Primary Program

Today was our Primary Program and it was really good. So many of the kids memorized their parts, which was exciting. Samuel and Jacque memorized their parts, but Jacque got a little stage fright and used help. Samuel got up and started to mix up his lines, but with just the help of one word, was able to straighten things out and get his lines said! I was so proud of both of them. The songs were sung well, and our chorister and taught hand motions for the song "My Eternal Family" which helped the kids learn the words. It was really good and the spirit was very strong. The Brother who gave the closing prayer cried through his pray from the kids' program! I love those children, they did a great job, and the Bishop decided we can do a program every month because ward attendance was awesome!!

It's finally getting published!!

My father-in-law is an amazing man. He was converted to the church just over 40 years ago, and while he was at BYU, a religion professor had his class index several conference talks. They had to read each talk, and pull out the different topics that were mentioned or related to the talk. James loved this assignment, and decided that he wasn't going to stop there. For almost 30 years or so he was very faithful at indexing each conference talk from each Conference edition on the Ensign. He had filled a big binder of hand written index sheets which listed a topic like Aaronic Priesthood, and then had talks listed that touched upon the Aaronic Priesthood. Each line listed the person who gave the talk (Henry B. Eyring), which monthly ensign (Nov 1995), what page it was on in the Ensign (38), and a little description of what was said (assignment by deacon's president saves boy --story). This was an awesome tool for preparing talks. I'm not sure why he stopped in 1995, but he always wished that someone would get up the gumption to type it all up so he could give a copy to each of his children.

I married Aaron in Feb of 2002, and Aaron had told me about this neat book, and asked if I'd be interested in typing it up. I love to type and I said, "Sure, why not." At the next family dinner, Aaron told his dad that I was interested in typing up his book. He thought Aaron was being cruel by making me do this, but I assured him it would be fun! He doubted the "fun" part, but said I could do it if I wanted to. In July of 2003 I started typing up the book. When James got a glimpse of what it was looking like, he got excited and decided that he was going to catch up from where he had left off in 1995. Each morning he'd wake up around 5:30 and index several of the talks. When I finished up to 1995, he gave me another binder of the talks he had finished. Finally in December 2004, we had the first edition done. Then James had the idea of making it a "Speakers Index to 40 years of General Conference." We finished it in June of 2008, and Aaron's brother-in-law, Kevin Bradford had it published in Baker so all of the kids got a copy.

James tried to get Deseret Book to publish it because it is such a great help for preparing talks, but they weren't interested. He also tried Seagull Books, but again, no interest was taken in it. I think the problem is that they didn't understand how to use it. Then a couple of weeks ago, James gave a copy to his nephew, David Knowles, and asked him to see what he could do with it. (Dave is into marketing). Dave happened to be in a ward, where the bishop's brother is part of the third largest LDS publishing company. He looked at it and gave it to a lady to take home. That lady happened to have a talk the next Sunday, and as she was preparing it, she saw the book there and decided to give it a try. She came back to work just thrilled about the book.

To make the story short, they will publish the book, and ask that James make yearly updated editions. They will have it for sale at Deseret Book and other LDS bookstores! I am so excited for him. Without him we wouldn't have this awesome book! It has over 400 pages (8.5" x 11"), but they are going to make it smaller dimensions to fit into a scripture bag, and has over 200 topics.

I'm not sure if it will look like this, or if they will have a different cover. Kevin picked this picture of the temple which I really like, but it will be exciting to see it on the shelf with James E. Kerns written on it!!

Softball

I have been playing on a co-ed softball team for the last month and a half. It's been a lot of fun, and we are doing really well. We've only lost two games and won about 8. Last night we had a double-header. We won both games by the 5th inning because we were ahead by 15. We did a good job hitting it in their holes. By the end of the second game we had 35 runs for 42 hits. That means that out of all of our hits, only 7 people didn't score! I even got to place some of my hits. I've never been one to do this, but the last few games I've been practicing. I looked out in the field and noticed that the left fielder was close to the center, so I thought, "I want to hit it down the baseline," and I did it!! I was so excited, especially since I've never practiced hitting to left field. I usually just practiced trying to get it to right field. Then later I placed a couple in right field. It was fun to be able to say, "I'm going to hit it there...and then have it actually go that direction." Now, granted, sometimes it wasn't as far as I would've liked, but it still worked. I got a triple off of a blooper that they should've caught by first base. But they missed...a runner ran home...they threw it home and missed...I ran to second...looked at third...no baseman guarding third...so I ran to third! It was a lot of fun. I also hit a hard one right to the second baseman but her glove missed and her leg got it. She had to be carried off the field. I felt bad, but by the end of the game she was walking around.

We have one more game on Thursday, then a tournament that starts next week, and then I should be done with the softball season. It's been fun to have a couple hours a week where I can be something other than a mom. Don't get me wrong, I love being a mom, but I like the break. The kids enjoy coming and playing in the empty field with their friends too.

Aaron ran all the way to the ball fields yesterday, about a 4 mile run!

Nursery

Tonya informs me that I forgot to blog that Ellen is officially in Nursery now! So here it is. Ellen loves nursery! After Sacrament meeting, Samuel takes Ellen and Calista to their class, and after church he and Jacque go and pick them up. Ellen is always full of smiles. She especially likes snack time. We have the best nursery leaders. Many of you know Margaret Weatherspoon. She's our head nursery leader and does a great job with the kids. All of her grandkids are far away, so she loves to play with little kids.

This last Sunday was the first time Ellen showed some emotion at me leaving. I had to take Calista to the bathroom, and when I dropped her off, Ellen saw me and wanted a hug. I picked her up and she waved good-bye to the nursery. She thought it was time to go. But I had to go back to Primary so I gave her to Margaret and then shut the door. She fussed for a little bit, but other than that she's done fine.

It is so nice to have her in Nursery. Sharing times were getting complicated since she found her independence and her voice. Aaron would take her if he wasn't giving the lesson in Elders Quorum, but he was giving two lessons every month. I love the nursery!

Hunting Season

Aaron had an Elders Quorum meeting last night at the Church and you should see what he came home with. He was wondering if I would be pleased with his find or if I would make him take them back...

I love them. I told him he was a "mighty hunter" and that he found more than any other hunter ever brings home, better yet, his find will feed us for a lifetime instead of just one winter...no offense to those who actually hunt!

We stayed up late reading last night. Aaron grabbed "The Third Thousand Years" and I took volume one of "The Church History" books. We just finished reading the Doctrine and Covenants together in July, and I told him we will have to read it again now that we have the Church History books to give us a background to each of the sections. I am so excited. Aaron and I have decided to try and read the Old Testament before the end of the year (we started August 30th). When Aaron opened "The Third Thousand Years" he found that it is describing right where we are with Moses and the Children of Israel.

Aaron said these books were from the library at the church but they were on a table that said "free." I should go look and see what else might be there. When Aaron used to have early morning meetings at the church, he used to hide in the library after the meetings and start reading out of these books! If any of you want me to look for certain books, I can try tomorrow. Just let me know.

It's Paper Airplane Time!

Aaron and I went to Melinda and Steve's house this weekend. While we were waiting for Steve to get back from watching a movie with Melinda's brother, David, and his girlfriend, Aaron started reading some magazines that were lying around. One of them had an article on a guy who won a paper airplane contest, and it had a diagram of how to make his airplane. Of course Aaron had to get paper and try it out. We took it outside and it actually did a really good job gliding around.

After going back to Kerns' house, Aaron pulled out his paper airplane and showed how good of a glider it was. And it seemed within just a few minutes the house was filled with paper airplanes being flown by Samuel, Jacque, Calista, Ellen, David, Gideon, Gracie, Emmy and Isaac. Most of them were made by Aaron or me, however I was really impressed with Isaac's airplanes that he made. He even kept making them the next day! He came up with a bunch of different designs and they all flew well, some even did circles.

It was fun to see everyone fly them because they'd all stand on the hearth and say, "Three, two, one...BLAST OFF!" Ellen even joined in on the fun with, "One, two, one, two...blast off!"

It was also fun to watch Ellen and Gideon. They are just about three weeks apart in age, and Ellen was determined not to let Gideon have a paper airplane. When she didn't want it, she'd go shut it in a drawer. As soon as he'd get close, she'd run over, open the drawer and grab it and run off. Look at that death grip she has on the airplane! Somehow he actually got it, and Ellen tried to take it from him. It ripped in half during the process and they were both content with their "half airplane." Silly kids!

Mom...come quick!

I was in my room cutting out patterns, and Calista runs in and very seriously says, "Mom! A string found our corn and tied it up!" This is what she was trying to describe:

Last Saturday we made some corn bread out of dried corn from our garden that we ground up into corn meal and it was so-o yummy! Then Aaron bought some more corn from a lady at work and he tied them up to dry out so we can make some more corn meal