New Year!!!

As a family we have decided to make some new years resolutions.

1. Hold family prayer every morning. This is something we just never have done. There were some mornings when Cameron was in the peak of stress over school and he would ask that we held a morning family prayer. It finally occurred to us that we should have that daily. I really love getting us all together on our knees and communing with our Heavenly Father in prayer. What a great way to start the day and unite our family with the Spirit.

2. Read Scriptures daily as a family. We put this one in because during finals Callie told her primary teacher "My Dad use to read scriptures to me every night, but he doesn't anymore." Oops she noticed our slacking and she missed it.

3. Go to the Temple 1 time a month. Although we live about 1 1/2 hours away from the Mesa Temple, this is one that will be hard to complete.

4. FHE every week. This one we already do well. I think I am just going to make more of an effort to give the girls assignments. I need one of those family home evening boards. If you have suggestions on where to get a cute one let me know.

5. No Yelling!!! My mom thinks that Cameron and I don't yell. *Maybe by her definition that is true. But, we feel that our home could be much more peaceful if we did not raise our voices when irritated or impatient. I have noticed that my yelling only causes others to yell. Avery was born a natural screamer, and she is just at that age where "No" means I should yell louder until I get my way. But, I most see the effects of my yelling in Callie. She like her dad is very sweet and tender but gets easily frustrated and will yell, usually at me, in these moments. Oh, my example has not been good. So we have been working on this as a family, and I do notice that it is getting better.

*I guess I should clarify- yelling to me is not the same as screaming. Cameron is always saying that yelling in my definition is more like talking loudly. Either way you define it, it is not a nice feeling in the home.

My personal goal with these 5 things is to have our home feel like a haven, a place of peace and safety, a temple where the Spirit dwells.