"Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction."

I read to my children the story of Alma and Amulek from AlmaChap 13.  I told them how they warned the people to prepare for Christ's coming.  In vs. 20 it says: "Behold, the ^ascriptures are before you; if ye will ^bwrest them it shall be to your own destruction."  Then I explained that the people did not want warnings like this and so they put them in prison and left them with no food, no clothes, no water and regular beatings and mockings.  My boys loved the part when Alma calls out to God for strength to break their bonds, which they do and then the prison walls fall down and kill all of their oppressors as they walked out of the prison unscathed.  After hearing this story, Eirik said, "mom is it ok if we pray to Heavenly Father to tell him we are sorry that we have not been reading our scriptures?"  Then he said the prayer.  I few minutes later he said, "mom is it ok if we pray and promise Heavenly Father that we will not miss a day of reading the scriptures again?"  So we prayed and then we all shook hands on it.  And, that my friends is the pure heart of a child and the honest way a resolution comes to pass.

New Year's goal #1: Read our scriptures every day.

Goal #2: Improve our attitudes- I made a chart on our wall that says, "Your attitude determines your altitude" and I give them an upward arrow if they exhibit a great attitude and a downward arrow if they have a negative attitude.  I need them to give me arrows too.  I think I'll make myself a row tomorrow because I sure can be a grump with my little sweeties.  It's my resolution too.  I know I can do better.

Today we blew up balloons and made a chocolate sheet cake from my new Pioneer woman cookbook.  We hung crepe paper and popped a balloon every half hour starting at 5:00 until 9:00 when we toasted in the new year with silly string, the ball dropping on the big screen (from last year) and noise makers and sparkling cider.  Then we turned on loud dance music and got out the glow sticks.  Joren LOVES dance parties.  We ended on Lady GaGa and Joren said, "how did you know about that song mom?  I have never heard music like that!"  Both boys get crazy on the dance floor.  I can see us hosting glow stick dance parties when the kids are teenagers with just their friends.  Sounds awesome to me.  I wonder if we could ever stay that "cool".

Happy New Year!!  Welcome 2012!