So Proud!

This little lady is one of the loves of my life (she's making a funny face in the bottom picture and has chocolate all over her lips, but it's my favorite recent picture of the two of us). When I found out I was getting a niece, I could not wait to teach her everything I know. Over the last two years I have taught her love frosting and jello, the art of great water fight, and how to sound like a snake.

I have been proud every time she has learned a new trick, but tonight topped it all! Ensley doesn't really like bedtime, so Lisa and Evan have a rule that if she gets out of bed her babies go to timeout for the rest of the night. Tonight, after about an hour and a half after putting her to bed, Lisa went to check on Ens and found her reading a book with a flashlight! Lisa wasn't pleased, but Ens never got out bed. She was obeying the rule.

Now, I may not have "taught" her this trick, but I am sure she gets it from me. Maybe it can be taught telepathically or something because I don't know how many times I stayed up with a flashlight (once my mom even found me hiding in the walk-in-closet because it had better light). I can't wait to see what this girl comes up with next!

I can admit to being wrong

I am not very good at being wrong. I know that most people dislike being wrong, but I REALLY hate it! It has taken me fifteen years to admit that giving up piano lessons was a mistake, but I have recently admitted to it. I feel regret every time somebody asks for a volunteer to play the piano at church or when I see someone sit down to play just because they enjoy it.

Now that I have admitted I was wrong, I have decided to fix it. I started piano lessons to day and I am so excited. I don't ever plan on being a concert pianist, but I will be happy if I can play a hymn in church when needed. I'll let you know how it goes.

Conference Weekend

This weekend was amazing! For those of you not familiar with the LDS Church, this weekend was general conference weekend. Twice a year (the first weekend of April and the first weekend of October), instead of having regular church we have an international conference broadcast from Salt Lake (the church headquarters). Over the course of the two day conference, the Prophet and many other international church leaders speak to the world and give us council that we need for today. None of the speakers are given topics, they each pray about it to decide what they Lord would have them say to the world.

My parents, several friends, and I spent the weekend at the cabin because we have a satellite dish and can watch it on TV. I love being up at the cabin and it is nice to watch Conference there because there are so few distractions. There were several quotes I loved and want to apply to my life:

"We don't need to know more, we need to do more of the things we know to be right." -Elder David A. Bednar

"Don't intend to be the one to help, be the one to help." President Thomas S. Monson

"Learning and teaching are not optional activities in the kingdom of God." -Elder Osguthorpe