We feel humbled and excited to hear from our dear prophet and other authorities on this General Conference. It will be a sacred experience as we welcome and officially sustain President Russell M. Nelson as our new prophet as well as two new apostles on the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.
Live viewing times and other ways to watch the General Conference HERE.
Also HAPPY EASTER! May we always remember everything is possible because of HIM.
Today was the last day of reading class for Giovanna. She started this class last October and it is amazing how her reading has improved since then. I feel so blessed and grateful because I know I couldn't have helped her alone.
A big shout out to Aaron Gibson who volunteered and took the time to help my Giovi. Thanks Aaron!
Last Friday we visited the Jordan River Utah Temple that is holding an open house after being closed for renovations since February of last year.
We love taking our girls to see the temple. The tour through the temple is always a beautiful experience. When we attended the Provo City Temple open house a couple of years ago Bianca was only seven months old. This time she was able to walk through the temple and explore the rooms herself. She was so excited! She paid attention to every detail and pointed to each and every painting of Jesus Christ. She would ask "what's that?" for everything and exclaim "wow, that's so cute" several times. She has always loved temples, and I love that about her.
The Jordan River Utah Temple open house will run until April 28, 2018. On May 20th the temple will be dedicated, then only worthy members of the church with a valid temple recommend will be allowed to enter it.
I have completely forgotten about Easter festivities this year and I haven't planned anything fun to do with the girls. I even forgot to decorate the house, which is something we always do.
A couple of days ago I got an invite from Bean Life Science museum for a Easter family night. Since Ale worked until late today, I drove the girls to Provo for our first (and possibly only) Easter activity. The kids watched animal live show, played Easter scavenger hunt, ate candies, and explored the museum. It was a fun evening!
This week Giovanna went to visit her best friend Claire who had surgery a couple of weeks ago. Claire was having trouble breathing at night and she was diagnosed with sleep apnea. So on Wednesday Giovi skipped school and we headed to North Salt Lake to spend the day with her.
Claire and Giovanna are three years apart but they get along really well. They are alike in so many ways, and they love each other like sisters and fight like sisters as well.
The girls played, celebrated early Easter, and talked about surgeries and tooth extractions. And I finally gave baby Bella her towel I was working on for the past few months. It took me forever to get it done, but it was worth the wait. The towel turned out beautiful!
I am obsessed with this little girl. She makes me laugh with her silliness, she pushes my buttons with her strong (STRONG) personality, and she makes me happy every time she says: "I love you mamma" and every time she looks at me in the eye, smiles, and gives me a hug. Bibi knows how to warm my heart and brighten my day. Her pure existence makes me happy, and I feel blessed she is mine.
On the very first day of Spring my brave girl went to the dentist to extract one of her baby teeth. As I have mentioned before her permanent teeth were already popping out even before her baby ones had fallen. Since her bottom tooth was taking forever to fall, we just took her to the dentist to get it done.
At first she was happy, then scared, then relaxed with the laughing gas, then scared again, then the tooth was out. The procedure was really fast and Dr. Segura was amazing! He talked to her and made her laugh the whole time.
Giovanna saved her tooth for the tooth fairy. And as always, she came.
I needed this today. Thank you Elder Holland. I love you.
Sometimes I get discouraged about my mothering, specially when things don't get done without me yelling or threatening. There is no such a thing as perfect parenting; we will still make mistakes despite how hard we try. I just hope one day our children will understand although we are far from perfection we love them unconditionally and we just want them to be safe and happy.
“The work of a mother is hard, too often unheralded work. The young years are often those when either husband or wife -or both- may still be in school or in those earliest and leanest stages of developing the breadwinning capacities. Finances fluctuate daily between low and nonexistent. The apartment is usually decorated in one of two smart designs- Deseret Industries provincial or early Mother Hubbard. The car, if there is one, runs in smooth tires and an empty tank. But with night feedings and nights teethings, often the greatest challenge of all for a young mother is simply fatigue. Through these years, mothers go longer on less sleep and give more to others with less personal renewal for themselves than any other group I know at any other time in life. Is is not surprising when the shadows under their eyes sometimes vaguely resemble the state of Rhode Island. (...) it is clear that some of those Rhode Island-sized shadows come just not from diapers and carpooling but from at least a few sleepiness nights spent searching the soul, seeking earnestly for the capacity to raise these children to be what God wants them to be. Moved by that kind of devotion and determination may I say to mothers collectively, in the name of the Lord, you are magnificent. You are doing terrifically well. The fact that you have been given such a responsibility is everlasting evidence of the trust your Father in Heaven has in you. He knows that your giving birth to a child dies not immediately propel you into the circle of the omniscient. If you and your husband will strive to love God and live the gospel yourselves; if you will plead for that guidance and comfort of the Holy Spirit promised to the faithful; if you will go to the temple to both make and claim the promises of the most sacred covenants a woman or man can make in this world; if you will show, including your children, the same caring, compassionate, forgiving heart you want heaven to show you; if you try your best to be the best parent you can be, you will have done all that a human being can do and all that God expects you to do. You can't possibly do this alone, but you do have help. The Master of Heaven and Earth is there to bless you- He who resolutely goes after the lost sheep, sweeps thoroughly to find the lost coin, waits everlastingly for the return of the prodigal son. Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are and better than you have ever been as you try to make honest effort, however feeble you may sometimes feel that to be. Rely on Him. Rely oh Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope". You are doing God's work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even -no, specially- when your days and your nights may be the most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master's garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and sometimes weep over their responsibility as mothers, "Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole". And it will make your children whole as well".
Jeffrey R. Holland
This past weekend we were planning on driving to downtown Salt Lake to watch the annual St. Patrick's parade, but when I checked the weather I immediately got discouraged so we ended up staying home. Ale went to the temple in the morning and the girls and I watched Brave- a Scottish, not Irish, Disney princess movie, but that was the best we could do.
Later on our family had lunch at Texas Roadhouse, then I went to our Relief Society 176th birthday celebration.
On Sunday we attended church and taught Sunday school about the importance of the Book of Mormon. Since I started studying it six months ago I have learned to love and appreciate this sacred book even more.
Please, receive a free copy of the Book of Mormon HERE.
My girls LOVE climbing on their daddy’s back and riding on him. They laugh and shout:”gitty up horsey”. Then off he goes with Bianca and Giovanna on his back galloping around the house.
It is so nice seeing him smile. I’ve always loved his smile. These last few months have been challenging for our family, and it became rare seeing him smile. He's been really quiet and serious lately. But as I always say, Heavenly Father is aware of us and our needs. I have reasons to believe we will soon have good news to share.
I can't believe how warm it is already! We barely had winter this year. Not that I am complaining though. I always say I am not a winter person at all, and to be honest I've been already enjoying this nice weather. Bianca is also enjoying it. She's been wearing her "cute" every day for the last few days- only yesterday she let me finally wash it.
At the playground she found her bunny she had lost about three weeks ago. Bianca was so happy to be reunited with her favorite bunny again. The picture says it all.
Then after dinner we drove to Draper to have ice cream on my favorite creamery. I remember when I was pregnant with Giovanna all I wanted was their fries and ice cream. Ale used to take me there every week. What a nice hubby!
We had our traditional chicken fingers with cheese fries and a HUGE banana split with extra fudge.
Last night we had dinner with the Matutes. Every time they cook taquitos they invite us over. We love them, and we love their taquitos too! :)
Today we overslept and Giovanna was late to school. My phone's battery died and I missed Ale's call. He usually calls every morning to talk to Giovi before she goes to school. After dropping her off Bianca and I went grocery shopping at Costco, Harmon's, and Walmart.
Later on we all went to Giovi's school for a movie night. Every year the PTA plans a movie night. We had pizza, popcorn, and watched Coco. Last year we watched Moana.
Saturday was a perfect day to play outside. It was pleasant, sunny, and warm, and the sky was so blue and beautiful! In the morning the girls helped me making pancakes.
Then after their usual morning nap all of us headed to the park to have a picnic and play. Several other families had the same idea and the kids made a lot of new friends.
Then we had fries and ice cream. Yeah! What a fun day!
Yesterday Bianca had a playdate with baby Ethan at Kangoroo Zoo. We spent four hours there and Bianca jumped and played the entire time. She has so much energy!
They have changed a few things there. They took down a fun toddler inflatable they used to have and a toddler play area, then replaced them for game machines, so I guess I like The Bounce House better now.
After four hours playing, as soon as we got in the car Bianca was out.
When I talked to my mom yesterday she said she had a dream. She dreamed I was happily running on an open field. I wore a white dress with long sleeves, and I was surrounded by a light really bright. As I ran a group of young women ran after me following my light. My mom said it was a really beautiful dream and she woke up feeling really happy.
Dreams are very special to me. I believe Heavenly Father talks to us through them. Growing up I've had three dreams that are really dear to me. They have a profound spiritual meaning and a lesson.
A while ago a family history consultant from our ward came to our house to help us with our family history. He told us to add all deceased family members names on our family tree and encouraged us to do temple work for them. That same night when I added my uncle's name on the temple list to be printed my mom dreamed of him.
The details of her dream amazes me. She said he was so happy and gave her a big hug. It was so clear to me my uncle Isaias had been taught the gospel in the spiritual world, had accepted it, and had been waiting for us to take his name to the temple. This story gives me goose pumps every time! We completed all ordinances for him in 2014. Then two year later we finally sealed him to his parents.
"An inspired dream is a vision given to a person while he sleeps. All inspired dreams are visions, but all visions are not dreams. Vision are received in hours of wakefulness or of sleep and in some cases when the recipient has passed into a trance; it is only when the vision occurs during sleep that it is termed a dream. Sleep is something we all have in common. What satisfaction or level of enjoyment we gain from the experience varies, as does the effect it has on our minds and heart. Most of our subconscious state goes without memory. Irrational and absurd dreams are easily dismissed by an individual who has the Spirit of God. But on occasion the Lord judiciously issues dreams for His divine purposes and an individual's personal growth".
Last night when daddy and Bianca went to pick up pizza for dinner, Giovanna shouted: "mommy and Giovi time". While they were gone we painted each other's nails. It is so cute how she needs a time alone with me. I love her so much! I am planning a date for just the two of us.
This weekend Ale invited us to go to Luz de Las Naciones, a musical production celebrating the culture and story from Latin America. It happens every year at Temple Square and it features over 1000 people in the cast. The theme this year was Mi Herencia, and the concert was all about the importance of keeping a family record and working on our genealogy.
It was a beautiful night. They danced and also sang songs from the Disney movie Coco. The girls had a blast. All of us did.
