of my calling as a mother. The spirit filled me and my eyes welled up with tears and the spirit bore witness to me that what we are doing is good and right, and YES we are building a temple right here in our very own home. We are building a holy place where the spirit of love can be felt, where everyone can find peace and safety from the world outside that is so loud and demanding most of the time...I was so overcome with emotion that I just paused and leaned over at the sink and started to cry, but at the same time praying in my mind sooo much gratitude to my loving Heavenly Father.

President Harold B. Lee once said...

I believe this is true with all of my heart, and THAT is why I strive so hard to invite the spirit into our home so that IT can be the teacher. So that my children can find that feeling of happiness for themselves and NOT just because I did...

Fast forward to yesterday morning when I was driving in the car with Kesslyn. I had just gone to the bank to cash some checks. I took out the tithing and put it above my visor in my car and put the rest of the money in my wallet. Well, Kesslyn saw this money hanging out of my visor and said "Mama MONEY!!!" I said yes Kesslyn that's my tithing! "Ti-ding Mama?" Yes Kesslyn, tithing! 

Then I proceeded to explain to Kesslyn what tithing was in the very best 2 year old explanation I could muster...

"Tithing is when you work really hard to earn money, like at daddy's work, or mowing the lawn, or shoveling snow and someone gives you MONEY, and you take a little bit of that MONEY, 10%, and you give it to Heavenly Father and Jesus and then it helps BUILD TEMPLES!!!"

As soon as I finished my explanation then Kesslyn said, "AGAIN!!!" :)

If you know Kesslyn, you will know that she ALWAYS says AGAIN when we tell her stories, so I think she thought I was telling her a story about the temple! It was so cute and so I began telling her about tithing over and over and over again...and I will continue to do so until she understands and loves it just like the rest of the kids! :) :) :) :) :)

Part of our driving around consisted of a stop at the temple distribution center where I had to pick up a few items, and so Kesslyn and I ventured out into the windy cold while we were there, and took a look at the temple that has been undergoing it's renovation, and braved the cold just so we could take a picture with the temple! I LOVE the temple and I LOVE that my kids love the temple too!!! :)

The First Snow!

 This past weekend I was able to go to the temple with my sweetie...I LOVE going to the temple!!!

There is always such a huge feeling of peace, comfort, love, and contentment when we go there. It's like we literally step into a beautiful house of God, a house of order, and leave the world behind. ~ Cell phones, distractions, responsibilities, noise, clutter, hectic schedules...we forget about them all, and there we find PEACE.

 I could stay there all day! But on this particular night, as soon as we were done, we drove to Salt Lake to go the JAZZ game! I know, I know, it's not really what we had planned to do right after being spiritually uplifted at the temple! ;) But, Clint really didn't want to waste his tickets, AND we really didn't want to go home just yet...:) But it was interesting as I sat there in the arena I couldn't help but compare the difference in the two places I was in...the temple was so peaceful and significant, while the other was just the opposite and reminded me of the large and spacious building!...and that's just like life...I feel so much closer to home at the temple and away from the noise of the world. And not that I didn't enjoy going to the game because I did! (I enjoy everything I do with Clint! ;) It just really made me appreciate the wonderful knowledge that I have in my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

By the time we got home it was almost midnight and it was sooo beautiful outside! We had finally received our first snow of the season (FINALLY!!!) and the trees were covered and the night sky was so bright! It seemed to me like the white blanket of snow was setting the tone for the spiritual feast we would experience this weekend...it was such a fun weekend with Clint. ;)

Saturday morning came all too quickly though as we had to get up early to clean the church and go to basketball games! But we were sure to take an hour out of the day to go sledding and enjoy the snow since it was what we had been waiting for all winter long!!!

 As soon as we were done, we got cleaned up and went to Kambriella's piano recital! It was her first one with her new piano teacher since our other one retired...

 She did fabulous and even remembered to take a bow when she was done! ;)

She absolutely LOVES her teacher Miss Sarah!

I was very proud of Kambriella and feel so good that each of my children are finding things to do that they love and that help them to develop their talents and gain greater self confidence.

(Honestly though they all have Clint for their father so their confidence levels are already out the roof!! ;)

After the recital and Gavin's last basketball game, Clint and I went to the adult session of our stake conference and were spiritually fed by our stake leaders and by Elder Laing of the seventy.

I'll share my thoughts about that later, but trust me, it was uplifting and revelatory.

I love how Heavenly Father has entrusted us with that power individually, and that each of us can know for ourselves what Heavenly Father wants us to do.

Dominoes and Cookies

 Kesslyn has found a love for building "temples" with her dominoes! 

She sat on the kitchen floor for an hour stacking and re-stacking the dominoes higher and higher each time her tower would tip...she never tired of it and never got frustrated when it would tip, she would just start over and keep saying "a temple, a temple!" So Sweet!!!

 After a while her and I decided that we needed to make a treat for everyone to enjoy when they got home from school and work, so together we made cookies!!! (And ate some dough...;)

 Pure sweetness right there!!! ;) XXOX

A Good Day

 Well, I was right...our huckleberry pancakes weren't near as good as the fresh yummy ones that my dad used to make! ;) But that's OK, because they were still good and there was an added measure of sweetness to them as we sat around the dinner table talking about my dad. It was a good day. :)

Kesslyn and I were able to help a friend with her little girl yesterday, and most of my day was spent with the little ones, and working on my calling. I've been trying to be faithful about sending out a special message every month to all of the relief society sisters. I spend quite a bit of time pondering the message that needs to be shared, and then I work at getting the words just right so that the spirit of love that I am trying to convey will come across undoubtedly. I felt good about the message that I sent, and I looked out my window at the beautiful evening sky and felt so much approval and love both from my Heavenly Father, and from my dad. Like I said...it was a good day. :)

Happy Friday!

Happy Birthday Dad!

On January 18th 1942, my dad was born to Rada and Thomas Panter in Soda Springs Idaho.

He grew up playing outside with his brothers Tony and Jim and sisters Linda and Julieanne,

 and exploring the great outdoors like little boys should do. :)

 He grew up loving sports and hunting and was a loving husband to my mother, and loving father to me and my 5 sisters and 3 brothers.

 I remember growing up with him being very strict (especially when it came to boys! :), but then gaining a deepened love and appreciation for this giant teddy bear of a man who found so much happiness in his family, his grandchildren, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and just like when he was a little boy..the beauties of the great outdoors. :) In these pictures I have here, I remember the day vividly. He and my mom were visiting and staying with my family at my house. My bother Craig and him had made plans to go out early to go fishing that day. As you can see on the photo, it was 6:35 a.m. when he was already up and anxiously awaiting my brother's arrival so they could go! He always enjoyed preparing delicious food for us and I will ALWAYS relate my fond memories of my dad to that loving service he provided always in making us treats, sharing his best recipes, and "treating" us to the things that he loved!

Huckleberry ANYTHING was one of his favorites and so on this morning that he was to go fishing with Craig, he was not only making one of HIS favorites, but he was making one of his best recipes to serve and to share with his family. This always brought him great joy to do and I will always love making my family breakfast and treats just like he did, as a small symbol of the love that we have for them and the love that we want to share.

While Kierra and Riley were here for Christmas, we had given them the gift of a snowmobile ride. Well, lucky for me, at the lodge where we went to check in for our ride, they had a shelf there with Huckleberry pancake mix for sale! Now I KNOW it won't be anywhere near the taste of the fresh yumminess that my dad always made, but at the sight of this treasure I had to quickly buy some for each of us to take home! And so tonight, on what would have been my dad's 76th birthday, we will be having huckleberry pancakes for dinner! :) 

Happy Birthday sweet Daddy! I love and miss you so much! But, as much as I miss you, I have gratitude in my heart for the silent unseen service that you are now providing for our family. I KNOW that you are among us, and I KNOW that your influence for good on our family is ever growing, I KNOW that you are a guardian angel sent to watch over, comfort, guide, and direct our family...

I loved the other day when I was taking the little sisters on a date and I bought each of us a treat at the Sweet Tooth Fairy, when I bought myself a chewie gingersnap cookie. I did it 100% because it reminded me of my dad. :) My conversation led to me testifying to my girls that I knew that their Grandpa Panter was one of our angels and watching over us. My heart about melted when Kambriella shared with me that she tells him goodnight every night. She feels him there, and I do to. Angels ARE among us, and I'm so grateful to have my dad as one of them.

I love you Dad!

Happy Birthday!

XOXOXOXO

A Prophet of God

 Yesterday morning there was such a sweet spirit in our home as we anticipated the announcement of our new prophet and 1st presidency...I gathered my children, we offered a family prayer, and asked for the Holy Ghost to witness to each of us of the divine calling of our dear prophet. The spirit was strong and did just that...witnessed to each of us as we all knew it would...

 I LOVED how President Nelson shared the story of the 4 year old child that offered a prayer for him to "not be scared." :) Our family has been doing the exact same thing, as I'm sure many of the families in the church have been doing, because we LOVE our prophet! As I sat with my children and listened to the words of a prophet, I felt the sweet confirmation over and over again that this is so right, and I will stand true and faithful to supporting him and trying with all of my might to be obedient to the things that I will be asked to do!

 I LOVE the order of our church and that this transition is such a smooth one, and that each of those capable and worthy men are so willing to accept the responsibilities that they are given. I LOVE President Nelson, I LOVE Dallin H. Oaks (our Dallin was named after him! :) and I LOVE Henry B. Eyring!

I also shed a few tears of joy listening to them speak and testifying of truth...you could actually see the goodness and the correctness of the new organization immediately!...and my heart was so touched to hear our prophet say that he would "serve us until his last dying breath." I know that he will because I feel of the love that he has for the Savior Jesus Christ, for our loving Heavenly Father, and for each of us as his brothers and sisters in the gospel. I believed him when he said that HE KNOWS them. I believe that he does! I believe he knows them personally. I felt the spirit witness that to me as he said it.

This church is true and I love it with all of my being! I'm so grateful for the testimony that I have and am striving daily to deepen that knowledge AND the love.

It was an amazing experience and I'm so grateful my children didn't have school yesterday so that they could be there with me to hear it and FEEL it! :) 

After we were done Dallin and Gavin went outside in the freezing cold and laid in their hammocks for a little bit...I LOVE that they love to be together!!! :)

 ...And later that night I went to the baby shower for our dear friend Amelia! Her mom and I are such good friends and have served together in all of the auxiliaries of the church, and Amelia fulfilled the role of bridesmaid and "big sister" to Kierra since she never had a big sister of her own. :) ANNND... Amelia's due date is February 12th, the day after Kierra's birthday! I am going to pray that she can have her baby ON Kierra's birthday! ;)

 ...and I may or may not have embarrassed Amelia just a little bit when I wanted a picture of me holding her belly to send to Kierra! ;)...(but hopefully just a little! ;)

 Kesslyn sat on Alivia (Lulu's) lap the entire night! She also got smothered with love and attention from Mattilyn and was being quite the grumpy bug, but I think it was just because she was so tired and ready to call it a night. So we did! We went home and talked with Daddy for a long time before finally crawling in to bed..but not until Daddy had sang every song and read every book to Kesslyn! (He's such a softy! ;)

I LOVE this sweet family of mine! :) XOXOXOXOX

Coco

Yesterday the kids were out of school and so we went with Tiffany, Colby, Maicen, and Xaxton to see the movie "Coco." I thought it was so cute how Kesslyn used to say "Coco" for Colby's name! (And THAT"S why we went with them to that movie!) Tiffany and Colby have always loved little Kesslyn, and I have always loved that there are so many people to help me instill love into my children!...and JUST like the message of the movie "Coco," FAMILY means EVERYTHING!!!