April Conference 2012

Earlier this month, we had the opprotunity to enjoy Confrence at home.....When you have young children at home, conference season has mixed emotions.....On the one hand, I look forward to the many uplifting messages which are given....the down side, 5 wiggly children who need MY help to make it through two 2-hour blocks!! Needless to say, confrence comes and goes with out much of a clue as to who spoke or any super-amazing messages. My hopes to catching conference turns to the next month's Ensign which turns into a different conversation on it's own....This month's conference was the begining of ALL beginings....like everyear we go into conference with a lesson about conference-I love it b/c it retells the story of King Benjamin's address! Instead of setting up my children to be entertained, I set them upto be engaged in confrence. We played a game that will be the new norm for the Bartons. I posted 4 buzz words on the wall near the t.v (illustrations included) they were:temple, scriptures, missionary and family the first person to recognize that a speaker had used one of the buzz words the received a mini candy bar! My four older children and even my oldest-Jared were attentive to the ENTIRE confrece! Noone complained about being stuck watching confrence, noone even asked to leave to go do something else, noone took naps or began to be disruptive-TOTAL success. Needless to say, my children are actually looking forward to watching the October conference!!