Youth Confrence

A few weekends ago, I went to the Waco stake youth conference with the young women from our ward. I absolutely love working with the youth in the church. They inspire me and give me great confidence in the future. They are hard working, thoughtful, innovative, and caring. Working with the youth is one of the greatest joys in my life, and I'm so thankful I was able to be with them to witness some small miracles happening.

They spent the morning working at the World Hunger Farms hauling wood and water, and other things, at least that's what I hear. I wasn't able to make it to that part of the conference... and no, I wasn't just trying to get out of the service project :) Afterwards they plodded on over to the Ropes Course area at Baylor University where I met up with them. Here they did team building activities and really started to bond as a group.

They were really supportive of each other and so brave to take on the difficult challenges and obstacles they were faced with. So much like their daily challenges in High School and family life. Challenges I don't think most of us in the pre-internet, pre texting...etc. era can truly comprehend.

Here are some of the pictures of our amazing youth!

This one makes me laugh... these boys loved the challenge of lifting the girls through the spiderweb thingy. And flexing their muscles :)

Cup Stacking 2011

I promised my mom I would post the latest cup stacking tournament. I felt really bad because I didn't make it to Isaac's competition due to the power outages messing up the schedule, but I'll see if he'll let me take a video of him cup stacking at home. Anyway, all of the kids at Lakewood are getting better and better every year and the competition is getting tough!! Here are some clips from Mason and Jackson's stacks... excuse the bad cinematography it was shot with an iphone.

Jacksino Cuisino

Last night we had a nice break from the norm. The Wednesday night schedule included Tae Kwon Do and a Young Women's activity but everything was cancelled because of freezing temperatures, no snow, just cold. What can I say, it's Texas--people don't like to be cold.

Anyway, Shane took Mason and Isaac to run some errands, Jackson stayed with me to do homework and fix dinner. Jackson asked if he could make a restaurant menu for dinner, and I agreed it was a fantastic idea.

He made the cutest little menu and at the bottom wrote "The Jacksino Cuisino". He color copied it so that we could each have our own.

I love the "ooh-la-la" dessert...

Things evolved from there... We set the table with a black table cloth and white cloth napkins, we lit candles, and dug the christmas tree lights out of the attic. I grabbed Shane's apron that he wore when he waited tables at Tucci's, and Jackson put on a white shirt and tie (his idea, not mine). We turned off the kitchen lights and started up the Vivaldi playlist on the ipod. The ambiance was perfect.

Bella walked in and said, "Is it Christmas night?" Just too adorable.

Anyway, Jackson was jumping out of his skin, he was so excited for the boys to come home. And when they did, he was ready to greet them with a big smile and take them to their seats. Mason, Isaac and Shane were floored, the look on their faces was priceless.

Jackson took their orders and he served each of them their plates. We had a wonderful night together, talking and being a family. Although we have dinner all together most nights of the week, I was reminded how much we need to slow down and take the time to make memories together. Things have been so busy, hurried, and hectic that many days I accomplish a lot of little things and less and less of the important things.

Anyway, my new goal is to make a memory for my kids every day, even if it's something very small ... and forever be thankful for these small moments that leave big imprints in our memories.