happy weekend

On school mornings, I wake Stella and Elliot up extra early so that we can read scriptures together before Mabel and Oliver leave for their bus. It is hard to wake them up when I know that they could easily sleep for another hour, but this is why I do it: Elder Richard G. Scott said, "Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games, or social media." I have to repeat this to myself almost every morning as I hear Stella's alarm beeping downstairs.

Before I started waking them up early, our mornings were hectic. I was always hurrying slow-moving Stella along, and very often she got out the door nearly late to school, and not on the best foot. Now our mornings are easy and slow. There is plenty of time to finish up last night's homework, or jump on the trampoline, or spend half an hour in the bathroom if they need to. Waking up early to read scriptures together completely changed the dynamic of our mornings. Our mornings are mostly peaceful and calm now. They are happy.

Anyway, I have a testimony of early morning scripture study. Right now I read to them while they eat their breakfast, but I know eventually I need to get them more involved. How does it work at your house?

My kids are headed to my in-law's cabin this weekend. Mike and I have an overnight retreat for his new MBA class. Even though we're local, they're putting us up at a hotel. I'm hoping to skip out on some of the meetings and take a nap. It's going to be fun, but I already miss the kids!

What do you have planned?

teamwork

Mike and I are making slow and steady progress on our yard. On Monday we built a new gate. I wish I'd taken a before picture. Our old gate was in sorry shape, dragging on the ground, still scratched up from when we had a dog a million years ago, painted a faded red, and just generally completely worn out.

We worked together all day long and finished our new gate with just enough time to hurry to Elliot's baseball game. Mike and I do a lot of things together, but this day just felt really good, for some reason. I think it must have been our matching shirts. Nothing says "team" like matching shirts. :)

less sugar buttermilk syrup

It's funny how what I think of as healthy has changed over the years. I used to think that no matter what was in a food, as long as I made it at home, it was healthy. For example: my first go at buttermilk syrup. I would never in a million years put corn syrup into something nowadays!

Once I started making most things from scratch, I realized that maybe I could choose better ingredients, or things with fewer ingredients. And definitely things with less added sugar. It doesn't matter if it's corn syrup or white sugar or organic honey, in my opinion. The less of those things in my family's diet, the better.

Who knows how I'll feel about that in a few years, but I suspect that I am on to something.

The fact remains that our family eats lots of pancakes and waffles and french toast. And those foods, as whole wheat and healthy as I make them, taste best when drizzled with sweet syrup. For a long time, this homemade maple syrup was my go-to. But even that has a full cup of sugar in it!

I found this recipe for buttermilk syrup and liked that it only has a few ingredients, but I didn't love all the sugar. So I cut the sugar in half. And you know what? It's completely delicious and totally sweet enough. My kids love it.

Less Sugar Buttermilk Syrup

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the buttermilk and sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the baking soda and vanilla. It will foam up a bit, so make sure your pot is large enough.

Best when served warm. Store the leftovers in the fridge and pop in the microwave to warm it up before the next use. Since it's mostly butter, it will separate and solidify a little. Warming it up and giving it a stir is the solution.

happy weekend

Do you have a pet? We have a cat. Her name is Inez. As far as cats go, she is really great. She stays off most of the furniture, she goes outside to use the bathroom, and I've never seen a hairball. Aside from the occasional lizard or bird parts I find on the stairs, I'd say she's the best pet we could have. Which actually isn't saying much, because to be honest, I'm not a pet person. And so why she has chosen me, the only person in our house who ignores her, to be her favorite is a total mystery. I laid down the other day to take a nap and she crawled right up on my chest. Mike will be petting her, and she will be completely content, and then I will walk into the room and she'll leave him to come to me. I don't ever intentionally touch her because then I will start sneezing, so why, why does she love me the best?

In other news, tonight Oliver has a campout, Mabel is babysitting, and Stella is having a late night with her cousins. Phew! What are Mike and Elliot and I going to do?

I just finished reading Brooklyn and The Nightingale. I'd easily recommend both.

I just can't get behind the high-waisted denim look.

And here's a super cool little video about my talented surfboard-making brother, Matt.

Have a happy weekend!

choose the harder right

Howard W. Hunter, a previous prophet said, "Conference time is a season of spiritual revival when knowledge and testimony are increased and solidified that God lives and blesses those who are faithful. It is a time when an understanding that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, is burned into the hearts of those who have the determination to serve him and keep his commandments. Conference is the time when our leaders give us inspired direction in the conduct of our lives--a time when souls are stirred and resolutions are made to be better husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, more obedient sons and daughters, better friends and neighbors. . ."

That is exactly how I feel about general conference, and why I look forward to it each April and October. I am excited to study the talks further, and I'll probably post my thoughts here, if you don't mind.

I wanted to start with the words of our current prophet, Thomas S. Monson. He didn't speak much at this conference, but what he said was powerful and rang true in my heart.

He said, "May we maintain the courage to defy the consensus. May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong. As we contemplate the decisions we make in our lives each day--whether to make this choice or that choice--if we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice."

I believe that our Heavenly Father loves us and wants to guide us, and so he has sent prophets to proclaim his word, even today. Just like the prophets in ancient times, these wise men hold the priesthood and speak with authority. They teach and defend the gospel. And most importantly, they bear witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ. I know that if I follow the counsel that comes from our prophet, I will be blessed.

Read, watch, or listen to President Monson's full talk here.

happy weekend

I feel like I've spent all week recovering from general conference. Every day I find myself looking over my notes from last weekend, trying to soak it all in again. I am excited to start studying some of the talks in greater detail. What's the point of listening if I don't try to incorporate the teachings into my life, you know?

Here's something neat: Mike was mentioned in the Wall Street Journal! Well, not by name, but there's a whole paragraph talking about a "qualified applicant-- an Arizona entrepreneur and married father of four" in this article about his MBA school. I'm so proud of him.

We are all getting pretty trunky over here. Is it summer vacation yet? It's hot outside and we are tired of brushing hair and packing lunches and getting out the door before the bell is going to ring. I'm regretting that we didn't get away for spring break now. Maybe that would have held us over til summer. I'll have to remember that next year.

Have a happy weekend!

happy weekend

Hip hip hooray! It's the weekend! And it's one of my favorite weekends of the whole year--general conference. Plus, our weather has been really fantastic and my house is full of fresh, crisp air, so we are on a roll.

I love this quote from Elder Eyring: "In our day, living prophets and apostles are authorized to speak, teach, and direct with authority from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. . . In general conference twice a year, we are blessed with the opportunity to hear the word of the Lord for us from His servants. That is a privilege beyond price."

You can read Elder Eyring's entire message here.

I love general conference because I find answers to questions, I learn ways to improve my life, and because I hear counsel from a living prophet who speaks for God. But mostly I love general conference because of the peace I feel as I listen. All is right in the world when I am snuggled up with my little family in our basement, eating cinnamon rolls and listening the word of God.

You can watch general conference, too, if you'd like. Find out how here.

Have a happy weekend!