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Sunday, May 11, 2008


Mother's Day 2008

Last night we went downtown to take some cool Mother's Day photos of me and the girls. This was the best one. This is my real life! This photo is the best reminder of what my day to day is.

Being a mother is hard for me most days and easy smeezy some days. Few people would guess how hard it is for me - but many would guess how important it is to me!
  • I am a fun mom
  • a loud mom
  • a crazy mom
  • a make a mess mom
  • a spiritual mom
  • a not afraid to tell you what I think mom
  • a creative mom
  • a madly in love with my husband mom
  • a sensitive mom
  • a pushover mom
  • a your socks don't have to match - but you better have a bow in your hair kind of mom
  • a fly by the seat of my pants mom
  • but also a freak about schedule's mom (this makes me kind of a Jeckle and Hyde type)
  • everything is sentimental so don't throw it away kind of mom
  • a buy treats and balloons at the grocery store kind of mom
  • a do what works kind of mom
  • a get over it and stop crying kind of mom
  • a snuggle cuddle mom
  • a cry with my kids mom
  • a bring bugs in the house kind of mom
  • a never take my kids temperature or go to the doctor kind of mom

I was so excited to reread the talk by M. Russell Ballard yesterday that he gave in General Conference last month. Below the following pictures are words from his talk. No matter what your religion I think any woman will appreciate them.

Jeff is speaking in church today and was asked specifically to tell stories of his mother, I can not wait for this talk - I wish I could zap his mom here for the day - I think it is going to be really funny.
Stories on the list
  • digging through a dumpster for carpet scraps
  • playing volleyball on the beach to be reminded he didn't make his bed at age 16
  • his paper route
  • you don't by me *&%@! at Nordstrom
I can't wait he has some great Mom stories and a great Mom!

Happy Mother's day to all my friends, Mother in law and Mom!



"Recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction.



There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part- or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else.


Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11).
Pray deeply about your children and about your role as a mother. Parents can offer a unique and wonderful kind of prayer because they are praying to the Eternal Parent of us all. There is great power in a prayer that essentially says, “We are steward-parents over Thy children, Father; please help us to raise them as Thou wouldst want them raised.”

I hope all of you dear sisters, married or single, never wonder if you have worth in the sight of the Lord and to the leaders of the Church. We love you. We respect you and appreciate your influence in preserving the family and assisting with the growth and the spiritual vitality of the Church. Let us remember that “the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World”). The scriptures and the teachings of the prophets and apostles help all family members to prepare together now to be together through all eternity. I pray that God will continually bless the women of the Church to find joy and happiness in their sacred roles as daughters of God."
M. Russell Ballard

39 comments:

Hilary said...

That talk is my current favorite. But mixed up with your photos like that... just BEAUTIFUL. Hope you have a wonderful day!!

Neighbor Jane Payne said...

What an INCREDIBLE post Kristi! You captured the essence perfectly. Next year, for my kids' sake, I want to record what kind of a mother I am through my own eyes. Thanks for the idea. Again, thanks for such an uplifting post.

sweetfunkyvintage said...

That if fabulous! Thank you for sharing it.
Happy Mother's Day!
missy

Jill said...

Beautiful post Kristi, Happy Mother's Day.

Quelly said...

Thanks for posting that Kristi. Mother's day is very hard for me as my own mother passed away 20 years ago this year. This post took some of the sadness away - thanks for sharing --

Holly said...

This post was truly heartfelt and I loved it. I got a sense of the type of mom you are through your words and all the pictures. The excerpts from the talk are such good things to remember--especially Anna Quindlen--Wow, right to my heart!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Serendipity said...

Happy Mother's Day...

Sweet pics...

Hope it is a wonderful day for you...

Laurie said...

What a great post for mother's day! I love all the photos to go along with it too.

Christina said...

i had to laugh..we could be twins!! except i ONLY purchase white socks and my girls NEVER wear bows...and also NO BUGS in my house-im a freak that way..but everything else-totally me!! good times!

Windy said...

Great post! Thanks for sharing!

Allison said...

That talk was great the first time I heard it. It made it much more personal to see the photos of a mother's moments, even if I don't know you. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

I love how you put pictures to the talk by Elder Ballard. It is beautiful and fits perfectly. What a great idea for a new mother, (maybe your own daughter as a mother). Anyway, thank you for a beautiful posts on you as a mother and to mothers in general.

Happy Mother's Day!

Liz said...

Beautiful Mother's Day post, Kristi. I loved all the pictures of you with your girls! What a treasure! Loved the quotes as well. I hope you had a wonderful day!

Juli said...

You are a beautiful mother.

Traci said...

Beautiful Post! Love the list you made too about yourself!
The quotes from the talk were great! The proclamation quote is also the scripture of the month in primary!
Happy Mother's Day to you too!

The 5 Bickies said...

All great reminders...thanks for your post!

Kristy said...

I love this post!! Thanks

Marie said...

I loved your description of what kind of mom you are. Such a great mom. And that talk by Elder Ballard was one of my favourites at conference this time. It made me weepy.

thanks for sharing your amazing motheringness with us all.

Rachel said...

I love this! Thank you for posting it so beautifully, pictures and all! Happy Mother's Day to a mom who deeply loves her little ones (even when they make it hard to)!!!

Dina C said...

I loved how you said you were the "madly in love with my husband mom". I remember when we were EFY counselors together and you and Jeff were engaged. You were so over the moon for him. How great that you so obviously still are. That relationship will probably be the greatest thing you and Jeff will leave your daughters. What a great mom you are! Wow!

JENNIFRO said...

That was a nice post. Wasn't that a wonderful, comforting talk.

patsy said...

Wow what a great great post!!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Amie said...

I LOVE this and have tears rolling down my cheeks.

Happy Mother's Day!

melanie said...

What a fabulous post Kristi. Posts like this are a gift. What a treat for your daughters one day. Happy Mother's Day!

Nikki said...

Love this post Kristi! Hope your Mother's Day was fabulous.

Tasha said...

Happy Mother's Day Kristi! I love the pictures! Love the quotes and the talks too! I wish I could have heard Jeff's talk!

Cecilia said...

That's my favorite talk fom last conference! I've read it many many times, but every time I do I love it even more!
Thanks for the amazing post!
Happy Mothers Day!

My name is Andrea said...

Your photos made that talk even better! Hope your Mother's Day was fabulous!

charlotte said...

I really like that talk! My roommate and I read it yesterday, thinking it was appropriate for the day. Those are beautiful pictures of you and your family!

Lindsay said...

I LOVED this post. Thanks for sharing.

In reading this, I also realized how few pictures I probably have of me with my children. I need to get some!

Happy Mother's Day. Did Jeff mention you like he was supposed to?

L and T said...

Ok, its time I introduce myself, I am a friend of Elisa's and I've been checking out your blog for about a year now. I HAD to tell you how much I loved your post about mothers. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

This is beautiful! I feel like I am the same kind of mom in so many ways. I do have to say that my mom was a 'madly in love with my husband mom' and I am so grateful for that even though through my teenage years it was rather embarrassing. Seeing her open love of my dad shaped me in so many ways. You are great Kristi!

Anonymous said...

This could not be more beautiful with those words and your pictures. I loved this. Thank you!

Becky said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this lovely post Kristi! THIS is a great Mother's Day entry--real and honest but not depressing.

That is my current favorite talk too and I love the photos you put with it! :)

Kristin said...

Wonderful post Kristi! Thanks for sharing. Hope you had a fantastic day.

Elisa said...

Love it Kristi, you were/are a wonderful cousin so I would imagine you are an amazing mom.

Caroline cracks me up, she must be moving all the time.

Bond Girl 007 said...

I absolutely loved loved your list. Great one. I wished alfredo would have listen to that talk...it was comforting to hear that he mentioned this to us girls and to them as boys too.

Bond Girl 007 said...

...oh, to be kind and thoughtful.

wende said...

thank you for this, we should ALL do a post like this - inserting your own photographs made it as if he was talking to you directly - which of course he was! happy mother's day kristi!