The Cheesecake Factory on Spring Break!

 I felt so happy yesterday having my family together in the middle of the day! (That's not the norm when the kids are usually in school and Clint has work!) But every Wednesday Kesslyn and I take Clint out to lunch just to see his cute face, and get him out of the office for a little break. We all love it! So, when I told all the kids that we were sticking with Wednesday tradition and taking everyone out to lunch there were literally cheers all around!!!

 We decided to go to the Cheesecake Factory because 1) we have so many gift cards there and knew we could have a yummy/fancy lunch for free! and 2) EVERY time we try to go to the Cheesecake Factory the wait is at least 2 hours long JUST to get in! May I recommend going when we did...within the first hour they open and you will NOT have to wait for a seat!!! It was AWESOME!!! (But believe me, by the time we were headed out to take Clint back to work, the line had already grown and people were waiting out the door for a chance to eat there for lunch! It was INSANE!!!

We always have so much fun just being together, but all of the kids were also VERY grateful that we took them there. None of them had ever eaten there and they LOVED it!

I loved it too, but mostly because of my company. ;) (Including the Marco Polo videos with Kierra ;) ;)

 After Clint was back to work, I took the kids on a few errands, and then we headed to Thanksgiving Point to the Museum of Natural Curiosity! Everyone had a great time and we even met up with our friends the Butler's. :)

 Everyone loved being in the Water Works area's wind tunnel! With winds that blew up to 85 mph they were getting some pretty great G force going on their faces! It was hilarious!!! And the hair do's after they came out were pretty sick too. ;) ;)

(I think Kesslyn had a love/hate relationship with the wind tunnel though...she wanted in and then right back out every time!!!)

 They also had fun just playing in the water and probably could have stayed there all day if we didn't have to leave so that all of the boys could go to their young men's activity!

They were doing a challenge course that was being put on by the stake for the JRT Ready initiative and everyone was excited to go, and they DID NOT disappoint!! 

The boys all had a blast including Clint, and Paige and Kambriella played all night too. It was a FUN day and I'm so grateful for Spring Breaks!!! :)

Rejuvenate

 Spring break so far has been everything I have needed it to be...LAY-Z!!!

It's so nice to have a few days to just rejuvenate. The kids have slept in, played games together, played with friends, helped (a little) with some work, and today, we are heading out to do some shopping and take Clint to lunch. Perfect. :)

It's also a much needed time for me with my calling to study the awesome changes that were made in this general conference, and I'm seeking direction from Heavenly Father. I've learned so much about myself and "perspective" during this call as relief society president. I can see how I am being "refined" through the fire...

Hopefully when my journey here is through, I will have become everything that Heavenly Father needed me to be...Until then..press on! And have a happy spring break my little loves!

Jerusalem Dinner

 Last night for Family Home Evening we finally had our Jerusalem dinner. :)

This is a special dinner that we have each year during our Easter week celebration, but after a busy week of trying to get everyone together at dinner time to actually do it, we decided to have it on Monday. It was still special and meaningful and just seemed to expand our celebration a little bit longer. And really I was OK with that! ;) Doing these special activities together makes being part of a family so much fun. :)

We always sit down on the floor, we don't use any eating utensils, and we eat the foods that Jesus may have eaten. We only use the light from the oil lamps that the children made earlier while learning about the parable of the 10 Virgins, and there is just something about this quiet and reverent atmosphere that makes this dinner so special. We ate salmon, green beans, flat bread, olives, eggs, cheese, and grape juice for our dinner. We also talked about ways we can improve and strengthen our family, and we sang songs together. 

Listening to Kesslyn sing Gethsemane was one of my very favorite parts of the night. :) 

We were all too full to eat our dessert though, which only means, we are having dessert TONIGHT! :)

And sweet kids...thank you for always being such good sports and being so willing to participate in all of these fun family traditions! Having YOU be a part of it is what makes it so fun! Keep your lamps burning bright and always keep enough oil with you! I love you all so much! Love, Mom

An Amazing Easter and General Conference

 On Saturday after an amazing first session of general conference and a historic solemn assembly, we took our journals and hopped in the car in between sessions and went to one of my very favorite places to contemplate the Savior and His life, death, and Ressurection on this Easter weekend!

It was the very first day that the gardens at Thanksgiving Point would be open for the year and I knew that if we did this activity at this time on this day that we would probably find the gardens not very busy...and I was RIGHT! WE were almost the only ones there! I rented a golf cart and drove straight to the gardens knowing that I wanted to spend the majority of our time there, and have plenty of time to get back home for the next session of general conference. :)

 Because there was hardly anyone there, we were able to take our time and really talk about and contemplate the scripture stories that were depicted in these beautiful statues...some of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. We even took the time to write down a few of our thoughts while we were there...

..and of course Kesslyn wanted to touch and talk with Jesus. :) She climbed right up on His lap feeling very comfortable and right at home as they visited with the Woman at the Well. :)

 We talked about how Jesus healing the lepers must have made them feel, and how it would apply to our lives today. 

 When we saw the woman who was a sinner and put ointment on Jesus' feet and then washed them with her hair, Kesslyn noticed the tears on her face and went lovingly to wipe them away and almost melted my heart in the process...

 I loved how comfortable everyone was talking and laughing around Jesus. I like to imagine that that is how it will be for us when we are really with Him one day...comfortable, happy, and familiar.

 Kesslyn felt safe and warm tucked inside Jesus' robe while he stood praying on the mountain...

 ...and then she joined in on the lesson that Jesus was teaching to Mary and Martha...and it looks like Kesslyn understood  the Savior's explanation of choosing the "needful thing" or the "better part!"

 Lazarus being raised from the dead is my children's favorite out of all of the statues! 

 I love it too, and how you really feel like you are witnessing the miracle!

 I felt a special draw to this statue today, because of the Easter celebration...

 Sitting and pondering the act of the pain, suffering, agony, and the crucifixion brought a sense of renewed perspective too. I feel gratitude for the cross He bore for ME...

 Then imagining the feelings that Mary must have had when she realized that she was seeing and talking with her resurrected Lord...I can only imagine...

As we were finishing up our time in the garden, we saw a vase of flowers that had a note on them that read, "Please do not touch! For a proposal today."

I got all giddy as I saw a young couple walking through the garden holding hands and I KNEW that this HAD to be the couple!!! I was a creeper and hid in the trees and took a picture of them so that I could share it with them when they were done!!!

 I went up to them when they were done and congratulated them and told them what I had done and they were so grateful! I got his number and sent him the picture, and then told them that if they wanted to reenact it I would be happy to take pictures for them again. They were so glad that I offered and so I took more pictures for them, and then asked him why he decided to ask her "here"? He responded that he just always knew that he wanted his marriage to be centered around Jesus Christ and he couldn't think of a better place to do it! I applauded him and testified to him that he was exactly right, and that they really would be happy if that was what they chose to do! I was just sooo happy for them! But then again, I think I AM a hopeless romantic! ;)

 We hopped back on our golf cart like little Easter bunnies and drove back knowing that our time was short. We took a few pictures, went through Popeye's drive through for some lunch, and made it back home again just in time for the second session of general conference to start! It was AWESOME!!!

 After the second session was over we all headed outside to work as a family on cleaning the pool, and cleaning out the shed, finishing up just in time for these handsome boys to go to the priesthood session of conference together! Clint called me immediately after it was over all excited about the announcements and changes relating to the elders and high priests meeting together and how he knew this was inspired and would bless us in so many ways...

 I won't write everything here that I took notes on this past weekend during general conference, but I DO want to note some of the historic and major changes that were announced...because they were incredible and life changing!

-We participated in a solemn assembly and sustained a new prophet Russell M. Nelson

-We sustained a new 1st presidency

-We sustained 8 new general authorities

-We learned how the High priests and Elders are ONE

-Ministering is to replace Home and Visiting teaching

-Young women 14 and older like the young men will get to participate in the ministering

-7 new temples were announced!!!

Argentina, India, Nicaragua, Philippines, Layton Utah, Virginia, and Russia!!!

-Also, pertinent to our individual family was an announcement made on lds.org this past Friday, March 29th:

The public is invited to tour the first temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Italy. Church leaders announced the Rome Italy Temple will be open for a free public open house from Monday, January 28, 2019, to Saturday, February 16, 2019, excluding Sundays.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS???

Our very own Anziano Trickett will be there in person as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter~day Saints to be a special part of this sacred and historic event!!! With close to a year and a half of mission experience and language and cultural immersion I KNOW he will be an instrument in the Lord's hands as he is today, and that he has been prepared to do this at this very time...my EXCITEMENT is overwhelming and my heart feels like it wants to jump right out of my chest for him!!!

I can only say thank you once again to my Heavenly Father for being so so good. He is oh so good...

 Also, Easter morning with little ones always includes a visit from the Easter Bunny. :)

(He usually visits our home on Saturday though, but he must have been running a little behind schedule. ;)

Anyways, it was a happy morning followed by a yummy breakfast, listening to conference together, Easter dinner and reading our "Love One Another" table together.

 CTR rings and Peace In Christ bracelets were a measure of our commitment to all that we have done this week and every single day to honor our Savior Jesus Christ.

At the end of the day when it was dark, we read the scriptures of how the earth trembled and shook and was dark for 3 days when Jesus died, and then had our 3 days of darkness Easter egg hunt. We make "rubble" from the earthquakes, blindfold the kids, and have them find the eggs in the dark, giving them a sample of what it would have been like during that dark time after His death.

Doing these activities helps them to "see the light" and hopefully will help them to want to invite "The Light" into their own individual lives...

I am so thankful, grateful, and humbled by the amount of love and peace that are ours as gifts from Jesus Christ. His life and mission are so important to me, and I desire to continually strive daily to BE BETTER, and become more like Him!

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

An Eater Celebration and Sunrise Hike at Ensign Peak

 On Saturday, March 31st, we were up and out of the house by 7:00 a.m.to go on our traditional "Sunrise Hike" at Ensign Peak. This activity is the children's favorite and it makes me so happy because honestly, I think it is one of mine too!

I had everyone go to bed in their sweats so that we could literally just roll out of bed and go! I also had everyone the night before pack a breakfast bag to bring on the hike with orange juice, pastries and muffins, and beef jerky. 

We woke everyone up, climbed in the car, turned on peaceful music, and instructed everyone to go back to sleep until we got there. :) They were so obedient too...;)

 As we started up the path I kept smiling to myself because I could already tell that Kesslyn was in heaven (along with the other kids of course. :)  You just never know how a 2 year old will react when she's trying something new, but the skip in her little step told me that her little soul was full of joy, and I LOVED it!

 Each time I do one of these devotional hikes, I prepare scriptures with a thought that will teach the children something important that I feel strongly that I want them to know. So this time, we focused on lessons we could learn that would bring us closer to the Savior. 

I had 4 lanyards that I gave to the kids, and then I had 4 envelopes with scriptures and a corresponding charm that they would receive to hang on their lanyard to be a reminder for them of what it was we had talked about.

Each time we would stop to talk about something, the kids would have a snack, catch their breath, and we would talk about a new scripture.Each child took a turn reading a scripture and distributing the charms.

 We talked about the scriptures when Nephi broke his bow and prayed to know what to do...he went to the mountain to pray and was instructed how to make a new one out of wood. He was also guided by the liahona on where he should hunt for food and was able to provide abundantly for his family. 

Each of the kids received a charm that looked round like a compass and we talked about praying to receive direction, answers, revelation in our own lives, and help from God. We will have trials, but it is how you face those trials that will be the test...

 We also read scriptures about Jesus walking on the water and having faith. They received seashells to remind them of the Sea of Galilee and the miracles Jesus performed there. We also talked about being anchored in Christ and holding to the rod of iron, and staying on the straight and narrow path...receiving charms of  arrows and anchors.

 We also talked about being an example of the believers through the things we say, do, read, listen to, watch, and how we share our testimonies and teach other people, receiving charms of a missionary bike, a cassette tape, scripture bag, and a sea turtle... 

 By the time we got to the top they had earned all of their charms, and we were the only ones there! We had made it to "the top" together! (Which is exactly what I plan to do spiritually...make it to the "top" with my ENTIRE family! NO ONE left behind!!! :)

 Kesslyn was so happy the entire time and was really feeling the love! (Especialy when Clint and I would hug or kiss...:)...she would squeeze right in so that we were sure we knew she was there.;)

 I am a blessed mother with amazing and resilient spirits to raise. And just when I think I might be teaching them, I quickly realize that THEY are the ones teaching ME!

 (This picture below is our version of a "family photo!" Since there wasn't anyone to ask to take our picture, we included Clint's shadow, see? :)

 We enjoyed the view and ate our snacks, looked over the valley to spot the temples, talked about general conference and how we can apply the things we hear into the things we have learned and will continue to learn, and felt gratitude for this wonderful time that we are living in where the gospel surrounds us...

 I am grateful that Clint goes right along with every early morning activity, late night plan, and spontaneous teaching moment that we have together...

 We tell each other all the time that we make a GREAT team, and we do!!!

 I felt a deep sense of gratitude for my husband as we walked back down the trail together. I loved watching his tenderness and patience with little Kesslyn as he helped her safely down the mountain. He has always been such a kind and loving father and my children are so lucky to have him.

 We made it back down the mountain in a fraction of the time that it took us to hike up!

 ...still talking and laughing all the way down. :)

 I love watching my kids learn that they can do hard things, because no matter what happens in their lives, I KNOW they are strong, and they were made for this!

 Kambriella was a little trailblazer and forged on in front of us most of the hike!

 By the time we made it back down and took a few last pictures, we had just enough time to get back home and be prepared to begin watching conference! What an AWESOME beginning to an absolutely AWESOME general conference Easter weekend!

An Easter Walk on Good Friday

 Friday afternoon was such a beautiful, warm spring day! I was so excited (and so were the kids!) to finally get to go on our Easter walk! This is one of our favorites that we do each year during our Easter celebration, and this week was so busy with everyone's different after school activities that we kept on having to move it back, until finally we were able to go! 

(...and in case you were wondering, I'm learning to be VERY flexible! ;)

 We brought Carew with us on our walk, and I prepared an individual bag of "Easter treats" for each one of my kids. In the bag were found:

-Life savers to represent a crown

-Pretzel sticks to represent beams that were used to make a cross

-Goldfish crackers to represent something dead

-A chocolate hippo to represent something that was alive

-An OREO to represent something black for the 3 days of darkness

-Oyster crackers to represent the round stone rolled in front of the tomb

-Red gummi bears to represent His blood

Before we started the walk, I read the first few pages of the book that tells a story of a Grandpa who takes his grandchildren on their own Easter walk to find these symbols of Easter. In the story these children had their mother pass away and learning about the Resurrection brought them so much peace...it's such a sweet and tender story. So, we also head out on our walk and look for these symbols of Easter. (I just add the symbols in the snacks too because it's fun, and hey, what kid do you know that doesn't love a fun snack? :)

As we would walk and look for each symbol, when we would find one we would then sit down and read the next part of the story, until by the end of the walk, we had completed the story and found each symbol. 

I love this tradition because it incorporates the scriptures, the spirit, time together amidst Heavenly Father's beautiful creations, fresh air, a healthy family activity, and attention to things that really matter. I felt the spirit very much while we participated in this activity, and even after we finished the story, I had a great time just talking with my kids as we walked home.

It was a good afternoon on a Good Friday. :)

Happy Easter week everyone!

Russell M. Nelson, a True Prophet of God

Yesterday was one of the best days EVER. And I mean it!

I have a lot of best days, but yesterday really was one of the BEST. :)

With so much of the spirit in everything that we have been doing to prepare for Easter and General Conference, I feel like our minds and hearts were sensitive and receptive to the truths that were unfolding.

As we sat together in our home in front of the T.V. and listened to and watched the new prophet, 1st presidency, and quorum of the 12 apostles take their places, it was as if we could see heaven and earth working together and aligning Heavenly Father's loving will for all of His children. I felt the spirit again and again each time a new group of people were asked to stand and raise their arm in sustaining these new church leaders, and especially our sweet new prophet Russell Marion Nelson. 

I watched his countenance and demeanor and his body language as he humbly sat there and took on the mantle that he has long been prepared to do. He looked to me like a sweet and innocent little grandpa filled with so much love and a devotion to the Savior that was written in his eyes. I could FEEL his humility and see his love.

When I was asked to stand as a member of the relief society and sustain him personally, I felt the tears well up in my eyes. But this happened to me with EVERY different group that was asked to stand. I felt it as they asked our leaders to stand, and the holders of the Melchizedek and then Aaronic priesthoods, then the young women of the church and finally ALL of the membership of the church...I saw each of my children (including Kierra and Carew in my mind) sustaining and supporting a new prophet of God, and doing it not only willingly, but with a loving sense of pride and satisfaction. 

With today being Easter, I cannot help but feel that as sure as Jesus Christ took on the sins of the world, and with each stripe across His back, each drop of blood that he shed, each ounce of pain and agony that He bore, I felt the same powerful conviction of truth and certainty that Russel M. Nelson IS a living prophet of God.

I know it.

I feel it so powerfully as the spirit testifies again and again of this to me.

What a true privilege it is to have a burning testimony, to be a member of Jesus Christ's true church, to walk in the knowledge of truth and light, and to be living in such amazing modern day circumstances. We are truly a blessed people to live here in Zion, to be surrounded by temples, to have the scriptures and words of living prophets, apostles, and church leaders right at our finger tips ALL day EVERY day!

I have gratitude beyond measure for these priceless and precious gifts. 

I pray that I will daily use them, treasure them, and live by them, and REMEMBER these sacred and precious feelings in my heart. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.