Beautiful Truth

I teach the 8 and 9 year olds in Primary. It is the most fun I have had in a calling. They are so sweet and sincere and so open to learning.
Today was of course the Easter lesson, and we were talking about when we will be back in our bodies and we'll see Christ. We read the scripture about standing before him to be judged and having "a full recollection of all our guilt". I asked them about some things that they do that they know are wrong and got answers like "annoy my brother", "refuse to clean my room", and my favorite, "be ornery".
So I asked how they would feel seeing Jesus and remembering all of those things that they had done that they knew weren't right. The funniest little girl in my class said "Oh man, nervous. I'd be so nervous."
I taught them that because Jesus died for each one of us, we can repent and won't have to be "nervous" about seeing Him and Heavenly Father, that we can be forgiven of all our sins. I said it pretty matter of factly and was just going to move onto the next part of the lesson. But another sweet little girl who is usually really quiet interrupted me with, "That is so nice. That is the nicest thing I've ever heard. He must love me so much. That just makes me so happy. I'm so happy He would do that."
It was like she was hearing this for the first time, and that she really understood what great news this is. And I got really excited about her excitement and almost shouted "Yes!! It is so nice! He does love you so much!!" It was one of those really rewarding moments that I imagine I'll get to have as a Mom too. Like I was just so ecstatic that she really understood.
And it reminded me that I should feel that way about this every day. That this is really the most wonderful news that anyone can ever hear--that we have a Savior who loves us so much that he died to redeem us from our sins.
I'm so grateful to teach these darling children, and have them remind me how wonderful the gospel really is.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter, and that your heart is full of joy because of the good news of the resurrection. We are so blessed to know this beautiful truth.

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts

We have been starting to cook with coconut oil after reading about its many, many health benefits (you can read about them here). And after my mom and brother/sister-in-law sharing their great experiences with it.
Tonight we had popcorn with coconut oil and sprinkled with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and a little bit of organic cane sugar. It was the most absolutely delicious thing I think we have ever eaten. It was so good I didn't even think to take a picture of it before it was all gone. I'm thinking this will become a regular thing in our house though, so I'll post a picture next time! I highly recommend it.
And I highly recommend the general switch to coconut oil. It can be used to replace butter and oil in a 1:1 ratio in pretty much any recipe. The flavor of it isn't strong enough to really effect the taste of most things.
AND you can use it as a beauty product. It's the most easily absorbed oil by skin and hair because of its chemical make up, and it feels amazing as a facial moisturizer.
The only downside is that it can be expensive. We bought ours on Amazon and used the "Subscribe & Save" and Amazon Mom Free Prime Shipping discounts. That made it about half the cost of buying it at our local grocery store. I love Amazon. I might have an unhealthy obsession with it actually. But that's a topic for a different post...

I haven't been to see a movie at the theater since I had Mason. That's 10 months for those who are counting. Austin and I used to see movies ALL the time. The double feature was our favorite date--seeing back to back movies. And when I wasn't going to the movies with Austin, I was seeing all the girly stuff with my besties Rache and Jess (Twilight, Jane Eyre, Leap Year...the stuff I would never force Austin to see with me). It has felt like a void in my life, but at the same time, there haven't been any movies that I felt like I just absolutely had to see.
And then The Hunger Games came out. I thought I could just wait and rent it in a few months. But then EVERYONE on facebook was posting about going to see it and I was dying with jealousy. I wanted to see it.
So I went with a group of girls from my ward on Tuesday night and l.o.v.e.d it. It was the perfect movie to break my no theater streak. I thought the casting was so great. And even though some stuff wasn't exactly like the book of course, everything was done so well that it didn't even make a difference. Jennifer Lawrence is my new idol.
And I am especially grateful for the sweet girls in my ward who have welcomed me into their group of friends so warmly. It's hard to be the new girl, and I don't have much experience in that regard. I'm also weirdly shy until I feel comfortable with where I'm at. I'm glad these girls have been able to see past my awkward loser new girl phase and have helped me feel at home here.

The Gift of Time

I have a watch. I love this watch. My dad bought it for me in Switzerland when my parents took me on a Senior trip when I was 17 years old. I have only had to change the battery once 3 years ago, and other than that, it's still like new.
It has been with me for almost 8 years.
It traveled with us through Italy.
It walked across the stage with me at High School Graduation.
It got me to classes on time at BYU.
It came with me on study abroad to London.
It timed thousands of patients' pulses and respirations at Peak ENT for 3 1/2 years.
This watch has been a very influential part of my life. Like Harold Crick in Stranger Than Fiction.

Problem is, Mason loves this watch too. Whenever I wear it he hooks his little baby fingers under the band and crams it into his mouth, constantly rendering my left arm useless. This was the exact scenario on Tuesday as we walked into Costco. It was pouring rain and I couldn't get my card out to show the lady at the front. Amidst the chaos I made the fatal mistake of slipping off the watch and giving it to Mason, and of course I completely forgot about it. Until last night when I realized that I didn't have it. And that I didn't remember taking it from him again in Costco. And I couldn't find it anywhere in my purse, the diaper bag, or the Jeep.
And because it's me, I started to cry.
I didn't realize how much I loved this watch until I realized it was gone.

I told Austin it was karma for the time when I was a baby and my mom had my dad's wedding ring in her purse and I threw it out at the grocery store.

My mama taught me well though. I did what 7 year old Shanna did when I lost my CTR ring, and I prayed and prayed that I would find this watch. Yes, it's just a watch. But I know that Heavenly Father knows how much little things like this can mean to us.

I called Costco this morning and they had it in lost and found.

I'm grateful for my dad who bought me this watch that I love so much.
I'm grateful for my mom who taught me to have faith and pray when I need anything.
I'm grateful for Heavenly Father and his tender mercies.
I'm grateful for Mason, who means more to me than a watch ever will.
Nonetheless, no more playing with watches in the Keaton house.

Mason got this adorable outfit from Grandma and Grandpa Keaton for Christmas. He looks destined to be a farm boy.

Makeover

A huge THANK YOU to the ever talented Ashton for designing my blog for me. With the tiniest little description of what I wanted, she made me something that is so perfect and better than anything I had in mind. It truly is motivation to blog more often. You can even check out my tabs on the top, I'll fill them in over the next several days and continue to update them. Now that I have a blog worthy of posting in, I will do so more often! =)

If your blog needs a facelift, I highly recommend having Ashton do the work for you.
She saved me from numerous google searches of things like:
"how to change my font in blogger"
"how to upload a picture into my header in blogger"
"free blog background codes"
"where do I paste background codes into my blog"
You get the idea.

I hope you'll enjoy the new design as much as I am!

Confessions of an Internet Ignoramus

I don't tweet.
I don't pinterest.
I don't stumble.
I don't instagram.
I don't yelp.
I don't link, trend, or follow.
I barely facebook.
I only know how to type in my blog like it's a Word document.

So what do I do all day?

I sing Primary songs to the babe
I make our baby food
I go for walks with Mason along the river and to the duck pond
I window shop the antique stores on Main St.
I enjoy fresh cookies at Sage Cafe
I show Mason the bird's nests in our trees
I read books about breastfeeding
I read books about birth
I read books about how to teach my baby to read
I read my book club books
I read poetry to Mason
I volunteer at the hospital
I go to La Leche League meetings
I exercise
I mop my kitchen floor daily
I make dinner for my husband
I write in my journal five days a week
I write letters to Mason in a notebook to give him when he's older
I write on my blog once in a blue moon
I write letters to my missionary brother
I skype with our loved ones
I work on our Quiet Book
I drink green smoothies
I paint my nails
I go for drives with my family to look for houses to buy
I sit on the back deck and watch Mason discover the backyard
I send care packages to my sister
I make an effort lately to be present in my present, not my internet presence.
Facebook has gotta go.
We'll see if I have time to get around to deleting it this week. I have a lot of other stuff to do. =)


What do you do to be present in your immediate life?
(and avoid the grips of the tyrannical internet monster)