Hands Free

For a few months now, I've noticed some great little snippets posted on Facebook from a page called 'The Hands Free Revolution". Good thoughts about letting go of distractions, putting the phone down, and tuning into life and noticing our families better. 

I pulled out my Kindle that had been hiding in my dresser, and started using it more. I love to read, but with kids, there's not much time for reading. I started reading the sample of this great book from Rachel, her Hands Free book. Such a good read. Nothing super huge and earth shattering, but something really good. 

I've noticed that we live in a heavy technology age today. Nearly everyone has a phone that has goodies on it to distract us. When I'm at parks with the kids, I've seen other parents looking at their phones, while their kids play by themselves. I'm totally guilty of it. I remember thinking to myself before I had an Iphone, "I'm never going to be on it all the time looking at stuff while my kids are up." Ha! What a load of crap. I'm totally a victim, getting sucked into checking Pinterest, FB or anything else. I love Pinterest, and I love catching up with friends, and especially reading the homeschool groups on FB, but I must learn to harness it. 

I've wanted to make a change for better with this habit. When I read Rachel's blog post on 'How to Miss a Childhood', that really hit me. Such a good read. Since then, I've wanted to make a conscious effort to do better, to put the phone down more, check it less, and tune it to my family better. I always can tell when my kids start acting up. It's mostly because I'm not spending enough time with them because of the stupid phone, or thinking I need to clean something up, laundry, etc. 

So, I got her e-book, and began to read more. It's a wonderful book. I just wanted to share some tidbits with you.

"Hands Free is not about being perfect; nor is it about being hyperfocused on the people I love. It is simply about making a conscious effort each and every day to connect. 

It is togetherness.

It is communication. 

It is fogiveness.

It is unconditional love. 

The most life changing experiences happen when I stop trying to control and simply let things unfold.

By shutting down your devices periodically each day, you are able to protect your time, strengthen your relationships, and nurture your own health and well being. Giving yourself a chance to notice the details that make life worth living is time well spent."

I encourage you to check out Rachel's Hands Free blog. It's filled with goodness. I think it not only applies to mothers who are missing out on their kids moments, but to all ages, and to all stages in life. Life is just too short, and it keeps flying by. Just had to share:)

A busy week

Sometimes, the blog gets forgotten when a busy week comes along. The sun was out this week. Everything drops for the sun up here:) 

I had the wonderful blessing of  arranging two fun photography shoots with my new photographer friend, Mallory Wilkes, and are young lady friends. First off, I packed up the family and we went location scouting. While the boys explored for bugs and nature stuff, Brooke was my willing model. I asked her to do a cute pose with her hands, and she did it! It blew me away. Girls really love to rock a photo session. She was being so darling. 

Fun things that happened this week:

• A sweet family watched our kids, while Shaun and I went on our first date in 6 months. It was such a treat. We visited the Portland LDS temple, and had some insanely good whole wheat gourmet pizza. Portland is awesome for food. It was such a gift to have a date with my sweetheart.
• I read a great book to the boys, Steven R. Covey's 7 habits of Happy Kids. We read a story about selling lemonade to earn some money. Ethan loved that story, and went straight to work to put up a garage sale outside with some of his toys. He made a sign that said $1 for everything, and sat in a chair, waiting for people to come. Shaun was out there with him, and our kind neighbor came by and bought some things for her grandkids. Angel neighbor. Ethan earned some money, and was delighted. He is so passionate, just like me. He just puts his mind to something, and does it. I think I have a real leader in that boy. Sure lucky to be his Mom, even on the rough days. 
• Kevin continues to love dinosaurs, and has proclaimed himself a T-rex. I have to remind him to not bit me when he says he's trying to eat meat:)
• I had so much fun on the photo shoots with the girls. I just love photographing teenage girls, and helping them to see how beautiful they are. Its a rough world for them today, with so much crap being put on them to be a certain way and such. I just want to help them remember that they are beautiful inside and out. Photographing this week made me fall in love with educating myself about photography, business, marketing, etc. again. My youtube Creative Live playlist became loaded with new videos I found and saved for later. Oh, to have free, solid education available today. Supreme blessing, but I can't study all the time. Balance, balance, balance. 

Tonight, I just look forward to reading books with my kids, and holding them on the couch, if they'll let me. For some reason, the boys go nuts at 6pm, and start chasing each other around the house. It takes me a bit to wind them down, get them to bed, and finally have a break. I love tucking them in, and checking on them later, just to see them sleeping. My favorite:)

General Conference!

When I was much younger, I remember General Conference to be highly boring. Two hour stretches of speakers and music. I hardly got anything out of it, except remembering that my Mom loved it and we watched it every year.

Now, I savor it. Funny how growing up, going through life experiences, trials, serving a mission, having kids, etc. changes you. It is seriously a spiritual feast to me. Yet, with little boys and a ever moving toddler, I rarely get to sit still, listen and record notes in a journal. Ha! No way. Someday, I hope. I do try to have popcorn for us to eat on the opening session, some quiet toys to play with, and I try to get everyone to not breathe and make noise for 20 seconds when the prophet comes on and announces new temples:) I don't expect the boys to listen for long, but the spirit soaks into the home from the conference coming from the TV, and hopefully will touch them.

If you don't know what General Conference is, no worries. Here's a summary:

Even if your not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, you are more than welcome to tune in and watch it. There are messages for you, too:) Check out the many ways to see it HERE. 

Twice a year, leaders of the church speak to us on a variety of topics that they have been inspired to share with us. They spend months praying and listening to the spirit to know what topic to share with us. Humbling process. Many times, the talks have a similar theme, and are in total harmony with each other.

This is our wonderful prophet, Thomas S. Monson. Just as there were prophets in the Bible, there is a prophet today. There are many people today claiming to be a prophet. The difference here is that Thomas was called of God by revelation to be a prophet, not chosen by men. 

President Monson has two buddies, his counselors Henry B. Eyring (on the left) and Dieter F. Uchtdorf. They get to sit in these plushy chairs and smile at everyone. I remember my Mom recalling Uchtdorf as the handsome one. She was so funny.

More speakers. These are the twelve apostles, just like how the Jesus set up his church in the Bible. See their sweet smiles and how friendly looking they are? I love them. I have met Richard G. Scott, David A. Bednar, and L. Tom Perry. Never forgot how I felt around them; a strong, warm, peaceful feeling. Supreme kindness radiating from them.

This is the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, UT. Looks like a space ship to me. The first time I attended a session there, it was an incredible experience.  Growing up, I remember only hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform on the TV. The first time I heard them sing live here, I thought "Uh, they didn't sound like that on the TV.' Amazing sound. Acoustics. Perfect choir. So moving and powerful.

From this place, it is broadcast all over the world and translated into many languages. Members of the church span the globe, not just in the USA. The growth of the church is amazing.

The conference messages speak of Jesus Christ, how to strengthen our families, how to recognize the spirit in our lives, scripture study, Heavenly Father's love for us, and much more.

It's a beautiful weekend, and I always get a little sad when its the last session on Sunday. Please don't hesitate to tune in, listen to a talk, the beautiful music of the choir, and find peace.

"Let's Try That Again"

Found a pretty spot at a friend's house, and captured some shots of Brooke. Love this so much.

A wonderful lady at church shared her love and wisdom with me in a few, brief moments. She spoke of when her kids sometimes would speak to her in an unkind tone. The usual stuff that I've tried to help my boys do better on. She shared this with me. 

"Whenever we have a moment like that, I say this to them, "Let's try that again". 

It has saved her a lot of contention and brought the peace back. I thought to myself, "Of course", and quickly wrought it down in my church journal. 

Since then, I talked with my family, and we have started trying to say this sweet sentence when our words are unkind. It's been so neat to see the change in the boys and their concious effort to say something nicer. We role played it. When the boys practiced resolving the problem, they just hugged each other and laughed until they fell on the ground in a jumbled mess. So funny. 

I'm so thankful for the nuggets of gold I get from others. Just a simple little lesson in their examples that help me do a little better. Just had to share:)