The Family • A Proclamation to the World turns 20 this year. All grown up. 

Its birthday makes me think of when it was announced and the subsequent comments from some people. At the time they said it was so "vanilla". Meaning that it was an ordinary. A common knowledge flavored document. 

Well, prophets being what they are weren't exactly intending it for the generation it was given to. Of course it was meant to guide the 1995 generation but it was given then, when it was so "vanilla", so it would have time to sink in before today's full frontal assault on its principles began. It gave us time as a people to prepare our minds and hearts to really understand God's mind.

It also makes me evaluate how I've passed on those principles to my kids. They're the ones that are really going to have to get out there and articulate the Proclamation's point of view. We've tackled some of the tough subjects - gender, same sex attraction and marriage, gender roles - but we'll continue to talk. 

This little download is a Family Proc summary at your finger tips. Puts it in kind of a fun format. Usually I make downloads for My Ring Thing but this one was a special request for a particular purpose and needed to fit inside the scriptures (5" x 7"). Maybe you can use it in yours. Go to our download page here for your gift copy.

Today I read on a friend's Facebook page a poem her daughter wrote. Apparently a family member passed away and writing was a way to express her grief and love. It was moving. 

I thought of a similar time when my grandmother passed away. I wrote a poem too. I think of her often and since today is her birthday I thought I'd share it. (I know I just shared a poem. It's not that I had "share poems" on my blog calendar, nor do I feel like a gifted poem writer, but it's just what seems to have come up.) 

After she was gone I remember sorting my key ring and finding her house key. It was no longer needed but I didn't want to get rid of it. Her key was a symbol for me of all her home was. It was a refuge for whoever visited. And anyone was welcome. There were so many people in and out of her house over the years. It was no surprise to come over and find strangers, people we didn't know yet, at her home. So many left feeling like family even if they stayed a short time. I've always tried to my home like that.

Anna Marie Jones was one of a kind. That's why I wrote that poem. I guess that's why Stephanie's daughter wrote her poem. When someone so remarkable leaves us for a time we want to capture our feelings for that person. When I wrote the poem it was just for me and when I read it, it brings 'us' back together again. Happy Birthday Gram.

Have you ever done that? Express in poetry your feelings of someone's passing?

We're not a poem writing people anymore. Publishers will tell you it's not really a great financial move to write poetry. People don't buy it anymore. Now writers usually do it for their own pleasure. That's why I wrote this series of Young Women Value Poems. Just for me. But, now for you as well. On our YW Leader's Planner we have this month's focus as Individual Worth. 

There's one page that's 8.5" x 11" and the other page can be cut into quarter pages for your Ring Thing. It can be printed on red or pink paper or it can be colored if it's printed on white paper.

Luckily we're still a poem reading people. Get your Individual Worth gift poem download here.
Watch for the other poems later.

I'm in heavy like with Valentine's Day. The Boyfriend usually isn't home for it. (Works on an oil rig) But, this year he will be. So I'm pretty excited to celebrate. This is for him. (He doesn't read the posts regularly, usually all in one sitting, so I think he won't see this. If this is you Boyfriend, DON'T continue reading) 

I was totally inspired by this pin on my Graphic Love board.

I made it into a Valentine's Day Countdown. Give one test tube treat a day. I think I'm going to do love notes instead of candy. Sometimes we don't say enough to those we love the most. 

So, another Valentine's Day for those of you who are in heavy like too. 

About 15 years ago, before chalkboards were hip, I made an Anniversary Chalkboard Word Search for my Perfect Match. It took a couple of versions before I got it right and was a lot of work. This Valentine's Day I decided to offer an easy version to download. Print, cut, frame, and give. Way less work than I originally went through. You can find it here. Our shop is here.

If framed with glass then it can be used with a dry erase marker and reused. 

For your Perfect Match get our download or make one of your own. 
Happy Love Month.

Yesterday I shared 20 ways to get more from the scriptures and then today I've made myself a list of 52 things I can use to study. I'm going to choose one topic each week and focus on that. Which means I'm set for the next year! Here are the topics in no particular order: 

I've also made and printed of a bookmark whichyou can download for yourself or your classes here. They are in blue, green, orange, and yellow (like the colors on our side bar) and also black and white. 

Click here to download!

Lately I've been thinking that I need to do better with actually studying the scriptures. I mean, I read them almost every day (not gonna lie), but they study part...well, it doesn't happen often. I won't say "never", but it's probably closer to that than I want to admit. 

I thought that maybe using Preach My Gospel would help me out, and I found twenty ways that I can get more from the scriptures. It is also available (for free) as an 8x10 download at the end of the post! Use it for your classes or just at home to remind yourself: 

Click the image or link below to download the 8x10 version!

For my New Year's Resolution Word, RESET, I will do things throughout the year to make reminders for myself. I'm kinda creative that way. And distracted. So I need reminders. Last year's BRAVE was making a subway art for myself. It hung in the hall at first then I moved it to my beside.

It doesn't have its permanent place yet since it's still sitting on the bookshelf next to my bed. But, I loved seeing it and having that tangible reminder.

But on to this year - RESET. I picked up a bracelet at Michaels the other day. (For the life of me I can't remember who makes these. You can tell this isn't a sponsored post, can't ya.) They're individual letters that slide on a bracelet. And they were on sale, $10 total. With a little bling as a bonus.

I don't have any set thing that I plan to get, make or use for a reminder. I just let it come to me. And walking past those little, sparkly letters... they just jumped out and said, "RESET!" So, that's my first reminder for the year. Thank you to myself. 

Do you get, make, or use reminders for your word?

My Resolution Word from last year, BRAVE, came in handy this weekend. That's because Alisha (and Nathanael, Caeden & Micah) moved to Georgia. Yes, the Georgia that is 1100 miles and 17 hours away. Not that I think it's far or anything.

I don't have any photos because I wasn't in the photo-taking mood. But of course the my kids were. And they coerced me.

It's supposed to be a TEMPORARY move. Only 1 1/2 - 2 years. (I know, it doesn't sound temporary.) It's a really good move for Nathanael's (we think he's pretty cool) career and so we're happy for them. Just also sad for us. 

The kids are growing up, or grown, doing their own thing. Like Alisha's new blog - Funtime Mom. She'll be doing less around here but you can find all her fun stuff there. 

So it was kind of a sad little weekend with a tear or two but we've already seen what Alisha is doing in her house there (she's quick that way) so you'll want to stay tuned. 

As for LDS NEST, it'll be sharing as usually with a little more of storytelling. Like real life, my life storytelling in-between. It's a hangover from that whole BRAVE thing last year. 


See what happens when you make resolutions.

Sometimes when you start something new in your family you don't know it's going to turn out to be a tradition. And you never know the impact. That's the way it was with our Valentine's tradition started about 20 years ago.

I remember in Jr. High our school would let other students send secret admirer, single stemmed flowers to other students. Sometimes I'd get one but most of the time not. I didn't feel terrible but I'd always wished that I'd get one every time. When my kids were a little older I didn't want them to feel unloved or unnoticed on Valentines. I wanted them to know that I loved them. But, since it's a day for lovers I also wanted the Boyfriend to know I loved him first. My solution was to give the mornings to the kids and the evening to him.

How to give the mornings to my kids when I wasn't too fond of early hours nor did I function well at that time of day. Can I say, "Really not a morning person?" Since I was always up after they went to bed, I hit upon the idea of putting a valentine treasure on the table to be there when they got up. That way even if they got up before me I wouldn't even have to be up yet for the celebrating to begin. 

Though I always did simple, small things (think Dollar Store finds) it was like a mini Christmas to them and it totally worked. But I didn't know then how much it worked. And I wouldn't know until my now adult children spoke of their happy associations with the holiday while many of their friends didn't have such positive feelings about Valentine's day. That "I don't have anyone special to spend the day with" syndrome didn't have the impact on them like it did on others. I was surprised at the unintended consequence.

I was also grateful for it especially after my oldest daughter faced her 1st Valentine's day alone after the end of her 3 year marriage. I was anticipating a very depressing time for her. Though she didn't live with us I put a little surprise on the table and then sent her an early morning text photo of it. Later I talked with her and she was surprisingly upbeat. She said it was because her association of Valentines wasn't only about having "someone special" it was about being loved and she hadn't lost that. As a mom, you can bet at that moment that I was glad for the many years of our Valentine's tradition.

So, what are some of your Valentine's Day traditions?

This is for our Young Women leaders out there. Planning Sheets for New Beginnings, Young Women in Excellence and Standards Night. We hope to help you, help the young women. Click on the image to see what it includes then go to this link for the download.

You can download all 3 of them here. Happy planning!

Yesterday was one of our grandchild's 3rd birthday. It made me think of his first birthday party - 
Polka dot, Polka dot, Polka dot Party

Something that I did that I liked was the "Describe Him Dots". We all took a minute to write on the dots about what he's like right now. Anything we think about his little personality. This is something that could be repeated every year to see how a child progresses or if things change in any particular year. It might be something that you start in your family. 

He turned 3 and he still likes to dance, giggle and examine everything carefully. 

When the kids got older and we didn't have anymore really young ones I revised our lessons.

Yeah, I kinda take FHE seriously. 
Which, with the promised blessings, I think it's a essential investment.

Great blessings. Right? Like I said, makes me want to up my FHE game. 
Back to what I started out wanting to share. FHE Monthly Topic Dividers.

Okay, I know, a little over achieving here but I'm a designer/creator, that's just how I roll. These are dividers with the same reorganized info from above plus topics the church has put out in more recent years. I like to make things easier for myself and putting it all together on My Ring Thing does that. Since I have older kids I added all youth oriented things too.

When you wonder what you might teach you can refer to the lists above. If you want the same dividers you can buy those here. 

So, what are you going to teach for next FHE?

For 38% of you this post will mean nothing. Because that's the percentage of people who never make a New Year Resolution. My Boyfriend is one of them. (So you can stop reading now Love) 

I've always been into making them. When I was younger I'd have several goals each year. It helped me accomplish many of the things I wanted. I really enjoyed the process back then.

But the past few years things have changed for me. First, I'm very content with a lot of my life. Second, I realize how not in control of some of my life I am. Third, because I'm not in control of a lot of things that affect me deeply I started leaning in a different direction looking to strengthen my character to deal with those things. And fourth, it's pretty easy to focus since there's just one.

So I made a switch. Some of you are probably familiar with the One Word New Year Resolution.

BRAVE for 2014 was a perfect fit. Some of the reasons why I've shared and some I haven't. But it was very fitting. Now on to 2015.

I've been wondering what word I wanted and needed for 2015. I've been thinking about it for a couple of weeks and yesterday I went through a process I have to come up with a word that "fit". Then today I hit on... 

Leila's death has taken it's spiritual toll on me. Getting back to the basics of stronger praying, scripture reading, and pondering will reset my spiritual foundation. I know the Primary answers work. 

Then there's Leila's son, Joseph. He's been with us on and off since he was born. It looks like it will be more "on" from here on out. I have 8 children and my youngest is 14. There were still several years left for a few of them at home but I was on the downhill side of the motherhood mountain. And I was coasting.

With the prospects of Joseph being here for an undetermined while, I'm needing to reset my motherhood button. At 52 that's an immense undertaking. I totally get why we have babies while we're young. But, I also know we get good at things we do and I've been doing the mom thing for 29 years. I'm pretty good at it but I need to restart that engine. With all that Joseph is missing in his little life having lots of love and people who know what they're doing will bless him. It could go without saying but he's already been a huge blessing to us.

So that's my 2015 One Word Resolution and a little of why I chose it. Does anyone else do One Word Resolutions? Resolutions at all?

Here's a link to our Thanksgiving sign post from last year. If you'd like the download go here.