In which the kingdom of heaven is likened unto chocolate

This amazing chocolate mousse cake was made (and photographed, hope you don't mind LaChelle) by my sister in law the Sugar Duchess, I say she is the queen of all things sweet and good, and this mousse cake is no exception.  It's rich and creamy and all around yummy, as in died and gone to heaven yummy...where was I going with this?  Oh yeah, I had a point.
The other day I was thinking about why I love to share my testimony and I got to thinking about that little beauty up there.  See, I don't tell you what I believe because I think you are wrong, or you need to be saved, or because I get some sort of bonus when someone gets baptized, I share because of love.  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormons, maybe you saw the Meet the Mormons movie?  Anyway, one of the beliefs we have as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is that God has  enough love and blessing for everyone.  I share my testimony and share how blessed I am because I want other people to feel the joy I feel.  How can I feel such joy and love without wanting to share?  So imagine this to die for chocolate mouse cake, you just got a piece from LaChelle, and you try it and you realize how amazing it is.  You might be tempted to keep it to yourself because it's so good, but it's too good to keep to yourself.  You call in your husband and tell him he HAS to try it.  Then you call your kids in.  You don't want to stop there though, you want to share it with your neighbors and all of your friends.  When you find out you now have an unlimited supply of this wonderful decedent dessert you do share it with everyone you know, but it's so wonderful you want to share it with everyone, even total strangers.
That's is what I spent hours thinking about one night.  I may or may not have been slightly distracted by the chocolate mousse cake, but the point is that I finally could put into words, or food, why I want so much to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with EVERYONE!  It's just too good to keep to myself.

Essentials

This is the temple currently under construction in Indiana where we live.  We are so excited!

My sister once said "If it isn't essential to your eternal salvation don't worry about it."  I wonder if she knows how that phrase has stuck with me and shaped me over the years.  It has effected the way I see myself, how I treat others, even how I raise my children.
Today I decided it was time for Elizabeth to lose the binky.  Nap time was torture.  For half an hour she screamed and cried.  I am so tired I could have slept through it I kid you not, but instead I sat thinking.  How important was it for her to be binky free?  It wasn't essential to her eternal progression.  In the grand scheme of things does it really matter that she has a binky until she is two or even three?  I decided it wasn't all that important and I gave her a binky at which point she fell immediately asleep (After some serious cuddles of course!)
Benjamin is one of the most stubborn children I have had the pleasure to learn from. (Did you like that positive spin?)  Some days EVERYTHING is a battle, but lately I have been more focused on picking my battles.  I have chosen to fight for those things which are essential to his eternal progression.  He must go to church with me, but he doesn't have to wear a white button up shirt if he really wants to wear the green one.
Glen gets very angry if he feels like he is being chastised.  He generally tries very hard to be good but as soon as he feels like he is in trouble he turns to anger and then the situation just spirals out of control.  Here again I have used that wonderful phrase as my guide.  If it will not effect him in the eternities then it doesn't matter.  It's not a big deal that he said stupid, but it's a big deal that he hit mom.
As for me, I want to look and feel good, but I'm not going to obsess over my body, the state of my house, how fancy my clothes are or even what people think of me.  As long as I am being kind, loving, and following Jesus then the rest of it doesn't really matter.  After all, the Lord isn't going to deny me entrance at the gates of heaven because I wear a size 16 instead of a 10 and because my living room wasn't picked up tonight.

In which we travel to Utah, as seen in pictures

We watched a plane taxi into it's loading spot.

The Gray Ghost race car

Our first time on a moving sidewalk.  Those are our pilots right behind us.

 We rejoice in the grid pattern as we land in Salt Lake city late at night.

John and I attend the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.

 Enjoying a date,

and a beautiful view. 

 Relaxing at grandmas in what I call the prince and the pea pose.

 Elizabeth's first time on a trampoline!

 BFF cousin time.

 Best of friends here.

"Hot!" Elizabeth was helping me bake cookies for my brother's wedding reception. 

Cousin sleep over! 

Grammy time.  Grammy is nice to cuddle with. 

At the St. George temple I got to see my brother marry this amazing lady right here!  

I just adore Kiara!

I am inspired by how in love my mom and dad are.  Dad had to sleep on the floor so he could let mom have the couch, but they still fell asleep holding hands. 

 We missed the mountains.

 Mountains.

 Did I mention how much we missed them?

Finally a minute to relax at Grandma's. 

 There is another baby!

 "I have a secret.  You're cute."

Helping grandma and eating snack. 

 Twins.

 They kept "fighting" over the hairbrush.  It was funny.

 More grandma time.

 Birthday time!

 Remote controls.

What does the Fox say cupcakes. ;) 

 Favorite Aunt.

 

Happy girl. 

 We match.

 Trick candles and more birthday.

Time for friends before we leave. 

Watching our plane land. 

 talking to the pilot. "I want to be a pilot when I grow up so I can play video games all day." -Glen

Glen has decided he can no longer take serious pictures. 

 "Mom, this is how you do a 'lay over' you have to lay over the chairs."

3 1/2 hour lay over in Denver went fast as we saw jet planes, 

 got goofy,

rode the train back and forth, 

found paper airplanes, 

 photo bombed,

relaxed on the moving sidewalks, 

 and got sneaky pictures of Glen with a real smile.

Sisters together. 

 Lots of love in the family.

 A storm over Indy.

 Getting our luggage.

Too tired to stay awake.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or the Mormons) we believe that when we marry in the temple we are sealed for time and all eternity, that means we are married forever.  When we die we are still married and even better, our children also get to be with us forever.  I can't imagine heaven being very heavenly without my family there with me.  I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to see my brother married and to know that my family will be together forever!