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  • My night at Inspire My Life

    My night at Inspire My Life

    Happy Independence Day
    Last Saturday I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Inspire My Life: Heroes at Home event in Provo, UT at the Covey Center. It was an amazing evening of wonderful music and inspirational speakers. 
    Today on our Nations Birthday, I wanted to share some photos and some of the inspirational thoughts I received that evening.  
    The night opened with the Aaron Ashton Band. Aaron plays the violin, viola and electric violin.  His music can be heard on Spartacus, The Velveteen Rabbit, and The Red Dragon.  When he first started playing I was taken back – back to a time when I played the violin.  I truly enjoyed sitting back and listening to so much talent.  It was during Aaron’s set that I felt inspired with some job possibilities for Mark as well. Music truly is a way to  relax and see your life in a bigger picture. I really loved seeing one of the band members playing a washtub bass as well. How cool is this?
    After Aaron’s band we got to listen to Hank Smith – a PhD candidate at BYU, Hank works in consulting and has given motivational speeches around the country. Hank spent the evening telling us about making choices. He tied his whole speech into the history of our wonderful nation. Did you know in Wasghinton’s early 20’s he wrote home saying “I am a Failure”.  George Washington said that!  Did he let that stop him though? No, he made choices and decisions that led him to be America’s first President. 

    The impossible becomes possible through Determination. 

    Words of wisdom. We need to have a little determination and we can do anything. Hank moved from talking about the Heroes of our country to the Heroes at home. People like Erik Weihenmayer who became fully blind as a preteen went on to climb Mount Everest. Now that is an inspiring story of perseverance in the face of trials. 

    We had a short break after Hank, where I then purchased a copy of Aaron Ashtons cd, and got to talk to him about his music and the inspiration he gave me. I also sat and admired this awesome mug they were selling.  This would be such a fun mug to curl up with on cold winters nights.

    After our break, we headed back in for some more music from Katherine Nelson. If you haven’t heard of Katherine Nelson, you should just go listen to this song, right now.  I’ll wait. 

    Wow, right?  I totally cried listening to this song. Katherine is such an inspiration for women of all backgrounds and futures. Once again, we had a short break, and this time I got to meet and talk to Katherine. She signed a photo for me with the note Be Brave Girl! 
    The night ended with performer Charley Jenkins. WOW!!  I mean really. Like Katherine I had actually never heard of Charley before, but now in my husbands words “you’re like a teenager with a crush”.  I mean the night was just completely wonderful, and Charley’s performance topped the night. He worked the audience, got us all involved and dancing around. He even posed mid song for my sister in law to snap this photo
    Want to know a fun little secret?  The morning before the performance Charley wrote a new song. So during our evening performance they changed up the program a bit, and he sang his brand new, never before song for us!  That was a treat, I tell you. 
    I’ve been on a bit of a high for the whole last week.  I put the girls to bed listening to Aaron Ashton, and drive around listening to Charley Jenkins.  I think often of Hank Smith’s lessons on determination and perseverance, while Katherine’s words of encouragement to women keep me going on the hard days. 
    If you’re in the Tri-City Washington area in September, I strongly urge suggest you to attend the Inspire My Life event!
    To all our soldiers serving this wonderful nation, true heroes of the American people, and to all our Heroes at Home, Thank you. Thank you for the service you’ve given to this country, your families, and friends. Have a happy and safe 4th of July!
  • Heroes at Home

    Heroes at Home

    *This is a sponsored post on behalf of R Legacy Entertainment and the Inspire My Life Conference Series. I have received compensation for my time. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own*

    I’ve been noticing a recurring trend lately – looking for inspiration, admiration, and applause for the every day people and events in our life. I If you recall I recently participated in Mompacts REAL mom’s event (and by the way, won the GRAND PRIZE!).  Then I told you about the Inspire My Life Women’s Conference in St George.

    Well now I get to tell you about another Inspire My Life conference, coming this Saturday June 29th to Provo’s Covey Center for the Arts. Before I tell you more about the event though, I want to tell you about someone I consider a Hero at Home.  
    What is a Hero at Home? I believe a hero at home is anyone we admire, that even when failing will find the positive and push through to the end. They persevere against all odds, and treat everyone they come in contact with as their best friend. They haven’t won the Noble Peace Prize, and they haven’t fought in wars – except the personal wars we wage at home. 
    Today I want to tell you about my Mother In Law. I can’t really begin to describe the amazing person she is. She married an Air Force pilot, and followed him around the world for a few years. Giving birth to some of her children overseas, she made the best of her situation. When my Father In Law was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at a very surprising young age, Kristin stepped up. They had 5 kids that still needed to be raised, and now she had a husband, who needed so much more care than was probably ever expected.  As Chris’s diagnosis became worse he was discharged from the Air Force.  Kristin stepped up once more and began a career in teaching. For the next 26 years she taught elementary school during the day, and came home to care for her children and husband at night. Mark recalls to me listening to his moms voice recorded on tape reading him stories. She couldn’t always be physically present to him, but she made sure she was somehow there. I can not imagine the sudden change she had to go through. Dreams must have been put on hold while the responsibility of raising the kids and providing for the family came to rest on her shoulders. 
    After 26 years of teaching, and raising 5 children to adulthood, Kristin retired. But she couldn’t just stop. She applied for and is now teaching ESL with the Department of Defense in Japan. Chris is by her side still pushing through his own trials. They both could have given up a long time ago. Instead they fight for each other. Chris has had numerous testing, and experimental procedures to help calm his Parkinson’s. Kristin has been by his side every step, while still pursuing her dreams of teaching and spreading love everywhere she goes. 
    Kristin – I know you’re reading this. Thank you for all you did, and are still doing for your family. You are a true Hero at Home – even if home is so far away from us right now. 
    If you live in or around the Provo, UT area I invite you to come hear more inspiring stories like the one I’ve shared this Saturday June 29th at the Covey Center for the Arts. 
    Tickets are available at http://www.coveycenter.org/ or by calling 801.852.7007
     Or to see if an Inspire My Life event is coming to a city near you check out http://www.inspiremylife.com/
    *I have received 2 tickets to attend the Heroes At Home event as compensation. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.*

  • Inspire My Life “Women” Conference coming to St. George

    I’ve been itching to go to some kind of conference for about a year now. This past weekend we watched the 183rd Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I love listening to my spiritual leaders (prophets and apostles), give us direction. I always come away feeling more inspired and motivated to become a better person.  This conference though is one we watch at home on the television set (of course I could go to the conference center, but that gets crowded!)
    I was so excited to hear about another conference coming up this weekend:

    Inspire My Life: Women

     

    Excitement was kicking in,  I started making plans for my kids, and thinking of inviting my sister in law to come with me. Then I looked at the calendar. It would happen to fall on a Saturday that I can’t go (furthering Mark’s career, an equally good thing to be doing). When you ask?
     
    Why it’s THIS SATURDAY: April 13th, 9am to 6pm
     
    And how much does it cost, you ask?  Well, that’s the best part because IT’S FREE!!!!
     
    You really can’t beat that!  Can you?  Well, they can!
     
    Although it is free to attend they are asking for donations to the Dove Center – a crisis center that benefits women effected by rape and domestic violence. So you can go and enjoy free of charge some inspiring music from people like Katherine Nelson (played Emma Smith in the Jospeh Smith movie) and Charley Jenkins. Then listen to motivational speakers David Christensen and Vickey Pahnke Taylor. 
     
    Or you can also go, free of charge, but know you did some good by donating to the Dove Center. Not only will you be edifying yourself at this conference, you’ll also be making difference in the lives of many women.

    Wait though, they even went further!!  The 999th person to register online will win a Girlfriends Getaway package to Green Valley Spa in St George. 

    If I haven’t convinced you to go yet, check out this music video from one of the performers
     

    
     
    If you can’t make it to this Conference, check out the list of future conferences: some for teens, some for couples, and some for parents.