Simple Pleasures

"Simple pleasures are the best" and although Conference weekend is not a simple thing, it is a simple pleasure for all of us who get to revel in it. I have learned to love it more and more as the years go by and look forward to it so much. I love filling the house with the sounds of the prophets' voices and the waves of music flowing into our home and my soul. The most memorable talk for me was Elder Scott's talk on finding peace through prayer, home evening, temple attendance and one more that I can't remember right now. He was so earnest! I felt like he wanted to step out of the t.v. screen and speak to each of us personally it was so important to him that we heard his message. He told us we need to set aside time to include these practices in our daily lives they are so important. More important than sleep. It gave me lots of food for thought.

I also love the traditions of conference weekend. "Tradition! Tradition!" One of those is Saturday night Priesthood session and Navajo tacos. It's the only day of the year I do that. Kind of like cooking a turkey once a year for Thanksgiving. This year was special because Ethan joined us for the weekend from his freshman year at BYU. Dennis, Tony and Ethan attended Priesthood session at our Stake Center, while Cindy and the kids and I made a few crafts. This year I was kinda lame and couldn't think of anything to try except making soap but and the word "scent" was repeated more than once in the instructions and I realized I would probably be allergic to the perfumes. So the next best thing was to walk around JoAnn crafts and buy papers and stickers and watch the kids figure out what to make with them! I used some of the cutouts to decorate the plates that hang above the back door and took some of the extras to work and hung them from the ceiling tiles. I hope nobody in the Valley Mental Health hierarchy objects because they're there for the duration of the month of October. 

In the photo below, Lauren is wearing a t-shirt she got at the Neon Trees free concert in Provo the night before. Lucky!!! She is also doing homework, not crafts. Oh the responsibility of growing up. I think it was for driver's training too.

Another fun blurry phone photo. Shrinky dinks!!

 Eli built a little contraption. It had a battery and bolts.

When Ethan said he was able to come up for the weekend (or is it coming down when you travel from Provo?) I asked him to bring his laundry. I suggested he bring his bed sheets too, and then I told Angie I was taking bets as to whether or not he would actually do it. When he got here he said "Grandma my sheets are fine. I didn't bring them." I had to laugh. He also admitted he couldn't bring himself to consider the inconvenience of having to take them off and then put them back on again and I'll admit I was a little worried that once he returned to his dorm room they would conveniently stay at the bottom of his clothes hamper and he'd be sleeping on top of his bedspread until second semester. Part of me was thinking, "E, just think of what moms go through. Changing BUNKBED sheets is the WORST!" Yay moms.

Ethan's wash.

Here is the young man hard at work, studying in the red room.

Here are Calvin (and Cindy) doing a mighty action hero pose! 

....................I think Cal gets his moves from Grandpa Sweat! Look at Dennis's pose below from another day of well, not simple pleasures for Tony and Cindy, but yeah, simple pleasures for US! It was months of back-breaking work for Tony and Cindy, and then we got to go down and help put the frosting on the cake i.e. roll out some sod. I rolled out one piece. Their neighbors are great. You can see them helping in these photo, kids and all.

There's the empty lot where we had our family pictures taken (rocks removed).

After I rolled out my one roll of sod I snagged Eli and Vivi and we had piano lessons. Amy and I had been talking about method books and she mentioned the Fletcher series and a lightbulb went off in my head. THAT's the one I'd been missing! I am so glad we had that conversation. Here is Eli learning the much-loved "The Birch Canoe." That song does it all - nice exciting bass rhythm, minor key for building excitement, moving the thumb up to A flat is so easy and yet sounds so complicated. He loved learning it. It's a leap from the elementary songs to the harder ones. His eyes just lit up! Yay!

I'm pretty sure Tony and Cindy will never own a cat, but this cat adopted THEM. It's the neighbor's cat, lives outside, but has decided to shadow the Sweat family. He kinda reminds me of Magic.

Ta da!

Well, to close, 10 more simple pleasures.  I am teaching Relief Society next week, President Uchtcorf's talk on being grateful so am thinking about an attitude of gratitude:

1) The stillness of October.
2) Smartphones and being able to text and take photos and upload them to the computer (or is it download photos?)-down to Provo and download photos, or up to Provo and upload photos?).

3) Four children, their four spouses and 16 grandchildren forever and ever hallelujah Amen!
Here is one of them - Jane's 12th birthday party last week:


4) Good health
5) Music. I went to choir practice yesterday and there were quite a few people there (plus the accompaniest brought her three adult children who have voices like angels. I hope they hang on with the choir until we sing at Stake Conference in two weeks. We're getting a new stake presidency. President Sohm served for 10 years and I was blessed many times over to get to serve with him. At choir practice I was pressing on the side of my throat while I attempted to sing and it was so interesting to feel the vibrations and hear how it changed the sounds coming out of my mouth. It was like putting a girdle on my vocal chords. 
6) Friends both old and new.
7) My mom and dad living so close by (grandpa's computer was in the shop and he hasn't been able to reach the owner. Dennis just told me they did an investigative story on Channel 2 tonight (Get Gephardt) featuring the owner Steve, who is no stranger to law enforcement. I just hope dad can get his computer back!
8) My sisters Julie and Denise
9)Knowing I can get up in the morning and go and do.
10) The arts and how they help us make sense of the world and make our world so much lovelier.

XO
Mom