August

Fast: Steward of bad and good.  

Self-soothing coping strategies 

Trust; enabling power

Self-Talk 

lds president lee we have been born with two ends heads you win tails you lose

'The only thing wrong with teenagers is that there aren't enough of them' " -Packer

2- **No ward or neighborhood is perfect. You just have to find your people. And when you do, you don’t let them go. You show up for them. Love, care for, serve, and enjoy them. Cherishing the connections. In this day and age, tribes are hand selected and the heartstrings are handmade. 

4- sin is a response to suffering. Learn how to suffer well. 

5- “Put on your running shoes. If I step on your toes it’s because you’re not moving them fast enough.” Karen Tall Sadler

6- if you want to write books, you’re going to have to give up other stuff. Like decorating. 

7- *my big take away from education week today is: “mama Fack” has had over 1000 kids in her home. 

8- and Mamma Ball loves them all. 

9-“What if we talked about God‘s goodness more?”  “Have an optimistic approach to the life that is yours.” EBF

10- Koda is meeting the measure of his creation. He makes so many people happy. He’s the troops emotional support pet. And most of my boys adore and need him. 

11-  James, Daniel and I went to a Education Week. A little hand of God is that we parked in the Marriott center. I never ever park there. But that was the closest place to get there tags and it was super quick and we got to Tamara‘s class only 3 min late. 

12- *what I do in this decade, the effort I put forth in my marriage and with my friendship with Mike, will pay big dividends in the years to come. 

13- * self talk. Tell yourself “I am going to be faithful for the rest of my life”

14- *teach about transitional characters. 

I5- *we bought this house to be our cabin as well. Utilize it. Enjoy deck and porch time slowing down, visiting, cuddling, connecting, and enjoying nature. 

16- take 30 seconds and think about your biggest stressed, burdens and challenges. Wrote down those feelings. 

Next, take 30 sec and think if everything you are thankful for. Now wrote those feelings down.  

17-* A revisit on Andrew’s rock story. I retold it today and he froze. I think he felt embarrassed or ashamed. I think that rock story is one of andrew’s greatest hero story. I think it tells us so much about who he is. The incident happened over a period of probably 10 min but it was a defining moment of who Andrew is at the core. He is brave. He is strong. When his friends ran behind a bush and HID, he stayed, he faced a stranger, and he let her follow him all the way home. It would’ve been so much easier for him to HIDE. He knows who his parents are and he wouldn’t get off free, he knew he’d have to pay for the consequences. But he stood up, with his feet firmly planted on admitting his wrong and accepting the consequences. Because he didn’t hide he had to pay $20 and write an apology note. Because he didn’t hide, he’ll have to hear this story repeated. BUT. Because he didn’t hide, he is a hero in his Mamma’s eyes. He is a hero to his family. He is an example of courage and facing challenges head on, come what may. Go Andrew!

18- I’m so grateful that Mike loves to host and is so naturally good at it. This is a place where we are completely compatible. We host together so many things that brings joy to us and others. 

19-I’m grateful that I felt prompted to buy a shepherds pie at Myers for Lorena who had surgery today. I didn’t want to because it cost almost $20, but it allowed me to “show up” during her time of need. 

20- Andrew has an amazing teacher this year! She had the idea for him to listen to audible in class during silent reading time. 

21- todays mantra: “siblings/ brothers are best friends!”

22- Mike and I enjoyed our lunch date and talking about my panel at stake conference this weekend. We enjoyed the driving range as a family for a family home evening. And we enjoyed our scripture power reading time on our front porch along with Daniel‘s testimony. Mike shared with us “how the hiking trail applies to the gospel of Jesus Christ.” And I spent 3 to 5 minutes in each of my boys beds this evening scratching their backs and singing them songs. I love it when random stories pop in my head and I share them with my boys. Like how I shared with James how I would sing primary songs out loud at night and when I tucked my own self in bed. Or when I memorized my first hymn in the chapel on the Indian reservation, love one another,. And we’re in the second week of school and our boys are on top of all of their homework. Pretty much I was super mom today. 

23- in carpool this morning Mikes devotional, thought and mantra was: Heavenly father loves me and Jesus Christ is my savior. 

24- *”boys, you have the blood of overachieving seminary superstar running in your veins!”

25-our visiting authority at Stake Conference spoke to the youth about doing the work to gain their own testimonies. We had just had this conversation the previous day with James. Pres wetzel even talked about going up to Alta and hiking sugarloaf. He had my boys’ attention at ski hill. He also explained that his answer and assurance didn’t come right away. 

26- Mike and Barbara Evans were outside today and I had fun visiting with them. Ama met us at Highland Glen and we spent time with her. Dad, James, and Daniel are at Camp Keisel tonight for the order of the arrow and for Daniel‘s ordeal.

27- while continually kicking myself about my talk at stake conference and thinking: “well, I think I did the opposite of promoting our troop” I got a phone call from a mom that moved here two weeks ago and who wants to sign up her two boys for scouts. God is good to us and He works in productive ways that don’t always make sense to us. 

28-

29- 3 families signed up for scouts because of President Madsen’s message at the adult session of stake conference. God is good to us. 

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31-“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words” -anonymous-

“The answer came to her mind in these words: “I gave him to you because I knew you could and would love him no matter what he did.” Eyring ‘13

Gotchas!

M- 

R-

J-James’s eagle project fundraiser was epic! The boys all loved it, hung out, worked, laughed, and played some disc golf themselves. The troop showed up for James and he’s happy with how well it went. 

D- Daniel wants to stay caught up on his homework assignments. But he didn’t want to do it on Sunday. So he woke up early on Monday morning to get it done. 

Mrs. Ball, Just a quick note about Daniel in art class. He is such a great guy and a gentleman. He comes to class early and puts down all the chairs for me. He is super creative and always does such great art....(as did James). Love them both. Anyway, just wanted you to know how much I appreciate him. I nominated him for Grizzly of the Day. Thanks, Mrs. Thomas

I also got the sweetest call from the vice principal today with Daniel in his office. Daniel‘s been nominated is the grizzly of the day by his math teacher, Mrs. Robertson as well. She wrote the nicest write-up about him.