Time Out for Women

I was super lucky to attend Time Out for Women in Harrisburg this year!  I even got to attend with our awesome cousin Christie.  We stayed with Derek & Christie for the weekend and had a great time with them as usual!  I took Luke with us to the conference and Caleb stayed with Tyler & Derek.  Since I had Luke, I didn't try to take any notes, I just listened and enjoyed.  A couple of thoughts I still remember:

• The best memories a child makes with his/her mother are often the ones around the house learning to do simple things like stir a pot or sort socks.  Do your chores with your little ones rather than keep them occupied while you do the chores.
• Charity begins with receiving the Atonement of the Savior in your own life, not with baking brownies.  (I've often wondered lately if we sometimes follow the "fake it til you make it" advice too often and wouldn't all just be a little better off if we paused our outward giving for a personal moment with the Savior.  Then let our outward giving restart with only the purest motives behind it.)
• The essential parts of an apology.  The speaker had some great little acronym, which of course now I can't remember.  But the principles I think we all really know deep down even if we don't always apologize correctly: don't blame in the apology or seek sympathy.  Take ownership and offer some kind of penance - a way to make up the wrong.  And of course most of all, be truly sorry.  Then let it go!!  The speaker also talked about how essential apologizing is for everyone.  We all make mistakes and if we never apologize we just alienate ourselves from others and eventually you'll have no one if you can't get over stuff.
• Jenny Oaks Baker said that her mom sat with her while she practiced the violin all the time when she was little which makes me wonder if I could do that with our kids someday when they have instrument lessons.

There were lots of great thoughts besides these; it was a treat to just go and listen.  We also had fun chatting with two of Christie's friends, Denise and Jacqueline from my ward who both truly inspire me, and a group of dental wives from Pittsburgh.  All people I wish I could see more of these days.  It was a very rejuvenating weekend!  Okay, on to pictures.

 We went straight into Harrisburg for Friday night's session but had a few extra minutes so we found this park for Caleb to play.

Luke and I sitting in the shade at the park.  Little smile. :)  (Cell phone pic.)

With Christie.  Love her!

With Nicole.  Already miss living close to her!

Back with the boys together.  Caleb is talking to Luke here.

  Luke slept in the bouncer while we were there.  Why does the newborn stage have to be so fleeting??  Gosh, he's already so much bigger! 

Christie is SOOO funny!  Caleb just loves her. (Cell phone pic.)

On Saturday Tyler and Derek took Caleb on a hike!  Apparently he did really well!  I was so impressed that they tried this and that Caleb could do it!

The simple joys.

Derek is so good with Caleb!  Man, I wish we could still live close to them!

Even though it was slightly crazy to travel with a 3-week old, the weekend was great and totally worth it!!