Come and Listen

It's that time again!

I am so excited to share an evening with my girl,

to feel the spirit and to talk about faith!

 These pics are from last March, Lauren's first time going with me to General Woman's Conference.

I love that they have changed the age.

Lauren is about to turn 12 in November and I have been think a lot about my little girl

starting a new chapter in her life and entering into Young Woman's.

I'm still in shock that she's that old. Crazy!

I pray that my girl will be true to her faith, that she'll stand up for what she believes and for those around her.

I hope that she'll always know her Father in Heaven and Savior.

That she'll rely on their love for her when hard times come.

She is golden and I pray she'll stay that way!

How lucky am I to be her mother and how lucky are we that we can go and share a

few hours surrounded by women of faith and to hear council tailored by church leaders for women.

Man the Lord loves us and is mindful of our needs.

As hard as life is with all its trails, what a lucky people we are.

We may have whirlwinds surround us,  hurt and heart ache,  bills may pile up and worry abounds,

but we have the gospel, we have a Prophet, we have the temple, the Holy Ghost is our companion 

and priesthood power.  Most of all we have a Father who love's us and a Savior who's

infinite atonement can save us all.  He has paid the price he has bought and paid for us all,

all we have to do is let him in, to rely on him, to use what he has so dearly given us.

We are a Lucky people!

Easter Art Project

Being married to an artistie guy is amazing.

Justin the week before Easter painted a new painting that represents when 

our Savior will come again and we will be reunited with Levi.

Honestly it filled my heart with so much love and hope and filled it with a deep longing for 

that day which seems forever away.

At times my heartaches for the babies we have lost.

I am grateful for this heartache, because it has helped me understand how strong

that longing is for someone who desperately wants a child who they can't have.

I think of Hannah praying at the wall and pouring out her heart for a child,

I know something of that heartache and I can relate to her in a whole new way.

What joy and peace she must have felt when the Prophet Eli told her the Lord had heard

and would bless her with Samuel.   

1st Samuel 1:1

We are so very loved, a Family is Forever!

Hooray

Tonight while I was reading my little one's their bedtime story from a library book which is over due,

I had the thought Hooray for Fish more like Hooray for Bedtime.

I was sleepy and just exhausted and I couldn't wait to get my kids to bed so I could just rest.

Then at the end of the book the baby fish finds his mommy fish and they kiss and tell each other they love them.  All at once I was like "Hooray for Fish" is awesome and Hooray for Life even more awesome.  I could have gone from sleepy to delirious, either way it made me think of all that I have to say Hooray for.

 Hooray for Autumn days and Gelato!

 Hooray for Playing in the Rain!

Hooray for Naps!

Hooray for Story Time with Dad!

Hooray for Girl's Days!

Hooray for Big Brothers who ride the Tea Cups with the Little Ones!

Hooray for Super Cheesy Art!

Hooray for Being Able to Sleep Anywhere!

Hooray for Sneaking Out of Bed!

Hooray for Zebras in Water Drains!

 Hooray for Dressing up like Moon Rise Kingdom!

Hooray for the Tuba and Swimming!

Hooray for Family!

Hooray for the Temple!

(Source)

Hooray for a Living Prophet!

(Source)

and for my Savior and Redeemer!

P.S All but the last 2 photos came from my phone, so sorry about the super great quality.

I Thank Thee Oh God For A Prophet

President Monson was called as an Apostle of the Lord 50 years ago this month.

I am so grateful to have a Prophet, who leads and guides this Church.

I know in his hands I am safe, because in his hands I am in the Saviors.

He is his spoke person on this earth.

Prophet, Seer and Revelator .

We love you.

President Monson's first conference talk.

Way back in October 1963.

My how the world has changed.

3 lessons I have learned at Target.

I have had a few Oprah style Ah ha moments at Target.

May be I spend to much time there?

Who's to say, right and come on it's Target and when Lauren was still

a wee lil lase she found a good luck penny that made her day.

Here are my 3 life lessons I am so glad that I learned at Target.

1. A child was throwing the biggest fit in the clothes department.

I heard 2 older women complain loudly that there children would never act

like that in a store.  ( which I thought you guys are so the old ladies you have forgotten)

The screaming child made me grateful that I was able to run to the store without any of mine.

Then I saw another older woman walk up to the little girl and start talking to her.

She got down on her level and soon had the little girl happy again.

She didn't stop with that I saw her help this young mother with the rest of her shopping.

She held the baby who started crying and entertained the once screaming toddler.

She taught me so much of Christ like love and service.

2.  We had just found out that we had lost our Levi.

I needed to run by Target before I delivered him to pick up somethings I knew

that I would not want to after.  I felt raw to the world.  My world had just

been thrown up side down and as I walked threw Target it felt odd that

no one new.  They went about there shopping complete unaware of my heartache. 

This taught me to be kind.  You have no idea what the person shopping next to you

is going threw.  I don't ever want to be guilty of adding to someones heartache because 

I am in a hurry or think they are being rude.  You never know.

3.  Right after the Sandy Hook School shooting.

I was feeling like most of us, sad and confused.  I was shocked by

the evil in the world and scared by what it had in store for the future.

I was sad to be buying my kids Christmas stocking candy knowing that somewhere

a mom was morning the loss of her little one and that there would be no stockings for them.

A young family was shopping by me when their daughter threw up everywhere.

Not going to lie, kinda gross. 

A woman by me left the candy isle as I did.  I watch her run to the toddle section and 

grab some pants.  She took the tags off ran them to the mom then went and paid for them.

She taught me there is always goodness in the world.  No mater how dark things seem, if

you look for light you will find it.

McNoway

Hi I am Kem, and I like to eat out.

Its not a pretty part of me, its one that I have tried in the past to best.

This time I have a plan.

I am not your most organized person and I am not

a homebody by any stretch of the imagination.

So most of the time when I grab a quick bite to eat, its for lunch.

I am out and about and have not planned accordingly.

So knowing that is one of my underling causes.

The other is $1 drinks from McDonald's,

Whoever came up with that is a marketing genius, evil genius.

So with all that knowledge of my inner monologue. 

Here's how it's going down.

1st. I have a snack bin in my car for those moment of unplanned lunch time outings.

2nd. I will try my hardest to not be out around lunch time.

I have some fun fall activities I am going to be doing with my little ones that should help with this. 

3rd. It's well know that you can reprogram your brain

and in most cases it takes about 21 days to start or break a habit.

So September is my no eating out month.

Period.

What about date night you ask?

We can eat at home then go for a hike or to a movie

or whatever floats our boat.

 4th. I joined a 12 week challenge at my gym.

I am accountable for my progress or lack of.

I also am sorta competitive and I will kick some weight loss butt.

5th.  If for some reason I don't win the 12 week challenge 

which is a flat screen TV or a Spa package.

With the money that I saved I am going to go and get myself some new clothes.

Who am I kidding I am going to do that even if I win.

6th.  I am going to rely on my Lord to help me be strong.

At times of weakness I will pray for help.

I also love this because if fits perfectly with my goals for this school year.

I love how one thing such as not eating out fits in so many of them.

Spiritual.

Anything that makes me a stronger person and teaches me that the Lord is their is

welcome in my life.  This is not a habit I want and the money I am

spending is a gift from our Savior and I am accountable for how I use it.

Financial.

A penny saved is a penny earned.

Health

Are you kidding me? 

A doctor pepper a day doesn't keep the doctor away. 

I think this fits with all my goals but I'll just focus on those 3 for now.