School is Just Around The Corner!

August 8th is just a week away and with Dadam starting his course work as well we needed to start things off right.  Dadam received his school blessing a few weeks ago, but tonight the kids and I had the opportunity to receive ours.  As a Mom it is always so wonderful to watch and listen to our children's blessings and to see how they are going to grow and mature in the next months to come.  Our family is truly blessed to have a Dad that can provide such insight and strength to his children through the priesthood.  Our year is going to be busy, but with being busy we are going to have amazing growth both mentally and physically. I will be excited to look back at the year and see all the changes that have come to our children this year :)

On a cute note...we used a stool from the kitchen tonight and Amelia was very frustrated that she wasn't front and center right from the start.  Dadam even got her another stool, but she knew that it wasn't the same.  Even funnier...Dadam didn't recall her middle name, I guess I could have changed it if I wanted to, but I like it to much.

5 A's & a J's Family Favorites

Providing three meals a day can become overwhelming and having to think them up each day or week just adds to the stress of the matter.  With our family changing a lot of our eating habits I have really had to put effort into what, how and when of our meals.  I have created a few new meals that our family rotates now and have decided that a blog will help me become more diligent with recording what I do so that I'm not reinventing the wheel each time I cook a meal.  

If you want to enjoy the ride and recipes please visit the sight and sign-up as a follower of the blog.  I am not planning on sending out updates because my goal is to provide at least one update a day.

http://5asandajfamilyfavoriterecipes.blogspot.com/

Summer Fun

The kids took Mom to Makutu's Island while Dadam was in California!  Amelia had never been before and by the end of the few hours my knees hurt.  Alex enjoys the Pirate themes and after running until he can hardly breath he spends time playing around on the video games.  Adam and Addison were great with Amelia and also enjoyed playing the video games!  We finished our day at IHOP enjoying breakfast for dinner :)

  Saturday Dadam took Adam and Addison to Wet n Wild in North Phoenix.  They left home around 10:00 am and we didn't see them until about 6:00 pm.  They had fun riding all the rides they could fit into the day.  The wave pool was broken while they were there so of course the lines were long, but they were there for the rides anyways!  What a great Daderday to finish the summer with!  On our way home from church Addison asked if the water park was open today, I think she is a fan :)

Dadam and Mom enjoyed a dinner and some fun in downtown Phoenix while Grandma and Grandpa visited after Adam's Baptism.  Pizzeria Bianco is a restaurant that has been voted the # 1 pizza in America.  They normally have a line at least 3 hours long each night.  We showed up on the night of the All Stars Baseball game and walked right in.  The pizza and salad was great.  I don't know if I would wait for three hours, but the do have carry-out :)  

Tickets to the game were crazy so we didn't go into the game, but Adam had fun with the bookies and being in the crowd fighting for tickets!

A New Button

I have added a new button to the side of our blog.  If you click on the button it will take you to my site profile.  You can read about me as well and answers to questions that I was asked.  I will add the link below! 

http://mormon.org/me/4TW1/

Adam's Choice To Follow Christ's Example

 Adam was Baptized by his Dad today!  What an amazing experience it was to watch our son make covenants with our Father in Heaven.  His first words after coming out of the water were "That's a long way down!".  He also mentioned that the water was hot. 

Adam was baptized with two other children from our stake.  Adam was the second to be baptized.  While he and Dadam were changing we moved into the Relief Society room to allow the third person to be baptized.  As people came into the room they were met by a table with pictures of Adam (from the Temple the day before) and Christ.  A shadow box with Adam's blessing outfit was also on the table along with a coloring book, crayons and gummy bears for the little ones.  The adults were asked to sign a guest list and take a card to write their testimonies and thoughts of the day to Adam for his memory book.  We also had a personal program to go along with the one the stake provided.  Adam colored the front and back pictures for his program!

 Adam was very blessed to have many family and friends travel for his special day.  We also had our a lot of ward family there to support Adam.  I am very grateful for the amazing people that jumped in to watch Alex and Amelia so that I wouldn't miss anything.  Words truly can't express my true gratitude for such a kind act.  The picture of the men standing with Adam are the members of the circle that confirmed Adam a member of the church and gave him the Holy Ghost.  The Bishop isn't in the picture, but he did participate in the circle as well.  

 The Berniger Family with Adam

 Grandma & Grandpa Lund with Adam

 We had a light dinner and cake when the baptism was finished.  We enjoyed catching up with our guests and felt very lucky to have had so many come to enjoy Adam's special day.

*On a side note...we lost Alex's LEGOS that night at the church.  If ANYONE as seen or heard about them...PLEASE let us know.  We would be very grateful!!

Pre Baptism Festivities

Friday night around 11:30 p.m. Dadam started up the smoker for Saturday's lunch!  Dadam, Uncle Jared and Troy prepared the brisket and pork butt for a slumber party inside the smoker :)  Dadam set his alarm clock a few times throughout the evening so that he could get up and rotate, foil and steam the yummy meat.  He was exhausted by the time everyone else woke-up, but lunch was scheduled for 12:00 p.m. and we still had lots to do!

While Dad was holding down the fort at home, Great Grandma Greg, Uncle Jared, Grandma, Grandpa and I went to the church to set up Adam's display table, print programs and  put up tables and chairs in the gym for dinner as well as running a few last minute errands.

When we returned home the smell was amazing.  Adam was pulling the brisket and pork from the smoker and beginning to carve and pull the meat.  Adam put the point of the brisket back into the smoker to create burnt ends.  He was very excited about this last step and so was everyone else once they tasted the yummy bites :) 

When lunch was finished to hurried to open Adam's Baptism gifts so that everyone could run home or to their hotels and change.  Adam received so many wonderful gifts that he can treasure for years to come.  Great Great Aunt Donna from Ohio gave Adam a towel with his name on it.  Grandma and Grandpa Lund also gave Adam a towel with not only his name, but his date of Baptism as well.  They also gave him white socks.  Each of these items came with poems to explain their purpose and the importance of the covenants he was making.  Later in the unwrapping Adam received a scripture case from Grandma and Grandpa as well.  Nanee and Uncle Jared gave Adam a few new sets of church clothes.  He received two white shirts, two pairs of pants as well as three ties.  He is ready to look sharp each Sunday!  Great Grandma Greg and Great Aunt Donna gave Adam a book on the Holy Ghost and a memory book as well as a tie and tie tack. Everyone included cards with well wishes as well :)

Dadam and Mom gave Adam his first set of scriptures.  They have his name engraved on the front as well as scriptures marked for him though out.  Grandparents and parents chose their favorite scriptures and gave them to me.  I created a card with all of them listed and gave everyone a color.  Each persons verses were marked according to their colors.  I laminated the card and glued it into the back page of his scriptures so that he can always have each of us with him!

Adam received many other cards, gifts and mementos marking his special day by people that attended his special day.  What a very lucky young man to be loved by so many.   

Mesa Temple Visitor Center Primary Tour & Organ Stop Pizza

 Preparing for Adam's baptism was a lot of responsibility!  We wanted Adam to not only enjoy the family and friends that came to attend Adam's Baptism but understand the significance of his decision as well.  I set up a tour at the Visitors Center about a month ago.  Sister White was truly amazing, she called and checked in three times to make sure that what they were planning was going to meet our needs.  

Our tour began in in the Christus room by singing I Am A Child of God.  We then listened to the recorded presentation.  We then followed our two Sister Missionaries to another room.

The Sisters asked for two volunteers and so Adam and Carter participated.  The sisters read the scriptures talking about putting on the whole armor of God.  As they read about each item Carter was able to help Adam apply each piece until he was fully dressed in his protective armor.  When the presentation was complete Alex was given the opportunity to try the armor on which, as you can imagine gave him great pleasure.  We finished our tour by watching short clips of children and adult experiencing real life situations or baring their testimonies.  This was a truly great way to prepare for Adam's special day of making covenants with his Heavenly Father.

 I have a frame for each of our children that holds four pictures.  One for their child blessing, baptism, mission/endowments and wedding pictures.  After Adam's tour we took pictures outside around the Temple.  We were able to get a few good ones and created a picture for Adam's display table at his baptism. 

Organ Stop Pizza is a great way to end any day in Arizona!!  We enjoyed great company, food and entertainment.  Not only did we have friends join us for dinner but we ran into a friend from Florida.  What a great start to an important day in our son's life!!