Walk into any antique store or vintage market and you'll find gorgeous, one-of-kind, interesting photos that clearly have a story to tell. There are cute toddlers sitting atop tricycles, important looking men shaking hands, and large groups of what appears to us as over-dressed people enjoying some kind of outdoor adventure. I am filled with a deep, sadness and curiosity when I browse photos like these. They have essentially been buried in the equivalent of an unmarked grave. 

One reason I scrapbook is to rescue some of my photos from this inevitable end. Will I ever finish my children's School of Life albums? Maybe not, but I will remember that I have exactly enough time (and energy and creativity) to scrapbook my most important memories. I will pair a few of my photos with the stories that will give them lasting value. 

Today, we attended our stake conference, which is a meeting of all the LDS wards/congregations within a designated geographical area. The theme for this conference was Strengthening Our Families. Two weeks ago, we were given several resources to read or watch so that we would come prepared to listen to and act on the messages presented. I am SO GRATEFUL for the time and thoughtful preparation of the speakers, because I was absolutely fed in a profound spiritual way. I am excited to do (try) the following three things in our family ...

I listened this week to one of my all time FAVORITE talks given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. When I attended BYU, he was the president of the university and he, often along with his wife would address us once or twice a year. I did not hear this talk as a student, but it reminds me of many that I did hear and I always left feeling motivated and encouraged. The video above is a much shorter message that pulls from Elder Holland's talk. The full version is below ...