The Family: A Proclamation to the World - Celebrate the Family - Our Family Photo Essay

The Family: A Proclamation to the World was given in 1995 to the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and to the World as a guide to help all of us understand the importance of the family and how to have a happy family in this life and the next. 

As I put together this photo essay; it has given me time to reflect on the eternal nature of families and to see how truly blessed I am. This past year has been a hard one on me, with Donny working away a good amount of time, my health, cancer scare and surgery and with just the craziness of everyday life of a large family and all its demands. I am very grateful for my knowledge of the gospel and the blessings it bring into my life. 

To read the Proclamation in its entirety, click on the link below.

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

"Family is central to the Creator’s plan for 

the eternal destiny of His children."

"All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny." 

"'Children are an heritage of the Lord'(Psalm 127:3)."

"Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, 

to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, 

and to teach them to love and serve one another"

"Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan."

"Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ." 

"Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities."

"By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families 

in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide

 the necessities of life and protection for their families."

"Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children."

"The family is ordained of God."

I love my Sister

My Sister Lisa and her family. I am so proud of her, I miss her so much and I hate that we are so far away from each other. Look how stylish and trendy she is and she is so very talented.

I hope I can grow up to be like her someday.

And her sweet family is growing!

From Lisa - 10 Reasons we are thrilled to have another GIRL!!

1. I can start typing things pink now, just for fun.
2. I can design a girl's nursery! (we were living in one room shoe box when Paige was a wee babe)
3. I can use all those girl clothes I collected through the years that I bought on clearance, intended for "baby showers".
4. I can also get out all my favorite Paige clothes that her little body used to wear.
5. I can name her after my mom.
6. Paige will have a sister.
7. The boys will have a little sister.
8. Steve and I will have "daughters".
9. There's nothing like your husband holding your baby girl.
10. The perfect "caboose" to our family!

And, lastly, I would post the "It's a Girl" ultrasound, but one of my goals in life is to never have any of my children's rears on the internet. (good idea)

Call me old fashioned ;)

Lindsay has My Back

Having 7 children still living at home and 5 of them girls, my things tend to walk.
(I have posted about this before here.) My sweet little 5 years old drew this great picture and hung it on my bathroom door. So happy Lindsay’s has my back – Love you!!

"Don't take Mom's Blow Dryer"

Elder Larry R. Lawrence - Courageous Parenting

This talk is from my past Stake President, this was the counsel we received many years ago when my oldest was 11 years old. (she now is 25) President Lawrence and his wonderful wife held a fireside for Parents with children under the age of 12. The words rang so true to me, we had already had two bad experiences with our oldest daughter staying the night at others years before and had already made the decision not to do sleep overs.

I knew what he was saying that night was right and it was wonderful to hear it. Donny and I as parents took this counsel to heart. We faced much opposition through out the years, even from our extended family. But I knew may first and primary concern was the health and well being of my children.

My nine children now range in age 5 to 25, two of them are married.

It is still a battle at times, but now the world has heard it and I hope we will all support each other.

Thank you Elder Lawrence

Yes, They Are All Mine!

I found this great blog post from Holly @ A Mommy's Blessings.  It is so funny, I so get it all. I have heard these same questions, I love her comebacks.

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SIX Children?!?!

Egads, people act like you have 2 heads when they find out how many children you have in a big family.
Walking around the store with all the littles in a row and baby in the sling, you can see the heads bobbing as they count and hear all the "tsk tsk's".
So tired of it.
You parents of large families know what I am talking about.
And when they hear we want more children?
Yes, we are from Mars, thank you very much.

So, from now on, I refuse to let those remarks get to me. Instead, I plan to have fun with the following comebacks!


1) "You have your hands full!"

• Yes, happily so!
  
• Yes, and my heart too.
  
• Don't say anything, just look puzzled at your hands. (This does obviously not work if you are carrying a baby :-)
  
• Yes, but I would rather have my hands full than empty!
  

2) "Are they all yours?"

• No, I just went to Rent-a-Child.
  
• No, this is not all of them, my oldest is at home with the triplets. HEHE!
  
• No, actually two are the mailman's and I am not sure whose is that one.....
  
• No, I picked up a couple extra in the produce aisle.
  
• Gee, I never heard that question before!
  
• Of course they are..wait..who is that one? He's not ours.....oh,yeah, 6 , I forgot I had him.
  
• I don't know. How many do you count?
  
• Yes. But if you have any you don't want, I'll gladly take them, too .
  
• No. I've been an avid collector for years and just picked these up in the dairy section.
  
• Yes, at least that's what I tell my husband.
  
• Why do you want to know?
  
• Well, not today.
  
• Yes, I always want just one more.
  
• Check back in nine months and you'll see for yourself.
  

3) "Don't you know what causes that?"

• No, please tell me!
  
• Of course, don't you?
  
• Yes, we do know what causes that and we like it very much, thank you.
  
• Oh yes, we finally figured it out and we now keep the tooth brushes in separate glasses.
  
• Oh yes, I now wash my husband's underwear separately.
  
• Smile brightly and say with enthusiasm "Yes and we like it!"
  
• You bet I do!
  
• Yes, and as you only have two children obviously you don't do it much.
  
• Yes, and it is something I am very good at...
  
• Of course, and the Lord has greatly blessed us!
  
• A strong husband/wife relationship, big hearts, and the Lord's blessing.
  

4) "Are you going to get fixed?"

• Nope, I am not broken!
  
• Huh, we thought everything was working fine for us.
  
• We didn't know anything was broken.
  
• Don't you only fix things that aren't working properly?
  
• Well as you can see be the size of OUR family everything is in working order. :o) (You have to say this last one with the kinda "I'm not too bright so your question seems kinda foolish don't you think?" attitude.)
  

5) "I can't believe how you do it, I cannot even handle my two!"

• Yes, if I had children like yours, I wouldn't have any more either!
  
• Yes, you don't strike me as the type who could handle more children than that.
  
• I put knobs on the children. Makes them easier to handle.
  
• Everyone has 24 hours in a day, it is just how you use it.
  
• Oh, I just do it. Wake up in the morning, do what you have to do all day, go to bed when it's done.
  
• Oh, straight jackets and handcuffs!
  

6) "Are you planning to have any more?" Or "You're done now, right?"

• I've been wondering about this and maybe you can explain it to me: I always thought you had to plan NOT to have more.
  
• Before we were married we planned on having 2, but I didn't know that my husband and I couldn't count!
  
• Well, we didn't plan the first six, I don't think we'll plan the next six, either.
  

7) "I hope you aren't planning to have anymore?!?"

• You mean, I just figured out what I'm really, really good at, and you're telling me to stop doing it?
  
• Talk to God about it... it's up to Him.
  
• Well, we do have room in our Yukon for 1 more. LOL!!!!!
  
• OK, I won't plan my next one. Surprises can be fun!
  
• Yup we are going to keep going till we get an ugly one.
  
• Well we really want to see how many combinations we can come up with.
  

8) "Haven't you heard of birth control?"

• Yes, I've heard of it, I hope you are using it!
  
• Oh yes, we do know what birth control is; it's for people who don't want children.
  

9) "Don't you have a television?"

• No, we have much better things to do at night!
  
• Yes 4 of them. Why?
  

10) "How can you afford having so many?"

• Lifestyles are expensive not children.
  
• We're not on welfare, in huge amounts of debt, and no, my husband is not a doctor or lawyer. We just budget well.
  
• I figure you spend what you make, you may as well spend it on something worth it...like children.
  
• You don't know my financial backer! (God, of course)
  
• I'm still not sure how we do it...but it works!
  

11) "I am glad it is you and not me!"

• Yes, me too!
  
• My children are glad it's me and not you too! ;o)
  
• Oh me too! I love being a mother! (And smile real BIG!)
  

12) "Do you get any time for yourselves?"

• Obviously we get a little time to ourselves, or we wouldn't have six children.
  

13) "Did you give birth to all of them?"

• Yes, I gave birth to them all. Do you really believe the stork dropped them off?
  

14) "Are you going to have 19 children too?" (Like the Duggar's.)

• If only we could be as blessed as that family!
  
• It would be an honor to compete with them!
  

15) When people just keep staring at your family....

• Yes, they all are mine!
  
• No, we don't try to overpopulate the earth. We are just trying to outnumber the idiots!
  

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

Post-It Note Tuesday #4

Post-It Note Tuesday #3

"Why Mothers Need Their Sleep"

My Swagger Wagon - So funny

Toyota Sienna - Swagger Wagon

You need to watch this!

What a Mother's Day!

I know that Mother's Day can come with mixed emotions. For those we can not have children, for those who have lost children and for Mother's who wonder do I measure up, I'm I doing a good job.

I had a wonderful morning at church, came home and was showered with gifts. I got to take a long nap and woke up to an amazing dinner. (Thank you Donny and to all my kids) I love you!

 My Boys 

 (got them both smiling, I am tickling them)

 after church

 from Lindsay

I LOVE aprons!!

 Great Book

 Fresh water pearls

 Homemade soap - (orange scent)

 A very much needed pizza cutter

A Flirty Apron Mother's Day

My Mom - Lois

 

My sister Lisa

Wow! Look at my group 

(the boys just loved doing this)

 

Me & Alissa