David's Ac Dec Debut at USC

Last Saturday, February 7, David participated in an Academic Decathlon Competition at University of Southern California. We met at Golden Valley at 6:30am and took him down (along with one of his classmates) to USC.

I left David there to participate in the competition. John and I arrived shortly before 3:00 pm, so we could watch him compete in the "Super Quiz." He did pretty well and seemed to have a good time. They did not announce winners of each event, but will today at the Award Banquet. If he won any awards, I will find out when he gets home (within the hour).

This post contains a few pictures, one of the team (from across the gymnasium), two of David competing, and a couple close up.

A Spiritual Feast!

My "spiritual feast" began on Sunday, February 1 when I attended a Relief Society Fireside featuring the RS General President, Julie B. Beck.

It was a multi-stake fireside held at the Valencia building. We arrived early (about 6:00) to find a parking lot half full of cars and a full chapel. The overflow area was open into the gymnasium and it was at least half full. Michale Lauricella found us two seats pretty close to the front. although that meant we couldn't sit with the other ladies from our ward.

The music was beautiful and set a spiritual tone for the meeting. Sister Beck spoke about a few things, but then she opened the meeting up for a few questions. There were a couple things she said that really touched me. I'm going to paraphrase them for you.

One sister asked about having family members do things she didn't have time for (because of her studies). Sis. Beck encouraged her to make sure she was ready for the "swing shift" (afternoon - evening), because that is the time we have the biggest impact on our children. This time of day allows for so many things: time to talk about the day, reading together, playing games together, homework, teaching through example, cooking together, etc. I have not always been at my best during "swing shift", but I have decided to make it more of a priority.

Another sister asked was concerned about keeping her children close to the gospel when they spend so much time out in the world and around influences we cannot control. Sister Beck immediately said, "Go to the temple." She encouraged all parents to work with their children and their Bishop to get a limited use recommend and go to the temple. Honestly, I've never thought of doing that with my teens. I don't know why not, because I was reviewing the stake calendar and was a bit disappointed that our ward's youth will only have one opportunity to go to the temple this year (and I think it is near the end of the year). In our last family night, we talked about this as a family: going to the temple, and using family names.

The following weekend (Feb 7-8) was our stake conference. As always the adult session Saturday night was fabulous. Brother Gonzalez (from the presidency of the 1st quorum of Seventy) presided. He was such a great speaker. Not only was he animated and easy to listen to, he had such timely and inspired counsel. He spent quite a bit of time teaching about how to share the gospel, in particular, how to introduce the Book of Mormon to friends. I have a great testimony of the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, and would like to share that with others, but I was stuck and not quite sure how to do it without seeming pushy. My friends are my friends whether or not they are members of my church and whether or not they want to read the Book of Mormon, but there are times I've felt that friends are interested and I don't know how to offer without seeming overbearing. I was very grateful for the counsel Brother Gonzalez gave to us.

The general session of Stake Conference was held on Sunday, February 8. I went very early and got front row seats in the chapel. I've never been that early before, so I've always sat in the overflow area or gymnasium. Everything was so much more powerful being right there in the chapel. The speakers bore their testimonies, and the spirit was very strong. A new stake presidency was called, and I received a spiritual witness that our new presidency was chosen by God to lead our stake at this time. I am so grateful for the priesthood authority and for leaders who exercise it righteously.

This Friday (February 13) is Stake Temple Day. We have a chapel session at 7:00 pm and will attend the 7:30 pm session. I hope that all members of our stake can come to the temple and enjoy the peaceful spirit which resides there. I am so grateful to live close to a temple, and that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth.

Kind of a silly list...


There's this "list" going around on Facebook that people are supposed to complete when they are "tagged." I was tagged a little while ago, but didn't create my list until last night. Here it is in it's entirety.

25 Random Things (that you probably didn't know you wanted to know about me)


1.) I hate wearing socks (unless my feet are cold at home, then I wear them w/o shoes). I have probably a dozen pairs of sandals and wear them year-round, even when it's raining.

2.) I grew up in a very large family. I'm the fourth of eleven children. (Yes, eleven! 8 girls, 3 boys. Same mom and dad, no multiple births.) It was fantastic! I always had someone to play with or talk to.

3.) I married my high school sweetheart, and we've been married for almost 19 years. I love him more than the day I married him, and he is the best husband ever!

4.) I love girly things (makeup, clothes, etc), yet I have four sons. Not one daughter.

5.) When I was a little girl, I thought I'd be a stay at home mom, but wasn't so sure once I started working. However, once I had kids and was able to be home with them, I realized it agreed with me. I enjoy being there for all my kids "firsts" and hearing about their day.

6.) After years of insisting I would never live in California because there are earthquakes, I found myself moving to California. It turns out little earthquakes aren't so bad, but I've never been through a big one. That thought still terrifies me, but I am prepared with our 72 hour kit and other necessities in case the big one hits.

7.) The hardest thing I've ever had to do was call my parents and tell them that my younger brother, Jon, died in a car accident while living with me in California.

8.) My brother's death changed me in indescribable ways. Although I still miss him everyday, my faith in a loving Heavenly Father has grown. I know He loves each person individually and is aware of all our struggles. Without His help, I would not have been able to endure the aftermath of my brother's death.

9.) My son, A.J., is named Adam Jon. Not John after my husband, but Jon after my brother.

10.) After high school, I was so putting so much energy into my studies that I dropped out of college after one semester (which I now regret). I've gone back to school a few times and finally managed to earn my AA last year. I plan to continue my studies, possibly forever, because I really love college this time around. (I'm editing this after the fact, this should read that I put so much energy into my high school studies that I was burnt out, so I dropped out of college after one semester.)

11.) I went on the game show Supermarket Sweep with my best friend, Sheri, several years ago. We almost won the big prize of $5,000, except we couldn't solve our last clue, despite having more than 40 seconds left. It was Uno (the candy bar). Despite not winning the "big prize", it was a really fun experience.

12.) I try to read the scriptures everyday and find that when I do, my day goes better.

13.) When I was in high school, I thought I was fat. Mind you, I was never a super skinny girl, but I would love to be the size I was in high school.

14.) I love swimming.

15.) When I was 12, a woman at church offered free swimming lessons to anyone who wanted them. Although I could already swim, a cute boy in our ward was taking them (for a scout merit badge), so I decided to take them. They weren't as fun as I thought they'd be, because she made us swim a lot of laps. That summer, my family rented a beach house in Kitty Hawk, NC, and I almost drowned. I went swimming in the ocean with huge waves and realized I couldn't get out. If Sis. Markoff had not made me swim all those laps, I would not have lasted long enough for my sister, Heather to find me and help me. (Thanks Mary and Heather!)

16.) My children bring out the best and worst in me. I try to show only the best, but have my bad days, just like everyone else.

17.) I am a proud member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

18.) At church, I am currently serving in the Primary (the children's organization) as 1st councilor in the Primary Presidency and the Primary Pianist.

19.) I have played the piano for about 30 years. Playing the piano relaxes me like nothing else, and I am so grateful to my mother for paying for piano lessons for all those years!

20.) Living far from my family (sisters, brothers, parents) is hard sometimes, but I have good friends who make it easier.

21.) I feel guilty that my kids don't get to see their cousins very often.

22.) My goal as a parent is to love my children and to teach them the skills they need to be happy adults who contribute to society.

23.) I have skinny wrists and ankles, even though the rest of me is no longer skinny.

24.) I have decided to let the gray hair grow in and have stopped coloring my hair.

25.) I love talking to my sisters and am grateful for unlimited long distance plans. I try to talk to family members at least 2-3 times a week, even if it's only for 5 minutes.

Mother Son Dance

On Friday, January 30, I took Michael and AJ to their elementary school's Mother Son Dance. We had a great time. Here are some pictures.

Inspiring story

I read a story in the Mormon Times today about a LDS Dutch Serviceman who spread the gospel while held prisoner in Camp Stalag 371, during WWII. If you'd like to read it, you will find it here:

http://www.mormontimes.com/studies_doctrine/church_history/?id=6034

My weird sense of humor

There is a new restaurant near our house, Dickie's Barbeque Pit. Well, they have the weirdest hand dryers I've ever seen. I mentioned them to someone else, and she knew exactly what hand dryers I was talking about, so I must not go out much.

Anyway, they are "super powerful" and dry your hands in about 10 seconds. That's not the weird thing (although it is efficient). The weird thing is the way the hand dryer blows so hard your flesh is moved around on your hand.















I took a couple pictures to demonstrate. I took pictures of the front and back of my hand (one with the hand dryer and one without) and one of my arm.
























AJ wanted me to take a picture of him too, so there is a picture of his hand under the hand dryer.

A Trip to Placerita Nature Center


Michael's Scout Troop took a trip to the Placerita Nature Center on Saturday and watched the animal show. I went along as a chaperone and brought John and AJ.








It looked like rain all morning, but cleared up right at 1:00 pm, when the show was scheduled to start. We had a few light showers during the show, but Shirley Cornwall brought an umbrella she was kind enough to share.




Despite the rain, the boys had a great time! They saw a red tailed hawk, an owl, an opossum, a snake, and a tarantula. They even had the opportunity to touch the tarantula. I abstained, but others enjoyed it.




















































Afterwards, we took the boys out for ice cream at Coldstone Creamery.