Mother’s Day Blessings

I was sitting at church today singing the closing hymn in Relief Society when I had a sweet, peaceful feeling and the thought “count your blessings” and a picture of my four wonderful boys come into my mind.

I am blessed.

I have a loving husband and we were sealed in the Los Angeles Temple.

I have a loving mother and father.

I have four loving boys.

I have a great job with wonderful students and a schedule that doesn’t allow for much time with Thad but which ensures that my kiddos are with Daddy!

I know about the Plan of Salvation and the way to make it back!

I have many more blessings but those are some that have come to me as I sit here typing…

Now…everyone says that all of my boys look alike. So I decided to get pictures of them about the same age so (just for fun) I could compare. What do you think now? Do they all look alike? It will be interesting to watch them as they grow and see what they look like as adults!

Get your pencils ready…these pictures are all around 5 months.

 

a) 

 

b)

 

c)

 

d)

Any guesses??

If you hover over their picture (with the mouse) you should see their names appear.  :)

Here is a picture with me and four of my biggest blessings (and of course challenges) below taken a few weeks ago at Disneyland! I don’t have an iPhone and Instagram so this is the old fashioned way to do it!

One more thing…I wanted to share a good quote for us to remember especially when the days seem long and the nights seem short:

“Thinking of the example of his own mother and that of his beloved and faithful wife, Flora, President Benson has offered ten specific suggestions for mothers as they guide their precious children:

1. Take time to always be at the crossroads in the lives of your children, whether they be six or sixteen.

2. Take time to be a real friend to your children.

3. Take time to read to your children. Remember what the poet wrote:

      You may have tangible wealth untold;

      Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.

      Richer than I you can never be—

      I had a mother who read to me.

4. Take time to pray with your children.

5. Take time to have a meaningful weekly home evening. Make this one of your great family traditions.

6. Take time to be together at mealtimes as often as possible.

7. Take time daily to read the scriptures together as a family.

8. Take time to do things together as a family.

9. Take time to teach your children.

10. Take time to truly love your children. A mother’s unqualified love approaches Christlike love (see Ezra Taft Benson, To the Mothers in Zion, pamphlet, 1987, pp. 8–12; see also Ezra Taft Benson, Come, Listen to a Prophet’s Voice, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1990, pp. 32–36).”

Thomas S. Monson, “Memories of Yesterday, Counsel for Today,” Ensign, May 1992, 4–5

p.s One more thing. If you haven’t seen the new Bible Videos the church has put out, you should. They’re really nicely done. They have one on Mary that would be extra appropriate for today!

I am a Latter-day Saint

Yesterday while I was reading the latest conference addresses during SSR at school :) I found this quote that I felt was perfect to describe me and many people like me.

President Boyd K. Packer said in his talk, “Guided by the Holy Spirit”

A Latter-day Saint is quite an ordinary individual….We are taught to be in the world but not of the world.¹⁷ Therefore, we live ordinary lives in ordinary families mixed in with the general population.
We are taught not to lie or steal or cheat.¹⁸ We do not use profanity. We are positive and happy and not afraid of life.
We are “willing to mourn with those that mourn … and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.”¹⁹
If someone is looking for a church that requires very little, this is not the one. It is not easy to be a Latter-day Saint, but in the long run it is the only true course.

Isn’t that great?

p.s. While Daddy was at the Civil War Camp-o-ree with the scouts the boys and I ventured out tonight and went to Disneyland. We had a great time and even stayed long enough to see the World of Color which got lots of oohs and ahhhs from the boys. It was so fun and so many people were so excited to see me out with the boys and were so nice! I am soooo enjoying having our passes and plan to go a few more times before the summer!

Our Benny Boy at 5 months

Five months. I can’t believe that it has been five months since he was born and joined our family and at the same time it is hard to remember a time without him. He’s finally catching up to his brothers (well, their sizes as babies) and a month ago at his four month appointment he was already 17.5 pounds (95 percentile) and 27 inches long (100 percentile). Our boys are thick, heavy and long!

Here are some silly pictures that I got of the boys before bed tonight. They sure do love their Benjamin!

He is a happy little guy!

Spring Break 2012

We were sooooo ready for Spring Break this year and I think that we had a great time! I didn’t get the school work done that I should have OR the house work done that I should have but I did have fun playing Mommy!

1) We went to the park with our cousins and friends from the neighborhood. Ben rode on the swing for the first time pushed by big brother Danny! He was so excited!

2) We went to Pretend City with a friend from my school. The boys love, love, loved it! They’ve asked to go back about 10 times since then. It is a great big place in a warehouse with every thing you need to pretend to be a firefighter or a sushi maker or farmer! It is way cute and lots of fun!

3) We bought mini Angry Bird kites but it wasn’t very windy but the boys loved it anyway!

4) We celebrated Easter with our families! We had two kids who were sick so we didn’t get a nice family picture taken but it was a nice day and everyone got better as the day went on!

5) We walked from our house with our cousins to get Chinese food and then ice cream cones at McDonalds. Even met up with more friends in the parking lot…it was a little crazy when we added up the number of kids but it was fun, and definitely an experience! Sammy lost a tooth there that day as well!

6) We finally saved up enough to get passes to Disneyland :D and spent the day with the boys there! Sammy loved it of course but the best part was seeing Nathan (who doesn’t remember going when he was two) and Danny—as they walked around they had the biggest smiles and were soooo excited to be there! I think I was so excited I started crying three times just watching them before I even made it down Main Street. Cheesy I know.

7) We ate Pizza and Hot Dogs and had yummy samples at Costco. Okay this one is a normal thing we like to do but it was still fun!

8) We went to Chuck E Cheese’s with our friends from church and played lots! Thank goodness for free tokens (I had coupons for a birthday and a half birthday that were still good!) :D

9) We used a gallon of bubbles (okay some did spill) and a whole box of sidewalk chalk! We had angry birds (Sammy) and balloons (Danny) all over the place! Oh and boxes of TNT and “traps” by Sammy too.

10) We had a lot of time to just be together. It was a great spring break!

See more pictures below:

		Spring Break 2012 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL