Angela made some bookmarks for our Family Scripture Study today. Each bookmark she drew a picture of something that represented what she thinks of when thinking of The Book of Mormon. This is what she drew pictures of...

1. A heart (because Jesus is in your heart when you read the Book of Mormon)
2. Picture of Jesus
3. Picture of the Book of Mormon

I love Angela's understanding of how The Book of Mormon draws us closer to our Savior. It is about Him.

A lot of good things happened today.  A lot.

1. For our family scripture study, each of us has our own separate Book of Mormon we have for our study. Angela made bookmarks for them today. She made book marks that were pictures of things that she thought of when she thought of the Book of Mormon.

 ----She drew a picture of a heart. Because Jesus is in her heart when she reads the Book of Mormon.
 ----She drew a picture of Jesus because she thought of Him when reading.
----She drew a picture of the Book of Mormon.

2. Right now as a family we are reading the "words of Mormon." Before we started our scripture study as a family Andrew asked, "Who wrote this?" Angela responded, "Heavenly Father." Exactly right on, Angela :)

3. Carolyn was studying all about Sarah Evans today. Born in 1815 on the Riley/Ashton/Jeremy side. She is amazing with her spirit of Elijah! We were talking about how some of the babies, children, people died on the trip to Utah. Angela asked, "Why didn't they say a prayer before they left to Utah?" It was such a beautiful question and lead to a great discussion. They did pray. They prayed a lot. We talked about Turnberry and Henderson. Carolyn prayed and prayed that she could still go to Turnberry but it turns out we have to go to Henderson. I asked Angela, "Why do we have to go to Henderson eventhough Carolyn prayed and prayed to stay at Turnberry?" To which Angela responded, "Because Heavenly Father wants us at Henderson." Beautiful put! Just as Heavenly Father needs us at Henderson, Heavenly Father needed those children back with Him in Heaven again.

4.  It's hard to hear what Angela and Carolyn think I need to do to be a better mother but I do strive to ask them how I can be better and then work on it. This past week when I asked them what I could do, they responded -

Carolyn - Listen better. Sometimes I am talking to you and you are not listening. Sometimes you are not even doing anything and you still aren't listening.

Angela - Give me a warning before you get mad at me. I need a chance before you are mad.

This morning we were playing some beautiful LDS hymns on our TV. Angela stood infront of the TV. She closed her eyes and used big hand motions and sang with greatness along with the songs of worship. Angela has a voice of the angels. While she sung it reminded me of a part in "Jesus the Christ":

....chapter 2, page 8 (beginning of chapter two)....

"In that great concourse of spirit-intelligences, the Father's plan, whereby His children would be advanced to their second estate, was submitted to doubtless discussion. The opportunity so placed within the reach of spirits who were to be privileged to take bodies upon the earth was so transcendently glorious that those heavenly multitudes burst forth into song and shouted for joy."

"....burst forth into song..." I asked Angela is she thought she was one of those angels bursting into song and felt the spirit very strongly. Her love and gift of singing is one of angels. I think she may have been one of those angels bursting into song of praise and joy that we could come down to the earth.

(I think a lot can be also learned from the exert up there. The children discussed the plan. We are taught to teach by discussing. This started in the pre-existence.)

Over the weekend we got got furniture on craigslist for the girls' room. Also got a huge box of Christmas lights and candy cane lights...snowflakes that light up and hang...probably 120 dollars worth of decorations for 10 bucks. And Benji for a dollar. Don't forget this. The girls and I had a "work party" today to celebrate us making good choices for Angela's FHE challenge from a couple of weeks ago. All 3 girls are sharing a room now. And they switched to the bigger/warmer room in the winter.

Benji

We got a new member of our family today. Benji. This is what happens when you take Andrew to a garage sale. We inherit a new family member.

He sits with us at all our meals with his banana. He sits in the front seat in a seatbelt when we go places. When we go somewhere like church and he can't come, the girls put him to sleep in their bed. And he switches off who he sleeps with each night. Welcome Benji.

Name: Benji
Birthday: July 19th

Next year we are to celebrate his birthday. Decorations. Banana Cake. the whole thing. Welcome Benji.

I don't think I have ever had so much fun playing "duck-duck-goose" as I did today. I don't think anyone in the world has had as much fun as we did tonight. It was so funny and I thought each of the girls were going to wet their paints at some point from all the laughing and giggling going on.

Love FHE. Love that it takes us 2 plus hours. One of the most important things we do as a family - why not make it last? The girls and Dad and I just like to talk a lot, I guess. Our lesson was awesome. We all at one point or more expressed how and that we were feeling the spirit. We were talking about Mosiah 18:11. I showed this picture that I keep in my scriptures. Oh, how this picture illustrates Mosiah 18:11 so beautifully...

This picture was taken right after Carolyn received the gift of the Holy Ghost. I think it so beautiful illustrates that clapping joy we receive from the Holy Ghost. We discussed how that amazing joy - the joy that Carolyn felt on this amazing day...the joy that the people in Mosiah clapped for...it can be felt everyday! Everyday we can be clean like we were after we were baptized. Perfectly clean just as we were perfectly clean after we were baptized. We can fill joy from the good choices we make and the love and the closeness we can feel from being close to our Savior.

We made a poster as a family...

We drew our best happy faces at the top. Like the one Carolyn had...or the one the people in Mosiah had when hearing that they could have the spirit poured in their life. Those feelings can be felt every day.

We then discussed that we need to welcome the spirit in our lives. We based 4 ways we can invite the spirit from President Faust (repent...be modest (I asked Angela to share her thoughts about being modest. It was so amazing. She shared a scripture about Mary. She shared her testimony. She drew pictures to illustrate modesty and how it was accordance to our Savior. In fact, here is her sweet picture:

On the top of the modest picture she wrote our Savior's name. Then on the one with the belly - Satan. Who are we going to chose? She gave an analogy of milk (almond...not so good) and water...the water tasted Much better she said. Being modest is much better :) Love that girl! We had a few more from President Faust and then we all drew pictures and wrote of things we can personally do to feel the spirit in our lives. This week we are challenged to feel the spirit - recognize it. Think about what we are doing/reading/etc...and share with each other and put a big Happy face on the poster.

We also played a sweet game of "Sorry." It was close, but Angela and I lost in the end to Daddy, Carolyn and Emmy.

What a great day!

We had 12 kids over at our house today. It was a crazy Kim house. Should I mention that kids were over from 8:20 to 5:00. Crazy but fun. It was a friend day! We had the Muirbrooks over...the Massiellos....Laney Castelton, and the Pearsons. 

 Andrew and I had a great getaway. For our 9^th Anniversary and a celebration of almost 7 years at EY – we went to Colorado Springs. Stayed in an amazing Resort. Broadmoor. So romantic and so fun. Amazing rooms and amazing scenery. Amazing fun. And – best of all- amazing time with the love of my life. I love Andrew and feel so blessed to have them. Carolyn was right when she told me today that Andrew is my best blessing in life. I sure love him. It was just fun to be able to talk to him a lot and walk around the beautiful scenery.

The vanity where I got to get ready for our big dates together :) 

 We took a boat ride in this beautiful lake!

 Andrew and I got waterworld and a resort in one, right? Fun times on the slides and racing each other. In the morning, we worked out together, sat and talked while looking at the beautiful scenery. And then swam. Raced each other with swimming. Went on the slides.

 Of course, we didn't drink it. But it was fun that each time we left our room, we would come back and find something new. One time we found this in our room waiting for us when we returned...complimentary.

 These were the most comfortable and amazing robes ever. It was fun to have matching robes.

 Broadmoor chocolates. They were perfect when we got back from our Italian Restaurant.

 They had a few hallways full of famous people that have stayed in the Broadmoor. US Presidents, lots of famous celebrities and famous athletes. Fancy. Fancy.

Look at those BEAUTIFUL mountain views!

A few cute things to note about today...

1. Angela. She has been saving up for a sucker she really wanted. Today she wanted to go to King Soopers and get it. The sweet girl used all of her money to buy herself one AND Emily. AND Emily. She was so sweet to make sure Emily could have one, too. Love that good heart of hers.

2. Carolyn said to me two cute things. One about Andrew and one about me. While studying the Book of Mormon today, we were discussing that when we keep the commandments, we are blessed. We were sharing experiences with each other. While discussing this, Carolyn said something like this..."I know what your best blessing is - Daddy. I want to steal daddy. He is the best one."

Also, she said she wanted to know what things she can have to be a good mom. I asked her what she thought were good qualities for a mom. She said, "I don't know. Everything you do. That's why I want you to teach me."

3. Angela is so cute. She challenged us a couple of weeks ago for FHE to be good. Each time she saw us being good, she put a sprinkle in a cupcake holder. Once we got all the sprinkles for being good we would be awarded with something. Today we got all the sprinkers! Angela said the prize was to have a cleaning party. I love that cute girl.

Today was hillarious at the pool. I love the girls. This month we got a monthly pass to the pool. We go just about every day besides Sundays. Today the girls had me giggling like crazy. First, Angela. She developed this awesome swim. We can it the dolphin. It's hard to explain but basically she looks like a really hyper dolphin going up and down and up and down in the water.

The other is Carolyn. There was a moment that Carolyn didn't think anyone was really looking at her. She had her eyes closed while Angela was hiding goggles (we play a game where we hide goggles from each other and then have to find them).  Anyways, while she was closing her eyes, I looked over, she was hyper doing the "sprinkler dance." (where she puts one arm in the arm and dances it around.

Silly girls. Happy mom.

This morning the girls and I were discussing why we fast. Beautiful answers. It made me reflect on my testimony that all we are asked to do is to draw us close to our Savior.

This morning Emily got allowance for the first time. She really wants to save money to buy some bubble gum. When she got her allowance, we discussed that we are commanded to pay tithing. It brings joy and happiness and builds His church when we pay. Emily didn't want to pay. It took all that I had to not lecture or anything. But, I reminded of Joseph Smith - Teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves. Lehi taught us that- taught his children truth and then let them choose. Not long after, Emily happily said that she did want to pay tithing to Heavenly Father. I was so happy for her. What a great example. We are asked to do things that are hard for us and we can choose to be like Emily and do it and find happiness.

Today we had some neighbors, missionaries, and friends over for dinner. We had a BBQ. One of the families' the mom and Dad (Kendra and Berg Crawford) were not there. Brother and Sister Crawford had gone for a hike and they had car issues. So, just the kids came over for dinner. The entire time Angela was taking care of their 1 year old, Hadley. She was getting her food, drink, etc. and doing all she could to take care of her.

Yesterday was fun. We started with a ward breakfast. Our friends from Turnberry (Shannon, Carmen, and Dylan) joined our ward breakfast. It was fun to be with them.

We then went grocery shopping together and the girls played Wii together. It was funny because Andrew spent about 30 min. teaching Carolyn how to golf to get a "good score"...after about an hour of teaching and playing - Angela walked up with no instructions and got several holes in one. Better than Andrew has ever played.

After we went to the Montez for lunch with them, the missionaries, and Millie. Yummy food and great company.

Then we went to the Rockies Baseball Game. It was amazing. We got to sit in a Box Suite. I think the girls were just excited about all the food...hotdogs, pizza, chips and dip, peanuts, cracker jacks, popcorn, icecream bars, etc. It was a very different experience from what we have had in the past. It was fun. After watching the game (Which was a sad lost), we got to go sit in the field for an amazing firework show. My favorite part of the show was watching the girls. During the middle of the show I thought, "I will have fireworks to look at forever, but only once can I look at my 8 year old Carolyn's face during the show, my 6 year old Angela's face during the show, and my 3 year old Emy's face. They were so cute. I loved in the Finalie how Angela and Carolyn just started laughing and giggling so hard when it started. I love how Emily picked out a dress that she felt like looked like fireworks. She picked it out the day before and expressed a desire to dress like the fireworks. Love my sweet girls. Love how Angela wanted to sit by me during lots of the game to snuggle. Love how Daddy and Carolyn sat together during a lot of the game so Daddy could explain what was happening. What a great day.

July 4^th celebration was awesome! We got to go to EY Rockies Baseball Suite to watch the Rockies Game. Food and great seats provided. In a suite.

Then to top it all off, we got to go on the field and watch from the best seats ever the best Denver Fireworks show.

Great night. Fun family times.  

Today Angela was challenged to seek for personal revelation on an act of service we could do as a family. So, Angela read her scriptures and felt like we should weed a neighbor's garden without asking. She wrote about it in her journal and drew a beautiful picture. How blessed are we to be able to access personal revelation. And I love Angela's example. She sought for revelation through scripture study and prayer. Wrote it down. And then we will act on it.

Today we also got a monthly swimming pass to Commerce City Rec Center. We went for the first time today (the 1st of the month!) How excited we are. Instead of swimming lessons this month and this summer, we are just swimming lots and I am doing my best o teach them.

On Sunday Andrew and I fasted that we might receive guidance to which job Andrew should take. Where did the Lord want Andrew? We feel good about Healthgrades. I was questioning it this morning and seeking for guidance. And then I thought about how good I felt about Healthgrades. In church I felt happy and excited about it. When we were saying a family prayer - I felt good about it. Really good while I gave thanks for the job opportunity. I think that questioning my answer was a distraction from other good inspiration I could be receiving. I spent 40 min. of my scripture study just thinking about whether or not it was right. Once I moved on and decided to do that- revelation just flowed. I think by obsessing over it I was stopping important revelation that I needed. I received direction in my calling and teaching as a mother.

Missionary Work in our family is going amazing. We prayed and sought for inspiration to who to invite to our ward breakfast on Friday. We are inviting Elijah's family, Ethan's family (really random from Carolyn - it obviously was the spirit communication with her because we never have thought of them lately), Shannon and family, Nicole, Yvette...lots of people. Just opening our mouths and inviting.