October 3, 2011

We survived.

Ah, General Conference weekend.

For those of us of the LDS faith (aka Mormons) it is a time for us to gather around our televisions... or rather, laptop computer screen in our case, and listen to the guidance and counsel of the prophet and apostles. (it was down-right incredible too)

It is also a time for those of us with small children to stretch our imaginations and expand our creativity as we seek to find ways to keep our children calm and quiet during the eight hours of conference that stretch over Saturday and Sunday.

And after every conference weekend, I write a little post about how I was going to, but did NOT print out cute little kiddy conference packets, or make little conference games and activities, or build a conference tent, or any kind of special kiddy conference anything to help them pay more attention.

*hanging head in shame*

However, I DID bring out a huge stack of Friend magazines and a container of crayons, informed the kids to have fun, be quiet, play nice, and not to leave the room until the session was over.

Or they'd only be allowed to eat zucchini for the next week. And clean the toilets everyday.

*gasps of horror*

Okay fine, not really.


Still, at one point during one of the sessions, I may have, although I'm not actually confessing to, saying, "SSSSHHHHHH!!! Guys! Quiet. I'm trying to HEAR THE PROPHET AND FEEL THE SPIRIT!!"  *snarl, growl, fftt fftt...*

Okay, so I didn't actually yell, or snarl.

Just growled... a little.

In all seriousness though the kids did remarkably well for having to stay in one place for so long.

And I didn't even have to sit on them.

Also, I am proud to say, that for the first time ever, Savannah took notes during conference!

Behold.


*crickets chirping*

Okay okay, so they weren't actually conference notes per say....


Anyway, it was such a great weekend. So very fulfilling and spiritually rejuvenating. The talks are always so profoundly encouraging and uplifting.

So go. Read, watch, listen, and be filled.

Life is good today people, life is good.


Missed conference?

Jocelyn always has great Conference posts.
Cherie also has a good one full of great quotes.

13 super cool people speak:

JennaK said...

I'll be honest. We just let our kids do whatever they want. On Saturday, we kick them out of the house and make them go out and play. They have to come in and listen when the prophet speaks, that's all. On Sunday morning session, occasionally I've tried having them sit and "take notes" (draw, whatever). I've done packets in the past, but they're little. I hope that if they hear it on all day and see me watching (and dad when he's home--he works Saturdays usually), they'll pick up on it's importance. I think when they get to about 12 is when we'll sit and make them watch a whole session.

Jami West said...

I honestly always look forward to reading your posts. You make me laugh! I love Savannah's conference notes! So cute. I ummm.... kind of growled at my 2 and 3 year old to shush when the prophet was talking also. Then I felt incredibly silly after growling at them so I could feel the spirit :)

Cara said...

That's so funny...I just wanted to say that you did well! My husband goes to church with our son and I sit at home watching conference (I'm ill 24/7 and would honestly love to chase our son through the corridors and miss out on conference :P) so you did great!

Also on taking notes? I don't do it any more! Bad? No not at all because I found myself taking all these notes I wouldn't look at again whereas all the talks are in the Ensign - and now on-line, yay! so I probably will have more likelihood of studying an Ensign than my own notes.

Tristan said...

Sounds like fun and I love the idea of just grabbing old Friend magazines if you have them laying around. Sadly most of ours have been confiscated and used (read:cut up and torn to shreds for projects)

We print things and all the kids listen to all four sessions (my six are age 10 down to 10 mos), unless you're little enough to fall asleep during a session. I did posts about how we made it through each session if you want to read them, just check out my blog!

Susan Anderson said...

I loved conference, especially Sunday's first session. My favorite talks were Hales, Monson, and Dalton, but I thoroughly enjoyed them all. And every single session was primo.

=)

Mikki said...

I totally yelled, snarled and growled several times at my monkeys during conference. Even banished them from the room on a couple occasions--not that they listened.

Kathleen said...

my parents, to keep us quiet, invented a game where one of the kids picked a word, such as Christ, which we would listen for through a talk. At the end of the talk we would count up our tallies and whoever had the closest to what our parents counted recieved candy. now we just eat candy while watching conference but it helped us pay at least partial attention.

CB said...

You are such a good good mom for having all your little ones around you while conference was going on.
That will effect them so much as they get older. They may not listen now, or even take notes of the actual conference but this is a wonderful model you are providing.
I love the picture of the blanket on the floor and all your little ones doing their thing. That is a picture of happiness if I ever saw one!

P.S. Thanks for linking my post - I loved Conference!

Amy said...

I missed a lot of it. Catching up later.

Elder Hales had one of my favorite talks. He tugged at my heart and I felt so much love for these men.

Sarah said...

You are AWESOME!
We should be friends. True story:)

These pictures were so telling! No?!

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE You!

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

It was a wonderful weekend.
I loved hearing each of the talks and pondering what they meant for our family.

Boiled zucchini? Ick. I bet that made the kids behave.

Jocelyn Christensen said...

XOXO - Thanks for the shout-out! I was totally growling on Saturday and had to put myself in check. (I'm "TRYING TO FEEL THE SPIRIT!!!!"- indeed!) I was definitely thinking of you this weekend and wondering how you were faring...remembering your post from last Conference! ha ha!

Mama Smith said...

From the time you were all born...Conference weekend was what we ALL DID...I loved making all your personal binders...with things to do...that related to Conference...Even when you were all little...we all sat together...at home or at church...It never occurred to us...NOT to sit with all of you...babies and all...We never missed one Conference...Our attitude was...that the Lord wanted all his children "sitting at the feet of His prophets"...and we did...

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