Well I didn't really do a great job launching this blog. We had some major family changes take place right around the time I started posting. Things are starting to calm down around here so I'm hoping to be able to post the rest of the amazing Sunday Swap activities that we have to share. Stay tuned and I promise I'll post the next activity soon.
Until then here is a great quote I thought I'd share

             "Fill your mind with truth

              Fill your heart with love

              Fill your life with service"

                       -Thomas S Monson

I'd really like to make service a bigger part of my life. I think that it is such a great way to step outside of your comfort zone and help someone else really in need. I'm going to really try this week to serve 5 people that I don't know in some way. I'll let you know how it goes. If anyone out there would like to share how they serve others I'd love to hear your ideas.

Laters,
Em

Stripling Warriors Game

Well last night we held our swap. It was so great to finally see this activity come to a close and receive all the fun activities that everyone worked so hard on. I'll post a picture of the box full of activities tomorrow. Here is just one of the 15 activities I got last night. 

Stripling Warriors Game

The Stripling Warriors Game was found on LDS.org. She printed off and laminated each one. She also made that cute little red bag to hold the game markers (lima beans) and dice. Instructions are included on the game board. I can't wait to play this with my kids. 

Sunday Activites Swap Letter Kit

I have really been struggling with keeping the spirit of the Sabbath in our home after we return from our church meetings on Sunday. It is so easy to put on a movie for my 5 year old and fall asleep on the couch while the little ones nap. I decided that I can do better. 

Last year I hosted a busy bag swap,which turned out successful, so I decided that I would tweak that idea a little and call it a Sunday Activities Swap. I set it up just like the busy bag swap but made one stipulation that the activity had to gospel related. I set up a sign up sheet in google docs and allowed everyone who was interested to sign up for an activity of their choosing. A total of 16 moms joined the swap. Our official swap date is on the 14th of May so I don't have everyone else's activities to share today but I do have the one I created. I'll share everyone else's when I have them.

Letter Kit

20 Sheets of stationary or paper, with or without prompts 
    (I just made mine in word)
20 envelopes
1 pen
6 sheets of stickers
1 felt pocket folder

This really didn't take much time at all. I'm so excited to see what the other ladies have come up with!

Why?

There is no doubt that being a Mama is hard work. But when there is a pile of laundry waiting to be folded, fingerprints are all over the walls and windows, food droppings are smashed on the kitchen floor and the constant motion of little ones is all around all I need is to know I'm not the only one. I want to create a place where we can help each other. A place to strengthen each other and inspire each other to be better. A place to share ideas that work and ideas that fail. A place that proves you are not the only one having a bad day.  No picture perfect lives here, just the real- the real pains and the real joys-the painful joy or joyful pain of being a parent, being a wife, being a homemaker or being a provider.  This is a place for us to join together, a place for Mamas to Unite.