My Little Secret

Shh...

I'm going to let you in on a little secret that is not only embarassing but a secret identity as well. This is something I can hardly bear to contain any longer, so here goes...

I AM A CLOSET SLOB!!

There, I said it! I feel so free! As many of you know I am a supposed neat freak, keeping an organized house was my previous pride and joy until...I had three boys. Guess Heavenly Father was sick of having a Martha and decided to make a Mary out of me! So, there you have it my house is NEVER clean anymore and I definitely can't keep up with it BUT, (and here's the big kicker) I don't care as much anymore. I spend more time with my boys, more time reading and doing the things that I love and less time yelling at everyone for making a mess- it's so much better!

Note: So, you can all stop worrying about cleaning your house before I come over, I DON'T CARE!

Going Private

We have decided to make our blog private. After reading our friend Jenye's blog and thinking about all the creeps out there we decided to switch our blog to "by invitation only". Please reply with your e-mail address so that we can add you to our safe list. We won't make the change right away so that we have time to get all of your e-mail addresses. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I think this will be a lot better!


Thanks,


Sarah & Jon

Stake Conference

This weekend we had stake conference and Elder Melvin J. Perkins came down with his wife from Juneau, Alaska to talk to us. Every year my sweet husband let's me go to the adult session on Saturday night while he takes care of the kids. I cannot express how grateful I am for the opportunity to attend that session this time.

I have been struggling a lot lately with various trials (both internal and external) and have been well quite frankly, feeling rather sad for myself. I know, such a counterproductive attitude- but I just couldn't seem to pull myself out of the rut I was in. So, I couldn't help but feel like this whole conference was aimed at me. It totally changed my perspective on life brought a flood of joy that seems to have washed away all my doubts, suffering, and self-pity.

I just wanted to share a few things from the various talks that I heard that touched my heart and grounded me:

Saturday Session

Strengthening the Family

There were various talks on strengthening the family, below are notes I made some personal thought and some from the talks-

"A family that does nothing to strengthen itself is in danger of self destruction"

Reinforcement of family scripture study, fhe, and family prayer along with family council, one-on-one meetings, daddy-daughter/son dates, and various wholesome activities.

"Wholesome recreation is the 'glue' that binds families together"
(especially effective are specific activities geared toward a particular child- my eg) you have a child who has a hard time with self confidence so you do family activities which will help them feel important, smart, good, etc. to strengthen their sense of self)

3 D's for strengthening the home:
1. De junk- the garbage in our homes that shouldn't be there
2. De clutter- the stuff that was good at one time or in a certain way but needs to be organized or sifted through
3. De selfcenter- prioritize the best stuff


1. Get rid of the bad language, R-rated movies, sarcasm, anger, irritability, pride, violent video games and other things that drive the Spirit away from your home. "Sweep the dirt from the porch into a dust pan and throw it away instead of allowing it the opportunity to come back in"

2. Spend your time wisely. Remember Good-Better-Best! Satan cannot hope to lead most saints astray in such bold ways, he must create diversions which keep us from our ultimate eternal goals. Schedule FHE, family prayer, family scripture study, personal prayer, personal scripture study first then schedule everything else around them.

3. We must remember that our family is the most important! We need to work with our children, serve with our children to find real life opportunities to teach them. This life is about being like the Savior who did everything for everybody else, the ultimate goal is SELFLESSNESS!

So, go home and do a spiritual inventory in your home- take out the garbage, sort through your schedules and prioritize the things (and people) that are the most important.

-Try have one positive interaction with each of your children (and your spouse) every day.

Share the Gospel
Because I have been given much...
I need to count my many blessings

...I too must give.
-Reach out to people in your ward who may need a friend, or a listening ear, or an able body, or an un-judging heart...
-Try a new approach to sharing the gospel with family, neighbors and friends.
-We are full-time finders (missionaries are full-time teachers)
-Identify 5 families who are inactive, less active, or non-members and share with them the gospel

Would you keep secret a favorite restaurant or share its delicious food with your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc?
Why then would you keep hidden the nourishing sweet words of the true Gospel?

Would you keep secret your favorite book?
Why then would you not share the Book of Mormon that has been your life's guide?

Would you keep secret that activity that brings stress-relief and joy?
Why then would you not share the real happiness and joy of the the Gospel?

Keeping the gospel from loved ones is selfish- you have the greatest gift of all- SHARE IT!

Sunday Session
I am grateful and touched by all the testimonies that were borne in this session; from you children to elderly! No one could have been there with an open heart and not felt the power of the Lord's presence (even if my kids were racing around and causing all kinds of chaos).

I would like to add my testimony: I KNOW THIS GOSPEL IS TRUE! It has changed my life, it has made joyous and whole! I know that through the Atonement of my Savior that I can return with my eternal family to live in the presence of my Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother again. That is joyous news to my soul!

Tagged!

A. ATTACHED OR SINGLE? Varies; today with my kids all in bed and my husband playing with Beau online I say ATTACHED works out just fine...
B. BEST FRIEND? My hubby
C. CAKE OR PIE? I choose cheesecake- does that count?
D. DAY OF THE WEEK? Friday- Sunday
E. ESSENTIAL ITEMS? Family, friends, the Gospel, the ocean, and excercise.
F. FAVORITE COLOR? Blue-green (like the ocean)
G. GUMMY BEARS OR WORMS? I'm with Andrea- GIVE ME CHOCOLATE!
H. HOMETOWN? Depends on your definition of hometown
I. INDULGENCE? A good book
J. JANUARY OR JULY? July, it's warm and it's my birthday month
K. KIDS? 3 over the top-make me crazy- busy body- silly- full-of love boys
L. LIFE ISN'T COMPLETE WITHOUT? The Savior
M. MARRIAGE DATE? December 16, 2000
N. NUMBER OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS? guess... yep more boys 4 of them!
O. ORANGES OR APPLES? oranges if there good
P. PHOBIAS OR FEARS? Being restrained and claustrophobia
Q. QUOTE? “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” --Marianne Williamson.
R. REASONS TO SMILE? Life, love, friendship, service, nature...
S. SUPERMAN OR WONDERWOMAN? To be honest I don't really know who they are
T. TAG 5 PEOPLE? Carlie, Kristen Lanshe, Kristen Schneider, Andrea Sorensen and Andrea Ellis (I like the names Andrea and Kristen)
U. UNKNOWN FACT ABOUT ME? I don't like the way napkins sound when they are rubbed together, it freaks me out. So, I buy papertowels.
V. VEGETABLES? Asparagus, brussel sprouts, tomatoes...actually I love veggies!
W. WORST HABIT? Being late
X. X-RAY OR ULTRASOUND? Does it matter??
Y. YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Cheesecake
Z. Favorite website? http://www.redenvelope.com/

First day of school

Clay started 3 day Pre-K this last Wednesday and had been loving it! I love being able to interact with him on a more mature level and I love that he loves to learn. He is going to The Kids at the Creek because it was the only curriculum that I found had any Science in it and not just art. I mean there is definitely a place for art but it seems like that is all toddlers do in preschool and Clay just isn't that kid. I hope that he enjoys his school and all I really want him to get out of it is joy of learning. I love school and reading and I hope he does too.

Beat Up

Kai has been totally beating himself up lately; I'm beginning to wonder if his brothers secretly clobber him whenever I leave the room.

Last week, he climbed out of his crib with a graceful flip landing smack on his head. I didn't want to put him back in his crib without the crib tent (which needed to be mended after a good thrashing by his older brothers) so I put him in his little playpen tent where he slept a few nights until his brother ripped a huge hole in it.

So...plan B I laid him on his crib mattress in Clay's room (since him and Eph's room has the bunk beds and he can now climb to the top bunk; which I would rather him not do in the middle of the night for obvious reasons). Next thing I know he is shrieking and when I come in to the room it is covered in blood! I totally freaked out trying to figure out where and what was bleeding. Finally, I figured out that he had bitten through his lip- luckily it was only the end of it so I didn't need to take him in for stitches. So, now I was trying to console him, clean up all the blood on the carpet and our clothes, AND sew the big hole in his little play tent so he could go back to sleep. Fun times! Finally, after 2 hours (it was 10pm and he was passed out on my knee)I got the darn thing sewn (with some ugly random fabric patch in the most crooked seam known to man but none the less; sewn) and him put down. I even got all the blood out of the carpet and our clothes with vinegar and cold water- I love Google! Then, I proceeded to sew his crib tent in which my boys just ripped again the next night after it was set up; so finally, I just broke down and bought another one. Holy smokes my kids are expensive little demolition demons!

Anyways, to get back to the main reason for the post. A couple of days later Kai feel and cut another part of his lip open again...and no, no I'm not finished... Today, he was standing up in one of the dining chairs in the kitchen and the whole thing fell and he smacked his chin (Ephraim did this also and had to have stitches in his chin) and mouth on the top of the chair. There was plenty of blood so at first I didn't notice it but later when I looked I discovered that he had completely torn the little flap of skin that connects your gums to your lip. When I called his Pediatrician to make sure that little flap wasn't crucial to the relationship between his lip and his mouth; I was told not to worry that it served no important purpose- PHEW!

So, as you can see my child is a train wreck.

Uh-oh

This is what happens when parent's snooze in my house...

The Many Faces of The Bredensteiner Boys

Awesome Saturday with the Barlows

A few Saturdays ago Jon needed to get some work done on his truck and the boys and I needed to get out of his way, so I looked online for some ideas and decided to go to Ballard Locks. Once I decided where to go I need to call around and get some allies (I mean friends) to come with. I called Carlie Barlow and when I asked her what her and Josh were up to she said they were thinking of heading to the Locks. Crazy! So, we decided to go together.
The Locks were cool - we got to watch all the boats arrive in the lock and tie up then fill up to head out. However, before we got to see them leave my kids got bored so we had to move on-
what do you do?

As we were heading to the salmon run and underwater viewing window we were able to see some seals grazing on the desperate little fishies- ahh...the cycle of life being "slightly" helped by man. The viewing window were very cool and after a short looksy we headed out.
After leaving the Locks we went on a short 1.3 mi hike in Lynnwood to a little beach. The hike was pretty, easy and shaded. My boys really enjoyed it (as did I). Once we got to the ocean we did some tide pool investigating and deemed this little beach- VERY COOL! We'll go again soon. My boys and Natalie (The Barlows little baby) were such troopers- it was almost relaxing. Thanks Barlows for such a fun day! (Thanks for the pics too!)

THE HIKE:

Standing under the train tracks.

Collecting cool sealife.

Waiting for the trains.

Fresh seaweed always tastes better.