Little Drivers

 Do you remember wanting to drive so bad you could feel it?  Or dreaming of that day your first drove the car with the wind blowing in your hair?

I remember the feeling of freedom that I had never felt before.  I pulled out of the driveway and I was all alone in the car, the windows down and I was driving.  It was exhilarating.

Never mind that I was 19, the feeling was still there.

I'm not sure if most people begin dreaming of that day at the age of 2 and 20 months, but our Cuties sure do.

One afternoon I got in the car and the Expedition was in 4-Wheel drive.  How did that happen?

Another time my hazards were flashing, the wipers going, and it was in 4-Wheel drive.

Hmmm.  What is going on?

Wait a minute.  My little Cutie O, loves to escape from getting in his carseat and head straight to the drivers seat.  That little Dude loves to pretend he is driving my car.

He is all smiles.  Loves to push the buttons, flip the dials and run his hands along the steering wheel.

Cutie E is no different.  He loves to "drive".  When you ask him what he is doing, he will tell you, "I'm Driving!"  with giggles and smiles.

I have a feeling it is going to be tough to keep these two out of the drivers seat when it is there turn to drive.  I'm so glad I don't have to teach kiddo's to drive.  I wasn't that good at it the first time.

Its Here!

 I can't believe it!

My dream of writing a children's book has finally come true.

Writing a book has been a long time dream of mine.  Between raising kiddos, teaching, church callings, family, friends and life I just never had time, or took the time.

Two years ago while I was rocking Cutie E I realized that we had a lot of great books filled with first words.  I liked many of them, but I wanted a book that had church or gospel words in it.  I began my search.

I came up with nothing.  Nothing that is that fit what I was looking for.  I came across a lot of good books, they just weren't what I was searching for.

Sitting in Sunday School at the start of 2024 I was skimming through our new curriculum and noticed there were a lot more resources available.  I began checking them out and printing them for the boys.  I made a sort of quiet book for them with church words.

It wasn't until Sean reminded me that I had always wanted to write a children's book that I started creating a list of words I'd love to see in a book.  This lead me to starting "Growing in Faith, My First Words".  

Hardcover book

I spent a year pouring over every word.  Praying too.  I knew what I wanted.  I wanted my grandbabies to be exposed to gospel centered vocabulary with clear, simple, easy to understand descriptions, beautiful illustrations where ALL children could see themselves with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  I wanted to provide a resource for families that helped them invite the spirit to be part of their family culture.

I knew what I wanted, but I needed to know what Heavenly Father wanted for families.  I prayed a lot.  I felt him guiding my research, the words I chose for this first book and the words of each description.  He even gave family members an opportunity to help me turn this book into what He knew families needed.

In the spring of 2020 I was serving as the Relief Society president for our ward.  Covid was a crazy time, but to be the president of our women's organization and to reach each sister was nothing short of a miracle.  Well, a little miracle named Sister Sydney Cannon was just what we needed.  We had 2 sister missionaries at the time and I asked them to send letters out to sisters.  Sister Cannon even sent one to me with a beautiful illustration on the front.  The sisters decorated each card for the women of our ward.

She and I had many conversations about her art work and my desire to write a children's book.

As promised in 2020, I reached out to Sydney last year and asked her to be my illustrator.  I am so grateful she said yes.  Each of the illustrations are beautiful pieces of artwork.  You can feel the emotional connection to each of the children and the joy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ & Child

Heavenly Father & Child

Our hope is that children and families will see themselves in each of these illustrations and that they will feel the love that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for them.  

I am so excited to share this beautiful sweet book with you.

It will be available on Amazon soon  once it is I’ll share a link.