Terrific Tuesdays are exactly that...terrrrrific!!

 Every summer my dear friend, Dori, puts together a little list of summer activities for families in the ward.  We have been doing this for years! She sends out an email to all people who are interested, lists the Tuesdays, and we volunteer to lead an adventure for that particular day.

We have done many things in the past from bike parades, to the zoo, to just lunch at a fun park.

This year we ended with a pool party and pot luck at our place.

Here are the pics from the smiles that were had!

I love that a lot of new families came.  I hope it can be a tradition we have for years to come!

Terrific Tuesday ideas can be implemented by any and all groups everywhere. Here's how you do it:

1. Have a reliable leader!! 

1. Set up an email list with participants that would like similar activities. (Include everyone you think may be interested in the least. The more the merrier!)

2. Make a list of suggestions for interesting ideas.

3. Send out a list of Tuesday dates (or whatever day of the week you want)

4. Have people volunteer to host their idea for the activity.

5. Each week the leader of that week sends out an email with all the details (where, cost if needed, time, etc.)

6. THAT'S IT!!! THEN HAVE FUN!

This is so simple, but really helps busy moms like me! This could also be done during the school year! 

NY moms could meet at different places all around the city, mountain moms could choose different sledding hills and hot chocolate spots, and suburb moms could meet at different neighborhood parks. 

Inexpensive, simple, and friendships that blossom and strengthen between kids AND moms!

Terrific Tuesday ideas can be implemented by any and all groups everywhere. Here's how you do it:

1. Have a reliable leader!! 

1. Set up an email list with participants that would like similar activities. (Include everyone you think may be interested in the least. The more the merrier!)

2. Make a list of suggestions for interesting ideas.

3. Send out a list of Tuesday dates (or whatever day of the week you want)

4. Have people volunteer to host their idea for the activity.

5. Each week the leader of that week sends out an email with all the details (where, cost if needed, time, etc.)

6. THAT'S IT!!! THEN HAVE FUN!

This is so simple, but really helps busy moms like me! This could also be done during the school year! 

NY moms could meet at different places all around the city, mountain moms could choose different sledding hills and hot chocolate spots, and suburb moms could meet at different neighborhood parks. 

Inexpensive, simple, and friendships that blossom and strengthen between kids AND moms!

Today was one of those days...

Today was one of those days where clarity came in a flash!

How many days in our lives can we say that clarity of something that has been eluding us for so long, comes in a flash?

For those of you with flashes of brilliance, you may have many days like this.

But for me, today was a miracle.

I feel so blessed to be able to take the things that are weighing on my heart, and gain an understanding that I never had before.

I was touched by people around me who probably had no idea the impact they were having on me.

A sister who was willing to listen, a stranger who smiled while reminding me of promises, and longtime friends who said just the right thing to calm my heart.

I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who reminds me that I am important to him.

I am one of His daughters.

I am one of His children.

And he loves me...no matter what.

After letting go of things that aren't in my control, and feeling a peace that I haven't felt in a long time, I came home and witnessed this.

I watched as John mowed the entire property with Tymber safely tucked in his lap, singing "I'm yelling timber..." in her ear.

I love their smiles, and I hope I will never forget how I felt feeling my Heavenly Father touching my life, and watching Tymber's earthly father touching her life.

Life is a gift.

Nothing is guaranteed, but if we trust in the Lord, it will all work out!

A "pause" in the moment with A.J. and Addie for Sadie's

There are moments in your life when you are taking a picture and you realize time.

You realize that time is moving along, and as a mother, all you want sometimes, is for that time to pause.

Pause for one more look at this young man who used to be my blonde-haired, blue-eyed kindergartener.

Pause to see what he is becoming in the classroom, on the field, and in life.

Pause to take in the beautiful journey that it has been as his mother.

Saturday, was one of those days.

It was a pre-spring day in Colorado, complete with blue skies and a little chill in the air.

We headed to the location where pictures were being taken, and joined the parents as the kids put smiles on their faces, and arms around their chosen dates.

Addie chose A.J..

The girls looked beautiful, and the boys were gentlemen.

They held their dates a little closer as they froze on the terrace in their spring dresses.

I took multiple pictures of the same pose.

Not wanting to miss one single thing.

I watched him as he smiled ear-to-ear watching as Addie tried to pin on his boutonniere.

I watched as he slid her corsage right onto her delicate wrist.

I loved to see his smile.

His smile that said, "I'm happy."

Every mom wants their children to be happy.

She wants them to make choices that will ensure their happiness, but sometimes there has to be some learning along the way.

The learning is what helps them grow into these incredible people.

I loved as his dad got in a picture with his son that he is so proud of.

I loved as he laughed with friends, and posed picture after picture as the moms, girls, and friends made sure they had captured it all.

A.J., you are amazing!

You are my son, and I couldn't be more proud of you.

You have taken your trials in stride, and become the victor on the other side.

Addie, you are absolutely lovely!

Lovely means that you are not only classy and beautiful, but you are also kind and loving.

It was a beautiful pause.

A pause I will never forget!

ALEX gets baptized!

Alex is amazing!

Last Saturday, she chose to be baptized.

This was not an overnight decision for her.

In the above picture, she and one of her childhood friends, Stephanie, have been friends since they were little. I think Stephanie said they have been friends since they were two and three.

So sweet!

There have been many years of friendship on this journey.

You see, Stephanie was a member of the church.  She was a valiant member of the church.

Both families were neighbors and friends for years.

As the years went by, Stephanie invited Alex to come to activities with her.  They went to Girls' Camp and Youth Conference together.

Alex said that even when she was young, she knew what she was hearing was the right thing.

I met Alex at one of these Youth Conferences.  I remember thinking, "This is a great girl. She is amazing!  She is good and kind and absolutely wonderful."

As I spent those few days with her, I saw her as she participated in all the fun activities like sand castle building at the base of Colorado Sand Dunes, build a boat out of cardboard and race across a small lake, and many other fun things with the youth of our ward.

She seemed to be having a blast!

She was surrounded by people who already knew her from school and friendship, and she just fit right in.

But the most incredible thing that I witnessed, those brief three days, was how open she was to the Spirit.

I watched her as she listened to different devotionals that were being shared.

I watched her as she participated in folding her arms and bowing her head during prayers.

And I watched her as she listened to the sweet testimonies that were shared on our final night, and as I watched, I saw her be taught again.

It was something that came easily for her, because her heart was open.

It was open to befriend everyone around her, even those she had never met.

It was open to get out there and try something new.

And it was open to let an "old" leader like me, become a lifelong friend.

On the last day, as everyone was hustling around to pack up, make their sack lunch for the ride home, and do the last of the cleanup, she came to me.

I had been taking pictures for days, but this day, she asked if we could take a picture.

It was sweet.

It was real.

And I love that in that moment, I realized we had bonded...forever.

Alex, I could not be more happy for you.

I know that it has been a long, hard road lately, and it may even be hard for a bit more, but everything will eventually make sense.

And if this trial, is the one that made you open your heart even more, and accept Christ completely, then you will look back someday and feel like it was the greatest blessing you have ever received.

You have family and friends that love you.

You have a Heavenly Father and Savior, who love you even more.

May you enjoy everything that awaits you in this amazing journey back home.

I love you!

This baptism was incredible!

From the beautiful music played on the piano by Nicole, to the hymns that were chosen, to the talks, that frankly, brought tears to everyone's eyes that were in attendance.

The Spirit was so strong that it was tangible.

The thing that I will always remember about this day, was the peace that was on Alex's face after she left the waters of baptism.

She was calm, reverent, and happy.

It was something that was proof to me, of the love of our Savior.

I will never forget it.

You see, when we accept Christ as our Savior, and we chose to be baptized just like he was, we make covenants that don't restrict us, they protect us and give us the opportunity to become more like our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

You could see that the choice she made was forever.

It was beautiful!