Simply a Supermom: Anyone who Continues in Patience

I loved this video version of one of my favorite stories from General Conference last April. This story about children and marshmallows really has helped me as I have faced challenges that tempt me to be impatient. I admire and applaud anyone who has that marvelous gift of patience and all who continue to exercise patience in trying to acquire patience (as I do) :) Enjoy!
Continue in Patience

Be Inspired,

Simply A Supermom: Julie B. Beck, General Relief Society President

Julie B. Beck is one of my hereos. I just listened to a wonderful episode of Conversations from the Mormon Channel where Sherri Dew, another one of my heroes, interviewed Sister Beck and her two daughters. Some of the most inspiring advice I learned from Sister Beck in this interview were:

1) When your priorities are out of order you lose power. The power you need daily in your life is the power of the Holy Ghost. When you do the most important, necessary things daily like prayer and scripture study, then you will have the power you need to know what to do in every situation of your life.

2) "Unwrap" your children by learning who they are and parent them when they are young in a way that will help them to become a friend you want to be with when they are older.

3) "Unwrap" yourself by discovering who you are as you serve in Relief Society.

4) She learned this thought from a sister she visited in another country: "When life gets really tough, go sing with all your heart." (I really liked this thought because that is what I do when I am having a hard time in my own life. If I take a break to sing, or to play the piano, then I am soon alright enough to keep going).

Another talk Julie B. Beck gave which is really inspiring to me is found here.

"Teaching, No Greater Call"

I finished "A Parent's Guide" which is a wonderful resource about how to appropriately and adequately discuss sexual intimacy with children. It does well in helping parents understand how much and when to talk to their children on this important topic as well as to help them understand other levels of intimacy with family and friends and what is healthy and what is not.

My new Thursday study book for my personal scripture study time is "Teaching, No Greater Call" I have been enjoying it. It helps me not only with teaching classes at church, but with daily interactions with others and simple teaching moments at home. It is so nice to be able to read a chapter for just a few minutes on Thursdays and know that another goal ( to read this book as church leaders have asked us to do ) is being accomplished a simple step at a time.

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

This video is wonderful. It made me cry and helped me to remember how important just doing the simple Mom things to take care of my family, and others around me, really is. Be uplifted:
Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

Fun Summer Reading Programs for Kids

I just found out about two summer reading programs I thought I would share.


Book Adventure is a free online program where kids can find quzzes on many books they have read and earn points for prizes as they pass the quizzes. My daughter and I did several quizzes together today. Two of her favorite series right now are the Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne and the A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy. There were many available quizzes for both of those series.

Also, Barnes and Noble has a reading program. You simply go to the website and download and print the form to fill out. After reading eight books you bring the completed form in to Barnes and Noble and can recieve a free book from a list of books.

Simply Undone: Morning Walk

I missed my morning walk with the family today. I know it is an important thing to do, but decided to do another important thing today: go to the temple with my husband. (Photo used by permission from Reb Sumner Photos. Check out her other beautiful landscape and temple pictures).

Deals to Meals

I mentioned this wonderful website before, but mention it again now since they are offering a free Bosch mixer to one winner who visits their blog and enters the contest. This website offers a great service: they check the grocery store ads for you each week and let you know what the best deals are and where to find them. They even let you know if it is simply better to go to Costco or Walmart or if there are better deals somewhere else. They offer a two week free trial and after that it is only under $5 each month for the service. I promise it saves you more than the $1.25 per week that you pay. The blogs offer contests and tips. Check it out!

Simply Undone: Elementary School Play

My daughter had two things scheduled on the same night (it is starting already in the second grade). My husband said to give her the choice of which to do. When she chose her Faith in God Activity, I was tempted to encourage her to choose the school play she had worked so hard on. But these thoughts came into my mind: "Which is truly more important. What will happen in her future if you discourage her in her own choices? What are you teaching her by encouraging her to choose school over church activities?" Needless to say, I did not encourage her to change her mind. I supported her in her decision and within my heart, I thanked God for a little daughter who is a good example and for the inspiration which came to help me as I strive to be a good Mom.

Simply a Supermom: Rachel

Dear Friends and Family,
I just love Sundays! Not only because of the mad scramble to get to church in one piece 20 minutes late while trying to remain cheerful so your children like church. It's not only the cheerios dumped on your lap, or the diaper change needed right after you sit down. It's not just the wonderful messages about how mothers are wonderful, and how being a parent is the best job in the whole world. It's not only the opportunity to feel like a family when your child is screaming "Mommy, Mommy!" in Nursery, and you can just leave them in the capable hands of the nursery leaders. And it's not just because your son is the one that requires one of the Primary Presidency members to sit next to him at all times so he doesn't kick the seat of his brother in front of him.
No, I like Sundays because of the warm fuzzy feelings I have of serving.

And it's not just because of the exercise I get doing jumping jacks for singing time. It's because of the sustaining power of the spirit to know that if you're trying to be like Jesus, you're in the right place, and that Jesus has given us the commandment to be perfect. That gives me great hope. If he commands me to do something, then I can do it. That means, someday, some how, I will be perfect! I'm sure it will not be until after I'm resurrected, but I'm not giving up yet! I'm going to try, try, try to be like Jesus until the moon falls down. Then, after that I'm sure it will be easier.
So, although Supermomhood may seem so far away, I'm going to keep trying as all these feelings of missing my old ward, chaos in my home, panic to paint before the carpet comes, and keep everybody happy and safe at the same time come crashing down, I'm going to cling brightly to hope. I have hope in eternal life. Not as a last resort without my faith, but it is because of my faith that I have hope, that someday I will be perfect.
In the meantime, I will just enjoy being me, and as David does when he misses the ball, I will laugh at my imperfections because they are an opportunity to grow.
This week we have attempted to paint with all three boys. It's a good thing we're replacing the carpet. David stuck his whole hand in the paint, and said, "Hand? Hand?"
Happy Parenthood, in whatever capacity you may be doing it- mothering a friend, a mother or your own children. It's all worth it.
Love,
Rachel

Simply Undone: Dishes

Today I left the dishes undone and what did I do instead? I took a three hour nap with my 7 wk old baby girl cuddled up on my chest. Now really . . .which was more important?

Stephanie Nielson: A Real Life Supermom. "My New Life"

What is a Real Supermom?

The Supermom I believe in is any woman or girl who simply loves and nurtures whoever is around her and has the wisdom to know which things to leave undone.

These are two of my favorite talks which help me to learn to be a better Supermom.
Julie B Beck
President Dieter F. Uchtdorff

Simply Hair: Braided Crown Ponytail

For this easy style I simply part the hair at the top (center or to a side) and start braiding the right side with what I call a princess braid ( french braid where you only pull new hair into the outside and do a regular braid at the inside). Braid halfway around the head and secure the braid with a rubber band. Then do the same thing on the left side. Now you combine the two ponytails into one and either secure it and leave it as a ponytail or braid it and secure it at the bottom.

Simply Hair: Pull Through Messy Bun with Wrap-Around

This one sure was fun and easy to do. It only takes one rubber hairband and a few bobby pins . . . and long hair of course.

1) Part the front section of hair to the side and keep it separate.

Then put the rest of the hair in a high ponytail and on the last wrap of the rubber band, pull the hair only half-way through.

2) Take the reserved front section of hair and wrap smoothly to the side and secure it in place with a bobby pin and then continue back over the head and around under the rubber band holding the ponytail in place. If the hair is long enough wrap it around several times. Secure the wrapped hair underneath with bobby pins.

February 2010 Goal

So Glad to be back after a computer crash!

This month I was reading a conference talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf from last General Conference in October 2009. It is entitled "The love of God." He said that often, "One person's good idea--something that may work for him or her--takes root and becomes an expectation. And gradually, eternal principles can get lost within the labrynth of 'good ideas.' . . . So how do we stay aligned with these weightier matters? Is there a constant compass that can help us prioritize our lives, thoughts, and actions? Once again the Lord revealed the way . . . 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind, this is the first and great commandment.' ( ) coupled with the second great commandment--to 'love our neighbor as ourselves' ( )-- we have a compass that provides direction . . .[

He continues, "[Love] ought to be the center of all. . . we do . . . love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families . . . Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk. When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align." (emphasis added)

So this talk inspired me to use this month to A)study more about what true love really is, B) compare that ideal with the way I personally show love to others and C) choose at least two simple improvements I can make in the way I show love.

Note:
-For the full text of President Uchtdorf's talk click here. To listen to his talk click here.(This brings up a page with options for this and many other talks to watch, read or listen)
-Another great talk on love that I studied this month is "Love and Law" by Elder Dallin H. Oaks ( Also from General Conference October 2010)

Want to help those in Haiti?

My family has spent more time than usual in front of the TV watching the news of the earthquake victims in Haiti. There are several options for donating money which has been given on those news stations. I also wanted to suggest that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is also sending many resources over to help and is an excellent, trustworthy source where individuals can donate money to help in that cause. Follow the link here.

To see articles about how the Church has been aiding those in Haiti, see here and here.

"Good, Better, and Best" New Year's Goals

During our holiday vacation, Dad gave a great talk at church about how we should carefully pray and then evaluate our options when choosing our New Year's Goals. He used Elder Dallin H. Oaks talk from October 2007 "Good, Better and Best" when counselling that not all goals are of the same importance. Some are good, some are better and some are best. He encouraged us to prayerfully choose the best goals for each of us as individuals. He also wisely suggested that sometimes it is easy to know what the best goal is for a particular year; but other years it may take a few months before you know what your goal for that year really should be.

Later we had a similar discussion together for our Family Home Evening. I really appreciated that insight and have been thinking more deeply about my goals:)

Thanks Dad