Return to Virtue

The first Sunday I went to Young Women as the new Beehive Adviser, I noticed that there was an addition to the Young Women Values. Every Sunday the Young Women stand up and recite the Young Women Values and it goes something like this:

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. We will “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice and Accountability
Good Works and
Integrity and
Virtue

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.



The First Presidency has proclaimed this new addition in the church news call "A Return to Virtue". I am actually very happy about this new addition and I'd say it came just the right time seeing how media and society seem to portray that being virtuous is something to snicker at. The book of Esther in the Old Testament has always been my favorite book in the Bible to read....Esther even though she was a Jew was chosen above all the other women in that country to be the next Queen not just because she's beautiful but because she possessed this aura about her, the most virtuous one among those women and that virtue she had that later led her to courageously stood up in front of the King, without being invited, at the risk of her own life to beg for her people's lives. If you haven't read that, you can look it up in the Old Testimony.

Anyways, I've been preparing my lesson for Young Women today and thought I'd share video and message with you today. Have a great Sunday and may the Lord keep you and bless you with whatever you stand in need of.

Keepin Up Tradition..lol

It's Friday folks and you know what that means? Yes, it's the day where I pour my heart out about my inadequacies as a mom. Julie is on a blog-cation right now so I'm going to try to keep her NPSA meeting going a little on my end. Plus, I'm just too down in a rut to come up with anything creative and entertaining. So here goes nothing:

Any of you moms ever actually looked forward to having a camping trip? Well, I do. Doesn't make sense because usually camping might require a lot of work, packing of camping gears, the hike or whatever...but camping here in Hawaii so much different. Camping is like going on a vacation.

Anyways, since we moved to our Ward nine years ago, our family has been going every year since with our Ward for Ward camp. I didn't use to like camping...all those packing, planning menus, hauling things to and from camp and all the camping gears...well, two years after this yearly ritual, I discovered something that actually make me like camping anymore. Seriously.

We usually camp from Friday to Wednesday so that's almost a whole week. You know what my biggest dilemma everyday is? Trying to figure out what to make for dinner...even with a menu schedule or even if I already have an idea of what I want to make, it always ended up a complete shamble. Well, I figured out that at camp, my family is not soooo picky about what they eat. As long as I bring a lot of snacks and drinks, they will eat anything. If I actually decide we'll eat sandwiches that whole duration of camp, that's what we will be eating...no complaints from anyone, not even the hubby who usually makes a big fuss about dinner meal. In fact he insisted that I don't go through any trouble trying to come up with anything elaborate for dinner, he's all content with just having sandwiches as long as he gets to spend his whole camping trip at the beach.

So folks...that is now the reason I look forward with excitement to camping. For five days, I can feed them anything and they will be just fine. And not only that, but since there are other kids and adults around and most of kids are grown, I just let my little kids go off with hang out with their little friends and I get to enjoy myself, doing my own thing. All this time, my kids are actually thinking that I am making a sacrifice for them every year by taking them camping but they don't really know, do they? To them camping is the best time of the year besides Christmas because mom lets them eat all the junk food they desire and she keeps supplying them with that and even dad is loosened up enough to eat hot dogs which he loathe eating by the way..lol. AND.....only at camp that a mom can get away with letting her kids wear the same thing, be it swim shorts or a complete outfit for five days in a row without anyone giving you the eye...seriously.

As you can see, I have a such a great time at camp, exhausting though it may be, I am wishing we are still camping right now because quite frankly, I'm just too lazy to get up and do any mundane things. I think this year's camping week went by really fast, I barely got to bask in the glory of it all when it was time to break camp and come home. So now, I'm already planning on the next Ward camp coming up next year...isn't that crazy? In fact, I think I'm still in the camping mode right now because I keep thinking that the kids should just raid our cabinets and help themselves to any food they find...lol.

Ahem...aight folks, thanks for reading, hope your week is been great so far. Again, if you're in the mood to read some fun post, go here.

God bless!! and happy blogging!

A Non-post Post

Today, instead of writing a regular post, I'm just going to direct you all to this blog. Yes, it's the relationship blog I wrote about in my earlier post. Remember how I said that I have a post written up for this week that might come out either Friday or Saturday? Well, I lied, well not really lied, I wasn't the one in charge of the post schedule so I just estimated the day my entry will be posted based on the time I put it in.

Anyways, my post is on today. I'm usually a little hesitant about directing anyone over to read my post there because most of the ones I wrote already were a little on the sensitive side but today, I figure, what the heck? And the post I have for today is not too sensitive, it's a little on the fun side so if you're in the mood to read something a little more interesting, go read it.

If you feel up to it, feel free to read all the other posts as well. There are different bloggers who write something everyday so you might enjoy the different views of the relationships of the bloggers who write on that blog. Like I mentioned in an earlier post...the founders of that blog have decided to theme each week and this week's theme is Compatibility. And you feel like it, leave a comment too to let us know what you think about each post. Again, go here if you feel like reading a little romance..lol...kidding. But really, do come over and check out my post for today.

I want to post some new creative craft this week but for some reason, my camera is not cooperating with me. I am working on some fun paper craft and of course some new cards idea so be on a look-out. In the meantime, have a great day and hopefully I might see some of y'all's fingerprints on the other blog.

Happy blogging and God bless!!

Not much to write about today

I know I have been very inconsistent with my posts lately. I have no excuses that could make me look cooler for this total sporadic of my posts. I've been blogging, at least that's what I thought that was...I do stay online on blogland, but I mostly spend that reading other very interesting blogs out there.

And of course, life in general is very hectic for me. I've been trying to be a very good mom by dedicating most of my time to my kids since they are home all day and it's been fun. Where else can I get to know my kids all over again...

Anyways, I just want to update a little of my weekend.

Fourth of July was a great one....we were able to go to a block party and mingle with old friends and meeting new ones. And of course, food is always a great factor to a get-together. OMG the food...the people in Hawaii really know how to throw a party. I think I've gained at least five pounds just from eating on Saturday.

However, my little girl, Katie, got sick and I had to practically stayed up all night taking care of her. So both she and I didn't go to church yesterday...I was able to catch up on sleep since she was sleeping most of the day. I was actually in a great mood because I made a great dinner for my family...even made a new dessert, one that I've never made before.

Then my family came home after church yesterday and told me that one of ladies I know, her three year old son had fallen out of their two-story window and landed on the cemented sidewalk below and cracked his skull. He's now in the hospital...my heart goes out to the mom. Right now she's battling her own demons...she's been struggling with anxiety attack and now this. I think in the four or five years they've live here in Hawaii, they've moved at least six times that I know. Everytime they get settled in one house, the owner ended up selling the house so they ended up having to look for another place. And I have to tell you, I don't think I would be able to handle that kind of stress...they have little kids, the oldest is eight...can you imagine that? I guess that's what brought on the anxiety stress she has. Poor lady...I feel sooo bad for her.

My daughter Steph is volunteering this summer at the hospital where the little boy is at so she told me last night she's going to stop by and see how the boy is doing. I'm going to find out sometime today how long he will be at the hospital so I can go visit. I asked my hubby last night if the little boy is going to make it and he said yes but I'm sure there's going to be some major problem that will result from the fall. Can you just picture that? A three year old falling from a two-story window and a cracked skull? I shudder just thinking about it. I get usually very neurotic when my daughter or any of my kids get near our windows or the older kids climb a tree...now with what happened to the little boy, I think I'm on the verge of being paranoid now.

Other than that, everything is ok on my end. Katie's feeling much better, up and about in her old self, singing and dancing and just being her old cute, adorable unresistable self. Jen's attending Summer School this summer and I've mentioned already, Stephanie's volunteering at the hospital. All four boys are home, being mommy's helpers, and just enjoying their time at home. How about you all? How's your summer coming along so far? Hope you're enjoying the great summer weather...the sun is out and brightly about, I think I might take the kids across to the beach to do some kayaking.

If you're interested in reading something really fun this week, go here. I've mentioned this blog before, it's on my sidebar, Mars versus Venus, a relationship blog...I'm one of the posters on there. This week, the posts are extremely fun to read, the owner has decided to theme the post so this week's theme is Compatibility. You might not want to miss the posts on that blog...go check it out. I have a post I've written, I'm just not sure when it will be posted, maybe Friday or Saturday but every single post this week is going to be a "must read". There's a really fun post right now...it even comes with video of a real live couple so please go check it out, ok?

Aight, y'all take care and have a great day.