Monday, January 30, 2012

Happy Birthday Silver Dawn!

VIDEO:  Silver "It's my birthday Today!!"


Silver's fingers are always in her mouth. 
She bites her fingernails.
If she's sitting then she's biting her toenails.










Such a fun birthday cake!
The girls helped decorate the lady bug spots with mini oreos.
















As part of her party all the girls dressed up in princess dresses and danced to the music!
Happy Birthday to our 3 year old princess!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Garbage Bag Kites

River and Silver would run with Garbage bags and they would fill with air.
They had so much fun running back and forth!




The simple joys of life.
Having children is such a blessing!
They help me see the beauty of every day.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

The Blessings of Family Night

Family Night!




Here are the girls putting together a FHE board.

We put modge podge down to glue the picture to the block and then put another coat of glue ontop to seal it. We had a fun time putting it together.




The girls have a fun time switching the pictures around for our family night and being in charge of a part of Family Night is important to them. We enjoy making a treat once River gets home from school on Monday afternoons. Family Night is a special time that we look forward to.  



We begin with the song: (Children's Songbook #195)

This is the night we've waited for
Always a treat we have in store
We love each other more and more
with every Family Night
Stories and games for everyone
Learning the gospel can be fun
Father and Mother
Daughter Son
Together on Family Night!


Here we are working together to lay ground cloth and cover it with rock around our trees.
It takes A LOT of little shovel-fulls!






The leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have made the following statements concerning Family Home Evening:


"Well-planned family home evenings can be a source of long-lasting joy and influence. These evenings are times for group activity, for organizing, for the expressions of love, for the bearing of testimony, for learning gospel principles, for family fun and recreation, and of all things, for family unity and solidarity." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, and N. Eldon Tanner)[14]

I don't know where this one came from: "Although family home evening should begin and end with prayer, it is not intended to be a formal class," and quotes the 1915 First Presidency as saying, "formality and stiffness should be studiously avoided, and all the family should participate in the exercises."

"Monday evenings should be reserved for family home evening. The primary emphasis of family home evening should be for families to be together to study the gospel. We remind all that the Lord has admonished parents to teach their children the gospel, to pray, and to observe the Sabbath Day. The scriptures are the most important resource for teaching the gospel." (Howard W. Hunter, Gordon B. Hinckley, and Thomas S. Monson)[16]

1915: "We advise and urge the inauguration of a Home Evening throughout the Church, at which time fathers and mothers may gather their boys and girls about them in the home, and teach them the words of God ... If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase, faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them." The First Presidency (Joseph F. Smith)

1966: "Great blessings come to those who carry out this responsibility. Last year's lessons have brought many families closer to one another, and have brought a great measure of peace and harmony in many homes. We feel to say to you again, with our love and earnest assurances, that the Lord will grant rich blessings to all who will prayerfully and sincerely carry out this program." David O. McKay

1970: "The importance of family unity - love and consideration for one another in the family - cannot be overemphasized. Spiritual solidarity in family relationships is the sure foundation upon which the Church and society itself will flourish. This fact is well known and appreciated by the adversary, and as never before, he is using every clever device, influence, and power within his control to undermine and destroy this eternal institution. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ applied in family relationships will thwart this devilish destructiveness." Joseph Fielding Smith

1974: "We cannot impress too much the importance of having family home evenings once a week . . . that you may be rewarded by a fulfillment of the promise that if fathers and mothers will discharge this responsibility, not one in a hundred of your family, as has been said by the leaders who have preceded us, would ever go astray." Spencer W. Kimball

"We counsel parents and children to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities. However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform." ('Policies, Announcements, and Appointments,' Ensign, June 1999, 80

"When I hear of a family breaking up, I question if family home evening and family prayers have been regularly held in that home. Surely, the most important ingredient in producing happiness at home for members of this Church is a deep religious commitment to God and His gospel. In family home evening, such commitment can be nurtured in children by the wise, mature supervision of parents. Couples can strengthen and sustain each other in living and understanding gospel principles. Devotion to God developed in these settings seems to forge the spiritual moorings and stability that can help families and individuals cope with the complexities of life. Some may say this is an oversimplification of a very complex problem, yet I believe the answers lie within the framework of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ." --James E. Faust, "Enriching Our Lives through Family Home Evening," Liahona, June 2003, 3-4

"I wonder if having unplanned and infrequent family home evenings will be enough to fortify ourselves and our children with sufficient moral strength to meet the complexities of our day. Infrequent family scripture study may be inadequate to arm ourselves and our children with the virtue necessary to withstand the moral decay of the environment in which we live. Where in the world will we learn chastity, integrity, honesty, and basic human decency if not at home? These values will, of course, be reinforced at church, but teaching them in family home evening can be particularly consistent and effective. To combat the world's evil influences, we need the strength that comes from family home evening. . . . "If we go forward with our family home evenings, our homes will be enriched, our wards and branches will grow and prosper, our lives will be purified, and the gates of hell will not prevail against us." -James E. Faust, "Enriching Our Lives through Family Home Evening," Liahona, June 2003, 6

"I like to compare the home evening, family prayer, and other associated activities of the Church for the saving of the family, when they are conscientiously carried out, with an umbrella. If the umbrella is not opened up, it is little more than a cane and can give little protection from the storms of nature. Likewise, God-given plans are of little value unless they are used." -Spencer W. Kimball, General Conference, October 1969

"I hope, my brothers and sisters, that you are having your family home evenings with your children. You cannot afford to postpone this. The days, the months, and the years pass so quickly, and before long it will be too late. " -President Gordon B. Hinckley - Veracruz, Mexico, January 28, 1996

"Here are the promised blessings for those who will hold a weekly home evening: 'If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them.'" -First Presidency, April 27, 1915, in Improvement Era 18:733-34 Ezra Taft Benson, "God, Family, Country" p. 228

"The prophets have taught repeatedly that families should teach one another the gospel, preferably in a weekly family home evening. This family practice, if we are not very careful, can slowly drift away from us. We must not lose this special opportunity to "teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom" (D&C 88:77), which will lead families to eternal life." -M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, May 1987

"Family home evenings should be scheduled once a week as a time for discussions of gospel principles, recreation, work projects, skits, songs around the piano, games, special refreshments, and family prayers. Like iron links in a chain, this practice will bind a family together, in love, pride, tradition, strength and loyalty." -President Ezra Taft Benson, "Salvation-A Family Affair," Ensign, July 1992, 4.

"It often takes a seemingly superhuman effort to get everyone together for family home evening. You may not always feel like praying when you finally do get together, but it will pay great dividends if you persevere." -James E. Faust, "Enriching Our Lives through Family Home Evening," Liahona, June 2003, 4

"Take advantage of the great responsibility and opportunity that you have to teach your children, to rear them in the light of the gospel, to build faith in their hearts. Sit down with them and have family home evening...Let them feel of your love for the Lord. Let them hear you testify of the truth of this work. Let them partake of the good that comes from a father and a mother who seek to do the right thing." -Salt Lake Granger South Stake Conference, November 10, 2002.

We are trying to preserve the traditional family - father, mother, and children - working together in love toward a common goal. In large measure we are succeeding against great odds. We advocate a family home evening, for instance, one night a week reserved for family activity together. Lessons from the scriptures are taught. Family business is discussed. Vacations are planned. We sing together. We pray together. It works!
President Gordon B. Hinckley (media luncheon, Washington, D.C., 2 Dec. 1996)

Family home evening is for everyone. It is for families with parents and children, for families with just one parent, and for parents who have no children at home. It is for home evening groups of single adults and for those who live alone or with roommates. Regular participation in family home evening will develop increased personal worth, family unity, love for our fellowmen, and trust in our Father in heaven. It is our promise that great blessings will come to all who conscientiously plan and hold weekly family home evenings. I testify that this is as true today as it was almost 30 years ago. If we go forward with our family home evenings, our homes will be enriched, our wards and branches will grow and prosper, our lives will be purified, and the gates of hell will not prevail against us." -From Elder Faust's First Presidency message, Ensign, June 2003

To summarize, here are the blessings and requirements.

Blessings: Greater blessings will result - Love at home will increase - Obedience to parents will increase - Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth - The youth will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them - A greater measure of peace and harmony in the home - Will bring families closer together - Families will be blessed with better feelings between husband and wife and all family members - Couples will receive strength - Not one in a hundred of your family will go astray - Deeply increases personal worth, family unity, and love for our fellow man, and trust in our Heavenly Father.

The requirements: Have family home evening - Prayerfully and sincerely carry out this program, and hold quality family home evenings once a week.


So Great a Reward!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Sisters

It's been fun to have Silver be big enough to really play with River.
They do most everything together these days.
Here they are playing a computer game together.

Silver comes running when River comes home with a big "RIVER!!"
She asks throughout the day when her River will be home?
Sleeping in the swimming pool. 
They love to be together.

Summer and Silver are learning to be nice to each other.  Silver has entered the stage of playing and building things and setting things up as she likes them.  Summer is in the knock it down and destroy stage.  This creates conflict!
They usually want the same toy or to be held by Mommy at the same time.

Cute picture!  I love Silver's smile in this picture.
Summer loves being with her Sisters.
She will feel so left out if they leave without her.  She comes to me with her shoes to go with them.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Quote Board

Our next door neighbor walked over to our house without shoes on. She was walking carefully to avoid the rocks and burrs. Silver says "Her feet panda bears!!" Not understanding I asked what she meant. "Mom!! Her feet bears!!" I finally understood she had bare feet :)


Mom asked Silver to buckle herself up in the car. Silver's response: Me Can't!!! Me Too Widdoo (little). As I got baby in the van and myself in the driver seat Silver was trying to do it herself all the while saying "I think I can!! I think I can!!! I think I can!!!"

Silver: "Cock-a-Woodle-Doo-Doo!!"

River figured out her parents are not perfect. Very Seriously, and very disappointed: "Mom, We do NOT recycle!!"

While riding in the van River asks me from the back seat: "Mom, is it true when you're baptized that your lungs are washed away?" We then discussed that it's your wrongs that are washed away.

Silver loves to play Dogs. She tells me "Me a person, this (River) my puppy!" Today she asked me to play Dogs. "Me a puppy!" I asked her if she wanted me to be a dog or a person. She replies.....uuummmm....you a old person!

While making breakfast before school, Daddy said "Mommy is a busy bee" Silver says "Daddy busy kangaroo!"

We take the neighborhood kids to school with us every morning - so we all walked outside to get into the van to go to school. Shayla says "Silly Maa-ey! He's under the van - he's gonna get run over!" Maa-ey proceeds to jump into the van. After fishing out the goat that wanted to go to school for the 2nd time, we got everyone into the van. I made sure everything was good before we proceeded to SLOWLY back up and......managed to run over our goat. It was very tragic and very sad...especially on the first day of our carpool. The silver lining is that none of the small kids saw it - so it was a shock to River when I told her about it later on that evening. Maa-ey was more than a van-length behind where the van was parked, and I was going extremely slow, so he wasn't under the van when we started...........sigh. I feel really bad. The next day River comes to me and says I'm glad that Maa-ey died. She prodeeded to then say that she wasn't glad he died but that she was glad if it had to be one of them that it was hers instead of Silver's because "Silver really loves her goat, and would be really sad if anything happened to it." River has a big and caring heart.