Conference Commotion

Okay, Moms, I need your help.
This specifically applies to those of you who faithfully try to watch all four sessions of the LDS General Conference twice a year at home with your kids.
I always hear older moms talk about how nice we have it now that we can watch conference from home now that you can access it almost anywhere, and while I definitely appreciate being able to at least glean something out of each session, I'm not so sure how easy we have it. When I was growing up, we all went as a family to ONE session out of the four of the broadcasted conference at church and it was usually the last one, Sunday afternoon. Which meant that the rest of the time we simply had no access to the other broadcasts and our parents sure as heck weren't going to dress us up and bring us to all four two hour a piece sessions, one was good enough and then you got to read the rest when they came out in print.
Now let me clarify something here. I. LOVE. CONFERENCE. It's better than Christmas. I love sitting and just soaking up the spirit and the messages from each talk and listening to them speak about my every concern. I love the feeling of absolute spiritual satisfaction when it's all over and my cup is full for the next six months. I pine away the days I can get the talks in print. But this is precisely why watching it with the kids makes it so difficult for me.
Let me clarify something else here. I. LOVE. MY. KIDS.
Just in case the next explanation makes you think otherwise.
When you have small children, no ifs, ands, or buts about it, it is HARD to watch conference at home. Okay, maybe it isn't for you other mothers with small children, but that's why I'm blogging about this. It's hard for me. We spend more time during conference finding things to help occupy our children, getting snacks, getting drinks, stopping fights, getting everyone their own space, getting coloring sheets out, stopping Odell from ruining said coloring sheets, picking Odell up, putting her down, picking her up again, putting her down again, wincing while Linus does his thousand year cat dance on my lap trying to find the right position to cuddle only to bite or pinch or wipe boogers or do some other malicious activity two seconds later to make him get off, console Linus after he melts down for having to get off my lap, repeating previous few steps two or three times, answering the million question game ("why are they old? why do they wear suits? why are they talking? what is this thing I found on the floor? can I eat it? why not? why are they wearing red dresses? why are they singing? why do I have to be quiet? can I play the piano right now? what? No, Mom, I couldn't hear you, WHAT?! WHAAAT?!?!?"), shushing, disarming, and usually finally breaking down and just playing with the kids during this time than I do actually watching it....*sigh*. It's exhausting.
 Maybe I just need to be patient and wait until they get a little older and realize now is not the time for enjoying conference like I used to. Obviously at least to some extent that is the case. I definitely am grateful that the kids are at the very least getting exposure to it. I know that despite all the fighting and crying and snacking and separating and questioning that they are getting something out of it, and I often acknowledge to myself that that's worth it. I'm glad that they get more exposure than just ONE session out of every four, BUT, I also often think that there has to be a better way.
SO: I have six months until the next conference. Anyone have any creative ideas they want to share? Before you direct me to more coloring sheets, while that sometimes works for Chloe, Linus really has no interest in it whatsoever and if he even picks up the pencil at all, it's usually only because he's taking it away from one of his sisters to bother them. We're working on him, we really are...
We don't even make them watch all of it, we want them to be there when the prophet speaks, that's really our only requirement for conference, but they don't want to go play somewhere else, they want to play where we are. Yes, I'm glad they love us so much to want to be around us, but they also get bored quickly with us and I'm not sure how to convince them that conference shouldn't have to be a stressful time for everyone and that they can play or whatever without tearing my nerves to shreds.
GUH.
Other than that, I loved the bits and pieces that I gleaned and can't wait until it comes out in print.

In other news, I've been absent lately and I apologize. I'll have to update more later. I have in my possession an iPhone 4s, recently acquired, and am having fun with it. The recording fun family times sort of fun. Like this gem here. It's kinda long, and I'm sure I get much more enjoyment out if it than anyone else does, but I do love this little guy...all recorded on the iPhone by the way...

Have yourselves a great night. :-)