May

Fast: Bless the trajectory of our family. What are minor and major tweaks we need to make? Start, stop, continue. sit and cuddle! Eye contact. Card, board, sport games. 

Do [the work] what it takes to have “ many revelations daily.”

1- offer to sub Starks class. 

2- REALLY listen to the spirit to guide me. And not my inner chatter, Especially on time management.

3- ““Humbled by our good fortune, we should do everything we can to share it.” Dr. Faust, BYU ‘21

4- My friend does [board] games with her family every single night. They don’t have a TV.

5- Prayer: help me to teach my children… And help me to learn from them. A house is just walls a d a ceiling. What makes it home is are the people that live in it and the memories made together. It’s not the setting, it’s the people. 

6- We’re running around too much to enjoy family time together at home. “I gave you the mountains to give you peace.”

7- “Aspen grove is a Place of healing.” -Freeze

Sit and cuddle and snuggle my children. Look in their eyes. Play games with them. Where are you start start

8- Listen to conference talks in our bed at night and while driving James to swim. Recenter ourselves with FHE, scripture study, and Come Follow Me. The boys’ deacons quorum is a team and power for good, not just a social gathering. 

9- family council. We need affirmations and to write 3 happies in our journals. 

10- “We’re thankful for our challenges.” -Mike’s morning family prayer 

11- On our way to the Tulip Festival I thought: “we should get a golf cart.” And so we did and we had a. Last going around… twice. 

12- “Many of you have witnessed miracles, more than you realize. They may seem small in comparison to Jesus raising the dead. But the magnitude does not distinguish a miracle, only that it came from God.” -Rasband I rested and did all that I could and then I asked for a miracle of health, strength, and clarity while subbing Daniel’s class. 

13- Mike: “What scripture are you currently pondering?”

14-listen to Hank Smith’s explanation of the fruit and the tree of life; on growing and maintaining a testimony. 

15- Marriage is “ordained” of God. Typically ordination occurs by lying on of hands. 

“A form of hypocrisy is underplaying what you believe as to not offend or make someone feel uncomfortable.” -Sundwall 

“This house isn’t MINE. It is ours now to live in, to use and abuse, and to improve upon. It’s not our retirement plan nor is it our masterpiece. It’s a tool/instrument for us to use as we seek to lift and to build others.”

16- I need to slow down and drive safer. 

17- let our minds dwell on the positives. 

18- the more attention and focus that we give to little positive differences, the more unity we’ll have in the big things that matter. Autonomy. Help Daniel thrive in uniqueness so he can embrace the gospel and teachings. 

19- obey driving laws. Remove distractions. 

20 Dash support Mike and give him wings to fly. Require and demand less of him. Don’t carry so much about money.

21- I need exercise. Mike needs creative outlet.  

22- support Daniel in his personal and unique interests. 

23- I thought moving once was hard. And into a mansion. While reading D&C I’m reminded that moving, discomfort, and serving the Lord in his appointed ways are principles of the gospel. We weren’t sent to earth to camp in comfort. We were sent to grow and to gather Israel through teaching, service, and strengthening others. 

24- pray out loud at the bed of each boy, each night. “Every night since I was a baby, my dad said to me, ‘Dad loves you, Heavenly Father loves you, and you’re a good boy.’”

25- *We were limited In our service, leadership, and influence in our last house. 

26- Let yourself love the house. Allow yourself to be crazy about it. Unlock your heart and let it love this place. This house, yard, ward, area, neighborhood, stake, and people. Be all in. 

27- Insist they the boys are nice to each other. Teach them that the norm of relationships is synergistic, happy, positive, and 2-way. That both benefit and are benefitted. “A true friend makes you want to be a better person.”

I’m so grateful that we have put forth the amount of energy and effort into scouts. Such a solid group of boys and friends. Such quality experiences. 

28- help the boys identify, recognize, and consider their “12” people, friends, support group, and those who need their support. 

Andrew called Ama because she is on his list of people who love him. 

The family is “ordained” of God. What does God expect of the Ball family and what’s gifts and blessings has he bestowed upon our collective whole to bless and enrich the lives of others?

*treat the boys as they can become.

29- “it’s not fun if you don’t try.” -soccer player; soccer games, gardening with Ama, cooks greenhouse, gardening and yard work, family basketball game in our driveway! Our boys are adventurous and are at a stage of loving trying new things! Commandments are a gift D&C 59:4

30- how can I make my pathway more bright? How do I FILL my soul with heavens light?(Hymnbook P 228)

31- say positive things about everyone, especially my children, and especially to Mike. Keep the unnecessary comments to myself. Focus on and comment on the 80% good. 

• “Anything you pay for that would keep you from being with your children (window tinting, painting, house cleaning), I will cover.”

Assertive, brave, clean, charismatic, cheerful, creative, considerate, compassionate collaborators, dependable & dedicated, energetic, fun & forgiving, grit, gifts & talents, honest, happy & helpful, intelligent, joyful, kind, leaders, missionaries, non judgmental, obedient & optimistic, playful, quality, respectful and reverent, social & scouts, testimony, team players, understanding, virtuous & vivacious, wise, excellent, youthful, zany. 

Isaiah 61:3

“You can only remember things that you’ve internalized.” Kara

“When you are a missionary, you have the authority to promise blessings.” “

I’ve never been happier than when I’ve given myself to JC.” -Keaton. 

Gotcha: 

M helps the boys with her chores; helped Derek hand wash all the silverware. Playing Scategories with us. 

R takes good care of coda and whiskers. Trim to the front hedges. 

J walked to scouts because we were late picking him up from soccer. Played a modified version of ticket to ride with Derek. Pushed Derek on the green machine and on his bike. Backpacking and hiking to the falls. Self reflection on preparedness and how to pack. 

D cuddled with Andrew in his bed when we cannot talk in the boys. Reading to Derek in his bunk bed. 

A made dad an Andrew sandwich and started bringing it to him in bed. Tried out for swim team even when he didn’t want to. AmAzInG Little soccer. Washed, brushed, and walked, and played with Koda!

D push the green machine all the way back up the hill and into the garage. Smart and tenacious. Has worked hard and Piano, even when he hasn’t wanted to, and is playing songs with two hands. 

D scouts; leader, Aspen grove marriage getaway. Always up for an adventure and for improving. Invested in us. 

M subbing and art

J turbo clean for FHE; viola concert and musical number

D taught FHE lesson with Bitters, massages. Reading the evil librarian story to Andrew in bed. 

A massages. Got Derek dressed and ready for his soccer game. 

D jerky sales. Soccer goal. Cheerful soccer player and happy teammate. 

10:2 Mother’s Day getaway

1- Smart with house and money. 

2- Helps the boys with her chores; helped Derek hand wash all the silverware. 

3- “My Dad is my hero because he teaches me things. And because he’s kind.” -Andrew

4- Helps me drive kids; drives them to school

5- Let’s me workout even though it’s an inconvenient time. 

6- Service oriented and others minded

7- Leadership and service in the community

1-Journaling

Mike’s:

1. you for supporting our family skiing!! ⛷

2. You are so kind to let me volunteer with scouting and vanguard

3. You are an incredible Mom, and you’re so good at teaching the boys. 

4. It’s very impressive how you keep your teaching license. That takes a lot of work.

5. Thank you for screwing my brains out. You are delicious!

Things to work on

1. I got nothing

Books: Attached. Hold me tight. 

Scoresby 

When you are hearing and reading revelation. You are in the mode of revelation. 

Dating advice: “Live your best life and just let people’s lives ‘merge.’” vs. “Robin, do you wish you could start college all over again and try harder next time?”

How do we have so much faith that we don’t even ask to know “why?”

Everybody is dealing with something. 

“He will enable you to do the impossible” -nelson

*Savor the day. Snuggle and cuddle. 

Love. Own. Embrace. And make the most of YOUR personalized curriculum. 

Mike isn’t the source of happiness in my life. But he’s a bonus in it. 

“Equally yoked” = feeling the same about important things. 

Judges 4:9-10 Deborah was willing to go. 

“God and mother, partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service, are as one.” -Monson

Are you Focusing on what you have to do vs. who you are to be? Every heartbeat began with a mom. 

Learn what is most important and than move at a pace that is comfortable. 

“Being a mom is hard. If it was easy dads would do it.” -Mike Evans

“How to make my light shine is to do what’s best for me and to do what Jesus wants for me to do. Like service, reading scriptures, inviting others to church.” -Daniel 

To be kind to brothers. -Derek

Service. Helping other people. Like to help others with yard work. And to help my brothers. -James

By being kind and patient with myself and with others. -Andrew

I just saw this in my messages and when I texted Bishop Sundwall about Primary: “Beautiful talk today, Robin!  Thank you!  So glad you are in our ward and excited to know you better!  From the few interactions we have had, it’s easy to see that your family is exceptional.  I know we will continue to be blessed by having you in our ward family.”