Lots on my mind and my to do list...

• Laundry, unfortunately there is always laundry. I can look on the bright side though. Laundry means I have money to buy clothes, I’ve been able to bear children that wear them, and thankfully a washer and dryer to get the clothes clean!
• TOFW- I went with my sisters and my mom. We cried, laughed, and had a blast. I was so happy that many of the speakers spoke on things that my heart and mind needed to hear. Sherri Dew spoke about influence. She gave an inspiring talk on something that I think about so much. As a woman I can do so much more to lift and inspire others. I don’t have to be a CEO or a celebrity to make a difference in the world. I walked away with determination to be a better leader in my home and realized that I can make a bigger difference than I once thought I could. After we went back to the hotel I jotted down some thoughts. “ My heart is overwhelmed with feelings of empowerment to use the influence that I have in a much more positive way than I ever have. I’ve never really understood until this very moment how much power I have in my own family and how much I need Heavenly Father’s help to use it in the best way I can. My influence, in my family, which is the application of my power as a mother and as a wife is far more reaching than I've given it credit. There is a great ripple effect of good in the world when children are brought up in loving and teachable environments where trust and learning can flourish. If righteous woman brought up their children on purpose the world would be a much better place. During three separate occasions in the last couple of months I’ve felt very strong impressions that I have a great work to do, and today, once again I’m overwhelmed with urgency to do more in my home that invites the spirit. The other night as I picked up the clutter from the day my mind reflected on thoughts of President Hinckley. I marvel at the man that he was, but even more, my thoughts rested on the women in his life. Particularly his mother and his wife. What were their priorities? What were their homes like? The world is different in many ways than the world our late prophet experienced in his childhood. The values, principles and strength of character that were instilled in him, no doubt, came from sacrifice, hard work, and serving that happened in greater abundance than it does now. If I wanted to, I could sit in front of the computer all day (or whatever else fits my fancy), warm up or order all of our meals, and sit my children in front of the TV. Essentially, our days could be filled with nothing that fosters the kind of environment that many great men and woman have come from. The ease and abundance of my life and the life of my children is somewhat of a hindrance for a growing, nurturing, and teaching environment. It is my duty then to take this abundance and use it to my advantage. So. All of this means that I must become more in tune with the spirit and start my days off right. I cannot be the woman I need to be by living my days on accident. I see so many women that are “running on empty”. My family needs my best energy and I know that I can’t do it alone. More than ever I feel a DEEP desire to include the Lord in my days. I need his help!!! I get off track and I'll admit, LAZY. I need help remembering my resolve. There is so much that draws me in and keeps me distracted from the things I need to do most. Raising a righteous family takes hard work but I know that the blessings that will come will be so worth it!!! Some of my favorite quotes from today were: “If I were Satan and wanted to destroy a society, I think I would stage a full-blown blitz on women. I would keep them so distraught and distracted that they would never find the calming strength and serenity for which their gender has always been known.” PatriciaHolland “Paul the apostle anciently spoke of holy women. It is the duty of each one of us to be a holy woman. We shall have elevated aims, if we are holy women. We shall feel that we are called to perform important duties. No one is exempt from them. There is no sister so isolated, and her sphere so narrow but what she can do a great deal towards establishing the Kingdom of God upon the earth” Eliza R. Snow
• I'm happy that I'm making great friends through my blog!(Thanks for coming over Tiffani!) Blogging is not for everyone and some don't want anything to do with it. That's totally fine with me. But I LOVE it, and I'm not ashamed. I love that I have a voice, and I love recording my thoughts and feelings. The only thing I am ashamed of is how sometimes I let myself get off balance because of it. I'm working on it, and I'm happy to report there has been improvement.
  
• In February’s Ensign there were some ideas about Easter. I really want my kids to understand that Easter is more than bunnies, eggs, and candy. One of the ideas was to have our very own sunrise service. We will be getting up at 6:00 am and driving to a nearby hill top Sunday morning. I’ll be working on that this week.
• I’m working on a big surprise for someone that I love so much. I can’t say anything more than that.
• I want to do lots of service projects with my family. Does anyone have any ideas?
• One more thought. As woman I think its so easy to let ourselves get burnt out. What are some things you do to keep a happy outlook and keep smiling through every day mundane stuff?