Family Home Evening/Free Date Night

This fun date night/FHE idea comes from "Family Home Evening for Newlyweds" by Deborah Pace Rowley.



Reading Adventure

Go to the library or a local book store like Barnes and Noble or Deseret Book and read children's books to each other.  Find Dr. Seuss books you loved as a kid.  Reread "Where the Wild Things Are" or other favorites.

When you have finished exploring the kids' section, recommend adult or adolescent books to each other.  Is there anything you read as a teenager or more recently that you loved and want your spouse to read?  Check the books out if you're at the library or see if D.I has what you're looking for for cheap!

Getting to Know Aubrey Zaugg!

My name is: Aubrey Zaugg

 My favorite dinner is: Steak with A1 sauce with green beans and mashed potatoes. J

My favorite dessert is: Brownies!

My favorite flower is: Sunflower

My favorite hobby is: Scrapbooking

My favorite restaurant is: Garcia’s

A game I like to play is: Any card game!!! I love Shaft, hand and foot etc…

The music I listen to most is: Country

My favorite thing to buy is: Shoes!

A book I highly recommend is: The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks, or any book by him.

A movie I watch over and over is: Disney movies! Beauty and the Beast… also I could watch life as you know it over and over, and Sweet Home Alabama!

A smell that makes me pause is: Cinnamon

The city I would most like to visit is: hmmm Boston, I’ve already visited that city but would love to go back!

My favorite thing to do on a date is: Anything exciting, something new.

The best vacation I ever had was: Oh I have loved so many of my vacations, but one really nice one was in Nantucket with my nanny family! Got to spend my whole 2 weeks on the beach! I absolutely loved going to Alaska this summer with my husband too!

If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? Ariel! Live under waterJ

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? I want to learn how to fight, like self-defense, and just be really awesome at it! 

What chore do you absolutely hate doing? Vacuuming

When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? Sometimes read, watch a show, or go for a walk. Exercise, I don’t know if exercise is exactly free time for me.

What do you think is your very best feature or characteristic? I am organized.

 What is your dream vacation? Backpacking in Europe

 What's the coolest thing you've ever done? Skydiving is pretty cool!

 How did you meet your husband? How did he propose? I met my husband through my mom and his mom. His family moved 3 houses away from mine while Tyler was on his mission. I was in New Jersey when he got home from his mission, and we met when I came home for Christmas….. He came to New Jersey and proposed to me there. We went to the beach on a pretty cold day, and just walked around and found a place to sit. He was wearing shorts and had a backpack with him and he had his pants in there so he said he would be right back and he went to change. (There were a bunch of rocks piled together all along the beach.) Anyway when he came back he told me to come here, and there was arrows that he drew in the sand so I followed the arrows. They led me to a message in a bottle and the message was a poem he read to me and then he got down on his knees and asked me to marry him!

 The best thing about being married is: Always having someone to be with and talk too! Learning and growing together! It has been great! Only been married for 4 months so we still have a lot to learn!

What do you and your husband like to do together? We like to watch Once Upon a Time J Play games, go camping, go on walks or bike rides. (Sadly we haven’t really been able to do too much)

What would be your perfect day? Having a day spent with my husband with no worries whatsoever, and just do whatever we want. Hiking! Swimming! Camping! Any of those! J

What was the best advice you got/would give on marriage? To never yell at each other.

What story does your family always tell about you? When I was four years old I would go into my dad’s room and say “I am a monster!” and my dad would say “AH! A monster!” and I would turn my head and say “Where!?”

General Conference Recap

Watch this short video to remember President Monson's words for the saints last conference.

Ponder this:

Have I heeded these inspired words and made changes to follow his counsel?

Click Here

Family Home Evening

 This lesson comes from a great blog with lots of FHE ideas. Click here to visit the original site.


Scripture: 2 Nephi 9:51

“51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.”

Hymn: The Lord is my Light

1. The Lord is my light; then why should I fear?
By day and by night his presence is near.
He is my salvation from sorrow and sin;
This blessed assurance the Spirit doth bring.

(Chorus)
The Lord is my light;
He is my joy and my song.
By day and by night he leads,
He leads me along.

2. The Lord is my light; tho clouds may arise,
Faith, stronger than sight, looks up thru the skies
Where Jesus forever in glory doth reign.
Then how can I ever in darkness remain?

3. The Lord is my light; the Lord is my strength.
I know in his might I’ll conquer at length.
My weakness in mercy he covers with pow’r,
And, walking by faith, I am blest ev’ry hour.

4. The Lord is my light, my all and in all.
There is in his sight no darkness at all.
He is my Redeemer, my Savior, and King.
With Saints and with angels his praises I’ll sing.

Lesson:

Read and summarize ”Keeping Your Life In Balance“ . Talk about the importance of finding balance in life and how these suggestions can help you find that balance.

These eight suggestions can help you face life’s many challenges without feeling overwhelmed.

Coping with the complex and diverse challenges of everyday life, which is not an easy task, can upset the balance and harmony we seek. Many good people are trying very hard to maintain balance, but they sometimes feel overwhelmed and defeated.

I have a few suggestions that I hope will be valuable to those of you concerned with balancing life’s demands. These suggestions are very basic; their concepts can easily be overlooked if you are not careful. You will need a strong commitment and personal discipline to incorporate them into your life.

1. Establish Priorities

Think about your life and set your priorities. Find some quiet time regularly to think deeply about where you are going and what you will need to do to get there. Jesus, our exemplar, often “withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed” (Luke 5:16). We need to do the same thing occasionally to rejuvenate ourselves spiritually as the Savior did.

Write down the tasks you would like to accomplish each day. Keep foremost in mind the sacred covenants you have made with the Lord as you write down your daily schedules.

2. Set Attainable Goals

Set short-term goals that you can reach. Set goals that are well balanced—not too many nor too few and not too high nor too low. Write down your attainable goals and work on them according to their importance. Pray for divine guidance in your goal setting.

3. Budget Wisely

Everyone faces financial challenges in life. Through wise budgeting, control your real needs and measure them carefully against your many wants in life. The prophet Jacob said to his people: “Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy” (2 Nephi 9:51).

Remember to always pay a full tithing.

4. Build Relationships

Stay close to your parents, relatives, and friends. They will help you keep a balance in your life. Build relationships with your family and friends through open and honest communication.

Good family relationships can be maintained through gentle, loving, thoughtful communication. Remember that often a glance, a wink, a nod, or a touch will say more than words. A sense of humor and good listening are also vital parts of good communication.

5. Study the Scriptures

Search the scriptures. They offer one of the best sources we have to keep in touch with the Spirit of the Lord. One of the ways I have gained my sure knowledge that Jesus is the Christ is through my study of the scriptures. Presidents Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) and Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) called upon members of the Church to make the study of the Book of Mormon a daily habit and a lifetime pursuit.

The Apostle Paul’s advice to Timothy is good counsel for each of us. He wrote, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

6. Take Care of Yourself

Many people, including me, have difficulty finding the time for sufficient rest, exercise, and relaxation. We must schedule time on our daily calendars for these activities if we are to enjoy a healthy and balanced life. Good physical appearance enhances our dignity and self-respect.

7. Live the Gospel

The prophets have taught repeatedly that families should teach one another the gospel, preferably in a weekly family home evening. This family practice, if we are not very careful, can slowly drift away from us. We must not lose this special opportunity to “teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom” (D&C 88:77), which will lead families to eternal life.

Satan is always working to destroy our testimonies, but he will not have the power to tempt or disturb us beyond our strength to resist when we are studying the gospel and living its commandments.

8. Pray Often

My last suggestion is to pray often as individuals and as families. You can know the right decisions to make each day through constant, sincere prayer.

The prophet Alma summarized the importance of prayer in these words: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering” (Alma 13:28). When I am in tune spiritually, I find that I can balance everything in my life much more easily.

Service and Yum Yums!

You're Invited!



What: Super Saturday to discuss service and visiting teaching over breakfast!

When: Saturday! (November 16th)

Time: 10AM

Wear: Anything COMFORTABLE

Where: Multipurpose Building

Getting to Know Mikelle Miller!

My name is: Mikelle

 My favorite dinner is: Anything healthy

My favorite dessert is: crème brule or ice cream

My favorite flower is: Red rose

My favorite hobby is: Singing, performing and exercise outdoors

My favorite restaurant is: Market Street Grill, Zupas

A game I like to play is: volleyball, Frisbee, catch

The music I listen to most is: piano, jazz, anything happy and uplifting

My favorite thing to buy is: candy, clothes, home furnishings

A book I highly recommend is: The Power of Positive Thinking by Peale

A movie I watch over and over is: “Young Victoria” and “Pride and Prejudice”

A smell that makes me pause is: sandalwood, cinnamon or anything holiday

The city I would most like to visit is: Singapore or Florence, Italy

My favorite thing to do on a date is: play outside (e.g. volley ball, hiking, camping, bonfires, canoeing, sledding

The best vacation I ever had was: Hawaii with my husbands family or a cruise to Mexico with my family

If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? Cinderella – she is a selfless and giving person who works hard and doesn’t complain – she’s kind to everyone and is a good singer.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Play guitar, garden

What chore do you absolutely hate doing? Cleaning the blinds

When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? Exercise, do something fun with my husband

What do you think is your very best feature or characteristic? My kindness and desire to make people feel good about themselves

What is the "thing" you are most grateful for? My husband

 What is your dream vacation? Cruise with my husband – somewhere warm and beautiful and exotic

 What's the coolest thing you've ever done? walked 10 miles (5 each way) in the middle of the night in the dead of winter to the hot pots up in Spanish Fork Canyon and swam in them – I’ve never been so cold, tired, and starving – but was so fun

 How did you meet your husband? How did he propose? We met when I was working in the twilight zone at the BYU bookstore – he asked me for my number. He proposed to me in the yard of the house where I grew up – during sunset in a grove of fruit trees

 The best thing about being married is: never being lonely – always having someone to enjoy life with

What do you and your husband like to do together? – watch “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Avatar: the last Air Bender” and Studio C and Youtube videos of dogs and play outdoors and talk and cuddle J

What would be your perfect day? Play all day with my husband and family – outdoors, barbeques, playing sports, talking, playing with nephews, then having a bonfire at night.

What was the best advice you got/would give on marriage? - Happiness is a choice – and don’t focus on what your spouse is doing wrong (it’s easy to do)

What story does your family always tell about you? – I broke into a stranger’s home with a friend when I was four years old - we opened a can of paint that was in the home and started painting their unfinished basement.

Family Home Evening

This idea comes from the book, " Family Home Evening for Newlyweds" by Deborah Pace Rowley.

This lesson takes about 10 minutes of prep work.  I promise it's worth it though! This is really fun!

Materials:

- 2 pens/pencils
- blank paper for drawing
- Gospel Draw Cards made from the names listed below. Write them on a piece of paper, cut them out and put them in a hat/bag.

Gather materials and place gospel draw cards in a bag or hat. The names are well-known people from the scriptures or church history. Take turns drawing a name from the bag/hat. Do not let your spouse see the name you've picked. Draw a picture or pictures to help your spouse guess who the person is. No words or numbers are allowed. Keep track of time.the spouse with the shortest drawing time is the winner.


Gospel Draw Cards

-King Benjamin
-The three Nephites
-Alma that younger
-Lehi
-2,000 Stripling Warriors
-Esther
-Nephi
-Helaman
-Ruth
-Samuel the Lamanite
-Ammon
- Moroni
-Laban
-Enos
-Mormon
-Abraham
-Peter James and John
-Emma Smith
-Isaac
-Sampson
-Solomon
-Adam
- Mary
-Moses
-Noah
- Brigham Young
-Daniel

Scriptural Oomph and a Faux Fancy Feast

Happy Friday! Here is a scriptural oomph to brighten your day.

From D&C 46:11–12, we have this truth: “For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.

“To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited there

Let us review some of these less-conspicuous gifts: the gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost.

We must remember that to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. It is our right and responsibility to accept our gifts and to share them. God’s gifts and powers are available to all of us.

***Now for the Faux Fancy Feast!

Having family come visit?  Inviting a new couple over for a dinner date?  Maybe you are taking dinner to a sick or sad someone.  Or maybe you just want to make a yummy dinner for your husband that doesn't come out of a box.  This meal is so yummy and much easier than its inspiration: Chicken Cordon Bleu.  Don't let the recipe overwhelm you.  It's very step by step and I promise it's delicious.

Original Recipe


Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

For the Casserole:

- 1 Whole chicken, bones removed.  Shred meat.  (CHEAT: use a rotisserie chicken!)

- 1/2 lb thinly slices deli-style honey ham.  Roughly chopped

- 1/4 lb thinly slices swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

Put cooked shredded or diced chicken on the bottom of the baking dish. Rough chop the ham and scatter it over the top of the chicken. Lay the Swiss cheese on top of the ham.

For the Sauce

- 4 tbsp butter

- 4 tbsp flour

- 3-1/4 C milk (whole is good)

- 2 tbsp lemon juice

- 1-1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp paprika

- 1/4 tsp pepper

Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, quickly stir in the flour to form a smooth roux. Do not brown! Once the roux is smooth and bubbly, slowly pour in the cold milk while stirring briskly to make a smooth sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, smoked paprika and white pepper. Bring sauce just back to a low boil and turn off heat. Pour sauce evenly over the casserole, being certain to get some of the sauce around the edges of the pan.

For the Topping

- 6 tbsp butter

- 1-1/2 C panko bread crumbs

- 3/4 tsp seasoning salt

- 1-1/2 tsp dried parsley

Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium sized microwaveable bowl. Heat it for 30 seconds at a time and stop once it’s melted. Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir in the panko bread crumbs, seasoning salt and crushed dried parsley. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake casserole uncovered for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly throughout and topping has turned a light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

I served it with cous cous (from a box) and a ceased salad.

Getting to Know Serena McMurdie!

My name is: Serena McMurdie.

My favorite dinner is: free. 

My favorite dessert is: mint chocolate chip ice cream.

My favorite flower is: a sunflower.

My favorite hobby is: budgeting.

My favorite restaurant is: Sushi-Ya. (But that's probably because it's the one thing I'm not 
supposed to eat while pregnant. Shucks!)

A game I like to play is: any table top game.

The music I listen to most is: pop/dance.

My favorite thing to buy is: ice cream.

A book I highly recommend is: The King's Equal (it's a kid's book but it's still great!)

A movie I watch over and over is: The Man Who Knew Too Little.

A smell that makes me pause is: grape and/or vanilla.

The city I would most like to visit is: Jerusalem.

My favorite thing to do on a date is: play a game. 

The best vacation I ever had was: the day Andrew and I skipped school and went to Lagoon.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? Belle.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Read, write, and speak fluent Mandarin.

What chore do you absolutely hate doing? Dishes- there's always more to do!

When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? Surf the internet.

What do you think is your very best feature or characteristic? I'm personable.

What is the "thing" you are most grateful for? Family.

 What is your dream vacation? Somewhere abroad that has a lot of historical background. 

 What's the coolest thing you've ever done? I've traveled to 5 of the 7 continents.

 How did you meet your husband? How did he propose? Can't remember how we met but he proposed by setting up a scavenger hunt. Each location was a special spot of ours and at each place was a part of his journal entries documenting our time when we were dating until then. He met up with me at the end and we drove up to Y Mountain where he proposed in the rain.

 The best thing about being married is: sharing everything with my best friend. Plus never having to say goodbye, just goodnight. 

What do you and your husband like to do together? We do pretty much everything together from washing dishes to just snuggling on the couch. Recently we've liked doing Portal races in our free time.

What would be your perfect day? A day where Andrew and I are free from obligations and we could spend it running around history museums or amusement parks like two kids in a candy store.

What was the best advice you got/would give on marriage? My advice is to acknowledge and validate each other's opinions and feelings. Also, laugh.

What story does your family always tell about you? As a kid I was very grumpy if I was woken up.