So I guess I should do a weekend update or something. :)

Friday my ward had a "Fantastic Friday" for all the women in the ward. From 6-10pm there was snacking and craft making. The day before I'd made popcorn balls and cranberry-orange scones, and they were a big hit. :D The scones especially.

For crafts I made two "I hope they call me on a mission" picture frames (one for Patrick one for Errol, and I'm kicking myself for not making one for Raia. I got tunnel-visioned visualizing these cute matcing frames on the boys' dresser when they start sharing a room). I also made a Family Home Evening assignment board, which I've been wanting for a while. It has places for 6 different assignments, so I made a blank star (which I forgot to cut twin for. *doi*) to be a freebie assignment.

When trying to decide what colors to paint the little wooden cut outs that our names were supposed to go on (there were hearts, stars, and hands) I couldn't hit on a good color scheme, so I decided that, being a lover of birth stones, I'd paint their symbols in their birthstone colors. So George is a dark green heart (emerald), I'm a light blue heart (aquamarine), Raia is a light green hand (peridot), Errol is a red hand (ruby), and Patrick is the darkest, most masculine shade of purple I could find(amethyst). Their names are written on them as well, and they look super cute!

I also found a framed motto at Ross to hang above the Home Evening board, and it matches so perfectly (both in color-scheme and in what it says!), I knew it was meant to be! It says "Family is a little world created by love"

Saturday was a bit of shopping and cleaning and general laziness.

Sunday was another "no media" Sunday, and it went pretty well. Kids played outside, I thought of ideas for Family Home Evening, Patrick slept, and George lounged around before doing all the ironing of church clothes.

Since it was the first Sunday of the month it was Fast and Testimony meeting, where it's an open pulpit for anyone who wants to share their feelings about the Gospel (although sometimes people get up there and give travel-logs, or update the congregation on the status of their or their family members illness). I hadn't borne my Testimony in a couple of years, what with having two little joeys who would inevitably follow me up there and possibly try to hi-jack the microphone. But Errol did his usual afternoon-church schtick, and fussed until George took him out into the foyer, where he promptly fell asleep on the couch, and Raia played quietly with her church toys while Patrick slept. I decided I'd change it and go up there. I handed Patrick to another mom, and told Raia to stay, which she did! I just felt very strongly that I needed to get up there. I've been reading the Old Testament from beginning to end for the first time this year (I started in May, and am already halfway through Joshua!) and have learned so much, and recieved so many blessings from being more consistant in my Scripture study.

I didn't look at Raia while I was up there, but I wish now that I had, because when I got back down to the pew, the dad who was sitting behind us told me that her eyes had been glued to me the entire time. I'm glad I was able to set that example for her in being willing to share your feelings about the Gospel with others.

Today for school Raia got to go to the park. The busses didn't even take the kids to the campus today, they went straight to one of the fenced-in parks in town (the one we usually go to) and had a picnic for the kids with hot dogs and chips and bubbles and balls and paint (which Raia got on her shoes! ack!) Raia had a blast! I'd intended to join her, since family was invited, but Errol said "no!" rather forcefully when I suggested going for a walk in the stroller. He fell asleep 10 minutes later, so that was probably why. :lol:

In the afternoon while Errol and Patrick slept, and Raia was at school, I made a poster of "House Rules" for our Family Home Evening lesson. I'm going to post it somewhere in our house (still can't decide where!) They're not hard rules for a 4 or 2 year old to follow, and maybe having a visual of what's expected of them might help them *listen* to us when we say "quiet voices!" (yes we yell that sometimes *hangs head* )

The Home Evening went off fairly well, with Raia paying attention, and Errol being in the same room for half of it. One of these days he'll learn to sit and listen to more than just the music.

Tomorrow is Raia's Preschool graduation. I can't believe she's going to be a KINDERGARTENER! My little baby...