Getting Ready for Conference!

This is pretty out of character for me (as I tend to think of great ideas at the last minute) but I have felt really excited about General Conference coming up in a couple of weeks and felt inspired to prepare NOW! I came across a couple of great websites I wanted to share along with what our plans include to make General Conference special! Hope you enjoy!!

First, SugarDoodle has a ton of resources at http://www.sugardoodle.net/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3101

The Idea Door has a couple of additional "Conference Packets" as well as a "WorkBook" for the youth, which Danny and I plan on using to help us focus better and take notes! That website is:

http://www.theideadoor.com/index.php?

option=com_content&view=article&id=563&Itemid=2417&a45c45c56830e5268844f1b27d9de6eb=cf4ba3de5c628cbc06f391628e8cdcef

Sorry, that's a really long address, huh?

So...personally, I am going to try to reread the talks from the April Conference throughout the week prior to Conference. Then, I loved the Tent idea, which references when King Benjamin taught his people (everyone gathered at the temple and faced their tents in King Benjamin's direction in order to hear his counsel) We are going to try to come up with some sort of "tent" the night before so it is ready when the kids wake up Saturday morning. Inside the "tent," we will have a basket for each child with treats, new crayons, and activities, etc... We also have done a modified version of BINGO. Instead of each child having their own card and working toward a bingo, we cut one bingo card up and post each square (with words and pictures pertaining to Conference topics), so when someone hears the word, they take that square down and get a candy. Oh it gets even better...I also have PRIZES!! My kids respond well to and love games and earning points to get a reward, etc... so we might give them a point for every worksheet/activity completed as well as for hearing a bingo word. Then they can "buy" prizes with their points after conference(most around $0.50 each...chinese yo-yo's, binoculars, parachute army guys, crayons, mini memo pads, etc...)

Of course, we will also incorporate some of our favorite foods, too...I'm sure some rendition of pancakes for a late breakfast! Then we are having friends over for a themed dinner Sunday. Hopefully we can continue the traditions we have enjoyed in the past, as well as start some new! I love when the kids are excited about Conference and can participate in their own way, allowing us to listen too. Hopefully they really do listen, or at least feel the Spirit and understand how important it is and how blessed we are to have a prophet on the earth and the opportunity to hear his counsel. I love the way these traditions strengthen and unite us with a resolve to move forward and become better. Please, feel free to comment and share your own traditions as well!! Thanks!!!