I Love General Conference

I LOVE General Conference! I love the way it makes me feel - motivated, rejuvenated, empowered, humbled, inspired, more loving, more loved. I feel the Holy Ghost, and I feel my testimony grow each time. I love it! I actually did get to go to the Conference Center this year for the Young Women general broadcast, (but this is just a random picture off the internet).

I always try to make General Conference special for my girls too. I know most of what is said is over their heads, but if they'll just stick around I think they'll feel the spirit of it. And hopefully, the excitement of Conference treats and Conference traditions will later evolve into an overall excitement and love for General Conference. We don't make them stay and watch, but these past two conferences they have chosen to watch most of it.

This General Conference we did something I've wanted to do for a long time (and something I think we'll do forever after) - we put up our big huge camping tent in the family room. This was awesome - the girls LOVED it and honestly, I was just as excited! Of course this was not an original idea, but we were being like King Benjamin's people when they faced the doors of their tents toward the temple to hear him speak. On Saturday morning we gave the girls little treasure chests filled with treats and conference activities. Then we asked them to listen for "treasures" as they watched conference and to fill their treasure chest up with those real treasures. (That activity lasted about half way through the first session, but it was cute while it lasted.) Here is one of Ellie's treasures: "President M is nis & sili"

We slept in our conference tent Saturday night (or should I say the girls slept, and Aaron and I tossed and turned until we finally got in our own bed at 5:30am).

Our camping tent is HUGE - it sleeps probably 10 people. So, we put some comfy chairs in there while we watched. In this picture, Aubree is singing the hymn opera style and cracking up Carly and Ellie. :)

Daddy-Daughter Day Camp

Our stake has a Father-Daughter Camp-out every summer. The girls look forward to it so much. Last year just Carly and Ellise went, this year Aubree got to go too!

Beautiful Girls! And Handsome Daddy!!

The last two pictures are ones that the stake took - I love the caption on the last one - "You're always safe with Dad!!" (For whatever reason, Carly didn't want to be in these ones.)

Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start ...

(from "The Sound of Music")
The birthday girls. We had a birthday party for Ellie on my birthday. (January)

Can you believe those cheeks!?! Oh man! I'm surprised she's made it this far in life without someone (me or sisters) chewing those cheeks right off! Unfortunately she's been slimming up over the last several month, but she still gets compliments on those cheeks of hers.

Sleeping Beauty - Ellise

Even at 4 1/2 she could still use a nap almost every day

(but of course this only happens once in a blue moon)

Fourth of July

What a big girl! She's talking (one or two-word phrases or jabbering), and she is sassy and feisty. It's super cute now, but I'm a little nervous for what's to come.

Aaron took the girls on a Stake Father Daughter camp out. They had a blast!

Aaron and I at my cousin's reception

The big girls took swimming lessons for about a month and had such a good time and learned a lot. The nice thing was that they got pretty swimmed-out and didn't beg to use the pool at our house for that month.

Dressing up with our new best friend Rosie. She lives across the street and walks Carly home from school each day. She plays (kinda' babysits) at our house most days of the week - I LOVE this girl!! She is such a sweetheart and has such a neat family.

Carly and Daddy after her birthday party. She planned her whole party (with a little supervision). When the day finally came, Aaron took her to the grocery store to buy ice cream for the party while all her friends arrived. When she got home they threw balloons and confetti and totally surprised her! I tried to download the video, but as you can see, it's not here- it was so cute!
 

The girls and our garden (two malnutritioned tomato plants)

Being sweet sisters

"Smile Aubree!"

p.s. Nothing new with the job situation. We have a lot of contacts though and some definite possibilities... we're really hopeful. Things had been pretty rough at his architecture firm for so long, and with two pay cuts we were living pretty tight, so we're excited for what's in store. The money hasn't run out yet, so I don't think reality has hit yet either. (Thanks for all of your thoughtful comments.)