Smith Family Ice Cream Scoop: April 2011

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Happy Birthday, Dear Cooper

Sniff. Sniff. My baby is ten. He used to be so little, and now just look at him. He's growing up, and I'm not sure that I'm ready.

Cooper is a determined boy. He gives great hugs. He is not a morning person. He's a good friend. He is a good pooper scooper (he has a paying job doing this). He has a great brain. He's funny. He has a super cute smile. He's a good hand-holder. He still wants us to say prayers with him every night. I'm so glad that he's my little boy, and I'm grateful every day for him.

He made this hat all by himself... impressive, yes? ;)

Happy Birthday, Coop!

Scripture Journal Inspiration

I am so excited about this recent discovery... I had to share! I've been attempting to study my scriptures by topic for awhile now... I've read through the scriptures multiple times, one time even reading the Book of Mormon twice in two months, and felt like I needed a deeper, different experience with the scriptures. I hadn't found the perfect motivation for it yet... I hadn't found the system that would really help me learn and live the scriptures... until a dear friend opened my eyes to this.

This amazing woman makes these scripture journals... and they are beautiful. Amazing. She picks topics to study, lays it all out in the journal, and then as she studies the scriptures, conference, the Ensign, etc., she fills in thoughts and studies under each topic. I will never make such beautiful journals, but I still knew this was right up my alley. This is what I did last conference with my notes:

My notes are a lot messier, but I think The Red Headed Hostess and I think along the same wavelengths.

So, I've started... I got this beautiful journal from Brandon's parents for my birthday, and thought it would be the perfect thing to start this journey of digging deep into the scriptures, and gospel learning.

I had Aubrey write some quotes in the front (because she has awesome handwriting, and we're going to do this project together, and I wanted a part of her in my book), and I had her number my pages.

I picked topics and wrote a table of contents...

And now I'm ready to begin. :) Anyone want to join me and Aubrey? We're using this for a Personal Progress project.

I Heart Faces: Wind

The challenge over at i heart faces this week is wind. Of course I thought of my recent little shoot with my beautiful 15 year old daughter... it was so windy that day! I love love love her freckles, her natural beauty, and the wind playing with her hair.

Monday, April 11, 2011

The Rest of These People

Me? I'm crazy insane and you all hear enough about me. Let's talk about the rest of the weirdos who live here.

This girl is in trouble. Trouble. With a capital T. She won't stop growing up, and I've about had it. She's doing track right now, because she has to be doing a million things at once or she's not happy. ;) She runs a mile in about 6:15, which I think is pretty darn good. I'm proud of her. She also likes to hang out with friends and doesn't like that her dad is having a hard time letting her grow up. I understand where they're both coming from... it's hard.

This one... is about to have a birthday, which he is not about to let us forget... as much as we want to. All of our kids are going to be double digit ages. I'm kind of upset about it. Cooper said that he will go down a year at home, but up a year everywhere else, so I guess he'll be 8, just at home... for me. He just started his baseball season, and he's a Carolina Mud Cat. Mud Cat... hmmm... that sounds pretty ferocious.

And my middle child... I love him. He was chosen from his school to go on to the next level with his Science Project. He didn't win anything in Rangely, but he was excited to be able to experience it anyway, and I'm proud of him. He's doing a lot better in school than he was at the beginning of the year, and I just know he's going to keep up the good work. He just started baseball season too... on the Braves. He's playing with the oldest boys now... I'm really excited to watch his games.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love this boy? I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. He's 2 steps closer to getting his dream... and I'm happy for him. I know, you would think that I am his dream, but no... his dream is owning a horse. Soon, babe.

‎"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." — Marianne Williamson

To Do Today

* Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks. The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by him, and nothing is impossible for you.
* When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God.
* In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take.
* First and foremost, you are a spirit child of God. If you neglect to feed your spirit, you will reap unhappiness. Don't permit anything to detract you from this awareness.
* You cannot communicate with God unless you have first sacrificed your self-oriented natural man and have brought yourself into the lower levels of meekness, to become acceptable for the Light of Christ.
* Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul.
* Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for him by diligently serving in his Church.
* God knows that you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, he will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve.
* God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us--everything will fall into its place.
* Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin.
* When you cannot love someone, look into that person's eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him.
* Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges.
* If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again.
* Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm. On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts.
* Avoid rush and haste and uncontrolled words. Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship.
* Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction.
* You want to be good and to do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reached in our lives is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is really good and necessary to do.
* The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it.
* Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve.
* And finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better.

from "Unleashing the Dormant Spirit by F. Enzio Busche