Pioneer Day Singing Time

Update: Gordon just sent me this pic from his phone.  Sneaky :)

Original Message: Yesterday's singing time was a success! All the hard work I put into having a little extra special pioneer trek payed off and I was very happy. I wish I had brought my camera, but I forgot. Here is the outline. I put a bunch of ideas together from all over and made it fit this years theme.

Jr Primary Opening:

We are going on a trek to Zion, What is the first thing we need to do? We need to get use to pulling and pushing a handcart!

Sing, The Oxcart p. 219, while pushing and pulling

To start, pass out baby food jars with cream to make butter and gather on floor in circle:

1. "Child of God Canyon"

a. Question

b. Sing, I am a Child of God p. 1, even tempo, shake fast or slow!

2. “Baptism Creek”

a. Question

b. Sing, Baptism p. 100, while passing ‘under’ creek!

3. "Eternal Family Mountain"

a. Question

b. Sing, My Eternal Family, the harder we shake the higher we climb!

4. "How Firm Cove"

a. Fun To Do, 3 verses (Jr. Primary) or Question (Sr. Primary)

b. Sing, How Firm a Foundation Hymn #85, shake with beat!

5. “Seek the Lord Peak”

a. Question

b. Sing, Seek The Lord Early p. 108, lead the music with emphasis to shake jars!

6. "Forever-Family Meadow"

a. Question

b. Sing, Families Can Be Together Forever p. 188, shaking high and low as notes get higher and lower!

For the setup, I made posters with a covered wagon for each stop and hung a strip of fabric with two cards tied to it. One card had the question (changed out different ones for Sr and Jr) and the other told us what to sing accompanied by an action, listed above. These I taped to the back of chairs placed all the way around the room ending at the table with rolls to go with our butter. For the stop "Baptism Creek" I used a table and had them go under like they were going under the waters of baptism. The butter making was the biggest hit though!

Sneak Peek | Hot July Wedding

This is REALLY just a PEEK

Are anxious to see more ... Me too, I haven't even loaded all the pics to my computer yet :)

Moving

Update: Here it is...

Right about when she came up and over his back is when it really started getting to me, although I was not sure exactly why yet.  Then later Mia Michaels talked about how people battling cancer are really concerned about how their loved ones around them are doing.  That was so true with my Dad.  It is a wonderful memory I have from that time.  I called him all the time to see how he was doing and usually he didn't have a lot of energy to be on the phone but he always checked on how I was doing.  I remember him actually asking me how I was doing emotionally... I did a double take to see if I heard correctly, we usually don't talk like that.  Then he would act like me having the baby was a big deal, compared to what his body was going through I laughed and told him women do it everyday, it was no big deal.  That perspective I believe really helped  the process I was going through helping make the birth so beautiful.  I was drawing on his strength.

Original message: Yes, we do have some 'moving' news but there are still loose ends so I'll hold off on that for now. Right now I want to tell you about the very moving dance on SYTYCD tonight.  

I am not very good at talking about things or writing about them (as you see here on my blog, post after post.)  But my emotions run deep and watch out flood gates when they did the dance about cancer. It was beautiful and made me appreciate my Dad and his battle that much more.  It could not have been more perfect and I can't believe I was crying long after it was over.  

I don't know if I can watch the dance again but if I find it posted somewhere I will add it because everyone should see it.

Twins

This one is from a 'mini-session' I did at the last wedding!

Couldn't resist cute TWINS.

Good Deal!

How much do I love good deals... I live for them! I am a coupon-er and love getting all my toiletries for FREE! Free is always best in my book but close to free can be good too. Like in this case. I try and avoid Wal-mart for the most part but sometimes it is darn right convenient and on this trip I was especially pleased. I found a little shelf with Lyndon size clothes all for ONE DOLLAR each! I literally doubled his wardrobe for 8 bucks, now that's a steal of a deal.

Another Sneak Peak | Kristi's Bridals

Sooo, much more where these came from! But here's a little preview, I know you are probably dying to know if it was really worth getting up so blasted EARLY!!!! Well, I think they're beautiful, but you tell me ;)

Sneak Peak | Yvette and Ruben

Love the Las Colinas Canals!

This was my first Catholic wedding; it was beautiful.

I think this picture is so "them."

It was a pleasure to be a part of this sweet-loving couple's union!

Killer-Shoes!!!

Baby Food

Well, Maddy still has no teeth so baby food is the easiest thing to feed her. Which is fine really because Beech-Nut just came out with

a new H OM E S T Y L E line that she loves! I stocked up on salmon and turkey dinners and squash and zucchini and pears and blueberries.

What's really great about it is that what's on the bottle is actually what's in the bottle! Nothing extra that you don't know or can't pronounce, just whole food (and water.)
Oh, and of course I like the price and the fact that I can send in my POP (proofs of purchase) for even more discount. I cut them off before I put them in my cupboard with an exacto-knife (sp?) Wal-la!

Well, the wedding this morning went well and now I'm off to the reception. It's gonna be a long night but should be lots of fun!

Superstar

What is it about sunglasses that make you look like a superstar?!

Just look at Madelyn workin' it already :)

Anyway, I have a very talented friend who has been doing these cool pics with overlays lately so I thought I would try...

What do you think?

Did I get any of these right Melissa?

Recognizing His Hand

Update: I was thinking it would be nice to read others experiences, so as an after thought late last night I decided I would invite you to write about your experiences on you blog and link them back here so we can all read!  Simply write your own post on your blog, link back within your post to my blog, and sign up with MckLinky below.  Or you can always just leave a comment like usual. 

Original: How often do we think,"that was a close one" or "what luck!"  Passing things off as coincidence, without stopping to recognize who's hand is really weaving these disguised blessings in each of our lives.

During testimony meeting a member of our bishopric posed his belief that not much happens in this life by chance.  I have felt this way pretty much my whole life... everything has a meaning and purpose.  As is my habit, I am often caught in awe as I witness ways the Lord blesses me on a daily basis, in ways that may see trivial to some.

For instance, yesterday Lyndon did not eat his breakfast and wanted to go back home and eat 20 minutes after we got to the pool!  A nice woman next to us, with two little ones of her own, overheard our dilemma and offered to share some fries with him.  A small gesture that totally saved the day! Coincidence, hmmmm, depends on how you look at it.

Sometimes these hidden blessings are a bit larger scale, but still take a grateful heart to spot.  On the way home from the pool I was pulled out at an intersection to turn left at a green light.  When the light turned yellow, being in an untypical leisurely mood, I rolled back instead of turning; even though traffic laws state I could have/should have turned.  As I got back behind the line to wait for the next green light a van came plowing out of no where through the now very ORANGE light.  At first I thought, "good-grief he's going awfully fast!"  Then a moment later the thought arouse that I could have been in that intersection right as that van was.  

Some might call it luck, but they would be remiss.  God is everywhere. He loves us, and He is with us in all that matters, the big and the small.  You just have to look for Him. 

Happy 4th!

Incase I forget to post tomorrow...

That means my baby is going to be a YEAR old next month. How in the world did that happen? Oh how I wish, like many others I'm sure, that I could freeze time. But, nothing gold can stay, so I try and remember to enjoy our time now.

Roller Skating

While we were in San Antonio we went to the roller skating rink where I used to go growing up; fun adding new memories to old ones. It was Lyndon's first time... he fell alot, hopefully I can get him to go again!!!!