Gardner Lane

by Tas Holland

Pondering on the new life ahead after the first day

2022 – It’s going to be interesting, that’s all I can say.

Going into the year, I really focused on setting up some goals and expectations. I already knew I was going to let go of the branding portion of my business (which was very helpful in 2021, but I just didn’t love it and didn’t feel like it was a good use of my time), but I didn’t know I would be letting go of my business completely.

It took me awhile to get on board with what God was telling me to do.

1. focus on homeschooling my kids

2. taking care of my body

3. committing to my 2 callings (Young Women second counselor and stake camp leader over YCL’s)

4. and practicing my art

There was a lot of praying and a lot of prayers answered. A lot of inspiration, humbling, and eye-opening. I finally had to accept that closing the “doors” of Gardner Lane was actually a good idea.

But now that I am officially not working, it feels very freeing.

Today was the first day. The kids came home from their grandparents’ yesterday, and today we started the winter semester of school.

Not feeling rushed through lessons so I could get to “what was really important” made today so much less stressful. I could actually teach Malory her reading lesson without being frustrated when she doodled on the page before she wrote her spelling word. And I could wait for Paislee to drive her boat around the whole room before paying for her boat ticket with as few coins as possible during math.

And I could just let them soak in the information at their own pace.

Now here I sit, pondering it all, writing it down, and appreciating what today was. We finished school for the day and I felt like we actually did enough. I washed, dried and folded an entire load of laundry. Now the girls are behind me making paper dolls and Copper is playing with a slinky. And I don’t have anything that I just have to get done for a client or an Etsy listing or some other unreasonable deadline I’ve set for myself.

I might feel differently next week, but today I’m just going to be grateful for the peace I have right now.

5 Family Temple Activities You Can Do At Home

Today I have a list of 5 family temple activities you can do at home with kids, teenagers, even just you and your spouse. These activities are a great way to “bring the temple home.”

Regular temple activities remind your kids of the importance of the temple.

By carving out some time for the temple in your regular family life, you make it easier to take those temple trips. Whether you are teaching your children the importance of temple time, reminding your teens of the blessings they can receive by spending time in the temple, or helping yourself reconnect with your own covenants, you can’t go wrong by giving a little more time to this sacred place.

Here are some fun ways to make the temple a regular part of your family activities:

1. Temple Building Contests!

I’m sure, when you were little, you built temples out of sugar cubes or marshmallows. Your kids would love to try that out! Hold a family contest to see you can build the best/tallest/most realistic temple. Choose a catagory.

Other supplies you could build a temple out of:

  • Cotton balls and hot glue
  • Shaved ice/snow
  • blocks
  • dominos
  • sugar cubes
  • marshmallows and toothpicks
  • graham crackers or gingerbread (think gingerbread house style)
  • paper (maybe more fun with teens who have used paper construction before – this could be technical and very detailed if you want!)
  • Popsicle sticks – another fun technical one for teens

Share photos of your temples with me on instagram! Tag @gardnerlaneshop. I’d love to see your creations!

2. Share a favorite temple story

Sharing temple stories is a great way to make the temple expereince real for our little ones. Since they haven’t been inside, the temple can seem mysterious, but by sharing our experiences with them, it becomes more tangible to them.

Remember to talk about your temple experiences in a reverent way. Temple experiences can be sacred and we need to remember that when we share them. Use the spirit to help you decide which stories are appropriate to share with your family.

Talking more about your feelings or spiritual experiences involving your ancestors or those for whom your doing temple work for are good things to think about sharing. Discussing the details of the covenants and ceremonies performed are to be kept within the temple. If you don’t know what should be kept sacred, refer to the temple preparation guide book. Things discussed here may and should be discussed in your home.

3. Look at temple photos

I don’t know about you, but my kids love photos! Family slideshows are always fun, but they also make a great temple activity.

If you have some photos of the temples on your phones, you can make a folder for temple pictures of you and your family and watch them as a slide show to remember the times you’ve spent there.

Another great place to look at temple photos is the Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ website. I love looking at these photos and they have some for each temple around the world! You and your family might enjoy seeing the different temples from the different countries.

This website also has temple updates, so you can check back here often to see what’s going on in the temple construction world.

4. Read some temple books

Reading together is always a favorite family activity of mine. Reading about the temple is something that can become a special temple activity for you and your family. Here’s some books you might like!

Have you heard of Latter Day Baby? They have some adorable board books, here is their temple book, Temples Around the World.

If you have teens, this might be a good one to read together, or to let them read on their own. Youth and the Temple can be purchased at Deseret Book.

Another Deseret Book to look for, for your own personal reading is Covenant Keepers. I haven’t read this one, but I have heard great things about it. I will be *adding to cart.*

5. Sign Up for 10 Ways to Attend the Temple at Home

The last family temple activity is simple; sign up for my free 10 Ways to Attend the Temple at Home. It’s a 10 day email course, with a new idea each day sent to your inbox.

Activities include things involving family history work, making your home a little more peaceful, or relearning your temple covenants. Most days can easily be done as a family.

The great thing is, you don’t have to do them all in the 10 days. You can spread them out, use them as family home evening nights or as a “temple trip” day if you haven’t been able to attend in awhile.

Sign up and you will get you an introduction to the email course right away!

Which temple activity will you do with your family?

I hope some of these ideas spoke to you and that you were able to find something that will work for you and your family, no matter what kind of dynamic you have; newly weds, small kids, teens, empty nesting.

I’d love to hear what you decide to do and how it works for you! Leave me a comment and let’s chat about your experience!

Don’t forget to follow on me instagram for temple illustrations and family history ideas!

Easily Turn a Temple Print into a Gift

The temple prints will be hitting the shop very shortly (check out this post with the details) and today I’m going to give you a couple ideas on how you can use them as gifts once you’ve printed your very own temples!

Print as a postcard to send in the mail.

When you order your digital temple files, you will get two sizes of prints; 8×10 and 6×8. To send a postcard gift, you’ll use the 6×8.

To print as a postcards, follow these steps:

  • In your print set up, select the option to print 2 on one sheet
  • Select the shrink to fit option (it will reduce the size slightly)
  • Print on cardstock
  • Cut paper in half
  • On the back side of your postcard, draw a physical or imaginary line down the middle. Your message goes on the lefthand side, the address and stamp goes on the right.

I love getting something personal in the mail! It’s so much better than all the ads and junk, amiright? Sending a postcard can be a really simple way to brighten someone’s day. And these temple prints make a great gift to mail to a lot of different groups. Here’s a few ideas:

  • Missionaries out from your ward or family
  • A primary class
  • A Young Men or Young Women class
  • Seminary students
  • Families you to whom you minister

Just think of a primary class getting a special postcard in the mail with their temple on it. They. Will. Love. It! And they can hang the picture up on their wall or fridge!

Frame it and gift it

Another simple idea for gifting temple prints is to simply frame it and gift it! Adding that special touch of a frame takes an art print to the next level. It will be a gift that is sure to be cherished.

You can gift it to someone who just got baptized, or a youth after their first temple visit! And think of the cute little couple that was just sealed in the temple.

Framing a print is quick and easy. When you’re in a bind for one of those last minute gifts – like for the baptism Sunday evening they announced in church, you can quickly create a gift that is meaningful without it feeling like a “last minute” gift.

And if you serve in any church leadership or teacher callings, you can give a meaningful gift to your class, quorum or group.

Don’t forget a gift for yourself.

Hang a print up in your home to help you remember the peaceful, wonderful moments in the temple and to help your children understand the love that you have for these beautiful places.

If you would like to stay up to date on the shop launch that will include temple prints, follow me on instagram where I share what’s going on! Or sign up for the newsletter!

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