Not too long ago Disney put out a short little youtube clip to girls from 1-99 pronouncing that we are all princesses. "The Disney 'I am a Princess' video is a celebration of what it truly means to be a Princess, today. To be brave. To be kind. To be generous and compassionate. Join Disney as we celebrate the Princess inside every young girl. Long may they reign!" 

     The first time I watched this video, it was when a friend shared it on Facebook, I seriously watched it twice and bawled both times.... OK I didn't actually bawl but I did shed a tear or two. I thought all the little girls were so adorable, I love the scene of the Dad and little girl dancing to the waltz in Beauty and the Beast, I love seeing young women of all ethnics and backgrounds pronouncing their heritage and standing up to their true identity. My question to you today is, can you stand up with these 5 and 16 year old girls and say "I am a princess?"


   "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies."
                                   Proverbs 31:10

"Be loyal to the Royal within you, for you are the Daughter of a King."
                                   Harold B. Lee

"Wake up every morning and say, 'I am a child of royal birth.  My Father is king of heaven and earth.  My spirit was born on the courts on high. A child beloved, A Princess am I."

                                    Harold B. Lee

      This weekend BYU-Idaho had a Masquerade Ball, my roommates Auri (middle) and Seva (right) went with me!!!!! We had such a blast!!!! (I personally enjoyed dressing up and taking goofy pictures more than I did the actual dance). At the dance there was a Big Band playing old classics and people were doing the waltz, fox trot, swing and other fancy dances. It really was a lot of fun watching :) But going to this dance and having so much fun made me think about what it is that makes us happy in life. I know for me it's when I am with people I love doing things that we love, seeing the smiles, hearing the laughter and making memories. I honestly love to just sit and watch people have a good time, I am sure this is something our Father in Heaven does daily. I'm positive that he sits on a cloud watching us enjoy our lives and over come trials smiling down on us, shedding a tear or two when he is especially proud of us. This weekend made me want to do a blog post on ways that we can be happy in our own lives. I was searching around the internet for a few things and just happened to come across this article entitled 10 Ways To Be Happy.... On Purpose. I thought this was absolutely perfect for my post today, and I am excited to share it with you :)

1. KNOW YOURSELF- How well do you know yourself? Do you know what makes you smiles, what makes you laugh, what creates that warm bubbly feeling inside your tummy, what makes you so giddy you just have to giggle and dance? Do you know where you come from and what great worth you hold inside of you? These are the kinds of things that we should each learn about ourselves because they are a key factor to our life's happiness. 
"Today you are you, that's truer than true. There is nobody else who is you-er than you."   
                            -Dr. Seuss
Go out and get to know the magnificent you that you are, OWN IT!!!!! Strut your stuff and let other's know you as well. You are a wonderful woman packed full of fun things just like Mary Poppins bag.... your job is to reach down inside and let your sparkles shine!

2. DISCOVER WHO YOUR IDEALIZED SELF IS AND START WORKING TOWARDS IT- 
"Open your eyes and look within. Are you satisfied with the life you are living?"
                            -Bob Marley


The question we all got asked when we were little was “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Now the question is “WHO do you want to be when you grow up?” Think of the "ideal you" and start doing the things that your idealized self would be doing. It’s time to stop playing make-believe and to start taking action! Let’s DO this!!!

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
                           -Dr. Seuss

3. BE AUTHENTIC- 
“I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.”
                            -Bruce Lee

Always be true to yourself. When working towards becoming your idealized self it’s important not to lose sight of who you are in favor of who you think you should be. Don’t compromise your values, morals, or true personality. YOUR INDIVIDUALITY IS IMPORTANT!!!!!!
 

4. UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN ONLY CONTROL YOURSELF- My Great Grandmother Lutilda Pierce used to always quote "Accept what you can't change- Change what you can't accept- And pray for wisdom to know the difference."  We need to come to the realization that we can't control everything, we cant control the whether  our little 2 year old, the teacher who is grading your essay's or even the prices in the grocery store. But we can control our own self's and our attitude. If we have a hard time drawing that line between what we are in control of and what we are not in control of- PRAY to God and he will give you the wisdom that you desire. I promise- praying to God works every time :)

5. ACHIEVE BALANCE IN ALL THINGS- There is a little Yin and a little Yang in life; everything has it's opposite, and the key is finding the harmony between them. For example you must strike a balance between selfishness and selflessness. 

6. LEARN TO LET GO- 
"If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew; just go right along and you’ll start happening too.”
                      -Dr. Seuss

Don't hold on to the past, don't hold on to the hurt, the fears, the tragic events of life or the rain from yesterday- turn your view out towards the rising sun and rise up with it. Go forth in life with the idea that each day is a new day, and you will make the most of every moment because you only get one chance.

7. GIVE YOUR LIFE MEANING AND ACTIVELY SEEK YOUR INSPIRATION- 
"Love the life you live..... and live the life you love."
                  - Bob Marley
So many of us go around searching for the meaning of life or waiting for inspiration when really it's within ourselves and up to us- no one will do this for you! So..... GO OUT THERE AND FIND MEANING! GO BE INSPIRED!!!!

8. FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE- 
“There are two ways to live; you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle”
                      -Albert Einstein
In a world that is based so much on comparing ourselves, gossiping  finding out what JLO wore to the party last night and what Jennifer said about Angelina Jolie; where we hear about shootings in high schools, and all the drama of politics we are often found drowning in all this garbage. It's time to pick yourself up and look for the positive. Life is too short to focus on PEOPLE magazine and what Obama said about Romney in the last debate. If you find it hard to focus on the positive, read your scriptures, pray and smile. If you cant find the positive God will let the positive find you- but you first must set your heart towards it.

9. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE- 
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter won’t mind.”
                      -Dr. Seuss

The next time you go out mentally make a list of the different characteristics that you see in your friends, women at church and mother's at the elementary school where your kids go. Make a list of what gives you good energy, what builds you up, what reminds you of your inner beauty and your great worth- then gravitate to those women. We all have friends in life who seem to drag us down, and yes it is a worthy goal to want to bring them up, but we must not spend all our time with them because eventually our spirits will become tired and we will sink down to their level. When we spend time with people who are uplifting and participate in wholesome activities our spirits are able to rejuvenate and our lives will become more enriched.

10. KEEP GOING- 
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
                    -Martin Luther King Jr.

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”
                   -Albert Einstein

     I challenge you to go through this list of 10 ways to be happy and see how many you can check off- once you have done that make it a goal to work on the rest. I promise that when you find happiness in your life, God will open up new doors in your life so that you can bless the lives of those around you and they can better bless you.

     In October of 2007 Sister Julie B. Beck, at the time president of the General Relief Society, gave an amazing talk to the women of the church, specifically the mothers. "In the Book of Mormon," she starts out, "we read about 2,000 exemplary young men who were exceedingly valiant, courageous, and strong. 'Yea they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him.' (Alma 53:21) These faithful young men paid tribute to their mothers. They said, "Our mothers knew it" (Alma 56:48). I would suspect that the mothers of Captain Moroni, Mosiah, and the other great leaders also knew.


     The responsibility mothers have today has never required more vigilance. More than at any time in the history of the world, we need mothers who know. Children are being born into a world where they 'wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.' (Ephesians 6:12) However  mothers need not fear. When mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with him, they will have great power and influence for good on their children." 

Mother's who know are willing to choose God's way over their own because they know that "two people can do anything, just as long as one of them is God...."

     In Sister Beck's talk she goes over the seven things that a mother does when she knows......
SHE BEARS CHILDREN- there is eternal influence and power in motherhood.....
"...... the value women place on motherhood in this life and the attributes of motherhood they attain here will rise with them in the resurrection. Women who desire and work toward that blessing in this life are promised they will receive it for all eternity, and eternity is much, much longer than mortality. there is eternal influence and power in motherhood." In a Best of EFY I once attended one of the speakers talked about the importance of motherhood. He jokingly said "Without mother's we wouldn't be here." But as he went through his talk he got more serious and talked about how God hand picks each mother for her children. I thought that was so beautiful, but what really struck me was when he talked about the birth of a child. Now I cant really explain this as well as he did, but I will give it a try. He talked about how when a mother is giving birth to a child she is closest to being like Christ than anyone ever could be on this earth. Christ delivered us through blood, water,  sacrifice and a lot of pain but an overwhelming amount of love. That is exactly what a mother does when she brings a child into this life. She delivers that little child of Heaven through a lot of blood and water, she is sacrificing so much in her own life.... in some case the mother actually does give up her own life for the life of her child. There is a lot of pain in the process of delivery but in the end that pain doesn't matter because she has more love than anyone could possibly understand for that little child.

HONOR COVENANTS- these mothers have made and honor temple covenants....
"...... I have visited sacrament meetings in some of the poorest places on the earth where mothers have dressed with great care in their Sunday best despite walking for miles on dusty streets and using worn-out public transportation. They bring daughters in clean and ironed dresses with hair brushed to perfection; their sons wear white shirts and ties and have missionary haircuts. These mothers know they are going to sacrament meeting, where covenants are renewed. These mothers have made and honor temple covenants. They know that if they are not pointing their children to the temple, they are not pointing them toward desired eternal goals."

ARE NURTURERS- they create a climate for spiritual and temporal growth in their homes....
"..... Another word for nurturing is homemaking. Homemaking includes cooking, washing clothes and dishes, and keeping an orderly home. Home is where women have the most power and influence; therefore, Latter-day Saint women should be the best homemakers in the world"

LEADERS- in equal partnership with their husbands, they lead a great and eternal organization....
".....These mothers plan for the future of their organization. They plan for missions, temple marriages, and education. They plan for prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. Mothers who know build children into future leaders and are the primary examples of what leaders look like....."

I remember when growing up going to the temple grounds on sunny Sunday afternoons with my family. I mostly remember running around and playing with the statues of families.... but I also remember my parents talking about the day I would someday enter the temple. Every time I walk through the Seattle Temple garden's and go in to do baptism's I remember those moments and I am so grateful that my mother made that effort to talk about the temple and bring me there when I was younger. I look forward to the day when we can go through together for more than just baptisms. I also remember having FHE lessons on missionary work and having the missionaries over all the time, now as I am starting to look into serving a mission I am getting so much support from my mom. I know that these steps towards heaven in my life are because my mom took the time to talk to me when I was younger and she made the effort to make these things such a great importance in my life.
(click on pictures)

     I found this cute little video that made me laugh just a little, but honestly she does have some good tips!

     Her whole little thing about the plates just kinda cracks me up but I really do see how you could get some good results with these simple exercises. (TIP: I personally suggest not using your favorite plates.... just in case you drop them. Maybe go to a local dollar store and pic up some cute cheap plates that you dont mind dinging and chipping up.) I personally can attest to the fact that when weight lifting the weight does not need to be heavy, it's the repetition. Squeezing and tightening your muscles when lifting and then releasing when coming down can actually help tone your arms more than you would think and believe me you will feel it the next day!!!! (5 minutes with a 2 pound weight really can do wonders for your arms- and you feel it!!!!) You can also you canned foods or apples, bunches of bananas or watermelons for kitchen weight lifting. 

     When working your but dont feel like you have to lean over as much as she does, start out by standing up straight and using the counter for a balance. kick your legs out behind you and this will work your gluets. As you gain better balance you can start to lean over like she does. 

     Here is a link to another fun kitchen exercise video. This one makes me laugh just as much as the first, but the benefits are amazing!!!
http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/workout-routines/work-out-anywhere-kitchen-exercises-108657

     Other easy and fun ways to exercise in the kitchen is:
1) LEG AND BUTT LIFTS: While standing at the sink washing dishes or scrubbing veggies, or even when filling up a pitcher of water lift your right leg behind you and pulse it up and down. Switch legs and repeat.

2) DANCE: when you go into the kitchen to clean or cook, turn on some of your favorite tunes, wear some socks so you can slide and spin easily on the floor and just have fun!!!! Sing into the broom, play percussion on your pots and pans, do ballet turns when going from the dishwasher to the silverware drawer, shake your hips and salsa when looking for an ingredient in the fridge. Dont worry if anyone is looking, because truth be know- if they are watching you they are watching because they are jealous not because they think you look funny :) 

3) COUNTER PUSH-UPS: Do these while waiting for the toast to pop up or for the microwave to finish! First, place your hands on the counter a little wider than shoulder-width and step a few feet away with your legs. Bend your elbows, bringing your chest toward the countertop, then push back up to the start position.

4) SADDLEBAG SLIMMERS AND INNER THIGH TONER: For the saddlebag slimmers, stand with your left side to the counter and place your left hand on it. Lift your right leg out to the side about a foot off the ground and pulse. For the inner thigh toner, stand with your left side to the counter and place your hand on it. Lift your right leg off the floor and bring it across the front of your body toward the left side. Pulse. Switch sides and repeat. You can also do these when waiting for the toaster or the cookies in the oven or even while waiting for the oven to preheat.

5) DISHWASHER SQUATS: Who would have thought that you could get some exercise done while loading and unloading the dishwasher? Dishwasher squats can be added by doing a squat for every item you load or unload from the dishwasher. when you reach for an item to unload, add a squat, slowly standing back up each time. It may take longer to load or unload the dishwasher but adding some basic squats can help tone!

6) SINK SQUATS: Stand about an arm-length away from the sink with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat and hold for five seconds. Look at this lady, you can even do these in jeans and still look good!!! Do this while dinner is simmering on the stove or you are waiting for the yeast to rise.

7) LEG STRETCH: Place one leg straight on the counter top  keeping your back as straight as you can, lean forward and reach for your toes. If you can not touch your toes reach out your hand and slowly walk your fingers down your leg till you can reached a good relaxing stretch.

     Remember that kitchen exercises are something you can do while the cookies are in the oven (that way you dont feel guilty for that extra cookie or two :), while dinner is simmering in the oven or the pan with the hardened egg yolk on it is soaking in the sink. Have fun and enjoy the body you have!!!!!

     I was doing some reading for one of my online classes today and I came across this chapter on wholesome family recreation: building strong families. I was so intrigued with this chapter and felt very strongly that I should share some of what I read with you today. Now I can not justly retell what this chapter talked about so I will just quote some of my favorite parts for you.

Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance  forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreational activities.....


     "RECREATION CAN BE EASY. We all know how to find fun things to do. In our current world, we are immersed in a plethora of entertaining technology. We have access to a variety of television programming; we have myriad interactive video games. If we are on the go, we have smart phones that access the digital airways. Opportunities to recreate surround us. The choices are endless. But we must consider the implications of these different recreation choices for the quality of our lives and families.


     .... Our free time should be used wisely to create the best possible life, to promote individual growth and strengthen families. Meaningful recreation does not just happen; it must be prepared for, cultivated, and privately defended. In general, we spend an inordinate amount of time with electronic media and, as a result, become disconnected from one another. We have lost vital and nourishing connections... We suffer from depression, anxiety, and discontent. Wholesome family recreation can help us strengthen our relationships and reduce negative emotional and spiritual consequences. Wholesome recreation straightens families.


     Life is complicated and full of demands..... Barriers restricting our recreation participation are called constraints. Constraints are factors assumed to 'limit the formation of leisure preferences and/ or to inhibit or prohibit participation and enjoyment of leisure.' Common constraints include the lack of time, lack of skills and abilities, the cost of participating or even social isolation.


     Perhaps the most influential constraint directly influencing wholesome family recreation is time. Americans have been taught the importance of work, and often times over load ourselves and spend a majority of our time working. Whether this be in a job setting, volunteering, working at home and even school work..... Another constraint to wholesome family recreation is our addiction to escapist forms of entertainment. We are tied to our mobile phones, iPods, and the Internet. We text, and look at Facebook during many of our waking hours.

 We live in a world full of opportunities to engage in wholesome family recreation, if we know where to look for them. Wholesome recreation is an intentional process. It can serve to promote positive development in our children, strengthen our marriages and build strong families. we must know, however what constitutes wholesome recreation and purposefully seek opportunities for our families to meaningfully recreate together. The components to wholesome recreation include opportunities to verbally communicate, develop skills, face challenges, create memories, share traditions and beliefs, and spend time together in the family setting. 


    If we are drawn to seek wealth, material goods, and pleasure in the pursuit of happiness, we are likely to miss important opportunities for wholesome family recreation. We may find ourselves struggling with emotional and social difficulties. A truly good life is one characterized by a wide range of emotions. It is a tapestry woven by our struggles as well as our joys. Seeking wholesome family recreation requires each of us to think about happiness and what is truly important to us: family and living in a way that we could stand with confidence before God."


     I personally have a strong testimony in the importance in not only family interaction but also wholesome family recreation. I was lucky that my family enjoyed spending time together and we went on many family outings. In the summers we would camp, go to the ocean, surprise my dad at work with lunch, go on walks, hikes, swimming, biking and Saturday yard work parties. In the winter we would go to Snow Flake Lane in Bellevue, look at Christmas lights, visit the free Christmas sites in Seattle, go into the mountains to sled and cut down a Christmas tree, we would build snowmen and have clean the yard and streets after a wind storm. My parents made it a priority to spend time together in both play and work. These are some of my most favorite memories and the ones that I cherish the most.... these are the kinds of things I want to look for as well as work towards in my future family. 

Once upon a time, there was a King with many children. He loved them all dearly and wanted them to have all that he has. Knowing that their spiritual growth could only grow so much in his presence he sent them off into the world to grow for themselves and become the King's and Queen's they were destined to be. Like any loving Father he did not send them off on their own, he sent his eldest son to carve out a road for his brother's and sisters to travel down. The King also sent his most loyal knight out into the world to watch over and protect his children, guiding them through the hard times and lighting the road when it seems too dark to travel down. He also gave them a way to ask for guidance and receive counsel; Anxiously he waits for messages from his children eager to wrap his arms of love around their shoulders and send gifts of peace and happiness. But because the King is so loving he will never step in, he will wait for his children to reach out to him. You are a royal daughter of a Heavenly King and it's time for you to let go.... and Let God in.....

     We are all spirit daughter's of a Heavenly King and as sister's in Zion we can work together to help each other reach that eternal destination that waits us at the end of our travels. Today I am going to talk about the ABC's of happiness, hopefully these will be easy steps for us to work on in our own lives and ways that we can reach out to help our sister's. So without further Ado, let's get started!!!
A- Accept your reality: A key place for each of us to start is by accepting the reality of who you really are. Last week I talked about a great talk given by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. In that talk he tells us of our divine heritage, "Be strong and of good courage. You are truly royal spirit daughters of an Almighty God. You are princesses, destined to become queens..."
B- Be present.... Be bold: Remember to live now, live currently, live today. The past is wonderful, the future has so much to offer.... But the here and now that's a gift from God that we need to enjoy, hence it's name..... The Present. Be bold, don't hide in your shell enjoy every day, learn and grow from your trials and dont let one single moment pass you by.
C- Create something exciting: Use the gifts and talents that God has given you, dont burry them and keep them to yourself. Create and enjoy! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLlnq5yY7k)
D- Drink plenty of water.... Dance: One of my favorite quotes comes from an anonymous author and it goes, "Dont' wait for the storm to pass, learn to dance in the rain." 

E- Exercise daily.... Eat fresh foods: Obey the word of wisdom, stay healthy and respect the body you have been given, When you follow these three steps you are more free and your body can do wonders :)
F- Feel your emotions, face your fears: Don't let your emotions get the better of you, but dont hide them either. Let the emotions come in their right times and be brave enough to take that leap of faith when you dont know where you will land.
G- Go outside and observe nature: Breath the fresh air, run, walk, hike, lay int he grass and enjoy the flowers. Take advantage of the world around you.
H- Hug often, Help others: In a medical article I read once it said, 
"In a world that has grown more complicated, more fierce in the demands made upon our hearts and pocket books, there is one easy, free gift left. The power of touch. Don’t turn away from the elderly, disabled, terminally ill or long term care residents because their needs seem beyond your ability to give. The one thing they need the most is the most simple, yet profound gift you have to give. Your kind hand holding theirs and a hug from your heart. The gift of touch is the most powerful healing you can offer another, and it is the most powerful healing you can give yourself." 
I- Ignite your passions

J- Jump though your comfort zone
K- Kiss passionately, Keep moving forward: “You can wake up every day looking forward to new adventures with hope smiling brightly before you because you have a Savior. You are baptized in His Church.... You just need to stay in, pressing forward with a brightness of hope to your heavenly home.”  -Sister Julie B. Beck

L- Laugh, Love, Learn to let go: If we keep holding onto all of our yesterday's we will have no more room in our arms for all the many tomorrows we have left to come.
M- Meditate Daily, Make goals: Give yourself somewhere to work for and take the time to reflect on the blessings you have been given. Dont forget to be grateful for God's hand in you life.
N- Never give up on what you want
O- Own a pet, observe beauty: There is so much beauty in this world, dont let it all pass by without taking a moment to enjoy it.
P- Pray, Paint, Play an instrument: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wo73M_pLDs&feature=plcp
Q- Quit a bad habit, Quiet your mind
R- Read, Relax, Reinvent yourself
S- Smile, Sleep, Simplify: "To simplify is to care for the life of the soul" - Carolyn J. Rasmus "Taking time alone to think and pray is all too rare in a busy and fast-moving world. It just doesn't happen if it isn't consciously programmed into life." - Virginia H. Pearce

T- Take power naps, talk wisely
U- Unleash your strengths
V- Visualize your dreams: "Single-minded concentration in the direction of your dreams intensifies your desires and increases your self-
confidence."  - Brian Tracy
W- Walk, write, watch the sunset: "When our children were very small, I started to write down a few things about what happened every day….I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day."
-Henry B. Eyring
X- Xerox your smiling face

     Remember the reason you were sent on this wondrous journey and dont forget that God wants you to be happy, because you my dear were born to be a Queen.

      "Life! The etymology of the Old English word for life includes meanings such as "body" and "person: or that which "remains" and "continues". Life can be defined as a condition of sustained regenerative activity, energy, expression, or power that human beings and other animate creatures experience. Emily Dickinson said, 'To be alive- is Power.' Her definition suggests that life is empowerment, in spite of the risks and difficulties that human beings may experience in mortality.

     Sacred! The earliest meanings of the word sacred in English have to do with the consecration of the body and blood of Christ in the sacrament.... Human life is sacred because human bodies are temples.... Each individual is sacred because each one reflects the divine image of the creator. The proclamation tells us that 'all human beings- male and female- are created in the image of God'..... Each human being, no mater how young or how small, is a 'beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny."
(Cynthia L. Hallen- Successful Marriages and Families:Defending the Sanctity of Human Life)

Ask yourself these questions:

          What is the definition of my life? 


 Why am I important to God and his son
                   Jesus Christ?


             What power do I have?


     Was it a little hard to answer those questions? Dont feel down if they were, because I even found them to a bit hard to answer, and I'm the one who asked them. But these are important questions that we need to ask ourselves, because they make us think about the purpose in our own lives, why we were created, why we were saved and what we have to offer this life. I, personally, just go through my day to day life doing all that I can, not really thinking about the effect I have on people and the great opportunity I have been given to do good. Two years ago when I was at my absolute lowest, I actually remember sitting on my bed one day bawling my eyes out and asking myself, "What is the definition of your life? Why does anyone care? What do you have to offer?" Unfortunately I didn't dig deep and force myself to answer these questions, I just allowed Satan to answer these questions for me. But as I have grown from my trials I have forced myself to ponder these questions from time to time and I have come to the conclusion that my life was created for a purpose, I have power to do anything, God loves me because I am his daughter and there is no one else like me, Christ loved me enough to save me and he saved me because I am his sister. I may not be able to give direct answers to these questions but coming to that realization that I have a place in God's heart is enough to keep me going. But I want you to realize more than just that, I want you to know with every fiber of your being that you are special:

     I bet you never thought of yourself as a super mom.... but you are. Let's go back to the quote from the very beginning of this post: "Emily Dickinson said, 'To be alive- is Power.' Her definition suggests that life is empowerment, in spite of the risks and difficulties that human beings may experience in mortality." I want you to picture the counsel in Heaven, picture Satan laying out his plan and Christ giving his plan. Picture 1/3 of the heavenly host following Satan and remember that you were not one of them. Remember that you chose to come to earth and follow Christ. Now whether you chose this plan because of loved ones, because of faith or some other reason it is not for us to know in this life, but right now just focus on the fact that YOU chose to be here on earth and fight for Christ. Choosing this path gave you a body and the wonderful opportunity to be alive. Emily is completely and 100% correct, that life in itself is power. Because you placed your faith and trust in God and Jesus Christ they have placed their love and faith in your life. 

     "Each human being, no mater how young or how small, is a 'beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny." As women and mother's a piece of our divine destiny includes being mother's. How amazing is that? 

Now if you ask me, that sounds like a super power to me. So that must make you a.......

     I have an amazing mother, all while growing up she did all that she possibly could to be a stay at home mother. (I understand that not all mother's can afford to do this, just remember to not neglect your families and set aside an allotted time just for your kids.) I always saw my mom as a Super Mom because of the great love that she always had for me. She always made time to watch Sleeping Beauty with me for the 100th time in my Barbie tent, she would be patient with me in times of hecticness, she would wrap up in the biggest quilt and sit over the heater vent in the middle of summer with me despite how hot it was outside (this was my favorite thing to do as a child), she would read scriptures to me and hold me tight in the middle of the night after a night mere. These are just a few of the things that my mom did for me and some of the things that many mother's do for their children. To most mother's they view these simple little tasks as part of their daily activities but to a child these are the things that only a Super Mom does for a child she loves. Being a child of a wonderful mother I am very grateful for the time she spent with me and the sacrifices she made for me. My mother is the foundation to my testimony and my absolute best friend.

     Each week I give you a little challenge that I want you to work on that will make you focus on yourself a little more and give you that extra boost that you need. We all need to be reminded of our great abilities to do good in life and that our lives are sacred and powerful. This week I would like to challenge you to find your own super powers, gain a testimony that you have great effect on your families and the people around you and that you have a great power within you to do good. 

Here is a small list of superpowers that every mother has:

1. Toddler Speaker. The ability to decipher nonsensical gibberish.
   
2. Sleep Sensors. The ability to wake up instantly from deep REM sleep just to hear the sound of a child crying, or when they are sick.
   
3. Power Arms. You can carry a full load of groceries with kids running around (sometimes even while holding the child) into the house in ONE trip without dropping anything.
   
4. Mom Psychic. Knowing what a child wants before they know.
   
5. Kitchen Magician. Looking into an empty fridge and pantry and still creating a delicious meal that the whole family loves.
   
6. Poop Detector. You are brave enough to smell a babies diaper in public.
   
7. Stomach of Steel
8. Ability to love no matter what

     All while growing up my family always made an effort to eat together as a family. We always ate a late dinner so that my dad could be home to eat with us, and then we tried to eat at the table as many nights out of the week that we could. Many Saturday mornings we had a home cooked breakfast and would eat at the table together and every Sunday we had family dinner at the table. I remember many times when I would have friends over and they stayed for dinner  they would always comment on how nice it was that my family would eat together, or that my mom would cook dinner for everyone. This always baffled me because I totally thought that all families ate dinner together, but apparently most families only eat at the table together for special occasions. I feel that there is a great importance in eating not only together, but to eat the same meal and at the table. In my family this was were a lot of our major conversations went on, we were able to get an idea of what everyone's planes were for the week as well as make plans together. I always felt that my family was closer because we would cook and clean together and we made that little extra effort to put aside the TV, the games, homework or anything else to sit down and be a family. 

      Many families struggle with this, and there is nothing wrong with that. I totally understand crazy schedules and that it doesn't always work for everyone to sit down together. But if we try to have a family dinner once or twice a week and make it a habit your family will truly grow closer and stronger and you will find your kids pushing for more family dinners.


     "Our family time around the dinner table has provided healing balm for many such trying days. With the busy lives each of us leads, we’ve found that mealtime together has taken on added importance. President Spencer W. Kimball said: “It is important for us also to cultivate in our own family a sense that we belong together eternally, that whatever changes outside our home, there are fundamental aspects of our relationship which will never change” (“Ocean Currents and Family Influences,” Ensign, Nov. 1974, 112–13). Despite differing circumstances, every family can make eating at least one meal together every day a family priority.


     Mealtime conversations can be a genuine family lifeline to connect busy families swimming in a sea of hectic and conflicting schedules. A poll was taken by the  Reader's Digest Magazine  to determine what factors contributed most to a child's success in school. Surprisingly  one thing they found was that 'students who who regularly shared mealtimes with their families tested better than those who didn't."' 
                                                     - Janene Wolsey Baadsgaard


     Try to make it your families goal to have regular family dinners, everyone eat the same meals, cook as well as clean together, and I promise you that your family will indeed grow closer together and everyone will look forward to mealtimes. 

     Course one easy way to get the whole family together for one meal is by making a delicious dinner..... LIKE THIS ONE!!!!!!

HEADS UP! This is not one of those recipes where you look at the picture then make it at home and it totally does not turn out as good as the picture made it look, this recipe is legit! It is delicious yummy and costs under $10 to make a 9x13 inch pan making each serving cost approximately $1.15.

     My roommates and I came up with this really cool cooking schedule where Monday- Thursday's we each take a turn making dinner for everyone then what ever is leftover goes to the person who made it. Friday's and Saturdays we make our own dinners and Sunday's we get together with a boy's dorm and do a community dinner. We all provide ingredient, girls cook, boys do the dishes- its a great plan in my book :) But anyone that knows me knows that I like to find a good deal and attempt to save money. (You see I love to spend money and somewhere in my mind I think that if I find good deals than it justifies all my spending- totally not how it works but that's what I like to think.) Anyways- I cook every Wednesday and I try to make BIG meals that I can eat off of for the rest of the week and sometimes even freeze for a later week. I found this yummy recipe and thought- Hey what can I loose, it's spaghetti, its cheap, I have the ingredients and it makes a lot. WELL WORTH IT!!!!!! This recipe will change anyone's views of spaghetti :)

                   (T-tablespoon   t- teaspoon   C.- cup)

INGREDIENTS
1 T olive oil
1 small yellow onion
2 cloves garlic or 1 1/2 T minced garlic
1/2 pound Italian Sausage or if you are cheap like me 2 cups diced   
              chicken, course ground beef would also work or you could
              go vegetarian!
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (28 oz) can diced or crushed tomatoes ( try and drain as much juice
             as you can but a little juice is good)
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 T sugar
12 oz spaghetti or however much spaghetti you generally use for your
            family, I did about 14 oz to really stretch out this recipe 
Feta Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella, Cheddar or Colbie Cheese (approximately 1 1/2
           cups but really its just preference)


So this recipe is totally one of those where you don't really have to follow the recipe. So just go for it and have fun with this, make it your own and experiment with it. But Ill tell you how I did it, because it was totally yummy

1. Start by preparing your spaghetti, I boil the water with a little oil and a dash of salt. garlic salt or dried basil. The oil helps the noodles not to stick together, the salt and basil is give a slight flavor to the pasta, wait till your water is at a rolling boil before you add the pasta. You also want to get your meat cooking, you want it completely cooked when you add it to your sauce.

2. Now to start on the sauce. Add your oil and garlic to a sauce pan heat this up on a medium- high heat while you dice your onions. Depending on how you like your onions we depend on how small you cut your onions, I like that little crunch so I do a medium dice. Once your oil is heated up dump in the onions. Cook over a medium-low heat till your onions are well cooked (almost transparent, this will take about 5-8 minutes) If you would like more veggies in your dish than now is the time to add it. Some canned corn, or black beans, diced peppers, carrots or even celery would be really good too! Take freedom with this add as much or as little veggies as you would like!

3. Now add your fully cooked meat, make sure it is cut into bite sized pieces. Then add the tomato paste  slowly cook on a medium heat for about 2-3 minutes till the paste has completely warmed up and has turned a slightly darker color. (The darkening color just means it is warming up, nothing wrong with it.) If you added extra veggies to this recipe take your tomato paste can and fill 1/3- 1/2 way full of water then add this, this will help your sauce not be so super thick. Now add your diced or crushed tomatoes, salt and sugar. I know the recipe doesn't call for this but this is where I like to take my cooking privileges and just have fun with the spices cabinet (let me tell you its harder to have fun with spices when you have like 6 choices..... the joys of a college student.) I added pepper, dried basil and some oregano to taste. I generally don't measure my spices I just dump a little of this and add a dash or two of that. I remember watching my Grandma Morrill cook like that and I always thought that was the mark of a good chef so I aspired to be like her- I still do! 

4. Preheat your oven to 350 ( I actually preheat my oven to 375, then when I put my food in the oven I turn it down to 350, this called blast cooking, where you introduce your food to a high heat and then bring it down to finish cooking slower.) Take out your 9x13 dish and lightly spray with a cooking spray. 

5. Place about 1/3- 1/2 (depending on how many layers you want) of your already cooked spaghetti to the dish evenly destitute around the bottom, but make sure the bottom is completely covered. Pour about 1/3- 1/2 of the sauce over the noodles. Then layer your cheeses- feta, paremesan shredded cheese of your choice. (I personally am not a huge fan of paremesan cheese cooked into pasta so I replaced the paremesan with ricotta cheese- super yummy!) Then repeat, layering pasta, sauce, cheeses until you have no more. At the very top make sure you have a nice layer of shredded cheese and for a little extra something I sprinkled a little dried basil. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted on top. Let it set for 5-10 minutes then cut like a lasagna and eat. YUM!!!!!!!!

     What I love about this recipe is that it took me about 30-40 minutes to make this, I did this while making lunch. I then just put it in the refrigerator and let it sit there till that night. (this would be great for a freezer meal! or if you have to deliver a meal, just send over with cooking instructions :) Its also just as yummy the next day, and the next day and even the day after that day!!!!! I'm telling ya, this recipe is worth saving and making over and over and over again!!!!! 

     President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave this fabulous talk called Your Happily Ever After in a Young Women's Conference April of 2010. If you have not heard or read this talk I strongly encourage you to read it, because even if we are 1, 4, or 50 years out of Young Women's we still need these little reminders of our divine destiny and the future that we can have. We need to be reminded that our lives started with a "Once Upon a Time," and if we work hard enough they will end with a "Happily Ever After."

     One of my favorite fairy tales is Cinderella. I love how she makes a wish and it comes true! I love how she is so grateful for the blessings that are given her and that she never forgets who helped her get to her happily ever after. And you know what? My life can be JUST LIKE HER'S!!!!!! And so can yours! You may be thinking really? But it's exactly true, just think about it! Let's take my life for example- I am not a servant in my own house, but I am a hard working student trying to make it by, my life is not glamorous, I am not rich nor do I dress fancy and attract a lot of attention- Just like Cinderella. Cinderella had a fairy godmother who granted her wishes but gave her rules that she had to follow to be able to keep those blessings. I have a Father in Heaven who has given me commandments and guidelines in life to follow, telling me that if I follow his rules he will pour out his blessing into my life., and it is through him that I too can have a "Happily Ever After." Now lets flip this around to you women and mothers. As wives and mothers you have made certain promises to love and serve your husbands in their needs, as mother's you have a solemn responsibility to "rear [your] children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live." (Taken from The Family: A Proclamation to the World) If we make sure to follow these guidelines as well as the commandments; if we pray to God for daily guidance and abide by his teachings then we will receive blessings beyond what we can imagine, we will inherit his kingdom, and we can be together with our families for time and all eternity.

     "He has granted you this earthly life as a precious gift of “once upon a time,” complete with your own true story of adventure, trial, and opportunities for greatness, nobility, courage, and love. And, most glorious of all, He offers you a gift beyond price and comprehension. Heavenly Father offers to you the greatest gift of all—eternal life—and the opportunity and infinite blessing of your own ' happily ever after. ' But such a blessing does not come without a price. It is not given simply because you desire it. It comes only through understanding who you are and what you must become in order to be worthy of such a gift......

    Sisters, young sister, beloved young sisters (yes he is talking to YOU) stay true to what you know is right. Everywhere you look today, you will find promises of happiness. ads in magazines promise total bliss if you will only buy a certain outfit, shampoo, or makeup. Certain media productions glamorize those who embrace evil or give in to base instincts. Often these same people are portrayed as models of success and accomplishment. In a world where evil is portrayed as good and good as evil, sometimes it is difficult to know the truth. In some ways it is almost like Little Red Riding Hood’s dilemma: when you are not quite sure what you are seeing, is it a beloved grandmother or is it a dangerous wolf?"


     Please, do not become mezmorized with the glamours and sparkles of the world- do not forget about your Happily Ever After. Are you willing to risk your own Happily Ever After for a slim fitting dress that shapes your body nicely, or will you raise your temper at your children over spilled milk, or when you have had a stressful day and your husband comes home after a hard day at work and is angry and all you want is some time to yourself will you blow up in his face about how you have been home with the kids all day and it's his turn? I hope you would choose not to give what God has given you up, I hope that you can realize that you can have the strength to carry through the hardships of life, to triumph the adversity and major bumps in the road and overcome evil with good. 

     "We all search for happiness, and we all try to find our own “happily ever after.” The truth is, God knows how to get there! And He has created a map for you; He knows the way. He is your beloved Heavenly Father, who seeks your good, your happiness. He desires with all the love of a perfect and pure Father that you reach your supernal destination. The map is available to all. It gives explicit directions of what to do and where to go to everyone who is striving to come unto Christ and “stand as [a witness] of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.”  All you have to do is trust your Heavenly Father. Trust Him enough to follow His plan.


     My dear young sisters—you who stand for truth and righteousness, you who seek goodness, you who have entered the waters of baptism and walk in the ways of the Lord—our Father in Heaven has promised that you will 'mount up with wings as eagles; [you] shall run, and not be weary; and [you] shall walk, and not faint.”  You “shall not be deceived.'  God will bless and prosper you.  'The gates of hell shall not prevail against you; … and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.'

     Sisters, we love you. We pray for you. Be strong and of good courage. You are truly royal spirit daughters of Almighty God. You are princesses, destined to become queens. 
          Your own wondrous story has already begun. 
                  Your 'once upon a time' is now. "

     I love this cartoon, because it makes me laugh so much- but seriously how true is this? At one point or another we find ourselves a little scared to step on that scale and look at the number. I know that I am constantly comparing myself to others, every time I walk past a mirror or window I ALWAYS look at my reflection and then I look around at all other women comparing what I see as my worst qualities to what I see as their best qualities. I am a big boned girl, In no way am I over weight but I often times feel that way when I am standing next to a petite girl. One of my very best friends, Kelsey, is very petite and has very small bones. I remember looking at her many times in high school thinking, "Gosh, if she only knew what I would do to have a body like that!" But how could I???? Its not like I can just diet my bones away or take a pill that will shrink them down to the desired size! No what I can do is become comfortable in my own skin. Whether that comes from telling myself daily affirmations and reminding myself how beautiful I am- doing daily toning exercises- becoming more active to release those happy hormones that make you feel good about yourself.

     One thing that most women need to realize is that we are all beautiful, in our own way! Beauty is all in the eye of the beholder- really there are no written guidelines and rules to what makes a beautiful woman- but I'm gonna write some for you. If you can check off everything on my list than you are a beautiful woman, if you cant than make it a goal to be able to check off everything- because you deserve to have that realization that you are Beautiful!!!!!

1. I know that God loves me for who I am. I also know that he created me perfectly because he is a perfect being who does not make mistakes.
2. I can smile each and every day. And when I wake up in the morning I can look myself in the eye and be proud of the woman looking back. 
3. I greet myself with "Hey Good Looking!" every morning to remind myself just how cute I really am!
4. I can walk out the door every morning feeling confident and comfortable with who I am and how I look.
5. I know that I am different, I am not "perfect" by the world's standards, I am not a size 0- But I also know that I love myself for who I am, I have power to do anything I put my mind to and I my own unique self.

     Many women associate fitness just with loosing the weight and bringing the numbers on the scale down. And honestly that is about 60% of it- but the other 40% is to boost how you view yourself and to allow you to feel healthy. But still people only see fitness as a way to loose weight and keep yourself looking good. Hundreds of women define themselves (and their feelings) by the digitalized number that stares them back on that little white plastic square that sits in their bathroom. But what they don't realize is the important stuff.... A.K.A what the scale doesn't tell you.

     The scale doesn't tell you how awesome you are for being able to lift 8 pounds instead of 5 pounds, or being able to climb that flight of stairs without getting winded   how you can play out in the yard with your kids for hours on end, or how you can cook an amazing healthy meal that gets your family wanting to eat at home more!  The scale also doesn't tell you how fabulous you are for scoring that huge promotion at work, taking time out of a busy day to call a friend in need, holding the door open, lending a listening ear, helping a child with homework or volunteering in your community. I hope you are starting to get my point, YOU are more than the digitalized number on your scale!!!! YOU are a fun- loving, smart, sassy, healthy, beautiful woman- YOU HAVE WORTH JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!!!!!

     If you get anything out of this post today, I hope it's that- You are beautiful, you have worth, you are magnificent just how you are and the scale shouldn't have to say 125, or 152.7 or even 214 to feel good about yourself.  I hope you can enjoy the body that you have and learn to love the reflection that stares you back in the eye!