NEW GOAL

Ok, so I know a lot of you think I don't have to lose weight, and that's very kind of you, but I do! Definitely. I have gained 20 lbs. high school and 15 pounds since I have moved to Texas. So, my goal is to lose 15 pounds before we go to Utah in July. I can't believe I've let myself gain that much. Anyway, just thought I would put it on here so that I had a reason to make myself eat right and work out every day. I will post my measurements later and I will keep you on the journey. I am really bad at working out, so I need some encouragement. Thanks!

"If I were a mouse, I would live there."

The Friday before Easter, we went camping with our ward to Pedernales Falls State Park. We got there kind of late because we had to wait for Josh to get off of work, but Josh took the whole day of on Saturday, so after everybody left the camp out, we stayed behind and went hiking/rock climbing (do you remember the last rock climbing adventure). It was a lot of fun, especially for the dogs.

We weren't sure about bringing the dogs with us on a camp out because they have been the neighborhood barkers these days (sorry to all of those who live in Plum Creek) and we were afraid that they would bark all night at every noise or at the other people in our ward, but they actually did really well! We didn't really bring them out the first night of the camp out, but the next morning we did and they loved it!

I didn't get any pictures of the actually camp out, but it was really fun. Friday night we sang songs around the campfire and roasted marshmallows and made smores. We brought everything to made tin foil dinners, but by the time we talked to people and sang songs, it was too late to make those, so we just made sandwiches and ate in the bed of the truck. While we were eating, we heard a lot of rustling in the wilderness right next to us, so we listened and kept trying to figure out what was making all of the noise. We figured it was just a deer and hoped that it wasn't a skunk...that would have sucked. Anyway, after a few minutes of rustling noises (we kept wondering what was taking so long) we saw an Armadillo!!! Now, having lived her in Texas for a year and a half already (WHAT!!!!! A year and a half, already! No Way!) we have seen a few Armadillos, but they have been dead on the side of the road, so we thought it was pretty cool to see a live one, especially Josh! I'm surprised he didn't go try to catch the thing. Anyway, so we finished our sandwiches and then headed off to bed.

During the night, the dogs did really well! They barked once or twice, but that was about it. The next morning we woke up and everybody that was around us in other tents kept saying that they slept like a rock, including Josh. I wish I could say the same. Now, if you ask my mom, she will tell you that I used to be a really hard sleeper. I used to not be able to wake up to the sound of the alarm clock and would sleep from 9:00 PM to 11:00 AM on the weekends. It was such a nice life! I don't know what it is now, but I can't sleep through anything! I could hear people going in and out of their tents in the middle of the night...it wasn't them that were loud, it was the stupid zippers on the tents going back and forth that woke me up, then the occasional dog bark would wake me up, and then the fact that I was sleeping in a tent on an air mattress didn't help as well. But, I didn't sleep terrible or anything.

Well, we woke up the next morning and Josh helped hide Easter eggs for all of the Primary and Nursery kids. At church, they had asked the people in the ward to donate pre-filled Easter eggs for the hunt, but I hadn't done so. Well, the day before the camp out, I got an e-mail saying that if you hadn't given your Easter eggs yet, that you could just take them to the camp out with you and give it to the Relief Society sisters there. Well, I thought that meant that they hadn't received very many, so I decided to buy some. Once they were done "hiding" the Easter eggs, it basically looked like an Easter egg farm...you couldn't look one direction without seeing hundreds of eggs. But, the kids really enjoyed it, so that's good.

Well, we cleaned up the tent and everything and got things packed and then headed down to go hiking. We took the dogs with us and had a blast. It was so pretty. The dogs absolutely loved it and did a great job for their first time ever going camping or hiking with us. I was holding onto Chloe and Josh was hanging on to Otis but I couldn't keep up with Chloe. I finally ended up giving her to Josh to watch because she was running so fast and I can't run all over rocks and jump rocks that quickly. Needless to say, the dogs and Josh got pretty far ahead of me. It was pretty funny.

We ended up hiking to this big cave thing. The dogs made it all the way up there with us and everything. We ate lunch up there, which was just beef jerky, and sat up there for about 30 minutes, until a lot more people started showing up, then we moved to let them have their turn. As soon as we got up there, though, there was this tiny little cave type thing in the rock...fit for a mouse or two, and Josh looked at it and said, "If I were a mouse, I would live there." It was so funny, I was laughing so hard! Of course I got a picture of it, so here it is:









Here are some other pictures of the day:


We have decided we are going to go camping more often. It was a lot of fun and the dogs absolutely loved it! I think we might be taking them on our trip to Utah when we go camping for the familly reunion...but we'll see.

General Conference Dinner/Dessert

Well, this last General Conference was good! After both sessions on Sunday, we had the Baileys over for dinner and dessert. We were in charge of the dinner and they were in charge of the dessert. Well, we just made hamburgers for dinner and I made some guacamole and we had Bush's Baked Beans. Rachel made some salsa and brought that over, and that was really good! But the hit of the night was the dessert. Doesn't it look delicious? It was really good. It's just angel food cake, fresh pineapple, and fresh strawberries that we grilled and then ice cream and homemade chocolate sauce. It was delicious! We took a picture because it looked so pretty. This is the only picture we got of that day.

Horrible blogger these days...I have a good excuse, I swear!

Sorry I've been kind of missing in action lately. I have been studying for my national exam like crazy in hopes of passing. It's a multiple choice exam consisting of medical, legal, english, grammar, NCRA ethics, and court and deposition procedures. So, as you can tell, I had a lot to study. There were only 110 questions to cover all of that, so I basically had to be prepared for any random question.

Well, while you're taking the test, there is place in the upper-left-hand part of the screen that allows you to mark a question that you want to go back and review...basically the questions that you're guessing or are not sure. Well, after I was done with the test the first time through, I was really thinking negatively...it was a hard test. Then, when I went back to the review questions, I had marked 30 of them to review!!!!! Are you kidding me? That's a lot of questions, especially considering the fact that I can only miss 25. I really thought I was screwed. Well, a lot of studying, praying, and luck got me through it!!!!!!!!

I PASSED!!!!!!!!

I don't have my official score. I won't get that for about 3 or 4 weeks, but they do give you a printout with pass or fail on it, so at least I know I passed, that's all I care about. It will be interesting to see how well I did, though.

Sunday Afternoon Session

Dallin H. Oaks:

We need to serve each other. Our willingness to sacrifice comes from faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Satan desires to sift us like wheat, which means to make us common and like others. Christ taught we should be unique to be like him. We need to lose our lives in service of others. We need to not be unselfish.

David A. Bednar:

Temple preparation.

Gary E. Stevenson:

Do we need a few home improvements or an extreme home makeover? In the ordinances of the temple, the family is sealed in place.

Jose A. Teixeira:

Gifts from God help us navigate our lives toward eternal goals. We can be forgiven. We have the ability and power to choose. We can always trust the prophets. He is mindful of each one of us. We will be able to strengthen our testimonies if we follow the prophets.

F. Michael Watson:

We must be strong, never give up, and endure to the end.

L. Tom Perry:

We must open our mouths and testify. We must warn our neighbors.

Thomas S. Monson:

Study the messages in the church literature. Pray always. We live at a time when the adversary is using every means possible to take us down with him.

I loved how President Monson said cell telephones! That was great!

Stay on the straight and narrow.

Sunday Morning Session

Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

The Gospel of Jesus Christ has the answers to all our problems. We have to apply and reapply principles, we need to make them a part of our everyday life. We need to get off the sidelines and practice what we preach. Serve the Lord by serving others. Strengthen your family by living the principles of the Gospel. Be of one heart and one mind in your marriage. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but the atonement has power to make us whole when we repent. "Oh it is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us even with all our flaws. He will never give up on us." - Joseph B. Wirthlin. It is always the right time to walk in his way, it is never too late. Trust in the Lord. He is the way.

Neil L. Andersen:

It is not by chance that we are who we are. We are not alone, our Father loves all of his children. Only here are there prophets of God. We should plead to the Lord that we might be who we need to be.

Steven E. Snow:

Too often we are reluctant to begin the next challenge. Maybe we are lacking in faith. Whether by my own voice, or the voice of my servants, it is the same. We can get direction all along the way if we heed to prophets, heed what they say. Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time. Without faith, there cannot be any hope. Be of good cheer. Many of us are facing challenges, at such times, it is easy to feel forgotten.

Barbara Thompson:

Whatever happens in life, Jesus Christ has the power to save. It is the responsibility of each of us to strengthen our own families. Each of us will be poor in some way at some time in our life and will need the help of others. It is vital the we serve each other. We must be fixed in our purpose.

Jeffrey R. Holland:

We do not have to walk alone, everybody around us has been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the atonement of Jesus Christ and the restoration of the Gospel. We are never alone. The redeemer of us all said, I will not leave you comfortless my father and I will come to you and abide with me. These scenes of Christ's lonely sacrifice laced with moments of denial and abandonment must never be reenacted by us. He has walked alone once. May we declare ourselves more fully disciples of Jesus Christ in deed and in courage and in faith, when our cross is difficult to bear. May we stand by Jesus Christ at all times, and in all things, and in all places even unto death for surely that is how he stood unto us when it was into death and we he had to stand entirely and utterly alone.

Thomas S. Monson:

Men are that they might have joy. How might we have joy in our lives with all that we face? Be of good cheer. The Lord is with you and will stand by you. Each of us has the light of Christ in our life, no matter how dark our past is. Our blessing are beyond measure. Our Savior will comfort and sustain us as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that will defeat us. The future is as bright as your faith. Heaven's blessings await us.

Saturday afternoon session

M. Russell Ballard:

There are lessons in testimonies of others. Learning the lessons of the past helps you for the future. This is the way it's supposed to work, this is God's plan. The process hasn't changed to gain a testimony, it comes through faith and study.

Quentin L. Cook:

We need to be loving and kind to everybody, no matter what the circumstances. We are not to judge.

Plan of salvation is big enough for all of the children of God.

Kevin W. Pearson:

There is no other foundation in life that can bring peace, joy, and hope, than faith.

Faith comes from consistent obedience.

Fear and faith cannot coexist, one gives way to the other. Is my own net faith positive or negative?

We get what we focus on constantly.

Seven destructive D's (he said six, but I heard seven)

• Doubt-not a principle of the gospel. Negative emotion related to fear, comes from lack of confidence.
• Descouragement-leads to distraction.
• Distraction-Satan's most effective tools, but also bad habits.
• Dissapointment-needs not lead to doubt.
• Lack of diligence
• Disobedience
• Disbelief-conscious or unconscious.

In a house full of faith, there is no need to fear.

Next speaker (I didn't catch his name):

The temple provides great blessings.

Richard G. Scott:

We need to worship together in the temple. You need to do your geneology.

We should never complain when we are living worthily about what happens in our lives. When we keep the temple covenants and when we live righteously, then come what may, we have no reason to worry.

Russel M. Nelson:

If one is to be forgiven, one must first forgive.

The Master wants us to pray for God's help as we strive to live righteously. We need to glorify our Father in Heaven.

We should pray for the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

Our prayers can be enhanced by singing and fasting. Be thou humble, and the Lord shall lead thee by the hand.

We need to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. He will open the door unto you when you pray in the name of Him.

Pray with faith and trust in him and we should plead, Thy will be done.

Saturday Morning Session Highlights

I've decided that for each session, I am going to write down what parts stood out to me, so that I can look back constantly and remember the things that particularly stood out to me during this time in my life.



179th Semi-annual General Conference: Saturday Morning Session:



Neal Lyndon Anderson as new member of the 12 apostles.

53,000 missionaries right now...I'm really proud of my brother for being one of them.



Robert D. Hales:

Each temptation we overcome is to strengthen us, not to destroy us.

The adversary knows where, when, and how to tempt us. How faithfully we respond is how we are tested on these things. We must ask for help from our Heavenly Father.

Provident Living: Living within our means and being happy with what we have. Thou shalt not covet. The four most caring words are "we can't afford it". The craving of the Natural Man can never be satisfied. The appetite of wanting worldly things, can only be overcome by turning to the Lord.

Margaret S. Lifferth:

Exemplify reverence for God by being kind and respectful to each other. Am I an example of reverence for God by the way I treat people in my home, and all around me? Reverence is love. Reverence invites revelation. Pray humbly.

Michael A. Neider:

Be virtuous.

Allan F. Packer:

We need to learn how to recognize revelation. We need to practice and apply gospel principles until they become natural and automatic. Pay attention to the thoughts and feelings that come into our minds, soon we will begin to recognize revelation. Prayer is a great way to invite revelation. "Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it will be given to you." We CAN personally receive revelation.

D. Todd Christofferson:

Strength through Covenants
We need strong Christians who can have faith, unwavering.
3 Nephi 27:20
Obedience gives us greater control over our lives.
Our covenants supply faith. It expands as we honor our covenants. We have God's promise to us, individually, by name, and he cannot lie.

I love the song Consider the Lillies, we have the CD, it's great!

Henry B. Eyering:

We all must deal with adversity. Fear and anger can come. Our faith can shake.
Our Heavenly Father and Savior live, and they love us.
We are trusted to make good choices, when it can be hard to do.

I absolutely love conference!

LDSPrimaryPosters: Let's Help

I ran across a blog today and this is what it says:

There is a sweet family in my ward that lost their father this week in a tragic car accident. He leaves behind a wife and 6 children. Their 3 youngest are in the primary where I am the singing leader. I keep seeing in my mind their sweet 5 year old on the front row singing,

"I Love to See the Temple"

with all his might.

I want to help.

I will be donating my sales for the month of April to this young family. Please help. I offer a lot of products in a lot of price ranges, any amount would be appreciated.

Help pass the word. Get people to this site. Let's help this sweet young family...

go to my website:

LDS Primary Posters .com

Check it out if you can help. The link for the obituary is on the website and on the blog. The blog's address is ldsprimaryposters.blogspot.com