Over Time & GC 2010

Wow. We don't look like the picture on our blog. We need to get an updated one. Maybe at Christmas we can get one of those FAMILY Pictures. It’s been almost a year since I posted a story to this blog, so I thought it was about time for a new post.

This past weekend was General Conference and here is what I remember from years past....

• We would go to church on Saturday and Sunday in church dress. Even though we had satellite at our house most of our lives, we would go to the church. It was interesting because we would hear of stories of people living in Utah who would be at home watching and lying on the floor when we were young like eight (8) years of age. But, mom and dad made us go to church because they said we would listen better. This is true. Now, I do the same with Sydney but not this year. We have Dish Network and can record and watch later or watch and pause. This year, mom and Tudy were down to watch with us. We watched every session but were not in church clothes.

Photo from Erica's blog.

• The Saturday before was the General R.S. Broadcast and all the women would get together and listen to the Prophet speaking. One of my favorite memories and the broadcast that I remember the most is my Sept 23, 1995 where President Gordon B. Hinckley announced- "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" document. I heard it read with mom, Annette Stroud, while sitting in the chapel of the Shenandoah Ward off Reese Road in Columbus, GA.
• I have memories of us taking down wallpaper at the McNeese House and stopping for two hours for GC then back up again when it was over. One memory in particular was Martha Jackson, from across the street, was helping and had to stop also. She didn't stay for GC but she was supportive in our choice.
• Then there is a time that Carrie Stroud was at the house after Dad passed away watching GC and she had some very strong emotions/feelings about dad during a conference talk. Very special moment for all of us. Ask Carrie about those feelings for more information. (Not going to post publicly.)
• I also have a talk from GC that President James E. Faust gave about not asking why is this happening to me but what can I learn from the situation I am going through. This is one the best lessons I have had in my time listen to G.C. I know there are many others like getting food storage together, going to the temple, genealogy work, marrying in the temple and being single in church. But the lesson I learned that day from President Faust is applied consistently through my life.
• There are also memories of copying off worksheets to do during conference to help concentrate.
• Also there was a contest that the Young Women and Young Men did where we got points for going to GC as part of a program to help us become spiritual and we would win a trip to some place. None of us Stroud's went but we were close in the points. That activity had an important impact on my life.
• This year, Sydney listened and we have been doing better with reading from the scriptures but making me explain to her what it means. Now, it was only last Sunday but she has implemented something that she heard from GC and this is GREAT!

I wonder what my brothers experienced and if they will post a comment to tell what GC means to them currently or in the past. :D)

Additions from Carrie Stroud
I am pretty positive that Aaron will say it was a good time to fold laundry. ha ha!

Seriously though...that man can't sit still! I keep remembering watching it at mom's house years ago and getting so frustrated that Aaron was up and around etc while he was listening (I just can't concentrate in that way). She told me that your dad was the same way...and that he would just sit on the ground and sort out his tools etc and it drove her crazy;)

Rated R movies, WHAT!

We had a rule about Rated R movies when growing up. They were a no no! When we broke them something happened. Below is Robby describing what would happen from his blog.

"Saturday I decided to call my mom. Eventually, I told her I saw a rated R movie.
She begins to give me a hard time about it. The following day I went to my in laws for Sunday dinner. My mother-in-law informs me that she spoke with my mother. Then she tells me that I'm not allowed to watch a movie for a month. Laughing I asked, "Why?" She then reminded me of a rule we had in my house as a child. If I went to go see a rated R movie I wasn't allowed to see a movie for a month. My PS3/ Blu-Ray player broke that day. I also saw the movie with my father-in-law."

The joys of growing up and the different rules. By the way, this was the one rule that I, Carmella, remember my parents following through to the end. I saw one movie, Cadillac Man, in 1989 and was on restriction for a month.

happy birthday grandson

now go HERE

or start at the beginning...

I saw it first!

I was driving out of the parking lot today after work and saw a Palm Tree. It brought this memory back.

As a family we traveled to Florida to visit our grandparents (MomMom & PopPop) in De Bary, Florida. We had a few games that we played or rewards we got while we sat in the car for hours, about seven (7) hours.

I remembered two of them.

1) We would see who would see the first palm tree and the palm tree had to be in Florida.

2) If we were good, we would get to stop at Dairy Queen for a treat. An ice cream, usually a Buster Bar. Now, as we got older we pushed the limit and Aaron went beyond the Ice Cream and got Onion Rings or Cheeseburger.

This was a great memory to remember as I drove out of the parking lot in Thomasville, GA today where I glanced through my side window and saw a Georgia Palm Tree.

From a Family of Athletes...

A recount of a story told by Annette Stroud to Granddaughter, Sydney, after getting two goals in her first Soccer game of season this past Saturday.

Syd, congratulations on the goals! You do know that you are from a family of athletes. I played basketball, tennis and softball, even after high school . Willa and Connie also played as well as your Mama and Uncle Aaron on high school teams but my favorite story is about Tudy. She played in her day, with her children, and with her grandchildren up until the time she lost her leg. She had a great long shot! When I was in high school, a ball was knocked out of bounds at the half time and went into the bleachers near where Mama was sitting. The man that caught the ball knew that Mama played when she was young and threw her the ball as he hollowed, "shoot it Eliz-a-beth", she did and stripped the net from the half way mark, but 3 seats up in the bleachers. The crowd exploded with a standing ovation. Keep practicing one day you may be better than all of us. I love you. Gam-Mommy

Pick-a-nicking

Papa used to go to the store and buy us snacks. But he would not buy a candy bar for each person instead he would buy one (1) or two (2) candy bars and cut it into enough pieces for everyone to have some. He called it pick-a-nicking. One interesting thing about this was that he would not use a knife from Tudy's kitchen but his pocket knife. He would clean it off and slice the candy bars. I think it made the candy taste even better. He would usually get a Milky Way and Snickers bar.

Amen. I Love You!

Amen. I..... Love..... You...... is said as we squeeze hands around the kitchen table. This is another tradition that I was reminded of today at a meeting when we said a special pray where we stood and held hands for our loved ones.