Tidbits

From letters to Cache worth recording in a searchable format:

Tessa has had to use your plate every meal instead of hers.

Tessa is happy that you are on the top bunk---just like her. However, I'm guessing that you don't love the top bunk as much as she does!

Chandler has been working on his Sandwich Shop jingle. He's thinking to 'borrow' the end of Rhodes Bake and Serve Rolls song. If he doesn't use that, he'll use Les Olsen Company's. Either way, it should land him right in court!

Caleb's latest new recipe is adding a little fruity drink mix to his hot cocoa for a nice chocolate-orange flavor.  I don't anticipate trying it for myself any time soon.

Yesterday an entire pitcher of Kool-Aid fell out of the fridge onto the floor. Some thought the tragedy was in the lost Kool-Aid. Others thought it was in the mess to clean up. It really was neither, but it was something to fill 15 minutes of yesterday.

Greta is no longer saying every evening prayer.

It was great to get your hand-written letter.  Chandler got the mail and I think the whole neighborhood heard him announce it---it wasn't hard, though, as the whole neighborhood was out and he was quite loud.  He was so so so excited and kept saying "It's so good to see his handwriting again".  He has asked multiple times this week when we would hear from you and when we would know where you have been assigned.  So you made his week (and the rest of ours too!).

Chandler went to the golf course on Thursday.  When we picked him up he was playing some putting/chipping game with a one legged guy.  Chan was the one who asked him for a game.  He seems to make a friend every time he golfs.  He has ordered new clubs and they should be arriving this week, which has caused him to not sleep really well.

I took Chan to the golf course for a round of golf.  His new clubs helped him beat his old score by 2 strokes.  He was disappointed though because he thought he could knock off 7 or 8.

A couple of Greta funnies:  Today I said to the girls "Would you like to go across the street with me and meet our new neighbors?"  Greta said, "Will they eat me?"  Today for lunch we had some salad.  She asked us to pass her the coupons (croutons). 

According to Chandler he had the sighting of a life time.  As we pulled onto the freeway heading to Sally's he yelled "YES!  I saw it!"  Apparently his book "Encyclopedia of Immaturity" it has 3 things to see in your lifetime:  a car with a clown and balloons in it, a very large plastic dinosaur and the Oscar Meyer Weiner mobile.  He saw the latter.  Not sure how rare that is, but he can check that off his list.

Tess taught Greta how to climb the fence.  I'm amazed she can even do it, and I might not believe it had I not witnessed the fact that the girls were in the front and then suddenly in the back.  Those girls sure have an agenda!

Chandler was telling me about Mrs. Bates, the science teacher.  He said that she informed the class that she did NOT have a sense of humor, but then proceeded to give the kids a homework assignment using comics.  Chandler was not comfortable with the irony of that.  

 Tessa gave the lesson in FHE.  She put up pictures of tea, a pipe and cigarettes and told us they were bad us.  We asked why.  She said, "Because they aren't good for your body and they make you fat."  After a few more tidbits she closed with her testimony:  "I know this church is true and I know Chandler will do okay to pass the sacrament."  

Caleb went to mission prep tonight and came home very happy.  They cooked and then ate.  They made pasta, enchiladas, pancakes, eggs and some sort of doughnut.  And since there were only 6 people there, they got a lot to eat! Eating always makes him happy.  

Greta is back at saying every evening meal prayer.

As I was getting ready to leave for PTC at the JH last week I changed out of my frumpy plain t-shirt into something a little nicer. Goes to show how little I wear stuff like that because Greta asked me if I was going to go get married.

How to Write a Primary Program

This year as I was writing the Primary Program I felt inspired to keep notes of my process in case it might help someone.  I know that this is late information for someone this year, but perhaps someone, somewhere, sometime may need this.  (And it just might be me next year!)

There are many, many ways to write a program and I'm the first one to tell you that the first source for help is  always Heaven, but I also think that it is beneficial to see how others do things, glean what works for you and get to work.  So after writing 5 programs, here is the process I've found easiest for me.

1. Pray for the guidance of the spirit. I find it helpful to pray vocally and specifically. I pray to know what will touch the congregation, but more importantly what will make a lasting impression for the children.

2. Listen to all of the music to be used for the program. Pay attention for impressions of how the music makes you feel and what direction you want to take. The music will be what makes the program most meaningful.

3. Put the songs in order that you would like them to be presented and if it hasn't already been decided, decide how each song should be presented. (for example, will you use sign language, have a solo part, have a musical instrument, have a single class sing one verse or chorus, have a descant etc. We do this early in the year with the music leaders so they have a say in the presentation and can work on it all year.)

4. Write notes next to the songs (may evolve into possible parts, but don't worry about that at this point) as to how they correlate with the yearly theme. So if the year topic is I Know the Scriptures Are True, you will write how each song connects with that theme.

5. Add scriptures that you want to use. You may want a scripture to go with every song, you may not. Choose your scriptures and add them to your written text.

6. Look at how many children you have in your Primary and decide how many written parts you will need. (In our Primary we assign some children musical parts. If they are singing a special number with their class, that is their part.)

7. Find areas where younger children can give shorter parts and assign those first. For example you can assign Sunbeam teacher to say “We follow the prophet by: “ Then each child can generate his or her own way to follow the prophet. (A visit to the Sunbeam class one Sunday is the easiest way to accomplish that.)

8. Start filling in parts by section (between each song) making the parts lead up to your previously written point of how that song fits within the yearly them. I find it easiest to assign certain classes to each section so I know how many parts to generate in each section and how long to make them (age appropriate). Use the Sharing Time outline text for parts (weekly themes etc.)

9. Leave a large number of the parts open ended so children can share personal experiences (use previously given talks in Primary or other things to help you decide who may have experiences to fit your desired direction). Because I like to have all of the text pre-approved by the bishopric, I always get those written out before submitting to the program. The way I've found the most successful is by letting the child know their assigned topic then making an appointment with them to interview them. I've done this at church, but also at their homes. During the interview I ask questions to help them tell their experience and bring out the points I want made for that section. I then use the notes to write the text myself that way I control length and the direction the part goes.

10. I also find it helpful to fill out a tentative seating chart as I write the program. Writing the program is hard, but I find working things out logistically of where everyone will be, how things will flow etc. is quite painful. So if I do it as I go along, it is much easier and not so much of an after thought so it flows better.

11. Write it and then leave it for a few days. More inspiration will come. Tweak and edit as needed.  I like to have my editing process span a few weeks to a month if possible.

Don't be intimidated! Writing the program is a wonderful experience because you get to be an instrument for the Lord. Relax and rely on the impressions you receive.  

Notes

{And just like that, I can suddenly post on Blogger again! Yay!}

I'm just wanting to record a few things so that I have them in a searchable format for my future use.

From my notes from Elder Maynes's talk at our Regional Conference last week:

Who am I?  This is a question many ask.  We often define ourselves by our occupations, hobbies, families or social status.

But as Children of God, our relationship with Him is what should define us.

Knowing who we are spiritually affects our every act.

We are commanded to REMEMBER.  Remembering is a celestial attribute.  The scriptures are replete with counsel to remember.

The Lord remembers us so we should remember Him.

One of the most important responsibilities of the Holy Ghost is to bring all things to our remembrance 

Anyone or anything that causes us to forget who we are is a Korihor in our lives.

Remember who we are and act accordingly.

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Elder Bednar was at my sister's stake conference this past weekend.  I asked her to send me a little of what he said.  Here is her email.  All very profound.  I fall short.

Elder Bednar told us of something that has been on his mind lately.  It was something that Elder Maxwell had said to him once.  Something about the "character of Christ."  So E. Bednar has been thinking about what that means.  He has found that even in the moments when Christ was in the most anquish, he turned outward.  The temptations that Satan presented to him were invitations to think of himself and Christ refused.  When on the cross, He was thinking of those around him.  When in the Garden of Gethsemane and Peter cut off the ear of the solider, Christ had compassion on him despite what he must have been going through.  Elder Bednar challenged us to look outward and not in.  He used Cookie Monster as an example of a "Me, me me," character.  His question to us was, "What way are you facing?  Out or in?"  

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Then something I ran across this morning in my studying.  Powerful thought.  (Read the rest of the awesome talk here; I highly recommend.)

O my beloved hearers, what a world it would be if a million families in this church were to be on their knees . . .every night and morning! And what a world it would be if nearly a hundred million families in this great land and other hundreds in other lands were praying for their sons and daughters twice daily. And what a world this would be if a billion families through the world were in home evenings and church activity and were on their physical knees pouring out their souls for their children, their families, their leaders, their governments!

This kind of family life could bring us back toward the translation experience of righteous Enoch. The millennium would be ushered in. Enoch was asked questions about himself; he answered, among other things, “… my father taught me in all the ways of God.” (Moses 6:41.) And Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him.  (Spencer W. Kimball 1973)

Finally

Blogger and I have not been getting along lately.  For some reason, I cannot post anything on my computer.  So I'm having to get sneaky with it(which is WAY more work) and email myself all of my posts and pictures and upload them at some coinciding time that I can sit down long enough to do it and Tom's laptop is available (which is near never except at unpleasant hours such as now).  So here's some very old news and a few more recent items (yay for finally getting a little bit of our history recorded).

Kindergarten

Excerpts from my letters to Cache about Tessa and Kindergarten:

Tessa had her kindergarten testing this week.  It was done by Mrs. Crockett, a new teacher at the school, who Tessa fell in LOVE with.  After we got home, she would not stop talking about her.  Two days later when K class lists were posted, we found out she had Mrs. Walker.  She came home and flung herself on the bed and sobbed.  Unbeknownst to her, I had already made a phone call to Mrs. Crandall, the principal (while at the school & Tess was talking to Christine) because I had requested to not have Mrs. Walker.  So 15 minutes later when Mrs. Crandall called me back saying Tessa was moved to Mrs. Crockett's class, Tess was ecstatic, and has been bouncing off the walls ever since.  The only caveat is that it is the 12:40-3:30 time slot, which doesn't work well with our family schedule.  But I accepted it because Mrs. Walker and Tessa likely would not get along at all.

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While at the Children's Museum on Monday I got a message from Peggy Crandall saying she could move Tessa to the 9:15 time slot, but her teacher would be Mrs. Reid.  I didn't know Mrs. Reid, but I had heard really great things about her so I called back and made the switch.  All around, it was the best decision for Tessa--she does much better in the morning and it works so better for our family schedule. But Tess wasn't very excited about changing out of Mrs. Crockett's.  Down right mad might be better terms for it.  We talked and talked and came up with what seemed like a million reasons she should be happy about the move. By night time, I finally found one she liked.  Suddenly she was mostly okay to have Mrs. Reid.  So on the 1st day when we were writing a card to put on Mrs. Reid's gift, she wanted to write the only thing she liked about Mrs. Reid:  "Dear Mrs. Reid, I like you because your class is by the playground.  Love Tessa" Unbeknownst to her, I wrote something a little more appropriate, but later, Dad, not being informed on the matter, read the card out loud to her:  "Dear Mrs. Reid, I'm excited to be in your class.  I think you'll be a fun teacher.  Love Tessa."  The aftermath was not pretty, but somehow she managed to get to school and be okay with Mrs. Reid. A few days into it, I think she is coming around to like Mrs. Reid okay.  They do get to earn pebbles in a jar to have Fun Fridays, after all.  (Oh the drama!!) Don't let the smiles fool you. She was excited about kindergarten, but MAD about Mrs. Reid.

Yes, the back pack is hilarious, but don't worry,  it is just full of tissues and paper towels for the classroom supply.

Greta was SO sad after Tess went into school.  She wouldn't cry, but you could tell she wanted to let the flood gates open and sob.  She was so so sad.  So instead of going home and making a treat to serve at my teacher meeting that night, we went to Deseret Book and read books and ate ice cream.  She really needed that.  (I just served rootbeer floats for my treat that night instead of homemade peach pie.)  Since then, Greta has done really well.  She is so easy to have around ---she helps me with what I'm doing or colors or eats up the preschool that we do. 

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Kindergarten follow up:  I've asked Tess on and off if she loves Mrs. Reid and kindergarten.  She says she does, but she hasn't been very convincing.  In a few conversations, things like "Mrs. Crockett's class gets to paint and we don't so, I still want Mrs. Crockett," have come up.  Another time she said that she wants Mrs. Crockett because her class gets to stay at school all day.  (A little 5 year old misconception.)  While fairly content with Mrs. Reid, she still has been harboring resentment that she can't be in Mrs. Crockett's.  One day while rehashing it once again, I said to her, "Tessa, there are a lot of good teachers in every grade, but you can only have one each year.  You've got to be happy with what you've got and have fun anyway."  It took some talking along those lines before she seemed a bit more accepting of the situation.  She has started making pictures for Mrs. Reid and we've had a little less talk about Mrs. Crockett. But I think it has more to do with the fact that she finally got to be the line leader than anything else!  It is so hard to switch gears in that little mind!

Missionary Wall

My sister in law has a missionary wall where she hangs pictures and letters from her son.  I loved the idea because it helps keep the younger kids involved with big brother.  I started making plans for mine long before Cache even left, but then I started sensing  how private he wanted to keep his mission and decided I should not even work on it until after he was gone.  And since one thing leads to another and projects such as these do not take top priority over children and their needs, it took me until Labor Day to get it finished and hung.  I'm so glad I finally got it done because there has been much more talk about Cache amongst the kids.  And I love seeing his cute face everyday when coming down the hall.  

As with my typical (boring) decorating style, I got frames from DI and refurbished.  I decided to be a little brave and do them each a different color; I put color streaks in all three and elements on them to tie them together. I'm happy with how it turned out.

The scripture is the last part of the scripture he chose for his missionary plaque that hangs at church.  

The temple and scripture pictures came from lds.org then I sent them to Costco for printing then cut it to fit my frames.  

And as part of our family missionary work, we are indexing and arbitrating, so I decided to include that.  Tom is the biggest indexer, but the others of us contribute some also. 

 I'm asked all the time how he is doing.  He seems quite good, but I read in between the lines a lot.  I know he is very concerned with sending emails he hasn't had time to edit (his words:  edited for content and delivery), but that is exactly what missionary life is throwing at him, and so I don't get a long newsy letters.  I will just have to hear details when he gets home and savor what he sends, because I'm sure there are those who write even less.

Since his emails are not lengthy and he doesn't always get all of our questions answered, I decided to send him a Pop Quiz.  I knew he wouldn't have much time to write so I made all of the questions either yes/no or very short answer.  To my wonderful surprise, I got it back (!) and with a few extra notes as explanation on the back.  I think I might get away with sending a pop quiz once a quarter or so!

New Glasses

 Greta's been in glasses 3 years and has had to have the same pair all 3 years (well, we've purchased new ones each year, but gotten the same frame each time).  Ellen, our pediatric optician, just kept recommending the same pair for the best possible vision and the best style for her face.  This year I was hoping to have outgrown the baby- sized glasses so we could have a few more choices.  But no, my small girls are in baby glasses until age 4, apparently.  However!  A new cute purple style just came out. How perfect is that since purple is Greta's favorite color?  I love the new look on her!  Love you baby girl!