Amy helped me make breakfast: scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon and orange Julius. Mmmm. It all turned out super yummy!

Everyone cleaned up, got dressed, and I sent them all outside to ride bikes and jump on the trampoline. (They needed a high energy time to prep for the long sitting time!)

Saturday Sessions, April 2

Friday night, I finished prepping the kids’ binders (and made one for Natalie’s friend who was coming over). I printed their packet (my newly updated Ultimate General Conference packet), added some coloring and design pages, and then put together complete crayon sets for each child from our big crayon box.

This time around, I told all the kids that I’d reward them for every talk they took notes on. This made a huge difference for Adam and Andrew, especially, who usually start taking notes and then just draw random things the rest of the time.

Saturday morning, I banned all the kids from the living room until Conference began. (The boys love to start peeking at their binders and to sit in the little couches we moved from the library, but if they do, it wears out the novelty of those things. ...And those two hours need novelty!)

Sunday Sessions, April 3

Everyone settled into their spot with their new packets. Natalie used her Conference notebook and a pattern book she got for Easter, which she is loving. Jon had to listen from work since a crunch deadline loomed.

Mark was much more interested in his binder this time, though he used many different things during the session.

During the congregational hymns, the kids all get the choice to stand and sing or to run laps. They always choose to run laps! It’s good for them!

Mark alternated between his binder, the Conference Center board, and my lap.

In-between sessions, I sent the kids outside. They rode bikes (they’re having a race here), and jumped on the tramp.

Oh, the weather was glorious!

The afternoon session was also great. The kids helped me think of a few better “I Spy” options for those two new pages in my packet. Andrew and Tyler fought a bit, but we survived the two hours.

That evening, the kids made a huge fort in the back yard. They were so proud of it, and loved it when the wind would blow it in the air.

They used a poncho for one of the pieces, and it’s pretty funny that Andrew hopped into it for the picture.

They played a bean bag bucket game until Adam and Andrew started fighting.

We also packed for our Idaho trip. That night, I prepped our Sunday apostle treats.

I use these colored-coded bins for the boys’ scriptures and journals, etc., but swiped them for General Conference so they’d have a place to keep all of their conference items rather than being strewn all over the living room couches and floor all weekend.

This time, I tried dividing out the treats for each person in their bin, so they could get them on their own when that apostle spoke. I did not like how this turned out, at least not with a 4-year old in the mix. Mark can’t handle waiting, so was raiding his treats whenever he felt like it. Next time, I’ll go back to the controlled colored bag method with the apostle’s picture on the front of it. (I did need a use for these extra stickers I had.)

I had a few little voices with me at the grocery store who convinced me to buy Twinkies for one of the treats. Ha ha, I wouldn’t have done that without them begging! I figured once a year is okay.

Mark is my main conference bogey, especially now that he’s done with naps. And by bogey, I mean the one I’m mainly concerned with helping to enjoy conference and be a part of it. 4 hours is a really long time to pay attention to something, so I’m grateful for a wide variety of options to help him learn to love general conference.

I had him sit on my lap for quite a while right in front of the Conference Center board during the morning session. I helped him notice the topics, and he started noticing them too, asking, “Where is ‘peace’?” etc. I thought it was funny when he asked, “Where is ‘often’?” It was apparent that he was listening for words, and also that he doesn’t understand what they all mean.

What boy can eat pretzel sticks without becoming the Wolverine?!

In-between sessions, we enjoyed Navajo Tacos on homemade fry bread.Mmmm! Those turned out super yummy!

The boys moved their fort inside, and had a great time playing together inside it.

Elder Holland was the long-awaited speaker. The kids were calling him, “The Twinkie Man”. They cheered when he was the last speaker announced, and finally got to open their wrappers and sink in to the gooey goodness. Mark’s Twinkie was pretty smashed from all of his anticipation to open it.

When Tyler just couldn’t leave Andrew alone any longer, I had him come snuggle up to me. I love that as the last session began Amy said, “Oh no! This is the last session!”

After General Conference ended, we cleaned up, loaded the van with our pre-packed suitcases, and drove to Idaho for Spring Break.

I love General Conference!

He started out coloring in his binder, used the church-themed lacing cards I made a few years ago, and then migrated to the Conference Center board.

Amy set up Tyler and Mark to paint with water colors, which they loved!

The Sunday sessions were both lovely!