Erased

We had great pictures of hunting Easter eggs at the Bennetts' house on Sunday and our Family Home Evening last night. However, Jeffery decided to play with the camera we left out and erased ALL of the pictures.

Ethan the Bobcat

We are so proud of Ethan for earning his Bobcat badge for Cub Scouts. He is now working on earning his Wolf badge.

As I was buzzing Ethan's hair, I realized that I had left just a little bit in the front and thought it looked funny.

Brother Jackson, Cubmaster and Ethan.

Ethan built a birdhouse.

Kim (my sister) and Brock (her son) on the left. Me, Jason and Ethan posing for pictures. I got a pin that I put on upside down. When Ethan does a good "turn" for me, then I turn my pin right side up.

Brother Jackson buttoning Ethan's Bobcat badge onto his pocket.

The American Village

I failed to mention WHERE we went on Jamie's field trip. We went to the American Village where actors dress in period clothes and talk with a British accent.

This is Paul Revere's wife. We delivered the secret message to her after it was decided to trust it's authenticity.

This is Mount Vernon, George Washington's house.

This man was holding a meeting in Virginia and asking people to sign a document to be sent to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This was George Wythe. He explained the three branches of government-legislative, executive and judicial.

This is George Washington's granddaughter. She taught the children to do a dance called George Washington's Birthday.

Jamie's Field Trip

Jamie with her Language Arts/Reading teacher, Mrs. Wendt.

Jamie and her friend, Delany.

Mrs. Wendt and Mrs. McDonald watching the students learn to use a musket (wooden sticks). The actor who was teaching them had them make sounds for each of the steps in preparing to fire the weapon.

These actors got the kids involved in expressing their disapproval of all the taxes like the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act. With no voice in how these taxes were spent, the people, who didn't have a voice in Parliment, became more and more dissatisfied with the King.

This man took us to a dark room lit with candles to participate in a secret meeting of The Sons of Liberty. Some students received reading parts as contributors to the meeting. He received a secret message from a British general's wife and led the students in a discussion about whether or not she could be trusted.

Powerful

The following link is the most powerful witness of our Heavenly Father's plan for us on this earth, especially Jesus Christ's role in that plan, that I have ever heard or read.

I've heard Bruce R. McConkie's name all my life growing up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but never understood why so many thought so highly of him. Now I do. I can't imagine being in conference that spring day in 1985 (which I probably was and don't remember it). The spirit MUST have born witness to many that what he was saying was true. I sure felt it 26 years later when I read it.

Elder McConkie's work must have been done here on earth after giving such a power testimony because 13 days later he left this mortal existence.

http://lds.org/liahona/2011/04/the-purifying-power-of-gethsemane?lang=eng&query=purifying+power+atonement

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!

Katherine had a ground water festival which I thought was at the Moody Park. I showed up at almost 9am, but no one was there. I felt terrible because I missed Katherine's field trip! I thought that meeting her for lunch at 11am would make up for missing the field trip. When I got to the school, the woman walking out of the office in the back asked who I was here to eat lunch with. I told her Katherine Hopper. She said that the fourth grade was at the ground water festival in Pell City and would probably be there for another hour! What! I thought I missed it! So I hurry (with Jeffery) to get in the van and see if we can get to Pell City before they leave. Last year they came back to the school to eat their sack lunches. I was hoping that this year they wouldn't.

Well, as I'm tearing down the road I see a police officer heading toward me. Sure enough he turns around with his blue lights flashing. Oh, NO! Now not only am I going to miss Katherine AGAIN, but I'm going to get a ticket to boot! I slow down in hopes that he will pass me. NOPE! Once I pull over, I get out my drivers license, insurance card and registration so maybe this will go faster. The officer asks me why I'm driving 61 in a 45! Wow, I was going fast. I explained, and he said, "So then me writing you a ticket for 10 minutes won't help you get there in time will it?" I said, "No." He took my license and insurance card and called it in to see if I was some fugitive, felon, drunk, etc. Since that came back clean he said, "If I let you go with just a warning, then I'm not going to have to pull you over tomorrow will I?" I said, "No." Then he said, "Slow down." He handed me back my cards, and I said, "Thank you."

Since that scared the living day lights out of me, I drove the speed limit ALL the way to Pell City! Did you know you have to drive 45 on the interstate because of construction! It took forever, but I didn't get pull over by a state trooper.

ANYWAY, Jeffery and I jump out of the van and quickly walk to some children who have on the same shirt (ground water festival) that Katherine was wearing today. Apparently ALL of the students that came had the same shirt on! We walked all over that church, but no Katherine and no Moody students anywhere. How disappointing! Maybe Katherine will forgive me.

Wise Counsel from a 4 year-old

We were driving in the van. Katherine and Ethan were sitting in the very back and fighting. I finally told them if they did not stop, then I would tie them to the rack on top of the van. Jeffery exclaimed, "You will get arrested by the police!"

Fun at the Pool

Jeffery wanted to take a dip in the baby pool. Mindy, Jamie, Sarah, Katherine and Ethan thought that was a great idea! Jamie and Mindy used t-shirts and shorts because Jamie doesn't have a swimsuit yet and Mindy's was at home.

Every one is wet but Jamie. She heard all the others say how cold it was and took forever to get wet. Katherine (green) is in the middle of a hair flip after wetting her hair.

Jeffery decided more water was needed. Ethan is happy to help.

Mindy and Sarah slept over last night. While they were playing in the water, we thought of Brock at home alone. Jason called Kim and invited Brock so he wouldn't miss out this time.

How many people can you fit in a baby pool? We fit 7 (Later Jeffery was in too).

One of my kids favorite games to play is "I went on vacation, and in my suitcase I took..." You list things you took one for each letter of the alphabet. The first person starts with A. The next person has to say "I went on vacation, and in my suitcase I took..." and say the A thing and add their item for B. The items were apple, beach ball, cloud, dog, evil, flip flops, gorilla, helicopter, ice cream, jelly, kite, lollipop, monkey (or motorcycle), nerds, octopus, panties (It was funny when Ethan and Brock had to say that one!), taquitos (no this one does not start with Q), rainbow, shirt, tent, umbrella, vacuum, wii, x-ray, yo-yo and zhuzhu pet.

Sarah said she was lying in the warm water. We had each of the kids lay in the freezing cold while they said all the items. Ethan took a long time because he had trouble focusing. His lips were purple when he got out!

When the phone rings

I couldn't sleep at all last night. I tried twice.

I got up today to find Jeffery in front of the tv with a spoon in the big yogurt container. I told him to put that away as I walked downstairs to get clothes and a towel so I could shower. (I've been keeping all the clean clothes, towels, sheets, etc. downstairs since the lice episode.) Well, I saw that clothes needed to be rotated, washed, and folded and started on that.

While engaged in folding clothes, I heard the phone ring. I ran upstairs to get it only to find the door locked! Jeffery apparently didn't want to get caught again so he locked me downstairs. I think the only reason he opened the door was that he realized that the screaming and pounding would not stop until he did!

I missed the phone call. I hate to miss calls. Sometimes I even get out of the shower to answer the phone. I have no caller ID because I'm too cheap to pay for that service. When I did have it, I still answered every call. So I have no idea who called because they didn't leave a message on my answering machine.

My four year-old wants to do everything by himself because he knows how. Well, that what he thinks anyway. He even gets upset when we try to "help" him read scriptures! He says he wants to do it himself. I told him that we are not making things up when we read the scriptures. We are reading the words written on the page that the prophets wrote. That didn't deter him from trying.