Mommy's Kitchen Recipes That Remind You Of Home

I came across this Awesome site as I was looking for a potluck dish recipe for the Express The Moment Crop tommorrow. I already found several recipes I am dying to try for my family. Yum-O!!!
http://www.mommyskitchen.net/p/recipe-index.html

Looking For Inspiration

I am always looking for inspiration. When I see pictures like these they inspire me. I love seeing pictures where it looks like the windows of Heaven are opened.



I love thinking about Jaxon & him being with Jesus. It gives me so much Peace. I have been thinking about him a lot lately, as I strive to be worthy to attend the Temple. His 12th Birthday is coming up. I can't believe that. He would be becoming a Deacon.

I Love to Read. I always have a stack of books on my nightstand. You can often find me reading several different books at a time. Ryan & I often read the same books. He has a lot more time to read then me & is always looking for a good book. I am reading Water For Elephants which is a great book, but not very Inspirational. So I kind of made up this little reward system for myself. When I read a book that is just for escape..then I have to read something Inspirational for 5 minutes before. It may sound silly but for me it helps me be in tune with the spirit & be more aware of things that aren't pleasing to our Father in Heaven. I have had so many people tell me how much they love Water For Elephants, But when I first started reading it I actually had to say a prayer & ask for forgiveness...it kind of is Riskee' as Ryan would say. It has a great story to it. I just wish their wasn't so much profanity. So anyway I found a great talk just for us Sisters. It encouraged me so much.
Your Happily Ever After

By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

Here's the link if you would like to check it out. I highly recommend it.
http://lds.org/ensign/2010/05/your-happily-ever-after?lang=eng

One of the things that struck me pretty hard was "Trial Is Part of the Journey"

For a moment, think back about your favorite fairy tale. In that story the main character may be a princess or a peasant; she might be a mermaid or a milkmaid, a ruler or a servant. You will find one thing all have in common: they must overcome adversity.

Cinderella has to endure her wicked stepmother and evil stepsisters. She is compelled to suffer long hours of servitude and ridicule.

In “Beauty and the Beast,” Belle becomes a captive to a frightful-looking beast in order to save her father. She sacrifices her home and family, all she holds dear, to spend several months in the beast’s castle.

In the tale “Rumpelstiltskin,” a poor miller promises the king that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king immediately sends for her and locks her in a room with a mound of straw and a spinning wheel. Later in the story she faces the danger of losing her firstborn child unless she can guess the name of the magical creature who helped her in this impossible task.

In each of these stories, Cinderella, Belle, and the miller’s daughter have to experience sadness and trial before they can reach their “happily ever after.” Think about it. Has there ever been a person who did not have to go through his or her own dark valley of temptation, trial, and sorrow?

Sandwiched between their “once upon a time” and “happily ever after,” they all had to experience great adversity. Why must all experience sadness and tragedy? Why could we not simply live in bliss and peace, each day filled with wonder, joy, and love?

The scriptures tell us there must be opposition in all things, for without it we could not discern the sweet from the bitter.2 Would the marathon runner feel the triumph of finishing the race had she not felt the pain of the hours of pushing against her limits? Would the pianist feel the joy of mastering an intricate sonata without the painstaking hours of practice?

In stories, as in life, adversity teaches us things we cannot learn otherwise. Adversity helps to develop a depth of character that comes in no other way. Our loving Heavenly Father has set us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy.

Stay True to What You Know Is Right

Sisters, young sisters, beloved young sisters, stay true to what you know is right. Everywhere you look today, you will find promises of happiness. Ads in magazines promise total bliss if you will only buy a certain outfit, shampoo, or makeup. Certain media productions glamorize those who embrace evil or who give in to base instincts. Often these same people are portrayed as models of success and accomplishment.

In a world where evil is portrayed as good and good as evil, sometimes it is difficult to know the truth. In some ways it is almost like Little Red Riding Hood’s dilemma: when you are not quite sure what you are seeing, is it a beloved grandmother or is it a dangerous wolf?

Another great talk I came across was....



Motherhood - The Master of Heaven and Earth is There to Bless You.


Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on motherhood:


“When you have come to the Lord in meekness and lowliness of heart and, as one mother said, “pounded on the doors of heaven to ask for, to plead for, to demand guidance and wisdom and help for this wondrous task,” that door is thrown open to provide you the influence and the help of all eternity. Claim the promises of the Savior of the world. Ask for the healing balm of the Atonement for whatever may be troubling you or your children. Know that in faith things will be made right in spite of you, or more correctly, because of you.


You can’t possibly do this alone, but you do have help. The Master of Heaven and Earth is there to bless you—He who resolutely goes after the lost sheep, sweeps thoroughly to find the lost coin, waits everlastingly for the return of the prodigal son. Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are and better than you have ever been as you try to make honest effort, however feeble you may sometimes feel that to be.” Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Because She Is a Mother’,” Ensign, May 1997, 35



When Life's storms seem neverending...It brings me to my knees. I want my kids to know how much their Father & Mother both in Heaven & on Earth love them. There have been so many times that I have been prompted to really take Motherhood seriously. I talk to the kids everyday about values & the importance of not letting Satan in. When the kids are arguing or nit picking each other I will tell them that when there is contention & negativity they are inviting Satan into our home & into their lives. They don't like that. They always want the Loving Spirit Of God with them...So do I.



"The world can at times be a frightening place in which to live. The moral fabric of society seems to be unraveling at an alarming speed. None—whether young or old or in-between—is exempt from exposure to those things which have the potential to drag us down and destroy us. Our youth, our precious youth, in particular, face temptations we can scarcely comprehend. The adversary and his hosts seem to be working nonstop to cause our downfall.

"We are waging a war with sin, my brothers and sisters, but we need not despair. It is a war we can and will win. Our Father in Heaven has given us the tools we need in order to do so. He is at the helm. We have nothing to fear. He is the God of light. He is the God of hope. I testify that He loves us—each one."
by : Thomas S. Monson








I know there is No Greater Call then that of being a Kind,Patient & Loving Mother. There is also No Greater Blessing.




Fran C. Hafen has captured in words the very thoughts and emotions of a grieving mother's heart and mind. She skillfully describes the grieving process through her own experience — stages like shock and anger — and illustrates that it is natural and appropriate. She is bold enough to share her most intimate thoughts regarding the gospel of Jesus Christ, and her probing questions about it, all while maintaining her steadfast testimony in it. In the end, Hafen shows that through the evolution of time all will be well.

As one reviewer said, "It is one of the most meaningful gifts that can be given following the loss of a child — because it hurts, and it hurts for a long time — but the book provides the hope of healing, and eventually joy."

Quite awhile ago My sweet Mother-in-law gave me this book. It took me several moths to get through it. It was an extremely hard thing for me to take the time & grieve over the loss of Jaxon. It is something I deal with on an hourly basis. This book took me to a very raw & emotional place. I loved reading it & hearing what the Author had to share. It was just extremely difficult. She helped me heal a lot of emotions that were buried alive.



What is the difference between selfishness and depression? Immoral behavior and same-gender attraction? According to psychologist Wendy Ulrich, the difference is that the former are sins, while the latter are merely weaknesses.

In Weakness Is Not Sin: The Liberating Distinction That Awakens Our Strengths, Dr. Wendy Ulrich poses the question: How often do we respond to weaknesses with impatience and guilt, mistaking human fallibility for sin? Ulrich explains that human weaknesses can either lead to sin, or to greater strength through the grace of God — but weakness itself is a morally neutral concept, separate and distinct from sin.

How often I have found myself feeling guilty for suffering from depression or anger. I try so hard to be patient. There are just some days when my patience is worn so thin, it doesn't take much for me to completely loose my temper. She talks about how we all suffer from human weakness & it isn't a sin. We must learn to not give into that weakness. Alot of the time with physical & mental illness there is regret & darkness that is often debilitating. I have learned that I must read at least 15 min. a day of something positive. Positivity is Satan's Kryptonite!!! He hates it... So I Love it. It is such a AMAZING blessing that when we repent...I mean truly repent we can be clean.

With keen doctrinal and professional insights, Ulrich helps us understand that sin and weakness have different origins, lead to different consequences, and call for different responses. Understanding the liberating distinction between weaknesses and sin sets us free to feel worthy and find true joy in our redemption. As we understand this important principle, we can learn to focus on strengths, and not despair over that which we cannot change.



Ryan & I have always felt it is critical that the kids have a good sense of self worth & self esteem. We try really hard to build them up...we want them to be humble, but know how unique they are. I worry about them & their safety. I am always telling them...there is only One Jacob Or One Marli or One Conor...I can't get another one. I want them to know they are priceless.




Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you. ~Robert Fulghum


If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others. ~Haim Ginott



I was listening to Glenn Beck's radio program the other day...which I normally don't do, but was driving Ryan's truck & he has xmsatelite radio. (He loves talk radio, which sort of drives me bonkers) Anyway so he had Chris Stewart who is the Author of the new book The Miracle of Freedom: 7 Tipping Points that Saved the World. I decided to order the book. I know Ryan will enjoy it. He is so Partiotic. I love that about him. He has always instilled this value in our kids. Who knows I may even learn something. This is what made me decide to order it.....

"How unusual is it, really, in the history of all known human experience, to enjoy the blessing of living free?"

The answer may surprise you. In The Miracle of Freedom, Chris and Ted Stewart make a strong case that fewer than 5 percent of all people who have ever lived on the earth have lived under conditions that we could consider “free.” So where did freedom come from, and how are we fortunate enough to experience it in our day?

“A deeper look at the human record,” write the authors, “reveals a series of critical events, obvious forks in the road leading to very different outcomes, that resulted in this extraordinary period in which we live.” They identify and discuss seven decisive tipping points:
1. The defeat of the Assyrians in their quest to destroy the kingdom of Judah
2. The victory of the Greeks over the Persians at Thermopylae and Salamis
3. Roman Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity
4. The defeat of the armies of Islam at Poitiers
5. The failure of the Mongols in their effort to conquer Europe
6. The discovery of the New World
7. The Battle of Britain in World War II

The journey to freedom has been thousands of years long. Now that it has found its place in the world, the question for those of us who experience its benefits is simply this: Will we work to preserve the miracle of freedom that we enjoy today?





"The family is a creation of the Almighty. It represents the most sacred of all relationships. It represents the most serious of all undertakings. It is the fundamental organization of society."
Gordon B. Hinckley - 2005 Apr. Gen. Conf.

“These precious children of God come to us with believing hearts. They are full of faith and receptive to feelings of the Spirit. They exemplify humility, obedience, and love. They are often the first to love and the first to forgive… Have some of life’s experiences taken from you the believing heart and childlike faith you once had? If so, look around at the children in your life. And then look again. They may be children in your family, [or] across the street… If we have a heart to learn and a willingness to follow the example of children, their divine attributes can hold a key to unlocking our own spiritual growth.” (Jean A. Stevens, Become as a Little Child, April 2011)

We are so blessed to have so many incredible leaders in the church to look to for guidance. I am grateful all I have to do is pick up the Ensign & read a talk & I instantly am inspired!




I came across this quote & it struck a chord in me. Ryan & I been trusted with these beautiful children. What a huge responsibility & gift. We are given Families so we are never alone. I Love my Family dearly & would do anything for them. I pray daily that I may do better & be an example to them.

"I promise each of you, as you follow inspired direction in this, the true Church of Jesus Christ, that our youth and we who help and love them can be delivered safely to our home with Heavenly Father and the Savior to live in families and in joy forever."
by : Henry B. Eyring

Getting It All Done

I often find myself trying to think up new & improved ways to Get everything done... like all that is expected of me. Somehow as a Mom we think we have to be Super Mom. Then in May I was called as Our Ward's Compassionate Service Leader. We had just gotten a new Relief Society Presidency. My dear friend Kristy Bialas was called as The R.S. Pres.I LOVE her dearly. She & I were V.T. partners through one of the Hardest times in my Life. She is an Incredible Pillar of Strength & Faith to me. I would do anything for her. I have learned & grown so much from her. I gladly accepted the new calling. However.... I wasn't released from my Sunbeam calling. Ryan had just barely agreed to be my Sunbeam partner. Which was an Amazing Miracle. I Love my Primary Class. How could I Not? My sweet little Conman is in my class. It has been so much Fun watching him grow & develop. He has been coming out of his super shy shell. He is going to Mrs. Di's pre-school in the Fall. So I have had my fingers crossed that he would mature & not be so shy. I have been a Junior Primary Teacher for Four years. It was a Blessing to be in Jr. Primary with Jakey & Marli. I Loved being able to sit across the room & watch them with their classes. It was nice after church we would talk about sharing time & what their Fave songs are & what they liked about Primary. Then Jacob turned 7 & moved up to Sr. Primary & my heart ached not seeing him. Then Marli turned 7 & moved on. I started out in CTR 5 & then went to Sunbeams & stayed with that class every time they moved up for three years. So when they moved me to The Sunbeam class I was pretty excited.Low & behold Conor is in my class. He has been such a ray of sunshine to our family. I Love that he always wants to sit next to me & smiles at me. So anyway with the added stress of the new calling I really felt like there really was just NO WAY I could get everything done. I found myself completelty overwhelmed...I decided I just needed to get down on my knees & pray & I mean pray a lot & way more often. Satan was seriously working over time on me. I was being tried in every possible way & in every aspect of Life. When I was about to loose my Sanity...I had a huge paradigm shift & realized that I don't have to do it all alone. It's OK to ask for help. I got the Food Nanny cookbook for my birthday. It has so many great ideas. Then I came across her show on BYU t.v. I have DVR'd a few of the episodes. She encourages me to make the most of meal time. She has a cool website as well. http://thefoodnanny.org/ I have always felt it's critical to eat meals as a family. It has been a goal for Ryan & I our entire marriage. I believe families that eat together are strengthened. I am so grateful there are so many places I can find encouragement & ideas to help me Get It all done.




So a couple things I have done in the last week that have helped out a ton are....
1) Getting up Way Earlier...It's AMAZING what I have gotten done by getting up when Ryan does.
2) Exercising 1st thing in the morning...Get it out of the way & No Guilt for the rest of the day
3) Making several dinners at a time & freezing them

Today I made stuffed shells,lasagna & sloppy joes. I have dinners in the freezer as well as know what we are having for the rest of the week. I am going to do Mexican next. A friend told me she has this amazing crock pot chicken enchilada filling recipe that literally fills up her crock pot. She can make several different dishes with it.I have been trying a lot of different recipes & am pretty excited.

Teacher Jessy

Today as I was seaching The "www" I found a really cool blog. I am looking forward to making this notecard. I am so grateful there are so many talented people in the world that share there ideas with the rest of us. I can usually duplicate any project...but often struggle with coming up with unique ideas. I am totally stoked about checking out more projects this talented gal has on her blog.


I Love The Colors Of This Card....looking at it...it just puts a smile on my face. Think I'm gonna have to try this one too! Take a look for yourslef http://teacherjessy.blogspot.com/

Tasty Kitchen...Yum

I Think I Just Found My One True Love...Well Maybe in the Recipe Department Any Way. I stumbled across this Amazing site called "Tasty Kitchen Favorite Recipes From Kitchens Everywhere". I am so excited to use this site. I thought it would be Fun to pass this along.

They Have A Blog & Recipes For Every Holiday & Basically Anything You Could Dream Of! Yum-O...Enjoy!!!

Telemarketers & Customer Service Reps.

So this guy calls & ask for Ryan Smith. I disguised my voice & said this is him. He says Mr. Ryan Smith. I said Yep. He says this doesn't sound like a Mister. I say WHAT You call my house & ask for me & you Sayy I don't sound like me??? He was like Uh...hold the line. So he plays me this audio clip about Obama & how he isn't a US citizen & he is a illegal alien & this committee is out to get him. So this lady gets on the phone & says Miss...what did you think of that? I said Are you going to Impeach him or what? She starts laughing her head off. Then she asks me for a donation of $500. I say I would Love to help you..but the gas prices are outrageous & I can't afford anything. She precedes to tell me a story about having to take this 2nd job because she went to put gas in her van & couldn't fill it up. So then she asks me for a smaller donation. I tell her our country is going to Hell in a hand basket & I don't have a dime. She laughs hysterically & thanks me for making her week. So there you have it. We don't need to be RUDE to telemarketers or hang up on them we can have a good time with them!!!


I got a bill in the mail on a account we had never opened. When I called on it the customer service person told me my name wasn't on the account & that she could only talk to Ryan....f You Tell Me You Can Only Speak to Mr. Smith about My Account...You Know I am Just Going To Put A Towel over the phone & call back & disguise my Voice!!! She politely tells me that she wished she could help me, but because of Hippa regulations she can only speak to Mr. Smith. So I get a towel & cover the receiver & called back. When asked my name I said Ryan Smith. The guy snickered. I was able to get the account closed & resolved. Seriously if I have to stoop to their level I guess I will or at least my Alias Mr. Ryan Smith will.

The Most Beautiful

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."
— Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

I saw this quote on My Dear Friend Melody's Facebook Wall & Wanted to Capture the way it made me feel. I am so grateful for her. I am working on week # 5 of Soul Restoration & am in Awe at how much my Life has changed in the last Month. I feel like a completely new person. I am healing & forgiving & Not letting people effect me like I used to. I am forever indebted to Melody for putting together this amazing program. I Love her dearly!
She is So Beautiful on the inside & out. She has the Light of Christ shinning so brightly throughout her. Here is a Gorgeous Picture of her, Her oldest daughter Malary & Melody's sister Kathy. Kathy is so talented. She has the voice of an angel. When she plays the guitar & sings it is exactly like what I picture heaven to be. I Love these three girls so much!

"

Chris Rice - Go light your world

Bad Blogger

I was watching a home movie of the kids Ry took when I was at work. Conor was three months old & the kids were so tiny. I know how important it is for me to document what they say & do so I never forget. I just am not very good at staying up on a journal & keeping this blog updated. I know I need to do better. Here are a few things the kids are doing now....




Marli with her Daddy...she is so much like Ry & they often don't see eye to eye...but she is definitely a Daddy's girl!

We love to go to Smitty's for any meal. It's one of our fave places.

Miss Marli is growing up way to fast for me. She is my biggest helper. She loves to do anything crafty. She'll ask me if she can make something & then hours later she'll show me all her creations. I am so grateful she's my daughter. She loves school & has more friends than days of the week. So we often have a house full of little girls. She is taking clogging & absolutely loves it. She practices 15 min a day without being told to.

You can always find Mister Jacob dressed up in some costume...but mostly in his lounge wear...aka p.j.'s. Jacob is a great student & takes school very seriously. He's enjoying 2nd grade. He loves to read & play Mario anything on the Wii or Ds. He is my B/f/f I love listening to his elaborate stories. He likes to sleep with me when Ry is nigh shift. On Mondays I dvr the show castle & then Jakey & I watch it when he sleeps with me. It's our little date. Jacob was baptized Nov. 6th. he loves primary & Reading the scriptures. He keeps us on the straight & narrow. He loves to conduct FHE. Jacob hasn't missed a scout meeting since he started in Sept. He is working hard at earning his Boy Scout badges. Ry & him are going to make his 1st pinewood derby car this weekend.

Conor is at such a Fun age. He made Christmas SO FUN! After he opened each gift he told us Thank You & he Loved it. He's been wearing Big Boy underwear & has been doing really good with not having any accidents. We still put a pull up on him at night just in case. We ordered him a big boy bed like brother Jacob's. Unfortunately it won't be here for a couple more weeks. I painted his room & we took down his crib. It was hard taking the crib to my parents to store. We have had a crib up for over ten years. Conor loves his room. The kids take turns sleeping with him. He loves Jakey & Marli & having sleep overs in their rooms. He calls my parents B-Pa & B-Ma. They think it's pretty cute. He's getting more out going everyday. He enjoys going to the kids school with me when I volunteer. He gives their teachers hugs & tells them thank you for letting him come to class. I'm so grateful we have him in our family. He brings us a lot of laughs & good times.

Happy Birthday Jax!!!

Happy Birthday to my little man! Ryan & I were talking today about how this was the BEST time in our lives. We waited 5 LONG years to get our little man. He was more beautiful than we could have ever dreamed of. It's so amazing to me how much I instantly LOVED him.

I came across this wind charm & ordered it for Jaxon's Birthday. We're going to go get Red & Purple balloons & take this & the balloons up to the cemetery today!


When I think of Heaven & I think of Jaxon this is what I picture! I think he'll have his beautiful bald hair at first so I can rub it & hug him so tight....then I picture his hair will be back exactly how it was before the cancer. I miss my BEST friend so much. I seriously can't believe he would be 11. It seems like a moment ago I was Pregnant with him & waiting patiently for his arrival. In this picture I am about to have Jacob. I'm so grateful Jaxon wanted a brother because Jakey & I have such an amazing relationship & he always makes me FEEL so incredibly close to Jaxon. Then for Jacob to pray & pray & pray faithfully for a brother & for us to be blessed with Conor is such a blessing. I see so many similarities in Conor & Jaxon. I have caught myself in complete AWE lately watching Conor grow & his personality is a lot like Jaxon's. It's bittersweet! In three months Conor will be exactly the same age as Jax was when he graduated from this life onto Bigger & Better things. I find myself not wanting to be away from my kids & I worry that I suffocate them sometimes. I don't want them to grow up & think their friends are more important than family. School starts in a week & I am really dreading it. We have had such a FUN summer. I am so grateful Jaxon was our first born & he will always be what keeps me going! I want to be with him forever! I love you so very much sweet boy!


I smile every time I think of this little man. I often find myself wishing for a lot of things...Mostly I wish for more time with him & I wish I had digital pictures of him.....LOTS & lots of pictures of him.

Air Show & Update

We had a really fun weekend as a family. We have been watching all the planes practicing all week. It's been pretty cool to just go in the back yard or front yard & see these amazing pilots do some pretty insane tricks. Friday we took Ryan's truck over to the North Soccer field parking lot & left it. We had the truck all packed & ready for the airshow Saturday morning. We went to dinner at The Outback. Saturday Ry & Jake rode the Harley over to the truck. I put Conor in the stroller Loaded up with the cooler & Marli & I walked over there. Our neighborhood was completely invaded with A LOT of people. We took multiple trips back to the house for potty breaks & different things. I NEVER get sunburned...well Never until being out in the HOT Sun all day with No shade. I really got fried. I put sunscreen on everyone...except myself. Right before the Blue Angels performed Marli & I ran home to make sandwiches & I noticed I was burned. i put sunscreen on at the house. Too little too late I'm afraid. O'well it was so worth it. I think Ryan enjoyed it the most. The kids used Ry's ear muff things that he uses when he goes shooting. Conor thought that was so cool wearing daddy's ear plugs. We were prepared NOT to leave the house because of traffic so we had Papa Murphy's take & bake for dinner. I was exhausted & felt sick from the Sunburn. I called my Friend Sydney & asked her to sub my Primary class. I took it easy most of the day. Then we went outside right before the Blue Angels were going to perform & watched it in the SHADE in the back or Ry's truck. I made a pretty incredible dinner for my family. I made Chicken with apple stuffing, Green Beans & Yukon mashed potatoes. Ry & the kids LOVED it.

My Awesome brother Brandon has been taking Jacob Golfing. Jake Loves it. Brandon was in Utah working & he was out selling meat...he sold a bunch to a lady who was having a yard sale. He picked up a junior golf club set for $5.00. They are practically brand new. Jake was so stoked. I'm so grateful that Brandon moved home from Cour D' Alene to be here with us.

Our stake is having a Stake Primary activity today. They asked every family to do a scavenger hunt in our homes & gather things for a BIG project. They are donating things to The Haven Shelter & a few other places. Ry & I worked really hard gathering things. I feel really good that we DE-cluttered our closets & house & have some great stuff to donate. My mom took the kids to the activity & went back & picked them up. She's such a GOOD grandma.

I had a 3 hour doctor appointment on Friday to have blood test done. I had to go in fasting for the Insulin resistance test. I took a book, but never got to read it. The office manager & I sat & visited almost the entire time. I was sitting next to this cranky pregnant women. She fell asleep...SOUND asleep. She was snoring & drooling. When the nurse came in to draw her blood it startled her & she SNORTED super loud. The nurse & I looked at each other & both busted up laughing. I have my follow up tomorrow to find out the results. I've been having some health issues & my depression has gotten pretty bad again. So my doctor wanted a full blood panel. I'm looking forward to my hair appointment tonight. Hopefully a new haircut & color will improve my attitude.

The Jacob & Marli are finally done with Pitching machine baseball. They learned a lot & enjoyed playing this year. Jacob has been playing with a lot of different kids & I've had to give him a little bit of freedom. It was really hard the first time his friend asked if Jacob could ride his scooter a little further than what I've been letting him. He took his watch with him & was really good about checking in. I sure miss the days when I was their only friend! Man it's hard letting my babies grow up.

Relief Society/Visiting Teaching

My Beautiful Mother-in-law was asked to talk in Church this coming Sunday. She emailed me & asked me to help share any experiences I have had with Visiting Teaching. I thought I should share what I came up with so i can reflect back on these sacred experiences.

I have always had a strong testimony of VT. When I first joined the church I adored my R.s. she teamed me up with a lady Karen Clark. We became really close friends over the next couple years. We both worked & it was challenging at times to find a time when we could go visit our three ladies. We had plenty of opportunities to serve the ladies we went visiting to. I always knew that if I needed anything I could rely on the ladies in my ward as well. It was hard being a new member & Karen was always a great example to me. We are still great friends after all these years. I loved living in Shelley. The people that lived in our ward were mostly farmers. The ladies taught me so much about being a example of Christ & I admired them so much. I knew when I had children I would try to implement the qualities I saw in them that were wonderful into my life.

We moved from Shelley to Ammon & I was nervous about not having those women to lean on. There is something amazing about the Gospel of Jesus Christ...no matter where you live the R.S. is there & it is the same. I soon fell in love with my R.S. president Brenda Johnson. She gave me the most incredible blessing...she gave me Nancy Lords as my V.T. Nancy was so faithful in this calling. She NEVER missed a month. Our son Jaxon became very ill & Nancy was there through the entire Journey. When we found had to take Jaxon to SLC to Primary Children's Nancy came over the night before & prayed with us. She knew how much Jaxon Loved Barney & she let us borrow all of her families barney movies. She made Jaxon a barney pillow & blanket. We were in SLC a lot over the next 10 months. Whenever I would be home for a short time she would run over & check on me. She kept in touch via phone calls & would keep everyone posted on us. She made it so I could focus on taking care of Jax & not have to worry on returning everyone phone calls. She went above & beyond the call of a V.T. She became part of our family. Her & her daughter did a fundraiser to help us with the enormous cost of Jaxon's medical care. They made quilts & auctioned them off...they sold soda & hot dogs in front of Westmark credit union where her husband worked. When Jaxon completed his care after 10 months we were able to bring him home. She brought him over a Barney shirt & coloring book. She was always thinking about us. When we found out his cancer came back she came over & was as heartbroken as we were. Nancy was always the strongest lady I knew. She had a testimony that made me want to be better & to do better. When our sweet little boy Jax passed away..Nancy did something for us that No one else could have. She wrote the most incredible poem. When she gave it to me, she told me she had help from the other side & was inspired to write it. She said she felt like Jaxon was there with her as she wrote it. I will forever remember the time I had Nancy as my V.T. She helped our family through the most difficult time.

When we moved to the Westside I again was blessed with amazing women who came visiting teaching to me. They helped me get to church when Ryan was gone for 6 months for his job. I had Jakey that was 1 & a new baby girl Marli. It would have been very easy for me to become inactive. These incredible ladies made me feel like I was needed & made me feel accountable for coming to church each week. Our ward was split 4 times in 5 years. I had a hard time with getting to know the ladies & loving them & then them being in the other wards. I was blessed with the most incredible V.T. partner Kristi Bialas. She knew I was struggling she knew how hard it was for me to go on living after loosing my whole world (Jaxon). She lent me her testimony & strength to bear my burdens. Every month we went V.T. to three ladies. She would not let us miss one month. She would ask me really hard questions in front of the ladies we would go visit. She helped heal my broken heart. She was inspired so many times to reach out. She would show up on days when I barely could get out of bed because I was so depressed. She became my sister. She brought us treats & meals. Kristi was the Nursery leader & helped Marli feel comfortable. Marli would take her favorite blanket to church & go in Nursery ready for a nap. Kristi would make her a safe place in the other room to take her nap. Later on we served as our ward compassionate leaders together. I learned so much from her. It was an honor serving with her. I know our Heavenly Father has given us R.S. & V.T. to bless us in multiple ways. We are asked to serve our fellow man,but in return the blessing we are given by doing so are far greater than our efforts. Our R.S. president can't do it all alone. Nor can she be everywhere. She needs us sisters. The V.T. program is critical to making R.S. work at its best. I am so grateful for the women I have met through the Church. I feel I am a better Wife/Mother because of these amazing women!

I Love you Lyn (My Amazing M-I-L)& am so grateful I have ALWAYS had you to look to for inspiration. I hope this will help you with your talk. I know it's going to be great! I only wish I could be there to listen to it & be inspired.

I love how much a group of ladies can help so many in need. Every humanitarian project, Every quilt, Every meal is made with LOVE! We are so blessed to be part of such an amazing organization!