I Know When I am Baptized...

Aaron had a very special day yesterday...he was baptized and became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and received the Holy Ghost. He promised Heavenly Father that he will keep his commandments, always remember him, and be an example of Christ. It was so neat to see him so happy to make these special promises and I hope that he will remember to keep them the best that he can!

2 Nephi 31:10 - And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?

 11 - And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son.

 17 - Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

 18 - And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

"I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain.

And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again.

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.

I want to be the best I can and live with God again.

I know when I am baptized my wrongs are washed away,

And I can be forgiven and improve myself each day.

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.

I want to be the best I can and live with God again."

 - Children's Songbook

Baby Steps

Travis has finally started to walk...a little. He will take about 8 steps before he gets nervous and sits down. He is so cute as he toddles from person to person. He is so proud of himself for his accomplishment. He seems so grown up. The baby stage is slipping away from us one baby step at a time.

Confessions of a Frugal Mom

I am a frugal mom and here is the evidence:

Exhibit A: My child wears a diaper to bed and wakes up dry. The frugal mom does not throw the diaper away...oh no...she reuses it the next night, and the night after that...even for 3-4 nights in a row if we are lucky enough to not have any accidents during the night.

Exhibit B: My child poops in his diaper. The poop can be easily shaken out of the diaper and into the toilet, leaving the diaper practically like new. The frugal mom does just that and then puts the diaper back on the child instead of throwing it away.

Exhibit C: My child insists on taking off his own diaper. In the process he rips off one of the tabs. The frugal mom does not throw the clean, yet disfigured diaper away...oh no...she pulls out her handy dandy duct tape to keep the diaper in place as she puts it back on.
Are you a frugal mom? If not...buying diapers for 9 years will sure turn you into one!

Yep, no ifs, ands or butts:

I'm a frugal mom!

My Work and My Glory

Moses 1:39 - For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

We are God's work and His glory. Do we look at our children in the same way--as our work and our glory--as our priority and our passion?

5 Spiritual Solutions for Everyday Parenting Challenges

5 Spiritual Solutions for Everyday Parenting Challenges by Richard and Linda Eyre was a great book! It had tons of practical ideas to add to the spirituality in my home and gospel centered principles to help conquer everyday challenges. "Every LDS parent should read this book! It is a truly unique and new kind of parenting approach, written on a spiritual level for parents who know what the world knows not." - Stephen R. Covey
The Eyre's show how basic beliefs can be used in everyday applications with our families. As I was reading this book, I took notes of what I want to implement in my family and I ended up with 2 pages full of ideas for Family Home Evening, and goals that I want to start working on with my family.

Children of a King

"Imagine that you were given the opportunity to adopt a child.
It was not a child of poverty or an orphan or a child needing help because she came from a dangerous or dysfunctional home.
Just the contrary. This child is the daughter of a king. He wants her adopted because he wants her to experience "real life" in a real home where she will experience all kinds of good things and bad things, all of the challenges and choices that will test her and cause her to progress and grow. In the king's own home, things are too easy and she did not face the opposition or the struggles that would help her prove herself and discover the deeper parts of herself.
And you are chosen to be the adoptive parent. You are overwhelmed by the honor and humbled by the responsibility.
You view the child as your first priority, you work at making her life full and real, you love her deeply and unconditionally, and you speak often to the king as you seek to know her better and to give her what the king would want her to have.
Do you see the elements of truth in the fable? Can we remember that our children are actually the children of the King?"
-5 Spiritual Solutions for Everyday Parenting Challenges by Richard and Linda Eyre

The Lightening Thief

Aaron got Percy Jackson & The Olympians; The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan for his birthday and I quickly snatched it up and read it before him. I loved it. It is a fun book about Greek mythology with a modern twist. Percy Jackson finds out his true identity as one of the Greek God's sons. He must prove himself and prevent a war between the Gods in a seemingly impossible quest. It was a very fun book to read and I am sure Aaron will love it too!