Treat!

We originally wanted Clark to be Superman for Halloween this year, but I was unable to find a Superman costume that would fit him in the proper way that would adequately show his bulging biceps. So as I was walking down an aisle in Target trying to decide what to do, all of the sudden, Clark starts pointing and screams out ELMO!!! And he was right, there was Elmo...at least a red furry thing with a Elmo face on it. I just had to get it after seeing Clark's reaction. I got home all excited to try it on Clark, but he would have nothing to do with it ON his body...he just wanted to carry it around with him. So, after days of both me and Tanner wearing the 'Elmo hat' (Clark loves hats, so we figured if we called it something he liked, he might
wear it) around the house, Clark was sufficiently happy to wear it for Halloween. We spent Halloween at my parents' house and went trick-or-treating in a neighborhood close by. It was actually a lot of fun because there were a lot of people around, and it reminded Tanner and I of the 'old days' when everyone would walk the neighborhood with their kids and it was just good clean fun.


Clark really enjoyed ringing the doorbells, and he wanted to go into every house to hang out...especially if he heard a dog inside. We couldn't get him to say trick-or-treat...but he would say "treat!" He would wear the Elmo hoodie for the initial door opening but would inevitably pull it down while standing at the door. The funny part was, he got more of a reaction from people when he would take his hoodie off and people would see his blonde hair underneath! He wanted nothing to do with his trick-or-treat bag, until he saw that people put candy in it...and then he wanted to carry/drag it everywhere. We had a lot of fun!

Conference Weekend

What, am I late?

Yeah, I know I have been a major blogging slacker...but I'm pregnant so back off. (Hey, I can only use that excuse for 9 months so I gotta get it in as much as possible.)

We really enjoyed being able to spend conference with my parents this weekend. The no guilt cinnamon rolls were particularly good, even though I questioned my mom's abilities the entire time. I just didn't think it would be possible that the rolls could be good without the required amount of saturated fat and sugar! But boy was I wrong!

Here are some snippets from my favorite talks.

Elder Boyd K. Packer:
There is the natural tendency to look at those who are sustained to presiding positions, to consider them to be higher and of more value in the Church or to their families than an ordinary member. Somehow we feel they are worth more to the Lord than are we. It just does not work that way!

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin:

Brethren and sisters, as you prayerfully consider what you can do to increase harmony, spirituality, and build up the kingdom of God, consider your sacred duty to teach others to love the Lord and their fellowman. This is the central object of our existence. Without charity—or the pure love of Christ—whatever else we accomplish matters little. With it, all else becomes vibrant and alive.

When we inspire and teach others to fill their hearts with love, obedience flows from the inside out in voluntary acts of self-sacrifice and service. (For those of you who saw him give this talk, you know that watching him give this talk was just as important as listening to his words)

Elder Dallin H. Oaks:
Some uses of individual and family time are better, and others are best. We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.
The First Presidency has called on parents "to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles. . . . The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place . . . in . . . this God-given responsibility." The First Presidency has declared that "however worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely-appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform.

Florida Bar Induction Ceremony

Tonight Tanner's firm held the induction ceremony for the admission to the Florida Bar. Tanner and the rest of the new associates had to stand and repeat the words of the Oath of Attorney as given by The Honorable Judge George Sprinkel IV. I thought the Oath was interesting and thought you all might want to read it so that you know what standard you can expect to hold Tanner to:

Oath of Attorney

I do solemnly swear:

I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Florida.

I will maintain the respect due to the Courts of Justice and Judicial Officers.

I will not counsel or maintain any suit or proceedings which shall appear to me to be unjust, nor any defense except such as I believe to be honestly debatable under the law of the land.

I will employ for the purpose of maintaining the causes confided to me such means only as are consistent with truth and honor, and will never seek to mislead the Judge or Jury by any artifice or false statement of fact or law.

I will maintain the confidence and preserve inviolate the secrets of my clients, and will accept no compensation in connection with their business except from them or with their knowledge and approval.

I will abstain from all offensive personality and advance no fact prejudicial to the honor or reputation of a party or witness, unless required by the justice of the cause with which I am charged.

I will never reject, from any consideration personal to myself, the cause of the defenseless or oppressed, or delay anyone's cause for lucre or malice. So help me God.

I especially liked the part about abstaining from all offensive personality :-) Tanner is now officially an attorney! My parents were also able to attend and we celebrated afterward by going out to dinner. We had a great time if you don't count the fact that I wore my nametag halfway through dinner, and then Tanner spilled two glasses of water at the same time and ALMOST doused my mom, although he did get her purse pretty good.

Who's Busy??

I must admit that the last 2 months of my life have been pretty relaxed. I didn't know the meaning of the word busy, and I lived it up as much as possible. I am still getting over the non- busy hangover because I have trouble looking alive before 9am in the morning. However, 'someone' thought it was time for me to stop being lazy and get off my duff and actually do something productive. So, I got called to be a counselor in the Relief Society in our ward at church. The same ward that we moved into less than two months ago, and yes, the same ward that after 3 weeks, I think I could remember maybe 3 names of other women. Thankfully, the other women in the presidency have been in the ward for a long time, and they have been really great in helping me get to know people and the area better. Of course, when it rains, it pours, and Clark, after never needing a sick child visit to the doctor has now had two in 3 weeks and has been on Amoxicillan for almost 20 days straight. This is how last week went:

Sunday: Welfare meeting at church 7:45 in the AM...no one should have to get up that early on a Sunday, even though my dad has been doing it for half his life.
Monday: Dr. Appointment where we found out we were having a boy...and then off to a Visiting Teaching appointment and then massive grocery shopping.
Tuesday: Went to the pool with friends from church, made dinner for the missionaries, got ready for missionary correlation meeting, but it ended up being canceled. I ended up making 3 dinners that night, which I won't explain further except that I am lame when it comes to making meals.
Wednesday: It was actually kind of a slow day...so I at least was able to pick up my mess of a house and treat Clark like my actual son instead of a piece of luggage to be carted around.
Thursday: Relief Society Presidency meeting 10am-1pm. Yeah, it was long but there was lots to discuss...Clark begins constant whine. Clark doesn't take a nap which is unheard of for him...and continues the constant whine, even through Elmo, which means there is definitely something wrong. I finally decide something is wrong about 5 minutes after my doctor's office closes and instead I get to go to Urgent Care, where Clark proceeds to run around happily like nothing is wrong. But something is wrong, and after 2 hours, we walk out with a diagnosis of a severe ear infection and a prescription for antibiotics. My mommy comes to stay with us that night so she doesn't have to wake up as early to go pick up my dad from the airport.
Friday: I go with my mom to pick up my dad, and we have a blast at the mall and going to lunch together...definitely a highlight of my week. I had to hurry back to babysit for a friend in the ward for a couple of hours.
Saturday: Prepare a talk for church on Sunday. Make dinner for my other visiting teachee who had a baby this week. Go straight from her house to the church where we set up for social hour before the Relief Society broadcast.
Sunday: Give our talks in sacrament meeting. Thankfully, my parents were there to help with Clark.

It was a busy week and like I said before, definitely the kind that I am not used to, but better start getting used to. I know that there are many of you reading this blog who are probably thinking that this kind of schedule is your life all of the time or worse. Maybe you have more kids to deal with and/or more stuff going on that you have to juggle, and I say kudos to you, because it is not easy! But I have to say that I felt very fulfilled by the end of the week and felt like I had done a lot of good while taking appropriate time for myself and for fun. President Monson said during the Relief Society broadcast that we should "not pray for tasks to equal our abilities, but pray for abilities to equal our tasks." And then he said something about how if we do that, we would be miracles in people's lives. Being lazy isn't all it's cracked up to be...although it IS nice once in while.