Of Writing, Finals, and Summer Goals

By Claire Enos

I almost thought I'd missed my posting day again! Then I realized it was still Monday and I still have time! I'm so glad!

This week is officially finals week, and I get to go home to Las Vegas on Saturday. My parents are so amazing and are driving up to pick me up from Rexburg! They're also picking up my best friend and roommate who is going home for Spring break and then driving back up with friends the next weekend.

We're both excited because we get to hit up the malls in Vegas before she leaves for another semester. I won't get to see her again until late July, which is sad, but we get to skype a lot, so that makes up for it!

I'm looking forward to finals being over (only one more final, due on Wednesday, then I'm done until September!) and being able to write. For one of my classes, we had to write up our goals for our life, so I decided to add a Summer 2013 list as well:

Summer 2013 List:

• Sew a quilt
• Volunteer at an Animal Shelter
• Volunteer at the Library
• Visit the Family History Center in Las Vegas
• Visit family in Oregon and go to Westover Family Reunion
• Work on Scrapbooking for family
• Finish a novel
• Make a new friend
• Read a book a week (at least)
• Keep up with a blog
• Work on some family projects

I can't wait to get started on this list!

My next post, I will know what grades I got. I'm hoping for all A's and one B, so I'll be sure to let you all know how I did! If I did well I get to reward myself by buying myself an iPod! I hope I'm able to manage it! Only one class I'm worried about.

Have a good week, keep up with the writing!

<3Claire

PS: In other news, for those of you who know anything about Rexburg: It was nice enough the other day to study on my laptop outside! It started raining shortly after we went inside, but it was good enough to take this picture:

<----Me

And my roommate joined me!



That's the MC in the background, btw :)

The Best Weekend of April

by Marsha Ward

Twice a year, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) get the awesome opportunity to listen to/watch living prophets and enjoy their words of wisdom, inspiration, and revelation.

This is the best time of the Spring for me. It's a time of rejoicing, rejuvenation, re-assessment, and re-ordering my life. It lifts me spiritually and emotionally, and gives me calm in the face of adversity.

I invite you to listen to one or two of the four public sessions that will begin tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. MDT (that's 9 a.m. for Arizonans). The afternoon session begins at 2:00 p.m. MDT. The schedule repeats on Sunday.

Where? Click the image below to participate on Facebook, or go to http://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng for other options. If you're fortunate enough to have access to the BYU TV channel, you can watch it there, as well.


Oh, and if you participate in Twitter, prepare youself for the twice-yearly onslaught of tweets from your LDS friends. Either tune them out, or give a care. You might be glad you did!

What It's All About

Ammon and Cambrai - Timpanogas Temple

Let me introduce Mr. and Mrs. Ammon Johnson Pike.

Despite the inclement weather, the disabled vehicles (due to said weather), and a couple of nosebleeds (I'll forego posting those pictures) -- the wedding was beautiful. Of course, I've never witnessed a marriage ceremony in the House of the Lord that wasn't beautiful.

I really hated having to come home and jump back in to the reality of work, school, and well, life. I attended my first "real" business conference last week and let me tell you -- I have more gratitude than ever before for the efforts my eternal companion has made through the years to allow me to be a stay-at-home mom. Even though I had fun meeting new people and hanging out with my fellow copywriter Joeline (yes, we even made tshirts - a brilliant marketing plan if I do say so), I could not wait to get back home to my little "bubble".

Earlier in the month, Doug and I had been assigned to speak in church on Easter Sunday. I loved coming home, putting on my yoga pants and tshirt and opening my scriptures to study and ponder on the Atonement and leave that business world behind.

The night before Easter, I made comment to my daughter-in-law about how stressed I felt about speaking. She gave me an understanding look and said:

yep...we got stuck.

"Just talk about Jesus. It will be marvelous."

Wow. Talk about an "aha" moment!

Because that's what it's all about. The wedding was beautiful because it was centered on the making and keeping of sacred covenants with our Father in heaven. It wasn't about the weather or the flowers or the matching outfits.

 It is about love. It is about Christ. And it is about the blessings and opportunities afforded us through His Atonement.

So give yourself a hug -- and go out and share some of that love. You'll be glad  you did.
hugs~

The Copy Girls

April is National Poetry Month

By Leesa Ostrander

I am not a poet and dabble only in times where I need an outlet. I do however read poetry. Often.

I read poetry to my girls at night. We read Trixie Belden books and when one is finished we read a few nights of only poetry. I do have few favorites I read to them most nights of the week.

My favorite is Winken, Blinken and Nod. This poem is comforting to me and has a rhyme that the girls calm down to.

They also like when I read to them Nursery Rhymes. I like Ladybug, Ladybug. I like this one because it is the first one my oldest memorized from my mom teaching her. And my mom had it memorized from her mom, my Ga.

I think if I can help foster a love for words with my girls they will carry it on to their studies, families and help them remain creative.

Do you like poetry? What are your thoughts on the importance?