Okay, so I feel like I haven't been sharing enough of the positive on this blog. Sorry! So here we go with a run down on some recent awesomeness:

A couple Saturday's ago a friend and I attended a Women's Conference together at our stake center and it as AWESOME!!! It was scheduled from 9-2 with a lunch in between and several classes from which we could choose. I'll admit to not remembering the exact names of all the classes I attended, but I do still know that I have been given such a wonderful sense of how to be more receptive to spiritual promptings, care for my body like the temple it is, administer first aid, and be a more understanding and effective parent. The people who shared their time and wisdom with us are amazing and so inspiring! Life just seems to only get better the more I try to stretch myself and become more of what I know Heavenly Father expects of me. Sure, doing that isn't always as relaxing as lounging and reading a novel of my choice, but it's worth the effort. I bet you all have realized this time and time again AND much sooner than I have, but I just thought I would share anyway.
AFTER the conference my friend and I went to a coffee shop, shared a non-coffee treat :) and just gabbed about anything and everything. It was so relaxing and I feel continually blessed to have such wonderful people put in my path.

And the fun has continued....
Last night Ben and I had a much overdue TEMPLE DATE!!! It was SO cool to have a long quiet drive to the Seattle Temple (it took about an hour to get there)and see it for the first time. True, I didn't get the greatest view of it because we visited at night, but it still looked beautiful. Inlaid in the steeple is beautiful stained glass trailing all the way up to the angel Moroni. In front of the temple itself was a nicely landscaped little garden area surrounding a pool with a fountain at its center. What with traffic and all, we ended up not having enough time scheduled with the babysitter to do a session, so we contented ourselves with plans for shorter ordinance. Well, everything went as planned for Ben, but there were so many sisters in line for the same thing that I ended up going straight up to the Celestial room and enjoyed the atmosphere there. I was able to ponder the things that have been weighing upon me and received direction and inspiration there that I think I probably wouldn't receive anywhere else. It was marvelous. Near the end of the night, Ben and I met up again and enjoyed sitting in the Celestial room together for a bit. On the QUIET :D way home we shared our thoughts and experiences of the evening and even got to stop by a Cold Stone Creamery and, with the help of Ben's gift card from work, paid only three cents for a cup of 'Hunka Chunka Burnin' Fudge'. Yaaay!!! *Sigh* After having the longest time away from the girls that we've had since Sabrina was born we felt so refreshed. I can tell that the blessings of the temple really do follow you home when you take the time to make it a part of your life. It has been so nice to feel things going just a bit smoother than they usually do and having more harmony in our family relationships. I encourage everyone to make regular temple attendance a part of your lives if you haven't already done so!

So yeah...this is a ginormous post, but not too boring, I hope :) I hope you all are well and have a fun Valentine's Day. Love ya!

p.s. For some reason I can't upload a picture of the Seattle Temple right now. Hmph! I will try again soon!