This might be the most heather-centric Five Things for Friday ever written. This week has been CRAZY wild and I feel like I’ve been in the public (aka, anyone else besides my husband and kids) eye non-stop this week. Jon told me I am in danger of getting a big head and so I thought that since my head is already swelling I might as well just get it all out now!
I was interviewed for the Mormon Women Project and they posted my interview “Celebrating the Unseen Woman” on Wednesday! It was a lot of fun to be interviewed but also a little strange. The whole time I was talking I kept wondering if anything I was sharing would be of interest to anyone. It was so fun to see the whole interview put together and to get people’s feedback and realize that what I said actually made a little bit of sense! Also, I am excited because it saves me a lot of work because I’ve decided that for my “About Me” page (which has been SO HARD for me to write) I am just going to link to this interview. Poof! Done. Yippee!.
If you happen to live in Northern Utah and like dance you are personally invited to come see me (and Asher) dance with the Valley Dance Ensemble tonight and tomorrow night at 7PM at the Ellen Eccles Theater.
I am in two of the pieces (I’ll be the one wearing the pink apron;) and Asher is dancing in the big children’s piece (he is the Venus flytrap). It will be pretty fantastic and has a wide range of dance styles. If you come on Saturday there will be a reception afterwards and I’d love to meet you. You can get more details or order tickets here.
Jon defended his thesis on Tuesday and he did such a good job. I was so proud of him I nearly burst. He has worked so hard the last few years and school isn’t his favorite pastime (unlike me) and he really had to endure to the end.
Also Jon told me to mention that if any of you are interested in learning more about duckweed (way more than you ever really wanted to know) that he has a blog. He found that it was easier for him to write his thesis if he posted pictures about his research and then wrote about it in a blog format before he formalized it. So, all his research (with pictures) is here in case any of you are super nerdy and are interested!
Tuesday evening, after Jon defended his thesis, we participated in a youth activity for the teenagers in our ward. The Young Women’s president organized a program for the youth to help inspire them to read the Book of Mormon. She asked about a dozen of the men in our ward to dress up like prophets and prominent characters from the Book of Mormon and share that person’s history, message, and testimony with the youth. She asked Jon and I to be Joseph and Emma Smith (since we have the costumes I made from the re-enactment).
I found the brown wig last year at a Halloween shop and since it was cheap I figured it would be handy to have in case I ever got to dress up like Emma again. I think it turned out good, though I’ve decided that I will definitely never dye my hair dark. I don’t have the right complexion for it at all!
The program was incredible and the spirit was so strong. I think it will be a night our youth won’t forget. One of these days I will have to share what I had Emma say, it went over really well. I was sad though that I was the only woman included in the program. They didn’t include any of the women from the Book of Mormon. It made me realize how really important it is that I keep writing this blog. These women need to be talked about and shared, especially with our youth.
None of you would ever leave out the the women, right?
I was really impressed with how cute she made it look. It pretty much looks just like the group of Popsicle sticks I have sitting in mason jars on my fridge! Though I really like her additions and the idea of a blue “bonus ticket”. I am going to make a few of those to stick in my jars and hand out as rewards. I figure that saying ” Please sweetheart would you… and I’ll give you a bonus ticket” might go over better than ” Stop it! You better listen to me right now or else you’ll loose a ticket and you’ll sit in your room until dinner!” Not like I’ve ever said that or anything…. at least not today 🙂
“When I was called as a General Authority, I was blessed to be tutored by many of the senior Brethren in the Church. One day I had the opportunity to drive President
James E. Faust to a stake conference. During the hours we spent in the car, President Faust took the time to teach me some important principles about my assignment. He explained also how gracious the members of the Church are, especially to General Authorities. He said, “They will treat you very kindly. They will say nice things about you.” He laughed a little and then said, “Dieter, be thankful for this. But don’t you ever inhale it.”
I am grateful and trying not to inhale 😉 Have a great weekend and come see me dance if you can!
If you want to link to your own “Five Things for Friday” post you can use the tool below to add your link. 1) Please link to the URL of your blog post and not your main blog and 2) Please include a link back here.
Wow! Congrats! You've had a lot going on! 🙂
We've done something like the popsicle sticks for "screen time", but simpler. I made cardboard tokens that are about 2 inches square and they're each worth 15 minutes of whatever screen time (computer, TV, video, Wii, etc.) the kid wants. The kids get their allotment each day and whatever they don't use can carry over to the next. The colors are sure prettier, but simpler works better for us!
I'm totally gonna look at your husband's blog when I get the time!
I want to know more about the youth activity when you have some time. I am serving in YW and am always looking for good ideas. Also would love to hear your thoughts about incorporating more women into the program.
She asked about 12 men in our ward to dress up like different Book of Mormon characters. She didn't have a script, she just gave us a paper with what her goals were— basically to bring the book alive and inspire the kids to read it. She let each person decide what they felt that prophet or character would have said if he could rise from the grave and talk to the youth. Everyone did an awesome job and had great costumes– we were each in charge of our own. It was a good mix of humor and spirit. I think that if they were to add in women I would have added in Saraiah (instead of or with Lehi), Morianton's maidservant, Lamoni's Queen and Abish– definitely the ones who have names! I'll ask the leader who put it together if I can get an electronic copy of her program guide to share with you. It was really great.
Wish we were close enough to attend the dance concert. Have fun!
Congrats too Heather!! You deserve a BIG HEAD FRIDAY!!! 🙂 Good luck this weekend with your dance performances!! And I'd like to hear about your youth activity too 🙂 Thanks!