The Happenings of the Cook Family of Five

Tetris in the Kitchen

2009-07-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

The only way I can get through doing dishes is to imagine that it is a game of Tetris! I work my hardest to fit every possible dish into the washer in a way that it can still get everything clean. When I finish, I go for "bonus points" and wipe down the counters and stove as well! Thanks to a vivid imagination, my kitchen stays clean.

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Bubble Blowing "Tramp sitting" FHE

2009-07-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

Just a few weeks ago we purchased our first out door trampoline! The children find every excuse to go on it! They are out there at 6:30 in the morning on early days and way past bedtime when we let them stay up. They have been begging to go out and jump on Sunday. Because of how I feel about that on the Sabbath, I opted for sitting on the tramp and blowing bubbles as part of our FHE. Here is a video Clarissa took of part of our bubble blowing!

How does Family Prayer Strengthen My family!

2009-07-12T12:38:00.000-07:00

My talk today is about how family prayer strengthens my family.

The 1^st reason that a family prayer strengthens my family is that it sometimes makes us all nicer to each other.

Another reason is that we take turns before the prayer to say what we are grateful for and then say it in our prayers also.

The 3^rd reason is that my family takes turns saying the family prayers & that when we pray we try to say one thing we like about each person in the family.

The 4^th reason is that people say what we can do better in &what we want this helps us know each others' needs.

The 5^th reason is that it makes me feel good & have great comfort in my heart. Those r the reasons I think family prayers strengthens my family.

& I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen!!!!!!!!!!!

(by Clarissa Cook)

Remember Who You Are!

2009-07-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

A little over a year ago I became a contributing member of a blog called Talk of the Week

I love searching for talks to share with those around the globe. Here is a talk shared by my dear friend who created the blog. I hope you enjoy it!

MP3 Link:

Remember Who You Are!

Bonnie D. Parkin Relief Society General President
CES Fireside for Young Adults March 7, 2004 Brigham Young University

Thank you to President Keetch, and thank you to that wonderful choir. You are wonderful, and I appreciate it.
First of all I’d like to clear up that rumor making the rounds in certain singles wards: I did not date Brigham Young. (At least give me the benefit of Heber J. Grant!)
Some of you may be wondering what I could say that you haven’t heard before. Well, I’ve been wondering the same thing! I can promise you that I won’t talk about the saving powers of scrapbooking or tuna casseroles—I don’t do either of those very well.
You see, the reason I’ve worried so much about this talk is because I know who you are. I see how valiantly you strive to live the gospel. I feel a great love for you. And so I have wanted to say something that would matter in your lives, that would give you hope to not give up, that would lift and inspire you.
But I wasn’t getting any answers. So I finally resigned myself to stand here and sing “‘Give,’ Said the Little Stream” or other Primary songs. I can guarantee you haven’t heard that before!
To spare you that fate worse than death, I returned to the temple, fasting and praying. And this time I received specific direction. Oh, for a spiritual laser printer.
President Gordon B. Hinckley recently described you as being “faithful and true”1 in your desires for righteousness. Heavenly Father sees your goodness; that is why He has inspired me with a message specifically for you.
Bonnie-isms
As my four sons were growing up, I had a few sayings that I used repeatedly to help keep them on track—my oldest son calls them “Bonnie-isms.” Here are a few examples:
The Holy Ghost goes to bed at midnight. Truth is truth wherever it is found. Fair is where you go to see the pigs.
Among my many Bonnie-isms there were two I used frequently. If I had to remind my sons about an unfinished chore and they responded, “I know!” my standard reply was, “To know is to do!”
And almost every time they ran out our back door for a date, a football game, or a dance, I would call another Bonnie-ism after them: “Remember who you are!”
There is power in these two phrases. Let me explain. When we know something—truly understand it—then we do it.
For example, once you know it’s easier to get a date when you use deodorant, you’ll use it, right?
One of the most important things to know is something Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught: “You have been you for a long time.”2 He’s trying to help us remember who we are. Because knowing who you are changes what you do.
Case in point: If you know—and remember—who you are and remember your divine birthright, you will date noble people, wear modest clothing, use clean language, surf worthy Web sites, listen to good music, watch enriching movies, keep the Word of Wisdom, and stay morally clean. You will study your scriptures, forgive each other, say your prayers, repent of your sins, serve others, magnify your callings, and love one another.
But remembering what you know can be especially tricky during this time of your life. You’re pursuing so many worthwhile goals: an education, a job, an eternal companion. (Get out there and find each other, will you please!) Sometimes, in pursuit of worthy goals, we lose sight of what matters most.
I know you think life has yet to begin, but gaining the knowledge of your eternal identity happens right now—at your very stage of life. Not after you’re married or after you’ve graduated or after you’ve learned to use deodorant. It comes right now, before all that stuff! “Seek not the things of this world,” said Jesus, “but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (JST, Matthew 6:38).
Part of seeking the kingdom first is seeking your specific place in the kingdom. That changes everything!
The Making of a Prophet
Let me tell you a story. A few years ago a little baby was taken from his poor family to be raised by a wealthy family as their son. Initially he knew nothing of his true identity. He lived like royalty, taking advantage of the poor—including his own family—to increase his adoptive family’s wealth. But one fateful day he learned the truth of his origin. Even his religion was different. He was heartsick about having inflicted such pain on those he should have protected and loved. And so he knew he would have to make things right. That man’s name was Moses.
After this mighty change of heart, Moses became a great prophet. He knew the Lord. He witnessed and participated in incredible miracles—escaping from Egypt, parting the Red Sea, and receiving the Ten Commandments. He had innumerable spiritual experiences. Yet he never stopped asking Heavenly Father for further light and knowledge. Thus the more he learned from God, the more he became like God. Isn’t that our desire?
Let’s look at chapter 1 of the Pearl of Great Price. Let’s figure out firsthand what we must do to learn what Moses knew. As we think about his journey, liken it unto yours (see 1 Nephi 19:23), for what was promised to Moses is promised to you.
A Mountain of the Lord
The chapter opens with Moses at the top of a high mountain (see Moses 1:1). Frequently in the scriptures, a mountain represents a holy place away from the world, a place of revelation—like the temple (see Micah 4:1). To learn the things of heaven, Moses removes himself from the world. This is significant!
I recently asked a group of sisters your same age what single thing kept them from knowing who they truly are. Can you guess their first answer? They said the loud, distracting, powerful pull of the world. Can you relate? Separating ourselves from the world both in distance and in worthiness is an act of great struggle—like Moses scaling that mountain. But what incredible blessings await those who do so.
A Son of God in Glory
Verse 2 tells us that here, away from the world, Moses “saw God face to face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses.” Can you imagine such an experience! I hope so, because Heavenly Father also wants to talk to you face to face and shine His glory upon you. As of right now, you probably haven’t experienced God’s full glory. But each time you feel the love of the Lord in your life, you are experiencing a portion of His glory. Never take those experiences for granted—because the glory of God is powerful stuff. It enables Moses to endure God’s presence, to judge between good and evil, to receive saving strength.
Would you like to know what Moses and Heavenly Father talked about in that glory?
First, Heavenly Father introduces Himself. He speaks tender, comforting words to Moses: “Behold, thou art my son” (Moses 1:4; emphasis added). What a powerful statement. Moses is a child of the living God! Throughout this chapter Heavenly Father continually calls Moses “my son.” This revelation should be no less powerful for you—because you, too, are a child of the living God!
A Work to Do: Look, and He Will Show
“Wherefore,” says Heavenly Father—or, in other words, because you are my son—“look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands” (Moses 1:4). And so it is with you! Because you, too, are His child, look, and He will show you what you need to know.
And then Heavenly Father reveals, “I have a work for thee, Moses, my son” (Moses 1:6; emphasis added). Wow! He who can do all things had a mission—a purpose—for Moses. Moses was being entrusted to assist God. Do you think at that moment Moses might have felt a little inadequate? (See Exodus 4:10–16.) I certainly would have.
When President Hinckley extended my current calling as Relief Society general president, I was more than overwhelmed—I was flusterpated! But remembering my divine heritage gave me confidence to accept this assignment. I imagine it was similar for Moses. Maybe that’s why President Harold B. Lee once observed, “What a difference it would make if we really sensed our divine relationship to God, our Heavenly Father.”3
You are a child of God, and He has sent you here. Thus it is essential that you learn why you are here. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “Unless [the Saints of God] have an actual knowledge that the course they are pursuing is according to the will of God they will grow weary in their minds, and faint.”4
What might your work be? You have unique talents and abilities to develop. You need to marry and have a family, you have callings to fulfill, you have brothers and sisters to love and serve. You see, those gifts that make you most unique are those that require your energy. Some assignments can be accomplished by anyone, but others require someone special. Think of Jesus or Joseph Smith or Moses. Think of yourself, for “who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Who knoweth? Well, your Father in Heaven knows—that’s who.
Personal Scripture
How can He tell you the work He has for you? Of course there are many ways, but chief among them is your patriarchal blessing. President Hinckley explains that when you receive your blessing, “A man of God lays his hands upon [your] head and speaking as a prophet bestows a blessing, setting forth the great possibility that you have in this life.”5 Your patriarchal blessing protects you from becoming weary in your mind. It reminds you who you are. It is personal scripture of the work you have to do and what you need to know about yourself.
Look what Heavenly Father tells Moses about himself: “Moses, my son, . . . thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior” (Moses 1:6; emphasis added). Moses’ mission was not to unlock the gate to eternal life, but, in similitude of the Savior, he saved the children of Israel from bondage and led them to the promised land.
Moses is not alone at being in the similitude of Jesus with a unique work to do. You are right there with him with your unique mission, which includes being a savior on Mount Zion (see Obadiah 1:21).
Have you received your patriarchal blessing? Do you read it often? Do you pray about it? I hope so, because it’s pretty hard to do what you don’t know! Right now is the time to discover your mission. And if you’ll oppose the world’s pull, Heavenly Father will show you.
Spiritual Eyes versus Natural Eyes
Heavenly Father shows Moses this world and worlds without end “and all the children of men which are, and which were created.” And of this Moses “greatly marveled and wondered” (Moses 1:8).
But then, after such awesome enlightenment, “the presence of God withdraws from Moses, that his glory is not upon Moses.” Now listen to this next phrase: “And Moses [is] left unto himself. And as he was left unto himself, he [falls] unto the earth” (Moses 1:9; emphasis added). There is a great truth there: When we are separated from God’s glory, we are left to ourselves. And when we are left to ourselves, it is much easier to fall.
It took “many hours” for Moses to regain his strength. And he sums up his experience thus far with a new perspective, saying, “I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed” (Moses 1:10). Can you relate? Moses sees his place amongst God’s creations and is astonished. And yet, of all those creations, God appeared to Moses to show him his mission. I find that astonishing. Nevertheless, I know this is how He operates with each of His children, including you.
Reflecting on it all, Moses does not question what he has seen. In fact, he acknowledges how he saw it: “But now mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual eyes, for my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should have withered and died in his presence; but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face” (Moses 1:11).
As was true for Moses, we cannot come to know our calling with our natural eyes—natural eyes do not require faith! Paul teaches us that the beautiful truths of the kingdom are “revealed . . . unto us by his Spirit. . .
“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10–11; emphasis added).
The Test of Faith
Even after such a life-changing experience, Moses’ struggles are not over. In fact, because there is “opposition in all things” (2 Nephi 2:11), his great highs will be matched with deep lows. After all, it’s easy to remain true to our faith without the challenges to try that faith; true faith is only made manifest in the face of heart-piercing trials. Moses—like all of us—has to learn and prove just how stalwart he is with his new knowledge.
As Moses rejoices in what he had witnessed, “Behold, Satan [comes] tempting him, saying: Moses, son of man, worship me” (Moses 1:12).
Did you notice the very first thing Satan says to Moses? It is the direct opposite of what God had said! Listen to Lucifer again: “Moses, son of man, worship me.” Do you see it? Satan goes for the jugular by calling into question Moses’ divine birthright and, thus, his very identity. “You’re no son of God,” Satan says, “you’re a mere son of man.” For Satan understands that the slide into captivity begins with doubts about who we really are.
But Moses is a pretty smart guy. He doesn’t say, “Okay, you’re probably right. Let’s go eat, drink, and be merry.” Instead, he fires right back: “Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God.” And then Moses strengthens that declaration by adding, “I am . . . in the similitude of his Only Begotten” (Moses 1:13). Do you see the power that comes from knowing who you are?
Lucifer’s Need for Idolization
And did you detect one of Satan’s fixations? It is two simple words: “Worship me” (Moses 1:12, 19). That obsession hasn’t changed.
Because of their past, Lucifer is insanely jealous of his brother Jehovah. Lucifer craves being idolized. But he mistakes idolization for adoration, reverence, and veneration. Thus, like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum, he screams, “Worship me—not Him.”
But most of us aren’t that stupid to just worship Satan outright—are we? We need a little enticement. So Old Scratch is happy to provide it. When tempting Jesus—who was Jehovah in the flesh—Lucifer used the same bait he still uses today: appetites, riches, and power.6 In short, the things of this world. And Jesus could have all that cash and those fabulous prizes—if He would only worship Satan (see Luke 4:1–13).
I know that you are a choice group of Heavenly Father’s children. But the Lord has very specific counsel for His chosen: “There are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?
“Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men” (D&C 121:34–35; emphasis added). Lucifer knows this! Why else would he put so much energy into showing us the things of this world?
You see, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).
Unfortunately, there are legions listening to Lucifer’s calls to worship him. Just two months ago President Hinckley said something that stopped my heart. He said, “I do not know that things were worse in the times of Sodom and Gomorrah [than today]. . . . Similar conditions . . . prevail all across the world. I think our Father must weep as He looks down upon His wayward sons and daughters.”7 This is a powerful pronouncement. But I agree.
Again, you are a choice group of Heavenly Father’s children; your attendance at this fireside further demonstrates your desire for righteousness. But, like Moses, this also makes you a larger target for the adversary. Every righteous soul that Satan seduces from the truth becomes a game hunter’s trophy, prominently mounted and displayed on the walls of hell.
How Lucifer Entices Us
How does Satan entice us to worship him? By indulging our appetites, offering us riches, and promising us power. Of course he needs someone to show us his wares, and he has no end of eager salesmen.
One of the most powerful persuasives is the visual image. A brother I know calls television “the devil’s home teacher.” And aside from the Lord, nobody understands the power of images, decibels, and repetition better than Satan. Satan knows the sway of “everybody’s doing it.” He knows if he dangles his merchandise in front of you long enough, your heart just might get hooked on the things of this world.
In last October’s general conference, Elder M. Russell Ballard said, “The choices we make in media can be symbolic of the choices we make in life. Choosing the trendy, the titillating, the tawdry in the TV programs or movies we watch can cause us to end up, if we’re not careful, choosing the same things in the lives we live.”8
And then he encouraged us to follow the counsel in the pamphlet For the Strength of Youth:
“Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as acceptable. . . .
“Have the courage to walk out of a movie or video party, turn off a computer or television, change a radio station, or put down a magazine if what is being presented does not meet Heavenly Father’s standards. Do these things even if others do not.”9
Lucifer’s Temples
What words do you use to describe the temple? I use words like holiness, peace, worthiness, calmness, and light. The Lord Himself says His house is “a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (D&C 88:119). The increase in temples around the world is another testament to me of the truthfulness of the gospel.
But as God’s temples spread across the world, so, too, do Satan’s. The success of his missionary work also requires a place for his converts. After all, how can he be worshiped without a sanctuary? Opposites of the words we just used for God’s temples describe Satan’s: filthy, wicked, loud, and dark. Consider the ever-lengthening strip of Las Vegas’s casinos. In Lucifer’s temples—now advertised as “family friendly”—appetites are satisfied in spades; more is not enough; anarchy trumps order. And all the while our spirits are blinded by the lights, deafened by the din, and bludgeoned by the beats.
One day that power will be shut off; the lights and music will cease. And “they who are filthy shall be filthy still . . . and . . . shall go away into everlasting fire” (2 Nephi 9:16).
The State of the World
I don’t emphasize these things to scare you. But “we wrestle not against flesh and blood,” said Paul, “but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).
Listen to what President Boyd K. Packer taught just over a month ago: “I know of nothing in the history of the Church or in the history of the world to compare with our present circumstances. . . .
“The world is spiraling downward at an ever-quickening pace. I am sorry to tell you that it will not get better.
“It is my purpose to . . . put you on alert. These are days of great spiritual danger for our youth.”10
Of course Lucifer’s temples are not just casinos. You know where and what they are—they are places where men and women are persuaded “to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God” (Moroni 7:17). They are places where Satan’s demand of “Worship me!” is heeded, where loud music and rough language drown out the still small voice, where darkness—not glory—is desired.
Glory versus Darkness
How ironic for Satan, then, that this very contrast between glory and darkness helps Moses recognize Satan. Had Moses not experienced God’s glory, the darkness would have been less obvious. But Moses remembers, so he asks Lucifer, “And where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?
“For behold, I could not look upon God, except his glory should come upon me. . . But I can look upon thee in the natural man. . . .
“ . . . Thy glory . . . is darkness unto me[.] And I can judge between thee and God” (Moses 1:13–15; emphasis added). What empowering words!
All of you have experienced some level of God’s glory. If not, you would not be here. And all of you have experienced some level of Satan’s darkness. In this you are no different from Moses either. So, like Moses, you can judge! You know the pain of your spirit being wounded by sin or the devastation of the Holy Ghost leaving when offended or the despair of losing self-control. But you also know the sweetness of forgiveness, the transcendence of testimony, and the humble gratitude for answered prayers. You have felt the love of the Lord in your life; you have felt His glory. This is why you can judge between glory and darkness, between God and Lucifer!
Banishing Satan
Knowing that God is completely honest (see Deuteronomy 32:4), Moses also knows that Satan is deceitful. Thus Moses doesn’t invite the father of lies to stay for lunch so as not to offend him. No, Moses cuts right to the chase: “Get thee hence, Satan; deceive me not” (Moses 1:16).
This is a powerful command—but not too powerful for a son or daughter of God to make! You, too, are a child of God. And you, too, can say, “Get thee hence, Satan.” In fact, there will be times you will have to say it.
Moses is strengthened by knowing his divine birthright and thus declared an unwavering commitment to Heavenly Father. He reminds Satan that “God said unto me: Thou art after the similitude of mine Only Begotten.
“And he also gave me commandments when he called unto me out of the burning bush, saying: Call upon God in the name of mine Only Begotten, and worship me” (Moses 1:16–17; emphasis added).
In other words, Moses is going to honor his covenants. He reiterates his commitment, saying, “I will not cease to call upon God, I have other things to inquire of him: for his glory has been upon me, wherefore I can judge between him and thee. Depart hence, Satan” (Moses 1:18; emphasis added).
You see this pattern again and again. Moses has seen God’s glory (or felt the love of the Lord in his life), he remembers it—his judgment is not impaired by Satan’s deceptions—and thus he can cast Satan out with confidence. Make this your pattern, too.
Further, if a man of Moses’ stature and testimony is still humble enough to realize that he cannot cease to call upon God, what does that mean for you? Brothers and sisters, at all times and in all places—but especially in the face of great trials and tribulations—you cannot give up praying to Heavenly Father! You must just keep trying, even if the heavens seem sealed and silent.
President Hinckley said, “We must get on our knees and plead with the Lord for help and strength and direction.”11
So after Moses commands Satan to leave, “Satan crie[s] with a loud voice, and rant[s] upon the earth, and command[s,] saying: I am the Only Begotten, worship me” (Moses 1:19; emphasis added). That is a lie, plain and simple. Lucifer is forever trying to be someone he’s not.
Faith and Fear
Lucifer’s exit must have exceeded anything Moses had ever witnessed, because “Moses began to fear exceedingly; and as he began to fear, he saw the bitterness of hell” (Moses 1:20).
Verse 20 is crucial to remember because it shows us that Satan does not give up easily, or go quietly. He might preach instant gratification and self-indulgence, but he knows the power of patience and self-denial. Why else is he called the “cunning one”? (2 Nephi 9:39). Thus, Satan’s fury can strike fear into the hearts of men, even men like Moses—and like you. That is a scary thought, because as soon as Moses became afraid, he could see into the very depths of hell. But did you know that fear can overcome faith? All of us have times of fear—remember Peter walking on the water?
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught a most extraordinary truth:
“For doubt and faith do not exist in the same person at the same time; so that persons whose minds are under doubts and fears cannot have unshaken confidence; and where unshaken confidence is not there faith is weak; and where faith is weak the persons will not be able to contend against all the opposition, tribulations, and afflictions which they will have to encounter in order to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus; and they will grow weary in their minds, and the adversary will have power over them and destroy them.”12
Jesus told Peter: “Behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
“But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:31–32; emphasis added). Jesus knew that faith—not fear—will conquer Satan.
It is fear that overtakes Moses. But his fear does not last long enough to give Satan any advantage. Do you know why? Look at verse 20 again: “Nevertheless, calling upon God, he received strength, and he commanded, saying: Depart from me, Satan, for this one God only will I worship, which is the God of glory. . .
“And . . . he departed hence, even from the presence of Moses” (Moses 1:20, 22; emphasis added).
Binding Satan
What did Moses, the great prophet, do to escape his fear? He had no secret weapon that you don’t have. He prayed. He needed that divine assistance because Satan is persistent. It takes Moses four times to drive Satan out. Four times! (Even my sons usually minded after three times—well, most of the time.) Imagine if Moses had given up after three times.
In your deepest times of temptation and fear, like Moses, you must plead with Heavenly Father as frequently and as long as necessary to retain your faith. If you do not, Lucifer will lurk nearby until your defenses drop—and then return with enticings to worship him and fears to stop your heart. It is not easy—but nothing of worth is.
Nearly thirty years ago Elder Eldred G. Smith gave some wonderful counsel about standing up to Lucifer. “The only power I know of that will bind Satan, or render him powerless, is righteous living.
“ . . . Even Jesus Christ had to bind Satan when he was tempted in the wilderness. . . .
“When you have resisted a temptation until it no longer becomes a temptation, then to that extent, Satan has lost his power over you, and as long as you do not yield to him, to that degree he is bound.”13
With Satan finally gone, “Moses lift[s] up his eyes unto heaven, being filled with the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of the Father and the Son” (Moses 1:24).
You have been given the gift of the Holy Ghost, who testifies of the truth. You are entitled to His presence and direction according to your faithfulness. Let Him help you!
The Rewards of Faithfulness
“And calling upon the name of God, he [Moses] beh[olds] his glory again, for it [is] upon him” (Moses 1:25). Did you notice that Heavenly Father’s glory has returned?
Continuing in verse 25, Heavenly Father begins pouring out blessings upon Moses to reward his loyalty. God’s first words are ones of comfort and encouragement: “Blessed art thou, Moses, for I, the Almighty, have chosen thee” (emphasis added). Being chosen by God is no small thing. Do you remember why many are called but few are chosen? Satan had offered Moses the worldly menu, but Moses denied himself “of all ungodliness” (Moroni 10:32; emphasis added). Thus Moses is chosen because his heart is set upon the things of his Father.
And now, after that crucible of temptation, God knows Moses can be trusted completely, and—just as important—Moses knows he is completely trustworthy. So Heavenly Father is able to further reward Moses with increased knowledge about his mission. Listen: “And thou shalt be made stronger than many waters; for they shall obey thy command as if thou wert God.
“And lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days; for thou shalt deliver my people from bondage, even Israel my chosen” (Moses 1:25–26). What great promises! Can you hear the foreshadowing of “all that my Father hath shall be given unto [you]”? (D&C 84:38).
Whose We Are
Heavenly Father proceeds to reveal His innumerable creations and answer Moses’ questions about those creations. And then Heavenly Father says something that even though I cannot comprehend it, I know to be true: “For behold, there are many worlds. . . . And innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them” (Moses 1:35; emphasis added).
Can you believe it? Even with all those innumerable creations, God knows Moses. And I testify that He also knows you. How do I know? Because He knows me. Because He has inspired my words for you tonight. We are numbered to Him because we are His.
My counselor and dear friend, Anne C. Pingree, made a wonderful observation that not only are we “blessed to know who we are,” we are blessed to know “whose we are.”14
The Great Reward
Moses had been taught who he was, he had been given his work, and he had been shown whose he was. And then, because he had proven himself unshakable, he was ready to learn Heavenly Father’s work and glory. From this seemingly simple revelation in Moses 1, the gospel and everything we do in it is unified and infused with eternal significance. Here is that stunning revelation in verse 39: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
This sublime statement is the crowning reward for Moses’ faithfulness and steadfastness. Its insight extends to us, changing our actions. It is a perfect example of how knowing leads to doing.
But remember that this pearl of great price came at a great price. It was received only after Moses had removed himself from the things of this world, had experienced divine love and glory, had learned who he was and what his work would be, had made covenants with his Father in Heaven, and had resisted Satan unceasingly with testimony and prayer.
Some of you may be struggling with knowing who you are. There’s a little secret about “to know is to do”: the flip side is also true—“to do is to know!” In other words, if you’re unsure, just do anyway. Jesus has promised, “If any man will do [my Father’s] will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God” (John 7:17; emphasis added). Do, and you’ll know.
Remember Who You Are!
Like Moses, you are a son or daughter of God in the similitude of His Only Begotten Son. Like Moses, you can do every single one of these things! And, therefore, like Moses, you can receive every single one of these incredible blessings.
Listen to the words Peter taught, referring to promises the Savior had made to others: “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off” (Acts 2:39; emphasis added).
And so this is why I tell my children and my grandchildren and each one of you, “Remember who you are.” Or, as the Lord said, “Remember the worth of souls is great” (D&C 18:10).
This is why I say, “To know is to do.” Or, as the Savior said—and I like what was added—“If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17; emphasis added).
I hope you feel energized and, as my boys say, “pumped up” to overcome the challenges that are uniquely yours for this unique time. You can conquer!
When you feel down, remember, you don’t have to do it alone. Many, like Moses, have gone before you and have successfully overcome hard things. You can too. Many—like President Hinckley, the Apostles, your bishop, your parents, and even I—pray for you daily. You can, and you must, pray too. You are children of God, and He has sent you here! His work and His glory is to bring to pass your immortality and eternal life.
Recently President Hinckley gave us wonderful encouragement: “[You] must not give up. [You] must not become discouraged. [You] must never surrender to the forces of evil. [You] can and must maintain the standards for which this Church has stood since it was organized. There is a better way than the way of the world. If it means standing alone, [you] must do it. . . .
“ . . . [You] must get on [your] knees and plead with the Lord for help and strength and direction. [You] must then stand on [your] feet and move forward.
“I am absolutely confident that heaven will smile upon [you]. The Lord will hear and answer [your] prayers if [you] will commit [yourself], giving [your] very best to this work.”15 Moses showed us that this is true.
Tonight as you run out the door to life’s adventures, let me give you two Bonnie-isms for the road. They are filled with all the love in my heart: Remember who you are. To know is to do!
I pray that you, like your brother Moses, will let Heavenly Father lead you, guide you, and walk beside you, because I testify that He will. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
1. “Standing Strong and Immovable,” in Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting: The Priesthood and the Auxiliaries of the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary, 10 Jan. 2004, 20. 2. In Conference Report, Oct. 2003, 106; or Ensign, Nov. 2003, 100. 3. In Conference Report, Oct. 1973, 9; or Ensign, Jan. 1974, 6. 4. Joseph Smith, comp., Lectures on Faith [1985], 67–68. 5. In “Messages of Inspiration from President Hinckley,” Church News, 6 Dec. 2003, 2; emphasis added. 6. See David O. McKay, “Individual Righteousness, the Strength of the Church,” Instructor, Sept. 1962, 290. 7. “Standing Strong and Immovable,” 20. 8. In Conference Report, Oct. 2003, 15; or Ensign, Nov. 2003, 16. 9. For the Strength of Youth: Fulfilling Our Duty to God (2001), 17, 19. 10. The One Pure Defense (An Evening with President Boyd K. Packer, 6 Feb. 2004), 4; emphasis added. 11. “Standing Strong and Immovable,” 21. 12. Lectures on Faith, 71. 13. In Conference Report, Apr. 1970, 142. 14. “Preparing the Greatest Generation of Missionaries: A Mission for Every Woman,” BYU Women’s Conference, 2 May 2003, 3. 15. “Standing Strong and Immovable,” 20–21.

2009-05-26T09:17:00.001-07:00

Today was Jon's Birthday Party At School Today!!!!

They could not celebrate Jon's birthday on his real birthday because, school ends on that day, so... Jacob and I made cupcakes to take to his class mates, and Jacob made a word search for them to fill out too!

(Email us if you want an actual copy of this word search Do you think you can fill out a 5-year-old's word search???????)

Calling in the Mom Squad!

2009-05-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

Seriously, does anyone else have a house where "only Mom knows" where things are, how to make a certain recipe, how to do laundry the "right way", and so much more?

This morning Jerry and the children were on the hunt to find all the church items; pants, socks, shirts, ties, dress, scriptures, etc. Jerry and Jon came in very frustrated and both said, "We've looked everywhere. We can't find the pants!" Jerry then added, "I know I washed them and we can't find them anywhere!" "You've looked EVERYWHERE?", I asked. As I walked out to the garage laundry area, I said "Alright, call in the Mom Squad!" Low and behold - there were Jon's pants hanging up with all his other clothes right where they were supposed to be. I can't even begin to count how many times this happens - DAILY! It must be my super power vision or my keen sense of placement or my photographic memory! Because this Mom "knows" how to use her super powers another family is ready for church! hee hee!

CrAzY HaIr DaY and a hair cut!

2009-04-12T19:09:00.000-07:00

Wednesday before Spring break I cut all the boys' hair. It's is always a process but it does save a ton of money so I do it. All is well and good! The next day Jon comes home from school and announces that Friday is the last day before Spring break and it's crazy hair day. Great! Sounds fun! Later that night I walk bast the bathroom and a pair of orange handled scissors laying on the counter catch my eye. I walk in to find not only scissors but huge chunks of hair all over the counter and sink. I was so stunned I can't even remember what happened next. Somehow it came out that it was Jon's hair and that he cut it for CrAzY HaIr DaY! Here's what it looked like! A huge section right on the top of his head!

We waited a week and let him keep his CrAzY HaIr until this past Thursday. I decided to let Jacob cut Jon'ts hair. It was Jacob's first time cutting hiar but the way I say it, he couldn't do any worse than Jon had already done. Here he is this morning with his new style holding his choice of cereal!

An Unusual Spring Break...

2009-04-12T18:30:00.000-07:00

Only a few more hours and Spring Break is over. This week was pretty unusual but most of the time fun! Each day we did something a bit different! Monday the children and I went POWER shopping to Wallgreen's, and Safeway. We got a TON of stuff for really cheap thanks to Clarissa. She has become quite the Couponista - especially when she is mad at her brothers. Clipping coupons all by herself is her way of destressing and unwinding. Monday night I had a work meeting so I quickly made one of the past dishes we got on sale! Tuesday the kids earned tickets by doing chores and that night we got PIZZA (and KFC Snackers) for dinner and played card games! What a day - Jon was beyond grumpy. Wednesday the children did some more ticket activities in the morning and then spent several hours at a bounce house while I went out and handed out chocolates. They had a lot of fun! Thursday they did more ticket activities and then we went on a Progressive Fast Food Dinner. First we went to Pizza Hut and got Clarissa's free Book It pizza which the children split. Then we went to KFC and they all got snackers. Next we went to McDonald's and they got ice cream sundaes and then rushed to get Clarissa to Activity Days. The boys and I then went shopping to Savemart to get a few more deals! Friday brought MORE power shopping with the children. I took Clarissa and Jacob and Jon went with Jerry. We went to Walgreen's, J.C. Penny, Trader Joe's, and Rayley's. We also dropped off product to a client (who bought $250 that morning!). When we got home we watched an American Girl movie (which Clarissa and I enjoyed and the boys endured).

Saturday I had an appointment in the morning and a bit more shopping on the way home. I came home with a headache but still managed to make lime pear dessert, pot roast, and dye eggs with the children. I went to bed early and woke up feeling much better.

For Easter the children all got new clothes and their own boxes of cereal. I decided that rather than doing big baskets of candy that would just make them sick I would do a pick family picnic basket. Here's Jon with it - complete with chips, soda, oreos, chocolate, Easter eggs to hunt for and more. We had egg salad sandwiches for lunch and the beef and broccoli for dinner. Everything was delicious! The children just dove into the second jello dessert that we made. It's the peach one that Great Grandma Irene used to make. So good - no so good for you but so good to eat!

The Tooth Fairy came this week!

2009-03-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

If you look close you will see that Jon is missing a tooth and there are a few more wiggly ones on their way out! The tooth fairy came and brought Jon $2! You are getting bigger Jon!

Our First Class Scout

2009-03-29T20:12:00.001-07:00

After 21 months as a scout, Jacob got his First Class rank as well as 7 merit badges (the First Aid badge is not pictured)! He has to wait for 4 months and do a 6 hour service project and then he will have his Star and then on to Life. July 22, 2010 is the date he has set to have his Eagle completed! You can do it Jacob! Keep up the great work!

The Baby Teeth are "awake and wiggling"

2009-03-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

Jon has been so funny with his comments about his loose tooth. He is amazed that on the way to church his tooth wasn't loose and on the way home it was. One of his comments was, "All my baby teeth woke up and are wiggling!" He is nervous to pull it out so we'll have to see how long it takes and we'll keep you posted when the big day arrives. In the mean time, you'll Jon and his baby teeth wiggling away!

Lego Architecture 101

2009-03-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

Every Sunday I try to get some extra fun 1 on 1 time with each of the children. Today Jon wante d to play car ds but since they ar e Jacob's cards and Jacob is at Priesthood Preview giving a talk and we couldn't ask for permission we opted for another activity. Bummed Jon finally said, "Ok, Mom how about the BIG Legos?". Here are a few pics of our creation.

We're having a sleepover! No boys allowed!

2009-03-22T18:56:00.001-07:00

Clarissa is getting all ready for her party this week! She is getting her ears pierced, a pedicure, some new cute PJs, and plenty of snacks! She decided on Hawaiian Haystacks and grilled pineapple with ice cream for dessert. In the morning we are having muffins and fruit with yummy dip! She is still deciding on activities - flower pots, movies, Wii girl games, tie dying, makeovers, make cookies....how is a girl to decide! Got any great ideas? Leave a comment!

Pay it Forward!

2009-03-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

Pay it Forward

I found this on my friend's blog (Thanks Jennifer) Hope it'll be fun!!

The rules:
1. Be one of the first THREE bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me (that in and of itself will be a real treat since I rarely get crafty any longer).

2. Winners must post this challenge on their own blog, meaning that you will pay it forward, creating a handmade gift -anything!- for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!

3. The gift that you send to your 3 friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item (no pressure there!). This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember it’s the spirit and the thought that count!

4. When you receive your gift, blog about it! If you are not one of the first three to comment on this post, you can still play along. Go ahead and start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same! It's all about paying it forward. Or just lurk the blogs of the people who respond to mine- then you'll be ready to add yourself in the mix.

Lemon Water and Tissue Issues...

2009-03-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

It all started Tuesday night with a runny nose and watery eyes. Wednesday morning followed with a sore throat and more of the same from Tuesday. Thursday it all settled in and I had no voice. Friday I FORGOT an appointment, put the wrong product in an order for a client, forgot to call another and was DIZZY! Friday night I drugged myself up good to attend conference I had paid for. Saturday I did the same thing and came how with a very RAW nose. This morning I drank a TON of fresh juice lemon water to cut the congestion and tried to get a few things done for the day - plan the week, help Jon with a talk, get Jacob's scout stuff in order for his board of review today, etc. I was thinking I was doing pretty well getting things amidst all the piles of tissues and the watery eyes and then I got a call from the YW President at 12:10. I answered in my stuffy nose voice and she wondered if I was coming to our meeting. I responded with "What meeting?". She politely said we have our PI meeting right now and I guess we'll do it without you. Seriously - I HAD FORGOTTEN ANOTHER THING! I looked at my calendar and there it was in BOLD! PI 12 PM. I decided right then that I was staying home to rest. How embarrassing to be so forgetful this week! Very humbling indeed!

CA Deals this week Rayley's and Walgreens

2009-03-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

This Sunday there was a Rayley's coupon for $20 of a purchase of $100 or more. Here is how we worked it in our family -

Suave shampoo	0.88	*	Coupons:$1.75
Suave conditioner	0.88	*
Suave shampoo	0.88	*
Santitas chips	0.99	*
Santitas chips	0.99	*
Wheat thins	1.88	*	1.00
Wheat thins	1.88	*
Cheese 2 lbs	4.99	*
Cheese 2 lbs	4.99	*
Cheese 2 lbs	4.99	*
Cheese 2 lbs	4.99	*
ground beef patties	6.99	*
Birds eye veggie meal	5.99	*	2.00
Bertoli Past meal	5.99	*	1.25
Bertoli Past meal	5.99	*	1.25
Bertoli Past meal	5.99	*	1.25
Mac & Cheese - 2	1.18
Smart Water - 10	10
Sugar 5 lbs	5.99	*	0.35
Broccoli 2 lbs	2
Aspargus - 2 lbs	4
Salad 2 bag romain	4
M&Ms 1 bag	2.59	*	1
Woolite	6.99	*	1
Lysol cleaner	2.59	*	0.50
Spray and Wash	1.99*		0.50

All items on "sale". All * items had one or more coupons used w/ sale price.

Purchase Value over $100 - total cost after coupons - $68.77

Meals for the week at our house:
1. Cheese & Veggie Pizzas (homemade dough)
2. Beef and Broccoli w/ rice
3. "Birds eye" meal w/ an extra pack of veggies to stretch it!
4. Taco Salad (w/ chips on sale and homemade chili from food storage)
5. Bertoli Pasta meal w/ salad
6. Grilled Hamburgers & grilled aspargus
7. Mac & Cheese with "Octopus" shaped Dogs and raw veggies

At the end of the week we are still able to add items to our "storage": cheese, 2 Bertoli pasta meals, M&Ms for Easter, 10 lbs of sugar, shampoo/conditioner, cleaning supplies. Crackers & chips to add to lunches.

Clarissa also found a coupon for gum that she paired with the Walgreen's add! Total cost for Stride 14 pk - $0.12 Wahoo! We love coupons at our house!

Happy Birthday Clarissa!

2009-03-18T22:11:00.001-07:00

Wahoo! Clarissa hit DOUBLE Digits today! She had breakfast in bed, got beautiful flowers and went on a special date to a concert with Dad! Happy Birthday Sweet Clarissa!

I just "Guest Posted" for a Blog...

2009-03-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

Guest Post: More on Couponing - Items from Save Mart this week!

This week you can find some pretty good deals at Save Mart! They have Dannon Light and Fit Yogurt on sale for 10/$5. Pair that with the coupon from your Sunday inserts and you'll get them for only $0.40 each. Onions are only $0.33 per pound. There is a $3 off coupon from General Mills when you buy any 6 "participating" items - see the add for more details: http://savemart.gsnrecipes.com/Shop/WeeklyAd.aspx There are many other things that might be useful for your family but those are a couple that were useful for ours!

When you spend $10 or more you can also buy:
Chicken of the Sea tuna for only $0.58 (2 can limit)
Apple Juice (2 bottle, 64 oz) $0.99 each
3 Count Romain Hearts $1.29 each (2 bag limit)
8 oz Hormel Natural Lunch Meat $1.99 (2 pkg limit)

Usually we spend more than $20 on groceries in a week. So what I do is split my shopping list in half in my cart and into two separate orders when I check out allowing me to get 4 of everything listed above instead of just two. If it is something I don't need or want to stock then I have to discipline myself and not get it. This week I will get 4 tuna. 4 apple juice, 2 lettuce, and 2 lunch meat. Just be sure to have two copies of the ad to do this so that you have the extra coupons needed.

Happy Shopping! - Sarah, www.twitter.com/missvibrant

Clarissa's Perfect Carrot Cake

2009-03-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this look just simply mouth watering? Clarissa made it all by herself (asking a few questions of course along the way)! She made two cakes to take to the YW Girl's Camp Silent Dessert Auction Fundraiser last night and also a dozen muffins for us to eat for breakfast this week. The recipe is wheat free and "low sugar" so of course I had to have some. I ate SIX muffins before we even left for the auction and another when we got home and then two more for breakfast this morning! Yikes - no wonder my skirt was a little tight this morning! I had this piece of cake for "dinner" - gotta get those veggies in you know!

Great job on your cooking skills Clarissa! She even made the cream cheese frosting - yum!

Zits, Death Crawls, and the Hundred Acre Wood

2009-03-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

Jon has been keeping us all rolling on the floor LOL because of the funny things he says. Here are a few of his latest:

"I have a zit! That means I must be growing up big."

"Today at church I learned about Joseph Smith and he went to the Hundred Acre Wood to pray and he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus."

"Look at my guns".

He has been really working to get big muscles! You can find him doing "death crawls" in the back yard just like they do in "Facing the Giants". Or you may find him doing curls with my 10 lb weights. You can also find him doing push-ups and jumping jacks! I wish I had half of his energy! He is amazing!

This is picture is of him as "musician rapper". He dresses up a LOT!

Thanks for making us all smile Jon!

This guy is home-schooled!

2009-03-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

February 20th was Jacob's last day of public school. The last two weeks have been a bit overwhelming and challenging at times but all in all he is VERY happy to not be in public school any longer. Jacob's pre-testing for homeschooling came back and he is testing at a 9th grade level in Math and close to 9th grade in Language arts and world history. He is excited to be in a home-school band Mondays and Wednesdays. Jacob is playing the trumpet in the intermediate band and will start playing in the beginning band with the clarinet really soon. He is already learning some of it on his own from Clarissa who plays in the band at her school. His goal by the end of 8th grade is to be playing (at some level) the trumpet, clarinet, drums and acoustic guitar. I am excited that he has gotten so much done with his scouting since he has been home the last two weeks. In his spare time from studies he is learning all he can about Click Bank, affiliate marketing and other online marketing strategies. Go Jake go!

Signs of Spring!

2009-03-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

Everywhere I turn there are signs of spring and I am so excited. Here are a few pictures of one of the plants that is already blooming in my garden. I still have so much to do to become a "master gardener" but one baby step at a time and we'll have some good produce in no time!

Blessings are Chasing Us Down and Overtaking Us!

2009-02-15T08:44:00.000-08:00

I love thinking the thought that "blessings are chasing me down and overtaking me". Amid all the craziness of the bast few weeks and months, we have truly been blessed.

Here are just a few:
- I have found a book called, The Mood Cure that has helped me a ton in curing the depression I have faced for many years. Check it out!
- I landed a promotional partnership with a Chili's restaurant here in RC and things went so well that I got about 100 new leads last night and they booked me to come again for Admin Assist's Day in April. There's a good possibility that they will refer me to all the other Chili's in the Sacramento area as well.
- Jerry has his "10 Min Marriage Manager" project started and has gotten lots of responses for people interested in the program.
- My exercise program is going well and I am beginning to get other friends involved it it also.
- My 1st OAMC project turned out awesome! We did 11 dinners and 25 breakfasts!
- The children and I have been very blessed with our morning scripture time.
- Every day I learn something new about the web.

Truly - blessings are chasing me down!

A Wee Bit of Craziness!

2009-02-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

It has been two weeks since I last wrote and in that time A LOT has happened! Our back yard has been flooding for awhile due to lots of rain and a crack in one of the sprinkler lines. We got it "fixed" in January but the problem didn't go away. Jerry and I have literally bailed 100s of gallons of water out of our back yard. When we finally got it mostly bailed, we noticed another crack in a totally different location. Great! We also noticed that our front yard was also mushy where the water main is. The contractor had never fully turned it off and he broke the turn off valve in the process of the last "fix" but never told us that had happened! We can't get him to call us back ... so our yard will remain mushy until we get a referral from someone else to fix the problem!

The first week or so of November our oven heating element caught on fire and was rendered useless. I was devastated thinking that we wouldn't be able to have turkey for Thanksgiving. A few days later we found an on-line company that sells parts! ....... We got the part and just in time, Thanksgiving was saved. We ordered a few parts for our fridge as well (it had been broken for awhile but we weren't willing to call the Sears's man) and are happy to report that we had success with it also.

For a long time I have been woken up in the morning by the oven timer. It works for me because I have to actually GET UP to turn it off. It solved the problem of me falling asleep again after turning off previous alarm. Last Saturday morning came like any other morning the kitchen timer sounded and I got up to turn it off. I actually decided to set it for another hour as I had been up multiple times with sick children and I was tired. I reset it and then began to walk back to my bedroom. Before I even reach my room in our tiny house a loud and persistent beep sounded! I went back in to see the timer flashing -F1-. I pushed clear/off, reset - but nothing changed, it just kept blaring and flashing F1. I pushed every button possible and even tried to reset the timer for a different time. Nothing changed! Jerry stumbled into the kitchen to see what was going on and tried to "fix" it himself. He was unsuccessful also. Finally he went outside and turned off the power to the oven. We waited a bit and then switched the power back on hoping that the error would have reset itself. Nope! The beeping started again and the -F1- messages mockingly flashed as before. We turned the power off again and searched through the owners manual (lucky for us the previous owners were very organized. They gave us receipts and manuals for every improvement they made in the 27 years they lived here.) The manual didn't help a bit so we began to search on line and make phone calls all over. The answers were dismal - the part is no longer made, no one local fixes it, if it does get fixed by someone others had found that the problem returned rather quickly....! Jerry finally found a place that said they might have a part for him. He quickly got dressed and raced to pick it up. He called me on his way home to tell me it wasn't the right part. Bummer! He searched more on-line and decided to send it off to a company that fixes parts and had good reviews. I will let you know "the rest of the story" when we get the part back.

It has been fun and well not so fun to live without a stove or oven or microwave. We have gone over a week now and I have to say that we eaten a lot of foil pack meals, grilled all kinds of things, and eaten a lot of sandwiches and tortilla wraps.

Here's the video showing our part! Will it be resurrected or will it RIP?

A Brand New Year, Skunks, OAMC, Sick kids, the Mood Cure, and more! Whew!

2009-02-01T17:50:00.000-08:00

What a week! If I hadn't experienced it myself, I would not have believed it! Jake, Clarissa and Jerry all home sick from church last Sunday. Clarissa home sick from school on Monday. Jacob home sick Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Clarissa sick again on Friday night, Saturday night and still today so she will be home tomorrow from school again!

One morning we had a skunk in our neighborhood and I woke up smelling it! Yuck!

Tuesday night I checked out a new MK training center and had 7 guests! Yeah! Wednesday woke up with a migraine and stayed in my PJs all day! I have had crazy depression for several years and finally on Wednesday when the pain from my head subsided I started reading a book called "The Mood Cure". Wow! Within 30 min of implementing some of the things some of the dark depression cloud began to fade! By that night I was doing fabulous and by Thursday I was doing awesome! I am so excited I have been telling everyone about it! I would love to be depression free ALWAYS!

Have you seen "The Brand New YEAR" website for the youth? Our family is so excited about it! To experience the excitement yourself go to http://abrandnewyear.lds.org/index.html You will be so glad you did! There are videos, mp3 downloads, interviews and so much more!!!! Our family is unanimous on our vote that it is WAY better that HSM! See ya Disney!

OAMC! Thank you Jessica E for cooking with me for 5 hours yesterday! We did quadruple batches of meatballs, meatloaf, chili, turkey veggie soup, stir fired rice, dilled salmon, lamb and roasted veggies, cod and veggies, and pizza topping packets! Throw in a couple mac and cheese nights and we are set for the month! My kids are so happy that we know what we are having for dinner! We had such a great time cooking and are making plans to roll it out to other ladies in our circle of friends!

Well - my family is calling for me to finish watching our favorite show with them - "Facing the Giants"! If you haven't seen it - you should!

We have a winner...actually 2 winners!

2009-01-25T21:04:00.000-08:00

Here are our winners! Jacob made me a sign and put it on my desk in case they were in bed when I got home. They have been sick all day but they didn't want to miss letting me know that they had WON on Radio Disney while I was gone! I guess it must have been a pretty boring night being sick and all! Radio Disney is sending the family a CD! Clarissa did all the talking but Jacob was the "mind" behind the plan and the "reason" they won! LOL!

Jake, Clarissa and Jerry all stayed home from church today because they were sick. When I got home from all my church meetings tonight they told me Jon has the bug too and went to bed at 7:30! That is seriously early for my little guy who usually goes to bed no earlier than 9:30.

Even as a sick guy, Jacob helped his sister WIN on Radio Disney! This was the first video we took about the winning event. Clarissa wasn't in the shot so we retook it below!

You know what cracks me up? Jacob's voice is changing like crazy!

Speaking of...

2009-01-25T09:22:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I spoke to a group of about 200 women. I was asked to speak because I did 13 Power Starts in a row. It went pretty well but I was sick by the time it was done! Maybe it is my perfectionist style or maybe it was the weight I felt at making sure I shared what was most important for them to hear. Either way - I was a wee bit (ok - a lot bit) nervous about the whole thing. I do believe that the solution would be for me to speak a lot more often! LOL! Here's a picture of some of the ladies who came with me as well as NSD Thea Elvin who was the key note speaker.

Sarah's Trip to Phoenix

2009-01-25T09:03:00.001-08:00

It was so fun to connect with girlfriends last week in Phoenix! We got to talk to and have our picture taken with Mary Kay's US President and CEO, David Holl. Ask me sometime to tell you the story of how that picture came to be!

While I was there I was able to see Grandma Bastow in the Care Center where she is getting PT for her leg surgery. Marsha was awesome to pick me up from my hotel to take me to see Grandma. We had dinner with her and took her on a walk in her wheel chair. It was great to see both of them! We are praying for you Grandma!

Presents from Silvia 2

2009-01-13T21:42:00.001-08:00

Here's the video of Clarissa and Jon. By the time Jacob was supposed to open his presents I had run the battery dead (with the children's help - they play with the flip all the time!) Oh, well!

Presents from Silvia! Jon's gets his first!

2009-01-13T21:24:00.000-08:00

The children received an extra Christmas surprise in the mail yesterday! Jon gets home from kinder a little after 11 and he opened the door when the mail man came to bring the package. He pleaded to be able to open it up and so .... I let him. He was only able to open one gift before nap. Before he settled down for his nap here's the quick video I captured of him. I am learning all the ins and outs of our new FLIP camera so it is fun!

Well Jon woke up from his nap before Clarissa got home and he could hardly stand it! She finally arrived and he just had to open another gift while she opened hers! The next video will be in the next post!

Tops and Bottoms

2009-01-11T21:01:00.000-08:00

The day big day for bottoms arrived this past week on January 5th! That's right - Clarissa got her bottom braces on! Ouch! The bummer of it was that by that night one of her brackets had popped off and was ripping apart her cheek. We called the orthodontist and he had us clip it with wire clippers. She finally got in on the 8th to have everything fixed up but... there wasn't enough room between her teeth to put bands on so they put spacers in between her teeth and said come back next week! Golly - Wolly! How much time can a girl miss from school anyway? So now we go back in on the 14th to complete the 1st phase of getting braces on! Oh and did I mention that Jacob needs braces too?!? I thought I was going to get to max out my IRA this year and instead I will be filling my childrens' mouths with $6000 green ones! I guess in order to max out my IRA I will just have to sell a few more lipsticks!

Fun With Food Storage!

2009-01-07T22:09:00.000-08:00

It is so heart warming to see beautiful young moms making great things happen on the WWW and with Food Storage! I worked very focused in 2008 to get our "year supply" taken care of in just 2 months and it wasn't always fun - OK almost never and it was a LOT of hard work!! The good news is - I did it and I helped a dozen or more families get thiers done too! I felt so blessed to have shared such a needed resource with those other familes that I brought along side me in my journey to becoming more self-relinant! The ladies at www.funwithfoodstorage.net have made it FUN and simple! Take a few minutes and check out their site!

All About Jake!

2008-12-28T16:55:00.000-08:00

Jacob looked at the blog and said - "Where are all the pictures of me! Here you go Jake! This post's for you! PS - See if you can find Jake in this sea of swimmers!
Just after he got off a HUGE slide! Brr! He got so burnt that day! He missed the next two days of school!!! Next time wear sunscreen like mom suggested! ;-)
Holding a Rabbit at our week long 6th Grade camping trip. Awh - can't we get a pet mom!
Two brother's hug on Jon's Birthday!
Skating with friends on Dec 17, 2008.
6th Grade Promotion Day June 12th with Mom and Dad. Rock Climbing at our weeklong camping trip/6th grade field trip! So fun!

Today we got a shot of him flexing before he changed out of church clothes. His muscles are much bigger in person! I am amazed at how strong he is!
April - BEFORE he got a hair cut! "Peace" you shaggy guy!
Love ya Jake!

Clarissa's Artisan Tropics Bedroom Makeover

2008-12-28T14:13:00.000-08:00

It's is nearly finished! Clarissa's dream of a Tropical/Hawaiian Artist's Dream Bedroom has come true! We have been working on it for awhile. She spent most of her Birthday money on the accessories - curtains, pillows, decorative plates and such. We used leftover cans from our "year supply canning" project to create her "art wall". She loves it! All of her art supplies are separated into different cans that hang from her bed. She got her loft bed for Christmas after searching for months on Craig's list. It was a miracle that she found one with in her "Christmas budget" and the bonus was that it was located less than 5 minutes from our home. Clarissa and I went and looked at it and that night Jerry went and picked it up in the van. For her Christmas surprise, I used www.scrapblog.com to create a picture of each letter of her name. Each of them are different and they turned out darling. We are still looking for a pineappple water fountain, an "island inspired" mirror for her wall, and rope lighting for around her bed. Right now we have iscle lights hanging from her bed but they blink so much that they are really distracting.

All in all - Clarissa loves her room! She believes that dreams do come true and she busily spent Friday and Saturday putting together her new goal posters for the coming year!

Great job Sis!

Christmas Eve Night! Happy Birthday Sarah

2008-12-25T21:57:00.001-08:00

I forgot to take any pictures of how I spent most of my day! In another post I will show you pictures of the finished product! I had a wonderful breakfast in bed - fried eggs and apples!
After we finished the huge projects we had a quick dinner (aka burger king for the kids and a yummy cranberry salsa turkey spinach wrap for me) and then we headed out to see the lights at Dovewood Ct. We had never been before and they were so beautiful. It was raining so the picture here is pretty blurry. Dovewood will be an annual tradition now for sure! Upon arriving home from seeing lights, I took Clarissa and Jon out to leave food on the grass for Santa's reindeer. We had a fun time checking in with www.noradsanta.com several times to see when Santa was coming. The children all had a snack before bed of cookies. We were sure to save some for Santa too. Here's the picture Jon took of the plate we made for Santa. We had a big glass of goat milk for Santa as well. Jerry and I stayed up way to late putting together last minute projects - ie -the 12 x 6 foot soccer goalie box I designed for Jon. All in all it was a nearly perfect day!

Christmas Eve Eve!

2008-12-25T21:20:00.001-08:00

These beautiful flowers arrived on Monday from Mom and Dad B for my Birthday! They are so beautiful! They came just time for our dinner guests on Monday night! The next day was JAM PACKED! Jon had a Primary class party! I had to get last minute "Santa supplies" from the landscape store for Jon's Christmas surprise. All three children had dentist appointments. Jon has two cavities again! Dentist says it's genetic! My check book still feels rotten even after hearing that! Jerry dropped me off at the mall and I scored big time! Between there and the thrift store I got over 20 items for less than $3 each and great brands too! When we got home from all the errands, I started cleaning out the cars and doing laundry and such! What a JOB! Cute Jon pitched in and helped rake up the pine needles. "Mom, do I get paid for this? This is a lot of work - whew!"

Chirstmas is Magical! 6:30 AM w/ Jon!

2008-12-25T19:38:00.001-08:00

Family Pictures Take 2

2008-12-22T11:20:00.000-08:00

We were planning on having all of these in black and white (she gave us all the shots in both color and black and white) so I wasn't really worried about the fact that they boys were wearing red under their jackets and that it might clash with the hot pink jackets. Oh well! We will love how they turned out! I will let you know when Shae is in town next so that she can take pictures of you too!!!!

Family Pictures Take 1

2008-12-22T10:42:00.000-08:00

Well here are a few of the shots we took from the first part of our photo shoot. These were all inside - mostly in front of the fire place. Not my favorite but they are still cute. I especially like the one of the three kids in a pyramid. That's a keeper!

Better than Dish!

2008-12-21T20:29:00.000-08:00

ROTFLOL! These two guys crack me up! They share headphones to watch free movies on-line! We turned off cable a few months ago but that hasn't stopped our "viewing" time. We have a total of 5 computers in the house - 4 of which are hooked up to the Internet! ARGH! I know, look at who is talking - I am on the computer right now writing this...! I have purposely planned many outings for our Christmas break so that we don't spend all day in separate rooms in front of our "own" computers. I'll let you know how it goes.

I saw Sista Kissing Santa Clause...

2008-12-21T20:19:00.001-08:00

Actually, he kissed Sis! Many of the little ones in our neighborhood and at church have a sweet spot for Sis because she is so kind to them. They run after her and giver her hugs and kisses. They wave and say "hi" to her when she walks into any room. We are setting up baby-sitting in our home because she is already such a popular sitter. She isn't quite old enough to do it at other people's homes but she does such a great job that people have already requested her. These cute pics are from the last EQ Party this past Friday. It was fun and we got to try Chocolate Rice...unusual but it grows on you! I had two bowls!

Dancing Sista

2008-12-21T18:30:00.000-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Jon Can MOVE!

2008-12-21T18:27:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Go Disco! Those Cooks Can Dance!

2008-12-21T18:22:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Look How We Can Dance!

2008-12-21T17:28:00.000-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Ice Skating for the First Time!

2008-12-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

Our skating trip on Wednesday evening consisted of five Gallons of hot cocoa, a few dozen cookies, and 40+ youth! It was CRAZY trying to get all the double permission slips from everyone!
Here's a shot of Sis and me. She did such a great job skating especially for her first time!!
Allan, Jake, Brian and Jon! Everyone had fun!
Family Pic! Jerry and Sarah Enjoying the ice together! Jerry must have tried on 5 different pairs of skates! None of them seemed to fit quite right! Still it was fun!

What pros on ice Jon and Jacob were and for the first time ever skating! Everyone was amazed by Jon because of his size! Put him in a Hockey League was the consensus! Right! Ice Hockey in CA!

My Photo Shoot and Family Photos

2008-12-21T15:37:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago a friend of mine called me about a project she was working on photographing working women and asked if she could photograph me. I said sure why not. We took a lot of shots and she burned a CD of the ones she liked best. These are my three favorite. Which one do you like?

I felt like she did such a great job that I asked if she could take some family pictures as well. We had a hard time getting our schedules together but finally yesterday we did it - a 2 hour photo shoot of the Cook family! It was really fun! I will post them as soon as I get them!

Great Movies!

2008-12-15T15:27:00.001-08:00

I just have to share one of my favorite sites:

http:/www.simpletruths.com It has the best inspirational movies all in one place! You can go to this link to see one about the Savior! http://www.onesolitarylifemovie.com

And while I am on the topic of sites - here is the link for the Talk of the Week Blog that I contribute to: http://www.talkoftheweek.blogspot.com/

It has been a crazy week with Jerry being very dehydrated! Thank goodness for the Priesthood! He is doing much better today.

Enjoy your virtual "trip to the movies" and be sure to tell me what your favorite show is from the Simple Truths site.

Sweet Pea Cookie Jar

2008-12-07T17:03:00.000-08:00

She did it! Clarissa sold 10 dozen cookies this past week! We designed this header for her blog thanks to www.scrapblog.com. She made peanut butter blossoms, rice krispie squares, brownies, snicker doodles, and gingersnaps. She did such a good job! We wrapped them in cello with bows and all. What a nice profit for a few hours of work! Go to www.sweetpeacookiejar.blogspot.com to see her budding blog.

Lions and Tigers and School Projects - Oh My!

2008-11-29T14:51:00.000-08:00

Today has been spent catching up, strategizing the holidays, putting up icicle lights, eating leftovers, learning flikr, and doing School projects with the children! Clarissa has a business proposal due in about 2 weeks but we wanted to get it done early - you can see the business card we created for her to use. I will give you more details when the project is done! Jacob has several projects due and hopefully one is done. Wow! Being a parent is a labor of love!

Thanksgiving Recap and Black Friday

2008-11-28T15:03:00.001-08:00

Potato pancakes for breakfast, hike 10 miles, one blister, whole body soreness, lavender oil and mineral salt bath, yummy Thanksgiving dinner, lots of laundry, and then SHOPPING with three children! That is how I spent the last 24 hours! It has been fun and I am tired!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...

2008-11-26T21:08:00.000-08:00

It's been raining today but I don't care! I made 3 pumpkin pies, an apple pie, went shopping , helped Jerry set up his blog, organized my office, and helped the children begin to decorate for Christmas...whew! Here are a few pictures of our home. The trees with flags are in the boy's bedroom. Sis is having an Aloha Christmas and it is still in progress but it will look cute when it is finished. The rest of them are pics from other areas of the house. I am hoping to get our tree on Friday!

A Thanksgiving Disclaimer...

2008-11-25T11:10:00.000-08:00

I know the blog says Merry Christmas because - well I LOVE CHRISTMAS!! However, we love Thanksgiving at our house too and we are very grateful for so many things this year! Be sure to watch for a special Thanksgiving post on Thanksgiving day! I am even more thrilled for Thanksgiving this year because the YW girls and I made pies. That's me above making crust from scratch! Too fun! I also went to Dream Dinners and made most of my "side dishes"! All I have to do is pop them in the oven along with the turkey and I am done! PS - If you want to know what to get me for Christmas or my birthday a Dream Dinners gift card would be at the TOP of the list! LOL! Well, Jon will be home in a few and I have a TON to do still so may your day be full of blessings!

All things Grateful: Blessing Baskets, Gratitude Journals and more...

2008-11-25T10:21:00.000-08:00

For the past couple of weeks I have been almost daily adding to my journal in a section called "All things Grateful". It has been so much fun to see all the things I can come up with! I recently listened to a talk that spoke of a Blessing Basket. Inside the Blessing Basket family members can leave notes of what they are thankful for. We will read them daily at dinner with the goal being to fill the basket by Christmas! You can visit me at www.twitter.com/missvibrant to see what else I am grateful for! Today I chose to be grateful for all the beautiful flowers still in my garden and the wee jalapeno pepper that little Jon picked. He was so proud of himself! Here are a few pics for your enjoyment!

PS - Be sure get your own Twitter Act so we can Tweet away throughout the day!