Expressions of Love

I love this video.  

J's Liberty Girls Retreat

J has been in Liberty Girls this year.  Liberty Girls is a book club that meets twice a month to read and discuss the American Girl books.  She read about Josefina this semester.  They do activities each time they meet that reinforces the book.  For instance, she learned how to make yarn out of wool and weave it on a loom.  They had a retreat that she attended and then the family joined her at the end for dinner.

We got CHICKENS!

Go ahead and laugh at us...we're used to it.:)  Jana hooked us up with 10 free chickens!  They lay about 7-10 eggs a day.  The eggs are a pretty bluish color and brown.  I must admit that I had issues eating them.  For some reason, it seem gross to me.  However, I can report that they taste good!  

Matt designed a fortress for them.  I had to reign him in a bit.  He cut his original plans down quite a bit.  He did a great job, though!  He is very talented with tools, wood and chicken wire.  I was impressed.  We realized that we need to make their yard a little bigger.  We hope to do that 'renovation' soon. 

The kids love them.  They have each chosen their own chickens and named them.  They hold them all the time.  They collect eggs about 4 times a day!  I'm sure their enthusiasm will die down eventually, but it's been fun watching them with them.

Living Aquarium

We found a deal where we could buy year long passes to the Living Aquarium for half price.  We had never been there before, so we were excited.  I was a bit surprised by the outside of the Aquarium.  It wasn't very impressive, but we loved the inside.  We all touched Sting Rays...yes, even me!  We didn't read everything so next time we go we'll have to make it more of a learning trip.  Overall, we all really liked it.  Our favorites were the octopus and sting rays.

Hip Hop Recital

So, Jaylee and Wavy did a Hip Hop camp this summer.  Wavy was so funny about it at first..she kept saying, "I am NOT doing hip hop."  Needless to say, both girls loved it.  They said it was hard but fun.  They had a little recital in the owner's backyard.  Here are some pics~

Waverly's 6th Bday

Wavy turned 6 on August 2nd!  I can't believe she's so grown up.  We had such a fun day.  She had decided to have an Art Themed party.  She made the invitations and delivered them to 14 of her friends.  We played a game where they had to draw a tail on a donkey.  (Matt drew a big donkey and hung it on the wall.)  We blind folded the kids and then laughed as they drew tails everywhere but where it really belongs.
We then painted and decorated boxes.  Girls got heart boxes.  Boys got circle boxes.  We also traced each kid so they could decorate their bodies.  Matt did a great job.  It was fun to watch the kids.  Some of them took a lot of time and their bodies had a lot of detail on them.  Other kids drew a smiley face and that was it.
Wavy's favorite part was the opening of the presents and cake. She got a lot of fun art supplies and toys.  Thanks to all of her friends!
After the party, Matt and I rested for a whole 10 minutes, then we were off again.  I had to take a drug test for my new job.  (Not fun for any of us.)
We then went to Hidden Roots so us girls could get  feathers put in our hair. Conrad didn't think this was very fair.  I told him he could get a feather if he really wanted....
Next was Applebees, which was Wavy's choice.  It was fun, but we were pooped.  Overall, a very fun day for all of us.  I'm so glad Matt was off of work so he could help. 

Wavy was my 'baby' for a long time.  I can't believe she's in first grade.  She's so funny, smart and sweet.  I love her so much.

We Finished!

We finished the Book of Mormon!  We finished 2 weeks late, but it was still a great experience for us.  We've never read it that fast before.  It took us 2 1/2 months!  It was hard but we are glad we did it.  I feel like I have a better understanding of the flow of the Book of Mormon because we finished pretty quickly.  It's such a great book.
Now it's time for our next challenge!  I want to start Doctrine and Covenants tomorrow.   I need to decide on what the challenge should be.  It's been great reading with Matt.
I love the scriptures.
Jenn

Back To A Routine!

We have been doing year-round school for a couple of different reasons...less work each day, shorter school weeks and they won't lose as much over a long summer break. We took the past couple of weeks of from school.  It was great!  I read 4 books...and they were fun books, not how-to-homeschool-books.  We had my parents and the  Peters family visit us.  We've done a lot of movie watching and playing with friends.
We restarted school this week and I have to admit that it's been great.  I feel happier when we are following a routine.  I've realized that we don't follow a schedule as much as we follow a routine.  I like to be flexible with what time we do things.  We may sleep in one day so we start our morning at 9:30.  We just do everything a bit later.
I am trying to get Jaylee and Conrad to finish their 3rd grade History and Math.  I want to be able to start 4th grade material around the time their peers will be starting.  We started our current Math curriculum later in the school year, so we are a bit behind.  With History, it was the subject we would skip if we'd had enough!
We're loving our current curriculum!  Wavy bugs me to do her new Reading Program, and she's doing great!  We found this program at this year's Curriculum Fair.
Wavy also started Saxon's 1st Grade Math.  She feels grown-up because she is doing the same kind of Math as the big kids.
Jaylee is on her 2nd Level of her 'special' Reading Program, called Sound Reading Remedy.  It is supposed to help her with her reading challenges.  She loves it because it seems like it is just a game.
Conrad is doing great in his Drawing class.  I think we'll stick with it for awhile.  It seems to be a talent of his.
Harrison is Harrison....crazy, funny, adorable, naughty and still has a crooked neck!  We have been slacking with his therapy.  We need a pep talk to remotivate ourselves.  He is walking.  Wobbly but walking.
I was just called to be an Advisor in Young Womens.  I'm excited.  I love working with the YW and I love the YW program.  I'm also glad because I am still able to be the Organist, as well.
Matt is taking one MBA class this summer.  He is still working at Super 8 and Fresh Market.  He is still teaching the 9 year old boys at church.
We are still doing our 60 Day Book of Mormon Challenge.  We are a bit behind, but not so behind that we can't finish on time.  We only have about 13 days left!  The hardest part about it has been our schedules.  There have been several days when we haven't seen each other so we were not able to read together.  It's been great, though.  I really hope we can finish it!

Routines are great....glad to be back on one!

Manti Pageant & Ephraim House

Last night we were able to attend the Manti Pageant in Manti, Utah.  It was so great!  We started with an awesome Turkey Dinner that was offered at one of the local Stake Centers.  We were at the Pageant around 6pm, so we could get good seats.  When we arrived, we found that some of Matt's relatives were there~Bonnie, Mel, Justin's fam, Amber's fam.  It was fun to be able to sit with them.  The Pageant didn't begin until 9:30, so we had about 31/2 hours to kill.  We explored the local booths, read, colored, chatted.  

During this time, the protesters arrived.  I was so surprised and saddened by their appearance.  I guess they are a regular feature to the Pageant every year.  I had heard about people protesting at Conferences, but I didn't realize how sad/disturbing it really was.  

Luckily, those negative feelings we all washed away once the Pageant began.  It was amazing.  We have been reading the Book of Mormon as a family.  We're at the end of Alma.  It was so fun to see the scriptures unfold before our eyes.  It did my heart good to see that my kids have been paying attention!  They knew what was going on!  (I often wonder how much sinks in amongst the chaos.)

I was impresses with this production~over 800 actors, awesome pyrotechnics (my nephews and brother would have approved), and great costumes.

The highlights for me, besides the fire were~

*When Christ visits the Nephites after he has Risen.  He teaches the people and then blesses the children.  It was so neat to see Christ standing in front of the temple while all of the people bowed before Him.  Then to see all the children run to Him so He could bless them.  My kids had to keep asking if it was really Jesus because it all looked so real.  

*When Joseph was in Carthage Jail and he asked John Taylor to sing ''A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief".  During the song the mob started to shoot their way into their room.  The Spirit was so strong.  I am so grateful  for all that the early Mormons did for us.  

House of Ephraim, Ephraim Utah

Matt's relatives were so nice.  They invited us back to tour the house they had rented for the night.  It was...

Built in 1869 by Mormon pioneer, Canute Peterson.  Recently restored by owners, Randall and Judith Labrum.  To provide authentic pioneer lodging, every effort has been made to create an “authentic but modern” pioneer home.  Guests have an opportunity to experience the pioneer spirit and gain more respect and reverence for those early day Mormon pioneers who colonized the West, specifically Sanpete county

Brigham Young, John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff all stayed here!  It was awesome.  

Clint Black Concert

We were also able to get free tickets see Clint Black perform.  I'm not the biggest fan, but it was fun to be out with the fam on a beautiful night.  The kids danced and had a lot of fun.  

Pony Express Parade

The kids were able to participate in the Pony Express Parade.  They were with their dance group.  Jaylee and  Conrad danced.  Wavy rode in the trailer.  They were tired but had a blast.  Thanks Eagle Mountain City and Gotta Dance!