The Mirthful Morgans: Two Day Camping Trip......In Our Living Room....

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Two Day Camping Trip......In Our Living Room....

Six months ago in October we came out the Nashville area to search for a place to live. John had been hired by LDS Family Services and they wanted us to be located in the Nashville area. They had acquired an office for him the Madison Stake Center and so we knew we would be looking in that area. After many searches from our Craig's List list we took a pause in our hunting and accepted the offer of the Stake President's wife, Kay Abernathy, to come and visit with them. It happened to be the weekend of the Semiannual General Conference the LDS Church does in October and April. We went house hunting that weekend because it gave us a weekend without John's church responsibilities as there is not regular church on General Conference weekend. Just for those that do not know, General Conference is a two day conference on Saturday and Sunday with two, two hour sessions separated by a two hour block where member's of the church (and anyone else that may want to listen too) get to listen to and watch the leaders of the LDS church speak about topics that Heavenly Father has inspired them to speak on. It is fabulous and very uplifting.

Anyway, back to my story......So we went to the Abernathy's house and they introduced us to their family tradition of making Conference weekend as fun as possible for their family by allowing fun treats, a free for all if you will, and a tent in their living room for the kids to lie in while watching Conference on the t.v.. We LOVED this idea and the positive associations it brings with the all anticipated conference. I have to say, i'm not sure what my kids all got out of it, as i haven't asked them really yet (although i think it was more than they ever have got out of it before), but for whatever reason, i was able to focus better on the talks given and their messages. I had a blast and we will definitely be doing this "Conference Party" every 6 months for sure! :-)

I took notes and received personal revelation that will help me be a better person and give me strength to do the Lord's will. I am so grateful for those inspired men and women whom the Lord has chosen to speak. I really feel like a lot of the talks are just for me, even though i know there are many that are befitted by them. The Lord knows my weaknesses and struggles and i know of his love for me because of the messages that are given that help me in my life.

OK, so now i have asked my children about their conference experience. This is what they had to say.....

IMAN: (paraphrasing - immanuel always has a lot to say, lol) I had a good time, i thought it was fun. I liked that we had snacks and candy and that made it fun. I also liked that we watched it on byu tv because i liked the cools shows we could watch in between conference sessions. As far as the prophets and stuff, i liked how one of them talked about Cain and how he murdered his brother. It made me think about how it is important to be kind to my own brother. The party made things more fun because we had puzzles and candy and it wasn't boring.

EDEN: I felt the Spirit. The candy was awesome and good. I loved hanging out with my family. It was sorta like Christmas, except without presents.

SARAH: I liked that the prophet was there and that there was lots of candy. I'm glad i could watch conference and i'm glad i could have food coloring. (Sarah and Immanuel cannot have food coloring because it makes them moody and crazy respectively. Immanuel also cannot have wheat because it makes him moody, and super emotional......bet you can guess what my Monday was like! ;-))

JACK: I liked the candy!

My husband said this: I'm really happy with this conference because i think we were able to create some fun and new traditions and it felt sacred being with family and starting a new tradition. That with the really nice weather made for a great weekend. I loved that i got to stay home the whole weekend and play and reflect on spiritual messages and eat snacks. It could not have been a better weekend.

FOOD COLORING for all! lol.

Noah's Ark 1000 piece puzzle completed mostly by Eden with some help from John and Sarah.

....reveling in Bottle Caps!

No comments:

All about John & Nicola

Well, John is the extremely handsome red-head, of course, and I'm the little one in front of him! John is a marriage and family therapist and I am a domestic engineer as well as a dental hygienist. We met in June of 2000, were engaged by the very end of September 2000, and were married December 16th 2000. We have four lovely children as you can see below and love life and all that it has brought and taught us! We love to talk, have friends over, cook and eat food, camp, and pretty much do anything as a family.

All About Edy

She is fun-loving and pretty much always wants her way (who doesn't) and 90% of the time it works out well as she's a good girl with righteous desires and is extremely responsible and mature for her age. However that 10% of the time where we actually don't agree on something, she can be a little devil! She is a huge help with Jack as these two are best buds! Jack likewise adores her and she is the only one out of his other siblings that he'll let parent him. Eden is also in the fifth grade and loves to read. She has a passion for horses and all animals really and also loves to cook and bake.

Top 7 Favorite of "The Complete Life's Little Instruction Book"

{Why 7 and not 10...because I haven't found three more I really like the best yet. AND these are in no particular order either.}

1. Remember that life's most treasured moments often come unannounced.
2. Hold puppies, kittens, and babies any time you get the chance.
3. To help your children turn out well, spend twice as much time with them and half as much money.
4. Be happy with what you have while working for what you want.
5. Watch for the big problems. They disguise big opportunities.
6. Learn to listen. Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly.
7. Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen every day.

The Duty of Mothers...

The duty of the mother is to watch over her children, and give them their early education, for impressions received in infancy are lasting. You know, yourselves, by experience, that the impressions you have received in the dawn of your mortal existence, bear, to this day, with the greatest weight upon your mind. It is the experience of people generally, that what they imbibe from their mothers in infancy, is the most lasting upon the mind through life... Children have all confidence in their mothers; and if mothers would take proper pains, they can instill into the hearts of their children what they please. You will, no doubt, recollect reading, in the Book of Mormon, of two thousand young men, who were brought up to believe that, if they put their whole trust in God, and served Him, no power would overcome them. You also recollect reading of them going out to fight, and so bold were they, and so mighty their faith, that it was impossible for their enemies to slay them. This power and faith they obtained through the teachings of their mothers.

-Brigham Young