Dedication by drawing, describing, designing

I found a great way to enhance scripture study as a family. It's a product by Doris Johnson called Book of Mormon Picture Pages. http://www.mormonlittlebooks.com/picturepages.html

You receive a CD of PDF files that correspond to verses throughout the scriptures. There's a summarized caption at the bottom and then a blank page to design a picture that relates to the verse(s). Print out a different page for each family member, and over time, you'll have a complete, illustrated copy of the Book of Mormon. It gives the family a visual reminder of the scriptures and builds creativity as well. We started our scripture pages on Monday night as part of Family Home Evening.

Thanks, Doris, for a great product!! I'm excited to build knowledge, appreciation and love for the scriptures!

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Music Makes the Mood

Feeling ornery, antsy, high strung, anxious, irritable, irritated, grumpy, flustered, in a funk, annoyed or upset? Are your children whiny, high strung, irritable, grumpy, ornery, bored, frustrated or impatient? 

Solution to ornery parent and ornery child? Turn on some music!

There is something about music that soothes the soul, lifts your mood, gives hope, dissipates the grumps, calms chaos and cheers the heart. The type of music you put on can help you achieve the desired effect.

Example 1: It's bed time and the home seems out of control. Kids are running around, and Mom feels frustrated that children aren't settling down. Time to put in some calming and soothing music. We'll put on religious songs - children's primary songs and hymns. Or, put on some piano music like Jon Schmidt - love it! Try Michael Ball or the 5 Browns. The choices are endless! You can literally watch the children calm down when this soft, calming music is turned on. (My four year old is melting down right now. I need to take some of my own advice.)

Example 2: The kitchen is a mess and there is a sink full of dirty dishes that I just don't want to tackle. I try to enlist some help from the children but nobody is feeling it. Idea - turn on some peppy music to get the family moving. I love the Newsies soundtrack! That is one of the best CD's to motivate and energize. Try some of the fun acapella groups like Voice Male or Vocal Point. You'll see people dancing with the broom as they sweep, singing and foot stomping while loading the dishwasher as well as funny faces and dance moves while wiping the table and the counters. It sure makes it a lot more fun!

Example 3: The children are out of sorts. They're bored and have NOTHING to do. Turn on some music for a dance party. Clear the floor, put on some dress ups and dance to Seussical the Musical or Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Get involved with your kids and they really have a good time. There's nothing better, in their mind, than dancing with Mom. Another plus - it gets them really tired and then they're ready for a quiet, mellow activity.

Example 4: Use some mellow music (like in #1) to set the mood for church, homeschooling, or scripture study/devotional. When kids hear the music, they know what's coming up and it encourages getting in the right frame of mind.

Put on some tunes and enjoy whatever mood your family is in need of at the moment.

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

No snow for this project

We knew the snow was going to fly on Saturday night, so we gathered the troops and got to work on weatherizing the yard and house for winter. While we were at it, we put up the Christmas lights so we wouldn't be doing it in the freezing chill of December with snow on the roof (like we've done in many years past). I know I've talked about working together many times, but it always amazes me how much is accomplished when everyone works toward a common goal. It seems that we learn something new while we're at it, too. See lesson learned, below...

"up on the housetop"

The best garland wrapper

Thinking she's big enough to climb on the roof...in your dreams, babe.

Helping with the lights on the ground

Lesson Learned: During this family work project, we learned about the importance of preparedness. When we woke up to a blanket of snow Sunday morning, many of the children exclaimed, "I'm so glad we put up our Christmas lights yesterday" or "we got the house ready just in time" or "no slipping on the icy roof this year". I felt incredibly grateful that we planned ahead and then experienced the joy of being prepared. 

Take advantage of family work projects. Boy, do you learn and accomplish a lot!!

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Prayer Chart

While I'm on the topic of sisters....I have another fabulous sister who has so many good ideas in the midst of adventures in motherhood. She does incredibly fun things with her children and is so talented at creating traditions in their home. One of her traditions is the "Prayer Chart". I have desired to establish this tradition in our home for years, but have yet to begin. Hopefully, talking about it will get me going because it is a fabulous idea!

At the beginning of each month, she prints out a blank calendar. They sit down as a family and discuss family members, friends, and neighbors that are in need of prayers. Each day of the month they put one or two people on the calendar that their family will specifically pray for in their family prayers that day. When the day comes around, they look on the calendar, discuss any needs of that person or family and include them in the family prayer.  Sometimes it's a prayer of gratitude and appreciation for the individual.

I love this concept! We have so many people that we care about but it is not possible to sincerely pray for each person every day. This keeps the needs of others strong in our minds and teaches to think not only of ourselves.

Personal Prayer - one of the pieces in the Stick-to-it School Chart

Prayer is an important part of raising happy, secure children. They learn to rely on a higher source, not just themselves. It brings humility and patience. It teaches faith and promotes gratitude. Prayer is a way for our children to serve others which brings true happiness.

Thanks, K, for your example. I think it's time to implement the Prayer Chart - especially for this season of gratitude and thanksgiving.

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Sweet and Sour

I have to credit this blog post to my amazing sister who shows so much love, kindness, gentleness, and compassion to her children. One of their traditions is at the family dinner table each night. They take turns telling each other their "sweet" and "sour" of the day. A sweet could consist of getting 100% on a math test, spending the afternoon with a friend, watching the BEST movie, or winning a football game. A sour may be slipping in the mud, getting stung by a bee, someone being mean at school, getting a C on a grammar test, or a yogurt exploding inside their lunch box. Whatever the case, it gives the opportunity to count your blessings together and mourn together. Thanks, CG, for such a great tradition. My kids came home from your house ready to talk about their sweet and sour of the day. 

Today's Sweets (I can't just mention one): 

Sending my son off on his first boy scout campout, watching my other son score 12 points in his basketball game, out to dinner (Mexican!!) with my one and only, and having a friend in the neighborhood just stop in to see how I'm doing.

Today's Sour:

Half of my children (literally) sick with strep...again. (This one is so bad that I need only mention one sour).

By the way, not only is she an amazing mother, she makes a mean sweet and sour chicken dinner! Remember your sweets and sours...

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Lessons from a Googly Eye

No matter how many times you tell your children not to do something (or to do something), sometimes they just have to do it (or not do it) and suffer the consequences to REALLY learn. I find, as a mother, that too many times I want to save my children from these consequences, but they end up missing the lesson they so need! 

My 6 year old daughter on Tuesday night: "Mom, something flew in my ear...really, I was lying in bed and I felt something go in my ear. I think it was maybe a googly eye or something." 

Great! How many times have I told her never to put anything in her nose or ear? I look in there with my otoscope (what would I do without that?), and sure enough, there's a googly eye stuck in the ear canal.

She insisted that she didn't know how it got there. (And I was born yesterday) I wouldn't let her get away with naivety nor get out of any consequences. After fifteen minutes of talking with her, she confessed to putting it in her ear. We told her that it would cost a lot of money to take her to the doctor to get it removed. 

Consequence: being scared all night with a googly eye stuck in her ear (we had to wait until morning), going to the doctor which no child likes (well, maybe to her it was exciting), suffering humiliation through the teasings of her older siblings (she didn't want to tell them - too late, I already did), and doing extra jobs around the house to help pay for the doctor's bill. Hopefully, this experience will teach her to NEVER do this again. Side note: the doctor asked us if we wanted the googly eye back for a souvenir. Are you kidding? Throw that thing away - we don't want to take any chances of it making it back in her ear.

My nine year old son: He came home last week with his report card. He was disappointed in himself because he received a B in reading. He's supposed to read twenty minutes each day and get his reading bookmark signed off by a parent. I got tired of playing reading nazi; reminding him every night, putting my foot down to DO YOUR READING NOW!!!, fighting him to do the reading routine each evening. I decided to let him govern himself and let it go. That's not my style! I believe in reminding my children about their responsibilities. They need guidance and direction and help. We all do. Sometimes, though, they need to suffer the consequence.

Consequence: Getting a B, instead of an A and feeling badly for not doing his best. The positive is he told me, "I'm going to do my reading every night so I get an A in reading next term." Yes!! I love that kind of motivation. Hopefully, it really "sticks"!

We've had our fair share of beads, BBs, lettuce and raisins up the nose. All of us can tell a story about our children making mistakes and doing dumb things. Be grateful for the lessons they learn...and then prepare for more stupid stuff down the road.

More to come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Helpful, courteous, kind, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent

After writing yesterday about raising and training our boys, it got me thinking about an amazing program that is available to our boys in ALL areas of the United States, the Boy Scouts of America. I know many people have a negative attitude about the scouting program, but my sons have been heavily involved for the last eight years and I find that the benefits outweigh any negatives. 

I love Cub Scouts! I love the simple, age-appropriate activities and goals for these active and bright boys whom are eager to learn. I love seeing my sons work toward something and participate in a program that teaches: doing their best, service to God, Family and Community, following rules and guidelines, and expanding their talents and knowledge. Family relationships are strengthened through working and learning together. Friendships are deepened. Scouting gives an outlet for creativity, fun, productivity AND entertainment.

The Pinewood Derby through the years. They make their own car and race it. Yes, it's a lot of work but they LOVE it!

I LOVE Boy Scouts! I love the focus on the outdoors, survival and preparedness. I'm grateful they're learning to start a fire, follow a map and compass, cook without a microwave and setup a tent. Since I'm not an avid outdoorsman, I enjoy the fact that my kids can do all of these things when we go on family campouts! I love the focus on service and building character...A scout is trustworthy, loyal, courteous, kind, thrifty, clean, brave, reverent, etc. I love them working towards a goal and the feeling of success and accomplishment when they achieve it. The focus on citizenship, learning new things, and building boys is invaluable. The scouting program, in partnership with the family, prepares our sons for the future. 

Working on merit badges at a Boy Scout Pow-Wow

Classic! What boy wouldn't want to wear a pink wet suit at Scout Camp??

Building Strength...

...AND Friendship.

Eagle Scout Service Project - He organized 100 people in making beaded geckos, wooden cars, shape rings, stuffed footballs, and quilts to send oversees to needy countries via the Launfal Foundation.

Our First Eagle Scout!

Yes, I love Scouting. When my boys are suffering from boredom, I tell them to get out their Scout Books and get to work. Spend time on scouts during your family night or after church on a Sunday afternoon. Get involved as the parent and enjoy the time with your son!

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!