Category: Rebecca

I finally finished them! But I bought myself a new toy to help me get through them:

It’s a food strainer. It’s really awesome too. I just quartered the apples (cut off any pieces that looked yucky) and then steamed them and ran them through the strainer. No standing there FOREVER pealing apples while my hand cramps up. And the applesauce came out smooth and an even consistency! Love it! It helped me make a whole bunch of applesauce, and made a quick job of it.

So this year I made some apple mint jam, candy apple jam, apple pie jam, cinnamon apple rings, apple pie filling, unsweetened applesauce, cinnamon applesauce, and blueberry applesauce.

I love making yummy things!

This year I turned 29 years old. My sister, Jennifer, texted me saying “Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!” a bunch of times. Then she said “Happy Birthday x30!” Then she realized her mistake and said “You’re only 29!! Haha…Happy 29th!” That was pretty funny. 🙂

I knew we were going to be out of town this past weekend, so I sent Kyle to take the kids to buy me a birthday present a couple of weeks ago. I told him what to get so that he wouldn’t let the kids pick out something lame, and so that when the kids that can’t keep a secret ended up telling me anyways it wouldn’t ruin the surprise (because I already knew what it was anyways!). So they went and got me a scripture case. I got to open my present last night and Kyle had added to it to make it a bit of a surprise. I opened the bag to find the scripture case, but there was something in it. So I opened that next and there were a couple of Twix candy bars. Then I noticed that there was something else in the gift bag as well and so I pulled it out  and opened it and it was Lego Harry Potter for the wii. I actually knew this was in the house so it wasn’t a complete surprise for me, but it was a total surprise to a certain blue eyed boy of mine (namely ETHAN).

After I finished opening the presents we sent the kids to the table for cake. I didn’t feel like making myself a cake today, so I asked Kyle to pick up a cheesecake from the store and a can of blueberry pie filling to top it with. It was yummy. 🙂 So it was a nice simple day.

I had the opportunity to go to the conference center for the general Relief Society meeting again this year. I think this is the third time that I’ve been. This year I went with several ladies from my ward, and we got there just after the time that we were supposed to be in our seats. But there were women EVERYWHERE outside the conference center waiting to get in. Every other time I’ve been everything has been so organized and they get us all in so quickly. This time there was no order whatsoever. We stood in line waiting for our turn to get in. Once inside we had to have our purses inspected and we had to walk through metal detectors so maybe that is what was taking so long. We didn’t actually get seated until after the opening hymn and opening prayer. I really enjoyed being there though, and I really enjoyed listening to the talks. And it was really nice to spend the evening with some great ladies from my ward. 🙂

Our ward’s relief society planned it’s second annual retreat for this weekend and I for sure wasn’t going to miss it! This year was a lot colder than last year. Last year it didn’t really get COLD until after dark. This year it was cold and rainy when we got there early in the afternoon.

After unloading the trailer we hung around the fire trying to stay warm. Some of the ladies tried roasting startbursts instead of marshmallows, and thought that was the best thing ever. Just hold them in the fire until they just barely start to bubble and then eat it before it falls off your stick!

We spent the afternoon just sitting around and talking while a few priesthood members made dinner for us. Dinner was good. I think dessert was rather too sweet for me.

The Stake relief society presidency spoke to us some encouraging words. We had a testimony meeting that went late into the night, but since last year’s testimony meeting went until 1:30am or so they decided to make an end time before we even started this year. 🙂

I decided to sleep in the cabin for people who wanted to sleep. The other cabin was for the party animals. I think a LOT of people just came up for the afternoon and dinner and program and then went home. There weren’t very many people left in the morning.

I ended up waking up around 2am feeling like I needed to use the bathroom, so I got up and went on my way, about halfway there I ended up blessing the bushes with some vomit. 🙁 I guess that stomach bug that has been bouncing around from kid to kid finally caught up with me dang it! I was really hoping I wouldn’t get it. I ended up finishing my journey to the bathroom and hung out in there for a bit before heading back to bed.

In the morning I didn’t eat breakfast, I just laid in bed and when the first carload of people were ready to head back home I got in too.

I had a good time despite the nasty stomach bug, and I really enjoyed spending time relaxing with so many amazing ladies the night before I got sick. 🙂

Every year our Stake President invites the women in Relief Society to submit any question that they might have. We can ask ANY question, and he will research answers and then there’s a big Relief Society fireside where he answers them all. I have gone the past two years and these firesides are really amazing. This year, we have been told, will be the last of these question and answers firesides with President Draper, as he mentioned that there will be some changes made to the stake at our coming stake conference in October.

I personally have never submitted any question, but I like to go and take some paper so I can take notes. 🙂 Here are some of my notes from this years fireside:

• Sincerity of prayer-TALK to my Heavenly Father, show respect, but just talk to him.
• Don’t play violent video games-video games are the biggest waste of time.
• Regarding choices that our children may make as they grow up-Live as pure a life as you know how. And if you are teaching correct principals you must find peace with that.
• Someone asked President Draper if he could go back and do anything different with his family what would it be, and his wife in the audience said “More scripture study”.
• Don’t find an excuse to remove your garment. It’s perfectly ok to wear your garment while working out. The only times you should remove your garment are when you’re swimming, when you’re showering, and when you’re being physically intimate with your spouse.
• Someone asked about Joseph Smith’s polygamy habits and President Draper said all we need to be concerned about regarding Joseph Smith are two things 1. DID the Father and the Son in fact appear to Joseph Smith? And 2. Is the Book of Mormon true? Anything else Joseph Smith did is HIS business.
• There’s a wealth of knowledge in the Bible Dictionary.
• Study the conference talks to find the apostolic blessings within.
• Someone asked a question about how to encourage her husband to take the lead in holding Family Home Evening, family scripture study and family prayer. She said that she felt like if SHE didn’t call the family together for these things then they just didn’t happen. When President Draper read this question I totally felt like it could have been written by me, because that’s the way those things are in our house too. If I don’t say it’s time for FHE and already have something planned then it just never happens…Anyway President Draper suggested reviewing the Proclamation to the world on the Family with my husband to review what each of our jobs are, then reward good behavior. 😉
• How do you approach teaching the law of chastity to your children? For the Strength of Youth.
• Interview your children, one on one (fast and pray for guidance).
• The most important traits in marriage are unselfishness and gratitude.
• The purpose of the sealing ordinance is to ensure eternal parentage for your children. Then you must earn the right to be that parent.
• Within marriage there are three areas of intimacy 1. Spiritual (most important) 2. Emotional (we need to talk eye to eye) 3. Physical (this is the bonus). If the first two are strong, the third will also be strong. 🙂
• Communication is EVERYTHING-Have Family Council
• I need to be worthy to be a goddess before I can apply any secular learning to my life.