Being Spiritually Fed

We are living an exciting and sometimes scary part of our lives right now.  As I've mentioned before, we have many unknowns this year.  We are working hard to find our place as Jonathan gets ready to graduate from BYU again and we're moving forward into the unknown with only faith and the support of our loving families.  I've been prompted since finding out we were expecting 2 delightful babies to search for more spiritual strength.  I know I need to be on guard at all times to be able to raise my children so that they'll be safe and successful and happy in this troubled world.  How can I teach my children to pray and read their scriptures if I'm not able to do the most basic of commandments myself?

I've been reading my scriptures more fervently and seeking for answers to questions and pondering the words of the prophets.  I've been drinking in the words of those in the Ensign and have been finding exactly what I need to hear.

A few weeks ago, I was able to attend Relief Society for the first time in almost a year.  Jon and I spend every Sunday in Primary with our callings as singing time leaders.  The lesson was given by our Relief Society president and it was called, "Take Time to Be Holy".



She talked about the importance of receiving personal revelation and prioritizing our lives so that we could be spiritually fed by the scriptures and prayer, etc.  Then she played this arrangement of "Take Time to Be Holy" by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the moment the music began, I couldn't stop crying.  I bawled (sometimes audibly) through the entire song and the rest of the lesson.  It was as if that lesson had been prepared just for me.

Then just last week we had a Stake Relief Society Conference where the guest speaker was a woman who has taught in the CES Institute program for years.  Although the average age of the congregation was over 50, she spoke about the importance of family and bearing children.  She gave examples of the women in the scriptures such as Tabitha (Acts 9) and Rebekah (Genesis 24 and 25) and others who desired to have children and waited patiently until that day--sometimes years and years later--would come.  I loved her message of how the world would have us believe that having a family and bearing children is an outdated and irrelevant practice but that the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth is still valid and we still have a sacred obligation to build and strengthen our families.

This morning I opened the March 2011 Ensign and read an article by the General Relief Society President, Julie Beck.  It was called Teaching the Doctrine of the Family.  She discussed the same issues that our children and youth are bombarded with ideas that the family is less important, less stable, and non-essential to our day.  The focus is on individuals and self--self-improvement, self-image, etc.  Something she said brought me peace, "Live and teach with so much clarity that what you teach will cut through all the noise youth are hearing and so that it will pierce their hearts and touch them."  She then quoted President Kimball, "The time will come when only those who believe deeply and actively in the family will be able to preserve their families in the midst of the gathering evil around us...."

So in the midst of our unknown future there is one thing we do know: that we are doing the Lord's work by having a family and raising our children in the knowledge of our Savior and His Atonement and that the "family is ordained of God."-- The Family: A Proclamation to the World.

Artist in Residence

Our kids love to draw and paint but I've never actually seen something recognizable from either of their work.  Jonah knows how to draw shapes and can write his name, etc. but other than that, I hadn't seen much progress. 

The other day, however, he surprised us with a picture he drew on his chalkboard.  He was supposed to be asleep in his bed at night when he started calling out for Daddy to come.  Jonah is full of tricks when it comes to putting off sleep so we aren't too patient when we go back to his room to tell him he needs to close his eyes and stop talking.  When Jon walked into room, he saw a picture on the chalkboard which Jonah described, "That's Daddy, me, and my callapiter (caterpillar)."  We were both impressed with his figure drawing since we'd never seen it before.

The next evening, Jonah took the same picture and transformed it.  When he called us in to look at it, this is what it showed:

Can you guess who is whom?

Jonah explained, "This is Mommy with the babies in her belly, me, and my callapiter."  Ten babies.  If my legs stayed as skinny as they are in the picture during the whole pregnancy, you could put as many babies in that belly as you like!

Family Home Evening: Putting on the armor of God

We try to have family home evening every Monday night.  It's getting easier to do since we've seen that some of the things we've done have actually sunk in.  On of our successful lessons was "The Iron Rod", where we made the rod out of  twine and had it leading from Sophie's room all the way to the living room.  There, we had a tent set up with a treasure box full of candy inside.  The kids got a real kick out of that and kept asking for that game over and over.  Another fun lesson was talking about Ammon saving the king's sheep from the Lamanites.  We reenacted Ammon cutting off the guys' arms and taking them back to the king.  Jonah pretended to be Ammon for the rest of the week.

Lately Jonah has had a fascination with Captain America and his shield which resembles a target.  He asked if we could make a shield yesterday and I thought it would be a good opportunity to incorporate the shield into FHE by teaching about the armor of God.  The kids loved it.  I'm never sure they're getting much from the scriptures we're reading and this one was a little tough because of the analogous nature of the message but at least they had fun and Jonah knows the armor of God is to keep him safe.

I want...no, I need this!

I've already told you all how I'm hoping to secure one of these wraps.  It's called a Sleepy Wrap and my friend swears by hers.  It's one of the only wraps that will let you wear 2 babies at once.  I think it will be priceless when it comes time that I'm alone with all 4 kids at once and need my hands free.  I plan on wearing my babies non-stop for the first little bit.

So I found this blogger who is giving one away!

Sleepy Wrap Giveaway at The Small Town Mom

Check it out!

The magic word is not always magic.

On Valentine's, I was quite the domestique.  I dipped strawberries in chocolate, made about a thousand heart-shaped sugar cookies, and cooked a salmon dinner for my family.

I picked Jon up from school and even though he'd probably would have preferred to relax at home after an exhausting day at school, he humored our little guy and took Jonah for a walk around the neighborhood while I cooked dinner.

Sophie saw the chocolate covered strawberries lying on the counter to dry and immediately started begging for one.  I told her they weren't ready yet and she would have to wait until after dinner.  With them gone and me left with Sophie, I turned on some cartoons for her and ran out to the superfluous fridge in the garage for some supplies.  Upon my return, I turned to say something to Sophie and there she stood, strawberry in hand, chocolate covering her face.  I'm pretty sure I was only gone for about 20 seconds.  I said, "Sophie, I said no strawberries!  What are you doing? (I'm not mad, I'm more surprised at her ability to reach up and cleanly swipe a strawberry off a counter that's a good foot taller than she)" and her reply was, "Mom, I said please!"  I couldn't help but laugh.  There was no evidence of a chair being moved or a struggle involved in reaching the biggest strawberry of the batch.

Some of our other Valentine's activities included making cards for Grandpa & Mimi Green and eating pink, heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Yesterday was Jon's birthday.  It was hard to make it special since it was Sunday and most of our day was spent in church and preparing food for dinner.  I took Jon out on Saturday, instead, for lunch and then a relaxing couple's pedicure!  Obviously this was something I planned without Jon's knowledge and I knew he'd be worried about it if I told him what we were doing so I kept it a secret until we got there.  He ended up enjoying it and found it relaxing, just as I told him it would be.  Really it's just a glorified foot massage, right?

I made his favorite cake for dessert last night and was very pleased with the result. I've graduated from cake from a box and frosting from a container.  I made the most amazing chocolate cake from Barefoot Contessa and added some homemade coconut and pecan frosting.  I made it into 4 layers so that I could add a couple layers of dark chocolate frosting to the inside, which really made the cake even more moist and delicious.

The kids sang to Jon last night before bed and it was the most precious and special thing to hear.  I think that topped any birthday present we could have gotten him.  They certainly love their daddy.


Chocolate Cake (To Die For) 

Ingredients
nocoupons

• Butter, for greasing the pans
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (instead of coffee I used my mother-in-law's chicorée, you could also use postum) 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.


Coconut and Pecan Frosting
  
Ingredients

• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 egg yolk, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Directions 

 

In a large saucepan combine evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, margarine and vanilla. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Spread on cake while still warm. 

 

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband.  I love you.  You are my best friend and I'm so happy to be with you for eternity!

What book has changed your life?

I was recently reading my Real Simple magazine (thanks to my mom-in-law for the subscription--great birthday present!) some responses to the "Your Words" section.  The question was, "What book has changed your life?"  I thought I'd take the opportunity to answer the question for myself.  Ans since it's my blog and I can do what I want, I might just answer with more than one book!

1. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth

This book was recommended to me by my sisters-in-law when we were pregnant with Jonah.  I had no idea about sleep training a newborn and was all ears when they started telling me about Marc Weissbluth's book and his logic behind his methods.  Needless to say, it was the only reason Jonah turned out to be a good sleeper.  That book was on my nightstand from the moment he was born until the moment he turned 2 and I've referred to it many times since then.

     2. No Doubt About It by Sheri Dew

I took this book from my mom's stash because I was in need of some inspiration and spiritual enlightenment.  When I finished this book, half of it was highlighted and I felt more valuable than I ever had.  I realized the importance of reading words from inspired church leaders in addition to reading the scriptures.  Sheri Dew's insights were such that it felt like a whole new view of our purpose on earth was opened to me.  It was very liberating.  I think I need to read this one again!

    3.  Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute

I was assigned to read portions of this book while taking a required class for my Recreation Management degree at BYU.  I highly recommend this book to everyone, whether you have a full-time profession or you're a stay-at-home mom.  This book gives insights into why we human's behave the way we do in relationships and how the problems we face with others are often catalyzed, if not caused, by our own behaviors without us even knowing it.

So there yo u have it.  Three of the books I find most helpful in life. 

A Real Burger

One of our favorite meals is homemade burgers.  We've employed the "smash" technique to cook the burgers.  Shape the ground beef into a ball and throw it on the frying pan.  Let it brown and create a crust on the bottom side.  Flip after a few minutes and smash down with your spatula.  Delicious.

We threw sauteed mushrooms, red onions, homemade guacamole, cheese, and bacon on them.  We usually use some sort of ciabatta bread or something other than a plain hamburger bun.  I'm still looking for the perfect bun recipe.