How do I keep up?

The Lady who used to own our house still lives close and drops by every once in a while. She caught me home for the first time last week. She also caught me in the middle of life. We had morning dishes in the sink, lunch dishes on the table. Clothes and toys strewn on the floor. And laundry in the hall waiting to be carried to the basement. Outside the Lawn had not been mowed in 2 weeks and the garden had yet to be weeded-at all. Hyrum was running around in a diaper, Gabe was in his underwear, and Seth was in a bad mood. I had spit up on my shirt and pants- hair up in a sweaty pony tail and no makeup.
In contrast...This woman had 10 kids. She was house cleaner by proffesion and all the neighbors talk about how she would scrub the garage floor every 3 days. She had a garden full of flowers that she kept, so she could take a vase to anyone in need. She scrubbed the rafters in the basement every night and she said she was always right behind her kids if there was ever a mess. She brought toys, cookies, and a vase of flowers for me. She also had a dog bone in the car for our neighbor across the street and a banana bread for my next door neighbor. Granted this women is 80 with no children at home, but she wasn't always. So, is there something I am missing. How do I keep up? How do I keep the house clean and be the Mom I want to be? That day that she came we had gotten up early, I had gone for my run, when I got home we read scriptures, then we all rushed through breakfast and went to the zoo. When we got home from the Zoo, the boys were exhausted and I was exshausted. I was giving them some scrambled eggs for lunch and clearing the table of breakfast. We have no airconditioning so the boys were stripping to try and cool off. After I made their lunch I sat down to blog my run. That is when she showed up. I felt so embarassed at the condition I had let "her" house get in. I just can't figure out how she did it. Maybe I spend to much time blogging? This week several times I have thought about calling a lady in our ward and asking if I could come and observe her. I just am not sure how to become that super mom I am sure our Mother in Heaven is. Any Ideas?

I love this talk!!

O.K.
Do you want a great motivator to clean the house? Read an inspirational book or poem? Enjoy the Beauty of the Earth? Spend real quality time with your beautiful children?

Read this wonderful talk. http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=a1f5ceb47f381210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
I am so inspired. And I have been all week, OK I know its only Wednesday :) And while your at it, google Ralph Waldo Emerson and read a few of his poems. I am not exaggerating when I say that his words are a spiritual feast.
Here is a little taste of Emerson...
The Rhodora

On Being Asked Whence Is the Flower

IN May, when sea-winds pierced our solitudes,
I found the fresh Rhodora in the woods,
Spreading its leafless blooms in a damp nook,
To please the desert and the sluggish brook.
The purple petals, fallen in the pool,
Made the black water with their beauty gay;
Here might the red-bird come his plumes to cool,
And court the flower that cheapens his array.
Rhodora! if the sages ask thee why
This charm is wasted on the earth and sky,
Tell them, dear, that if eyes were made for seeing,
Then Beauty is its own excuse for being:
Why thou wert there, O rival of the rose!
I never thought to ask, I never knew:
But, in my simple ignorance, suppose
The self-same Power that brought me there brought you.


I know that Heavenly Father loves us, that he made us, and that he made us for our own specific purpose. I love this life. I am grateful for the experiences I have. And I am so grateful for the beauty that surrounds us. I hope to some day be able to express the feelings I feel like Emerson. Until then, my simple testimony will have to do.

Mormon Woman- So Check it out!!

OK, my sister-in-law just emailed me this...
Dear friends and family and even my awesome acquaintances--

As many of you are well aware, there are a lot of myths, rumors and lies about the LDS religion on the Internet --practically everywhere, if we think about it --and top Google search terms result in anti-mormon websites and misleading images. In fact, here's what Elder Ballard said about it:
The emergence of New Media is facilitating a world-wide conversation on almost every subject including religion, and nearly everyone can participate. ...
Conversations will continue whether or not we choose to participate in them. But we cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the Church teaches. ...("Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet," Ensign, Jul. 2008, 58–63).

Personally, I would like the chance to participate and see the correct information being found.
Maybe you do, too?

For over a year, I have been following a website called Mormon Women. Last month, I was asked to be an administrator of the site (completely voluntary), and I was so excited to help! Mormon Women, which is sponsored by the More Good Foundation, is one of many other websites dedicated to flooding the Internet with positive and correct information. [Although they are not official websites of the Church, they strive to be in alignment with all doctrinal teachings and policies put out by the Church.] Because of sites like this, many people have found the truth online, rather than misinformation. I encourage you to visit Mormonwoman.org today, but I want you to do more than visit the site. Much more!

We need women to help --to see this as a missionary effort, and to help us get information out there about real live Mormon women --women who do not feel ashamed in their faith, but rather live it the best they can each day.

Will you please help me gather material for this site?

This is what we need:

· Comments. Come and comment! Share your faith and beliefs in brief and effective ways on easy topics like tithing, Relief Society, etc.
· Pictures. We need to replace the misleading google images pictures with pictures of me, you and your mom. We want all ages, nationalities and marital statuses represented. We are Mormon Women! We work, we play, we serve and we can do all these things with the love of the Lord in our hearts. And we do it differently! Some of us bike, others of us are into photography, some are vegetarians, some are musicians, many of us are writers...we need to show this!
· Portraits. We need you to submit articles on Women who inspire you and include with it a picture of that woman. So easy! Do you love your RS president? Was your Young Women’s President inspirational? Is your mom the best? Tell us in 1000 words or less, and include a picture.
· Essays, articles, artwork, poetry etc. Are you creating something that is inspired by the scriptures or the Spirit? Share it with us!
· Video. Do you have video from a ward activity, service project or Enrichment night that quickly bears testimony of who we are and the typical things we do? Send it our way.


Remember, though, that this site is for nonmember and investigator use and hopefully will be a powerful missionary tool. This site is not for social networking among members. This is not the place to discuss your misgivings about your local leaders or highlight other doctrinal issues that should be solved by personal prayer and study. We are trying to reflect an articulate, united front of love, intelligence and testimony!

Maybe you remember Sister Beck quoting President Hinckley in a recent General Relief Society Meeting:
If [the women of the Church] will be united and speak with one voice, their strength will be incalculable. . . . It is so tremendously important that the women of the Church stand strong and immovable for that which is correct and proper under the plan of the Lord.
(Quoted in Julie B. Beck, “What Latter-day Saint Women Do Best: Stand Strong and Immovable,”)

To me, this is a way for us to speak with one voice!

Here is the contact information for your convenience:
You can reach me and other administrators for questions and/or to place submissions at mormonwoman@gmail.com.
You can comment at the site at www.mormonwoman.org.
You can join us on Facebook! Go here to join our group.
You can learn more about the More Good Foundation at www.moregoodfoundation.org.


And then, if you would like, tell other Mormon Women! I'm working on an email that can be sent out --which is easy to forward, less long-winded on my part, etc.-- to all of your friends and family as well. I will send it within a day or two...

Thank you so much for your time!
With Love,
Cheryl

P.S. If you are a man and you received this, could you pass it onto your wife, sisters, mothers, etc.? That was my intent if you were included in this email (and probably because I didn't have their email addresses!). :)

Something I am proud of

http://www.beniceorelse.com/newsletter/video/A_Day_of_Beauty.html

Things that I have learned

I have learned...
...I cannot bare anothers trials, I am grateful for my own trials, and after visiting my dear family for the last few weeks, I can say for sure I would not want their trials. So, in the scriptures, when it says bear one anothers burdens-how can we do this? What does the Lord mean? I am not sure if I have this right, but I know that most of my burdens could not be born by another. Most of my trials can only be eased with understanding or by serving others.
...My boys are good! After spending 8 days of traveling with them, I have come to realize how funny, intelegent, sweet, and caring they are. They are a few of my best friends!
...We live in a beautiful and very diverse country. There are mountains, valleys, flat lands, platues; There are trees, grassy praries, red rock canyons; There are blue skys, brillant sunsets, breathtaking sunrises, deep grey rain clouds. We are so blessed by the beauty that surrounds us. I love the sage brush, and the color of the yellow grass against the lava rocks, mingled with the blue and yellow wild flowers. I love the color of purplish green on the mountain behind my parents house- with a vibrant see of green growing in between. I love hiking up mountains in Montana and gazing across hills and valleys in Moscow. I love the ominous waterfalls in Twin Falls set with a background of the new temple. I love the new Rexburg Temple, that you can see for miles away set as an ensign to all who come within its shadow. I love the feel of the sand, and the convenience of the ocean to wash it a way. I love to here the sound of the ocean as it tickles the shore. We live in a vast play ground. How blessed we are!
...Marriage is wonderful! Being away from Tom for three weeks helped me to remember that. At the end of an exhausting day when all I wanted was to relax in his arms, there was no arms. Kisses are rejuvinating! Talking on the phone is never the same. I am almost sure I would never survive as a single mom. And I am positive I would go inactive!! Church was impossible with 4 active little boys. Some stood on benches some were dropped on the floor, some through toys. Heavenly Father knows if he ever took Tom away, he would loose the whole family :)
...There is a time and a season. I am in a terrific season of my life. However it is not the time of peace and quiet or nice things enjoying sacrament meeting long quiet strolls beautiful delicous meals that everyone compliments you on organic food manicured lawns clean cars or a feeling that all is accomplished. I think if I were to choose I would call that a summer season. This may be my spring season. The season of endless running, endless hugs, endless teaching, endless laundry, endless dishes, naptimes, bedtimes, sunburns, first words, first steps, no quiet, fingerprints on the walls, fingerprints on the windows, finger prints everywhere. I hate you and I love you in the same sentence. Giggles fights laughs knock knock jokes that make no sense! Learning, growing changing. Finding strength in the Savior. Finding Strength in prayer. Finding Strength in the scriptures. Yes this is my Spring season and even though I am bound to get a little dirt under my fingernails I would not change it for the world and I know I will be sad when it is over.
...Vacations don't last for ever, nor should they. I am glad to be home. I love my home and my little quiet family and our slow life.

I am so blessed!

I have no anecdotes or thought provoking things to say. I just wanted to make a record of how happy I am at this moment in my life, so I can always remember it.
I guess I should maybe start with my take on why I am so happy.
First, During our General Conference-A gathering of members of the church world wide to hear the words of our Modern Day prophet, I had the strong impression that increasing my temple attendance would increase my capacity. I knew that this was the Lords promise to me that if I attended the temple I would become the person I wanted to be. Keep in mind that prior to this prompting, I was falling short, wondering where most people got the time to do all that was required for survival. I decided to listen to this prompting, and take Heavenly Father at his word.
Since then I have attended the temple weekly. I am not sure that my "trials" have lessened, but I think my understanding of them has increased. I have gained more patience with my children. A greater desire for love and quiet in our home. And an increased capacity to help my husband be happy and become a better protector and provider and presider of our home and family.
Second, the sun is shining! Because the sun is shining we have been outside everyday. We have worked in the garden, mowed the lawn, visited the nature center, rode our bikes, played football, had hot dog roasts, walked around just to see all the green and growing things in our yard, and smelled and smelled and smelled. I had no idea how depressed I get in the winter, except to compare it to how happy I am now. My boys are so happy to be outside, running around in the swimming trunks and running through sprinklers. I love spring!!
Third, I have been exercising. I started training for a marathon. I started with a small goal of a 5K. I ran that with my sister in April. Then we set a goal for a 10K in June, so I am now training for that. I feel so good knowing that I am doing what I set out to do. I also think I have more energy-though this could have come from either of the previous two changes, as well.
These are 3 changes in my life that have had some pretty major side effects. The side effects are what I enjoy the most.
I enjoy-love-love-love my smiling happy baby!
I love Gabriel and Hyrum and their sweet little imaginations. We painted flowers a garden a snail some birds and butterfly's all over a basement wall yesterday. We also did lots of laundry, the boys spent the morning jumping on the laundry pile from the basement steps, and the afternoon playing in the dryer-using it as a spaceship to blast off to the moon-all the while calling me commander.
Seth is learning so much! I am so proud of him. He is starting to be concerned with his own hygiene. Telling me when he needs fingernails clipped. He also gets himself ready in the mornings and gets his own breakfast usually.
My husband smiles and looks at me so lovingly! When Shawn-my brother in law- was married last month, he was looking at his wife with such loving eyes-It was a look so familiar to me, because that is how Tom looks at me. He has such a wonderful way of showing his love and I am so grateful for him!
I know this is a little fickle, but I love my house! And the harder I work on it, the more I love it! I love my little gardens, my huge trees, my lawn, how nice everything looks when we put everything in its proper place. The green wall in the living room and the beautiful white curtains. The piano and wonderful pictures. My orange kitchen, and how nice the floor looks after a good scrubbing. I love the large cool basement. Having a place for the laundry. I love the boys rooms with fresh bedding and a vacuumed floor. I love our spacious garage and the large drive way-perfect for beginner bike riders. I love my neighbors-their kindness and expertise! I love the lilac bushes and their wonderful smells.
I love Church on Sunday. A chance to hear others testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love to pay tithing and know that because I do the Lord will bless me. I love to see all the babies and children and parents trying their best to teach and train their children, so they can be the wonderful people we all hope are kids turn out to be. I love to see the Grandmas, with wisdom in their eyes console, council, and giggle, as the younger generations struggles to attain what they already have.
I love Minnesota! I love the green. I love all of the water. I love the trees, the rolling hills. And I am in such a great mood that I can even find it within myself to love the ants :)
I am happy! I feel true Joy. This is Life!

Gag!!

I just got home from Idaho. We had a terrific time. When I got home, I noticed our mailbox was bulging. So, we went and dug out the mail. Between Tom and I we opened over 13 thousand dollars worth of medical bills. I am not sure if I am just really tired from arriving at 2:30 this morning or if this is really overwhelming. I will know tommorow!