gospel teaching

I have been teaching gospel doctrine which at the beginning was really challenging because I am not an expert especially in the old testament. But this year we are in New Testament and I am feeling a little more comfortable. I love the time that it makes me spend in study and I love reviewing the principles of the Teaching no greater call manual. I am learning to enjoy this new calling. Two quotes that have really helped. We are all teachers in some form or another and I am reminded of how important these principles are.

"The goal of gospel teaching is not to pour information into the minds of those we teach. The aim is to inspire individuals to think about, feel about and then do something about living the gospel principles."

Elder Bednar continues by encouraging teachers to focus on the following:

1. Key Doctrines
2. Invite to action
3. Promise Blessings

As new parents we have talked about how these matter so much in how we want to be with our family and with each other. It has helped me feel more relaxed and prepared as I struggle to teach.

word for 2011

“The real life we’re preparing for is eternal life. Secular knowledge has for us eternal significance. Our conviction is that God, our Heavenly Father, wants us to live the life that He does.”

I am grateful for the experiences of this last year for so many reasons. We have gained eternal knowledge and experience. It has been a roller coaster ride of emotions as well as extremes with joy and heartache. We would not change anything that happened this year or regret making the decisions we did, even though it has been difficult. We have renewed faith that Heavenly Father is aware of us and has a plan for us and for our future. Looking back over 2010 and my word focus for the year I think it was helpful to give me direction.

After going to the temple one night, Chris and I started talking more about consecration. Then this talk by Elder Christofferson "Reflections on a consecrated life" happened to be taught on Sunday. I decided this would be my word for the year.....

Consecrated.

Something sacred, set apart from the world. In 5 ways; purity, hard work, respect for physical body, service and integrity. These are areas that Chris and I have been discussing and the word really encompasses them all really well with a consecrated life. I think this word theme describes in one word what I want to learn more about and learn how to live better.

para bens para voce

Happy 1st birthday

What a big boy!

We are so excited to be able to share his 1st birthday with him. and we hope that we will share so many more. It was such a fun birthday! He was excited about the gifts, cake, balloons and pictures. From a distance anyway; the balloons scare him when they are close and he wanted nothing to do with the cake! He is really sensitive to the textures of things. Once he got some icing on his hand all he wanted was to shake it off.

Things we love about him right now:
He has started squealing like a little girl. Loud and high pitch!

We love that his little personality is coming out more. He is so sweet with kisses and he enjoys games like peekaboo and hide and seek.

He loves to hug, snuggle and sit in our laps. He brings so much joy with his bright smile and giggle. He loves to turn pages in his books, point at pictures and make animal sounds. He loves music and singing and instruments.

We started a swim class at the YMCA which he did not like at first because the pool is huge and packed with elder people exercising on the far side. It is getting better and he is enjoying the water more.

He got his first ear infection and we had no idea because he still slept through the night and was not fussy. He is so easy going and happy.

We finally decided on a cake and I bag piped the whole thing. It took about an hour but it turned out really cute. The cake was really good as well; a healthier option of homemade chocolate with apple sauce. Since we everyone was sick and family is far away we just had a little party with us after his long Saturday visit. It worked out great and he had fun opening presents and we had fun celebrating and remembering the last year.

11 months old

this baby boy is so sweet!

favorite things about him:

he sleeps through the night and puts himself down

he has 4 teeth and a second tooth on top popping through



still not walking but so busy, he will walk holding on to one hand but will not let go. He loves his toy truck and walks back and forth with it all day.

he blows kisses and waves

He loves every kind of cheese (wonder where he gets that chriser?) and pretty much anything else he can shove into his mouth.

He says mama, dadda, nana, baba and purrs and gurgles of course.

Baby can hold his sippy cup on his own finally but will not do it if you are there to do it for him.

He loves music and will dance to his favorite songs!

He enjoyed his first Christmas loving the lights, presents and the parties.

December he endured a very difficult overnight with his mother and ended in his first overnight in the ER. He has since done 2 more and though we did not spend the weekend in the ER they were not much better. He is one tough little guy.

He gives the best bear hugs and kisses in the morning first thing.

And he is so friendly and outgoing he reaches for people in the grocery store and will go into anyones arms. forget stranger anxiety.

We love love this little guy so much and are so grateful that he is a part of our lives right now!

Saying goodbye to 2010

This has been a big year for us with a huge amount of change. And I am happy to say goodbye to 2010 and to welcome in a new year. With renewed hope and faith for our future and what this year might bring. There are several things we want to focus on service, priorities, education, family and simplifying life. I like the challenge of new things and I am looking forward to starting a new. I should take note of the things we have done this year and remember all the new changes and big events. For some reason I just really want to move forward and "look not behind me"!

"We cannot see the future with precision, but we can know what the Lord intends and what it will take for each of us to qualify personally to participate.” Elder Eyring

I am grateful for a kind and loving husband who would do anything to make me happy. I could not be happier with him and with the sweetest baby boy. I keep going and doing and trying because of them. We are so blessed with family and friends that have supported us from afar so many times this last year. And 2010 will always be remembered as the year of change for our little family. I really like change but this was too much of a roller coaster for even me.

I am grateful for a New Year and a new start! Welcome 2011!!

.......and many more years with this sweet boyo!

Xmas crafts

We wanted a picture ornament for the babies first Christmas but with everything that happened before Christmas we just never picked one up. So I saw this on another blog and thought I could whip it up on Christmas Eve.

I used an antique baby block that I had with some antique lace and button from my grandmothers box. I think mine turned out kinda messy but I like the look of the block with the letters and I added 2010 on one side as well as some scrapbook paper to hide the wood. It was fun and simple! The best part was I had everything at the house. I like those kind of projects.

Christmas Day!

Christmas Morning!

Chris & I were so excited! but baby K had to have breakfast before anything else.

The truck was something we looked for and had to agree upon. Chris finally won because well he had a Tonka truck when he was little and every little boy should have a good truck to play with. And actually the baby loves it. I wanted a different little riding toy!

the best part of Christmas for us was watching the baby's reaction to everything and his excitement. We really thought he would be indifferent but he enjoyed opening things and playing with new toys. As well as the tree!

one of his very favorites is this soft Woody doll from Toy Story! In fact a few days later we saw the end of TS on TV and let him watch it for a few minutes you would not believe how excited he was to see his toy and could not figure it all out. Really cute.

papa sent him a hammer....so cute! we had so much fun opening gifts from family and friends. Thank you!

our other big gift was this wooden play box and a piano that stands up.

thanks miss erica for the alligator! i love this stuffed animal...he loves to give him kisses.

Santa brought some classic lap books

about 2 hours into gifts and playing with toys the baby crawled into my lap and was out! After a long nap, we took him to see his birth mom. Which was short and went just fine. The county was closed so we did not have to take him but we decided it was the right thing to do on Christmas. And I hope she was grateful?

Chris got me some really fun accessories for our camera!



that night our good friends had us over for a fabulous dinner! This is the only fuzzy picture that any of us took. We are so grateful for them and their family for really and truly taking us in! The baby had never really been this close to dogs before. I was not sure how he would do but he loved them and chased after them. They were really well behaved and played well with each other.

We are so grateful for a wonderful Christmas this year! Simply because we were able to have baby K with us and not have to worry about him. We missed family and wished we could have been together but this was such a simple family Christmas. And that was exactly what we needed.