School Garden

This spring, I helped in the school garden. It was incredibly fun!
Some things I've learned about gardening with kids:
(1)Start with cool weather plants
We have frosts into May. So, we began by planting things that tolerate light frosts: peas, onions, & lettuce
(2)Plant "showy" plants like tall sunflowers or bright pumpkins. Just start them indoors 1st & add mini greenhouses to protect them. (Kids can make these by cutting soda bottles as shown.)
(3) Make signs

This adds some visual interest when the plants are very small.
(4) Include art I had the kids create pictures with seeds. This gives them something enjoyable to do as they wait for seeds to sprout.

(5) Make it fun!

Even if the tasks are things like weed and water, you can assign them various things by having them roll dice.
Snacks also increase the enjoyment factor.

I was just working with 5th graders, but our younger son (2nd grade) says I definitely have to let his grade pick the pumpkins in the fall. So, I can tell he's seeing how exciting & magical it is to grow something!
And there are lots of life lessons in the garden.

These thank you cards to the kids read, "Life is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds."

Mickey party!

I hope I enjoy her as a 5 yr old as much as I LOVED her being 4.

She's so cute and has such contagious enthusiasm for things. We adore her!

LOVE this little lady!

Yesterday, she went to get her MMRV booster so we can sign her up for kindergarten. She told the nurses, "I'm not scared of shots." And, she WAS so brave and cooperative. They had her count with them (brilliant move, nurses). She was so proud of herself. And she thought it was the funniest thing that there is an illness called "Chicken pox." She thought it was "Chicken Bocks". It IS funny when you think about it. I'm so proud of her & will miss spending so much time with her when she starts school.

New calling

Troy was sustained this month as the new bishop in our congregation. I think he's incredible & will do really well at it. I think it will be a great blessing and learning experience for our family. But, I also anticipate that it will be very busy (time-wise, it is like a 2nd unpaid job) and a bit of an emotional roller coaster. He'll get to help people prepare for missions and marriage, but he'll also help with funerals or other tragedy and counsel people with serious personal & family challenges. So, send a prayer our way if you can. We have had so many amazing bishops who have helped our family so much. We want to be like them & lift and serve and love well.

Snowy pictures video

Hope everyone's holidays were as memorable as ours. Happy 2017! We made a video with some fun snow pics. It's about 10 winters in 90 seconds.
https://1drv.ms/v/s!ApepkJloW7NEl37dpnAb0u5QvcWn

Christmas Card pictures

We were hoping to get something like this...
But with pictures we often get mostly this...

We had fun, though!

After a very warm fall, we had snow today. Makes it feel like Dec!


(He's hoping his nice smile will keep him on the nice list!)

Baptism

Such a happy day!

He's a sweet kid.

But the weekend sure tuckered him out.