Oh, how I love General Conference weekend! We spent the morning all snuggled up in bed & watching it on our laptop (thanks you, modern technology).
Ah, beloved conference weekend...
SATURDAY CONFERENCE:
Scott had to work so the kids & I enjoyed watching the amazing talks together (anyone see our old friend 'dropit' the lizard)
Hope everyone had a HAPPY SUNDAY! And check it out, wearing my white before Labor Day (but you're gonna see that skirt after too, I don't subscribe to such ideas)
P.S. Notice my vintage peach heels, that almost look nude which I love & the gorgeous sweater, a late birthday present from Smithy!
So, I work with the Young Women in our church. They are mostly 12 & 13 year olds & they are adorable & terribly sweet.
I taught a lesson on Sunday entitled Resisting Sin. One section mentioned showing the girls a picture of a bear trap or a fishing lure as a metaphor to traps that the devil sets for us.
Instead I made a trap of my own and put in some things that might tempt them...
Yes, that would be the Jonas Brothers, Jac Efron, & Robert Pattinson and a bowl of chocolate.
The girls laughed & totally got what I was saying: "Boys & chocolate aren't bad things. In fact they are great, but just watch whats going on around you to make sure you aren't getting lured into sin."
You guys can call it hokey or whatever you want but it totally worked & brought a good laugh to a heavy lesson.
This is true documentation of me sitting by & watching puberty happen.
I work with the youth at our church and this weekend they had a little retreat thing followed by dinner & a dance. I was one of the chaperons at the dance.
Part of me was kind of pumped. I LOVED DANCES like this when I was that age.
But it was difficult to even watch- girls taller than boys, the electric slide, girls rejecting boys, at least 3 girls brought to tears & being comforted by friends in the corner.
All I can say is that I am so thankful that I'm done with that gawky, awkward pubescent time.
I just love Conference weekend. Just relaxing & taking in the good word!
For Saturday morning we headed over to the Parsons. The kids had a blast playing together. Their being loud & breaking up wrestling matches means I'll have to re-read / listen to it to get the full affect.
While the men were gone for Priesthood Session Es & I headed over the McDonalds MASSIVE playplace (no seriously I drove FAR to get to this particular playplace- it's cool)
Then Sunday we watched in PJ's the WHOLE day! We never changed & it was glorious! 
Then we played so games with the Schmitt's while eating dessert.
All in all I feel spiritually & physically renewed. It's a great combo!
Please check out some of the beautiful & inspiring words here.
Anyone out there who watched it- what where you impressed or inspired by?
P.S. Previous Carter family conferences here & here.
For Christmas I made both the babies personalized Sunday books about Jesus. They will likely be much more fun when they are older and can recognize their own name, but they were still easy and fun to make.
At our church Christmas party the kids got to sit on Santa's lap. Or rather, Rob sat on Santa's lap.
Sydney was sure that Santa was going to cut her so she refused to be left alone with him.
Rob was willing to take the risk for a candy cane.
Man, oh man... I have A LOT to do before Christmas- A LOT!
I really tried to be on top of things this year, but part of the problem is that "homemade" things take SO LONG... plus Mr. Carter (I love you, handsome) has a hard time realizing how long shopping & making stuff takes.
So, I've been driving in this... to get to that:
Also, working on (for the kids) this & this:
All while trying to remember that ALL OF THE ABOVE isn't as important as remembering this:
For Family Night we bundled up & went down to the Temple Square lights in SLC.
It was so peaceful & beautiful- really brought home what Christmas is really about.
We were also able to meet some of my favorite people the Tananas there too!
The kids loved all the lights & ran all over creation (& they slept in really late this morning due to exhaustion). Thank goodness!
If you haven't gone yet & you get a chance go I recommend going. It's really just peaceful & lovely down there.
Sunday was Rob's first official day at our church's nursery. We've been going for a few weeks to get him used to it, but they still had to come get Scott from Sunday School because Rob was hysterically crying. Wish us luck next week!
What?!? Bribe my babies, with brownies, to get pictures ? I would NEVER do that!
Err... I guess it didn't really work- they have nice lil' brownie filled mouths!
I love General Conference weekend.
The Carter family thoroughly enjoyed laying around in PJ's, not having to wrestle the kids like at church, & listening to the good word streaming online (isn't technology wonderful!)
P.S. President Monson's Sunday morning talk was particularly amazing
