Sledding

My son Jory wanted to ditch us for the day and go to the Irish games with his friends. I wasn't sure if I should let him go, so I came up with a better solution. I had told him a few weeks ago I wanted to take the family sledding where the scouts went. Friday, when he asked to go with the friends, I said we were going sledding. Saturday morning we woke up, loaded the snow clothes and sleds, stopped by the church for Dallin's family scout picnic and then headed to the mountains. We went up past Walla Walla into the Blues. It was warm and I wondered if we would find snow (I didn't invite any families because of that little worry; no snow could be a problem). There was still snow and plenty of it. We were sweating and soaked after two hours of play. It was worth it, even with a $30 ticket for not having a snow park pass!

Dallin and Jory decided the first jump was too small and built a bigger one.

Kylie gave it a go.

I stuck with the small jump. No I didn't pop the tube when I landed. I did that later just going down the hill.

Cody didn't like sledding. He got dumped once by Camri and that was enough. He managed to last by watching and throwing snow.

While trying to load up to go home, Jory decided he'd had enough of the teenager attempt at stealing his candy bar. Instead of candy, Kylie got to taste a nice snow pile for her efforts. Later, Jory T. got his taste as well, but my camera was put away. At least I remembered it this time!

Is it Spring?

We went to the park yesterday to enjoy the warm sun. It was a beautiful day. Glad we took advantage of it, because today the sun is gone and the wind is back.

Yes, I helped this little monkey climb the big rock, but only half way. He wanted to go clear to the top. He might have made it if he wasn't wearing his boots.

Ski Trip

I finally remembered to have my sister email our ski trip pictures. She had to email pictures because I forgot my camera again. Thanks for the pictures Tiff.

When Jory and I went to Idaho to go snowmobiling, instead of snowmobiling the first day, I went night skiing with my sisters and their families. We took Camri for the first time and she scared a few years off my life. She could ski, but not stop. Her snow plow didn't have enough plow to slow her down. I about had two heart attacks watching her ski to the edge. At one point I was whacking her with my poles trying to slow her down. Tiffani got her skiing by putting her between her legs and skiing with her. I finally did that and it worked okay. By the end of the night, I said she was done. My wonderful brother-in-law Jonathon took her instead and taught her much better than I ever could. What a great guy. I've decided I will not go with her again unless my dad or husband come. We had a lot of fun, though. The boys really worked on their snowboarding and Kylie enjoyed racing Jonathon down the hill. I'm hoping there will be snow for spring break and we can go again. So far, sounds like there will be:)

Kylie

Having dinner

Camri's first time down the hill alone. Me behind, panicking.

Dallin

Jory

Personal Progress

This week as I prepared for another New Beginnings, I discovered that the General Young Women Presidency has invited mothers to participate in Personal Progress. Also, our Stake YW Presidency has invited leaders to be working on it as well. So, I have recommitted as a mother and yw president to do Personal Progress. Since this is my "journal" I will be using it for discussion (if your willing to comment) and my thoughts on the experiences I am working on.

My first experiences discusses the roles of mothers. In "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" it lists some roles of mothers. These roles include providing spiritual and physical needs, teaching love and service to others, be law abiding citizens and teach this to our children, and teach them to keep the commandments. It also explains a mother's role is to nurture her children.

Reading about this, I can't help but think of the story I shared in New Beginnings. When Kylie was little, I was trying to teach her how to swing. As I pushed her I would say things like, "Legs out, lean back. Now tuck your legs in and lean forward." She couldn't figure it out. One day I babysat a little girl a year older than Kylie and they went out to play. Before I knew it, Kylie learned how to swing by watching this little girl do it beside her.
As mothers, the best way to teach is to do. If we are an example of service and love, they will learn service and love. If we are abiding citizens, we teach them to abide the law. If we keep the commandments, they will learn to keep the commandments. If we work beside them, they will learn.

Today, as I came down with my scriptures and Personal Progress (we don't have church until 1p.m.) my kids asked what I was doing. I told them and explained they could do similar things. Kylie got out her personal progress and began working as well. Jory T. went upstairs and worked on his Duty to God, and the little kids kept the TV off (that's a big one at our house).
I hope I can continue this because not only will it teach my children, but I will continue to progress in the gospel. I think if we teach by example, it will open up lines of communication about gospel principles. It worked today at least:)

My next experience discusses womanhood. What do you think are the most important attributes of being a mother? The Family: A Proclamation to the World is very clear that being a woman is a divine calling and preordained. I really like that. I used to argue a lot about how unfair it was to be a girl. Now, I can see the important place a woman has in society and especially in the family. When I went back to college, Jory worried I would turn into a feminist. Instead, the classes I took reaffirmed the importance of my calling as a mother. Studies showed the best possible situation for children to grow was in a home with both a mother and father who carried out the different roles. It testified once again that Heavenly Father's plan is the right way, and we should strive to emulate our roles as women.