First Annual Valor Publishing Group Family Picnic

This week my family and I attended the first annual Valor Publishing Group family picnic. I had lots of fun chatting with old friends and making new ones. It was a little scary introducing myself as an author for the first time.

Me and my cute kids! The boys stopped throwing water at each other long enough to pose for this picture.

Candace, BJ, and Tristi, three of the four members of the Valor board.

I feel so lucky to be associated with all the great new Authors at Valor. Keep an eye on them--there are lots of amazing things happening.

Scrapbooking Giveaway Winners

Thanks to everyone who entered and became followers of my blog! And Congrats to the winners listed below. Send me your mailing address to my email: scrapshack at msn dot com. Thanks for playing.

• Anne
• L.T. Elliot
• Taffy
• Keith Fisher
• hellesbelles86

Summer Time Giveaway

My friend, Danyelle, at Queen of the Clan is doing an awesome summertime giveaway each week. This week I'm giving away a Scrapbooking package worth over $100. For details about how to enter, please see Danyelle's blog.

If you'd like another chance at free scrapbooking supplies, become a follower of my blog. Leave a comment to let me know you are a follower and your name will be entered in a drawing for random scrapbooking supplies. There will be several winners. I will announce them on my blog on Saturday morning.

A Sacred Ordinance

I had an interesting experience at church today as I sat in the foyer during the last hour of classes. A mother from my ward sat in one of the chairs holding their baby. The father came and brought one of their other children out. I assumed that he was misbehaving in primary and had to come sit with his mom. But one-by-one the father brought the other children out as well.

They all stood reverently in the corner waiting. I watched, curious what they were doing. Another ward's sacrament meeting had started and it was time for the sacrament to be passed. Soon a deacon from that ward came out into the foyer to pass the sacrament. Each member of this family took the sacrament and then as soon as the water had been passed, the parents hugged each of the children and they scattered, going back to their own classes.

I was amazed. Apparently the family had missed taking the sacrament in our ward so had gathered to take it with the ward following ours. I was very impressed at the message those parents were sending their children about the importance of the sacrament. I know often I'm guilty of taking the ordinance of the sacrament too lightly and it was a great reminder of it's sacred nature.

These parents don't know that they profoundly affected me, but they did. Next week when the sacrament is passed, I think I'll look at it a little bit differently than I did today.