Tag: families

Sabbath Message: The Role of Parents

Sabbath Message: The Role of Parents

When I was young, my mother showed me a verse in the Book of Mormon that had always meant a lot to her, and that she considered to be her goal in life. It is a verse well known throughout the Church, and is found 

How to Raise a Genius

How to Raise a Genius

Trying to bring up the next Einstein or Mozart? Check out this helpful graphic from OnlinePsychologyDegree.net.

Cornbelly’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Fest—A Traditional Fall Activity for Everyone!

Cornbelly’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Fest—A Traditional Fall Activity for Everyone!

by Danielle Cronquist

Enjoy classic fall activities and head up to Thanksgiving Point’s Cornbelly’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Fest, open from October 5th to November 3rd. A perfect outing for families, couples, or even a group of friends. You can get lost in the corn maze, let the little ones navigate their way through the kiddie maze, or for thrill seekers, venture into the haunted maze (age 12+). But you don’t have to spend your whole time wandering through mazes; there are tons of other fall activities to enjoy when there. . .

-pick out the perfect pumpkin for carving

-hang out around one of the campfires

-take a ride on the cow train

-leap around on the “jumping pillow”

-watch some pig races

-slide down “Cornbelly Mountain”

-and so many more!

Here are a few tips and tricks for having the best time possible when there:

1. Buy your tickets ahead of time or go on a weekday to save some money!

2. Check out the “activity age gauge” on the website beforehand to find out which activities would be best for you and your group.

3. Bring your camera for some fun picture opportunities with face-cutouts, in the pumpkin patches, and in the mazes.

4. Wear closed-toed shoes and bring a jacket. The walkways there are not paved, and we are moving into some chillier weather this month, so you want to be comfortable.

5. Some of the activities like the zip-line and rock climbing wall will cost you a little, so bring some extra cash if you want to try these out.

6. Bring snacks if you don’t want to shell out the extra money for food once you are there. Maybe even bring some s’mores supplies for the campfires!

7. The haunted festivities begin at 8 p.m. so if you think you or your kids will get a little freaked out, plan accordingly.

 

Taking a visit to Cornbelly’s is a perfect way to ring in the fall! Open from October 5th to November 3rd. Monday–Thursday 4–10 p.m.; Friday–Saturday 10 a.m.–11 p.m.; closed Sundays and Halloween.

“30 Strangers” Project Exhibiting at BYU’s Harold B. Lee Library

“30 Strangers” Project Exhibiting at BYU’s Harold B. Lee Library

Justin Hackworth‘s photographic exhibit “30 Strangers: Portraits of Mothers and Daughters” is currently showing at BYU’s Harold B. Lee Library. The exhibit features photos of thirty mother/daughter pairs, capturing their histories and their stories. The story behind the project is beautifully captured in Kale Fitch’s 

Take Time for Family

Take Time for Family

by AmberLee Hansen As I was walking across campus the other day huddled in my coat against the recent fall chill, I saw grounds crew putting Christmas lights up on the trees in the JFSB quad. I smiled. Some people think that November is too 

My Family’s Eyes

My Family’s Eyes

by Tanya Cumberland

“Why don’t you call Aunt Samantha ‘mom’?”

The question caught me off guard, and I looked down at my step-cousin in surprise. His Aunt Samantha was my stepmother; that’s why I didn’t call her “mom.” Still, I was worried about being tactful with him. He was only about ten years old at the time and hopefully still innocent. There was no need to burden him with the messy details of my family’s situation.
“Because she’s not my mom,” I said, trying to appear calm and cool to hide how unnerved I really was. My real mother was back in the Mid-west, and I missed her. My stepmother would never replace the woman who had sacrificed so much to raise me alone after the divorce. I hoped my cousin would be satisfied with my answer and drop the subject. I was out in California visiting my stepmother’s family along with my father. There were other adults listening to our conversation, including my step-mother’s brother, which put me in a very uncomfortable situation. Who knew a fun dinner out would turn into a reminder of my family’s sliced-and-diced nature so fast?
“Still, why don’t you call her ‘mom’?” my cousin persisted.
I braced myself internally as outwardly I shrugged and looked away. My voice fell into the sing-song cadence I use with children. “Because she’s not.”
I think what helped me bite my tongue on a bitter retort was that I could see my cousin’s perspective and where he was coming from. All he knew was that my stepmother was his beloved aunt. If his aunt was married to my father, then she was my father’s wife, and thus my mother. Life obviously isn’t quite this simple sometimes, though, and I was old enough to realize that.
During the very same trip, I had another experience, but in this one my behavior was far from tactful. I was in the car with my father, stepmother, and her father. I no longer remember the topic of the conversation we were having, or the exact words of the insulting comment my father made to my stepmother, but I still remember my grim satisfaction. My irritation boiled to the surface as I thought, “Yeah, take that,” and smiled to show my approval of his hurtful words. What happened next has stayed with me these ensuing six years. I wasn’t rebuked. I wasn’t yelled at. I wasn’t scolded. It was worse.
I was sitting in the back seat behind my step-grandfather, and as I shifted my attention to the rearview mirror, his gaze met mine. I was taken aback by how filled with sadness the old eyes were. Shame filled me as I realized that I was still smiling at the comment directed at his daughter. I was sure that he saw my smile and the vindictiveness evident through my own eyes. His look had more effect on me than any scolding could have. As I was talking to my mother over the phone later about the incident and the look in his eyes, she replied, “Of course. She’s his little girl.”
These two incidents served as a lesson for me. They helped me to see my stepmother through the eyes of the family that is close to her—her nephew’s showing me an innocent, questioning gaze, and her father’s showing the hurt he felt from his daughter’s pain. She doesn’t have to replace my mother to be family. And she doesn’t have to be family to be loved and respected.
Camp To Belong

Camp To Belong

by Emily Smith I couldn’t imagine a life without my siblings. Although they weren’t my best friends from my early stages of life, I have come to love and appreciate them for the people they are. Unfortunately, there are children who grow up without sibling 

For Mom

For Mom

by Cecily Lew And I lay there and listened That easy kind of listening Like when you read to us each night Those cool summer nights The wind slapped our blinds against the window And we shivered under our blankets But it was never too 

Come Listen to the Story: The Idea Started as a Simple Melody

Come Listen to the Story: The Idea Started as a Simple Melody

by Joshua Cox

Music has been part of my life as long as I can remember. Growing up in the Cox family felt like a constant musical stage. No matter the time of day, there was almost always somebody singing or practicing an instrument in the home. As a family, we performed songs and dances. It wasn’t the easiest bringing everyone together, especially as the older siblings got into high school and all of the extracurricular activities and friends that come with it. My mother was the key element in making music happen in our family. As our family grew closer together through our experiences, music itself was an instrument we used to serve others in our community. As a result, our lives have been enriched and we have something familiar to come back to when we gather.

As for me, piano lessons were endured, but the fruits of practice were always enjoyed. Before piano lessons, I enjoyed making my own masterpieces at the keyboard – the kind only I could understand. Recently I tried to pick up where I left off several years ago composing music.

My family was on a vacation in Hawaii when I began this song. We were staying in a beach house, and I found a keyboard in the garage. In a rush of creativity, I began to pick out a melody on the keys. It wasn’t long before I had the first verse written out in my mind. Christmas was on my mind at the time, hence the Christ-centered theme of the song. I wanted to tell the story of a mother and father telling the story of Jesus’ birth to their children. This was something familiar to me. While music was an integral part of my family life, the very foundation of our family was based in our faith. Everything good in my family has stemmed from the religion we know to be true.

Last New Year’s Eve was the first trial run of this song. My family stood around the piano to sing, and even my mom sang a part. My hope is that this will be a meaningful addition to the longstanding tradition of music and faith in my family.

A great deal of gratitude is felt for the help of good friends and my sister. The music can be heard at joshsbox.blogspot.com.

What Does It Take to Make a Family

What Does It Take to Make a Family

by Kaylyn Johnston Family. Defined by the dictionary as, “a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not.” This definition, however, does little to reflect just what family really means to an individual. Aren’t families