Easter Pageant

Our family went to the Mesa LDS Easter Pageant! I went and saved seats at 2 in the afternoon and the rest of the family joined me around 5pm. Tanya had a blast... Every time the Angels came out to sing she got so excited. Lol
Tanya wanted an Umbrella to Shade her Grandpa (that is what she calls my dad)

Tanya took a picture with my Camera... What you see here is my best "I'm smiling but please don't drop my camera Face"

It was Evan's 1st time at the LDS Temple Grounds... He loved it.

Tanya got a little tired of waiting for it to start.

Mom doing her Thing and Robbie just is always happy to just hang out and watch people.

Ginny and My soon to be Bother in Law... Kevin!

Me and Kevin's Friend Rob... He just went though a break up and needs lots of support! Love ya Rob!

I could not put Baby Robbie Down so Ginny took of picture of me.

Rob and Kev hanging out

Kevin (the New Yorker) taught Tanya to say.. "Go Yankees" LOL Tanya loves Kevin.

I don't know what she is doing but I thought it was cute.

Tanya and all her Pageant friends she made.

Church Foul? Did I do that?

OK, my Parents went out of town to see their New Great Grandchild and needed a baby sitter from Early Friday to Sunday night for their two foster children. Tanya is 3 and Robbie is 2 months. Both the Best Kiddos ever! My Mom asked me to care for them and of course I said yes. However I asked that on Sunday Afternoon if my Little sister Tommi could watch them for the Final hours. This way I could go to church and the Church CES fireside that night. She agreed so in my head all was going to work out great.

Sunday comes and I am getting ready for church when Tanya (the 3 year old) tells me she does not want to stay with Tommi and wants to go to church with me. What was I supposed to do... She is like a sponge right now... If she wants to go to church Why not just take her. Life is an Adventure right!?

I pack Tanya her own little bag full of paper, pens, PB &J Sandwich, water, and one action figure. We got to church early and got to watch the choir practice. Which she loved the music! It was fun watching her try to sing with them. I got there early so I could sit in a seat and keep her busy with little notice of her being there or so I thought... And if we were in a Family ward she would have been the best behaved kids there. However in a singles ward (where a pin dropping out of your scriptures can be a loud noise) she did not seem so quit. But Its not like I could get after her... She is 3 years old and was being really good for a 3 year old. I am sure their are people in the ward that did not think I should have taking her but to them I would say... Stop sweating the small stuff....and think of it as practice for when you get married and move back to a family ward... Paying attention in a family ward can be hard sometimes. Lol

So did I commit a Church Foul for a Singles Ward? I don't think so but you might.

On a Funnier note my new friend Todd thought I had been hiding the fact that I had a kid this whole time... Lol I should have told him she was my kid and just watch him scramble... LOL

Human Battleship

So last night at FHE my ward activity is Human Battleship. The committee sets up the Volleyball nets and Covers the net with Sheets so one side of the court cannot see the other side of the court. The teams are chosen, the prayer is said, and its time to get a chair and sit somewhere on the court and say another prayer that you don’t get hit with a Nerf ball.
Jason gives the count down to fire off all Nerf balls (about 9 balls total) over the covered net.
3-2-1 throw…
And the ball I throw does not even make it over the net! LOL (great!)
But my teammates do great and get a few members from the other team out.
Jason gives another count down to fire off all Nerf balls… But this time they will be thrown at my team. (Time to pray)
3-2-1 throw…
And wouldn’t you know it… Nobody gets out on my team.
Now this continues this way and I feel that I am safe... No need to pray because apparently the other team really needs help. So I start to talk to Amber about her upcoming babysitting event with the one of the world cutest kids. And what happens...
I got hit! Ohh MAN!
The thing is, I’m not mad about being hit… I’m mad because it was because I was not paying attention. I could have easily talked to Amber and paid attention but I did not feel that the other team was any kind of threat.
And isn't that how staying faithful in the Gospel works in our lives. In the beginning you rely on the Lord so much. You pray not to "get hit" and your prayers get answered. After a while you get comfortable that you are untouchable. You think you don’t have to watch out for "Flying Nerf balls". That is until you get "hit"… Then your back to square one the next time you get in the game. (Praying you don’t get hit!) I don’t know about anyone else but I sometime get lost in good things (Like talking to a friend) and I let my guard down. And I know I can Talk and Watch at the same time… But why did I not do it? Why did I let my Guard down when I knew the other team would be throwing things at me?
And what a lesson I learned playing Human Battleship… I drove home thinking about my life and how Satan has his own team. He and His Team throw Spiritual Nerf balls at us all the time and we know he is trying to get us out of the game. How do we become Spiritually Prepared in life?

Elder Henry B. Eyring said

in "Spiritual Preparedness: Start Early and Be Steady," Liahona, Nov 2005

"We will need to have developed and nurtured faith in Jesus Christ long before Satan hits us, as he will, with doubts and appeals to our carnal desires and with lying voices saying that good is bad and that there is no sin. Those spiritual storms are already raging. We can expect that they will worsen until the Savior returns."

"However much faith to obey God we now have, we will need to strengthen it continually and keep it refreshed constantly. We can do that by deciding now to be more quick to obey and more determined to endure. Learning to start early and to be steady are the keys to spiritual preparation. Procrastination and inconsistency are its mortal enemies."

"Let me suggest to you four settings in which to practice quick and steady obedience. One is the command to feast upon the word of God. A second is to pray always. A third is the commandment to be a full-tithe payer. And the fourth is to escape from sin and its terrible effects. Each takes faith to start and then to persevere. And all can strengthen your capacity to know and obey the Lord’s commands."

And know these words to be true. I know that Satan and his team members are out there. They are waiting for me to let my guard down. But if I follow Elder Eyring’s Counsel I will be safe.

The Bishopric should not make you cry!

I love my Bishopric! I might be just a little partial to them but I really think I have the best Bishopric. Although!...
Today Brother Phelps called me over as I am trying to leaving Church to go visit my Dad. He did not know anything about my dad being in the hospital (nor had he ever met my dad). He just wanted to pull me aside and ask me to let my Dad know “what a wonderful job he did raising me”
Man how the floodgate opened. How did he know what to say…? That dang Spirit will tell on you all the time! Here I am trying to say as little as possible to the Ward members about my troubles and the Spirit tells on me!
I love that the Priesthood holders in my singles ward are so in sync to the needs of our members. And they follow the prompting of the spirit.
Thanks Brother Phelps!

What a NERD am I

Ok So Yesterday I did something so Creepy that I even cheeped myself out. LOL

So I was on face book and on the side of my profile it shown a list of my FB friend’s birthdays that are coming up. I see on there that the guy I asked out (for the Girl asks Guy Church Rodeo) is having a birthday. I think he is the nicest guy and just soo cute… So I decide (without thinking too much about it) that I am going to do something for his birthday. So I don’t want it to be too serious so I Google “Gift Sayings” on the internet. And I get a bunch of fun ideas of saying to put together with fun goodies. And we all know guys love goodies… Right?!?

So I’m excited and go and get the stuff and then it hits me… I have to give it to him… Now I’m scared I don’t pull off the Cool chick when I’m nervous. I tend to ramble  And at this point I’m really nervous.

I invited a NEW Good friend home and talked to her about it and she decided to help me arrange the items in a bucket (cuz I have not gotten my Martha Stewart badge) I told her Iwas trying to get her to take it to him for me. I was not going to sign the card and let it just be anonymous. I would know I did something nice with out all the scary-ness of possibly him getting all weird about it.

Long story short she tried to convince me that I should not only sign my name to the card but take it to him myself.

What a Friend! Here I am tring to do something nice without taking credit and what does she try and do! LOL (If you read this I love you!)

She would not let me leave until I promised to take the gift to him by myself. And I tried to get out of there by saying “Ok, I will make sure he gets it” LOL She knew that meant... I was just going to get another friend to take it to him. I did finally leave there by saying I would take it by myself and that I would report to her after the deed was done. She told me that Guys were just like Gals mostly. They love getting things like this done for them. It makes them feel just as good as it does us Gals. I mean if a guy did this for me… It would totally make my day even if I was not that into him.

Of course what does she know.. She is married, Older and Wiser!

I am more of the mind frame that ... when a guy get something from a gal and they are not into said gal they may feel good inside for a moment... BUT THEN ... they tend to retreat into a Blackhole. This due to fear of the gal thinking they like them. Instead of just continuing to be their friend and just clearing it up that they only want friendship with said gal.

So I get there and I chicken out BUT I have this cute gift and I promised my friend that I would take it by myself. So what did I do…? I did what any other Chicken would have done in my place. I left it at his Side door (So I did not have to even go to the front door) and sent a funny Text message saying.

“Operation Birthday is a Go!
To complete this mission you will have to find the Blue Bucket.
Last seen wearing smile wrapping paper.
Last known location was your side gate
Good Luck”

Then I got into my car... praying that I would not been seen. After all this all I wanted to know was if I had just made a big mistake. I got a text back from him. (what seemed to be a million years later) saying...

“Wow! Thanks so much! That’s quite a birthday present.”

I of course am still nervous and even in text messages can not stop myself from making a fool of myself. So I send..

“I thought it might make you smile! I was just too scared to give it to you face to face. I’m kind of a chicken lol…Well I’m really glad you liked it. Hope it made you smile”

Ok what a spaz I am! Let start with the fact that
1. I just told him I could not do it face a face. I mean I could have just let him think it was a cute way to give it to him. Not Cool on my part!
2. I called myself a chicken. I am telling I'm so smooth.
3. And then rambling about making him smile. I'm the biggest Doof right?!?

But whatever! It was fun and I made someone night... Well I hope LOL
And my friend is right... “If he does not like it or get weird about it then there is something wrong with him”

So have I told you how much I love my Journey! I make myself crackup sometimes 

30 and Not Married as a Latter-day Saint

Ok I’m an Older Sister (30) not married. As a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints you feel like something is wrong with you if you’re not married by 24 or 25. But is there something really wrong with me?

Well this ‘Old Maid” I found a Blog by Don Osmond on the Mormon Times Website. It was so entertaining and SOO true. But he can only gives the guys side.

I was talking to a childhood friend, Katie (28 years old) and she told me... She and her Bother Robbie (30years old) gave some young 18 and 19 year old gals a ride to a church event. the gals thought Robbie was very cute and asked how old he was. He said 30 and the young gals did not think he was too old for them. But a little while later in the car they ask how old Kaite was. She told them and the young gals just thought that 28 years old for a girl was just soo old. So why the double standard?

I have seen, in my singles ward, some of the most beautiful LDS ladies who are 28, 29 and 30 years old. I have seen some of these same beautiful women doubt their self-worth due to not being married. The guys that are around the same age are usually trying to date the younger ladies in the ward. And “We” more experienced Ladies have to be carful not to be the old stocker lady who is trying to snag a younger man. I had one Bishop tell me at the ripe old age of 27 “You’re not getting any younger Erica you might want to take what you can get” And maybe I should have listened to him but I did not think I was being TOO picky... It's my eternal future were talking about here... right?!

All I want is really good friend that I could have fun with and laugh with. Someone when I don’t look my best will still walk by my side holding hands. I want someone who will spiritually lead my family. Someone when we are fighting I can say (Quote from Fools Rush In) “You’re not my favorite person right now” and still laugh at each others ridiculous sides. (Cuz let face it everyone has been ridiculous at one point or another) I dont want someone perfect... Heaven knows I'm not!

I love to be Busy with Work, Church, Family and Friends… I’m not the type to sit around and listen to others that always complain on how they have been done wrong. It’s way too negative for me. I had a friend say the other day that He (age 32) was thinking about leaving the church. When I asked him why, I was floored by his response. It was not that he had lost his faith in the gospel. But that he had lost his place with women in that church. When he was 27 or 28 he was all over the place at the singles ward and activities. When he turned 31 he got the Happy Birthday present of being transferred to a family ward. And he felt that the members did not cater to his needs. I asked him what he thought they should be doing for him. He said they should be setting him up with people they knew. They should be helping him get married. And being the type of person that I am…I said “Do you think it might be your attitude?” “Why should members set you up with people they know and love. When you have a chip on your shoulder?”... “How happy can you make the other person if you are so negative?” I am a true believer that sometimes we need help and sometimes we need to help ourselves.

Everyone goes though Heartache and everyone has hard times with trials... But why can’t we all just take what you can from the situation and move on. And I’m not saying this about other people… I continue to work on this. Why cant we just say “Thank you for that lesson Lord, Now if you don’t mind I’m going to take what I learned and try again” … We are taught so young with the story of the little train that could… Try Try Again… Right!?!. So why do we, as singles, do we think that something is wrong with us if we are single… As long as we are doing what we are supposed to and not running from being married… maybe we are where we should be... still learning and preparing for our/ your spiritual future with a Eternal Companion.

Enjoy your journey my friends…This time in our lives is so short(in the eternal scheme of things). I remember reading a priesthood talk that said... being married would be the biggest trial of your Mortal life and that is why you get the most rewards from it. So prepare now for the biggest trial and biggest blessing. Don’t run from it, don’t rush it, and keep your faith.

We have to trust that God puts his Faithful children where they need to be.

“Why Do you call them Your Freshmen?”

Ok maybe I’m a little possessive but I Love the young gals in my Ward! They are all smart, funny, outgoing, and just so much fun to be around. My Twin, Ginny, hears all my stories when I come home from Church activities and she asked me “Why do you call them your freshman?”
So here is how it started
My first Sunday at my singles ward I sat next to a Bunch of Freshmen Gals filling out Membership forms for the Ward clerk. I just had a blast helping them fill out their forms and chatting with them.
They are all living in dorms on ASU Campus and with out cars. I live a very short distance away from campus so I offered them my number so that they could call me anytime they needed for a ride. I try to make sure to call them on FHE nights to make sure they have rides to and from FHE. You would think I am the one serving them but in fact it has been the other way around.
I find myself looking forward to seeing them and kind of wishing that they don’t have rides so I can pick them up. LOL … Even if they think and have said “wow, you don’t act that old” LOL I love them. They make me remember how I should be … willing to accept others and forever learning to be a better person .
Each Sunday I find more and more Awesome Gals
Ladies, You’re the Best! I love you!