Park, Parenting Fireside, & Presents

 I got up this morning and went to the 8:30 session at the temple. The sky was so blue, not a cloud in the sky, but the moon was still out. I stopped at Costco on the way home to get a few things, and to pick up a big $10 pizza for lunch.

 After lunch I told Autumn she had to clean her room, b/c there was stuff all over her floor. While she cleaned I let her hamster run around on her bed. I know this picture is blurry, but it's the best one I could get out of about 35 pictures I took. He moves so stinkin' fast that he's just a blur of fur in most of the pics.

 Once she finally got her room cleaned, we went to the park around 4:30. The weather today is in the low 70's and it's gorgeous outside! We couldn't pass up enjoying a nice day like this. It seemed like everyone else had the same idea to go to the park, b/c it was packed and there were kids everywhere.

 I thought Autumn would have run into someone she knows from school or daycare, but after walking around a few times she didn't see anyone she knew. So, we walked over to the pond to watch people feeding the ducks and seagulls. When we went to leave, it was really windy and my hair kept sticking straight up in the air so she had to hold it down while we took this pic, which is why we're both laughing. Good times!

 On our walk back to the car, she noticed this heart shape in the cement. She's always noticing heart shapes in nature ... it's her "thing."

 We came home, had dinner, and then I went over to the church for a parenting fireside that our Stake put on. They had several different classes you could attend and they were all excellent! I started w/ the one entitled, "Secrets of Raising Successful Teenagers." I don't have teenagers yet, but Autumn acts like a teenager sometimes. Plus, teenagers are a huge part of my calling.

The second workshop I went to was entitled, "Be Believing." I went to that one b/c Sis. F was teaching it. She has been public about some struggles she's had w/ some of the recent church policies, and I wanted to hear what she's learned and how she's come through those doubts and hardships stronger than before. She is so inspiring and I admire her so much.

The final one I went to was "Raising Spiritual Giants." We talked about things we can do to help our children and ourselves to put on the armor of God. We talked about the blessings that are promised from reading the Book of Mormon, doing family history work, keeping the Sabbath Day holy, etc. The one on the Sabbath Day was a direct answer to a question I had about how the Sabbath Day is a "perpetual covenant." ~Exodus 31:16.

I got home at 9:30 and this was waiting on the counter for me! Autumn had already gone to bed, but left this for me. It made my already super full heart overflow. Autumn is such an angel girl, and I'm so blessed to have her in my life.