Conference Weekend

What a marvelous weekend! I love that my children are growing old enough to sit through all four sessions of Conference! There was some bickering and some sleeping, but overall it was phenomenal!! I was impressed by the talks that were given and know that there were many answers to prayers. I have learned that when I go to the Lord in prayer before Conference, my needs will be addressed in at least one talk! I love that the Lord talks to me through his servants!! How thankful I am for a living prophet, apostles, and the restored priesthood!!

One of my favorite moments occurred Sunday morning when President Thomas S. Monson was speaking. Breanna leaned over and whispered to me, "I love his voice. I could listen to him all day!" I was touched by the Spirit as he testified that even little children are able feel of the love of a prophet of the Lord!

I have always tried to make Conference weekend fun for my kids. I want it to be something that is extraordinary. I want it to be filled with tradition and different than a typical Sabbath or Saturday. As a result, I baked and cooked until there was so much food, we nearly popped! I always make homemade cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning. The kids look forward to this tradition. I usually will make something new for lunch and then actually cook a Sabbath meal.

This Conference weekend, thanks to the Redheaded Hostess and my sister-in-law, Tara, we ate especially well! Saturday morning was a big breakfast with sausage, bacon, eggs, pancakes, hashbrowns and orange juice. Saturday lunch was chicken salad sandwiches with macaroni salad. I also made homemade ginger snaps (Thank you Tara!!) and chocolate chip cookies. Saturday evening, Ashleigh made homemade ravioli. Sunday I woke early and made fresh cinnamon rolls (love Tara's recipe), lunch was a new philly-beef type sandwich, dinner was meatloaf, baked potatoes, watermelon (thanks Bountiful Baskets!!), and salad with fresh lettuce from Grandma Anderson's garden. Dessert is chocolate coma brownies. I hope for a really long chocolate induced coma because tomorrow I am going a full month with NO sugar!! Yikes!!

On Friday, Ashleigh wrote on her Facebook wall that she was officially engaged. We thought for sure that everyone would know that because it was April Fools Day no one would believe it. A return missionary that she works with, wrote the same thing on his wall. They decided together to fake it at work and around town. They pulled it off pretty good too! Last night they had a first date and tonight they are working together. Their boss wants them to fake it today. At first it was all fun and games, but now I realize that it won't be long until it is for real. Sunrise, sunset....

I had braces put on this week. Brittany insisted on taking pictures in payback. She wanted them posted on Facebook, but I think that this will be bad enough. They always say, "What goes around comes around."